ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING SERVICES

• US 20130096995A1
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Rosalik, Martin E. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US13/273,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096995A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

Electric vehicle charging services include receiving data relating to a vehicle charge operation of a vehicle and a user identification of the user initiating the vehicle charge operation. Upon determining the user has registered for the electric vehicle charging services, the electric vehicle charging services include identifying a location of the vehicle, determining a utility service provider that services the location, the utility service provider offering discounted electricity rates to operators of electric vehicles, and transmitting charge data and the user identification received from the vehicle to the utility service provider.

Claims

1. A system for implementing electric vehicle charging services, the system comprising:

a host system computer; and

logic executable by the host system computer, the logic configured to implement a method, the method comprising;

receiving data relating to a vehicle charge operation of a vehicle and a user identification of the user initiating the vehicle charge operation; and

upon determining the user has registered for the electric vehicle charging services;

identifying a location of the vehicle;

determining a utility service provider that services the location, the utility service provider offering discounted electricity rates to operators of electric vehicles; and

transmitting charge data, time of the vehicle charge operation, and the user identification received from the vehicle to the utility service provider, the charge data and the time of the vehicle charge operation determining a rate chargeable to the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

upon determining the user is not registered for the electric vehicle charging services, presenting an offer to the user to register for the electric vehicle charging services on a display device in the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

calculating a value reflecting an amount of energy consumed at a discounted rate with respect to the vehicle charge operation, and displaying data specifying cost savings accrued on a display device in the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user identification comprises a home address of the user, and the location of the vehicle is determined by global positioning system coordinates associated with the home address.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user identification is a vehicle identification number.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

encrypting the user identification before transmitting the user identification to the utility service provider.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement:

receiving the charge data from a body control module and telematics system in the vehicle via a network.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a value reflecting an amount of energy consumed at a discounted rate with respect to the vehicle charge operation, and displaying data specifying cost savings accrued on a display device in the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identification comprises a home address of the user, and the location of the vehicle is determined by global positioning system coordinates associated with the home address.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identification is a vehicle identification number.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting the user identification before transmitting the user identification to the utility service provider.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the charge data from a body control module and telematics system in the vehicle via a network.

8. A method for implementing electric vehicle charging services, the method comprising:

receiving data relating to a vehicle charge operation of a vehicle and a user identification of the user initiating the vehicle charge operation; and

upon determining the user has registered for the electric vehicle charging services;

identifying a location of the vehicle;

determining a utility service provider that services the location, the utility service provider offering discounted electricity rates to operators of electric vehicles; and

transmitting charge data, time of the vehicle charge operation, and the user identification received from the vehicle to the utility service provider, the charge data and the time of the vehicle charge operation determining a rate chargeable to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

upon determining the user is not registered for the electric vehicle charging services, presenting an offer to the user to register for the electric vehicle charging services on a display device in the vehicle.

15. A computer program product implementing electric vehicle charging services, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to implement a method, the method comprising:

receiving data relating to a vehicle charge operation of a vehicle and a user identification of the user initiating the vehicle charge operation; and

upon determining the user has registered for the electric vehicle charging services;

identifying a location of the vehicle;

determining a utility service provider that services the location, the utility service provider offering discounted electricity rates to operators of electric vehicles; and

transmitting charge data, time of the vehicle charge operation, and the user identification received from the vehicle to the utility service provider, the charge data and the time of the vehicle charge operation determining a rate chargeable to the user.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions further implement:

upon determining the user is not registered for the electric vehicle charging services, presenting an offer to the user to register for the electric vehicle charging services on a display device in the vehicle.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions further implement:

calculating a value reflecting an amount of energy consumed at a discounted rate with respect to the vehicle charge operation, and displaying data specifying cost savings accrued on a display device in the vehicle.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the user identification comprises at least one of:

a home address of the user, and the location of the vehicle is determined by global positioning system coordinates associated with the home address; and

a vehicle identification number.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions further implement:

encrypting the user identification before transmitting the user identification to the utility service provider.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions further implement:

receiving the charge data from a body control module and telematics system in the vehicle via a network.