Charging Station Energy Scheduling Based on Vehicle Arrival Distance

Solution Overview

Problem

Charging stations lack intelligence to optimize energy transfer based on the distance of electric vehicles to a module, leading to inefficient energy management and potential delays.

Innovation Solution

A charging station with expanded intelligence that estimates arrival times and energy levels of electric vehicles, wirelessly communicates with them to manage energy transfer, and adjusts based on delays or adverse conditions to optimize energy distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If charging stations dispense power on demand without intelligence, then energy transfer is simple and reliable, but energy management efficiency deteriorates and queue times increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy management efficiencyVSAvoidcharging station intelligence

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The charging station performs preliminary actions by estimating arrival times and energy levels of vehicles before they actually arrive. This allows the system to proactively manage energy distribution, notify vehicles of expected energy availability, and optimize charging schedules in advance, thereby improving energy management efficiency without causing excessive delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring vehicle arrival times, energy levels, and charging station status. This feedback enables the charging station to dynamically adjust energy distribution strategies, notify vehicles of delays or changes in energy availability, and optimize overall system performance based on real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of time

If charging stations lack intelligence to optimize energy transfer, then system complexity is low, but queue times increase and energy distribution becomes inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequeue timeVSAvoidcharging station intelligence

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The charging station performs preliminary actions by estimating arrival times and energy levels of vehicles before they actually arrive. This allows the system to proactively manage energy distribution, notify vehicles of expected energy availability, and optimize charging schedules in advance, thereby improving energy management efficiency without causing excessive delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring vehicle arrival times, energy levels, and charging station status. This feedback enables the charging station to dynamically adjust energy distribution strategies, notify vehicles of delays or changes in energy availability, and optimize overall system performance based on real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If charging stations provide power without considering vehicle distance or energy needs, then operation is simple, but energy distribution optimization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy distribution optimizationVSAvoidcharging station intelligence

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The charging station applies local quality by tailoring energy distribution to individual vehicle needs based on their specific characteristics. By estimating each vehicle's arrival time, energy level, and distance to the station, the system provides customized charging strategies rather than uniform power dispensing, thereby optimizing energy distribution for each local situation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system utilizes parameter changes by dynamically adjusting charging parameters such as power transfer rate, duration, and scheduling based on vehicle-specific factors including distance, energy level, and arrival time estimates. This enables adaptive optimization of energy distribution to match actual vehicle needs and conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12459391B2Distance-based energy transfer from a transport

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA INC

AI summary

An example operation includes one or more of determining an estimated arrival time of a first transport to a charging station, determining an estimated remaining stored transport energy at the estimated arrival time of the first transport, notifying the first transport to provide a portion of the determined remaining stored transport energy and when a next transport is delayed to the charging station, notifying the first transport to provide an additional portion of the determined remaining stored transport energy based on the delay.