Apparatus, method and article for authentication, security and control of portable charging devices and power storage devices, such as batteries

• US 9,854,438 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Inventors: Luke, Hok-Sum Horace, Chen, Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US14/017,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20140253021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 320106, 320107
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• 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

A network of collection, charging and distribution machines collect, charge and distribute portable electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors or ultracapacitors). To charge, the machines employ electrical current from an external source, such as the electrical grid or an electrical service of an installation location. Users may also use portable charging devices that authenticate portable electrical energy storage devices or are authenticated by portable electrical energy storage devices before the charging is allowed or enabled. This authentication may be via wired or wireless communication channels between the portable charging device and portable electrical energy storage device, such as via near field communication (NFC) channels.

Claims

1. A portable charging device security system of a portable charging device for charging a portable electrical energy storage device, comprising:

at least one controller; and

at least one communications module coupled to the at least one controller, wherein the at least one controller is configured to;

receive information regarding authentication of a portable electrical energy storage device to be charged by the portable charging device;

make a determination regarding allowing charging of the portable electrical energy storage device by the portable charging device based on the received information regarding authentication; and

record or communicate information regarding the charging to track usage of the portable charging device.

2. The portable charging device security system of claim 1 wherein the recording or communicating information regarding the charging to track usage of the portable charging device is based on the determination regarding allowing the charging of the portable electrical energy storage device based on the received information regarding authentication.

3. The portable charging device security system of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to allow the charging of the portable electrical energy storage device if the portable electrical energy storage device is authenticated based on the information regarding authentication.

4. The portable charging device security system of claim 3 wherein the allowing the charging of the portable electrical energy storage device includes sending a signal enabling the portable electrical energy storage device to be charged.

5. The portable charging device security system of claim 4, further comprising:

a switch coupled to at least one terminal of the portable charging device and to a power source of the portable charging device, the switch configured to be activated by a control signal generated by the controller of the portable charging device security system, wherein the controller is configured to;

send the signal in a manner enabling the portable electrical energy storage device to be charged, such that the control signal causes the switch to close to complete a circuit such as to allow electrical current to flow from the portable charging device causing the portable electrical energy storage device to charge if the portable electrical energy storage device is authenticated based on the information regarding authentication; and

upon the portable electrical energy storage device being disconnected from the portable charging device, send the signal in a manner preventing the portable charging device from providing a charge, such that the control signal causes the switch to break the circuit and prevent electrical current to flow from the portable charging device.

6. The portable charging device security system of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is configured to receive the information regarding authentication via a near field communication (NFC) wireless signal transmitted between the portable charging device and the portable electrical energy storage device.

7. The portable charging device security system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:

track usage of the portable charging device based on an amount of charge provided by the portable charging device or received by the portable electrical energy storage device.

8. The portable charging device security system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:

track usage of the of the portable charging device based on a user account associated with the portable charging device or the portable electrical energy storage device.

9. The portable charging device security system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:

communicate to an external device information regarding usage of the of the portable charging device to charge the portable electrical energy storage device.

10. The portable charging device security system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:

associate information regarding usage of the of the portable charging device with a user account associated with one or more of;

the portable charging device and the portable electrical energy storage device.

11. The portable charging device security system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding authentication of the portable electrical energy storage device is information regarding one or more of:

a vehicle associated with the portable electrical energy storage device and a user associated with the vehicle.

12. A portable charging device, comprising:

a power source; and

a security system operably coupled to the power source, the security system configured to;

receive information regarding authentication of a portable electrical energy storage device to be charged by the portable charging device over a near field communication signal; and

allow the portable charging device to provide, or prevent the portable charging device from providing, a charge to the portable electrical energy storage device based on the received information regarding authentication of the portable electrical energy storage device.

13. The portable charging device of claim 12, wherein the security system is further configured to determine how much energy to release, if any, from the portable charging device for charging the portable electrical energy storage device, based on a response received or lack of a response received to a request from the security system for information regarding authentication of the portable electrical energy storage device.

14. The portable charging device of claim 12, wherein the security system is further configured to send a control signal enabling the portable electrical energy storage device to accept a charge by the portable charging device based on the received information regarding authentication of the portable electrical energy storage device.