EV Charging Connector Display for Compliant Energy Billing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing charging connection devices for electric vehicles are costly to manufacture and maintain, and they lack user-friendly features for easy energy consumption evaluation and billing accuracy, especially in publicly accessible settings.

Innovation Solution

A charging connection device with an integrated energy measuring device, display, and display control unit that can show both energy measurement data and other information, ensuring compliance with measurement and calibration laws while allowing for cost-effective design and operation, including separate microcontrollers for the energy measuring and control devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a charging connection device displays both energy measurement data and other information on the same display, then user-friendliness and information completeness are improved, but compliance with measurement and calibration laws may be compromised due to potential confusion between measured and non-measured data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser-friendlinessVSAvoidbilling accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by giving different visual characteristics to different types of information on the display. Energy measurement data from the energy measuring device is displayed with distinct visual properties (such as specific fonts, colors, or positioning) that differentiate it from other information. This allows users to easily distinguish between legally binding measurement data and supplementary information, maintaining both user-friendliness and billing accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If separate display units are used for energy measurement data and other information, then compliance with measurement laws is ensured, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebilling accuracyVSAvoiddisplay system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the display function for energy measurement data and other information into a single display unit. By combining these functions while implementing clear visual differentiation through local quality principles, the system avoids the complexity and cost of separate display units while still ensuring compliance with measurement and calibration laws.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single display unit is designed to serve multiple functions: displaying legally binding energy measurement data, showing supplementary information, and providing user interactions. This multi-functional approach reduces the number of components needed while maintaining reliability through careful design of the display control unit that manages different information types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If additional display units or separate systems are added for compliant energy measurement display, then measurement law compliance is achieved, but manufacturing and operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompliance with measurement lawsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the display of compliant energy measurement data with other information on a single display unit, eliminating the need for additional display hardware. This merging approach significantly reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining compliance through software-based differentiation and control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The display unit and control system are designed to handle multiple information types within a single integrated system. This multi-functionality reduces the overall bill of materials and assembly complexity, making the device more cost-effective to manufacture and operate while still meeting legal requirements for energy measurement display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4031404B1Charging connection device comprising an energy-measuring device for electric vehicles
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 KEBA ENERGY AUTOMATION GMBH
  • EP4031404B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4031404B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a charging connection device (1) for electric vehicles. An energy-measuring device is provided for measuring the electrical energy supplied to an electric vehicle via the charging connection device (1). A display (26) is provided for displaying measurement- and calibration-relevant energy-measurement data, which energy-measurement data have been measured by the energy-measuring device. The display (26) for displaying the measurement- and calibration-relevant energy-measurement data is arranged on a housing (2) of the charging connection device (1). In addition, the display (26) is configured to display information which does not originate from the energy-measuring device and is not relevant to measurement and calibration. In this regard, a display control unit is formed which is configured to inhibit the display of measurement- and calibration-based information, in particular of measurement- and calibration-relevant content or symbols, and to replace or mark such content or symbols as not conforming to measurement and calibration when this content or these symbols do not originate from the energy-measuring device or were not created by the energy-measuring device.