COLLECTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE POWER CONSUMPTION TAX

• US 20090177580A1
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chargepoint, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Chargepoint, Inc.
• Inventors: Lowenthal, Richard W., Mandal, Praveen, Bhade, Harjinder, Baxter, Dave
• Application Number:
  US12/335,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20090177580A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/627 by WLAN
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• 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 53/665 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 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/08 with means for varying the tariff or changing the price
• 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: G07F 17/246 provided with vehicle proximity-detectors detecting hidden masses, e.g. metal detectors, G01V, e.g. G01V3/00; proximity switches per se H03K17/00; traffic control systems G08G1/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 : Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation

Abstract

A method of collecting electric vehicle power consumption tax for charge transferred between a local power source and an electric vehicle comprises: providing a network-controlled charge transfer device, charge transfer being controlled by a controller, the controller being connected to a network for communication to a server; requesting by an operator of the electric vehicle to the controller for charge transfer; relaying the request from the controller to the server; determining by the server, from geographical tax rate data and the geographical location of the network-controlled charge transfer device, an applicable tax rate on the charge transfer; enabling charge transfer by communicating from the server to the controller to activate the control device; monitoring the charge transfer using a current measuring device, the controller being configured to monitor the output from the current measuring device and to maintain a running total of charge transferred; detecting completion of the charge transfer; and on detecting completion, processing payment with said payment source, which may include deducting the cost of charge transfer from a subscriber account containing pre-transferred funds, and disabling charge transfer; wherein the request for payment includes the electric vehicle power consumption tax.

Claims

1. A method of collecting electric vehicle power consumption tax for charge transferred between a local power source and an electric vehicle, comprising:

assembling a user profile, said user profile containing payment information, said user profile being stored on a server;

providing a network-controlled charge transfer device, said device being connected to said local power source by an electric power line, charge transfer along said electric power line being controlled by a controller configured to operate a control device on said electric power line, said controller being connected to a network for communication to said server;

requesting, by an operator of said electric vehicle, to said controller for charge transfer;

relaying said request from said controller to said server;

validating, by said server, a payment source for said operator of said electric vehicle based on said user profile corresponding to said operator;

determining by said server, from geographical tax rate data and the geographical location of said network-controlled charge transfer device, an applicable tax rate on said charge transfer;

enabling charge transfer by communicating from said server to said controller to activate said control device;

monitoring said charge transfer using a current measuring device on said electric power line, said controller being configured to monitor the output from said current measuring device and to maintain a running total of charge transferred;

detecting completion of said charge transfer; and

on detecting completion, processing payment with said payment source and disabling charge transfer;

wherein said payment includes said electric vehicle power consumption tax.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising recording on said server the total charge transferred to said electric vehicle.

3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising:

generating a report of power consumed for tax authorities;

wherein the record of said total charge transferred is available for generating said report.

4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising storing on said server data identifying the geographical location of said network-controlled charge transfer device.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising sending, by said controller to said server, data identifying the geographical location of said network-controlled charge transfer device.

6. A method as in claim 1, further comprising receiving, at said server, geographical tax rate data from tax authorities.

7. A method as in claim 1, further comprising storing, in said user profile, a preference for a source of energy.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said source of energy is selected from the group consisting of solar, wind, wave, tidal and hydroelectric.

9. A method as in claim 7, further comprising receiving, at said server, tax incentive data from tax authorities.

10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising determining by said server, from said tax incentive data and said source of energy, whether a tax incentive applies to said charge transfer.

11. A method as in claim 1, further comprising storing, in said user profile, a tax status, said tax status indicating eligibility for tax relief.

12. A method as in claim 11, further comprising receiving, at said server, tax relief data from tax authorities.

13. A method as in claim 12, further comprising determining by said server, from said tax relief data and said tax status, whether tax relief applies to said charge transfer.

14. A method as in claim 1, further comprising storing, in said user profile, an instruction to exchange carbon offsets.

15. A method as in claim 1, wherein said vehicle operator uses a mobile communication device to request to said controller for charge transfer.

16. A method as in claim 1, wherein said wide area network is the Internet.

17. A method as in claim 1, wherein said user profile is assembled from information provided by a vehicle operator over the Internet.

18. A method of collecting electric vehicle power consumption tax for charge transferred between a local power source and an electric vehicle, comprising:

assembling a user profile, said user profile containing payment information, said user profile being stored on a server;

providing a network-controlled charge transfer device, said device being connected to said local power source by an electric power line, charge transfer along said electric power line being controlled by a controller configured to operate a control device on said electric power line;

receiving a request to a remote payment station for charge transfer, said request being made by an operator of said electric vehicle, said remote payment station being connected to an alternating current line transceiver, said alternating current line transceiver being configured to connect said remote payment station to a power line communication network for access to said controller;

relaying said request from said remote payment station to said server, said remote payment station comprising a data control unit for communication to said server via a wide area network;

validating a payment source for said operator of said electric vehicle based on said user profile corresponding to said operator;

determining by said server, from geographical tax rate data and the geographical location of said remote payment station, an applicable tax rate on said charge transfer;

communicating successful validation of payment from said server to said remote payment station;

enabling charge transfer by communicating from said remote payment station to said controller to activate said control device;

monitoring said charge transfer using a current measuring device on said electric power line, said controller being configured to monitor the output from said current measuring device and to maintain a running total of charge transferred;

detecting completion of said charge transfer; and

on detecting completion, processing payment with said payment source and disabling charge transfer;

wherein said payment includes said electric vehicle power consumption tax.

19. A method as in claim 18, further comprising storing, on said server, data identifying the geographical location of said remote payment station.

20. A method as in claim 18, further comprising sending, by said remote payment station to said server, data identifying the geographical location of said remote payment station.

21. A method as in claim 18, further comprising receiving at said server geographical tax rate data from tax authorities.

22. A method of collecting electric vehicle power consumption tax for charge transferred between a local power source and an electric vehicle, comprising:

providing a network-controlled charge transfer device, said device being connected to said local power source by an electric power line, charge transfer along said electric power line being controlled by a controller configured to operate a control device on said electric power line, said controller being connected to a network for communication to a server;

requesting, by an operator of said electric vehicle, to said controller for charge transfer, said request including payment information;

relaying said request from said controller to said server;

validating, by said server, a payment source for said operator of said electric vehicle based on said payment information;

determining by said server, from geographical tax rate data and the geographical location of said network-controlled charge transfer device, an applicable tax rate on said charge transfer;

enabling charge transfer by communicating from said server to said controller to activate said control device;

monitoring said charge transfer using a current measuring device on said electric power line, said controller being configured to monitor the output from said current measuring device and to maintain a running total of charge transferred;

detecting completion of said charge transfer; and

on detecting completion, processing payment with said payment source and disabling charge transfer;

wherein said payment includes said electric vehicle power consumption tax.

23. A method as in claim 22, further comprising storing on said server data identifying the geographical location of said electrical receptacle.

24. A method as in claim 22, further comprising sending by said controller to said server, data identifying the geographical location of said network-controlled charge transfer device.