Systems and methods for delivering energy to an electric vehicle with parking fee collection

• US 9,030,153 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Littrell, Nathan Bowman
• Primary Examiner(s): Borlinghaus, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US12/341,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,332 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• 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 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/24 for parking meters
• 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

Abstract

A method for delivering energy to an electric vehicle includes coupling the electric vehicle to an energy delivery point, delivering energy to the electric vehicle, determining a parking cost, and determining transaction costs based on at least one of an amount of energy delivered to the electric vehicle and the parking cost.

Claims

1. A method for delivering energy to an electric vehicle, said method comprising:

coupling the electric vehicle to an energy delivery point that includes a first meter;

delivering energy to the electric vehicle;

taking a first measurement using the first meter, wherein the first measurement is an amount of energy delivered to the electric vehicle;

receiving, from the electric vehicle, a second measurement taken by a second meter at the electric vehicle, wherein the second measurement is an amount of energy received by the electric vehicle;

comparing the first measurement taken by the first meter with the second measurement taken by the second meter;

determining a parking cost associated with the electric vehicle; and

determining transaction costs based on the results of the comparison and based on at least one of an amount of energy delivered to the electric vehicle and the parking cost.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the energy delivery point, a unique identifier of the electric vehicle via one of a wireless connection and a wired connection.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising identifying an account associated with the electric vehicle based on the vehicle identifier.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, further comprising determining a balance of the account.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising deducting at least a portion of the transaction costs from the account balance.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein deducting at least a portion of the transaction costs comprises deducting from the account balance at least one of the parking cost and an energy cost based on the first measurement of the amount of the energy delivered to the electric vehicle.

7. A method in accordance with claim 3, further comprising billing at least a portion of the transaction costs to the account for payment at a later time.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising indicating a payment status on the energy delivery point.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising validating at least a portion of the transaction cost by determining a validator identifier, and adjusting the transaction cost based on the validator identifier.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising accepting an alternate form of payment at the energy delivery point, and applying the alternate form of payment to the transaction cost.

11. A system for providing energy delivery to an electric vehicle, said system comprising:

an energy delivery point configured to couple to the electric vehicle via a connector, said energy delivery point configured to;

deliver energy to the electric vehicle via said connector;

take a first measurement using a first meter, wherein the first measurement is an amount of energy delivered to the electric vehicle, and wherein the first meter is located at the energy delivery point;

receive, from the electric vehicle, a second measurement taken by a second meter at the electric vehicle, wherein the second measurement is an amount of energy received by the electric vehicle; and

compare the first measurement taken by the first meter with the second measurement taken by the second meter; and

a server sub-system coupled to said energy delivery point over a network, said server sub-system configured to determine a parking cost for the electric vehicle, and determine transaction costs based on the results of the comparison and based on at least one of an amount of energy delivered to the electric vehicle by said energy delivery point and the parking cost.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said energy delivery point is configured to receive a unique identifier from the electric vehicle via one of said connector and a wired connection, said server sub-system is configured to determine a balance of an account associated with the identifier.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said server system is configured to deduct at least a portion of the transaction costs from the account balance.

14. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said energy delivery point comprises an interface configured to display a payment status of the electric vehicle.

15. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said energy delivery point is configured to receive a validator identifier to facilitate adjusting the transaction costs.

16. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said energy delivery point is configured to receive an alternate form of payment to be applied to the transaction costs.

17. An energy delivery point for use with a system for delivering energy to an electric vehicle, said energy delivery point configured to:

couple to the electric vehicle via a connector;

receive a unique identifier from the electric vehicle to facilitate identifying a balance of an account associated with the identifier;

deliver energy to the electric vehicle via the connector;

take a first measurement using a first meter, wherein the first measurement is an amount of energy delivered to the electric vehicle, and wherein the first meter is located at the energy delivery point;

receive, from the electric vehicle, a second measurement taken by a second meter at the electric vehicle, wherein the second measurement is an amount of energy received by the electric vehicle;

compare the first measurement taken by the first meter with the second measurement taken by the second meter; and

display a transaction cost that is based on the results of the comparison and based on at least one of the amount of energy delivered to the electric vehicle and a parking cost.

18. An energy delivery point in accordance with claim 17, wherein said energy delivery point is further configured to display a payment status of the electric vehicle.

19. An energy delivery point in accordance with claim 17, wherein said energy delivery point is further configured to receive a validator identifier to facilitate adjusting the transaction cost.

20. An energy delivery point in accordance with claim 17, wherein said energy delivery point is further configured to receive an alternate form of payment to be applied to the transaction cost.