Vehicle Charger Reservations for Predictable EV Charging Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle charging stations operate on a first-come, first-serve basis, which negatively impacts the user charging experience and reduces overall utilization.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for generating reservations for vehicle chargers based on vehicle parameters such as location, direction of travel, battery state, and charger availability, using a reservation control system that includes modules for location tracking, battery tracking, and utilization management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If charging stations operate on a first-come first-serve basis, then the system is simple to operate, but user charging experience deteriorates and overall utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows users to make reservations in advance for charging sessions. The reservation module receives reservation requests with vehicle parameters and charger information, then holds the charger for the reserved time slot. This preliminary booking action enables users to secure charging capacity before arrival, improving both user experience and overall utilization by reducing idle time and wait times.
2Ease of operation
If charging stations operate on a first-come first-serve basis, then the system is simple to operate, but user charging experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Users can reserve chargers in advance through the system, which then holds the charger for the reserved time slot. This ensures charging availability is guaranteed for reserved users, improving reliability of the charging service while maintaining operational simplicity through automated reservation management.
3Productivity
If reservations are implemented based on vehicle parameters and charger location, then charging efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reservation control system acts as an intermediary between users and charging stations. It receives vehicle parameters (battery state, charging rate requirements), determines optimal charger matches based on location and availability, and manages reservations automatically. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of matching and scheduling, improving charging utilization while presenting a simple interface to users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors charger status, vehicle parameters, and reservation fulfillment. Based on this feedback, it dynamically adjusts reservations, notifies users of status changes, and optimizes charger allocation. This feedback mechanism enables efficient utilization through data-driven decisions while automating complex coordination tasks.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for generating a reservation for a vehicle charger is disclosed. The method includes receiving one or more vehicle parameters associated with a vehicle, determining, based on a location of a vehicle charger and the one or more vehicle parameters, that a reservation should be generated for the vehicle charger, generating, for the vehicle, the reservation for the vehicle charger, and causing the vehicle charger to charge the vehicle based on the reservation.