EV Charge Controller Flood Risk Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging systems cannot effectively stop external charging of vehicles during heavy rainfall events, even if the vehicle is likely to be inundated with water, due to reliance on rain sensors that may not detect flooding in roofed areas.
Innovation Solution
A charge controller and charging system that acquires weather and flooding information to determine if a vehicle is likely to be inundated with water, allowing for the cessation of external charging, even if no rain is detected by the rain sensor, by using a server to communicate with the vehicle and charging facility to stop the charging process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rain sensor is used to detect rain and control external charging, then electrical leak prevention is improved, but flooding detection capability deteriorates when the vehicle is in a roofed charging facility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary weather information acquisition device that obtains external weather data and flooding information from outside sources. This mediator bypasses the limitation of the rain sensor by using server-provided weather information to determine flooding risk, thereby maintaining electrical leak prevention while restoring accurate flooding detection capability in roofed facilities.
2Productivity
If external charging is permitted in roofed charging facilities where no rain is detected, then charging availability is improved, but safety against flood damage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by acquiring weather information and flooding information before permitting external charging. The control device checks flooding information in advance and determines whether the vehicle is likely to be inundated with water before allowing charging to proceed. This prevents charging in areas at risk of flood damage while maintaining availability in safe locations.
3Device complexity
If rain sensor-based control is used, then device simplicity is improved, but flooding detection accuracy deteriorates in roofed areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the control device universal by enabling it to perform both rain detection (via the rain sensor) and flooding information acquisition (via the weather information acquisition device). The control device integrates multiple functions: it receives rain sensor signals and weather information, processes both data sources, and makes comprehensive charging control decisions. This multi-functionality maintains relative system simplicity while significantly improving flooding detection accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A processor included in a server acquires, by a weather information acquisition unit, weather information related to rainfall in a region where an external charging of a vehicle is performed. The processor also acquires flooding information indicative of prediction of flood damage to the region from a flooding information DB included in a storage device. If the vehicle is determined, based on the acquired weather information and flooding information, as likely to be inundated with water while the vehicle is stationary in the charging station, the processor transmits to the vehicle a stop instruction for stopping the external charging. The vehicle stops the external charging if the vehicle receives the stop instruction for stopping the external charging from the server.