Office Fleet Battery Retention for Surplus Power Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle management systems do not effectively utilize battery power in vehicles used at offices, particularly on non-work days when surplus energy is generated, leading to inefficient battery usage and potential space occupancy.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle management system that predicts surplus power generation on non-work days, adjusts battery charging/discharging to optimize capacity, selects vehicles to be retained based on power capacity, and facilitates ride-sharing to optimize energy use and vehicle allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If vehicles are retained at the office on non-work days to utilize surplus power, then battery charging efficiency is improved, but vehicle availability for work days may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting surplus power generation on non-work days and pre-determining which vehicles should be retained for charging. The selection control unit identifies suitable vehicles before the non-work day begins, and the charge/discharge control unit prepares charging schedules in advance, ensuring both energy utilization and vehicle availability are optimized without conflict
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts vehicle retention decisions based on real-time conditions. The selection control unit evaluates multiple factors including predicted surplus power, individual vehicle battery capacities, and anticipated work day requirements to make flexible retention decisions. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to changing conditions and maintain optimal balance between charging efficiency and vehicle availability
2Quantity of substance
If battery capacity is increased to store more surplus power, then energy storage capability is improved, but vehicle size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the power storage functions of multiple vehicles into a unified virtual storage system. Instead of requiring each individual vehicle to have large battery capacity, the selection control unit coordinates charging across multiple vehicles, effectively pooling their combined storage capacity. This allows the fleet to utilize surplus power efficiently without requiring any single vehicle to be oversized
Solution Approach 2:
The battery system serves multiple functions: it provides energy storage for surplus power utilization, maintains vehicle operational readiness, and enables flexible deployment on work days. The selection control unit manages these competing requirements by intelligently allocating vehicles to retention or availability based on real-time needs, making the battery system universally applicable to multiple objectives
3Productivity
If vehicles are selected for retention based on power capacity, then surplus power utilization is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The selection control unit enables the system to self-manage vehicle retention decisions by automatically evaluating vehicle battery capacities against predicted surplus power generation. The system autonomously identifies which vehicles are best suited for retention based on their power capacity, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing operational complexity while maximizing power utilization efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the selection control unit continuously monitors battery capacity levels, surplus power predictions, and vehicle performance data. This feedback loop allows the system to refine its retention selections over time, optimizing surplus power utilization while adapting to changing conditions without requiring increasingly complex manual management
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a vehicle management system configured to manage a plurality of vehicles used at an office. Each of the vehicles includes a battery. The vehicle management system includes: a first prediction control unit configured to cause a prediction for an amount of surplus power generated at the office on a non-work day of the office; a second prediction control unit configured to cause a prediction for a power capacity that can be accumulated by each of the plurality of vehicles at the office on the non-work day; and a selection control unit configured to cause a to-be-retained vehicle to be retained at the office on the non-work day to be selected from among the plurality of vehicles on the basis of the amount of surplus power generated at the office on the non-work day and the power capacity that can be accumulated by each of the plurality of vehicles at the office on the non-work day.