Charging System Abnormality Notification Timing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for electric vehicles do not appropriately inform drivers of charging system abnormalities, leading to potential excessive reactions or inadequate handling during travel.

Innovation Solution

An automotive vehicle with an abnormality informing unit that distinguishes between abnormalities affecting travel and those not affecting travel, immediately informing the driver of critical issues during travel and notifying them of non-critical issues at the next trip start.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a message about charging system abnormality is immediately delivered during traveling, then the driver can respond to the abnormality in time, but the driver may excessively respond to the message causing unnecessary disruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabnormality notification reliabilityVSAvoiddriving operation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The abnormality notification system segments notifications into two categories: critical abnormalities affecting traveling (first abnormalities) and non-critical abnormalities not affecting traveling (second abnormalities). This segmentation allows the system to apply different notification strategies - immediate notification for critical issues during traveling, and delayed notification for non-critical issues until the next trip starts, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliable notification and driving stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The notification timing is made dynamic based on the type of abnormality detected. The system adaptively adjusts when to notify the driver - immediately for first abnormalities and at the next trip start for second abnormalities. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize notification timing based on the specific abnormality context, balancing reliability and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a message about charging system abnormality is not delivered during traveling, then the driver can avoid excessive response, but the abnormality handling may be inappropriate if it affects traveling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving operation stabilityVSAvoidabnormality handling appropriateness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments abnormalities into first abnormalities (affecting traveling) and second abnormalities (not affecting traveling), enabling differentiated handling. Critical abnormalities trigger immediate notifications during traveling to ensure appropriate handling, while non-critical abnormalities are delayed until the next trip to maintain driving stability, thus resolving the contradiction between operation stability and handling appropriateness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The notification parameter (timing) is changed based on the abnormality type. For first abnormalities, the notification time parameter is set to immediate during traveling. For second abnormalities, the notification time parameter is changed to at the next trip start. This parameter change strategy allows the system to maintain both driving stability and appropriate abnormality handling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3281819B1Automotive vehicle with abnormality indication
Publication Date: 2022.01.19 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3281819B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3281819B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3281819B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

When an abnormality is detected in a charging system, it is determined whether the abnormality in the charging system is a first abnormality that affects traveling (S110), and a message to the effect that there is an abnormality that affects traveling is immediately displayed when it is the abnormality that affects traveling (S120). When the detected abnormality is a second abnormality that does not affect traveling, a message to the effect that there is an abnormality in the charging system is displayed after waiting for start of the next trip (S130, S140). Thus, it is possible to avoid an inconvenience, such as an excessive response of the driver to display of an abnormality in the charging system, which does not affect traveling, during traveling. Consequently, when there is an abnormality in the charging system, the driver can be informed of the abnormality at a more appropriate time.