Charging vehicles in a parking area

• US 8,350,525 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley A. Handler
• Original Assignee: Credit Lock LLC
• Inventors: Handler, Bradley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Akiba
• Application Number:
  US12/536,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20110035261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 705/39
• US Class Current: 320/109
• 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. Payment is recorded for providing the electric charge based upon departure of the vehicle from the parking area. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

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

establishing an energy account associated with a user;

associating an energy account identifier with the energy account;

receiving a payment request to provide an electric charge to a vehicle, the payment request including the energy account identifier;

verifying that the energy account is associated with the vehicle; and

adjusting a value of the energy account based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, on the verifying that the energy account is associated with the vehicle, and on a power basis of the vehicle, the adjustment on the power basis enabling a different assessment of value based on the power basis of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving funds for the energy account, wherein the adjusting of the energy account is based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, the verifying, and the receiving of the funds.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating an energy card with the energy account identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the value of the energy account on an energy card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the value comprises adjusting the value of the energy account based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, the verifying, and a vehicle type of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy account is a balance account, a credit account, or combinations thereof.

7. A method comprising:

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

establishing an energy account associated with a user;

associating an energy account identifier with the energy account;

receiving a payment request to provide an electric charge to a vehicle, the payment request including the energy account identifier;

verifying that the energy account is associated with the vehicle; and

adjusting a value of the energy account based on a power basis of the vehicle, the adjustment on the power basis enabling a different assessment of value based on the power basis of the vehicle.

8. A machine-readable storage device having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by a machine, causes execution of the following operations:

establishing an energy account associated with a user;

associating an energy account identifier with the energy account;

receiving a payment request to provide an electric charge to a vehicle, the payment request including the energy account identifier;

verifying that the energy account is associated with the vehicle; and

adjusting a value of the energy account based on a power basis of the vehicle, the adjustment on the power basis enabling a different assessment of value based on the power basis of the vehicle.

9. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, the operations further comprising receiving funds for the energy account, wherein the adjusting of the energy account is based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, the verifying, and the receiving of the funds.

10. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, the operations further comprising associating an energy card with the energy account identifier.

11. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, the operations further comprising storing the value of the energy account on an energy card.

12. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the adjusting of the value comprises adjusting the value of the energy account based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, the verifying, and a vehicle type of the vehicle.

13. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the energy account is a balance account, a credit account, or combinations thereof.