Charging Gradient Shutdown Control for EV Power Supply Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power supply devices and energy storage systems, such as those used in electric vehicles, lack effective methods to prevent damage from overcharging or malfunction by quickly interrupting the power circuit without requiring knowledge of the fuse's tripping characteristics, leading to costly replacements and loss of functionality.

Innovation Solution

A method that detects the temporal gradient of charging parameters during the charging process to identify potential faults, allowing for the rapid interruption of the power circuit before damage occurs, independent of the energy storage device's fuse characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional fuses are used to interrupt the power circuit in the event of a malfunction, then the power circuit is interrupted to prevent damage, but the fuse must be replaced after only a few switching operations and the electric vehicle becomes non-functional

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower circuit protectionVSAvoidfuse replacement frequency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent detects charging parameter gradients (rate of change of charging parameters) in advance to identify potential faults before they cause fuse tripping. By monitoring the temporal derivative of charging parameters rather than just absolute values, the system can predict and prevent malfunction conditions, allowing the fuse to remain intact and the vehicle to stay functional.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If power supply device fuses are used to interrupt the power circuit in the event of a malfunction, then the power circuit is interrupted, but both the power supply device fuse and the electric vehicle fuse are triggered requiring costly replacements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower circuit protectionVSAvoidfuse replacement cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of charging parameter gradients to identify developing faults before they escalate to conditions that would trigger both fuses. By intervening early based on gradient analysis, the system prevents the cascade failure that would require replacement of both the power supply device fuse and the vehicle fuse, thereby reducing material loss and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If fixed shutdown thresholds are used in the power supply device, then the power circuit can be interrupted based on absolute parameter values, but the system cannot adapt to different fuse characteristics of various electric vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshutdown control simplicityVSAvoidcompatibility with different electric vehicles
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from using fixed absolute parameter thresholds to monitoring the temporal gradient (rate of change) of charging parameters. This parameter transformation allows the system to detect abnormal charging conditions universally across different electric vehicle models and fuse types, as gradient-based anomalies are model-independent and provide adaptability while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4631769A1Method for operating an electric power supply device, shut-down control device and power supply device
Publication Date: 2025.10.15 ADS TEC ENERGY GMBH
  • EP4631769A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4631769A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4631769A1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for operating an electrical power supply device (1) for unidirectionally or bidirectionally charging an energy storage device (2), wherein - during a charging process, a temporal charging parameter gradient of a charging parameter characteristic of the charging process is detected, wherein - if a disturbance in the charging process is inferred from the detected charging parameter gradient, an emergency measure is carried out to protect the power supply device (1) and/or the energy storage device (2) from damage. The invention also relates to a shutdown control device (5) for carrying out such a method and to a power supply device (1) having such a shutdown control device (5).