EV Micro-Cloud Task Scheduling Around Battery State-of-Charge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electric vehicles (EVs) participating in vehicular micro clouds (VMCs) face challenges due to significant energy consumption of VMC tasks, which can deplete their battery state-of-charge, leading to unexpected range reductions and reduced driver confidence, and may discourage EV participation, thereby affecting VMC efficacy.

Innovation Solution

EVs predict energy consumption for assigned sub-tasks and defer or withhold performance if it exceeds a threshold, forming a new VMC as leader to assign these tasks to other vehicles, storing and transmitting data to conserve energy and maintain functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If EVs perform VMC sub-tasks to contribute to collective computing power, then VMC functionality is improved, but battery state-of-charge is depleted

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveVMC computing capabilityVSAvoidbattery state-of-charge

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The EV dynamically adjusts its participation in VMC tasks based on real-time state-of-charge levels. The system monitors battery status and adaptively decides whether to perform, defer, or transfer sub-tasks, creating a dynamic balance between contributing to VMC functionality and preserving sufficient energy for vehicle operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (task transfer protocol) that allows EVs to offload sub-tasks to other VMC members when their battery state-of-charge is low. This intermediary approach enables the EV to maintain VMC participation without directly consuming excessive energy, as the computational work is performed by other vehicles with sufficient energy reserves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by moving object

If EVs defer sub-task performance to conserve energy, then battery state-of-charge is preserved, but VMC task completion is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery state-of-chargeVSAvoidtask completion time

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of state-of-charge levels before committing to sub-task performance. By evaluating battery status in advance and making proactive decisions about task acceptance or transfer, the system avoids last-minute deferrals that would cause delays, thus balancing energy conservation with timely task completion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the EV continuously monitors its state-of-charge and the status of deferred tasks. This feedback loop enables the system to reassess and resume deferred tasks when energy levels are sufficient, ensuring that task completion is not permanently delayed while still allowing for energy conservation during low-state-of-charge periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Use of energy by moving object

If EVs transfer sub-tasks to other VMC members, then per-vehicle energy consumption is reduced, but VMC coordination complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveper-vehicle energy consumptionVSAvoidVMC coordination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the VMC system into independent decision-making units where each EV autonomously evaluates its own state-of-charge and makes independent decisions about task performance or transfer. This segmentation reduces the need for complex centralized coordination, as each vehicle operates semi-independently based on local conditions, thereby reducing overall coordination complexity while still achieving energy optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20260042377A1State-of-charge-based vehicular micro cloud task scheduling

Publication Date: 2026.02.12 TOYOTA MOTOR ENG & MFG NORTH AMERICA INC

AI summary

Aspects of the presently disclosed technology may be implemented to provide systems and methods which integrate electric vehicles (EVs) into vehicular micro clouds (VMCs) by reducing the impact of VMC participation on the state-of-charge of integrated EVs. For example, an EV of the presently disclosed technology may join a first VMC comprising a group of connected vehicles that share resources to complete a task. The EV may predict that performance of one or more sub-tasks assigned to the EV by the first VMC will deplete a state-of-charge of the battery over a threshold amount. Based on the prediction, the EV may withhold performance of the one or more sub-tasks. The EV may then become leader of a second VMC, and as leader of the second VMC, assign the one or more sub-tasks to one or more vehicles of the second VMC.