METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING CHARGE AVAILABILITY AND ROUTE PATHS FOR OBTAINING CHARGE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• US 20130282472A1
• Filed: 04/22/2012
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Original Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Inventors: Penilla, Angel A., Penilla, Albert S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,217,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.35
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• 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 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/06 Supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• 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 providing charge options to drivers of electric vehicles are provided. One method includes receiving data concerning charge providing availability from charge locations and receiving a request from processing logic of an electric vehicle, the request identifying a desire to obtain charge. The method includes determining a current location of the electric vehicle and determining identification of charge locations in proximity to the electric vehicle. The method further includes determining any sponsored rewards offered by the charge locations and communicating to the electric vehicle a path to one of the charge locations, where the path is identified with a sponsored reward offered at the charge location if the path is selected and charge is obtained. The method can be processed by a server and paths are communicated to vehicles to alert drivers of the electric vehicles of rewards or discounts if charge is obtained from certain locations.

Claims

1. A method for providing charge options to drivers of electric vehicles, comprising,

receiving data from charge locations concerning availability of charge;

receiving a request from processing logic of an electric vehicle, the request identifying an inquiry to obtain charge;

receiving a current location of the electric vehicle;

determining identification of charge locations in proximity to the electric vehicle;

determining sponsored rewards offered by the charge locations; and

communicating to the processing logic of the electric vehicle at least one of the charge locations and a sponsored reward, a path is definable to the at least one charge locations, the sponsored reward is predefined for a period of time associated with the request from the processing logic of the electric vehicle, wherein the method is executed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sponsored reward offered at the charge location changes over time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sponsored reward provides either a reduction in cost of the charge to be transferred to the electric vehicle, or a credit for goods or servers of a merchant proximate to the charge location, or credit points toward a larger reward that is earned over time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sponsored reward changes in value over time based of.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

determining a desired end point of travel,

from time to time, communicating additional charge locations and associated sponsored rewards along one or more paths to the desired end point of travel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein two or more charge locations and associated sponsored rewards offered at the two or more charge locations are provided.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising,

receiving selection of one of the charge locations from the electric vehicle;

and

receiving a reservation request for the selected one of the charge locations.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising,

receiving pre-payment data for paying for charge, the pre-payment data processed to produce an additional discount.

9. A computer processed method for providing charge options to drivers of electric vehicles, the electric vehicles having wireless access to a computer network, comprising,

receiving data concerning charge providing availability from charge locations;

receiving data concerning sponsored rewards offered by the charge locations and rules for offering the sponsored rewards;

receiving a request from processing logic of an electric vehicle, the request identifying a desire to obtain charge in route between a current location of the vehicle and a destination location;

identifying charge locations between the current location and the destination location, each of the identified charge locations being relatable to paths, each of the possible charge locations being associated with any sponsored rewards offered;

forwarding data for the charge locations to enable generation of paths as options to the user of the electric vehicle via a user interface, the sponsored rewards being identified to the user for each of the paths, wherein the method is executed by a processor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data concerning the sponsored rewards offered change over time based on the rules set by an entity that is offering the sponsored reward.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the entity that is offering the sponsored reward is either the operator of the charge location, a business proximate to the charge location or a combination of both the charge location and the business proximate to the charge location.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the sponsored reward is identified as provided by a combination of an operator of the charge location and a business proximate to the charge location.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the sponsored reward is identified as provided by a business proximate to the charge location.

12. (canceled)

15. A method for providing charge options and discounts to electric vehicles, the electric vehicles having wireless access to a computer network having a server, comprising,

receiving at the server, charge providing availability from charge locations and receiving data concerning discounts offered by one or more of the charge locations and rules for when discounts are available for offering at the charge locations;

receiving at the server, a current location of an electric vehicle;

identifying charge locations proximate to the current location of the electric vehicle; and

sending from the server to the electric vehicle, one or more of the charge locations proximate to the current location along with identification of discounts provided for selected ones of the charge locations, the transmitting occurring upon receiving a request for information regarding proximate charge locations from the electric vehicle, the charge locations being identifiable on a display screen of the electric vehicle with selectable options to show path information between the current location of the electric vehicle and the one or more charge locations;

wherein the server provides updates regarding different charge locations and any associated discounts when the current location changes as the electric vehicle moves in geo-location;

wherein the server removes and adds discounts based on the rules for the charge locations over time, such that the updates provide the same or different discounts at different times, wherein the method is executed by a processor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the path information is provided as text data, voice data or combinations of text, or voice, or map data obtained from global positioning systems.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising,

receiving a reservation request from the electric vehicle at the server, the reservation request being for a particular charge location.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising,

receiving payment information with the reservation request, the payment information acting to hold the particular charge location available for a period of time.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising,

receiving a reservation request from the electric vehicle at the server, the reservation request being for a particular charge location;

and

receiving payment information with the reservation request.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising,

sending to the electric vehicle information regarding waiting time or in-use activity of charge units at the charge locations.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising,

obtaining, at the server, discount data from a business proximate to one of charge locations, the discount data being associated with rules of when the discount is to be provided.