EV Charging Power Limit Control for Demand Peaks and Profitability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing charging control methods for electric vehicles struggle to dynamically adjust power peaks to match actual charging demands, leading to either reduced user convenience or decreased profitability for charging services.

Innovation Solution

A charging management system that predicts future total charging amounts for electric vehicles, calculates a power upper limit to ensure economic viability, and controls the charging amount to prevent power peak exceedance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the power peak is fixed at the contracted power level, then the profitability of the charging service is maintained, but the user convenience deteriorates when actual charging demand exceeds the assumed amount

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprofitability of charging serviceVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from a fixed contracted power level to a dynamic power upper limit that adjusts based on predicted charging demands. The power upper limit is calculated in real-time based on predicted total charging amounts and facility information, allowing the system to adapt to varying actual charging demands while maintaining profitability through controlled power consumption adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by predicting future charging demands before they occur and calculating the power upper limit in advance. The system predicts total charging amounts for future periods based on delivery information, power-efficiency information, and charger information, then calculates the appropriate power upper limit beforehand to ensure both user convenience and profitability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the power peak is increased to improve user convenience, then the charging amount for electric vehicles increases, but the profitability of the charging service deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidprofitability of charging service
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies feedback by continuously monitoring actual charging demands, comparing them with predicted demands, and adjusting the power upper limit accordingly. The system calculates the power upper limit based on predicted total charging amounts and facility information, then controls actual power consumption to stay within this limit, creating a closed-loop control system that balances user convenience with profitability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the power upper limit parameter based on predicted charging demands and facility information. Instead of using a fixed contracted power level, the system calculates and adjusts the power upper limit parameter to match actual demand patterns, enabling flexibility in power allocation while maintaining economic viability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the contracted power is fixed at design stage, then the power consumption control is simplified, but the system cannot adapt to variations in actual charging demands

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumption controlVSAvoidadaptation to charging demand variations
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the static contracted power control into a dynamic system that automatically adjusts the power upper limit based on predicted charging demands. The system calculates the power upper limit in real-time using predicted total charging amounts and facility information, enabling adaptation to demand variations without requiring complex manual reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies self-service by enabling the charging facility to automatically predict its own future charging demands, calculate the appropriate power upper limit, and control its power consumption without external intervention. The system uses available information (delivery information, power-efficiency information, charger information) to autonomously determine and adjust power limits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4560564A1Charging management system and charging management method
Publication Date: 2025.05.28 HITACHI LTD
  • EP4560564A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4560564A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4560564A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Provided is a charging management system including a processor and a storage device, where the storage device holds delivery information including a delivery plan for an electric vehicle, power-efficiency information for the electric vehicle, facility information regarding facilities included in a delivery route for the electric vehicle, and charger information regarding a specification of a charger installed at the facility, the facility information includes a unit price of a power supplied to the facility, a charging price that is a unit price of a power provided by the charger installed at the facility, and a target value of profit obtained by providing power by the charger, and the processor estimates a charging amount by the charger for a predetermined future period based on the delivery information, the power-efficiency information, and the charger information, and calculates an upper limit of a power consumption amount of the facility in a predetermined time frame including a current time based on the estimated charging amount and the facility information so that the target value of the profit is ensured.