Inter-Vehicle Charging Server for Congested EV Destinations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle users face challenges in charging their vehicles when charging stations are congested, leading to increased waiting times or inability to charge during stays at destinations, especially in areas like shopping centers or movie theaters.
Innovation Solution
A server-based system that communicates with vehicles and charging stations to identify and facilitate inter-vehicle charging by selecting candidate vehicles with sufficient power storage that are headed to the same destination, allowing for charging even when traditional charging stations are congested, by pairing vehicles and securing charging locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a charging station is installed at a destination, then electric vehicles can be charged during stays at the destination, but when congestion occurs in the charging station, waiting time increases and charging cannot be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (vehicle-to-vehicle charging) where a power-supplying vehicle acts as a mediator to transfer electric power to a power-receiving vehicle. This bypasses the congested charging station entirely, allowing charging to occur directly between vehicles parked at the same destination, thus eliminating waiting time while maintaining charging availability.
2Productivity
If users wait for charging station availability, then charging can be performed using external power supply, but users cannot utilize the parking area effectively and charging opportunity is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables vehicles to serve themselves through peer-to-peer energy transfer. Instead of relying on external charging infrastructure, vehicles with sufficient power storage can directly supply power to other vehicles needing charging. This self-service mechanism allows both vehicles to remain parked at the destination without needing to access external charging stations, eliminating time loss while maintaining effective parking area utilization.
3Reliability
If traditional charging stations are used, then reliable charging can be obtained, but charging is impossible when stations are congested or unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal charging solution that works both when traditional charging stations are available and when they are congested. The vehicle-to-vehicle charging system serves as an alternative pathway, making the overall charging system more versatile. Users can adaptively choose between station-based charging and peer-to-peer charging based on real-time conditions, ensuring charging reliability regardless of station availability.
Data Source
AI summary
An information providing system includes a plurality of vehicle, a charging station, and a management server. The management server is configured to communicate with the plurality of vehicles and the charging station. Each of the vehicles allows charging of a power storage device mounted therein using electric power from the charging station and performs inter-vehicle charging for charging another vehicle using electric power of the power storage device. The management server obtains a congestion degree in the charging station and a destination of a vehicle. When a charging station is installed as an annex at a destination of the vehicle, and when the congestion degree exceeds a threshold value, the management server selects a candidate vehicle capable of performing inter-vehicle charging from among other vehicles that aim at a destination identical to the destination of the vehicle, and transmits information about the selected candidate vehicle to the vehicle.