EV Charging Schedule Visualization with Segmented Timeline

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for scheduling the charging of electric vehicle energy storage systems lack intuitive and comprehensive displays of parameters, making it difficult for users to understand and adjust charging schedules effectively, especially when aiming for a specific energy content by a desired time.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that generate and display a schedule for charging an electric vehicle's energy storage system, featuring two charging modes (immediate and program) with graphic data representation, including a time scale, charging current, and latest connection time, along with reminders, to ensure the energy store reaches a target state by a planned end time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If multiple charging parameters are displayed in detail, then the information completeness is improved, but the display complexity increases making it harder for users to understand

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoiddisplay complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display is segmented into multiple functional areas: a first display area showing the schedule timeline with charging stages, a second display area showing energy content progression, and a third display area showing parameter adjustments. This segmentation allows comprehensive information to be presented in an organized, non-overwhelming manner that users can process systematically.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms complex charging parameter information into a visual timeline dimension, where the progression of charging is displayed horizontally across time. Energy content, charging current, and other parameters are displayed as vertical dimensions within this timeline, creating a multi-dimensional visualization that makes complex data intuitively comprehensible.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If the charging schedule is planned in advance, then the energy content precision at departure time is improved, but the charging time required increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy content precisionVSAvoidcharging time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculation of the optimal charging schedule by working backward from the desired departure time and target energy content. The control unit computes the required charging current profile in advance, determining exactly when and at what rate charging should occur to reach the precise energy content needed by departure, thereby minimizing total charging time while ensuring precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The charging schedule is dynamically adjusted based on real-time conditions. The system can modify charging current levels during the process, switching between different charging rates (e.g., high current for rapid charging when time permits, lower current when approaching the target energy content) to optimize both the precision of the final energy content and the total charging time required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3253610B1Method and system for generating a charging schedule for an electric storage in a vehicle
Publication Date: 2021.07.07 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP3253610B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3253610B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3253610B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for generating and outputting a time plan for automatically charging an electric energy store in a vehicle. In the method according to the invention, at least two charging modes are defined for the energy store. The energy content of the energy store and a charging current which can be provided by the charging device are detected, and user inputs are additionally detected. Using the detected data, a time plan for automatically charging the energy store is generated, and the time plan is used to generate and display graphical data comprising multiple graphical objects. A first graphical object comprises a graphical element which is common to all of the charging modes of the energy store and depicts a timescale and on which additional graphical objects are arranged that are assigned to the time data. A second graphical object is assigned to the starting and ending time of the planned charging process, and a third graphical object is assigned to the charging current. The invention further relates to a system for generating and outputting a time plan for automatically charging an electric energy store in a vehicle.