Demand Response Vehicle Prioritization to Reduce Switch Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing demand response systems for vehicles with power storage devices wear out switching devices due to frequent switching, affecting the balance of power supply and demand in power grids.

Innovation Solution

A server manages vehicles with power storage devices, setting priority levels to minimize switching device wear by prioritizing vehicles with closed switching devices for demand-increasing DR, using history of switching frequency and scheduled departure times to optimize vehicle selection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If vehicles are selected for demand-increasing DR without considering switching device state, then power supply and demand balance is adjusted, but switching device wear increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower supply and demand balanceVSAvoidswitching device lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the selection parameter from random or uniform selection to priority-based selection according to switching device state. Vehicles with closed switching devices are assigned higher priority and selected first for demand-increasing DR, thereby reducing unnecessary switching operations and extending switching device lifespan while maintaining power supply and demand balance adjustment capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary classification of vehicles into two groups based on switching device state (closed or open) before selecting participants for demand-increasing DR. This preliminary action ensures that vehicles with closed switching devices are prioritized, preventing unnecessary switching operations before they occur and reducing cumulative wear on switching devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If switching device is opened and closed frequently to participate in DR, then demand response capability is improved, but switching device wear increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedemand response capabilityVSAvoidswitching device wear

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of selecting vehicles based on their ability to switch frequently, the patent inverts the selection criterion by prioritizing vehicles with closed switching devices. This inversion approach maintains demand response capability by still selecting vehicles for DR participation but eliminates unnecessary switching operations that cause wear, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and harmful factors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Device complexity

If all vehicles are treated equally in DR selection, then system simplicity is maintained, but switching device wear increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveselection system complexityVSAvoidswitching device lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating vehicle selection based on local characteristics of each vehicle's switching device state. Rather than treating all vehicles uniformly, the system assigns different priority levels to vehicles with closed versus open switching devices, creating a simple yet effective differentiation that reduces overall switching device wear across the vehicle fleet

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12444949B2Server and power management system for prioritizing demand response vehicles used for increasing power demand

Publication Date: 2025.10.14 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A server includes a processing device. The server manages a plurality of vehicles. The processing device sets priority levels for the vehicles. The processing device sets the priority level of a vehicle in which its switching device is in a closed state to be higher than the priority level of a vehicle in which its switching device is in an open state. The processing device selects, based on the priority levels, a participating vehicle to be used for demand-increasing demand response from among the vehicles.