AC Bus Switching for Multi-Line EV Charging Capacity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging systems for electric vehicles in large-scale installations, such as apartment buildings and workplaces, are bulky, difficult to use, and require excessive cloud computing fees, often exceeding electrical panel capacity, making mass deployment challenging.
Innovation Solution
A charging system with a network of controllable charge interrupters and local charge management, utilizing a high-voltage AC power bus and control boxes with microprocessors, reduces the need for cloud-connected services and electrical panel upgrades, enabling concurrent charging of multiple vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual charging stations are networked together with cloud-based management, then charging coordination is improved, but system complexity and cloud service fees increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the charge management functionality from cloud-based systems and implements it locally through control boxes with microprocessors at each charging station. This local management capability eliminates dependency on cloud services while maintaining coordination functions, thereby reducing system complexity and cloud service fees while preserving reliable charging coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces local control boxes as intermediary devices between charging stations and the electrical panel. These control boxes manage charge distribution locally using microprocessors, acting as mediators that coordinate charging without requiring complex cloud-based management systems, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable coordination.
2Reliability
If multiple chargers are installed at every parking space, then charging availability is improved, but electrical panel capacity is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic charge management where control boxes continuously monitor and adjust power distribution based on real-time electrical panel capacity and charging demands. This dynamic allocation allows multiple chargers to be installed at parking spaces while preventing electrical panel overload by intelligently managing power distribution across available capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows installation of chargers at more parking spaces than traditional designs (excessive action), but implements partial power distribution through local control boxes that allocate electricity based on availability. This enables higher charging availability across multiple stations without exceeding electrical panel capacity by distributing power partially and dynamically.
3Reliability
If cloud-based management systems are used, then charging coordination is improved, but ongoing service fees become excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables charging stations to perform self-management through locally embedded control boxes with microprocessors. These control boxes autonomously handle charge coordination, monitoring, and distribution without requiring cloud-based management services. This self-service capability maintains reliable charging coordination while eliminating ongoing cloud service fees.
Data Source
AI summary
A charging system comprising a plurality of circuit interrupters, each having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being electrically coupled to each line breaker among a corresponding plurality of line breakers that are coupled to an electric power source; a high-voltage AC power bus coupled to the second terminal of each circuit breaker among the plurality of circuit interrupters; a plurality of control boxes, each control box among the plurality of control boxes comprising a controllable charge interrupter having a first terminal coupled to the high-voltage AC power bus and a second terminal coupled to an EVSE connector; a means for control of the controllable charge interrupter; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media coupled to the means for control and storing one or more sequences of instructions which when executed using the means for control cause the means for control to execute a charge management strategy.