Vehicle Charging Interface With Automatic Protocol Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle charging systems lack a single interface that can accommodate both Light Electric Vehicle (LEVDC) and High Voltage (HV) charging protocols, necessitating separate charging interfaces for different types of vehicles, which is costly and inconvenient, especially in households with multiple vehicle types.
Innovation Solution
A charging station system with a control unit that detects and switches between LEVDC and CCS charging protocols, using a single charging interface connector to support both protocols, facilitating interoperability and eliminating the need for multiple charging stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate charging interfaces are used for LEVDC and HV vehicles, then each vehicle type can be charged with its dedicated protocol, but the system complexity and cost increase due to requiring multiple charging stations
Solution Approach 1:
The charging interface is designed to support multiple charging protocols (LEVDC and HV/CCS) through a single unified connector. The control unit automatically detects the vehicle type and switches between different communication protocols, enabling one charging station to serve both two/three-wheeled vehicles and four-wheeled vehicles without requiring separate dedicated interfaces for each vehicle category.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging system incorporates dynamic protocol switching capability where the control unit can adaptively change the communication protocol based on the detected vehicle type. This dynamic adaptation allows the same physical interface to function differently depending on the connected vehicle, resolving the contradiction between protocol specialization and interface unification.
2Ease of manufacture
If a single charging interface supports multiple protocols, then cost and convenience are improved, but the control complexity and protocol switching mechanism become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit is equipped with automatic vehicle detection capability that identifies the vehicle type and selects the appropriate charging protocol without requiring manual intervention or complex external configuration. This self-service approach simplifies the user interface while managing the underlying complexity within the control unit's automated detection and switching mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the control unit continuously monitors communication signals from the connected vehicle to determine the appropriate protocol. By using feedback from the vehicle's response to initial communication attempts, the control unit can automatically adjust the protocol settings, managing complexity through adaptive control rather than requiring pre-configuration or manual selection.
3Reliability
If different charging stations are used for different vehicle types, then each vehicle receives optimal charging, but the loss of time and inconvenience increase due to traveling to different charging locations
Solution Approach 1:
The charging station is designed with universal functionality to accept and charge multiple vehicle types (two-wheeled, three-wheeled, and four-wheeled vehicles) through a single interface. This eliminates the need for users to travel to different specialized charging locations for different vehicle types, as one charging station can serve all household vehicles regardless of their protocol requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a system (100) and a method (200) for charging a vehicle (10). The system (100) has a charging station (102) to support a plurality of charging communication protocols, and a control unit (104) disposed in the charging station (102). The control unit (104) is configured to interact with the vehicle (10) for receiving one or more pre-defined parameters and extract protocol information indicative of a charging communication protocol of the vehicle (10) based on the one or more pre-defined parameters. The control unit (104) is then configured to initiate the charging of the vehicle (10) based on the extracted protocol information. The control unit (104), upon receiving the protocol information of the vehicle (10), switches the charging communication protocol of the charging station (102) to align with the charging communication protocol of the vehicle (10) for charging the vehicle (10).