EV Charging Alert Logic with Dynamic Reference Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional information provision systems for electric vehicles (EVs) often provide unnecessary charging facility information due to fluctuations in battery capacity caused by regenerative braking, leading to excessive server access and user annoyance.

Innovation Solution

An information provision apparatus that modifies its provision conditions to reduce the frequency of providing energy replenishment information after the initial alert, using a lower determination reference value or prohibiting information provision for a predetermined time, and includes a replenishment operation detection unit to reset conditions appropriately.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If charging facility information is provided whenever remaining battery capacity falls below the determination reference value, then the vehicle passenger receives timely charging alerts, but the information is provided more times than necessary due to regenerative energy fluctuations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetimeliness of charging alertVSAvoidexcessive information provision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The provision control unit dynamically adjusts the determination reference value based on vehicle travel history. After charging facility information has been provided, the reference value is temporarily raised to prevent redundant alerts during regenerative energy fluctuations, while still maintaining sensitivity to genuine charging needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by monitoring whether charging facility information has been recently provided. When information has been provided, the modification unit adjusts the provision condition to suppress subsequent alerts until the vehicle travels a predetermined distance or time, preventing feedback loops of redundant information provision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the information provision apparatus accesses the server frequently to obtain charging facility information, then the passenger receives updated information, but the server access becomes overcrowded and information retrieval slows down

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation freshnessVSAvoidserver access efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from event-driven server access to periodic access based on travel distance and time. The modification unit suppresses server access requests during a predetermined period after initial information provision, reducing server load while maintaining acceptable information freshness through reasonable periodic updates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Ease of operation

If the determination reference value is kept low to detect charging needs early, then charging alerts are provided proactively, but alerts are triggered unnecessarily by normal battery capacity variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproactive charging notificationVSAvoidaccuracy of charging need detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The determination reference value is dynamically adjusted based on operational context. It remains low for proactive detection during normal operation but is temporarily raised after information provision to filter out false triggers from regenerative energy fluctuations, achieving both proactive notification and accurate detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2812207B8Information provision apparatus and information provision method
Publication Date: 2018.10.31 AISIN AW CO LTD

AI summary

An information provision apparatus including: a provision control unit (40, 30) configured to provide a vehicle passenger with energy replenishment information relating to energy replenishment of a vehicle-driving energy supply source (20) that is capable of storing regenerative energy regenerated from rotational energy of a vehicle wheel, when a remaining energy amount of the energy supply source (20) falls below a determination reference value; and a modification unit (40) configured to modify a provision condition that is a condition on which the provision control unit (40, 30) provides the energy replenishment information, so that after the energy replenishment information is once provided when the remaining energy amount falls below the determination reference value, the energy replenishment information is less likely to be provided than before the energy replenishment information is once provided.