Granted Patent B2

US 12,330,522 · App. 17/732,982 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Inventor: Herman Wiegman (South Burlington, VT)

Assignee: BETA AIR LLC

B60L53/62B60L53/66B60L2200/10

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A system for overcurrent protection in an electric vehicle, the system comprising:

a charging port of an electric vehicle, wherein the charging port comprises:

at least an AC pin;

a protection circuit, wherein the protection circuit is configured to control the transmission of power through the electric vehicle charging port;

a sensor suite, wherein the sensor suite includes a plurality of independent sensors working in tandem to detect an output current from a charging station; and

a controller communicatively connected to the sensor suite, wherein the controller is configured to:

detect an overcurrent output as a function of the output current; and

trip the protection circuit as a function of the overcurrent output.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the overcurrent output by comparing the output current to a current threshold level.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the current threshold level represents a maximum input current of an electric vehicle battery.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the current threshold level represents a maximum input current for a charging station battery.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the protection circuit includes a mechanism to shut off the electrical flow through the electric vehicle charging port as a function of the detection of the overcurrent output.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the protection circuit includes a mechanism to redirect current through the electric vehicle charging port to ground.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein tripping the protection circuit includes the use of electrical switches.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor suite includes a thermal sensor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the protection circuit includes a circuit breaker.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a computing device.

11. A method of overcurrent protection in an electric vehicle, the method comprising:

controlling, by a protection circuit of the charging port, a transmission of power through a charging port of the electric vehicle;

detecting, by a sensor suite of the charging port, an output current, wherein the sensor suite includes a plurality of independent sensors working in tandem;

transmitting, by the sensor suite, the output current to a controller of the charging port of the electric vehicle;

determining, by the controller, an overcurrent output as a function of the output current; and

tripping, by the controller, the protection circuit as a function of the overcurrent output.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the controller determines the overcurrent output by comparing the output current to a current threshold level.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the current threshold level represents a maximum input current for an electric vehicle battery.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the current threshold level represents a maximum input current for a charging station battery.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the protection circuit includes a mechanism to shut off the electrical flow through the electric vehicle charging port as a function of the detection of the overcurrent output.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the protection circuit includes a mechanism to redirect current through the electric vehicle charging port to ground.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein tripping the protection circuit includes the use of electrical switches.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor suite includes a thermal sensor.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the protection circuit includes a circuit breaker.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the controller includes a computing device.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (22)