EV Charging Plan Control Using Charger Efficiency Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for managing secondary battery degradation in electric vehicles do not effectively account for variations in charger characteristics and require software updates, making them impractical for widespread use.

Innovation Solution

A management system that creates highly accurate charging plans by considering the characteristics of multiple chargers and vehicles, using a cloud-based server to manage charger and vehicle information, and updates charging efficiencies through a moving average process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a degradation table is transmitted from server to controller to suppress battery degradation, then battery service life is improved, but software updates are required on the controller which reduces ease of operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery service lifeVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a management server as an intermediary between the charging infrastructure and the vehicle controller. The server performs complex degradation calculations and charging plan optimizations, then transmits simplified execution instructions to the controller. This mediator approach allows sophisticated battery protection without burdening the controller with complex software.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the need for complex controller software with server-side computational processing. Instead of embedding degradation algorithms in the vehicle controller, the system uses cloud-based calculations to generate charging plans, substituting mechanical/software complexity in the vehicle with remote computational power.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If degradation tables with temperature characteristics are added to improve suppression accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but software updates are required which reduces ease of manufacture

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuppression accuracyVSAvoidease of manufacture
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic charging plans that adapt to real-time conditions including temperature variations. The server continuously adjusts charging parameters based on current temperature characteristics and battery state, rather than relying on fixed degradation tables embedded in controller software.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters (charging current, voltage, timing) based on temperature characteristics calculated by the server. This allows accurate temperature-compensated charging without modifying controller software, as the server dynamically adjusts parameters before transmitting instructions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If charging plans are created without considering charger characteristics, then device complexity is reduced, but charging efficiency is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidcharging efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The management server provides a universal platform that handles multiple functions: it manages degradation calculations, optimizes charging plans, and adapts to different charger characteristics. This single multi-functional server replaces the need for each controller to have specialized software for each charging scenario.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The server performs preliminary analysis of charger characteristics and battery degradation trends before generating charging plans. By pre-calculating optimal parameters based on known charger properties and battery state, the system achieves high charging efficiency without real-time complex calculations in the controller.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4020350B1Management system, management program, and electric vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP4020350B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4020350B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4020350B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A charger information holding unit of a management system holds an identification information item and charging efficiencies of a plurality of chargers for charging an electric vehicle, the identification information item and the charging efficiencies being associated with each other. A communication unit of the management system receives an identification information item on a charger from an electric vehicle connected to the charger, via a network. A creating unit of the management system creates a charging plan for the electric vehicle, based on a required charging amount and a target charging termination time. The creating unit of the management system refers to the charger information holding unit and determines a charging efficiency of the charger connected to the electric vehicle, based on the received identification information item, and creates a charging plan with the charging efficiency of the charger. The communication unit of the management system transmits the created charging plan to the electric vehicle via the network.