CHARGING VEHICLES IN A PARKING AREA

• US 20130024370A1
• Filed: 09/26/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley A. Handler
• Original Assignee: Credit Lock LLC
• Inventors: Handler, Bradley A.
• Granted Patent: US 11,069,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/14 by input of vehicle departure time
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/50 Charging stations characterised by energy-storage or power-generation means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Methods and systems for charging vehicles in a parking area are described. In one embodiment, a charge request may be received for a vehicle located in a parking area. The vehicle may have a power connection with a power source. An electric charge is provided through the power connection from the power source to the vehicle based on receiving the charge request, the value of the electric charge being adjustable based at least in part on the power basis of the vehicle. Billing or Payment is recorded for providing the electric charge based upon departure of the vehicle from the parking area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using one or more processors to perform at least some portion of the following;

receiving a charge request for a vehicle located in a parking area, the vehicle having a power connection capable of coupling with a power source;

providing an electric charge through the power connection from the power source to the vehicle based on the receiving of the charge request, the value of the electric charge being adjustable based at least in part on the power basis of the vehicle; and

recording at least one of billing and payment to provide the electric charge based upon departure of the vehicle from the parking area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording of the billing or payment comprises:

receiving departure notification that the vehicle is departing the parking area; and

recording the billing or payment to provide the electric charge.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording of the billing or payment comprises:

detecting the departure of the vehicle from the parking area; and

recording the billing or payment to provide the electric charge.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an amount due to provide the electric charge.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a portion of the amount due from a user associated with the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising crediting a portion of the amount due from an entity associated with the parking area.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying a presence of a user associated with the vehicle at a particular location, wherein the recording of the billing or payment is based on the departure of the vehicle from the parking area and the and the verifying of the presence.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a portion of an amount due from funds associated with a pre-paid card, wherein the recording of the billing or payment is based on the departure of the vehicle from the parking area and the receiving of the portion.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pre-paid card is a pre-paid credit card or a pre-paid debit card.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the portion is received at an energy station, a payment station, or combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a payment account identifier from a user associated with the vehicle, wherein the recording of the billing or payment is based on the departure of the vehicle from the parking area and the receiving of the payment account identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an energy credit associated with a pre-paid energy card, wherein the recording of the billing or payment is based on the departure of the vehicle from the parking area and the receiving of the energy credit.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an electric motor vehicle, a hybrid motor vehicle, an electric bicycle, an electric motorcycle, a hybrid motorcycle, an electric golf cart, or a hybrid golf cart.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the charge request includes a payment amount, a charge duration, a charge start time, a charge finish time, a voltage, or combinations thereof.

15. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, results in the one or more processors performing the following operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a charge request for a vehicle located in a parking area, the vehicle having a power connection capable of coupling to a power source;

providing an electric charge through the power connection from the power source to the vehicle based on the receiving of the charge request, the value of the electric charge being adjustable based at least in part on the power basis of the vehicle; and

recording at least one of billing and payment associated with the providing of the electric charge based upon departure of the vehicle from the parking area.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising receiving an energy credit associated with a pre-paid energy card, wherein recordation of the billing or payment is based on receiving the energy credit.

17. A system comprising:

a charge request receiver module to receive a charge request for a vehicle located in a parking area;

an electric charge provider module to provide an electric charge through a coupling from a power source to the vehicle based on receipt of the charge request by the charge request receiver module, the value of the electric charge based at least in part on the power basis of the vehicle; and

a payment recordation module to record at least one of billing and payment associated with the providing of the electric charge by the electric charge provider module based upon departure of the vehicle from the parking area.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

an energy account establishment module to establish an energy account associated with a user, the user being associated with the vehicle;

an energy card association module to associate an energy account identifier with the energy account established by the energy account establishment module;

a payment request receiver module to receive a payment request to provide the electric charge to the vehicle by the electric charge provider module, the payment request including the energy account identifier; and

a value adjustment module to adjust a value of the energy account based on receipt of the charge request.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the recordation of the billing or payment by the payment recordation module is based on adjustment of the value by the value adjustment module.