Charging Current Profile Detection for Faulty Station Identification

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Charging stations with faulty measuring devices continue to transmit inaccurate billing data, making it difficult to determine if a measuring device is defective, especially in a geographically dispersed network where comprehensive on-site diagnostics are impossible.

Innovation Solution

Record and store charging current profiles along with vehicle identifiers across multiple charging stations, allowing for centralized analysis to compare current charging data against historical profiles, and output a signal if deviations exceed a threshold, indicating potential faults.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If multiple separate measurement devices are used to detect different current components, then measurement comprehensiveness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement comprehensivenessVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple measurement functions (detecting active current, reactive current, and harmonics) into a single measurement device. This single device uses one current sensor and a processing unit that can analyze different current components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement comprehensiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement device is designed with multi-functionality to detect various current components including active current, reactive current, and harmonics. The processing unit can selectively measure different current profiles based on control signals, making the device universal and eliminating the need for multiple specialized devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If separate measurement devices are used for different current components, then measurement accuracy is improved, but switching complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidswitching complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the switching complexity from the physical device level to the control signal level. Instead of using physical switches to select different measurement devices, the system uses control signals to instruct a single measurement device to measure specific current components, thereby eliminating mechanical switching complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The processing unit acts as an intermediary between the control unit and the measurement functions. It receives control signals specifying which current component to measure and coordinates the measurement process, eliminating the need for complex switching mechanisms while ensuring accurate measurement of the selected current profile.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If charging current is not monitored, then system simplicity is maintained, but battery safety and performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery safetyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The measurement device automatically monitors charging current profiles and the control unit autonomously determines when to interrupt charging based on detected profiles. This self-service approach enables safety monitoring without requiring complex external control systems, as the system uses its own measurement and processing capabilities to ensure battery safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring charging current and using the detected profiles to control charging interruption. The measurement results feed back to the control unit, which adjusts charging operation accordingly, thereby ensuring battery safety through automated feedback control rather than complex external monitoring systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3681754B1Method for detecting profiles of charging currents
Publication Date: 2022.09.14 COMPLEO CHARGING SOLUTIONS AG
  • EP3681754B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3681754B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP3681754B1 patent drawingFigure 2c~2d

AI summary

A method for detecting profiles of charging currents for electric vehicles at charging stations, said method comprising the following steps: detecting a profile of a charging current at a charging station; storing the profile of the charging current together with a vehicle identification of the vehicle being charged. The method is characterised in that, for each vehicle identification, a profile of the charging current is stored at a plurality of charging stations, and in that for a vehicle identification a present profile of the charging current is compared with the stored profiles of the charging current at the plurality of charging stations, and a signal is output in the event of a deviation of the present profile of the charging current from the stored profiles of the charging current at the plurality of charging stations that is greater than a limit value.