EV Charging Queue Management Using IoT Wait-Time Prediction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The rapid growth of electric vehicles has led to challenges such as the lack of availability and accessibility of charging stations, long queues, and varying charging times, which cause inconvenience and inefficiency for users.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method for automated electric vehicle self-charging using IoT sensor data analysis to predict charging needs, manage queues, and deploy vehicles to charging stations based on wait times, allowing self-driving to and from charging stations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If charging stations are increased to meet growing EV demand, then charging availability improves, but infrastructure cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging availabilityVSAvoidinfrastructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by predicting charging needs before they occur using IoT sensor data analysis. It identifies vehicles that will need charging soon and proactively manages queue placement and self-driving deployment to charging stations, preventing waiting scenarios before they happen and improving charging availability without proportionally increasing infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service through automated queue management and self-driving deployment. Vehicles are automatically registered in charging queues, monitored for charging needs, and self-driven to charging stations without manual user intervention. This automation reduces the operational complexity of managing expanded charging infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If users manually monitor and travel to charging stations, then charging control is simple, but time loss and inconvenience increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging control simplicityVSAvoidwaiting and travel time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors vehicle battery status through IoT sensors and provides real-time feedback on charging needs, queue positions, and estimated arrival times. This feedback loop allows the system to automatically adjust deployment decisions and inform users of charging progress, maintaining operational simplicity while eliminating manual monitoring and reducing time loss through automated decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical actions (users physically traveling to and monitoring charging stations) with automated electronic systems. IoT sensors detect battery status, computers process queue management algorithms, and self-driving systems automatically transport vehicles to charging stations, substituting human effort with automated technological systems that reduce both time loss and operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If charging stations operate without queue management, then system operation is simple, but wait times and inefficiency increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging efficiencyVSAvoidqueue management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The queue management system performs preliminary actions by pre-registering vehicles in charging queues based on predicted charging needs and current station availability. It calculates optimal queue positions and estimated wait times before vehicles arrive at charging stations, enabling efficient resource allocation and reducing actual waiting time while maintaining manageable system complexity through algorithmic planning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If EVs charge without automated deployment, then vehicle control is simple, but user convenience and energy cost efficiency decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle control simplicityVSAvoiduser presence time at charging station

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by allowing vehicles to autonomously deploy to charging stations and complete charging without continuous user presence or manual control. The automated system monitors charging progress, manages queue positions, and handles the entire charging process, maintaining simple vehicle control while dramatically reducing the time users need to spend at charging stations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250360830A1Electric Vehicle Charging Based on Charging Station Queue Management According to IoT Data Analysis

Publication Date: 2025.11.27 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

Managing automated electric vehicle self-charging is provided. An identifier corresponding to an electric vehicle is placed in a queue of a charging station located in a geographic area surrounding a parking location of the electric vehicle based on a wait time for the electric vehicle at the charging station being within a maximum wait time defined by a user of the electric vehicle. A first set of instructions is deployed to the electric vehicle to self-drive from the parking location to the charging station to self-charge a battery in accordance with the wait time.