Battery Charging Control Methods, Electrical Vehicle Charging Methods, Battery Charging Control Apparatus, and Electrical Vehicles

Abstract

Battery charging control methods, electrical vehicle charging methods, battery charging control apparatus, and electrical vehicles are described. In one arrangement, battery charging control methods include accessing price information for electrical energy supplied by an electrical power distribution system and controlling an adjustment of an amount of the electrical energy from the electrical power distribution system used to charge a rechargeable battery at different moments in time using the price information. Other arrangements are described.

1 . A battery charging control method comprising:
 accessing price information of electrical energy supplied by an electrical power distribution system; and   controlling an adjustment of an amount of the electrical energy from the electrical power distribution system which is used to charge a rechargeable battery at different moments in time using the price information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the controlling comprises using the price information to reduce a cost of charging the rechargeable battery compared with arrangements which do not perform the controlling of the adjustment using the price information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the controlling comprises charging using different amounts of the electrical energy from the electrical power distribution system at the different moments in time using the price information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the controlling comprises ceasing the charging at one of the different moments in time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the controlling comprises charging using an increased amount of the electrical energy at a first of the different moments in time compared with a second of the different moments in time as a result of the price of the electrical energy being less at the first of the different moments in time compared with the second of the different moments in time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the accessing comprises accessing the price information comprising different prices of the electrical energy at the different moments in time and the controlling comprises increasing and decreasing the amount of the electrical energy used to charge the rechargeable battery at the different moments in time as a result of the different prices. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the accessing comprises accessing the price information including one or more projected prices over a future period of time and the controlling comprises controlling the adjustment based on the one or more projected prices at respective moments of the future period of time. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising receiving an update changing one of the one or more projected prices and the controlling comprises adjusting the amount of the electrical energy as a result of the receiving of the update. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the accessing comprises receiving the price information from the electrical power distribution system. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising accessing information describing a desired future point in time for the rechargeable battery to be charged to a desired state and wherein the controlling comprises controlling so that the rechargeable battery reaches the desired state by the desired future point in time. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining an anticipated amount of time to charge the rechargeable battery based on a current state of charge of the rechargeable battery and wherein the controlling comprises controlling as a result of the determining of the anticipated amount of time. 
     
     
         12 . An electrical vehicle charging method comprising:
 coupling an electrical vehicle having a depleted state of charge with an electrical power distribution system;   accessing price information for electrical energy of the electrical power distribution system;   charging the electrical vehicle using the electrical energy of the electrical power distribution system; and   controlling an amount of the electrical energy consumed by the charging of the electrical vehicle at different moments in time using the price information.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the charging comprises charging at different rates at the different moments in time based on the price information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the controlling comprises ceasing the charging at one of the different moments in time. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the charging comprises charging using an increased amount of the electrical energy at a first of the different moments in time compared with a second of the different moments in time as a result of the price of the electrical energy being less at the first of the different moments in time compared with the second of the different moments in time. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the accessing comprises accessing the price information comprising different prices of the electrical energy at the different moments in time and the controlling comprises increasing and decreasing an amount of the electrical energy consumed by the charging at the different moments in time as a result of the different prices. 
     
     
         17 . A battery charging control apparatus comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to:
 access price information of electrical energy supplied by an electrical power distribution system; and 
 control an adjustment of an amount of the electrical energy from the electrical power distribution system used to charge a rechargeable battery at different moments in time using the price information. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the price information comprises different prices of the electrical energy at the different moments in time and the processing circuitry is configured to increase and decrease the amount of the electrical energy used to charge the rechargeable battery at the different moments in time as a result of the different prices. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the price information includes one or more projected prices over a future period of time and the processing circuitry is configured to control the adjustment based on the one or more projected prices at respective moments of the future period of time. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive an update changing one of the one or more projected prices and to control the adjustment of the amount of the electrical energy as a result of receiving the update. 
     
     
         21 . An electrical vehicle comprising:
 a rechargeable battery;   a charger configured to consume electrical energy from an electrical power distribution system to charge the rechargeable battery; and   a controller configured to:
 access price information of the electrical energy supplied by the electrical power distribution system; and 
 control an amount of the electrical energy from the electrical power distribution system consumed by the charger at different moments in time using the price information. 
   
     
     
         22 . The vehicle of  claim 21  further comprising a climate system configured to heat and/or cool the electrical vehicle and wherein the controller is configured to:
 estimate an amount of time to be consumed by the climate system to bring a temperature of the electrical vehicle to a desired temperature; and   using the estimated amount of time, control the amount of the electrical energy consumed by the charger at the different moments in time.   
     
     
         23 . The vehicle of  claim 21  wherein the controller is configured to use the price information to reduce a cost of charging the rechargeable battery compared with arrangements which do not control the adjustment of the amount using the price information. 
     
     
         24 . The vehicle of  claim 21  wherein the controller is configured to control the charger to charge the rechargeable battery using different amounts of electrical energy at the different moments in time using the price information. 
     
     
         25 . The vehicle of  claim 24  wherein the controller is configured to control the charger to charge using an amount of electrical energy at a first of the different moments in time compared with a second of the different moments in time as a result of the price of the electrical energy being less at the first of the different moments in time compared with the second of the different moments in time. 
     
     
         26 . The vehicle of  claim 21  wherein the controller is configured to access information describing a desired future point in time for the rechargeable battery to be charged to a desired state and to control the charger so that the rechargeable battery reaches the desired state by the desired future point in time. 
     
     
         27 . The vehicle of  claim 22  wherein the controller is configured to use the price information to reduce a cost of charging the rechargeable battery compared with arrangements which do not control the adjustment of the amount using the price information. 
     
     
         28 . The vehicle of  claim 22  wherein the controller is configured to control the charger to charge the rechargeable battery using different amounts of electrical energy at the different moments in time using the price information. 
     
     
         29 . The vehicle of  claim 22  wherein the controller is configured to access information describing a desired future point in time for the rechargeable battery to be charged to a desired state and to control the charger so that the rechargeable battery reaches the desired state by the desired future point in time.