Vehicular battery charger, charging system, and method displaying charge time
A vehicle battery charger and a vehicle battery charging system are described and illustrated, and can include a controller enabling a user to enter a time of day at which the vehicle battery charger or system begins and/or ends charging of the vehicle battery. The vehicle battery charger can be separate from the vehicle, can be at least partially integrated into the vehicle, can include a transmitter and/or a receiver capable of communication with a controller that is remote from the vehicle and vehicle charger, and can be controlled by a user or another party (e.g., a power utility) to control battery charging based upon a time of day, cost of power, or other factors.
1. A method of charging a battery of a vehicle with a vehicular battery charger, the method comprising:
establishing an electrical connection between a plug at a terminal end of an electrical charging cord and the vehicle;
detecting, with a controller of the vehicular battery charger, a level of charge of the battery;
determining, with the controller, a first charging parameter of the vehicular battery charger to be used in charging the battery during a charging session based on a first selection received through a user-manipulatable control coupled to the controller, the first charging parameter comprising at least one of a group consisting of a voltage and an amperage;
calculating, with the controller, a first amount of time needed to charge the battery based at least in part upon the level of charge of the battery and the first charging parameter;
displaying, with the controller, the first amount of time needed to charge the battery on a display coupled to the controller;
determining, with the controller, a second charging parameter of the vehicular battery charger to be used in charging the battery during the charging session based on a second selection received through the user-manipulatable control coupled to the controller, the second charging parameter comprising at least one of a group consisting of a voltage and an amperage;
calculating, with the controller, a second amount of time needed to charge the battery based at least in part upon the second charging parameter;
displaying, with the controller, the second amount of time needed to charge the battery on the display; and
starting, with the controller, charging of the battery during the charging session according to the second charging parameter.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controller and display are housed in a housing located along the electrical charging cord.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeatedly calculating, with the controller, the second amount of time needed to charge the battery during the charging session, and repeatedly updating, with the controller, the second amount of time needed to charge the battery on the display.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, with the controller, a setting of the vehicular battery charger input by a user, wherein the setting at least partially defines a delay by which the vehicular battery charger supplies power to the battery during the charging session.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the setting comprises a time of day.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying, with the controller, the level of charge of the battery simultaneously with the amount of time needed to charge the battery.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting, with a transmitter coupled to the controller, the level of charge of the battery to another controller remote from the vehicle and the battery.
8. A method of charging a battery of a vehicle with a vehicular battery charger, the method comprising:
establishing an electrical connection between a plug at a terminal end of an electrical charging cord and the vehicle;
detecting, with a controller of the vehicular battery charger, a level of charge of the battery;
determining, with the controller, a first charging parameter of the vehicular battery charger to be used in charging the battery during a charging session, the first charging parameter comprising at least one of a group consisting of a voltage and an amperage;
calculating, with the controller, a first amount of time needed to charge the battery based at least in part upon the level of charge of the battery and the first charging parameter;
displaying, with the controller, the first amount of time needed to charge the battery on a display coupled to the controller;
determining, with the controller, a second charging parameter of the vehicular battery charger to be used in charging the battery during the charging session, the second charging parameter comprising at least one of a group consisting of a voltage and an amperage;
calculating, with the controller, a second amount of time needed to charge the battery based at least in part upon the second charging parameter;
displaying, with the controller, the second amount of time needed to charge the battery on the display; and
starting, with the controller, charging of the battery during the charging session according to the second charging parameter.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the controller and display are housed in a housing located along the electrical charging cord.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising repeatedly calculating, with the controller, the second amount of time needed to charge the battery during the course of the charging session, and repeatedly updating, with the controller, the second amount of time needed to charge the battery on the display.
11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving, with the controller, a setting of the vehicular battery charger input by a user, wherein the setting at least partially defines a delay by which the vehicular battery charger supplies power to the battery during the charging session.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the setting comprises a time of day.
13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising displaying, with the controller, the level of charge of the battery simultaneously with the amount of time needed to charge the battery.
14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting, with a transmitter coupled to the controller, the level of charge of the battery to another controller remote from the vehicle and the battery.
15. A method of claim 8 , further comprising:
wirelessly transmitting the amount of time needed to charge the battery to another controller remote from the vehicle and the battery for display to a user of the other controller; and
in response to receiving a signal from the user via the other controller during an active charging session, changing a charging state of the battery.
16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the display is on the vehicle charger.
17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the display is mounted within the vehicle orientated for view by a user seated in the vehicle.
18. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrical charging cord is attached to a cabinet housing the controller.
19. The method of claim 8 , further comprising wirelessly receiving, with a receiver coupled to the controller, a signal from another controller remote from the vehicle and the battery.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising, in response to receiving the signal, changing, with the controller, a charging state of the battery.