Charging Plug Condition Reporting for Unattended EV Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unreported broken components in unattended public charging stations lead to improperly functioning equipment, resulting in unexpected situations and non-functional stations.
Innovation Solution
A charging system with cameras and a controller that remotely monitor the charging plug's condition, using machine learning to assess damage and schedule maintenance, and includes user interface devices for user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If unattended public charging stations are deployed for convenience, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unreported broken components
Solution Approach 1:
The charging station performs self-inspection through automated image capture by cameras and analysis by machine learning algorithms, enabling the system to monitor its own component condition without human intervention. The charging plug and station automatically detect and report damage states, eliminating the need for manual inspections while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If manual inspections are conducted to detect broken components, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to inspection scheduling and execution
Solution Approach 1:
The image capture cameras continuously or periodically monitor the charging plug and station components, providing ongoing visual inspection without interruption to charging operations. This continuous monitoring eliminates the need for periodic manual inspections, maintaining constant reliability awareness while avoiding time loss from scheduled inspection stops.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical inspection processes are replaced with automated optical inspection systems using cameras and machine learning algorithms. The system captures images and automatically analyzes them to detect component damage, substituting human time and effort with automated technological processes that operate continuously without time loss.
3Measurement precision
If multiple cameras are deployed to capture charging plug images from multiple directions, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring task is segmented into multiple specialized camera views, each capturing specific angles or aspects of the charging plug and station. This segmentation allows comprehensive damage detection from multiple perspectives while organizing the complexity into manageable, modular camera units with defined functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system is designed with multi-functionality, where the same camera infrastructure serves multiple purposes: capturing charging plug images, monitoring station components, providing visual records for maintenance, and enabling remote diagnostics. This universal use of the camera system justifies the complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single integrated solution.
Data Source
AI summary
A charging system includes a service office, a charging station, a charging plug, a plurality of cameras, and a controller. The charging station is in communication with the service office. The service office is remote from the charging station. The charging plug is coupled to the charging station. The charging plug is operable to charge a battery of an electric vehicle. The plurality of cameras is coupled to the charging station. The plurality of cameras is operable to generate a plurality of images of the charging plug from a plurality of directions. The controller is disposed in the charging station. The controller is operable to transmit the plurality of images to the service office. The service office is operable to determine a physical state of the charging plug based on the plurality of images received from the controller.