Systems for controlling power distribution to vehicles
The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and devices for controlling charging of vehicles, to avoid charging during charge-adverse time periods or during charge restriction events. This can advantageously reduce cost to vehicles owners, and or provide access to reward incentives. Further, power distribution entities (utility providers) advantageously have increased control over power distribution to avoid over-burdening of power distribution infrastructure. Further, systems and methods for determining or inferring whether a vehicle is connected to a charge station are described, which can be used to inform automatic restriction of vehicle charging.
1. A system for controlling power distribution to a plurality of vehicles, the system comprising:
a distribution control device comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium;
a communication interface communicatively coupled to the at least one processor,
wherein the at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium has instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the distribution control device to:
transmit, by the communication interface, an indication of a charge-restriction event to be received by a plurality of control units, each control unit of the plurality of control units operable to control charging of a respective battery of a respective vehicle;
receive, by the communication interface from each control unit of a set of control units of the plurality of control units, at least one indication of participation in the charge-restriction event by a respective vehicle, where indication of participation in the charge-restriction event is indicative of a charge rate of a battery of the respective vehicle being restricted from a first charge rate outside of the charge-restriction event to a second charge rate less than the first charge rate during the charge-restriction event;
determine, by the at least one processor, possible energy savings during the charge-restriction event by each control unit of the set of control units restricting charge rate for the respective vehicle to the second charge rate instead of enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate; and
allocate, by the at least one processor, a respective reward for a respective recipient for each vehicle for which an indication of participation in the charge-restriction event was received, each reward based on the determined possible energy savings for the respective vehicle, even if an actual charge rate for the respective vehicle during the charge-restriction event is less than the second charge rate; and
the set of control units of the plurality of control units, each control unit operable to:
receive the indication of the charge-restriction event;
restrict the charge rate of the respective battery of the respective vehicle to the second charge rate for the charge-restriction event; and
transmit an indication of participation, of the at least one indication of participation, in the charge-restriction event by the respective vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions which cause the distribution control device to allocate, by the at least one processor, the respective reward for the respective recipient for each vehicle for which an indication of participation in the charge-restriction event was received cause the at least one processor to: allocate funds to be provided to respective recipients for each vehicle for which an indication of participation in the charge-restriction event was received.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions which cause the distribution control device to allocate, by the at least one processor, the respective reward for the respective recipient for each vehicle for which an indication of participation in the charge-restriction event was received cause the at least one processor to: allocate credit to respective recipients for each vehicle for which an indication of participation in the charge-restriction event was received.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the communication interface to transmit, to the plurality of control units, a schedule of upcoming charge-restriction events.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the communication interface to transmit, to a control unit of the plurality of control units, an indication of participation in past charge events by a vehicle corresponding to the control unit.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the communication interface to receive, from a control unit of the plurality of control units, an indication of partial participation in the charge-restriction event by a respective vehicle.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein indication of partial participation in the charge-restriction event is indicative of a charge rate of a battery of the respective vehicle being restricted from the first charge rate to the second charge rate after a beginning of the charge-restriction event.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein indication of partial participation in the charge-restriction event is indicative of a charge rate of a battery of the respective vehicle being enabled at the first charge rate after a beginning of the charge-restriction event where the charge rate of the battery of the respective vehicle is restricted to second charge rate at the beginning of the charge-restriction event.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to allocate a partial reward for a recipient for a vehicle for which an indication of partial participation in the charge-restriction event was received.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the partial reward is based on a proportion of the charge-restriction event for which the charge rate of the vehicle was restricted to the second charge rate.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions which cause the system to determine the possible energy savings for the respective vehicle cause the system to:
determine a first energy quantity to charge the respective battery of the respective vehicle at the first rate for the charge-restriction event;
determine a second energy quantity to charge the respective battery of the respective vehicle at the second rate for the charge-restriction event; and
determine the possible energy savings as a difference between the first energy quantity and the second energy quantity.
12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the plurality of control units which includes the set of control units, wherein each control unit of the plurality of control units is operable to:
receive the indication of the charge restriction event;
determine whether a charge level of the respective battery of the respective vehicle for the control unit is above a minimum charge threshold;
if the charge level of the respective battery is above the minimum charge threshold:
restrict the charge rate of the respective battery to the second charge rate for the charge-restriction event; and
transmit an indication of participation, of the at least one indication of participation, in the charge-restriction event by the respective vehicle; and
if the charge level of the battery is not above the minimum charge threshold:
enable charging of the respective battery at the first charge rate during the charge-restriction event.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein each control unit of the set of control units is further operable to:
monitor a charge level of a respective battery of the respective vehicle during the charge-restriction event;
if the charge level of the respective battery is below the minimum charge threshold prior to the charge restriction event and reaches the minimum charge threshold during the charge restriction event:
restrict charging of the respective battery to the second charge rate for a remainder of the charge-restriction event after the charge level reaches the minimum charge threshold; and
transmit an indication of partial participation, of the at least one indication of participation, in the charge restriction event.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein
each indication of partial participation is indicative of a proportion or duration of participation in the charge-restriction event; and
the processor-executable instructions which cause the at least one processor to determine possible energy savings during the charge-restriction event by each control unit of the set of control units cause the at least one processor to, for each control unit for which an indication of partial participation is received:
determine possible energy savings during the charge-restriction event by restricting charge rate for the respective vehicle to the second charge rate instead of enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate for the proportion or duration of participation in the charge-restriction event.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein each control unit of the set of control units is further operable to:
if an override input is received:
enable charging of the respective battery at the first charge rate for a remainder of the charge-restriction event after the override input is received; and
transmit an indication of partial participation, of the at least one indication of participation, in the charge restriction event.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein
each indication of partial participation is indicative of a proportion or duration of participation in the charge-restriction event; and
the processor-executable instructions which cause the at least one processor to determine possible energy savings during the charge-restriction event by each control unit of the set of control units cause the at least one processor to, for each control unit for which an indication of partial participation is received:
determine possible energy savings during the charge-restriction event by restricting charge rate for the respective vehicle to the second charge rate instead of enabling charging of the battery at the first charge rate for the proportion or duration of participation in the charge-restriction event.