EV Charging Cable Length Guidance System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of plug-in electric or hybrid electric vehicles face difficulties in positioning their vehicles correctly to establish a charging connection due to insufficient cable length, leading to inconvenience and potential damage from unworkable cable routes.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle system with a controller that determines the relative position and orientation of the vehicle with respect to a charging station, providing an output to the user on whether the cable length is sufficient for a charging connection, and optimizing the cable route to avoid undesirable paths that may damage the vehicle or create tripping hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the user manually positions the vehicle near the charging station, then the charging connection can be established, but the user may park too far away resulting in insufficient cable length
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the relative position and orientation between the vehicle and charging station using sensors (cameras, LIDAR, GPS), calculates the required cable length in real-time, and provides feedback to the user through displays or alerts when the vehicle is properly positioned, ensuring reliable charging connection
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculation of the optimal parking position and required cable length before the user completes parking, allowing the user to adjust the vehicle position in advance to ensure sufficient cable length reaches the charging inlet
2Length of moving object
If the cable is routed directly from the charging station to the vehicle inlet, then the cable length requirement is minimized, but the cable may pass through undesirable areas causing damage or tripping hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The cable routing path is segmented into multiple sections: from charging station to a designated routing point around the vehicle, then to the charging inlet. The system calculates the optimal routing path that avoids vehicle undercarriage and high-traffic areas, reducing cable damage risk while maintaining acceptable length
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces virtual routing constraints and calculation algorithms as intermediaries to determine cable paths that avoid harmful areas. The controller simulates different routing scenarios and selects paths that minimize exposure to damage risks while keeping cable length within available limits
3Reliability
If the vehicle is parked closer to the charging station to ensure cable reach, then cable length sufficiency is improved, but the available parking positions are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system extends the solution from one-dimensional distance measurement to two-dimensional position and orientation analysis. By calculating the optimal parking position in both lateral and longitudinal dimensions, and considering vehicle orientation angles, the system identifies parking spots that maximize cable reach while utilizing available parking space efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts multiple parameters including vehicle position coordinates, orientation angle, and cable routing path to optimize the charging connection. By changing these parameters in real-time based on vehicle type and charging station location, the system expands the effective parking area while ensuring cable sufficiency
Data Source
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AI summary
A guidance system for a motor vehicle comprising: a controller, the controller being operable to determine whether a first length of cable is sufficiently long to allow a charging connection to be established between a motor vehicle and a charging station in dependence on data corresponding to a relative position and orientation of the vehicle with respect to the charging station; and output means for providing an output to a user indicating whether the cable is sufficiently long.