Authentication and Pairing of a Mobile Device to an External Power Source

• US 20130198551A1
• Filed: 01/31/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marlin, Eli, Seibert, Cristina
• Granted Patent: US 8,990,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/54 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/55 Capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• 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: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1011 to devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• 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 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

A mobile device communicates with an authenticator affiliated with a recharging facility, to identify itself. To confirm that the mobile device is connected to the correct facility, the authenticator instructs the mobile device to draw electrical charge according to an identifiable pattern. Upon detecting a charge being drawn according to that pattern, the authenticator has confirmation that the identified device is connected to the facility, and permits the charging to proceed. The amount of electricity drawn during the charging procedure can be metered, and then billed to a party associated with the identified mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of pairing a mobile electrical device with an external power source electrically coupled to each other, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a charge drawn at the external power source to detect whether a recognized load pattern is present; and

authenticating the mobile electrical device to receive power from the external power source in response to a recognized load pattern being detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the monitoring of the charge drawn at the external power source includes examining the load pattern of the mobile electrical device; and

the authenticating of the mobile electrical device includes determining whether the load pattern of the mobile electrical device corresponds to a recognized load pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal from the mobile electrical device at the external power source indicating an intent to draw a charge from the external power source; and

sending a message to specify the load pattern of the charge to be drawn by the mobile electrical device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sending of the message includes:

transmitting the message, via a communication network, indicating that a sequence of charges is to be drawn at the external power source.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the received signal from the mobile electrical device and the sent message to specify the load pattern are communicated via a communication network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said communication network is a wireless network having a plurality of nodes, the method further comprising:

determining which of the plurality of nodes are neighboring nodes that are one hop from the mobile electrical device and capable of communicating with the mobile electrical device; and

communicating the signal to the determined nodes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising uniquely identifying, based on a recognized load pattern, one of:

(1) the mobile electrical device;

or (2) a charging session between the external power source and the mobile electrical device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the mobile electrical device, a recognized load pattern in accordance with a function of at least one of:

(1) an address of the mobile electrical device;

(2) an address of a network node;

or (3) a timestamp.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an identification of the mobile electrical device from the mobile electrical device to the external power source;

measuring, at a site of the external power source, an amount of charge drawn by the mobile electrical device during an authenticated charging session; and

reporting the measured amount of charge drawn to a central facility, from the site of the external power source, after the authenticated charging session is terminated.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring, in the mobile electrical device, an amount of charge drawn during an authenticated charging session; and

reporting the measured amount of charge drawn from the mobile electrical device to a central facility, via a communication medium, after the authenticated charging session is terminated.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein, if a recognized pattern is not detected within a predetermined amount of time during which charge is drawn, terminating further draw of charge by the mobile electrical device.

12. A method of managing a charging session with a mobile device using an external power source connected to a communication network having a plurality of nodes, comprising the steps of:

sending a broadcast message from the mobile device to nodes in the network, requesting a charging session;

receiving an instruction from one or more of the nodes in the network to initiate a unique load pattern, in response to the broadcast message;

selecting one of the received instructions for execution; and

drawing a charge in accordance with the unique load pattern corresponding to the selected instruction.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an authorization to charge the mobile device in response to the step of drawing the charge in accordance with the unique load pattern; and

conducting the charging session in response to the received authorization.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting of one of the instructions for execution includes:

evaluating an address associated with each node sending a respective instruction; and

comparing the evaluated address to an address where the mobile device is located.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining, by the mobile device, the unique load pattern in accordance with a function of at least one of:

(1) an address of the mobile device;

(2) an address of a network node;

or (3) a timestamp.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising validating account and billing information for the mobile device prior to conducting the charging session.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication network is one of a wireless communication network or a power line communication network.

18. A method of pairing and authenticating an electrical device with an external power source among a plurality of power sources using a communication network, the communication network comprising a plurality of nodes respectively associated with the plurality of power sources, the method comprising the steps of:

initiating a series of current loads at an external power source to which the electrical device is connected;

monitoring, by each respective node, the external power source associated with the respective node to detect a series of current loads;

in response to detecting the current loads from the electrical device, sending, by the respective node, an instruction to the mobile electrical device to draw current from the external power source associated with the respective node according to a recognized pattern; and

authenticating a pairing with the electrical device and the external power source associated with the respective node upon detecting the recognized pattern.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

prior to the initiating step, establishing, at the mobile electrical device, a list of potential nodes associated with the plurality of power sources, with which to launch a charging session;

broadcasting, from the electrical device to the listed nodes, a request to initiate the charging session such that the monitoring occurs at respective external power sources associated with listed nodes.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

initiating a charging session with the external power source associated with the respective node upon receiving the authentication.

21. An authenticator for managing a pairing of a mobile device and a power source electrically coupled to each other, comprising:

a receiver for receiving an authentication signal from the power source, the authentication signal representing the charge drawn at the power source; and

a controller for monitoring the received authentication signal, for detecting whether a recognized load pattern is present in the authentication signal and for authenticating the mobile device to receive power from the power source in response to a recognized load pattern being detected.

22. The authenticator of claim 21, further comprising a load switch, responsive to the controller, for connecting the power source to the mobile device or disconnecting the power source from the mobile device.

23. The authenticator of claim 22, wherein:

the controller compares the load pattern of the mobile device to a recognized load pattern to determine if a correlation result of the load pattern of the mobile device and a recognized load pattern exceeds a threshold;

responsive to the correlation result exceeding a threshold, the controller controls the load switch to maintain a connection of the power source with the mobile device; and

responsive to the correlation result not exceeding a threshold, the controller controls the load switch to disconnect the power source from the mobile device.

24. The authenticator of claim 23, wherein the controller filters frequency components of the authentication signal above a threshold frequency prior to the comparing step for use as the load pattern of the mobile device in the comparing step.

25. The authenticator of claim 21, wherein in response to the mobile device connecting to the power source, the authenticator detects a series of charge draws at the power source indicating connection by the mobile device intending to authenticate to initiate a charging session.

26. The authenticator of claim 25, wherein in response to detection of the series of charge draws at the power source indicating connection by the mobile device, the authenticator sends a message to specify the load pattern of the charge to be drawn by the mobile device.

27. The authenticator of claim 26, wherein the authenticator sends the message via power-line carrier communications or wireless communications.

28. The authenticator of claim 21, further comprising:

a sensor for measuring, at a site of the power source, an amount of charge drawn by the mobile device during an authenticated charging session, wherein the controller reports the measured amount of charge drawn via a communications network, after the authenticated charging session is terminated.

29. The authenticator of claim 21, wherein responsive to authentication of the mobile device, the controller sends information identifying the mobile device for validation of account and billing information prior to the charging device initiating the charging session.

30. A system for pairing a mobile device with a selected charging device electrically coupled to each other using a wireless communication network, comprising:

a plurality of charging devices configured to monitor an authentication signal from the mobile device, for detecting whether a recognized load pattern is present in the authentication signal and for authenticating the mobile device to receive power from the power source in response to a recognized load pattern being detected; and

a plurality of nodes of the communication network, each corresponding to a respective charging device of the plurality of charging devices, for communicating between the respective charging device and the mobile device, wherein;

responsive to the mobile device and the selected charging device of the plurality of charging devices electrically coupling, the mobile device determines which of the plurality of nodes are neighboring nodes of the mobile device and sends a charging signal to the determined neighboring nodes that indicates the mobile device is initiating a series of charge draws.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein in response to receipt of the charging signal, each of the charging devices monitors for the series of charge draws such that a node of the communication network associated with the selected charging device sends an acknowledgement instructing the mobile device to draw charge based on a load pattern.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein in response to the mobile device drawing charge based on a recognized load pattern, the selected charging device initiates a charging session.

33. A system for pairing a mobile device with a selected charging device electrically coupled to each other, using a wireless communication network, comprising:

a plurality of charging devices configured to monitor an authentication signal from the mobile device, for detecting whether a recognized load pattern is present in the authentication signal and for authenticating the mobile device to receive power from the power source in response to a unique load pattern being detected;

a plurality of nodes of the communication network, each corresponding to a respective charging device of the plurality of charging devices, for communicating between the respective charging device and the mobile device, wherein;

responsive to the mobile device and the selected charging device of the plurality of charging devices electrically coupling, the mobile device sends a broadcast message to the nodes in the communication network, requesting a charging session;

the mobile device receives, from one or more nodes in the communication network, an instruction to initiate a unique load pattern, in response to the broadcast message;

the mobile device selects one of the received instructions for execution, and

draws a charge in accordance with the unique load pattern corresponding to the selected instruction.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the selected charging device includes:

a power source for supplying charge to the mobile device; and

a load switch for connecting the power source to the mobile device or for disconnecting the power source from the mobile device, wherein responsive to detection by the selected charging device of the charge draw in accordance with the unique load pattern, the selected charging device conducts a charging session.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the mobile device selects the instruction for execution by evaluating an address associated with each node sending a respective instruction and comparing the evaluated address to an address where the mobile device is located.

36. A system for pairing a mobile device with a selected charging device electrically coupled to each other, using a wireless communication network, comprising:

a plurality of charging devices configured to monitor an authentication signal from the mobile device, for detecting whether a recognized load pattern is present in the authentication signal and for authenticating the mobile device to receive power from the power source in response to a unique load pattern being detected;

a plurality of nodes of the communication network, each corresponding to a respective charging device of the plurality of charging devices, for communicating between the respective charging device and the mobile device, wherein;

responsive to the mobile device and the selected charging device of the plurality of charging devices electrically coupling, the mobile device initiates a series of current loads at the selected charging device;

the selected charging device monitors to detect the series of current loads;

in response to detecting the current loads from the mobile device, the node associated with the selected charging device sends an instruction to the mobile device to draw current from the selected charging device according to a recognized pattern; and

the selected charging device authenticates a pairing with the mobile device upon detecting a recognized pattern.