Vehicle Battery Charging Timing Control to Limit Full-Charge Exposure

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional charging control devices for secondary batteries, such as lithium batteries, often delay the start of charging, leading to situations where charging does not complete until the next travel, and this can cause battery deterioration due to prolonged states of full charge.

Innovation Solution

A charging control device with a controller that sets two modes: a first mode where charging completes based on the next travel time and a second mode where charging is completed earlier, with the controller managing the timing to avoid prolonged full charges and inhibit battery deterioration by setting a wait time before charging in the first mode and instantaneously charging in the second mode.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If charging is delayed to avoid prolonged full charge states, then battery deterioration is reduced, but charging may not complete before the next travel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery durabilityVSAvoidcharging completion timing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The charging control device dynamically adjusts the charging end timing based on the scheduled travel time. When travel is scheduled soon, charging ends earlier to ensure completion before travel. When travel is scheduled later, charging can extend longer to充分利用 charging capacity. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between avoiding prolonged full charge states and ensuring charging completion before travel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by setting the charging end timing in advance based on the scheduled travel time. The controller calculates the optimal charging end point beforehand, ensuring that charging completes before the scheduled travel without unnecessarily prolonging the full charge state. This preliminary planning resolves the timing conflict between battery protection and travel readiness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If charging ends earlier to ensure completion before travel, then travel readiness is improved, but battery protection from prolonged full charge is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetravel readinessVSAvoidbattery durability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The charging control device dynamically adjusts the charging end timing based on the scheduled travel time. When travel is scheduled soon, charging ends earlier to ensure completion before travel. When travel is scheduled later, charging can extend longer to充分利用 charging capacity. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between avoiding prolonged full charge states and ensuring charging completion before travel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The controller changes the charging parameter (end timing) based on the travel schedule. By adjusting the state of charge threshold at which charging ends, the system optimizes both travel readiness and battery protection. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between early charging completion and prolonged full charge avoidance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If charging is controlled based on fixed full charge threshold, then charging simplicity is maintained, but flexibility in handling different travel schedules is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging control simplicityVSAvoidtravel schedule adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The charging control device dynamically adjusts the charging end timing based on the scheduled travel time. When travel is scheduled soon, charging ends earlier to ensure completion before travel. When travel is scheduled later, charging can extend longer to充分利用 charging capacity. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between avoiding prolonged full charge states and ensuring charging completion before travel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The controller changes the charging parameter (end timing) based on the travel schedule. By adjusting the state of charge threshold at which charging ends, the system optimizes both travel readiness and battery protection. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between early charging completion and prolonged full charge avoidance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20240222989A1Charging control device and charging control method

Publication Date: 2024.07.04 DENSO TEN LTD

AI summary

A charging control device including a controller that controls charging a battery that is mounted on a vehicle using an external power, wherein the controller is able to set a first charging mode in which charging is completed when a state of charge becomes a first target of charge close to full charging, and further is able to set a second charging mode in which charging is completed when a state of charge becomes a second target state of charge that is lower than the first target state of charge, and the controller is configured to: in a case of the first charging mode, control a timing when charging is completed based on a traveling due time, and in a case of the second charging mode, execute control such that the timing when charging is completed before the timing when charging is completed in the first charging mode.