EV Charging Network Management for Multi-Operator Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging point infrastructure systems lack the flexibility and management capabilities to efficiently manage networks across multiple operators, limiting user independence from service providers and hindering the installation of new chargers.
Innovation Solution
A comprehensive management system that includes a management server, database, and hardware and software architecture with modules for charging point configuration, booking, energy management, monitoring, and user management, enabling flexible control and management of charging points networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized charging points network is established to enable user independence from service providers, then user autonomy and accessibility are improved, but system complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct functional modules: a management server for centralized coordination, local charging point controllers for autonomous operation, and user interfaces for interaction. This segmentation allows the system to achieve user independence while distributing complexity across manageable components rather than concentrating it in a single system.
Solution Approach 2:
The management server acts as an intermediary between users and charging points, handling booking requests, authentication, and coordination. This mediator layer enables user independence from individual service providers while the server absorbs the complexity of network management, preventing it from overwhelming the overall system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple operators are allowed to manage charging points in a network, then service diversity and user choice are improved, but coordination difficulty and management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The management server implements universal protocols and interfaces that work across multiple operators and charging point types. This universality allows diverse service providers to integrate into the network without creating coordination complexity, as they all interact through standardized mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows operators to be added or removed dynamically by changing configuration parameters in the database, rather than requiring structural system changes. This enables service diversity while maintaining ease of operation, as operator management becomes a simple parameter adjustment rather than complex coordination.
3Ease of operation
If remote booking and locking functionalities are implemented, then user convenience and system utilization are improved, but communication requirements and system overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
Users can make bookings in advance through the remote interface, and the system pre-locks charging points before arrival. This preliminary action improves user convenience by ensuring availability, while communication overhead is minimized because the booking information is stored in the database and automatically processed without requiring real-time communication during the charging session.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies of booking information and stores them in the database, allowing the charging point controller to access and process this information locally without continuous communication with the management server. This copying mechanism reduces communication overhead while maintaining the convenience of remote booking functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a system for managing at least a charging points network comprising at least a management server, at least a database for storing information related to the charging points, of said network, providing energy to electric vehicles, at least a hardware and software architecture comprising set of modules for the management of users and the configuration of charging points or charging points park, at least a memory for storing data and a processor for executing a program stored in the memory to implement the functionalities of each module, said management system being characterized in that it provides at least an interface for a charging point operator in order to manage and configure its own charging points network and at least an user interface, said user interface comprising communication tools allowing the user to choose at least a type of connector and a type of charging point protocol, corresponding to a given vehicle, from the charging point operator infrastructure.