Vehicle Power Control System Managing SOC Range by Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to maintain a sufficient State Of Charge (SOC) in a vehicle's power storage device when exchanging power with an external facility, ensuring adequate traveling distance without unplanned discharge, which can lead to a decreased SOC and insufficient travel range.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle equipped with a power storage device, a power supply device, and a control device that manages the SOC range in association with time, allowing for flexible power management by expanding the SOC range during non-use periods and prioritizing it during use periods, along with timer charging and user-settable SOC limits, enabling efficient energy utilization and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If power stored in the in-vehicle power storage device is supplied to outside the vehicle without a plan, then the power demand peak of the system power supply can be lowered, but the SOC of the power storage device decreases and sufficient traveling distance cannot be secured
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary action by determining the SOC usable range in advance based on the scheduled time period when the vehicle is not used. This allows the system to proactively manage power discharge to external facilities while ensuring sufficient SOC remains for upcoming vehicle use, preventing the reliability issue of insufficient traveling distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The SOC usable range is made dynamic and adjustable based on the scheduled time period. The control device flexibly determines the upper and lower limits of SOC usable range according to when the vehicle is scheduled to be used, allowing optimal power management that adapts to different time scenarios while maintaining reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the SOC usable range is expanded to flexibly cope with power demand situation, then power can be supplied to external facilities, but the SOC may decrease during vehicle use period
Solution Approach 1:
The control device determines the SOC usable range in advance based on the scheduled time period before vehicle use. This preliminary determination ensures that power discharge to external facilities is planned and controlled, preventing excessive SOC depletion during vehicle use while maintaining adaptability to power demand situations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback by continuously monitoring the relationship between the scheduled time period, current SOC level, and usable range limits. The control device adjusts power supply decisions based on this feedback to ensure SOC remains within safe boundaries during vehicle use while maximizing power exchange during non-use periods.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a power storage device, a connector, a power converter, and an ECU. The connector and the power converter are configured to supply, to the power facility, power stored in the power storage device. When the vehicle is connected to the power facility via a power cable, the ECU is configured to control an upper limit SOC and a lower limit SOC in association with time. The upper limit SOC and lower limit SOC define an SOC usable range of the power storage device.