Systems and methods to provide access to a network

• US 8,635,269 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: LaFrance, Ryan Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US13/117,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/220, 455/67.11, 455/405, 705/17
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• 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 network access system for use with a charging station is provided. The network access system is configured to receive at least one signal representative of a network. The network access system is also configured to prompt a user for at least one input. Moreover, the network access system is configured to receive the input from the user, wherein the input includes a confirmation to receive access to the network. The network access system provides at least one unique identifier to the user to enable the user to receive access to the network within a distance from the charging station while a battery is being charged.

Claims

1. A network access system for use with a charging station, said network access system configured to:

receive at least one signal representative of a network;

receive notification that energy is being delivered from the charging station to a battery coupled within an electric vehicle;

prompt, based on the notification, a user for at least one input;

receive the at least one input from the user, wherein the at least one input includes a confirmation to receive access to the network;

provide at least one unique identifier to the user to enable the user to receive access to the network within a specified distance from the charging station; and

disable access to the network based on at least one of receiving notification that a charging status of the battery is complete and determining the user is outside the specified distance from the charging station.

2. A network access system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network is a wireless network that provides access to the interne.

3. A network access system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one unique identifier includes at least one of a username and a password.

4. A network access system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one signal representative of the network is a Wi-Fi signal.

5. A network access system in accordance with claim 1, further configured to receive at least one signal representative of the charging status of the battery.

6. A network access system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the network access system is configured to disable the user from receiving access to the network when the signal representative of the charging status of the battery indicates that the charging status is complete.

7. A network access system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network access system is further configured to disable the user from receiving access to the network based on a user command received from the user.

8. A charging station comprising:

an energy delivery device coupled to an energy source for selectively supplying energy to a battery coupled within an electric vehicle;

a network access system coupled to said energy delivery device, said network access system comprising at least one processor programmed to;

receive at least one signal representative of a network;

receive notification that energy is being delivered from said charging station to the battery;

prompt, based on the notification, a user for at least one input;

receive the at least one input from the user, wherein the at least one input includes a confirmation to receive access to the network;

provide at least one unique identifier to the user to enable the user to receive access to the network within a specified distance from said charging station; and

disable access to the network based on at least one of receiving notification that a charging status of the battery is complete and determining the user is outside the specified distance from the charging station.

9. A charging station in accordance with claim 8, wherein the network is a wireless network that provides access to the internet.

10. A charging station in accordance with claim 8, wherein the at least one unique identifier includes at least one of a username and a password.

11. A charging station in accordance with claim 10, wherein the at least one signal representative of the network is a Wi-Fi signal.

12. A charging station in accordance with claim 8, wherein said at least one processor is further programmed to receive at least one signal representative of a charging status of the battery.

13. A charging station in accordance with claim 8, wherein said at least one processor is programmed to disable the user from receiving access to the network when the signal representative of the charging status of the battery indicates that the charging status is complete.

14. A charging station in accordance with claim 8, wherein said at least one processor is further programmed to disable the user from receiving access to the network based on a user command received from the user.

15. A method for providing access to a network to a user of a charging station, said method comprising:

receiving at least one signal representative of a network;

receiving notification that energy is being delivered from the charging station to a battery coupled within an electric vehicle;

prompting, based on the notification, a user for at least one input;

receiving the at least one input from the user, wherein the at least one input includes a confirmation to receive access to the network;

providing at least one unique identifier to the user to enable the user to receive access to the network within a specified distance from the charging station; and

disabling access to the network based on at least one of receiving notification that a charging status of the battery is complete and determining the user is outside the specified distance from the charging station.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein receiving at least one signal further comprises receiving at least one signal representative of a wireless network that provides access to the internet.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein providing at least one unique identifier further comprises providing at least one of a username and a password.

18. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein receiving at least one signal further comprises receiving a Wi-Fi signal.

19. A method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising:

receiving at least one signal representative of a charging status of the battery,

disabling the user from receiving access to the network includes disabling the user from receiving access to the network when the signal representative of the charging status of the battery indicates that the charging status is complete.

20. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein disabling the user from receiving access to the network includes disabling the user from receiving access to the network based on a user command received from the user and at least one of receiving notification that a charging status of the battery is complete and determining the user is outside the specified distance from the charging station.