EV Charging Dispenser Current Budget Sharing Under Power Limits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric vehicle charging systems face limitations in efficiently managing power distribution among multiple charging stations, leading to suboptimal power allocation and potential overcurrent issues when adding or removing charging dispensers, which can disrupt the overall operation.

Innovation Solution

A system where each charging dispenser is assigned a current budget, allowing them to communicate and share current budgets through a network, ensuring the total current remains within a predefined maximum, enabling seamless addition or removal of dispensers without disrupting the operation of others.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple charging dispensers are connected to the same power supply source, then the charging capacity of the system is improved, but the risk of overcurrent and power distribution management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging capacityVSAvoidpower distribution management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each charging dispenser autonomously determines its own offered current by receiving total current budget information from other dispensers and calculating its share according to a predefined algorithm. This decentralized self-service approach eliminates the need for centralized power distribution management while ensuring total current remains within the maximum limit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where each charging dispenser transmits its current budget and charging output information to other dispensers via a communications network. This feedback loop enables each dispenser to adjust its current output based on the overall system state, maintaining power distribution efficiency without centralized control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If charging dispensers are added or removed from the system, then the system's adaptability is improved, but the stability of power distribution and operation of other dispensers may be disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem adaptabilityVSAvoidoperation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts to changes in the number of charging dispensers through repeated execution of the current determination algorithm. Each dispenser continuously receives updated total current budget information and recalculates its offered current, allowing seamless integration of new dispensers or removal of existing ones without disrupting overall system operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system handles dynamic configuration changes by modifying the total current budget parameter based on the number of active dispensers. When dispensers are added or removed, the total current budget is recalculated and redistributed among the remaining dispensers, maintaining operational stability while adapting to new system configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If a centralized system controls power distribution among charging dispensers, then power allocation precision is improved, but the system complexity and communication overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower allocation precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The centralized power distribution control is segmented and distributed to individual charging dispensers. Each dispenser independently calculates its offered current based on the total current budget information received from other dispensers, eliminating the need for a centralized control system while maintaining precise power allocation through the standardized communication protocol.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4474209A1System for charging electric vehicles, a charging dispenser, and method for modifying said system
Publication Date: 2024.12.11 EVBOX INTELLIGENCE BV
  • EP4474209A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4474209A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4474209A1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

The invention relates to a system for charging electric vehicles, said system comprising a plurality of charging stations which each comprise one or more charging dispensers that are connected to a common power line, wherein each of said charging dispensers has a current budget assigned thereto, wherein the sum of said current budgets is greater than zero and less than a predefined maximum total current that the system is allowed draw from the power line, wherein the charging dispensers are in communication with each other such that at each charging dispenser a total current budget can be calculated as a sum of all current budgets of, and such that at each charging dispenser it can be determined what share this total current budget is available to the dispenser for charging an electric vehicle connected thereto.