Adaptive electric vehicle charging based on grid monitoring

1. A method of controlling an electric vehicle charging station, comprising:

at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory, wherein:

the electronic device is coupled to a main input of an electricity demand center on an electric grid, and

the electricity demand center includes a first set of circuits configured to supply electricity to a first set of electrical devices and a second set of circuits configured to supply electricity to respective on-board charging systems of one or more electric vehicles:

activating load monitoring for the electricity demand center on the electric grid;

determining an electricity consumption cap for a current electricity consumption cycle at the electricity demand center;

during the current electricity consumption cycle, detecting activation of a first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits;

in response to detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits, enforcing an output power cap for the second set of circuits, including dynamically adjusting a current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with a difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and a current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center;

recording variations in actual load on the first set of circuits for at least a first period of time including multiple electricity consumption cycles; and

in accordance with the variations in the actual load that have been recorded for at least the first period of time, identifying a cyclic power consumption pattern for the first set of circuits at the electricity demand center, wherein the cyclic power consumption pattern is defined by a peak load value and a period of off-peak load values surrounding the peak load value that recurred periodically during each of the multiple electricity consumption cycles.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle includes:

selecting the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle in accordance with the peak load value of the cyclic power consumption pattern.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle includes:

selecting the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle in accordance with a configuration input received from a user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle includes:

selecting the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle in accordance with a maximum load allowed by a circuit breaker of the main input of the electricity demand center.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits includes:

receiving a first communication signal from a first on-board charging system of a first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the first communication signal includes an identifier of the first on-board charging system.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein dynamically adjusting the current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with the difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center includes:

detecting a change in the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center; and

in accordance with a determination that the change in the current load on the first set of circuits meets charging adjustment criteria, transmitting a second communication signal to the first on-board charging system of the first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the second communication signal specifies a respective charging power for the first on-board charging system, and wherein the first on-board charging system adjusts a current charging power of the first electric vehicle in accordance with the second communication signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection is detected while one or more second electric vehicle charging connections in the second set of circuits are currently charging one or more second electric vehicles distinct from the first electric vehicle, and

enforcing the output power cap for the second set of circuits includes:

dynamically adjusting respective current output powers of the one or more second electric vehicle charging connections in accordance with the difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center, and in accordance with the current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein enforcing the output power cap for the second set of circuits includes setting different output power caps for at least two electric vehicle charging connections among the one or more second electric vehicle charging connections and the first electric vehicle charging connection.

9. An electronic device for controlling an electric vehicle charging station, wherein:

the electronic device is coupled to a main input of an electricity demand center on an electric grid,

the electricity demand center includes a first set of circuits configured to supply electricity to a first set of electrical devices and a second set of circuits configured to supply electricity to respective on-board charging systems of one or more electric vehicles, and

the electronic device includes one or more processors and memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

activating load monitoring for the electricity demand center on the electric grid;

determining an electricity consumption cap for a current electricity consumption cycle at the electricity demand center;

during the current electricity consumption cycle, detecting activation of a first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits;

in response to detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits, enforcing an output power cap for the second set of circuits, including dynamically adjusting a current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with a difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and a current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center; and

recording variations in actual load on the first set of circuits for at least a first period of time including multiple electricity consumption cycles; and

in accordance with the variations in the actual load that have been recorded for at least the first period of time, identifying a cyclic power consumption pattern for the first set of circuits at the electricity demand center, wherein the cyclic power consumption pattern is defined by a peak load value and a period of off-peak load values surrounding the peak load value that recurred periodically during each of the multiple electricity consumption cycles.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein determining the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle includes:

selecting the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle in accordance with the peak load value of the cyclic power consumption pattern.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein determining the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle includes:

selecting the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle in accordance with a configuration input received from a user.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein determining the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle includes:

selecting the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle in accordance with a maximum load allowed by a circuit breaker of the main input of the electricity demand center.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits includes:

receiving a first communication signal from a first on-board charging system of a first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the first communication signal includes an identifier of the first on-board charging system.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein dynamically adjusting the current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with the difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center includes:

detecting a change in the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center; and

in accordance with a determination that the change in the current load on the first set of circuits meets charging adjustment criteria, transmitting a second communication signal to the first on-board charging system of the first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the second communication signal specifies a respective charging power for the first on-board charging system, and wherein the first on-board charging system adjusts a current charging power of the first electric vehicle in accordance with the second communication signal.

15. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:

the activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection is detected while one or more second electric vehicle charging connections in the second set of circuits are currently charging one or more second electric vehicles distinct from the first electric vehicle, and

enforcing the output power cap for the second set of circuits includes:

dynamically adjusting respective current output powers of the one or more second electric vehicle charging connections in accordance with the difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center, and in accordance with the current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein enforcing the output power cap for the second set of circuits includes setting different output power caps for at least two electric vehicle charging connections among the one or more second electric vehicle charging connections and the first electric vehicle charging connection.

17. An electronic device for controlling an electric vehicle charging station, wherein:

the electronic device is coupled to a main input of an electricity demand center on an electric grid,

the electricity demand center includes a first set of circuits configured to supply electricity to a first set of electrical devices and a second set of circuits configured to supply electricity to respective on-board charging systems of one or more electric vehicles,

the electronic device is configured to communicate with the respective on-board charging systems of the one or more electric vehicles to receive respective unique identifiers for the respective on-board charging systems of the one or more electric vehicles and provide respective charging instructions to the on-board charging systems of the one or more electric vehicles, and

the electronic device includes:

one or more load sensors for sensing real-time electricity load at the input main of the electricity demand center; and

a charging control unit with one or more processors and memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

activating load monitoring for the electricity demand center on the electric grid;

determining an electricity consumption cap for a current electricity consumption cycle at the electricity demand center;

during the current electricity consumption cycle, detecting activation of a first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits; and

in response to detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits, enforcing an output power cap for the second set of circuits, including dynamically adjusting, via one or more first charging instructions sent from the charging control unit to the respective on-board charging system of the first electric vehicle, a current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with a difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and a current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center,

wherein detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits includes:

receiving a first communication signal from a first on-board charging system of a first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the first communication signal includes an identifier of the first on-board charging system, and

wherein dynamically adjusting the current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with the difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center includes:

detecting a change in the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center; and

in accordance with a determination that the change in the current load on the first set of circuits meets charging adjustment criteria, transmitting a second communication signal to the first on-board charging system of the first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the second communication signal specifies a respective charging power for the first on-board charging system, and wherein the first on-board charging system adjusts a current charging power of the first electric vehicle in accordance with the second communication signal.

18. A method of controlling an electric vehicle charging station, comprising:

at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory, wherein:

the electronic device is coupled to a main input of an electricity demand center on an electric grid, and

the electricity demand center includes a first set of circuits configured to supply electricity to a first set of electrical devices and a second set of circuits configured to supply electricity to respective on-board charging systems of one or more electric vehicles:

activating load monitoring for the electricity demand center on the electric grid;

determining an electricity consumption cap for a current electricity consumption cycle at the electricity demand center;

during the current electricity consumption cycle, detecting activation of a first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits; and

in response to detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits, enforcing an output power cap for the second set of circuits, including dynamically adjusting a current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with a difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and a current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center,

wherein detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits includes:

receiving a first communication signal from a first on-board charging system of a first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the first communication signal includes an identifier of the first on-board charging system, and

wherein dynamically adjusting the current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with the difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center includes:

detecting a change in the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center; and

in accordance with a determination that the change in the current load on the first set of circuits meets charging adjustment criteria, transmitting a second communication signal to the first on-board charging system of the first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the second communication signal specifies a respective charging power for the first on-board charging system, and wherein the first on-board charging system adjusts a current charging power of the first electric vehicle in accordance with the second communication signal.

19. A method of controlling an electric vehicle charging station, comprising:

at an electronic device having one or more processors and memory, wherein:

the electronic device is coupled to a main input of an electricity demand center on an electric grid, and

the electricity demand center includes a first set of circuits configured to supply electricity to a first set of electrical devices and a second set of circuits configured to supply electricity to respective on-board charging systems of one or more electric vehicles:

activating load monitoring for the electricity demand center on the electric grid;

determining an electricity consumption cap for a current electricity consumption cycle at the electricity demand center;

during the current electricity consumption cycle, detecting activation of a first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits; and

in response to detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits, enforcing an output power cap for the second set of circuits, including dynamically adjusting a current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with a difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and a current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center, wherein:

the activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection is detected while one or more second electric vehicle charging connections in the second set of circuits are currently charging one or more second electric vehicles distinct from the first electric vehicle, and

enforcing the output power cap for the second set of circuits includes:

dynamically adjusting respective current output powers of the one or more second electric vehicle charging connections in accordance with the difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center, and in accordance with the current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein enforcing the output power cap for the second set of circuits includes setting different output power caps for at least two electric vehicle charging connections among the one or more second electric vehicle charging connections and the first electric vehicle charging connection.

21. An electronic device for controlling an electric vehicle charging station, wherein:

the electronic device is coupled to a main input of an electricity demand center on an electric grid,

the electricity demand center includes a first set of circuits configured to supply electricity to a first set of electrical devices and a second set of circuits configured to supply electricity to respective on-board charging systems of one or more electric vehicles, and

the electronic device includes one or more processors and memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

activating load monitoring for the electricity demand center on the electric grid;

determining an electricity consumption cap for a current electricity consumption cycle at the electricity demand center;

during the current electricity consumption cycle, detecting activation of a first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits; and

in response to detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits, enforcing an output power cap for the second set of circuits, including dynamically adjusting a current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with a difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and a current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center,

wherein detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits includes:

receiving a first communication signal from a first on-board charging system of a first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the first communication signal includes an identifier of the first on-board charging system, and

wherein dynamically adjusting the current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with the difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center includes:

detecting a change in the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center; and

in accordance with a determination that the change in the current load on the first set of circuits meets charging adjustment criteria, transmitting a second communication signal to the first on-board charging system of the first electric vehicle through the first electric vehicle charging connection, wherein the second communication signal specifies a respective charging power for the first on-board charging system, and wherein the first on-board charging system adjusts a current charging power of the first electric vehicle in accordance with the second communication signal.

22. An electronic device for controlling an electric vehicle charging station, wherein:

the electronic device is coupled to a main input of an electricity demand center on an electric grid,

the electricity demand center includes a first set of circuits configured to supply electricity to a first set of electrical devices and a second set of circuits configured to supply electricity to respective on-board charging systems of one or more electric vehicles, and

the electronic device includes one or more processors and memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

activating load monitoring for the electricity demand center on the electric grid;

determining an electricity consumption cap for a current electricity consumption cycle at the electricity demand center;

during the current electricity consumption cycle, detecting activation of a first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits; and

in response to detecting activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection in the second set of circuits, enforcing an output power cap for the second set of circuits, including dynamically adjusting a current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection in accordance with a difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and a current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center, wherein:

the activation of the first electric vehicle charging connection is detected while one or more second electric vehicle charging connections in the second set of circuits are currently charging one or more second electric vehicles distinct from the first electric vehicle, and

enforcing the output power cap for the second set of circuits includes:

dynamically adjusting respective current output powers of the one or more second electric vehicle charging connections in accordance with the difference between the electricity consumption cap for the current electricity consumption cycle and the current load on the first set of circuits of the electricity demand center, and in accordance with the current output power of the first electric vehicle charging connection.

23. The electronic device of claim 22 , wherein enforcing the output power cap for the second set of circuits includes setting different output power caps for at least two electric vehicle charging connections among the one or more second electric vehicle charging connections and the first electric vehicle charging connection.