Automatic authentication for service access for fueling of vehicles

• US 8,967,466 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powertree Services Inc.
• Original Assignee: Powertree Services Inc.
• Inventors: Reineccius, Stacey, Gobar, Franklin, Sellers, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US13/827,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20140191030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 235381-384, 235/375, 235/380, 235/451, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• 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

Systems, methods, and devices for refueling a vehicle are discussed herein. According to one embodiment, a vehicle charging station includes a power distribution interface, a receiver component, and an authorization component. The power distribution interface is configured to electrically couple with and provide electrical power to a power receiving interface of a vehicle. The power distribution interface includes a power cable extending from the vehicle charging station and the power cable includes an outlet plug. The receiver component is located within the power cable and is configured to receive identification information that uniquely identifies the vehicle from an identification component of the vehicle. The receiver component is positioned to align with the identification component to allow electrical communication between the identification component and the receiver component when the power receiving interface is electrically coupled to the power distribution interface. The authorization component is configured to allow flow of electrical power to the vehicle in response to authorization based on the received identification information.

Claims

1. A vehicle charging station comprising:

a power distribution interface for electrically coupling with and providing electrical power to a power receiving interface of a vehicle, the power distribution interface comprising a power cable extending from the vehicle charging station, the power cable comprising an outlet plug;

a receiver component within the power cable for receiving identification information from an identification component of the vehicle, the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle, wherein the receiver component is positioned to align with the identification component to allow electrical communication between the identification component and the receiver component when the power receiving interface is electrically coupled to the power distribution interface; and

an authorization component configured to determine whether the vehicle is specifically authorized for refueling based on the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle, wherein the authorization component determines that the vehicle is specifically authorized based on determining that the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle corresponds to an entry in a list of preauthorized vehicles stored at the vehicle charging station, and wherein the authorization component is further configured to allow flow of electrical power to the vehicle in response to authorization based on the received identification information without initiating a payment transaction;

wherein the authorization component is further configured to maintain the list of preauthorized vehicles at the vehicle charging station.

2. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the outlet plug complies with a vehicle recharging standard.

3. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the receiver component comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader and wherein the receiver component receives the identification information from the identification component comprising an RFID tag.

4. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the receiver component receives the identification information in response to providing a valid passcode.

5. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the receiver component is positioned to align with the identification component of the vehicle when the power distribution interface is electrically coupled to the power receiving interface, wherein alignment of the receiver component with the identification component allows electrical communication between the identification component and the receiver component.

6. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, further comprising an indicator light for indicating one or more of a charge status and an authorization status for the vehicle.

7. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the authorization component is configured to determine whether the vehicle is specifically authorized without authorizing with a remote device or server.

8. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, further comprising an authorization update component configured to update the list of preauthorized vehicles on an update period, wherein the update period is greater than or equal to about an hour.

9. A vehicle fueling interface comprising:

a fuel receiving interface integrated with a body of a vehicle for coupling with and receiving fuel from a distribution interface of a fuel distribution station, wherein the fuel receiving interface comprises a power receiving interface and the distribution interface comprises a power distribution interface, wherein the power receiving interface comprises a vehicle inlet comprising a plurality of conductors configured to mate with an outlet plug of the distribution interface, and wherein receiving fuel comprises receiving electrical energy from the power distribution interface; and

an identification component on the fuel receiving interface for providing identification information to the fuel distribution station, the identification information uniquely identifying a vehicle, wherein the identification component is permanently affixed to the vehicle and wherein the identification component is not removable from the vehicle without damaging the identification component, wherein the identification component comprises a tag storing the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle, and wherein the tag is mounted on the vehicle inlet between two or more conductors of the plurality conductors.

10. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 9, wherein the identification component self destructs in response to removal from the vehicle.

11. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 10, wherein the identification component self destructing comprises mechanically destroying the identification component.

12. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 10, wherein the identification component self destructing comprises electronically destroying the identification information.

13. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 9, wherein the identification component comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

14. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 9, wherein the vehicle inlet complies with a society of automotive engineers (SAE) J1772 standard.

15. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 9, wherein the vehicle inlet is located on a body of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 9, wherein the outlet plug is on a power cable extending from the fuel distribution station, the outlet plug configured to mate with the vehicle inlet.

17. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 9, wherein the identification component comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

18. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 17, wherein the RFID tag is configured to provide the identification information in response to receiving a valid passcode.

19. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 17, wherein the RFID tag is mounted on the vehicle inlet and is not removable from the vehicle inlet without damaging the RFID tag.

20. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 19, wherein the RFID tag self destructs in response to removal from the vehicle inlet.

21. The vehicle fueling interface of claim 9, wherein the identification component is positioned to align with a receiver component of the fuel distribution station when the power receiving interface is electrically coupled to the power distribution interface, wherein alignment of the identification component with the receiver component allows electrical communication between the identification component and the receiver component.

22. A system comprising:

a vehicle charging station comprising,

a power distribution interface for electrically coupling with and providing electrical power to a vehicle, the power distribution interface comprising a power cable extending from the vehicle charging station, the power cable comprising an outlet plug, and

a receiver component within the power cable for receiving identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle

an authorization component configured to determine whether the vehicle is specifically authorized for refueling based on the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle, wherein the authorization component determines that the vehicle is specifically authorized based on determining that the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle corresponds to an entry in a list of preauthorized vehicles stored at the vehicle charging station, and wherein the authorization component is further configured to allow flow of electrical power to the vehicle in response to authorization based on the received identification information without initiating a payment transaction;

wherein the authorization component is further configured to maintain the list of preauthorized vehicles at the vehicle charging station; and

a vehicle charging interface comprising,

a power receiving interface integrated with a body of the vehicle for coupling with and receiving electrical power from the power distribution interface to charge the vehicle; and

an identification component on the power receiving interface for providing the identification information to the vehicle recharging station, the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle, wherein the identification component is permanently affixed to the vehicle and wherein the identification component is not removable from the vehicle without damaging the identification component;

wherein the identification component and the receiver component are communicatively aligned when the power distribution interface and fuel receiving interface are coupled.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the receiver component receives the identification information in response to coupling of the distribution interface and the fuel receiving interface.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the power distribution interface comprises an outlet plug attached to the vehicle distribution station via a power cable and the power receiving interface comprises a vehicle inlet on the body of the vehicle.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the outlet plug and power cable comply with a society of automotive engineers (SAE) J1772 standard.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the vehicle inlet complies with a society of automotive engineers (SAE) J1772 standard.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the outlet plug comprises an indicator light, the indicator light indicating one or more of an authorization status of the vehicle and a charging status of the vehicle.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the receiver component comprises an RFID reader.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the RFID reader comprises an antenna located to align with an RFID tag.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein at least a portion of the RFID reader is embedded in the outlet plug.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the distribution interface comprises a first wireless power coupling and the fuel receiving interface comprises a second wireless power coupling wherein the first and second wireless power couplings wirelessly electrically couple to charge the vehicle.

32. The system of claim 22, further comprising a flow component for selectively allowing flow of electricity between the vehicle charging station and the vehicle charging interface in response to receiving a signal indicating authorization for the vehicle.

33. A system comprising:

a vehicle charging station comprising,

a power distribution interface, and

a receiver component configured to receive identification information uniquely identifying a vehicle; and

a vehicle charging interface comprising,

a power receiving interface for electrically coupling with and receiving electrical power from the power distribution interface to charge the vehicle, wherein the power receiving interface comprises a vehicle inlet comprising a plurality of conductors configured to mate with an outlet plug of the power distribution interface, and

an identification component configured to provide the identification information to the vehicle charging station, wherein the identification component is permanently affixed to the vehicle, wherein the identification component comprises a tag storing the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle, and wherein the tag is mounted on the vehicle inlet between two or more conductors of the plurality of conductors;

wherein the identification component and the receiver component are communicatively aligned when the power distribution interface and power receiving interface are electrically coupled.

34. A method for providing a refueling subscription comprising:

determining a maximum amount of electrical charge a vehicle can consume within a subscription time period, the maximum amount determined based on an energy usage rate, an amount of energy storage, and a charge rate for recharging the vehicle;

providing identification information for the vehicle in an identification component permanently affixed to the vehicle; and

allowing unlimited fueling at a fuel distribution station for the subscription time period in response to the fuel distribution station receiving the identification information, wherein allowing unlimited fueling comprises allowing based on a determination that the vehicle is specifically authorized for refueling based on the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle, wherein determining comprises determining that the identification information corresponds to an entry in a list of preauthorized vehicles stored at the fuel distribution station, and wherein allowing fueling comprises allowing fueling without initiating a payment transaction.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising affixing the identification component to the vehicle, the identification component comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein allowing unlimited fueling comprises maintaining identification corresponding to the vehicle on the list of preauthorized vehicles during the subscription time period locally to the fuel distribution station.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising updating on an update period the list of preauthorized vehicles at the fuel distribution station.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the update period is greater than or equal to about an hour.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the update period is greater than or equal to about a day.