Combined parking meter and electric-vehicle battery charger with remote status receiver

• US 5,563,491 A
• Filed: 11/05/1993
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ling-Yuan Tseng
• Original Assignee: Ling-Yuan Tseng
• Inventors: Tseng, Ling-yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US08/148,756
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/48, 320/30, 340/932.2, 340/309.3, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/825.17, 340/825.44, 340/825.06, 340/825.15, 340/870.03, 235/381, 235/382, 194/216, 194/904
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• 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: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/00 Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
• 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 17/24 for parking meters
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 194/904 : Check-operated releaser for automobile service equipment

Abstract

A combined parking meter/battery charger station includes a detachable remote receiver to inform the vehicle operator of charge-level status and other information. Upon sufficient payment or credit, the remote receiver is released so that it may be carried away from the charging station. The receiver includes a visual or audible indicator which may keep the operator apprised of charge status, time remaining on the meter or account information. The audible alert may be used to indicate a full charge or to warn that little time is remaining, or other conditions. Communication from the station to the receiver may either be directly from the station or, alternatively, a station may communicate with a central office associated with a plurality of the stations and broadcast may be made therefrom.

Claims

1. In a combination parking meter and electric charging station for battery-powered vehicles, the improvement comprising:

a radio transmitter associated with the parking meter/charging station for broadcasting status information; and

a portable radio receiver adapted to receive a broadcast from the transmitter, which a user of a vehicle parked at the parking meter/charging station may carry to a remote location and be appraised of the status information, the status information including;

a) current charge level of the vehicle'"'"'s battery,

b) time remaining on the parking meter and

c) expenses incurred on the parking meter/charging station, including time and energy consumption,

and wherein;

the receiver includes an identifying code used by the transmitter to ensure reception of status information concerning only the parking meter/charging station with which that particular receiver is associated, and

the status information is communicated by the parking/meter charging station to the radio transmitter via a hardwired connection for subseauent broadcast.

2. A combined parking meter/battery charging station for electric vehicles, comprising:

a stand, including a base, an upright member attached to the base, and a head unit mounted on the upright member;

means to route power to the stand;

means supported on the head unit to accept a payment;

an operator interface supported on the head unit to receive commands;

a remote radio receiver, detachable from the head unit, to receive broadcast status information relating to the electric vehicle;

means to deliver power from the stand to an electric vehicle parked at the stand in order to recharge a battery disposed within the electric vehicle;

power-control means disposed in the power path;

a transmitter operative to transmit the status information to the remote radio receiver;

electronics in operative communication with the operator interface, the means supported on the head unit to accept a payment, the power-control means and the transmitter, whereby an operator may enter options relating to parking time, charging level, and funds, the electronics causing the transmitter to broadcast the status information to the remote radio receiver,

wherein the transmitter is disposed at a location remote from the stand, the stand is connected to a standard telephone line, and the stand communicates status information to the transmitter for subsequent broadcast by way of the telephone line.

3. The combined parking meter/battery charging station of claim 2, wherein the means to deliver power from the stand is a non-contact type of charging system.

4. The combined parking meter/battery charging station of claim 2, wherein duplicate facilities are supported on the head unit and duplicate power delivery and control means are provided by the combined parking meter/battery charging station so that one stand can accommodate two vehicles parked at the stand.

5. The combined parking meter/battery charging station of claim 2, wherein the remote receiver includes rechargeable batteries and the station further comprises a recharger for the batteries in the remote receiver when the remote receiver is not detached from the head unit.

7. The combined parking meter/charging station of claim 2 further comprising means to terminate power delivered to a vehicle in the event that the user is not authorized to operate the station.

6. A system for recharging electric vehicles, comprising:

a power-distribution facility;

a plurality of combined parking meter/battery charging stations, each configured to receive power from the power-distribution facility, each station including features to accommodate two vehicles parked at the station, the features including;

two detachable remote radio receivers, one for each vehicle;

a transmitter operative to transmit status information to at least both the remote radio receivers;

a common power-control unit in an electrical power path with the power distribution facility operative to route power to either of the vehicles on an independent basis;

payment acceptance means shareable by users of either vehicle;

an operator interface, including a keypad and a display, shareable by users of either vehicle;

electronics in operative communication with the operator interface, the payment acceptance means, the power-control unit and the transmitter, whereby a user of either vehicle may enter options relating to parking time, charging level, and available monetary funds, the electronics causing the transmitter to broadcast status information relating to a particular vehicle to the remote radio receiver associated with that vehicle.