Fleet Battery Preconditioning Queue Control for Charging Readiness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery preconditioning systems for electric vehicle fleets fail to account for the conditions of other vehicles in the fleet, leading to inefficiencies and downtime at charging stations due to improper timing of battery preconditioning operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for coordinating fleet vehicles by comparing preconditioning characteristics, determining a ranking, and managing a queue for charging stations based on these characteristics, including override priorities and considering availability and routing factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional battery preconditioning systems operate independently for each vehicle, then individual vehicle battery temperature can be optimized for charging, but fleet-wide charging efficiency deteriorates due to lack of coordination at limited charging stations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines individual vehicle preconditioning decisions into a coordinated fleet-wide system. The central server aggregates battery state data from multiple vehicles and issues unified preconditioning commands, merging previously independent control systems to optimize charging station utilization across the entire fleet.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary preconditioning actions remotely before vehicles arrive at charging stations. By anticipating charging needs and pre-heating or pre-cooling batteries in advance, the system eliminates idle waiting time at charging stations while improving overall productivity.
2Productivity
If battery preconditioning is performed early to ensure readiness, then charging can begin immediately upon arrival, but energy is wasted when vehicles arrive before charging stations are available
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors vehicle locations, charging station availability, and battery states to dynamically adjust preconditioning timing. This feedback loop ensures preconditioning starts only when necessary, avoiding energy waste while maintaining charging readiness through real-time coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The preconditioning timing is made dynamic rather than static. The system adapts preconditioning schedules based on real-time conditions including vehicle arrival predictions, charging station queue status, and battery temperature rates, optimizing the balance between readiness and energy consumption.
3Productivity
If multiple vehicles are routed to the same charging station, then charging infrastructure utilization improves, but queue waiting time increases without coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the fleet into different charging groups or assigns vehicles to different charging stations based on their priorities and requirements. This segmentation prevents unnecessary queuing by distributing vehicles across available infrastructure while maintaining high overall utilization through intelligent allocation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of coordinating a fleet of vehicles includes receiving a first preconditioning characteristic of a first battery from a first vehicle of the fleet of vehicles. The method further includes receiving a second preconditioning characteristic of a second battery from a second vehicle of the fleet of vehicles. The method further includes comparing the first preconditioning characteristic and the second preconditioning characteristic to determine a preconditioning ranking for the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The method further includes determining a queue of the first and second vehicles for a charging station using the preconditioning ranking of the first and second vehicles.