Electric vehicle charging station parking meter systems

• US 8,710,798 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volta Charging, LLC (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Optimization Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Turner, Dexter
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US13/070,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20110213656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/30 by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• 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 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 : dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• 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 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 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: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems relating to electric vehicle charging stations (“EVCS s”) or electric vehicle supply equipment (“EVSE”) that are configured to provide parking meter functionality. Embodiments of the disclosed technology can be used to improve the basic process of connecting an electric vehicle to the power grid with an EVCS/EVSE for charging purposes by also providing a means of parking access control for vehicles parked near the EVCS/EVSE in spaces managed by the EVCS/EVSE. The parking meter system enables installers and/or operators of EVCSs/EVSE to reduce equipment costs by eliminating the need to have separate parking meters in addition to EVCS/EVSE. This can potentially lead to an increase in the number of EVCSs/EVSE that are installed and in the speed with which these EVCSs/EVSE are installed.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electric vehicle charging station (“

EVCS”

) or electric vehicle supply equipment (“

EVSE”

), comprising;

with computing hardware at the EVCS or EVSE,

receiving an indication at the EVCS or EVSE of a parking space at which a user of the EVCS or EVSE desires to park;

determining if the parking space indicated by the user is associated with an electric vehicle charging port;

if the parking space indicated by the user is associated with an electric vehicle charging port,

determining whether the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE, and

if the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE, controlling a charging operation that provides an electric charge via the electric vehicle charging port; and

if the parking space indicated by the user is not associated with an electric vehicle charging port,

determining whether the user is authorized to use the parking space not associated with the electric vehicle charging port, and

providing the user with an indication that the user is authorized to use the parking space not associated with the electric vehicle charging port.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the indication of the parking space at which the user of the EVCS or EVSE desires to park via a touch screen interface associated with a display device of the EVCS or EVSE.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises displaying graphical depictions of parking spaces managed by the EVCS or EVSE on a display device of the EVCS or EVSE, and

wherein the receiving comprises receiving data indicating user interaction with one of the graphical depictions via a touch screen interface associated with the display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE comprises:

receiving account information from the user;

accessing user data stored locally at the EVCS or EVSE; and

determining that the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE by using the account information to identify the user as an authorized user from the user data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE comprises:

receiving account information from the user;

transmitting at least a portion of the account information to a remote server; and

receiving a response from the remote server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the account information is either credit card account information or account information indicating that the user is a member of a network of authorized users.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the user is authorized to use the parking space comprises:

receiving an indication of a period for which the user desires to park;

receiving account information from the user;

accessing user data stored locally at the EVCS or EVSE; and

determining that the user is authorized to use the parking space by using the account information and the indication of the period to identify the user as an authorized user from the user data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the user is authorized to use the parking space comprises:

receiving an indication of a period for which the user desires to park;

receiving account information from the user;

determining a cost for parking for the desired period using locally stored parking rate information; and

transmitting the cost for parking and at least a portion of the account information to a remote server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the account information is either credit card account information or account information indicating that the user is a member of a network of authorized users.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the user with the indication that the user is authorized to use the parking space comprises printing a receipt at the EVCS or EVSE, the receipt indicating that the user is authorized to use the parking space for the desired period.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the charging operation comprises:

receiving account information from the user;

detecting an unplug event at the parking space;

determining a time of the unplug event;

computing a cost for parking and charging at the parking space based at least in part on the time of the unplug event; and

transmitting the cost for parking and charging at the parking space and at least a portion of the account information to a remote server.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying one or more advertisements on a display device of the EVCS or EVSE as the EVCS or EVSE awaits user interaction.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving payment method information from the user;

selecting one or more targeted advertisements for display on a display device of the EVCS or EVSE, the one or more targeted advertisements being selected based at least in part on the payment method information; and

displaying the one or more targeted advertisements on the display device of the EVCS or EVSE.

14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by the computer processor cause the computer processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an indication at an electric vehicle charging station (“

EVCS”

) or electric vehicle supply equipment (“

EVSE”

) of a parking space at which a user of the EVCS or EVSE desires to park;

determining if the parking space indicated by the user is associated with an electric vehicle charging port;

if the parking space indicated by the user is associated with an electric vehicle charging port,

determining whether the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE, and

if the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE, controlling a charging operation that provides an electric charge via the electric vehicle charging port; and

if the parking space indicated by the user is not associated with an electric vehicle charging port,

determining whether the user is authorized to use the parking space not associated with the electric vehicle charging port, and

providing the user with an indication that the user is authorized to use the parking space not associated with the electric vehicle charging port.

40. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the indication of the parking space at which the user of the EVCS or EVSE desires to park via a touch screen interface associated with a display device of the EVCS or EVSE.

41. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises displaying graphical depictions of parking spaces managed by the EVCS or EVSE on a display device of the EVCS or EVSE, and

wherein the receiving comprises receiving data indicating user interaction with one of the graphical depictions via a touch screen interface associated with the display device.

42. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the determining whether the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE comprises:

receiving account information from the user;

accessing user data stored locally at the EVCS or EVSE; and

determining that the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE by using the account information to identify the user as an authorized user from the user data.

43. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the determining whether the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE comprises:

receiving account information from the user;

transmitting at least a portion of the account information to a remote server; and

receiving a response from the remote server.

44. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the account information is either credit card account information or account information indicating that the user is a member of a network of authorized users.

45. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the determining whether the user is authorized to use the parking space comprises:

receiving an indication of a period for which the user desires to park;

receiving account information from the user;

accessing user data stored locally at the EVCS or EVSE; and

determining that the user is authorized to use the parking space by using the account information and the indication of the period to identify the user as an authorized user from the user data.

46. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the determining whether the user is authorized to use the parking space comprises:

receiving an indication of a period for which the user desires to park;

receiving account information from the user;

determining a cost for parking for the desired period using locally stored parking rate information; and

transmitting the cost for parking and at least a portion of the account information to a remote server.

47. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 46, wherein the account information is either credit card account information or account information indicating that the user is a member of a network of authorized users.

48. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the providing the user with the indication that the user is authorized to use the parking space comprises printing a receipt at the EVCS or EVSE, the receipt indicating that the user is authorized to use the parking space for the desired period.

49. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the controlling the charging operation comprises:

receiving account information from the user;

detecting an unplug event at the parking space;

determining a time of the unplug event;

computing a cost for parking and charging at the parking space based at least in part on the time of the unplug event; and

transmitting the cost for parking and charging at the parking space and at least a portion of the account information to a remote server.

50. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, further comprising displaying one or more advertisements on a display device of the EVCS or EVSE as the EVCS or EVSE awaits user interaction.

51. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving payment method information from the user;

selecting one or more targeted advertisements for display on a display device of the EVCS or EVSE, the one or more targeted advertisements being selected based at least in part on the payment method information; and

displaying the one or more targeted advertisements on the display device of the EVCS or EVSE.

15. An EVCS or EVSE configured to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an indication at the EVCS or EVSE of a parking space at which a user of the EVCS or EVSE desires to park;

determining if the parking space indicated by the user is associated with an electric vehicle charging port;

if the parking space indicated by the user is associated with an electric vehicle charging port,

determining whether the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE, and

if the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE, controlling a charging operation that provides an electric charge via the electric vehicle charging port; and

if the parking space indicated by the user is not associated with an electric vehicle charging port,

determining whether the user is authorized to use the parking space not associated with the electric vehicle charging port, and

providing the user with an indication that the user is authorized to use the parking space not associated with the electric vehicle charging port.

16. An electric vehicle charging station (“

EVCS”

) or electric vehicle supply equipment (“

EVSE”

) comprising;

a charging port configured to be coupled to an electric vehicle and to charge one or more batteries of the electric vehicle;

a display device;

a computer processor; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by the computer processor cause the display device to;

display an interactive parking space selection screen by which an available parking space not associated with any charging port is selectable;

display an interactive parking duration selection screen by which a duration for parking in the available parking space not associated with any charging port is selectable;

display an interactive authorization selection screen by which a method for authorizing the parking in the available parking space not associated with any charging port is selectable; and

display an authorization accepted screen indicating that parking in the available parking space not associated with any charging port is authorized.

17. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 16, wherein the display device comprises a touch screen interface.

18. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 16, wherein the interactive parking space selection screen includes graphical depictions of a plurality of available parking spaces, at least some of the graphical depictions indicating that an associated parking space has a respective charging port for charging an electric vehicle.

19. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, cause the interactive authorization selection screen to request an authorization method from a user from among a plurality of possible authorization methods.

20. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 19, wherein the possible authorization methods comprise at least a credit card authorization and a network membership authorization.

21. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor,

cause transmission of user identification information to a remote server;

and

process data received from the remote server in response to the transmission, the data received being indicative of whether parking in the available parking space is authorized.

22. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 21, wherein the EVCS or EVSE further comprises a printer, and

wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, cause the printer to print a receipt indicating that parking at the available parking space is authorized for the duration selected by a user.

23. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 21, wherein the user identification information is credit card information for a user, and

wherein the data received from the remote server indicates that a credit card charge for the user has been authorized by the remote server.

24. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 21, wherein the data received from the remote server indicates that a user is a member of a network of authorized users, and

wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, cause transmission of the duration for parking selected by the user.

25. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, cause one or more advertisements to be displayed on the display device.

26. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 25, wherein the advertisements are selected advertisements targeting a user of the EVCS or EVSE based on information received from the user from the interactive authorization selection screen.

27. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, cause the display device to display an interactive receipt request screen by which a receipt for the parking in the available parking space is requestable.

28. The EVCS or EVSE of claim 27, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the computer processor, cause the receipt for the parking in the available parking space to be emailed to the user upon request.

29. A method, comprising:

with computing hardware,

receiving user account data from an electric vehicle charging station (“

EVCS”

) or from electric vehicle supply equipment (“

EVSE”

) in a system of EVCSs or EVSE;

accessing a user database;

based on at least a portion of the account information, determining from the user database that a user associated with the account information is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE;

transmitting authorization data to the EVCS or EVSE, the authorization data indicating that the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE;

receiving from the EVCS or EVSE an indication of a parking fee to be charged to the user; and

updating the user database to account for the parking fee.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

with the computing hardware,

receiving from the EVCS or EVSE an indication of energy used by the user at the EVCS or EVSE;

computing an electric vehicle charging fee based at least in part on the indication of energy used by the user; and

updating the user database to account for the electric vehicle charging fee.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

with the computing hardware,

receiving from the EVCS or EVSE an indication of an electric vehicle charging fee to be charged to the user; and

updating the user database to account for the electric vehicle charging fee.

32. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by the computer processor cause the computer processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving user account data from an electric vehicle charging station (“

EVCS”

) or from electric vehicle supply equipment (“

EVSE”

) in a system of EVCSs or EVSE;

accessing a user database;

based on at least a portion of the account information, determining from the user database that a user associated with the account information is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE;

transmitting authorization data to the EVCS or EVSE, the authorization data indicating that the user is authorized to use the EVCS or EVSE;

receiving from the EVCS or EVSE an indication of a parking fee to be charged to the user; and

updating the user database to account for the parking fee.

52. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the EVCS or EVSE an indication of energy used by the user at the EVCS or EVSE;

computing an electric vehicle charging fee based at least in part on the indication of energy used by the user; and

updating the user database to account for the electric vehicle charging fee.

53. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the EVCS or EVSE an indication of an electric vehicle charging fee to be charged to the user; and

updating the user database to account for the electric vehicle charging fee.

33. A method, comprising:

with computing hardware,

receiving user account data from an electric vehicle charging station (“

EVCS”

) or from electric vehicle supply equipment (“

EVSE”

) in a system of EVCSs or EVSE;

accessing a user database;

based on at least a portion of the account information, determining from the user database that a user associated with the account information is authorized to park at a parking space managed by the EVCS or EVSE and not associated with any charging port in the system of EVCs or EVSE;

transmitting authorization data to the EVCS or EVSE, the authorization data indicating that the user is authorized to park at the parking space managed by the EVCS or EVSE and not associated with any charging port in the system of EVCs or EVSE.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

with the computing hardware,

receiving from the EVCS or EVSE an indication of a parking fee to be charged to the user; and

updating the user database to account for the parking fee.

35. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by the computer processor cause the computer processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving user account data from an electric vehicle charging station (“

EVCS”

) or from electric vehicle supply equipment (“

EVSE”

) in a system of EVCSs or EVSE;

accessing a user database;

based on at least a portion of the account information, determining from the user database that a user associated with the account information is authorized to park at a parking space managed by the EVCS or EVSE and not associated with any charging port in the system of EVCs or EVSE;

transmitting authorization data to the EVCS or EVSE, the authorization data indicating that the user is authorized to park at the parking space managed by the EVCS or EVSE and not associated with any charging port in the system of EVCs or EVSE.

54. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the EVCS or EVSE an indication of a parking fee to be charged to the user; and

updating the user database to account for the parking fee.

36. A method, comprising:

using computing hardware,

receiving parking rate data from a user, the parking rate data comprising one or more parking rates to be charged by one or more electric vehicle charging stations (“

EVCSs”

) or instances of electric vehicle supply equipment (“

EVSE”

) in a system of EVCSs or EVSE, the one or more parking rates including a rate for parking at a parking space not associated with an electric vehicle charging port; and

causing the parking rate data to be transmitted to the one or more EVCS or instances of EVSE.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the one or more EVCS or instances of EVSE are a subset of the EVCSs or EVSE in the system of EVCSs or EVSE.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the parking rate data further comprises identification data for identifying one or more EVCSs or instances of EVSE which are to use the one or more parking rates.

39. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by the computer processor cause the computer processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving parking rate data from a user, the parking rate data comprising one or more parking rates to be charged by one or more electric vehicle charging stations (“

EVCSs”

) or instances of electric vehicle supply equipment (“

EVSE”

) in a system of EVCSs or EVSE, the one or more parking rates including a rate for parking at a parking space not associated with an electric vehicle charging port; and

causing the parking rate data to be transmitted to the one or more EVCS or instances of EVSE.