EV Charging Software Update Scheduling During Station Wait Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging systems for electric vehicles often result in wasted time as the vehicle is restricted from movement during charging, and there is no efficient way to utilize this waiting time for updating the vehicle's control program.
Innovation Solution
A charging system that includes a controller with a processor and memory, an in-vehicle device, a notification unit, an operation unit, and a wireless communication unit, which identifies the charging time and update time for the control program, and allows for notification and update of the control program during the waiting time if the update time is less than or equal to the charging time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the vehicle performs charging at a charging station, then the battery is charged, but the vehicle is restricted from movement and time is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The control program is updated in advance during the charging waiting time. The notification unit notifies the driver of the update before charging starts, and the update is performed during the charging process, so that the vehicle software is refreshed before the vehicle is needed again, effectively utilizing the idle charging time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continues to perform useful actions during the charging period by executing control program updates. Instead of leaving the vehicle completely idle during charging, the system continuously updates the control program in the background, maximizing the utilization of charging time for productive purposes.
2Productivity
If the control program is updated during charging, then the vehicle software is refreshed, but the update may fail if communication state varies
Solution Approach 1:
The notification unit notifies the driver of the pending update before the charging process begins. This preliminary notification allows the driver to be aware of the update intention, and the system prepares for the update during the charging period when the vehicle is stationary and less likely to experience communication interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically manages the update process during charging without requiring continuous driver intervention. The control program update is executed automatically during the charging period, and the system monitors the communication state to ensure successful completion, reducing the impact of varying communication conditions.
3Productivity
If the update time is longer than charging time, then the control program cannot be fully updated, but the vehicle cannot be used effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a partial update during the charging period, updating as much of the control program as possible within the available charging time. The notification unit informs the driver of the update status, and the system completes the update process progressively during charging, accepting that not all updates may be fully completed if the update time exceeds charging time.
Data Source
AI summary
A charging system includes a controller, and an in-vehicle device, a notification unit, an operation unit, and a wireless communication unit that are provided in the vehicle. The controller includes a processor, and a memory connected to the processor. The processor executes processing including identifying a charging station at which the vehicle is scheduled to perform charging, deriving a charging time required for the charging before the vehicle arrives at the charging station, deriving an update time required for update of a control program of the in-vehicle device through the wireless communication unit before the vehicle arrives at the charging station, making a notification of the control program as an update target through the notification unit when the update time is equal to or less than the charging time, and updating the control program when the operation unit receives an operation of permitting the update of the control program.