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Electric vehicle charging station with integrated camera

  • US 10,021,354 B2
  • Filed: 02/17/2016
  • Issued: 07/10/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A smart Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), the smart EVSE comprising:

  • a networked on-charging station camera unit disposed either internally to the smart EVSE or connected externally on the smart EVSE, the camera unit including at least one of a video camera and a still image camera to acquire camera data; and

    a processor coupled to the camera unit, the processor is configured to;

    (i) communicate the acquired camera data over a camera connection as private communications to a server over a Local Area Network or a mobile device of a user over a cellular network, wherein the camera unit is configured to read a graphic image from the mobile device of the user of the smart EVSE or a graphic image affixed on a vehicle of the user to make a payment authentication, wherein the graphic image is an authentication code with encoded authentication information, wherein the payment authentication is carried out by enabling the user to input details through mobile device such that the input details are authenticated based on the acquired camera data of the graphic image, (ii) communicate the acquired camera data to the server or the mobile device of the user over a public network infrastructure by connecting to Internet or a networked communications system, wherein the camera unit is configured to read a graphic image from the mobile device of the user of the smart EVSE or a graphic image affixed on a vehicle of the user to make a payment authentication, wherein the graphic image is an authentication code with encoded authentication information, wherein the payment authentication is carried out by enabling the user to input details through mobile device such that the input details are authenticated based on the acquired camera data of the graphic image, or (iii) communicate the acquired camera data to the server or the mobile device of the user over a combination of one or more public networks and one or more private networks, wherein the camera unit is configured to read a graphic image from the mobile device of the user of the smart EVSE or a graphic image affixed on a vehicle of the user to make a payment authentication, wherein the graphic image is an authentication code with encoded authentication information, wherein the payment authentication is carried out by enabling the user to input details through mobile device such that the input details are authenticated based on the acquired camera data of the graphic image.

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