Crowdsourced Servicing for On-Demand Electric Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
On-demand electric vehicle-sharing programs face challenges such as the need for vehicle charging, maintenance, and relocation without fixed docking stations, which restricts user convenience and increases operational complexity.
Innovation Solution
A crowdsourced servicing system that dynamically incentivizes independent contractors to charge, repair, and relocate electric vehicles using mobile apps and backend services, allowing for flexible and efficient management of vehicle states and tasks without the need for fixed docking stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed docking stations with charging capabilities are used, then vehicle charging is ensured, but user convenience deteriorates due to restricted pickup locations and additional equipment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the charging function from fixed docking stations and relocates it to portable charging devices that users can carry. This allows vehicles to be charged at any location rather than requiring fixed infrastructure, thereby maintaining charging reliability while significantly improving user convenience by eliminating location restrictions and additional equipment requirements at docking stations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a portable charging device as an intermediary between the power source and the vehicle battery. This mediator enables flexible charging by being transportable to different locations, resolving the contradiction between ensuring reliable charging (through dedicated charging equipment) and maintaining ease of operation (by eliminating fixed docking station requirements)
2Ease of operation
If on-demand vehicles are allowed to be left at any location, then user convenience is improved, but vehicle management deteriorates due to sub-optimal or unauthorized placement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic location management where vehicles can be left at any location (improving user convenience) while the system dynamically tracks and manages vehicle positions through GPS and mobile application infrastructure. This dynamic approach allows flexible user behavior while maintaining systematic vehicle management through digital monitoring rather than physical constraints
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms through mobile applications that provide real-time information about vehicle locations, availability, and authorized zones. This feedback system enables users to conveniently leave vehicles anywhere while the system continuously monitors and manages vehicle distribution, resolving the contradiction between user freedom and management complexity through information-based control
3Area of stationary object
If a fleet of electric vehicles is deployed at large scale, then service coverage is improved, but charging logistics deteriorate due to increased complexity of battery recharging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the charging task from centralized docking stations and distributes it to individual portable charging devices. This segmentation allows each device to independently charge vehicles, eliminating the need for complex centralized charging logistics while enabling large-scale fleet deployment across extensive geographic areas, thereby improving service coverage without proportionally increasing charging logistics complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A set of electric vehicles required to be serviced is determined based at least in part on the data associated with the availability of the at least the subset of electric vehicles. A display indicating for each electric vehicle included in the set of electrical vehicles required to be serviced a corresponding location of the electric vehicle and a price offered to retrieve, service, and redeploy the electric vehicle is provided via a communication interface to each of a plurality of users. A selection to retrieve at least one of the electrical vehicles included in the set of electric vehicles required to be serviced is received from a device associated with one of the plurality of users. The display indicating for each electric vehicle included in the set of electrical vehicles required to be serviced is updated based on the selection. The updated display includes the electric vehicles included in the set of electric vehicles required to be serviced other than the selected at least one of the electric vehicles.