Method, system, and apparatus for distributing electricity to electric vehicles, monitoring the distribution thereof, and/or controlling the distribution thereof

• US 8,564,403 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2010
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EverCharge Inc. (SK Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GreenIT, Inc.
• Inventors: Landau-Holdsworth, Mario, Case, Amber, Vielma, Adan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US12/684,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20100237985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.2, 340/528, 340/5.8, 702/60, 702/63, 701/22, 701/2
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• 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 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus for distributing electricity to electric vehicles, monitoring the distribution thereof, and/or controlling the distribution thereof, provides various components to vehicle operators and station owners to track and control energy usage. Plug outlet devices are associated with a station. A coordinator element is configured to receive vehicle information and information about the station from one or more electric vehicles. The information is verified, stored, and/or aggregated for later display. In addition, the information can be used to determine whether or not to deny electrical charging service to a vehicle using a switch component.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more plug outlet devices associated with a station;

a coordinator element configured to receive vehicle information and information about the station from one or more vehicles; and

a normally-closed switch component operatively associated with the one or more plug outlet devices,

wherein the coordinator element is operatively associated with the switch component and configured to cause the normally-closed switch component to open and disconnect a source of electricity from the one or more plug outlet devices responsive to at least one of a presence and an absence of a wireless signal, and

wherein the coordinator element is configured to transmit a denial of service signal to the switch component responsive to a failure to verify at least one of the vehicle information and the information about the station, wherein the normally-closed switch component is configured to open and disconnect the source of electricity from at least one of the plug outlet devices responsive to the denial of service signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the coordinator element is configured to wirelessly receive the vehicle information and the information about the station from the one or more vehicles.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the coordinator element comprises a computer that is proximally located to the one or more plug outlet devices, the system further comprising:

a remote computer server operatively coupled to the proximally located coordinator element,

wherein the coordinator element is configured to transmit the vehicle information and the information about the station to the remote computer server.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote computer server is configured to store the vehicle information and the information about the station.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the vehicle information includes at least (a) a cryptographic key pair, (b) a vehicle identifier (ID), and (c) vehicle energy usage information; and

the information about the station includes at least (a) a station location identifier (ID) and (b) energy sources information.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the remote computer server is configured to aggregate at least some of the vehicle information for a particular vehicle and the information about the station, and transmit said aggregated information to one or more computing devices, wherein said aggregated information includes:

a first report showing vehicle energy usage for the particular vehicle over time for a particular date range;

a second report showing station energy usage that is related to a particular station at which the particular vehicle received charges;

a third report showing energy sources information including percentages of energy usage, and their sources, used to charge the particular vehicle; and

a fourth report including a geographic map having indicators at different locations, wherein the indicators indicate where the particular vehicle received a charge in relation to the different locations on the map,

wherein the aggregated information is accessible to an operator of the particular vehicle from the one or more computing devices.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the remote computer server is configured to aggregate at least some of the vehicle information for a plurality of vehicles and the information about the station, and transmit said aggregated information to one or more computing devices, wherein said aggregated information includes:

a first report showing vehicle energy usage for a particular vehicle from among the plurality of vehicles over time for a particular date range;

a second report showing station energy usage that is related to the station at which all of the plurality of vehicles received charges over time for a particular date range;

a third report showing energy sources information including percentages of energy usage, and their sources, used to charge all of the plurality of vehicles at the station; and

a fourth report including a geographic map having indicators at different locations, wherein the indicators indicate where the plurality of vehicles received a charge in relation to the different locations on the map,

wherein the aggregated information is accessible to an owner of the station from the one or more computing devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more plug outlet devices includes information about the station.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the coordinator element is configured to detect at least one of the presence and the absence of the wireless signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the coordinator element is configured to receive the wireless signal from the one or more vehicles; and

the wireless signal includes the vehicle information and the information about the station.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the switch component includes a detector to sense an electrical current draw and generate a current draw detection signal; and

the coordinator element is configured to receive the current draw detection signal from the switch component.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the coordinator element is configured to verify the presence of the wireless signal and at least one of the vehicle information and the information about the station responsive to the current draw detection signal.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a remote computer server coupled to the coordinator element,

wherein the coordinator element is configured to verify at least one of the vehicle information and the information about the station with the remote computer server.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the coordinator element is configured to transmit a denial of service signal to the switch component in the absence of the wireless signal and responsive to the current draw detection signal.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the source of electricity is coupled to the switch component, and wherein the information about the station is stored in a station identifier (ID) tag.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

one or more vehicles,

wherein the station ID tag is configured to transmit a station ID toward the one or more vehicles.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the station ID tag comprises at least one of a radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag, an infrared emitter, an optical emitter, and a radio signal.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the station ID tag comprises an autonomous tag configured to transmit the station ID at predefined time intervals.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the station ID tag comprises a presence-sensor to sense a presence of the one or more vehicles and to transmit the station ID responsive to the sensed presence.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the station ID tag is attached to a cord that is coupled to the one or more plug outlet devices.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the station ID tag is substantially permanently secured to the one or more plug outlet devices.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising a fob to receive the station ID from the station ID tag.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the station ID tag is configured to unidirectionally transmit the station ID to the fob.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein:

the fob is attached to a cord that is coupled to the one or more vehicles.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein:

a plug adapter includes the fob; and

the plug adapter is coupled to the one or more vehicles.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more vehicles include a plug inlet, and the fob is attached to the plug inlet.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more vehicles include the fob.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the fob includes a receiver to receive the station ID and a transmitter to wirelessly transmit the station ID and the vehicle information to at least one of the coordinator element and a remote computer server.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein:

the fob is coupled to a current sensor to sense an amount of electrical current received from the one or more plug outlet devices; and

the vehicle information includes the amount of electrical current received.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the vehicle information includes a vehicle identifier (ID).

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the vehicle information includes a cryptographic key pair.

32. A method for monitoring the distribution of electricity to electric vehicles, comprising:

connecting a source of electricity to one or more plug outlet devices associated with a station;

transmitting information about the station from the one or more plug outlet devices to a fob associated with a vehicle;

wirelessly receiving, by a coordinator element that is proximally located to the one or more plug outlet devices, using a short-distance wireless connection, information about the vehicle and information about the station from the fob;

transmitting, by the coordinator element, to a normally-closed switch component, a denial of service signal responsive to a failure to verify at least one of the information about the vehicle and the information about the station; and

causing, by the coordinator element, the normally-closed switch component to open and disconnect a source of electricity from the one or more plug outlet devices responsive to the denial of service signal.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the fob is attached to the vehicle.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the coordinator element comprises a computer proximally located to the vehicle, the method further comprising:

transmitting the information about the vehicle and the information about the station from the proximally located computer to a remote computer server;

aggregating at least some of the information about the vehicle and the information about the station; and

storing the aggregated information in the remote computer server.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

generating, by the remote computer server, a first report showing vehicle energy usage for the vehicle over time for a particular date range;

generating, by the remote computer server, a second report showing station energy usage that is related to the station at which the vehicle received charges;

generating, by the remote computer server, a third report showing energy sources information including percentages of energy usage, and their sources, used to charge the vehicle; and

generating, by the remote computer server, a fourth report including a geographic map having indicators at different locations, wherein the indicators indicate where the vehicle received a charge in relation to the different locations on the map;

storing the first, second, third, and fourth reports in the remote computer server; and

transmitting at least one of the first report, the second report, the third report, and the fourth report to one or more computing devices accessible by an operator of the vehicle.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein aggregating further comprises aggregating at least some of the information about the vehicle for a plurality of vehicles and the information about the station, the method further comprising:

generating, by the remote computer server, a first report showing vehicle energy usage for a particular vehicle from among the plurality of vehicles over time for a particular date range;

generating, by the remote computer server, a second report showing station energy usage that is related to the station at which all of the plurality of vehicles received charges over time for a particular date range;

generating, by the remote computer server, a third report showing energy sources information including percentages of energy usage, and their sources, used to charge all of the plurality of vehicles at the station;

generating, by the remote computer server, a fourth report including a geographic map having indicators at different locations, wherein the indicators indicate where the plurality of vehicles received a charge in relation to the different locations on the map;

storing the first, second, third, and fourth reports in the remote computer server; and

transmitting at least one of the first report, the second report, the third report, and the fourth report to one or more computing devices accessible by an owner of the station.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

displaying at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth reports on a web site.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

registering a plurality of operators of vehicles using a web site; and

shipping a fob to each of the vehicle operators,

wherein the fob is associated with one of the vehicles.

39. The method of claim 38, the method further comprising:

the fob unidirectionally receiving the information about the station from the one or more plug outlet devices; and

the fob transmitting the information about the vehicle and the information about the station to at least one of the coordinator element and a remote computer server.

46. The method of claim 35, wherein generating the fourth report further includes:

showing different sizes of indicators corresponding to an amount of electricity used at a particular station.

47. The method of claim 36, wherein generating the fourth report further includes:

showing different sizes of indicators corresponding to an amount of electricity used at a particular station.

40. A system, comprising:

one or more plug outlet devices associated with a station;

a normally-closed switch component operatively associated with the one or more plug outlet devices;

a coordinator element operatively associated with the switch component and configured to cause the normally-closed switch component to open and disconnect a source of electricity from the one or more plug outlet devices responsive to at least one of a presence and an absence of a wireless signal; and

a remote computer server coupled to the coordinator element,

wherein;

the coordinator element is configured to receive the wireless signal from one or more vehicles;

the wireless signal includes information about the one or more vehicles and information about the station;

the coordinator element is configured to verify at least the information about the one or more vehicles with the remote computer server;

the coordinator element is configured to transmit a denial of service signal to the switch component responsive to a failure to verify the information about the one or more vehicles; and

the normally-closed switch component is configured to open and disconnect the source of electricity from at least one of the plug outlet devices responsive to the denial of service signal.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the normally-closed switch component is configured to cause the one or more vehicles to begin to draw current from the source of electricity through the one or more plug outlet devices when the one or more vehicles are plugged into the one or more plug outlet devices.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the coordinator element is separate from and proximally located to the one or more plug outlet devices, and the remote computer server is configured to aggregate at least some of the vehicle information for a particular vehicle and the information about the station, and transmit said aggregated information to one or more computing devices, wherein said aggregated information includes:

a first report showing vehicle energy usage for the particular vehicle over time for a particular date range;

a second report showing station energy usage that is related to a particular station at which the particular vehicle received charges;

a third report showing energy sources information including percentages of energy usage, and their sources, used to charge the particular vehicle; and

a fourth report including a geographic map having indicators at different locations, wherein the indicators indicate where the particular vehicle received a charge in relation to the different locations on the map,

wherein the aggregated information is accessible to an operator of the particular vehicle from the one or more computing devices.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the indicators of the fourth report further comprise different sizes of indicators corresponding to an amount of electricity used at a particular station.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the coordinator element is separate from and proximally located to the one or more plug outlet devices, and the remote computer server is configured to aggregate at least some of the vehicle information for a plurality of vehicles and the information about the station, and transmit said aggregated information to one or more computing devices, wherein said aggregated information includes:

a first report showing vehicle energy usage for a particular vehicle from among the plurality of vehicles over time for a particular date range;

a second report showing station energy usage that is related to the station at which all of the plurality of vehicles received charges over time for a particular date range;

a third report showing energy sources information including percentages of energy usage, and their sources, used to charge all of the plurality of vehicles at the station; and

a fourth report including a geographic map having indicators at different locations, wherein the indicators indicate where the plurality of vehicles received a charge in relation to the different locations on the map,

wherein the aggregated information is accessible to an owner of the station from the one or more computing devices.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the indicators of the fourth report further comprise different sizes of indicators corresponding to an amount of electricity used at a particular station.