Vehicle Mutual-Charging System Using Three-Level Bidirectional DC-AC Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
The limited number of charging stations for electric vehicles makes it inconvenient to charge them, and errors in battery management can lead to insufficient power before reaching a destination, causing user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle mutual-charging system that allows electric vehicles to charge each other using a three-level bidirectional DC-AC module, reducing common-mode voltage and leakage current, and eliminating the need for a DC-DC voltage converter, enabling high-power charging and reducing charging time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If charging stations are limited in number, then infrastructure cost is reduced, but charging convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables electric vehicles to charge each other autonomously without requiring external charging stations. The vehicle-to-vehicle charging system allows any EV with sufficient battery power to act as a mobile charging station for another EV, making the charging infrastructure self-sufficient and eliminating the need for widespread deployment of fixed charging stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging connector designed in the patent is universally compatible with different electric vehicle models and can serve multiple functions: charging from grid, vehicle-to-vehicle charging, and vehicle-to-load charging. This multi-functionality allows a single connector type to replace multiple specialized charging solutions, improving convenience without increasing infrastructure complexity.
2Device complexity
If battery management calculation has errors, then system complexity is reduced, but power reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates real-time feedback mechanisms in the battery management system that continuously monitor actual power consumption and battery status, comparing it with calculated estimates. When discrepancies are detected, the system adjusts its calculations and provides alerts to users, ensuring reliable power management even when initial calculations have errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a cushioning mechanism by maintaining a reserved power buffer in the battery that is not allocated for normal consumption. This buffer serves as a safety margin that prevents power exhaustion even when calculation errors occur, ensuring reliable operation until the vehicle reaches its destination or a charging station.
3Reliability
If DC-DC voltage converter is used, then voltage matching is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the DC-DC voltage converter from the vehicle-to-vehicle charging system by designing a charging architecture that operates at standardized voltage levels throughout. The three-level bidirectional DC-AC module and charging connector are designed to directly match voltage requirements, removing the need for intermediate voltage conversion equipment and simplifying the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating voltage parameters to be standardized and compatible across all components. By designing the DC-AC module and charging connector to operate at unified voltage levels, the patent eliminates voltage mismatch issues without requiring DC-DC converters, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable voltage matching.
4Loss of energy
If charging time is long, then energy efficiency is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic high-power charging pulses alternating with brief intervals, allowing the battery to accept maximum power when needed while managing thermal effects. This periodic action enables fast charging without excessive energy loss, as the brief intervals allow heat dissipation while the majority of time is spent in high-efficiency power transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging system dynamically adjusts power transfer rate based on real-time battery status, temperature, and vehicle requirements. The three-level bidirectional DC-AC module modulates power delivery to optimize the balance between charging speed and energy efficiency, enabling high-power charging when conditions permit and reducing power when thermal or chemical constraints exist.
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
The system addresses the inconvenience of limited charging stations by enabling vehicles to charge each other, improving the usability and functionality of electric vehicles, reducing charging time, and enhancing driving efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a three-level bidirectional DC-AC module having a first DC terminal connected with a first terminal of the power battery and a second DC terminal connected with a second terminal of the power battery
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle mutual-charging system and a charging connector are provided. The system includes: a first electric vehicle (1002) and a second electric vehicle (1003), each of the first electric vehicle (1002) and the second electric vehicle (1003) including a power battery (10), a battery manager (103), an energy control device (1005) and a charge-discharge socket (20), in which the energy control device (1005) includes: a three-level bidirectional DC-AC module (30), a charge-discharge control module (50), a control module (60); and a charging connector (1004) connected between the first electric vehicle (1002) and the second electric vehicle (1003) and including a first charging gun adaptor connected with the charge-discharge socket (20) of the first electric vehicle and a second charging gun adaptor connected with the charge-discharge socket (20) of the second electric vehicle at both ends thereof respectively.