Heavy-Duty Vehicle Energy Transfer Control via Layered API Tactics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy transfer mechanisms for heavy-duty electric vehicles are complex and lack efficient strategies for optimizing energy transfer based on vehicle capabilities and environmental conditions, leading to suboptimal energy management and potential unauthorized energy transactions.
Innovation Solution
A control system that monitors and manages energy transfer by determining tactics based on vehicle energy storage state, upcoming transport missions, and environmental power sources and consumers, using a layered control architecture to integrate energy and motion management, and includes an API for efficient energy transfer and cost optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple energy transfer options are introduced for electric vehicles, then energy management flexibility and synergy effects are improved, but system complexity and decision-making complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the energy management system into multiple hierarchical levels (vehicle control units, fleet management system, energy management system) that independently handle different aspects of energy transfer decisions. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high adaptability through multiple transfer options while reducing overall complexity by distributing decision-making across specialized subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary systems and protocols that mediate between various energy transfer options and vehicle operations. These intermediaries standardize communication and coordination mechanisms, enabling the system to handle diverse energy transfer scenarios without proportionally increasing decision-making complexity.
2Speed
If energy transfer decisions are made without considering vehicle environment, then decision speed is improved, but energy transfer efficiency and cost optimization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring energy transfer strategies, cost parameters, and environmental constraints in the vehicle's control system before actual energy transfer operations. This allows the system to make rapid decisions during operation by referencing pre-analyzed scenarios and pre-established decision frameworks, thereby maintaining both speed and efficiency.
3Productivity
If centralized fleet management controls all energy transfers, then coordination efficiency is improved, but system response time and operational autonomy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments control authority between centralized fleet management and decentralized vehicle control units. The centralized system handles high-level coordination and strategic decisions, while local vehicles autonomously execute specific energy transfer operations. This segmentation maintains coordination efficiency through centralized oversight while improving response time through decentralized execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by enabling each vehicle to make energy transfer decisions based on its specific local conditions (battery state, immediate energy needs, local pricing) while still operating within the broader fleet coordination framework. This allows rapid local responses without sacrificing overall fleet coordination efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A control system arranged to control transfer of energy to and from a heavy-duty vehicle, wherein the control system implements an application programming interface, API, configured to allow connections between control modules of the heavy duty vehicle and/or from one or more external entities to the vehicle wherein the control system is configured to determine an available amount of energy for transfer from the vehicle to an external consumer, and/or a desired amount of energy to transfer to the vehicle from an external energy source, wherein the control system is configured to exchange information related to the available amount of energy for transfer from the vehicle via the API, and wherein the control system is configured to exchange information related to the available amount of energy for transfer to the vehicle via the API.