PROVIDING AN INTERFACE TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS

• US 20150224888A1
• Filed: 02/06/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Recargo, Inc. (E.ON SE)
• Original Assignee: Recargo, Inc. (E.ON SE)
• Inventors: WILD, Nick, MANFIELD, Lucas, PETROSIAN, Armen, NORTH, Forrest
• Granted Patent: US 11,091,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• 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 53/65 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 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• 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

In some embodiments, the system and method may access a request to charge an electric vehicle at a specific charging station, identify a charging network (e.g., one of multiple, disparate charging networks) associated with the specific charging station, and automatically provide payment information to the charging network via a payment protocol associated with the charging network. The charging interface system, therefore, may facilitate access to any charging network and/or charging station by providing an interface between a driver of an electric vehicle and one of many charging networks.

Claims

1. A method performed by a device in communication with multiple charging stations at a certain location, the method comprising:

receiving a request to charge an electric vehicle at one of multiple charging stations provided at the certain location;

identifying an available charging station at the certain location; and

presenting information associated with the available charging station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple charging stations include at least one charging station provided by a first charging network and at least one charging station provided by a second, different, charging network, the method further comprising:

receiving payment information that accompanies the request to charge the electric vehicle; and

authorizing a charging event for the electric vehicle with the available charging station on behalf of a charging network providing the charging station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an available charging station at the certain location includes identifying an available charging station based on identifying a charging station that is not currently connected to an electric vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an available charging station at the certain location includes identifying an available charging station based on identifying a charging station that is not currently reserved by an owner of an electric vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying an available charging station at the certain location includes determining a car is not currently parked proximate to the available charging station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting information associated with the available charging station includes presenting information identifying the available charging station along with information associated with authorizing the electric vehicle to charge with the available charging station.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting information associated with the available charging station includes presenting the information via a user interface of the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting information associated with the available charging station includes transmitting the information from the device to a mobile application in communication with the device and supported by a mobile device associated with a driver of the electric vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically reserving the available charging station on behalf of a driver of the electric vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing an indicator at the available charging station to indicate the available charging station is reserved for use by the electric vehicle.

11. A system supported by a hardware device in communication with multiple charging stations provided at a location, the system comprising:

a request module that is configured to receive a request to charge an electric vehicle at one of the multiple charging stations provided at the location;

an identification module that is configured to identify an available charging station at the location; and

an information module that is configured to present information associated with the available charging station.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the multiple charging stations include at least one charging station provided by a first charging network and at least one charging station provided by a second, different, charging network, the system further comprising:

a payment module that is configured to receive payment information that accompanies the request to charge the electric vehicle, and authorize a charging event for the electric vehicle with the available charging station on behalf of a charging network providing the charging station.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the identification module is configured to identify a charging station as an available charging station when the charging station is not currently connected to an electric vehicle.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the identification module is configured to identify a charging station as an available charging station when the charging station is not currently reserved by an owner of an electric vehicle.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the identification module is configured to identify a charging station as an available charging station when determining a car is not currently parked proximate to the charging station.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the information module is configured to present information identifying the available charging station along with information associated with authorizing the electric vehicle to charge with the available charging station.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the information module is configured to present the information via a user interface of the device.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the information module is configured to transmit the information from the device to a mobile application in communication with the device and supported by a mobile device associated with a driver of the electric vehicle.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a reservation module that is configured to reserve the available charging station on behalf of a driver of the electric vehicle.

20. A computer-readable storage medium whose contents, when executed by a device associated with multiple charging stations at a location, cause the device to perform operations, comprising:

determining one or more charging stations are available to charge an electric vehicle;

receiving payment information associated with an electric vehicle to be charged by one of the one more available charging stations; and

authorizing the electric vehicle at one of the one or more available charging stations based on the received payment information.