EV Reachable Range Calculation via Destination-Centric Path Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current technologies for providing electric-moving-body information, such as electric vehicle systems, are limited in offering useful insights to users about actions they can take after reaching a destination, particularly in determining reachable points and charging needs, due to underestimation of travelable ranges and lack of precise energy consumption calculations.

Innovation Solution

A device and method that utilize a program to calculate and visually display reachable points for an electric vehicle after it reaches a destination, using a traffic flow simulator and road network model to determine the electric vehicle's state of charge and energy consumption, allowing users to understand their range and charging requirements more accurately.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a technique displays a travelable distance obtained by adding the distance capable of being traveled by the electric vehicle with the SOC after reaching the destination and the distance of the path from a current place to the destination, then it is possible to easily cause a driver to recognize a suitable charging time, but it underestimates the actual reachable range and provides insufficient information for determining actions after reaching the destination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation usefulness for determining actions after reaching destinationVSAvoidaccuracy of reachable range calculation
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the reachable range calculation into multiple independent paths radiating from the destination. Instead of calculating a single aggregate distance, the system divides the area around the destination into multiple directional paths and calculates the reachable distance along each path separately, then displays them as discrete segments on the map.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from displaying a single scalar distance value to displaying multiple spatial points in two-dimensional space around the destination. By plotting reachable points along different paths radiating from the destination on a map, the system adds spatial dimensionality to the information, enabling users to visualize the actual geographic area that can be reached rather than just a total distance number.

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

2Loss of information

If the system calculates reachable points along multiple paths from the destination, then it provides more accurate and useful information for determining actions after reaching the destination, but it increases the complexity of the calculation process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of reachable area informationVSAvoidcomplexity of calculation process
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary calculations of reachable points along multiple paths from the destination before the user actually reaches the destination. By pre-calculating these paths and storing them, the system reduces the computational burden at the time of display and provides ready-to-use information that helps users plan their post-destination actions in advance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a map display as an intermediary visual representation between the complex calculation data and the user. Instead of presenting raw calculation results or numerical data, the system uses the map to visually intermediate the information, showing reachable areas as geographic regions around the destination, which simplifies user interpretation without reducing information completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3091336B1Device for providing electric-moving-body information and method for providing electric-moving-body information
Publication Date: 2021.05.26 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD
  • EP3091336B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3091336B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3091336B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A device for providing electric-moving-body information is provided with a calculation unit for calculating, upon receiving a departure point and state of charge (SOC) of an electric vehicle, a plurality of reachable points capable of being reached if an electric vehicle departs from a destination after reaching the destination from the departure point and a display data generation unit for generating display data for displaying a reachable range display screen that makes it possible to visually recognize the plurality of reachable points. Information that is more useful for determining actions that can be taken after arriving at a destination is provided to an electric-moving-body user.