EV Charging Scheduler Using Lexicographic Objective Hierarchy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart charging systems for electric vehicles face challenges in dynamically adapting to changing preferences and hierarchies of conflicting objectives, such as minimizing energy cost and battery degradation, due to the difficulty in determining appropriate weights for weighted-sum approaches.
Innovation Solution
A method employing lexicographic optimization to generate a charging schedule by determining a hierarchy of charging objectives, allowing flexible adaptation without the need for predefined weights, and enabling easy configuration and expansion of objectives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a weighted-sum approach is used to combine multiple conflicting objectives, then a single objective function can be optimized, but it becomes difficult to dynamically adapt the hierarchy to changing preferences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic objective hierarchy system where the priority ordering of multiple conflicting objectives can be changed without modifying weight parameters. The system allows users to dynamically reorder objectives (e.g., from O1>O2>O3 to O2>O1>O3) and the lexicographic optimization algorithm automatically adapts to the new hierarchy, providing versatility while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Productivity
If multiple conflicting objectives are optimized simultaneously, then all objectives can be considered, but no solution optimizes all objectives together
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optimization problem into multiple sequential single-objective optimization steps based on a priority hierarchy. Instead of attempting to optimize all objectives simultaneously, the system solves them in sequence from highest to lowest priority (O1, then O2, then O3), where each step optimizes one objective while respecting constraints from previous steps. This segmentation enables precise optimization of each individual objective while maintaining overall system productivity.
3Ease of operation
If the weighted-sum approach is used, then multiple objectives can be combined into one, but determining appropriate weights is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the parameter representation from weighted values (0-1 scale) to a discrete priority ordering system. Instead of requiring users to determine difficult-to-interpret weight values, the system uses a simple hierarchical ranking where objectives are ordered by priority (O1 > O2 > O3). This parameter transformation makes the system easier to operate while eliminating the difficulty of weight determination entirely.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for scheduling charging of electric vehicles by an electric vehicle charging system, wherein charging objectives to be considered in generating a charging schedule for one or more charging stations of the charging system are obtained, a hierarchy of the charging objectives is determined and the charging schedule is generated by performing a lexicographic optimization based on the hierarchy of the charging objectives.