Vehicle Navigation Guidance for Battery Swap or Charging Availability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing navigation systems for vehicles with replaceable energy storage devices do not adequately enhance user convenience, as they may guide vehicles to energy supply facilities that are overcrowded or underperforming, leading to prolonged wait times and reduced convenience.

Innovation Solution

A navigation system that includes a guiding device to selectively guide vehicles to replacement or supply sites based on predetermined conditions, such as the presence of necessary equipment and the availability of energy storage devices, thereby optimizing user convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the vehicle is guided to a supply site, then user convenience can be enhanced, but user convenience may be degraded when the vehicle is unequipped with necessary equipment or when facilities are overcrowded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidguiding reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system performs preliminary checks to determine whether the vehicle is equipped with necessary equipment for energy supply before guiding to a supply site. This preliminary action prevents unnecessary guidance to unsuitable facilities, avoiding degradation of user convenience and ensuring reliable guidance only when conditions are appropriate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the vehicle is guided to a supply site, then energy resupply can be achieved, but wait time increases when facilities have many users or low performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy resupplyVSAvoidwait time
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system incorporates feedback mechanisms that evaluate the current state of energy supply facilities, including user occupancy and performance metrics. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically determines whether guidance to a supply site is appropriate, thereby minimizing wait time while ensuring successful energy resupply.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If the navigation system provides guidance to both replacement and supply sites, then more options are available, but decision complexity increases for the user

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguidance optionsVSAvoidguidance system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system dynamically adjusts its guidance output based on real-time conditions, vehicle capabilities, and user needs. Rather than always presenting both replacement and supply site options, the system adapts its recommendations to provide the most appropriate guidance, reducing decision complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4600611A1Navigation system and vehicle including navigation system
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4600611A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4600611A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4600611A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A navigation system (500) configured to guide a vehicle including an energy storage device which is attachable and detachable is provided. The navigation system (500) includes a guiding device (510, 520, 530) configured to present information for guiding the vehicle to at least one of a replacement site and a supply site. The replacement site is a site where the energy storage device is replaced. The supply site is a site where an energy supply facility is provided, the energy supply facility supplying energy to the energy storage device. The guiding device (510, 520, 530) is configured to guide the vehicle to the supply site when a predetermined condition is met, and to not guide the vehicle to the supply site when the predetermined condition is not met.