Solar Charging Control for Vehicle Sharing Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle sharing systems equipped with solar power generation devices, there is a challenge in effectively utilizing solar-generated power, as vehicles often do not have enough time to be fully charged before being rented again, leading to discarded energy and inefficient charging practices.
Innovation Solution
A solar charging control device and method that manages power transmission and reception among vehicles via a network, allowing a vehicle with excess solar power to charge another vehicle's battery, prioritizing those with upcoming rentals and predicting solar power generation based on radiation, temperature, and solar panel performance to ensure timely charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If solar charging is used exclusively, then energy waste is reduced, but charging time becomes insufficient for vehicles with low solar generation power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines solar charging with plug-in charging infrastructure to create a hybrid charging system. Vehicles can simultaneously or alternatively use solar generated power and grid power, allowing them to meet charging deadlines while maximizing solar energy utilization across the fleet.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary charging using solar power during periods when vehicles are parked and not in use. By anticipating upcoming rental periods, the system prioritizes charging vehicles with imminent rental deadlines, ensuring they are fully charged before being lent out while maximizing solar energy usage during available time windows.
2Speed
If plug-in charging is preferentially used, then charging speed is improved, but solar generated power is discarded without utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors solar generation levels, vehicle battery states, and upcoming rental schedules to dynamically adjust charging strategies. When solar generation is sufficient, the system prioritizes solar charging; when insufficient, it supplements with plug-in charging, thereby minimizing solar power waste while ensuring vehicles are charged in time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes charging parameters dynamically based on solar generation conditions and vehicle usage schedules. It adjusts charging priority, power allocation, and timing to optimize the balance between utilizing solar energy and meeting rental deadlines, transitioning between solar-only, hybrid, and plug-in charging modes as needed.
3Loss of energy
If solar power is shared among multiple vehicles, then solar generated power utilization is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central management system that acts as an intermediary to coordinate power sharing among vehicles. This mediator monitors solar generation across the fleet, vehicle battery states, and rental schedules, then optimally allocates solar power to vehicles needing charging, simplifying the complexity through centralized control rather than peer-to-peer negotiation.
4Reliability
If vehicles are charged to full capacity before rental, then rental readiness is improved, but solar generated power becomes insufficient for timely charging
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds a temporal dimension to charging management by analyzing upcoming rental schedules and prioritizing vehicles with imminent rental deadlines. Instead of uniformly charging all vehicles, it dynamically allocates solar power to vehicles based on their rental timing, ensuring rental readiness for high-priority vehicles while maximizing overall solar energy utilization across the fleet.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the effective utilization of solar-generated power across multiple vehicles, ensuring batteries are fully charged for rentals, reducing the need for plug-in charging and minimizing energy waste, while allowing rapid switching of charging targets as needed.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the vehicles has a solar power generation device mounted therein
Data Source
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AI summary
A solar charging control device (10) that controls a charged state of a plurality of vehicles (20) connected to each other so that the vehicles (20) are configured to transmit and receive power via a power network (30) in a vehicle sharing system (1) that uses vehicles (20) each having a solar power generation device (21) mounted therein includes an electronic control device. The electronic control device receives a reservation for use of the vehicle (20), manages rental and return of the vehicles (20) based on the reservation for use, sets the vehicle (20) of which the amount of charging of the battery satisfies a predetermined condition among the vehicles (20) connected to the power network (30) as a charging target vehicle, and manages power transmission and reception via the power network (30) so that a battery of the charging target vehicle is able to be charged using a generation power of the solar power generation device (21) mounted in another vehicle (20).