Peer-to-Peer EV Charging via Cloud-Matched Donor Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles with empty batteries cannot be easily charged, leading to potential stranded situations, as they cannot reach charging stations, resulting in the need for costly towing and inefficient use of professional breakdown services.
Innovation Solution
A method where electric or hybrid vehicles communicate through an internet-enabled server to find and pair donor vehicles with partially charged batteries for peer-to-peer charging, leveraging cloud services for compatibility and logistics, reducing waiting times and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electric vehicles use traditional wired or inductive charging from permanently installed charging stations, then the charging function is provided, but the vehicle cannot be charged if it breaks down with an empty battery, requiring towing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables electric vehicles to charge each other directly, where a donor vehicle provides charging power to a recipient vehicle with an empty battery. This peer-to-peer charging system eliminates dependency on fixed charging stations and professional breakdown services, allowing vehicles to self-rescue without external infrastructure or human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a system where any electric or hybrid vehicle with a charged battery can function as a mobile charging station for other vehicles. This universal capability transforms ordinary vehicles into multi-functional units that can both receive and provide charging services, expanding charging availability beyond fixed infrastructure.
2Reliability
If professional breakdown services are used to charge vehicles with empty batteries, then the vehicle can be charged, but waiting times are long (at least 45 minutes) and costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables vehicles to perform their own breakdown service by allowing donor vehicles to directly charge recipient vehicles through peer-to-peer energy transfer. This eliminates the need to wait for professional breakdown services and significantly reduces both time and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses internet communication to pre-arrange charging connections between donor and recipient vehicles before the actual charging begins. The vehicles communicate their charging needs and availability through a server, enabling quick matching and reducing waiting time.
3Reliability
If wired or inductive charging systems are used, then charging infrastructure is established, but the system lacks flexibility and requires permanently installed charging stations that must be selectively approached by the driver
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static, fixed charging infrastructure into a dynamic, mobile system. Instead of vehicles needing to approach fixed charging stations, the charging capability moves with the vehicles themselves, allowing charging to occur anywhere donor and recipient vehicles can connect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes every electric or hybrid vehicle a potential charging station, creating a universal charging network that operates independently of fixed infrastructure. This greatly enhances location flexibility and adaptability to various charging scenarios.
4Productivity
If the number of professional breakdown service vehicles is increased to meet charging demand, then more vehicles can be assisted, but the cost and complexity of the service network increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the vehicle fleet to provide its own breakdown service through peer-to-peer charging, eliminating the need for a dedicated professional breakdown service network. This dramatically reduces system complexity while maintaining or increasing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of maintaining a specialized breakdown service fleet, the system copies the charging function across all electric and hybrid vehicles in the fleet. Each vehicle becomes a potential service provider, distributing the service capacity throughout the entire vehicle population.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for operating a charging device for charging energy stores of vehicles, preferably electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles, wherein the charging device is connected to an Internet-enabled server. In a method step, at least one receiver vehicle with a flat or partially charged battery communicates its charging demand to the charging device. Furthermore, in a method step at least one donor vehicle with an at least partially charged battery communicates its readiness to charge to the charging device.