Method and system for managing parking of electric vehicles in depot

Abstract

A system (200) and method (100) for managing parking of electric vehicles (EVs) in a depot. The method (100) includes determining at least one arriving EV of the plurality of EVs at the depot. The method also includes determining a delay matrix for the at least one arriving EV. The delay matrix is determined with respect to at least one parked EV of the plurality of EVs in the parking layout (500). Further, the method includes determining a parking spot for parking the at least one arriving EV based on the delay matrix and the layout information of the parking layout (500) and causing to display the determined parking spot for the EV on a screen of the at least one arriving

Description

[0001] METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING PARKING OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN DEPOT

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to optimization of parking of electric vehicles (EVs), and more specifically to a method and system for managing parking of EVs in a depot having a complex parking layout to meet charging requirement.

[0004] Vehicle fleet owners may have a multitude of vehicles being operated out of a depot. The multitude of vehicles may include for example but not limited to buses of different length, trucks, pickup vans, taxis, etc. All the vehicles have to be parked in the depot before and after a trip. A parking layout of the depot is generally designed to accommodate a large number of vehicles in a limited space.

[0005] Most of the vehicles in the depot until recently were diesel vehicles and hence the parking layout of the depot were designed accordingly. This is because diesel refuelling of the vehicles is done at fuel station, which is generally located away from the parking place. The vehicle had to move to the fuel station for refuelling, which would take some time and designing the parking layout was not a highly challenging task. The depot could include a constrained or block parking layouts such as like FIFO (first in, first out), FILO (first in, last out), etc, blocked lanes because of a perpendicular layout, or a mix of any or all of the mentioned layouts designed to accommodate more vehicles in the limited space of the depot.

[0006] However, lately due to the vehicle fleet owners have been moving towards sustainable transportation options. The EVs are being used due to a wide range of benefits such as clean emissions, low noise operation, and low maintenance. The EVs play a vital role in mitigating pollution, mitigating global warming, and preserving non-renewable energy sources. Hence many diesel fleet owners are transitioning to EV fleet and operating them from existing depot. The vehicle fleet owners are setting up chargers at the existing depot with existing parking layout.

[0007] As the EVs need to be parked and charged at the same place for a long period of time, it becomes a challenging task to optimize the parking layout so that one EV does not block another EV when it has to leave for a trip. Thus, coordinating a charging schedule of the EVs and the parking layout in the depot can be a logistical challenge. It requires managing and optimizing the charging process to ensure that EVs are adequately charged when needed, without causing unnecessary downtime. Efficient scheduling and parking are essential to avoid conflicts and ensure that EVs are ready for use when required. In complex parking scenarios in the depot, finding an optimal EV to charger-connector mapping is essential for efficient scheduling of charging and dispatch of the EV.

[0008] In light of the above, there remains a need for a comprehensive solution for effectively allocating parking spot to the EV in a complex parking layout to meet the charging requirement.

[0009] The above-mentioned challenges are addressed by the proposed solution by providing a heuristic parking algorithm that optimally allocates incoming EVs in the depot to the parking spaces which have charging connectors. The proposed method efficiently allocated the incoming EVs taking into consideration information associated with parking layout and a schedule of the incoming EV along with schedule of already parked EVs, which will depart the depot. The proposed solution minimizes delay in dispatch of the EVs out of the depot and a duration of time for which an empty parking spot in the depot remains blocked. The proposed solution uses a delay matrix and a parking matrix, both of which help in determining the final parking spot in the depot for the incoming EV.

[0010] The object of the present disclosure is achieved by a computer-implemented method for managing parking of electric vehicles (EVs) in a depot. The method includes determining layout information of a parking layout based on an image of the parking layout or the layout information can be directly provided to a system. Further, the method includes determining an arriving EV at the depot and determining a delay matrix for the arriving EV. The method then includes determining a parking spot for parking the arrived EV based on the delay matrix and the layout information of the parking layout; and causing to display the determined parking spot for the EV on a screen of the arriving EV. Here, the delay matrix is determined with respect to a parked EVs in the parking layout. In one or more embodiments, determining the layout information of the parking layout based on at least one image of the parking layout includes receiving at least one image of a parking layout of the depot and identifying the layout information associated with the parking layout from the at least one image. The method also includes extracting the layout information from the at least one image and determining the layout information of the parking layout based on at least one image of the parking layout. Here, the layout information associated with the parking layout includes lanes information, entry and exit information of the plurality of EVs.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, determining the at least one arriving EV of the plurality of EVs at the depot includes receiving a schedule of the plurality of EVs, where the schedule includes an arrival time and a departure time of each EV of the plurality of EVs and determining a sorted array of EVs based on the schedule of the plurality of EVs. The method also includes initializing a parking matrix based on the layout information of the parking layout and populating at least one parked EV of the plurality of EVs in the parking matrix. Further, the method includes analysing each EV in the sorted array of EVs sequentially with respect to the parking matrix and determining the at least one arriving EV of the plurality of EVs at the depot.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the method further includes determining at least one departing EV of the plurality of EVs from the depot and removing the at least one departing EV from the parking matrix.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the method further includes determining a delay experienced by the at least one departing EV.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, determining the parking spot for parking the at least one arriving EV based on the delay matrix and the layout information of the parking layout includes determining the parking spot for parking the at least one arriving EV by performing one of: mapping the EV to the parking spot in the FILO lane, on determining that a value of the delay matrix is negative or zero for the parking spot in the FILO lane or mapping the EV to a parking spot in the FIFO lane, on determining that a value of the delay matrix is positive or zero for the parking spot in the FIFO lane or mapping the EV to a parking spot in the unblocked lane, on determining that a value of the delay matrix is not satisfying the condition for parking spot in the FILO lane and the parking spot in the FIFO lane.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, the parking matrix comprises columns representing lanes and rows representing parking spots and wherein the lanes are at least one of a FIFO lane, a FILO lane, and an unblocked lane.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the sorted array of EVs is determined by sorting each EV of the plurality of EVs based on the schedule of plurality of EVs.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, causing to display the determined parking spot for the at least one arriving EV on the screen of the at least one arriving EV includes generating a notification indicating the parking spot for the at least one arriving EV; sending the notification to the at least one arriving EV; and causing to display the determined parking spot for the at least one arriving EV on the screen of the EV.

[0018] The object of the present disclosure is also achieved by a system for managing parking of electric vehicles (EVs) in a depot. The system includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, configures the processor to determine layout information of a parking layout based on at least one image of the parking layout and determine at least one arriving EV of the plurality of EVs at the depot. The processor is also configured to determine a delay matrix for the at least one arriving EV, where the delay matrix is determined with respect to at least one parked EV of the plurality of EVs in the parking layout. Further the processor is configured to determine a parking spot for parking the arrived EV based on the delay matrix and the layout information of the parking layout and cause to display the determined parking spot for the EV on a screen of the at least one arriving EV.

[0019] The object of the present disclosure is further achieved by a computer program code which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to carry out steps of the aforementioned method. The object of the present disclosure is further achieved by a computer program product comprising computer program code which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to carry out steps of the aforementioned method.

[0020] Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the disclosure are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of particular embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the disclosure. The disclosure is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details may be modified in various obvious respects, all without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

[0021] A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and many of the attendant aspects thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings:

[0022] FIG 1 is a flowchart representation of a computer-implemented method for managing parking of electric vehicles (EVs) in a depot, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG 2 is a block diagram representation of a system for managing parking of the EVs in the depot, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG 3 is an overview of the method for managing the parking of the EVs, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG 4 is a flowchart representation of the method of mapping the EVs to parking spots in the depot considering parking blocks spots, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG 5 is an exemplary representation of an EV depot comprising various types of parking lanes, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG 6 is an exemplary representation of a parking layout in the EV depot, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0028] FIG 7 is an exemplary graphical depiction of EV to charger-connector mapping in the parking layout, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Various embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. It may be evident that such embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.

[0029] Examples of a method, a system, and a computer-program product for managing parking of electric vehicles (EVs) in a depot are disclosed herein. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the disclosure. It is apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of the disclosure.

[0030] Conventionally for smart vehicle parking there are many methods that are employed to manage traffic and manage parking-related situations for unconstrained parking layouts. However, the conventional methods do not address the constraint or block parking problem for a generic parking layout which includes a combination of FIFO, FILO, and unconstraint lanes in a depot. Conventional parking management methods mainly addresses the unconstraint lanes in the depot.

[0031] Conventional methods also partially address the problem of efficient assignment of vehicles / EVs to chargers with multiple connectors, which is generally a norm at city bus depot. This problem arises as depot owners in order to reduce a cost of charging infrastructure, prefer installing a smaller number of chargers having mulitpe connectors. Unlike to the conventional methods and systems, the proposed solution takes into consideration layout information associated with the parking layout, EVs or vehicles which are already parked in the parking layout having chargers, schedule of the vehicles, etc and intelligently allocates parking slots to an arriving vehicle. As a result, the above-mentioned problems are effectively addressed.

[0032] Referring now to FIG 1 , illustrated is a flowchart of a method (as represented by reference numeral 100) for managing parking of electric vehicles (EVs) in a depot, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As used herein, managing parking of the EVs in the depot refers to a process of allocating a parking spot for an EV which arrives at the depot. The EVs are generally charged during their parking duration as the parking spots have charger-connectors. However, a schedule of the EV can be a cause of concern if not considered while allocating parking spots to the EV. For example, a first EV which needs to depart at a certain time period may be blocked by a second EV which arrived at a later point in time and was parked blocking the exit route of the first EV.

[0033] This approach aims to enhance the efficiency with which the parking spots are allocated within the depot by taking into consideration both the schedule of the EVs and the layout information of the depot. The proposed solution adopts a priority mechanism where FILO lanes are provided higher priority than FIFO lanes and unblocked lanes while mapping the EVs to the parking spots in these lanes. As a result, fleet operators can strategically plan and park the EVs such that the EVs are able to meet their charging requirement based on their schedule.

[0034] Referring to FIG 2, illustrated is a block diagram of a system 200 for managing parking of the EVs in the depot, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. It may be appreciated that the system 200 described herein may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software, firmware, special purpose processors, or a combination thereof. One or more of the present embodiments may take a form of a computer program product comprising program modules accessible from computer-usable or computer-readable medium storing program code for use by or in connection with one or more computers, processors, or instruction execution system. For the purpose of this description, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any apparatus that may contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The medium may be electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a propagation mediums in and of themselves as signal carriers are not included in the definition of physical computer-readable medium include a semiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette, random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a rigid magnetic disk and optical disk such as compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk read / write, and digital versatile disc (DVD). Both processors and program code for implementing each aspect of the technology may be centralized or distributed (or a combination thereof) as known to those skilled in the art.

[0035] In an example, the system 200 may be embodied as a computer-program product 200 programmed for performing the said purpose. The system 200 may be incorporated in one or more physical packages (e.g., chips). By way of example, a physical package includes an arrangement of one or more materials, components, and / or wires on a structural assembly (e.g., a baseboard) to provide one or more characteristics such as physical strength, conservation of size, and / or limitation of electrical interaction. It is contemplated that in certain embodiments the computing device may be implemented in a single chip. As illustrated, the system 200 includes a communication mechanism such as a bus 202 for passing information among the components of the system 200. The system 200 includes a processor 204 and a memory 206. Herein, the memory 206 is communicatively coupled to the processor 204. In an example, the memory 206 may be embodied as a computer readable medium on which program code sections of a computer program are saved, the program code sections being loadable into and / or executable in a system to make the system 200 execute the steps for performing the said purpose.

[0036] Generally, as used herein, the term “processor” refers to a computational element that is operable to respond to and processes instructions that drive the system 200. Optionally, the processor includes, but is not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or any other type of processing circuit. Furthermore, the term “processor” may refer to one or more individual processors, processing devices and various elements associated with a processing device that may be shared by other processing devices. Additionally, the one or more individual processors, processing devices and elements are arranged in various architectures for responding to and processing the instructions that drive the system 200.

[0037] Herein, the memory 206 may be volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. The memory 206 may be coupled for communication with the processor 204. The processor 204 may execute instructions and / or code stored in the memory 206. A variety of computer-readable storage media may be stored in and accessed from the memory 206. The memory 206 may include any suitable elements for storing data and machine-readable instructions, such as read only memory, random access memory, erasable programmable read only memory, electrically erasable programmable read only memory, a hard drive, a removable media drive for handling compact disks, digital video disks, diskettes, magnetic tape cartridges, memory cards, and the like.

[0038] In particular, the processor 204 has connectivity to the bus 202 to execute instructions and process information stored in the memory 206. The processor 204 may include one or more processing cores with each core configured to perform independently. A multi-core processor enables multiprocessing within a single physical package. Examples of a multi-core processor include two, four, eight, or greater numbers of processing cores. Alternatively, or in addition, the processor 204 may include one or more microprocessors configured in tandem via the bus 202 to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining, and multithreading. The processor 204 may also be accompanied with one or more specialized components to perform certain processing functions and tasks such as one or more digital signal processors (DSP), and / or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC). Other specialized components to aid in performing the inventive functions described herein include one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) (not shown), one or more controllers (not shown), or one or more other specialpurpose computer chips.

[0039] The system 200 may further include an interface 208, such as a communication interface (with the said terms being interchangeably used) which may enable the system 200 to communicate with other systems for receiving and transmitting information. The communication interface 208 may include a medium (e.g., a communication channel) through which the system 200 communicates with other system. Examples of the communication interface 208 may include, but are not limited to, a communication channel in a computer cluster, a Local Area Communication channel (LAN), a cellular communication channel, a wireless sensor communication channel (WSN), a cloud communication channel, a Metropolitan Area Communication channel (MAN), and / or the Internet. Optionally, the communication interface 208 may include one or more of a wired connection, a wireless network, cellular networks such as 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G mobile networks, and a Zigbee connection. The system 200 also includes a database 210. As used herein, the database 210 is an organized collection of structured data, typically stored in a computer system and designed to be easily accessed, managed, and updated. The database 210 may be in form of a central repository of information that can be queried, analysed, and processed to support various applications and business processes. In the system 200, the database 210 provides mechanisms for storing, retrieving, updating, and deleting data, and typically includes features such as data validation, security, backup and recovery, and data modelling. The database 210 here includes schedule of the multiple EVs which arrive and depart from the depot. The database 210 may be designed using relational or non-relational database management systems, depending on the specific requirements and preferences of the system 200.

[0040] The system 200 further includes an input device 212 and an output device 214. The input device 212 may take various forms depending on the specific application of the system 200. In an example, the input device 212 may include one or more of a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen display, a microphone, a camera, or any other hardware component that enables the user to interact with the system 200. Further, the output device 214 may be in the form of a display. It is to be understood that, when reference is made in the present disclosure to the term “display” this refers generically either to a display screen on its own or to a screen and an associated housing, drive circuitry and possibly a physical supporting structure, of which all, or part of is provided for displaying information.

[0041] In the present system 200, the processor 204 and accompanying components have connectivity to the memory 206 via the bus 202. The memory 206 includes both dynamic memory (e.g., RAM, magnetic disk, writable optical disk, etc.) and static memory (e.g., ROM, CD-ROM, etc.) for storing executable instructions that when executed perform the method steps described herein for route planning of the EVs. In particular, the memory 206 includes a module arrangement 216 to perform steps for managing the parking of the EVs in the depot. Also, in the system 200, the memory 206 may be configured to store the data associated with or generated by the execution of the inventive steps.

[0042] Referring to FIGS 1 and 2 in combination, the various steps of the method 100 as described hereinafter may be executed in the system 200, or specifically in the processor 204 of the system 200, for - managing the parking of the EVs in the depot. For purposes of the present disclosure, managing the parking of the EVs in the depot in the present method 100 is embodied as a mapping algorithm for mapping of the EVs to the parking slots having the charger-connectors, with the two terms of allocation of the parking slots and the allocation of the charger-connectors being interchangeably used hereinafter. It may be appreciated that although the method 100 is illustrated and described as a sequence of steps, it may be contemplated that various embodiments of the method 100 may be performed in any order or a combination and need not include all of the illustrated steps.

[0043] In embodiments of the present disclosure, at step 101 , the method 100 includes determining the layout information of a parking layout 500 based on an image of the parking layout 500. The layout information associated with the parking layout 500 can include but not limited to lanes information (for example types of lanes present in the parking layout 500, number of lanes, etc.), entry and exit information of the EVs, etc. The layout information is determined by receiving the image of the parking layout 500 of the depot and identifying the layout information associated with the parking layout 500 from the image. Further, extracting the layout information from the image using techniques such as edge detection, contour extraction, and region-based segmentation, etc. It may be noted that this step would be carried out only once when setting up the depot.

[0044] In another embodiment, the layout information can be received directly from a user through an interface of the system 200. To gather the layout information, the system 200 may interface with a depot management system through an Application Programming Interface (API) or other data exchange mechanisms, via the interface 208. Once the schedule information has been obtained, those can be stored in the database 210, which serves as a central repository for the data required by the system 200.

[0045] At step 102, the method 100 includes determining an arriving EV of the multiple EVs at the depot. The types of EVs can be for example but not limited to Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). The method includes receiving a schedule of the EVs which includes an arrival time and a departure time of each EV and determining a sorted array of EVs based on the schedule. For example, consider two EV buses BUS1 and BUS2, where BUS1 arrives at 11.00am and needs to depart the depot at 12.30pm. Also, consider BUS2 arrives at 11.30am and needs to depart the depot at 12.00pm. Then the sorted array would be:

[0046] BUS1 arrival 11.00am

[0047] BUS2 arrival 11 ,30am

[0048] BUS2 departure 12.00pm

[0049] BUS1 departure 12.30pm

[0050] Here, each action to be performed with respect to each of the EVs is considered as a separate activity in the array and arranged in a sequential manner based on the schedule of the EVs.

[0051] Further, the method includes initializing a parking matrix based on the layout information of the parking layout 500 and populating parked EVs from the parking layout 500 in the parking matrix. An example parking matrix is provided below:

[0052] In the parking matrix provided above, there are two FIFO lanes, 1 FILO lane, and 1 unblocked lane. The EVs provided in the parking matrix are the EVs which are already parked in the parking layout 500. The method further includes analysing each EV in the sorted array of EVs sequentially with respect to the parking matrix and determining that the EV is an arriving EV at the depot. If the system 200 determines that the EV is a departing EV, then the system 200 removes the departing EV from the parking matrix. For example, in the parking matrix shown above, if BUS7 and BUS12 depart the depot then the updated parking matrix is as shown below. At step 103, the method 100 includes determining a delay matrix for the arriving EV. The delay matrix is determined with respect to the parked EV in the parking layout 500. Here, consider that the arriving EV is allocated a parking spot such that the already parked EV blocks the exit path of the arriving EV. This causes a delay in the departure of the arriving EV and the delay is indicated in the delay matrix. An example delay matrix is provided below:

[0053] Consider that BUS12 an arriving EV, needs to be allocated the parking spot in the parking layout 500. The BUS12 needs to depart the parking layout 500 at 11 ,30am. Consider that BUS11 needs to depart at 12.00pm, BUS9 needs to depart at 11.00am and BUS4 needs to depart at 11.00am. The delay matrix indicates that if the BUS12 is accommodated in any of the parking spot available in the FIFO lane 502 then there will be delay of 30 minutes for the departure of the BUS12 since the BUS11 will needs to depart before the BUS12 can exit the FIFO lane. If the BUS12 is accommodated in the FILO lane 504 then the BUS9 will not block the exit of the BUS12. However, BUS12 will block the exit of the BUS9 and hence a delay of 30 minutes. Finally, the unblocked lane has two parking spots vacant and can easily accommodate the BUS12 without causing any delay.

[0054] At step 104, the method includes determining a parking spot for parking the arrived EV based on the delay matrix and the layout information of the parking layout 500. The system 200 maps the arriving EV to the parking spot in the FILO lane 504, on determining that a value of the delay matrix is negative or zero for the parking spot which is available in the FILO lane 504. From the above example, if the BUS12 is accommodated in the FILO lane 504 then the BUS12 will block the exit of the BUS9 and hence a delay of 30 minutes. Based on the mapping condition if the value of the delay matrix is negative or zero for the parking spot available in the FILO lane 504, only then the BUS12 can be allocated the parking spot in the FILO lane 504. Since the value of the delay matrix is positive in the example, the BUS12 is not accommodated in the FILO lane 504. Similarly, the system 200 maps the arriving EV to the parking spot in the FIFO lane 502 if the value of the delay matrix is positive or zero for the parking spot in the FIFO lane. From the above example, if the BUS12 is accommodated in any of the parking spot available in the FIFO lane 502 then there will be delay of 30 minutes for the departure of the BUS12 since the BUS11 will need to depart the parking layout 500, before the BUS12 can exit the FIFO lane 502. Based on the mapping condition if the value of the delay matrix is positive or zero for the parking spot available in the FIFO lane 502, only then the BUS12 can be allocated the parking spot in the FIFO lane 502. Since the value of the delay matrix is negative in the example, the BUS12 is not accommodated in the FIFO lane 502. Since both the conditions for mapping the EV to a parking spot fails, the system 200 allocates the arriving EV i.e. , BUS12 to the parking spot available in the unblocked lane.

[0055] At step 105, the method includes causing to display the determined parking spot for the arriving EV on a screen of the arriving EV. The method includes generating a notification indicating the parking spot for the arriving EV and causing to display the determined parking spot for the arriving EV on the screen of the arriving EV. The notification can be for example a message comprising an image or text or coordinates of the parking spot within the parking layout 500. The notification can also include a map of the parking layout 500 indicating the exact parking spot. The notification can be sent either once the arriving EV enters the parking layout or based on the arrival schedule can be sent just before the arrival duration of the arriving EV. The notification can also include details of the available type of charger and procedure for logging into the charger, etc.

[0056] Therefore, the proposed solution ensures seamless parking of the arriving EV and that the charging requirements are effectively met within the schedule of the EV. Also, in case there are blocked parking spots then the proposed method ensures that the delay in departure of the EV from the parking layout 500 is minimal.

[0057] FIG 3 is an overview of the method 300 for managing the parking of the EVs, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The depots generally have multiple charging section or lanes to charge a fleet of EVs. By optimizing depot management, one can ensure efficient utilization of charging infrastructure. This includes scheduling and prioritizing charging based on vehicle availability, battery status, and operational requirements. Optimizing charging processes reduces downtime and maximizes vehicle availability, improving overall fleet productivity. However, depot operators must properly assign EVs to parking / charging spots before charging can begin to maximize the number of vehicles that could be parked in the depot and optimize the flow of vehicles into and out of the depot without any blockages.

[0058] The proposed solution provides a heuristic algorithm for block parking to address the gaps identified in the domain of depot charging. It allows the charging algorithm to determine the optimal EV to charger-connector mapping or EV to parking spot mapping.

[0059] At step 302 and step 304, the system 200 receives the user input, which can either be layout information, such as lane types (FIFO, FILO, unblocked, etc) and charger, connector placement in each lane, or a top-down image of the depot. The input image can be obtained using layout sketch or map or real image captured using digital cameras, drone, or satellite imagery. At step 306, the system 200 processes the input image using an image processing technique. The image processing technique includes pre-processing of the image to enhance the quality of the image and improve the effectiveness of subsequent processing steps. It involves operations like resizing, noise removal, contrast adjustment, and image normalization.

[0060] The system 200 then identifies and extracts relevant features from the pre-processed image. This can include lanes information, entry and exit information of buses or any other specific elements of interest. Techniques such as edge detection, contour extraction, and region-based segmentation are commonly used for this purpose. At steps 308 to 314 the system 200 extracted information is structured in a way that represents the information hierarchy and convert it into suitable data structures (such as 308 is FIFO layout data, 310 id FILO layout data, 312 is unblocked layout data and 314 is blocked layout data) for determining the parking spot or the EV to charger mapping.

[0061] At step 316, the system 200 executes the parking block technique to determine the optimal parking spot for each of the arriving EVs into the depot and at step 318 the system 200 displays the determined parking spot for the specific EV on a screen of the EV. FIG 4 is a flowchart representation of the method of mapping the EVs to parking spots in the depot considering parking blocks spots, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to the FIG. 4, at step 402 the system 200 receives the schedule of the EVs associated with the depot and sorts the EVs to get the sorted array of the EVs based on the schedule of the EVs. At step 404, the system 200 initializes the parking matrix based on the layout information of the parking layout 500 such as the FILO lane, FIFO lane, unblocked lane, and blocked lane. At step 406, the system 200 populates the EVs which are already parked, in the parking matrix and at step 408, the system 200 starts analysing each EV in the sorted array in a sequential manner. The analysis is performed by taking each EV and comparing it with the parking matrix. Here arrival and departure are considered as separate operations and handled individually. Example, if bus B1 arrives at 10.00 and needs to depart at 12.00pm. Consider that bus B2 arrives at 11 . 00am and needs to depart at 11 ,30am. Then the sorted operations will be: arrival of B1 arrival of B2 departure of B2 departure of B1

[0062] At step 410, the system 200 determines whether the EV is arriving to the depot or departing the depot. If the EV is departing the depot, then at step 428, the system 200 deletes the departing EV from the parking matrix and stops. If the system 200 determines that the EV is arriving at the depot then the system 200, at step 412 checks if the entry parking spots and all unblocked lanes are occupied. Then at step 432 the system 200 determines that there are no feasible parking spots and hence stops the method at step 430.

[0063] At step 412, if the system 200 determines that the entry parking spots, and all unblocked lanes are not occupied then the system 200 determines the delay matrix for the arriving EV with respect to the occupied EVs in the parking layout (step 414). Once the delay matrix is determined, then at step 416 the system 200 determines if the value of the delay matrix is negative or zero for the parking spot in the FILO lane 504 .On determining that the value of the delay matrix is negative or zero for the parking spot in the FILO lane 504, then the system 200 picks and maps the available connector in the FILO lane 504 to the arriving EV.

[0064] At step 422 the system 200 determines if the value of the delay matrix is positive or zero for the parking spot in the FIFO lane 502 and at step 424, the system 200 picks and maps the available connector in the FIFO lane 502 to the arriving EV. At step 426, if the previous conditions are not satisfied then the system 200 maps the arriving EV to the parking spot in the unblocked lane.

[0065] To generate an optimal EV to connector mapping using block parking heuristic, the operator must first provide mapping of already parked vehicles to initialize the parking matrix based on layout information. Now, when a vehicle arrives at the depot, the algorithm checks the parking spot availability by computing the delay matrix based on the departure time of the most recent arrival and the vehicles currently parked in the depot, using equation 1 . delay matrixis t= departure timeis t— departure timei'S-l t-1(1)

[0066] The FILO lanes 504 are given the highest priority based on parking complexity, followed by FIFO 502, and finally unconstraint lanes 506. This means that the algorithm first attempts to find a suitable parking spot in the FILO lanes 504 based on the delay matrix, and if no such spot is found, it then attempts to find a suitable parking spot in FIFO 502, and finally in the unconstraint lanes. In order to minimize the delay time, it will choose the lane with the least amount of delay if a suitable place cannot be secured in any of the lanes.

[0067] At step 420, the system 200 checks if there are more EVs arriving at the depot based on the schedule available. Finally, when all the EVs have arrived or departed then the system 200 stops the execution of the method at step 430. The method will come to an end after all the vehicles have been mapped or all the parking spaces have been filled.

[0068] FIG 5 is an exemplary representation of an EV depot comprising various types of parking lanes, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to the FIG. 5, the parking layout 500 includes FIFO layout 502, FILO layout 504 and unconstrained block parking 506 for the EV fleet in the EV depot. Consider an EV arrives to the EV depot and parks at parking spot U-5 of the unconstrained block parking 506. The EV at the parking spot U-5 can depart anytime from the EV depot irrespective of the fact if whether the parking spots U-6 or U-4 are occupied or un-occupied. Consider an EV arrives to the EV depot and parks at parking spot 1-2 of the FIFO layout 502 and consider that the parking spot 1-1 of the FIFO layout 502 is already occupied. In this scenario, if the EV in the parking spot 1-2 has to depart the EV depot, then the EV which is already parked in the parking spot 1-1 will have to depart first as it is blocking the exit route of the EV in the parking spot 1-2. Therefore, the EV which is parked at the parking spot 1-2 should necessarily have a departure time after the departure time of the EV parked at the parking spot 1-1.

[0069] In yet another scenario, consider that an EV is parked at parking spot 5-3 of the FILO layout 504 and another EV arrives and is parked at the parking spot 5-2 of the FILO layout 504. Then the EV which arrived first i.e. , the EV at parking spot 5-3 will be blocked and will be able to depart only after the EV at the parking spot 5-2 exits the EV depot. Similarly, the EV which is parked at the parking spot 5-3 should necessarily have a departure time after the departure time of the EV parked at the parking spot 5-2 and 5-1 .

[0070] Currently there is no mechanism by which the scenario of blocked parking is addressed as the parking spots are manually allocated by depot managers based on the schedule of the EVs which arrive at the EV depot.

[0071] Hence, the above scenarios and a scenario where delay is inevitable due to block parking needs to be addressed in a way that the scheduling of the EVs in the EV depot needs to be prepared such that the delay is minimized but the charging requirements are met effectively.

[0072] FIG 6 is an exemplary representation of a parking layout in the EV depot, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to the FIG. 6, consider a parking layout which includes three FIFO lanes 602, two FILO lanes 604, and one unconstraint lane 606, with six parking places in each lane. Here the proposed method of managing the block parking scenario is applied to a fleet of 36 EVs, each with two changing schedules. Both sequential and conventional chargers are used in this parking arrangement.

[0073] From the application of the proposed method to the fleet of 36 EVs it has been observed that the delay in departure is either completely eliminated or drastically reduced. However, the charging requirements of each of the EVs is achieved effectively. FIG 7 is an exemplary graphical depiction of the EV to charger-connector mapping in the parking layout, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In order to fulfil the goal of minimal delay and guarantee that EVs are allocated the parking spots as soon as they arrive at the EV depot, the parking layout and EV fleet schedule information is provided to the system 200, which generates the vehicle to connector mapping for each lane is performed as indicated in the FIG. 7.

[0074] The duration of time for which the EVs are parked is represented forward bars in the FIG. 7, along with the vehicle ID. On the y-axis, information about lanes and charging connectors is provided. It can be noted that EV b16_1 , parked in lane 2 at charger 5 and connector 2, is getting delayed by 140 minutes (indicated by backward bars). The delay is because of EV b14_1 , which arrived first to the parking layout and is parked in the same lane at charger 5 and connector 1. As a result, the EV b16_1 can depart the EV depot only after the EV b14_1 departs the EV depot. All other EVs in the EV depot experience no delay and can leave at the scheduled time.

[0075] Conventional heuristic algorithms focus on the unconstrained lanes in the EV depot and are based on either priority for vehicle allocation in queues or the Round Robin (RR) method for load balancing. The constraint or block parking problem for a generic parking layout that consists of a combination of FIFO, FILO, and unconstraint lanes in the EV depot is not addressed by any of the algorithms. Unlike to the conventional methods the proposed method to achieve optimal parking allocation, uses an image of a parking layout as input to detect bus lanes (such as FIFO, FILO or unconstrained), bus entry and exit points, and any other elements of interest.

[0076] Advantages of the proposed solution are:

[0077] 1. Reduced Congestion: Complex parking layouts often involve multiple levels or sections, which can lead to congestion and inefficiency. Parking algorithms can help alleviate this problem by guiding drivers to available parking spaces quickly and efficiently, minimizing the time spent searching for a spot. This reduces congestion and improves the overall flow of vehicles within the parking facility.

[0078] 2. Optimal Space Utilization: EV depots are often limited in size, and efficient use of parking space is crucial to maximize the number of vehicles that can be parked in the depot. Parking algorithms can help to optimize the layout of the parking spaces, making the best use of the available space.

[0079] 3. Time and Cost Savings: By streamlining the parking process, algorithms can save both time and money. Drivers spend less time searching for parking, which means they can get to their destinations faster. Moreover, parking algorithms can optimize the parking sequence, reducing the time needed to park and retrieve vehicles. This efficiency translates into cost savings for both drivers and parking facility operators.

[0080] 4. Fleet management: EV depots frequently house a sizable fleet of vehicles that must be effectively managed. Parking algorithms can be used to streamline the movement of vehicles into and out of the depot, saving time and effort spent on fleet management.

[0081] While the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to certain embodiments, it should be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to those embodiments. In view of the present disclosure, many modifications and variations would be present themselves, to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, as described herein. The scope of the present disclosure is, therefore, indicated by the following claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes, modifications, and variations coming within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be considered within their scope.

[0082] Reference Numerals method 100 step 101 step 102 step 103 step 104 step 105 system 200 bus 202 processor 204 memory 206 interface 208 database 210 input device 212 output device 214 module arrangement 216 step 302 step 304 step 306 step 308 step 310 step 312 step 314 step 316 step 318 step 402 step 404 step 406 step 408 step 410 step 412 step 414 step 416 step 418 step 420 step 422 step 424 step 426 step 428 step 430 step 432 parking layout 500

[0083] FIFO lane 502 / 602

[0084] FILO lane 504 / 604 unconstraint lane 506 / 606

Claims

PATENTANSPRUCHE / PATENT CLAIMS1. A method for managing parking of electric vehicles (EVs) in a depot, the method (100) comprising: determining at least one arriving EV of a plurality of EVs at the depot; determining a delay matrix for the at least one arriving EV, wherein the delay matrix is determined for the at least one arriving EV with respect to at least one EV already parked in the parking layout (500) at the depot; determining a parking spot for parking the at least one arriving EV based on the delay matrix and the layout information of the parking layout (500); and causing to display the determined parking spot for the EV on a screen of the at least one arriving EV.

2. The method (100) according to claim 1 , further comprising: receiving at least one image of a parking layout (500) of the depot; identifying the layout information associated with the parking layout (500) from the at least one image; extracting the layout information from the at least one image, wherein the layout information associated with the parking layout (500) comprises lanes information, entry and exit information of the plurality of EVs; and determining the layout information of the parking layout (500) based on at least one image of the parking layout (500).

3. The method (100) according to claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one arriving EV of the plurality of EVs at the depot comprises: receiving a schedule of the plurality of EVs, wherein the schedule comprises an arrival time and a departure time of each EV of the plurality of EVs; determining a sorted array of EVs based on the schedule of the plurality of EVs; initializing a parking matrix based on the layout information of the parking layout (500); displaying the at least one EV already parked in the depot, at an appropriate location in the parking matrix; analysing each EV in the sorted array of EVs sequentially with respect to the parking matrix; anddetermining the at least one arriving EV at the depot based on the analysis of sorted array of EVs.

4. The method (100) according to claim 3, further comprising: determining at least one departing EV of the plurality of EVs from the depot; and removing an entry for the at least one departing EV from the parking matrix.

5. The method (100) according to claim 4, further comprising: determining a delay experienced by the at least one departing EV.

6. The method (100) according to claim 1 , wherein determining the parking spot for parking the at least one arriving EV based on the delay matrix and the layout information of the parking layout (500) comprising: determining the parking spot for parking the at least one arriving EV by performing one of: mapping the at least one arriving EV to the parking spot in a FILO lane, on determining that a value of the delay matrix is negative or zero for the parking spot in the FILO lane; mapping the at least one arriving EV to a parking spot in a FIFO lane, on determining that a value of the delay matrix is positive or zero for the parking spot in the FIFO lane; and mapping the at least one arriving EV to a parking spot in an unblocked lane, on determining that a value of the delay matrix is not satisfying the condition for parking spot in the FILO lane and the parking spot in the FIFO lane.

7. The method (100) according to claim 1 , wherein the parking matrix comprises columns representing lanes and rows representing parking spots and wherein the lanes is at least one of a FILO lane, a FIFO lane, and an unblocked lane.

8. The method (100) according to claim 1 , wherein the sorted array of EVs is determined by sorting each EV of the plurality of EVs based on the schedule of plurality of EVs.

9. The method (100) according to claim 1 , wherein causing to display the determined parking spot for the at least one arriving EV on the screen of the at least one arriving EV comprises: generating a notification indicating the parking spot for the at least one arriving EV; sending the notification to the at least one arriving EV; and causing to display the determined parking spot for the at least one arriving EV on the screen of the at least one arriving EV.

10. A system (200) for managing parking of electric vehicles (EVs) in a depot, the system (200) comprising:a processor (204); and a memory (206) coupled to the processor (204), wherein the memory (206) comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor (204), configures the processor (204) to: determine at least one arriving EV of a plurality of EVs at the depot; determine a delay matrix for the at least one arriving EV, wherein the delay matrix is determined with respect to at least one parked EV of the plurality of EVs in a parking layout (500); determine a parking spot for parking the at least one arriving EV based on the delay matrix and a layout information of the parking layout (500); and cause to display the determined parking spot for the EV on a screen of the at least one arriving EV.

11. A computer program product, comprising computer program code which, when executed by a processor (204), cause the processor (204) to carry out the method (100) of one of the claims 1 to 9.

12. A computer-readable medium comprising a computer program product comprising computer program code which, when executed by a processor (204), cause the processor (204) to carry out the method (100) of one of the claims 1 to 9.

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