Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a means for charging an electric vehicle. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a means to charge an electric vehicle rapidly and effectively from a plurality of charging sources.

BACKGROUND
[0002] Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[0003] Conventional charging units available for charging electric vehicle (EV) may be home chargers configured to be either on-board or off-board. Generally, any one charging unit may only be used at a time. Based on a charging capacity of the charging unit, the time taken for charging the EV may vary.
[0004] Further, in order to connect off-board charging unit to the EV, a connector may be required that is capable of supplying a direct current (DC) electric power output by the charging unit, and in order to connect an input supply to supply electric power to the on-board charging unit, a connector may be required that is capable of supplying an alternating current (AC) electric power. Such a diverse requisite may require users to have at least two types of connectors, further increasing a cost borne by the user.
[0005] Typically, off-board charging units have a higher capacity than the on-board charging units, and thus, charging using off-board charging units may result in shorter charging times for the EV. On-board chargers, however, have much lower capacities, and users may be required to plug in their EV for several hours at a time in order for the EV to be fully charged. The long charging times associated with charging the EV may also be disadvantageous to the charging units themselves. Longer charging times may result in excessive heating of the charging units, leading to reduced charging efficiencies. Further, frequent use of the charging units for prolonged durations may result in an overall decrease in operating lifetimes of the charging units.
[0006] Patent document WO2021092658A1 provides a multimodal converter (“converter”) for a charging station for electric vehicles. The converter may interface with one AC source (such as a grid-based power supply) and two DC sources (such as an electric vehicle, and a battery). The converter may be capable of performing AC to DC or Dc to DC conversions between any of the sources. When not being used to charge an electric vehicle, the converter may charge the battery from the AC source so as to create a back-up power source. However, the cited patent document provides the converter for use charging stations, and may not be applicable for portable or on-board electric vehicle chargers. Further, the cited patent document does not address the issue of heating of the charging units, and the associated limitations occurring due to said heating.
[0007] There is, therefore, a requirement in the art for a means to charge an EV rapidly without significantly affecting operating efficiency and operating lifetimes of charging units. Further, it may be advantageous to provide a means to charge the EV that may be capable of utilizing both on-board and off-board charging units without there being a requirement for separate connectors.

OBJECTS OF INVENTION
[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a system for parallel charging of an electric vehicle.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system to dynamically vary an electric power supplied to an electric vehicle to charge the electric vehicle.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system to simultaneously supply alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) electric powers to the EV.

SUMMARY
[0011] The present disclosure generally relates to a means for charging an electric vehicle. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a means to charge an electric vehicle quickly and effectively from a plurality of charging sources.
[0012] The present disclosure provides a system for parallel charging of an electric vehicle. The system includes a plurality of charging units, each having a predetermined electric power capacity. The system further includes an alternating current (AC) control circuit configured to selectively transmit an AC electric power received from an AC electric power source. The system further includes a singular charging connector electrically coupled to the plurality of charging units and the AC control circuit. The charging connector is configured to be electrically coupled to an electric power receiving unit associated with the electric vehicle. The system further includes a control unit communicably coupled to the plurality of charging units, the AC control circuit, and the charging connector. The control unit is configured to determine a set of charging parameters of the electric vehicle. The control unit is further configured to determine, based on the set of charging parameters of the electric vehicle, an electric power demand from the plurality of charging units. The control unit is further configured to dynamically vary, based on the determined electric power demand from the plurality of charging units, a power capacity of any one or more of the plurality of charging units, such that a total electric power capacity of the plurality of charging units is equal to or less than the determined electric power demand.
[0013] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of charging units is configured to output a direct current (DC) electric power.
[0014] In some embodiments, the charging connector is configured to simultaneously transmit the DC electric power obtained from each of the plurality of charging units and the AC electric power obtained from the AC control circuit to the electric power receiving unit.
[0015] In some embodiments, the AC control circuit is configured to receive, from the charging connector, signals indicative of an electric coupling between the charging connector and the electric power receiving unit. The AC control circuit is further configured to determine, from the received signals, a state of electric coupling between the charging connector and the electric power receiving unit. The AC control circuit is configured to facilitate, responsive to determining a secured electrical coupling between the charging connector and the electric power receiving unit, transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit. The AC control circuit is configured to restrict, responsive to determining an unsecured electrical coupling between the charging connector and the electric power receiving unit, transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit.
[0016] In some embodiments, the control unit is configured to receive, from a sensor unit associated with the plurality of charging units, a set of performance parameters of each of the plurality of charging units. The control unit is further configured to operate, responsive to the received set of performance parameters of the plurality of charging units, the plurality of charging units at an electric power capacity, such that the set of performance parameters of the plurality of charging units is within a predefined threshold range of values.
[0017] In some embodiments, the plurality of charging units includes any one or a combination of on-board charging units and off-board charging units for the electric vehicle.
[0018] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for parallel charging of an electric vehicle. The method includes providing a plurality of charging units, each having a predetermined electric power capacity. The method further includes providing an alternating current (AC) control circuit configured to selectively transmit an AC electric power received from an AC electric power source. The method further includes providing a charging connector electrically coupled to the plurality of charging units, and configured to be electrically coupled to an electric power receiving unit associated with the electric vehicle. The method further includes determining, by a control unit, a set of charging parameters of the electric vehicle. The method further includes determining, by the control unit, based on the set of charging parameters of the electric vehicle, an electric power demand from the plurality of charging units. The method further includes dynamically varying, by the control unit, based on the determined electric power demand from the plurality of charging units, a power capacity of any one or more of the plurality of charging units, such that a total electric power capacity of the plurality of charging units is equal to or less than the determined electric power demand.
[0019] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of charging units is configured to output a direct current (DC) electric power.
[0020] In some embodiments, the charging connector is configured to simultaneously transmit the DC electric power obtained from each of the plurality of charging units and the AC electric power obtained from the AC control circuit to the electric power receiving unit.
[0021] In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving, by the AC control circuit, from the charging connector, signals indicative of an electric coupling between the charging connector and the electric power receiving unit. The method further includes determining, by the AC control circuit, from the received signals, a state of electric coupling between the charging connector and the electric power receiving unit. The AC control circuit is configured facilitate, responsive to determining a secured electrical coupling between the charging connector and the electric power receiving unit, transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit. The AC control circuit is configured to restrict, responsive to determining an unsecured electrical coupling between the charging connector and the electric power receiving unit, transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit.
[0022] In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving, by the control unit, from a sensor unit associated with the plurality of charging units, a set of performance parameters of each of the plurality of charging units. The method further includes operating, by the control unit, responsive to the received set of performance parameters of the plurality of charging units, the plurality of charging units at an electric power capacity, such that the set of performance parameters of the plurality of charging units is within a predefined threshold range of values.
[0023] In some embodiments, the plurality of charging units includes any one or a combination of on-board charging units and off-board charging units for the electric vehicle.
[0024] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0025] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an architecture for charging an electric vehicle (EV), according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0027] FIG. 2A illustrates a detailed schematic block diagram of the system for parallel charging of the EV, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0028] FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary schematic representation of a pin configuration of a charging connector of the system of FIGs. 1 and 2A;
[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic block diagram of the control unit of the system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic flow diagram of a method for parallel charging of the EV, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram for a method for operation of the system for parallel charging of the EV; and
[0032] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary schematic block diagram of a computer platform for implementation of the control unit of the system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such details as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an architecture (100) for charging an electric vehicle (EV) (190), according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the EV (190) may be any vehicle whose movement may be effected through an electric power operated motor (not shown) provided on board the EV (190). The motor may be powered by a battery bank (192) provided on board the EV (190). Examples of EVs may include, without limitations, cars, bikes, scooters, hybrid cycles, trucks, vans, etc.
[0035] The architecture (100) may include an electric power source (102) configured to supply an input electric power to be used for charging the EV (190). In some embodiments, the input electric power supplied by the electric power source (102) may be an alternating current (AC) electric power. The architecture (100) may further include a system (110) for parallel charging of the EV (190). The system (110) may include a charging block (112) adapted to be electrically coupled to the electric power source (102). The charging block (112) may be further adapted to be coupled to the EV (190) to supply electric power to the EV (190) to charge the EV (190). The charging block (112) may include a plurality of charging units (114-1, 114-2…114-N). The charging units (114-1, 114-2…114-N) may be individually referred to as “the charging unit (114)” and may be collectively referred to as “the charging units (114)”. In some embodiments, the charging units (114) may be off-board charging units, i.e., the charging units (114) may be configured outside the EV (190). In some other embodiments, one or more of the charging units (114) may be on-board charging units, i.e., the charging units (114) may be configured within the EV (190). In some embodiments, a charging unit may be an on-board charging unit. In some embodiments, each charging unit (114) may have a predetermined electric power capacity defining an electric power output of the respective charging unit (114). In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the charging units (114-1, 114-2…114-N) may have respective electric power capacities C1, C2…CN.
[0036] The architecture (100) may further include a sensor unit (104) associated with the charging units (114). The sensor unit (104) may include a plurality of sensors configured to detect different performance parameters of the charging units (114). The performance parameters may include, without limitations, a temperature of the charging units (114), an operating efficiency of the charging units (114), a current capacity of the charging units (114), etc.
[0037] The charging block (112) may further include an AC control circuit (116). The AC control circuit (116) may be adapted to be electrically coupled to the electric power source (102). While, in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the AC control circuit (116) is shown as a distinct and separate component, in some embodiments, the AC control circuit (116) may be part of the charging unit (114). In some embodiments, one or more of the charging units (114) may include the AC control circuit (116). In some embodiments, the off-board charging units 108 may include the AC control circuit (116). In some embodiments, the off-board, and the on-board charging units (114) may include the AC control circuit (116). However, in some other embodiments, the AC control circuit (116) may be a part of an input power socket coupled to the electric power source (102).
[0038] The system (110) further includes a charging connector (120). The charging connector (120) is configured to electrically couple with both the charging block (112) and the EV (190), and facilitate transmission of electric power from the charging block (112) to the EV (190).
[0039] The system (110) further includes a control unit (150). The control unit (150) may be communicably coupled to the charging units (114), the AC control circuit (116), and the charging connector (120). The control unit (150) may be further communicably coupled to the electric power source (102) and the sensor unit (104). In some embodiments, the control unit (150) may be disposed within the charging block (112). However, in some embodiments, the control unit (150) may be disposed or provided in the EV (190). In some other embodiments, the control unit (150) may include one or more units that are disposed in any one or both of the charging block (112) and the EV (190), and which operate together to perform the functions ascribed to the control unit (150).
[0040] FIG. 2A illustrates a detailed schematic block diagram of the system (110) for parallel charging of the EV (190), according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2A depicts a charging block (112) including charging units (114-1, 114-2), and an on-board charging unit (114-3) provided in the EV (190). The charging units (114) may be configured to receive an input AC electric power, convert at least a portion of the received input AC electric power to a corresponding direct current (DC) electric power, and output the converted DC electric power therethrough to the EV (190). In some embodiments, the charging unit (114) may include an alternate to direct (A2D) converter (not shown) to convert the AC electric power to the DC electric power. The electric power capacity of a charging unit (114) may define a portion of the input AC electric power that is converted to the DC electric power.
[0041] The AC control circuit (116) may be configured to receive the AC electric power from the electric power source (102) and, selectively transmit at least a portion of the received AC electric power therethrough to the EV (190). Specifically, the AC control circuit (116) may allow or restrict transmission of the AC electric power therethrough based on how secure the electric coupling between the charging block (112) and the EV (190) is.
[0042] In embodiments where the AC control circuit (116) may be a part of the charging unit (114), the charging unit (114) be configured to receive input AC electric power from the electric power source (102), convert a portion of the received AC electric to DC electric power, and transmit a portion of the received AC electric power through the AC control circuit (116), such that an output of the charging unit (114) may include a DC electric power and an AC electric power.
[0043] Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2A, the on-board charging unit (114-3) may not include the AC control circuit (116).
[0044] The charging connector (120) may be configured to be electrically coupled to an electric power receiving unit (122) of the EV (190). In some examples, the electric power receiving unit (122) of the EV (190) may be a socket where the charging connector (120) may plug into. The charging connector (120) may be configured to allow transmission of both AC electric power and DC electric power simultaneously or parallelly from the charging block (112) to the EV (190). The charging connector (120) may further be configured for exchanging data signals between the charging block (112) and the EV (120). The data signals may include information pertaining to transmission of electric power from the charging block 112 to the EV (190), such as, without limitations, a state of charge of a battery bank (192) of the EV (190), a capacity of the battery bank (192) of the EV (190), a maximum allowable electric power that may be supplied to the battery bank (192) of the EV (190), a temperature of the battery bank (192), and associated components of the EV (190), a state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), a temperature of the charging units (114), an operating efficiency of the charging units (114), etc.
[0045] FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary schematic representation of a pin configuration of the charging connector (120). In some embodiments, the charging connector (120) may include first pins (252, 254) configured to transmit DC electric power. In some examples, the charging connector (120) may include two pins, namely DC positive (252) and DC negative (254), configured to transmit DC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122).
[0046] In some embodiments, the charging connector (120) may include second pins (256, 258, 260) configured to transmit AC electric power. In some examples, the charging connector (120) may include three pins configured to transmit live (256), neutral (258), and ground (260) phases of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122).
[0047] In some embodiments, the charging connector (120) may include sensor pins (262, 264) configured to detect a state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122).
[0048] In some embodiments, the charging connector (120) may be configured with a control pilot (CP) (262) and a proximity sense (PS) (264). The CP (262) may be a detection feature used as per IS17017 standard to detect presence of coupling between the charging connector (120) and the EV (190). The PS (264) may be configured in the EV (190) in order to detect coupling of the charging connector (120) with the EV (190).
[0049] In some embodiments, the charging connector (120) may include data pins (266, 268) configured for exchange of data between the charging connector (120) and the EV (190).
[0050] Referring again to FIGs. 1 and 2A, the control unit (150) may be configured to facilitate transmission of electric power from the charging block (112) to the EV (190) through the charging connector (120).
[0051] Upon determination of a secure coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), electric power from the charging block (112) may be transmitted to the electric power receiving unit (122) via the charging connector (120). The AC electric power received by the electric power receiving unit (122) may be transmitted to the on-board charging unit (114-3). The on-board charging unit (114-3) may receive the AC electric power and, based on its electric power capacity C3, convert the AC electric power to the DC electric power to be transmitted therethrough. The electric power receiving unit (122) may further receive the DC electric power from the charging unit (114-1). The EV (190) may further include a junction box (not shown) configured to receive the DC electric power from the electric power receiving unit (122) and the DC electric power from the charging unit (114-3), combine the received DC electric power and then transmit the combined DC electric powers to the battery bank (192) of the EV (190).
[0052] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic block diagram of the control unit (150) of the system (110), according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring now to FIGs. 1 to 3, the control unit (150) may include a processor (152) and a memory (154) communicably coupled to the processor (152). The memory (154) may store instructions executable by the processor (152) to enable the control unit (150) to facilitate parallel charging of the EV (190).
[0053] In some embodiments, the processor (152) may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that process data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the processor (152) may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory (154) for facilitating parallel charging of the EV (190). Any reference to a task in the present disclosure may refer to an operation being or that may be performed on data. The memory (154) may be configured to store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for defining and using gestures in a vehicle. The memory (154) may include any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as RAM, or non-volatile memory such as EPROM, flash memory, and the like. In some embodiments, the control unit (150) may include an interface (156). The interface (156) may include a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices, referred to as I/O devices, storage devices, and the like. The interface (156) may also provide a communication pathway for one or more components of the control unit (150). Examples of such components include, but are not limited to, a processing engine (160).
[0054] In some embodiments, the control unit (150) includes the processing engine (160). The processing engine (160) may be implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing engine (160). In examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. For example, the programming for the processing engine (160) may be processor executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the processing engine (160) may include a processing resource (for example, one or more processors), to execute such instructions. In the present examples, the machine-readable storage medium may store instructions that, when executed by the processing resource, implement the processing engine (160). In such examples, the control unit (150) may include the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the control unit (150) and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing engine (160) may be implemented by electronic circuitry.
[0055] The processing engine (160) may include a charging parameters engine (162), an electric power demand engine (164), an electric coupling engine (166), a charging operation engine (168), a charging unit performance parameters engine (170), and other engine(s) (172). The other engine(s) (172) may include engines configured to perform one or more functions ancillary functions associated with the processing engine (160).
[0056] The charging parameters (162) may be configured to determine a set of charging parameters of the EV (190). In some embodiments, once the charging connector (120) is coupled to the EV (190), a controller of the EV (190) (such as an electronic control unit or a battery control unit) may transmit the set of charging parameters of the EV (190) to the control unit (150). The charging parameters may be indicative of a maximum electric power that may be supplied to the battery bank (192) of the EV (190). The charging parameters may include, without limitations, a state of charge of a battery bank (192) of the EV (190), a capacity of the battery bank (192) of the EV (190), a maximum allowable electric power that may be supplied to the battery bank (192) of the EV (190), a temperature of the battery bank (192), and associated components of the EV (190), a state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), a temperature of the charging units (114), an operating efficiency of the charging units (114), etc.
[0057] The electric power demand engine (164) may be configured to determine, based on the set of charging parameters of the EV (190), an electric power demand from the charging units (114).
[0058] The electric coupling engine (166) may be configured to determine a state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122) of the EV (190). Specifically, the electric coupling engine (166) may be configured to receive, from the charging connector (120), signals indicative of an electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122). The electric coupling engine (166) may be further configured to determine, from the received signals, a state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122). The electric coupling engine (166) may be configured to facilitate, responsive to determining a secured electrical coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122). However, the electric coupling engine (166) may be configured to restrict, responsive to determining an unsecured electrical coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122).
[0059] In some embodiments, the AC control circuit (116) may be implemented by initially using an electric power flow from the charging connector (120) to the electric power receiving unit (122) as an indication for a secure electrical coupling between the charging connector (122) and the electric power receiving unit (122).
[0060] In some embodiments, the AC control circuit (116) may also be implemented using a voltage sense of the charging units (114) based on the knowledge of the behavior of charging units (114) when it is operating. The start of supply of DC electric power from the charging unit (114) may be considered as an indication of secure electric coupling between charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122).
[0061] In some embodiments, similarly, the electric coupling engine (166) may be configured to selectively facilitate transmission of the DC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122) based on a state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122).
[0062] In other words, if the electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122) is unsecure, the electric coupling engine (166) may restrict flow of electric power from the charging block (112) to the EV (190). As a result, a risk of accidental electric shock due to improper coupling between the charging connector (120) and the EV (190) may be averted.
[0063] The charging operation engine (168) may be configured to dynamically vary, based on the determined electric power demand from the charging units (114), a power capacity of any one or more of the charging units (114). In some embodiments, the charging operation engine (168) may be configured to optimize an operating capacity of the charging units (114), such that a total electric power capacity of the charging units (114) is as close to the electric power demand, thus facilitating an optimal or efficient charging rate of the EV (190). Further, the charging operation engine (168) may be configured to optimize an operating capacity of the charging units (114), such that the charging units (114) operate with a highest combined operating efficiency. As a result, an energy loss due to heating may be reduced, and an operating life of the charging units (114) may be increased.
[0064] In some embodiments, the charging operation engine (168) may determine an optimized operating capacity of the charging units (114) based on the charging parameters. The charging operation engine (168) may set the electric power capacity for the charging units (114) dynamically, such that any of the charging units (114) may operate at any electric power capacity.
[0065] In an example, the charging units (114) may operate at full electric power capacities if the electric power demand from the EV (190) is very high. Such a condition may arise at an initial state of charging of the EV (190). When the charging units (114) are operating at full electric power capacities, the charging of the EV (190) at the initial stages may be rapid.
[0066] In another example, during later stages of charging of the EV 19, when the battery bank (192) of the EV (190) may have a lower electric power demand, the charging units (114) may be operated at reduced electric power capacities or at differential electric power capacities. The electric power capacity at which each of the charging units (114) may be operated at, may be determined based on operating efficiency, current temperature, current capability, etc. of the respective charging unit (114).
[0067] The charging unit performance parameters engine (170) may be configured to receive, from a sensor unit associated with the plurality of charging units, a set of performance parameters of each of the charging units (114). The charging operation engine (168) may be further configured to operate, responsive to the received set of performance parameters of the charging units (114), the charging units (114) at an electric power capacity, such that the set of performance parameters of the charging units (114) is within a predefined threshold range of values.
[0068] In an example, the charging unit (114-1) may have an electric power capacity C1 of 750 Watts (W) and the on-board charger (114-3) may have an electric power capacity C3 of 350W. The charging units (114-1, 114-3) may have different operating efficiencies, heating, and derating profiles. At an initial state of charging of the EV (190), both charging units (114-1, 114-3) may be operated at full electric power capacities in order to facilitate rapid charging of the EV (190). At a later stage of charging, as the electric power demand reduces, the charging operation engine (168) may be configured to reduce the electric power capacities of the charging units (114-1, 114-3). If, conventionally, by using only the charging unit (114-1), a battery bank (e.g., the battery bank (192)) may be fully charged in about 7 hours, and by using only the on-board charging unit (114-3), the battery bank may be fully charged in about 15 hours, then by implementing the system (110) as described in the present example, the battery bank may be charged fully charged in about 4 hours.
[0069] In another example, the charging operation engine (168) may reduce the electric power capacities of the charging units (114-1, 114-3) based on a current operating efficiency of the charging units (114-1, 114-3). If the charging unit (114-1) is operating at about 94% efficiency and the charging unit (114-3) is operating at about 85% efficiency, the charging operation engine (168) may operate the charging unit (114-3) at a lower electric capacity ranging from 0 to any value less than C3 in order to improve the combined operating efficiency of the charging units (114-1, 114-3).
[0070] In another example, the charging operation engine (168) may reduce the electric power capacities of the charging units (114-1, 114-3) based on a current operating temperature of the charging units (114-1, 114-3). If any one of the charging units (say 114-3) is heated up beyond its threshold operating value, the charging operation engine (168) may operate the charging unit (114-3) at a lower electric capacity ranging from 0 to any value less than C3 in order to allow the charging unit (114-3) to cool down.
[0071] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic flow diagram of a method (400) for parallel charging of the EV (190), according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIGs. 1 to 4, at step (402), the method (400) includes providing the charging units (114), where each charging unit is configured with the predetermined electric power capacity. At step (404), the method (400) further includes providing the AC control circuit (116) configured to selectively transmit the AC electric power received from the electric power source (102). At step (406), the method (400) further includes providing the charging connector (120) electrically coupled to the charging units (114), and configured to be electrically coupled to the electric power receiving unit (122). At step (408), the method (400) further includes determining, by the control unit (150), the set of charging parameters of the EV (190). At step (410), the method (400) further includes determining, by the control unit (150), based on the set of charging parameters, the electric power demand from the charging units (114). At step (412), the method (400) further includes dynamically varying, by the control unit (150), based on the determined electric power demand from the charging units (114), the power capacity of any one or more of the charging units (114), such that the total electric power capacity of the charging units (114) is equal to or less than the determined electric power demand.
[0072] In some embodiments, the charging connector (120) is configured to simultaneously transmit the DC electric power obtained from each of the plurality of charging units (114) and the AC electric power obtained from the AC control circuit (116) to the electric power receiving unit (122).
[0073] In some embodiments, the method (400) further includes receiving, by the AC control circuit (116), from the charging connector (120), signals indicative of the electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122). The method (400) further includes determining, by the AC control circuit (116), from the received signals, the state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122). The AC control circuit (116) is configured facilitate, responsive to determining the secured electrical coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122). The AC control circuit (116) is configured restrict, responsive to determining the unsecured electrical coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122).
[0074] In some embodiments, the method (400) further includes receiving, by the control unit (150), from the sensor unit (104) associated with the charging units (114), a set of performance parameters of each of the charging units (114). The method (400) further includes operating, by the control unit (150), responsive to the received set of performance parameters of the charging units (114), the charging units (114) at an electric power capacity, such that the set of performance parameters of the charging units (114) is within the predefined threshold range of values.
[0075] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram for a method (500) for operating the system (110) for parallel charging of the EV (190). Referring now to FIGs. 1, 2 and 5, at step (502), the charging block (112) receives the input AC electric power. At step (504), the received AC electric power initiates the AC control circuit (116). At step (506), the AC control circuit checks state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122). At step (508), upon determination of secure coupling, the AC control circuit (116) allows electric power to be available at the charging connector (120). At step (510), the received AC electric power initiates the charging units (114). At step (512), the control unit (150) receives data pertaining to charging parameters of the EV (190) and performance parameters of the charging units (114). At step (514), the control unit (150) operates the charging units (114) based on determined power demand of the EV (190). At step (516), once charging operation begins, the control unit (150) monitors the charging units (114) and the EV (190). At step (518), based on charging parameters of the EV (190) and performance parameters of the charging units (114), the control unit (150) dynamically varies the electric capacities of the charging units (114) to optimize operating efficiency and operating life of the charging units (114).
[0076] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary schematic block diagram of a computer platform (600) for implementation of the system (110). The computer system (600) can include an external storage device (610), a bus (620), a main memory (630), a read only memory (640), a mass storage device (650), communication port (660), and a processor (670). A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system may include more than one processor and communication ports. Examples of processor (670) include, but are not limited to, an Intel® Itanium® or Itanium 2 processor(s), or AMD® Opteron® or Athlon MP® processor(s), Motorola® lines of processors, FortiSOC™ system on chip processors or other future processors. Processor (670) may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present invention. Communication port (660) can be any of an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dialup connection, a 10/100 Ethernet port, a Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or other existing or future ports. Communication port (660) may be chosen depending on a network, such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), controller area network (CAN), or any network to which computer system connects. Memory (630) can be Random Access Memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. Read-only memory (640) can be any static storage device(s) e.g., but not limited to, a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) chips for storing static information e.g., start-up or BIOS instructions for processor (670). Mass storage (650) may be any current or future mass storage solution, which can be used to store information and/or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., having Universal Serial Bus (USB) and/or Firewire interfaces), e.g. those available from Seagate (e.g., the Seagate Barracuda 7202 family) or Hitachi (e.g., the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000), one or more optical discs, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) storage, e.g. an array of disks (e.g., SATA arrays), available from various vendors including Dot Hill Systems Corp., LaCie, Nexsan Technologies, Inc. and Enhance Technology, Inc.
[0077] Bus (620) communicatively couples processor(s) (670) with the other memory, storage, and communication blocks. Bus (620) can be, e.g., a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) / PCI Extended (PCI-X) bus, Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), USB or the like, for connecting expansion cards, drives and other subsystems as well as other buses, such a front side bus (FSB), which connects processor (670) to software system.
[0078] Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, e.g., a display, keyboard, and a cursor control device, may also be coupled to bus (620) to support direct operator interaction with a computer system. Other operator and administrative interfaces can be provided through network connections connected through communication port (660). The external storage device (610) can be any kind of external hard-drives, floppy drives, IOMEGA® Zip Drives, Compact Disc - Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), Compact Disc-Re-Writable (CD-RW), Digital Video Disk-Read Only Memory (DVD-ROM). Components described above are meant only to exemplify various possibilities. In no way should the aforementioned exemplary computer system limit the scope of the present disclosure.
[0079] It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprise” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Where the specification claims refer to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C….and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, not A plus N, or B plus N, etc. The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
[0080] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions, or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

ADVANTAGES OF INVENTION
[0081] The present invention provides a system for parallel charging of an electric vehicle.
[0082] The present invention provides a system to dynamically vary an electric power supplied by charging units to an electric vehicle to charge the electric vehicle.
[0083] The present invention provides a system that facilitates simultaneous or parallel charging of an electric vehicle using AC and DC electric powers.
[0084] The present invention provides a charging connector adapted to simultaneously transit AC and DC electric powers.
[0085] The present invention provides a system that improves an operating efficiency of the charging units.
[0086] The present invention provides a system that improves an operating lifetime of the charging units.
[0087] The present invention provides a system that facilitates reduced charging time of an electric vehicle.
, Claims:1. A system (110) for parallel charging of an electric vehicle (190), the system (110) comprising:
a. a plurality of charging units (114), each having a predetermined electric power capacity;
b. an alternating current (AC) control circuit (116) configured to selectively transmit an AC electric power received from an electric power source (104);
c. a charging connector (120) electrically coupled to the plurality of charging units (114) and the AC control circuit (116), and configured to be electrically coupled to an electric power receiving unit (122) associated with the electric vehicle (190); and
d. a control unit (150) communicably coupled to the plurality of charging units (114), the AC control circuit (116), and the charging connector (120), wherein the control unit (150) is configured to:
i. determine a set of battery charging parameters of the electric vehicle (190);
ii. determine, based on the set of battery charging parameters of the electric vehicle (190), an electric power demand from the plurality of charging units (114); and
iii. dynamically vary, based on the determined electric power demand from the plurality of charging units (114), a power capacity of any one or more of the plurality of charging units (114), such that a total electric power capacity of the plurality of charging units (114) is equal to or less than the determined electric power demand.

2. The system (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of charging units (114) is configured to output a direct current (DC) electric power.

3. The system (110) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the charging connector (120) is configured to simultaneously transmit the DC electric power obtained from each of the plurality of charging units (114) and the AC electric power obtained from the AC control circuit (116) to the electric power receiving unit (122).

4. The system (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the AC control circuit (116) is configured to:
receive, from the charging connector (120), signals indicative of an electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122); and
determine, from the received signals, a state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122),
wherein the AC control circuit (116) is configured to any one of:
facilitate, responsive to determining a secured electrical coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122), and
restrict, responsive to determining an unsecured electrical coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122).

5. The system (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (150) is configured to:
receive, from a sensor unit (104) associated with the plurality of charging units (114), a set of performance parameters of each of the plurality of charging units (114); and
operate, responsive to the received set of performance parameters of the plurality of charging units (114), the plurality of charging units (114) at an electric power capacity, such that the set of performance parameters of the plurality of charging units (114) is within a predefined threshold range of values.

6. The system (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of charging units (114) comprises any one or a combination of on-board charging units (114) and off-board charging units (114) for the electric vehicle (190).

7. A method (400) for parallel charging of an electric vehicle (190), the method (400) comprising:
providing a plurality of charging units (114), each having a predetermined electric power capacity;
providing an alternating current (AC) control circuit (116) configured to selectively transmit an AC electric power received from an AC electric power source;
providing a charging connector (120) electrically coupled to the plurality of charging units (114), and configured to be electrically coupled to an electric power receiving unit (122) associated with the electric vehicle (190);
determining, by a control unit (150), a set of battery charging parameters of the electric vehicle (190);
determining, by the control unit (150), based on the set of battery charging parameters of the electric vehicle (190), an electric power demand from the plurality of charging units (114); and
dynamically varying, by the control unit (150), based on the determined electric power demand from the plurality of charging units (114), a power capacity of any one or more of the plurality of charging units (114), such that a total electric power capacity of the plurality of charging units (114) is equal to or less than the determined electric power demand.

8. The method (400) as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of charging units (114) is configured to output a direct current (DC) electric power.

9. The method (400) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the charging connector (120) is configured to simultaneously transmit the DC electric power obtained from each of the plurality of charging units (114) and the AC electric power obtained from the AC control circuit (116) to the electric power receiving unit (122).

10. The method (400) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the method (400) comprises:
receiving, by the AC control circuit, from the charging connector (120), signals indicative of an electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122); and
determining, by the AC control circuit, from the received signals, a state of electric coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122),
wherein the AC control circuit (116) is configured to any one of:
facilitate, responsive to determining a secured electrical coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122), and
restrict, responsive to determining an unsecured electrical coupling between the charging connector (120) and the electric power receiving unit (122), transmittance of the AC electric power to the electric power receiving unit (122).

11. The method (400) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the method (400) further comprises:
receiving, by the control unit (150), from a sensor unit associated with the plurality of charging units (114), a set of performance parameters of each of the plurality of charging units (114); and
operating, by the control unit (150), responsive to the received set of performance parameters of the plurality of charging units (114), the plurality of charging units (114) at an electric power capacity, such that the set of performance parameters of the plurality of charging units (114) is within a predefined threshold range of values.

12. The method (400) as claimed in claim 7, wherein of the plurality of charging units (114) comprises any one or a combination of on-board charging units (114) and off-board charging units (114) for the electric vehicle (190).