Autonomous Worksite EV Charging Scheduling to Reduce Queues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous electric work vehicles face challenges in efficiently charging at worksites with multiple charging points, as they may encounter unavailable, low-power, or inappropriate charging points, leading to queues and unnecessary travel.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for centralized charging management, where charger properties and vehicle properties are communicated to a central controller, allowing for scheduled charging assignments to each vehicle based on charger availability and vehicle needs, ensuring efficient pairing of vehicles with suitable charging modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous electric work vehicles travel to charging points without knowledge of charger properties, then vehicles can autonomously seek charging, but charging efficiency deteriorates due to queues and unnecessary travel
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by having vehicles report their charging experiences (success/failure, charger properties) back to the cloud platform. The platform uses this feedback to update charger status information and routing recommendations, enabling vehicles to learn from collective experiences and avoid problematic charging points, thus resolving the contradiction between autonomous operation and charging efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-calculating optimal charging routes and assigning charging tasks to vehicles before they arrive at charging points. The cloud platform proactively manages charger-vehicle matching and provides advance routing guidance, preventing queues and unnecessary travel before they occur, thereby maintaining both autonomy and efficiency
2Quantity of substance
If multiple charging points are deployed at the same or different locations, then charging capacity increases, but system complexity increases due to coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud platform serves as an intermediary that coordinates multiple charging points and vehicles. It centralizes the management of charger properties, availability status, and vehicle charging requests, simplifying the coordination complexity by providing a single point of control that manages all charging points regardless of their physical locations, thus enabling increased charging capacity without proportional increase in system complexity
3Reliability
If vehicles queue at charging points due to unavailability or in-use status, then charging demand is met, but time loss increases due to waiting and idle periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-assigning charging tasks and calculating optimal routes before vehicles arrive at charging points. The cloud platform proactively identifies available chargers and schedules vehicle arrivals in advance, preventing queues and minimizing waiting time while ensuring charging availability is maintained through advance planning and coordination
Data Source
AI summary
A method of charging management for a worksite comprising a plurality of autonomous electric work vehicles is provided. The method comprises communicating charger properties from a plurality of charging modules to a central controller and communicating vehicle properties from a plurality of electric work vehicles to the central controller. Charging is scheduled for the plurality of electric work vehicles based on the charger properties and the vehicle properties, wherein scheduling charging comprises assigning to each of the electric work vehicles a designated charging time and a designated charging module. Each electric work vehicle and its designated charging module are brought together at the designated charging time of the electric work vehicle.