EV Charging Power Managers for Mesh-Based Load Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric vehicle charging infrastructure lacks intelligence and efficiency, particularly in multi-level parking spaces where dense materials impede wireless networking, leading to inefficient energy distribution and coordination challenges.
Innovation Solution
A smart energy distribution system using power managers that allocate power dynamically based on real-time vehicle needs, employing a local electric vehicle charging mesh network and remote server to intelligently manage charging, with pilot signals regulating current draw and prioritizing vehicles based on user inputs and historical data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wireless networking solutions are used in multi-level parking spaces, then communication between charging devices can be established, but dense materials such as cement and steel impede the wireless signals, diminishing coordination and communication effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces power managers as intermediary devices that facilitate communication and coordination between charging equipment and the central management system. These power managers act as local controllers that can process information and make decisions without requiring direct wireless communication between all components, thereby overcoming the signal impediment caused by dense parking garage materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging infrastructure is divided into modular components with power managers at each charging station. This segmentation allows each power manager to independently manage its local charging operations and communicate only essential information to the central system, reducing the impact of wireless signal blockage by dense materials on overall system coordination.
2Productivity
If charging infrastructure is deployed to meet increasing electric vehicle demand, then more vehicles can be charged, but conventional systems lack intelligence leading to wasteful and inefficient energy distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where power managers continuously monitor charging status, energy consumption, and vehicle needs. This real-time feedback enables the system to dynamically adjust power allocation, optimize charging schedules, and prevent energy waste by directing power only when and where it is needed, thereby supporting increased charging capacity without proportionally increasing energy waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging system employs dynamic power allocation that adapts to real-time conditions such as vehicle battery status, grid availability, and user preferences. This dynamic approach allows the infrastructure to scale capacity to meet demand while maintaining efficiency by adjusting power distribution parameters continuously rather than using static, wasteful allocation methods.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multi-level parking spaces are used for electric vehicle charging, then charging infrastructure can be deployed in urban environments, but coordination of charging devices among various levels becomes challenging due to signal blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the multi-level parking garage into independent charging zones, each managed by a local power manager. This segmentation reduces coordination complexity by allowing each level or zone to operate semi-autonomously, with the central system providing high-level oversight rather than managing every individual charging device across all levels, thereby simplifying coordination despite the multi-level structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A power management system can smartly allocate the available power at a location to support more electric vehicles than would otherwise be possible. Power managers can intelligently allocate that power based on the real-time needs of vehicles. A smart energy distribution system can estimate each vehicle's current charge level and use such information to efficiently provide electric vehicle charging. The system can respond dynamically to vehicle charge levels, current readings, and/or electrical mains readings, allocating more current where it is needed. The charger profiles can include historic charge cycle information, which can be analyzed under a set of heuristics to predict future charging needs. A local electric vehicle charging mesh network can be provided, which transmits data packets among short-range transceivers of multiple power managers. The local electric vehicle charging mesh network can be connected to a remote server via a cellular connection. The power managers and the local electric vehicle charging mesh network can intelligently allocate power to multiple electric vehicles.