METHOD FOR OPERATING A BOOKING SYSTEM FOR A CHARGING STATION FOR AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a booking system for a charging station for an electric vehicle, in particular a method for a network server for operating such a booking system. The invention further relates to a network server configured to carry out the method according to the invention.

[0002] Electric vehicles still have a shorter range compared to conventional vehicles with combustion engines. At the same time, the energy required to recharge an electric vehicle at a charging station is significantly higher than the time needed to refuel with gasoline or diesel. For this reason, reliable charging planning is crucial for electric vehicle users.

[0003] Therefore, it is already known from the state of the art to use booking or reservation systems for charging columns or charging stations of an electric vehicle in order to coordinate the charging processes of a large number of users.

[0004] For example, US 2013 / 0151293 A1 describes a procedure for coordinating reservations for an electric vehicle charging station, according to which, in response to a booking request received from a first user, a time slot corresponding to the request is booked for the first user. At least for the first part of the time slot, energy delivery is blocked for other users who are not the first user.

[0005] WO 2014 / 118852 A1 discloses a method for a server to manage reservations of a charging station, whereby a vehicle ID contained in a reservation is compared with a vehicle ID in a charging request, a charging process is authorized if the IDs match, and prevented if the IDs do not match. Blocking of the charging station by another vehicle is not addressed in this document.

[0006] In principle, such booking systems are suitable for increasing the likelihood that a planned charging session will actually take place. In practice, however, it can happen that the booked charging station is blocked, for example by another vehicle, and therefore the planned charging session cannot be carried out.

[0007] US Patent 10,169,783 B2 also describes a reservation system for a charging station in which a user who has booked a time slot for a charging session and paid in advance receives authentication information to begin the charging process. According to a preferred embodiment, location information from vehicles is further used to determine available or already occupied charging stations in the vicinity.

[0008] While this method allows users to be informed in advance about the occupancy of a charging station, it can still happen that a user cannot use a pre-paid booking. This is a significant disadvantage of existing booking systems, which is detrimental to the acceptance of electric vehicles.

[0009] US 10,217,160 B2 describes a method for providing payment options to a user of an electric vehicle charging station. According to a preferred implementation, a parking space belonging to a charging station is blocked when the charging station is booked by a user. This is to be achieved, for example, by mechanical barriers. However, such equipment for charging stations is expensive and may not be permissible.

[0010] To increase the acceptance of electric vehicles, users should therefore be given at least one form of compensation if a paid booking cannot be made. This could be achieved, for example, by allowing users to report a blocked charging station and receive a refund of the booking costs.

[0011] Currently, there is no known reliable and automated method for reporting a user blocking a charging station. In principle, it is possible to take a photo of the immediate area and send it to customer service. Furthermore, a small number of existing charging stations are equipped with sensors designed to detect blockages in the immediate vicinity.

[0012] However, existing technologies for reporting a blocked charging station are disadvantageous for several reasons. For example, taking a photograph of the blockage is problematic from a data protection perspective. Furthermore, analyzing a photograph to determine whether a charging station is actually blocked is difficult to automate. While using additional sensors in the charging station is generally suitable for detecting a blockage, it involves additional costs and is susceptible to defects and vandalism.

[0013] The invention is therefore based on the objective of enriching the state of the art and providing an automated method for detecting and reporting charging station blockages in connection with booking and reserving charging stations.

[0014] The problem according to the invention is solved by the subject matter of the main claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the respective dependent claims.

[0015] One aspect of the present invention relates to a method for operating a booking system for a charging station for an electric vehicle. The method according to the invention is preferably carried out by a network server. The network server is preferably a backend server of the charging station operator.

[0016] Preferably, the network server is configured to communicate with numerous charging stations and operate a booking system for these stations. For the purposes of this application, a booking system is understood in the broadest sense as a system that allows a user to book a specific charging station for a specific period in advance. Charging at the station is then only possible for the user who made the booking, at least for the initial part of the booked period. Preferably, the booking system is also configured to process payment for the charging process. This may include the requirement to pay a booking fee before booking. The cost of the actual electricity consumed can also be paid either in advance or after the actual charging process.The booking system is designed, for example, as a database system located on the network server. Various users communicate with the network server, preferably via a wireless interface of their vehicle or mobile device, and are authorized to make bookings, possibly after registering on the network server. Booking systems for charging stations are generally known to experts as state-of-the-art technology.

[0017] In a first step of the method according to the invention, a blockage message for a first charging station is received from a user. The first charging station is preferably one of a plurality of charging stations. The blockage message is preferably contained in a message received via a wireless interface. The blockage message contains at least the information that the user reports a blockage for the first charging station at a specific initial time, i.e., the impossibility of carrying out a charging process at the charging station. In addition, the blockage message contains further information about the identity of the user and a unique identifier of the first charging station. The blockage message received from the user is temporarily stored by the network server, for example, in the memory of a communication module.In the inventive method, the further processing of the blockage message depends on a number of additional factors, as will be explained in detail below.

[0018] In the method according to the invention, the current distance between the user and the first charging station is determined in response to the receipt of the blockage message. The information required for this is preferably already contained in the blockage message or is retrieved from the network server in response to the receipt of the blockage message. The information is preferably retrieved from the user or the first charging station. The current distance between the user and the first charging station thus refers to a distance shortly before, at, or shortly after the time of receipt of the blockage message. Preferably, the current distance refers to the distance within a time window of ±30 seconds or, even more preferably, ±1 s, ±5 s, or ±10 s around the time of receipt of the blockage message.

[0019] In the inventive method, the current state of charge of the first charging station is determined in response to the receipt of the blockage message. The state of charge of the charging station indicates whether a vehicle is currently connected to the first charging station and / or whether electrical current is being drawn by the vehicle. The necessary information is preferably already contained in the blockage message or is retrieved from the network server in response to the receipt of the blockage message. The information is preferably retrieved from the user or the first charging station. The current state of charge thus refers to a state of charge shortly before, at, or shortly after the time of receipt of the blockage message. Preferably, the current state of charge refers to a time window of ±30 seconds or of ±1 second, ±5 seconds, or ±10 seconds around the time of receipt of the blockage message.

[0020] In the method according to the invention, a current booking entry for the first charging station is determined in response to the receipt of the blockage message. The booking entry indicates whether and for whom a reservation for the first charging station is stored in the booking system at the time the blockage message is received. For this query, the network server only requires the time of receipt of the blockage message, optionally including a time window around this time, for example, ±30 seconds, ±1 second, ±5 seconds, or ±10 seconds. Preferably, the booking system is operated by the network server itself, so that it can directly access the booking information. Alternatively, the blockage message and the booking system are operated by different servers or server components that communicate with each other. In this case, the booking information is retrieved.

[0021] In the inventive method, the rejection or further processing of the blockage message depends on the distance, the state of charge, and the booking entry. Thus, the inventive method evaluates various signals that, in a causal relationship, provide a reliable indication of whether a charging process is possible at the charging station at the current time. Therefore, a blockage message received from a user can be advantageously verified and further processed, or falsified and rejected. Since the blockage message can result in a cost refund, misuse and losses for the operator are thus prevented.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the blockage message is received by a vehicle or by the user's mobile device. Particularly preferably, an application is installed in the vehicle, for example, its infotainment system, or on the mobile device, which enables the user to transmit a blockage message for a specific charging station to the network server. Thus, if the user approaches a blocked charging station with their electric vehicle, they can easily submit a blockage message. In the method according to the invention, the position of the mobile device or the vehicle is the same as the user's current position. Equally preferably, the user is uniquely identified by means of identification information of the vehicle, for example, license plate or chassis number, or of the mobile device, contained in the blockage message.

[0023] In the method according to the invention, it is particularly preferred that the current position of the vehicle or mobile device is received. This information is preferably already contained in the blockage message or is retrieved by the network server in response to the blockage message, i.e., retrieved from the vehicle or mobile device. It is conceivable that the blockage message is retrieved from the user's mobile device, while the position is retrieved from the vehicle. This ensures that the vehicle is actually near the charging station, and that a charging process was indeed planned and desired by the user. Based on the position received from the vehicle or mobile device, the distance between the user and the charging station is then determined in the method according to the invention, preferably by the network server.The distance is also preferably determined directly in the vehicle or mobile device and transmitted to the network server. Modern vehicles and mobile devices almost without exception have a GPS transmitter / receiver, making it particularly easy and accurate to record the position data using this method.

[0024] When determining the distance between the user and the first charging station, the fixed position of the first charging station is also used. This position is preferably stored in the network server and determined by the server using identification information of the first charging station received with the blockage notification, for example, retrieved from memory. Alternatively, and preferably, the charging station's position information is stored within the station itself and transmitted to the user's vehicle or mobile device, for example, via near-field communication. Equally preferably, the charging station's identification information consists of its geographical coordinates.

[0025] Alternatively, and preferably, the distance between the user and the charging station in the inventive method is received as the distance between the vehicle and the charging station. In this case, the distance is received from the vehicle and is based on measurement data from at least one first sensor, in particular a distance sensor of the vehicle. Modern vehicles generally have distance sensors, such as LiDAR or ultrasound, so this implementation is also easy to implement. It is also preferred that the distance data be determined from the charging station, for example, by means of sensors installed in the charging station or based on a signal from a connection between the charging station and the vehicle or the user's mobile device (ToF, ToA, etc.).

[0026] In the inventive method, the current state of charge of the charging station is preferably determined based on the current plug status or the current power output of the charging station. The plug status indicates whether the charging station's charging plug is currently inserted into a vehicle's charging socket. This is preferably detected by a sensor integrated into the plug, for example, a pressure sensor or switch. Alternatively or additionally, the current power output of the charging station is determined. Since a charging station can be blocked, particularly by a vehicle that was previously charged at the station but has finished charging but not been removed, determining the state of charge based on the plug status is preferred. The information is generally stored in the charging station itself and transmitted from there to the network server.This information is preferably transmitted via near-field communication, such as Bluetooth, from the charging station to the vehicle or mobile device of the user and forwarded from there to the network server.

[0027] In the inventive method, the blockage message is ultimately discarded, i.e., deleted from the network server or excluded from further processing, if the determined distance between the user and the first charging station exceeds a predetermined distance, if the determined charge level of the first charging station indicates that a second vehicle is charging at the first charging station, or if the booking entry determined based on the blockage information does not correspond to the user. A current charging process is also understood to mean that the charging station's plug is connected to the second vehicle but no electrical power is being drawn from the second vehicle (completed charging process with the plug still connected). In other words, only one of the aforementioned conditions needs to be unmet for the blockage message to be discarded.

[0028] In the inventive method, the blockage message is processed further, i.e., not discarded, if the determined distance between the user and the first charging station falls below a predetermined distance, if the determined charge level of the first charging station does not indicate a charging process of a second vehicle at the first charging station, and if the booking entry determined based on the blockage information corresponds to the user. An active charging process is understood here to mean that the charging station's plug is inserted into the second vehicle, but no further electrical power is being drawn from the second vehicle (completed charging process with the plug still attached). In other words, all of the aforementioned conditions must be cumulatively fulfilled for the blockage message to be processed further.

[0029] As already explained, the method according to the invention thus involves evaluating various signals which together provide a reliable indication of whether a charging process is possible at the charging station at the current time. The source of this information is the vehicle, a mobile device with a corresponding app, a combination of both, or, if applicable, the first charging station itself. According to the invention, the signals state of charge, distance or position, as well as time or booking entry are provided or determined in particular.

[0030] The comparison of the user's position with the position of the charging station, as performed in the inventive method, enables verification of whether the charging station was actually reached or in the vicinity of the user at the time the blockage notification was issued. This prevents fraudulent blockage notifications from a greater distance, for example, to conceal a delay that would preclude compensation.

[0031] If, however, the blockage is reported from a sufficiently short distance, it is also relevant whether the first charging station is currently occupied by a second vehicle. If this is the case, the charging station is initially recorded as occupied and not blocked, so that no blockage of the charging station can initially be claimed. In this case, it must also be checked whether the plug is merely inserted into the second vehicle or whether power is actually being delivered to the second vehicle. At least in the case of actual power delivery, it can be assumed that the first charging station is being used lawfully and therefore not blocked by the second vehicle. Alternatively, if it is determined that the occupancy of the charging station falls within the booking period and the logged-in user does not match the booking user, there may be an error in the booking system, but not a blockage in the true sense.If, however, only the plug is inserted, the charging station may be blocked by the previous user. In any case, the inventive method determines whether the charging station is blocked if no charging process is taking place at the time the blockage notification is received, taking into account further information about the booking entry and the distance.

[0032] In the method according to the invention, the detection of a charging station blockage preferably applies only subject to the further course of time. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, a user's charging process is further determined within a time window corresponding to the booking entry to be determined. In particular, the charging process is carried out after the aforementioned steps of the method according to the invention, preferably as part of the further processing of the blockage message.

[0033] According to this implementation method, in response to the detection of the user's charging process within the time window corresponding to the identified booking entry, the blockage notification is further processed in the booking system for a partial refund of booking fees. In other words, if the customer is able to plug in the connector again a short time later and subsequently begin the charging process, a temporary blockage is assumed, giving rise to a claim for a partial refund of the booking costs.

[0034] In another preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, after carrying out the above-mentioned steps, in particular after detecting a blockage, no charging process by the user is recorded within a time window corresponding to the identified booking entry. In other words, the user cannot plug in the charging station during the entire booked period and may even move away from the charging station. In this case, the blockage message is processed further in the booking system for a full refund of booking fees. In other words, a complete blockage is assumed, which may give rise to a claim for a full refund of the user's booking costs.

[0035] In a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the user also has the option of commenting on the incident, for example by adding a text message to the blockage notification. This may have the advantage that additional information for assessing the blockage situation can be captured.

[0036] Another aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle, in particular a passenger car equipped with an internal combustion, electric, or hybrid engine for carrying out the steps of a vehicle in the method according to the invention. The vehicle has a first sensor configured for acquiring environmental data and a communication module configured for communication with a network server and a charging station.

[0037] The first sensor, at least, is designed to detect sensor signals relating to the vehicle's environment. An environmental signal received by this first sensor preferably enables the vehicle to gather information about its surroundings and preferably displays a variety of environmental information. The first sensor could be, for example, an imaging sensor such as a camera, a distance sensor such as LiDAR, and / or a GPS sensor, or the like.

[0038] The first communication module is preferably configured for communication with other devices, such as GPS satellites or a smart infrastructure. The first communication module preferably includes a radio, mobile communication, WLAN, and / or Bluetooth transceiver or alternative wireless communication devices. The vehicle further comprises an electric drive system with an electrical energy storage device, in particular a battery system, the latter of which can be charged via a charging port.

[0039] The vehicle further comprises a first control unit configured to communicate with the at least one first sensor and with the first communication module. The control unit is further configured to execute the steps of the vehicle in the method according to the invention or to instruct the other components of the vehicle to execute the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0040] The first control unit is specifically designed to capture user input and, in response to this input, transmit a blockage message for a first charging station to a network server. The control unit is preferably designed to determine the vehicle's position and / or its distance to the first charging station and transmit this information to the network server, either together with or in addition to the blockage message. The control unit is preferably designed to receive information about the first charging station's geographical position, identification information, and / or state of charge from the first charging station and forward this information to the network server. The control unit is preferably designed to transmit vehicle identification information to the network server.

[0041] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for a vehicle control unit, which comprises at least one first sensor configured to acquire environmental data, at least one second sensor configured to acquire vehicle status data, a communication module, and the control unit, wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: acquiring user input and transmitting a blockage message for a first charging station to a network server in response to the user input, preferably determining the vehicle's position and / or distance to the first charging station and transmitting the position and / or distance together with or in addition to the blockage message to the network server, preferably receiving information about a geographical position.Identification information and / or information on the charging status from the first charging station, and preferably forwarding the received information to the network server.

[0042] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a network server, for example, a network server of an operator of charging stations for electric vehicles or of a service partner. The network server according to the invention comprises a second communication module and a second control unit configured for data communication with a plurality of charging stations as well as vehicles and / or mobile devices. The second control unit of the network server is configured to carry out the method according to the invention.The second control unit is specifically designed to control the second communication module for receiving a blockage message for a first charging station from a user, to determine a current distance between the user and the first charging station, to determine a current state of charge of the first charging station and to determine a current booking entry for the first charging station, and is further equipped to discard or process the received blockage message depending on the distance, the state of charge and the booking entry.

[0043] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a system comprising a network server according to the invention, as described above, and a vehicle, as described above. Advantageously, all process steps and aspects of the method according to the invention can be implemented in the system according to the invention. Equally preferably, the system according to the invention further comprises a mobile device, in particular a smartphone or the like. The mobile device preferably has a third communication module configured for communication with the network server and, optionally, the vehicle. The mobile device further comprises a third control unit configured for carrying out the steps of the mobile device in the method according to the invention.Preferably, the third control unit is configured to capture user input and, in response to this input, transmit a blockage message for a first charging station to a network server. The control unit is preferably configured to determine the position of the mobile device and / or its distance to the first charging station and transmit this information to the network server, either together with or in addition to the blockage message. The control unit is preferably configured to receive information about the first charging station's geographical position, identification information, and / or charging status from the first charging station and forward this information to the network server. The control unit is preferably configured to transmit identification information of the mobile device to the network server.

[0044] Another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, such as a control unit of a vehicle, cause it to perform the steps of the vehicle in the method according to the invention.Another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising commands which, when the program is executed by a computer, such as a control unit of a network server, cause it to perform the steps of the network server in the method according to the invention, in particular the steps of: receiving a blockage message for a first charging station from a user, determining a current distance between the user and the first charging station, determining a current state of charge of the first charging station, determining a current booking entry of the first charging station, and discarding or further processing the blockage message depending on the distance, the state of charge and the booking entry.

[0045] The process steps of the method according to the invention can be implemented by electrical or electronic components (hardware), by firmware (ASIC), or by executing a suitable program (software). The method according to the invention is also preferably implemented by a combination of hardware, firmware, and / or software. For example, individual components for carrying out individual process steps are designed as a separately integrated circuit or arranged on a common integrated circuit. Individual components configured to carry out individual process steps are also preferably arranged on a (flexible) printed circuit board (FPCB / PCB), a tape carrier package (TCP), or another substrate.

[0046] The individual process steps of the method according to the invention are preferably configured as one or more processes that run on one or more processors in one or more electronic computing devices and are generated during the execution of one or more computer programs. The computing devices are preferably configured to cooperate with other components, for example, a communication module, and optionally one or more sensors, in order to implement the functionalities described herein. The instructions of the computer programs are preferably stored in a memory, such as a RAM element. However, the computer programs can also be stored in a non-volatile storage medium, such as a CD-ROM, flash memory, or the like.

[0047] It is also apparent to those skilled in the art that the functionalities of several computers (data processing devices) can be combined or combined in a single device, or that the functionality of a particular data processing device can be distributed across a multitude of devices in order to carry out the steps of the method according to the invention without deviating from the method according to the invention.

[0048] Unless otherwise stated in individual cases, the various embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can be advantageously combined with one another.

[0049] The invention is explained below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a system according to the invention, consisting of a vehicle according to the invention and a network server according to one embodiment; and Figure 2 shows a flowchart of a method according to the invention carried out in the system according to the invention according to one embodiment.

[0050] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a schematic representation, in particular a block diagram, of an exemplary vehicle 10, specifically a two-track vehicle with an internal combustion, electric, or hybrid engine. The vehicle 10 comprises a plurality of first sensors, in particular a first sensor 11, a second sensor 12, and a third sensor 13. The first sensors 11, 12, and 13 are configured to acquire environmental data of the vehicle 10 and include, for example, a camera for capturing an image of the environment immediately surrounding the vehicle 10, and distance sensors, such as ultrasonic sensors or LiDAR, for detecting distances to objects surrounding the vehicle 10. The first sensors 11, 12, and 13 transmit the environmental signals they acquire to a first control unit 40 and a driving system 30 of the vehicle 10.

[0051] The vehicle 10 further comprises a plurality of secondary sensors, in particular a fourth sensor 51, a fifth sensor 52, and a sixth sensor 53. The secondary sensors 51, 52, and 53 are sensors for determining status data relating to the vehicle 10 itself, such as current position and motion information of the vehicle. These secondary sensors are, for example, speed sensors, acceleration sensors, tilt sensors, sensors for measuring the compression depth of a shock absorber, wheel speed sensors, or the like. The secondary sensors 51, 52, and 53 transmit the status signals they have acquired to the first control unit 40 of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, the secondary sensors 51, 52, and 53 transmit their measurement results directly to a driving system 30 of the vehicle 10.

[0052] The vehicle 10 further comprises a first communication module 20 with a memory 21 and one or more transponders or receivers 22. The transponders 22 are radio, WLAN, GPS, or Bluetooth receivers, or the like. The transponder 22 communicates with the internal memory 21 of the first communication module 20, for example, via a suitable data bus. The first communication module 20 also communicates with the first control unit 40. In addition, the first communication module 20 is configured to communicate with a mobile network server 70, in particular a backend server of an operator of charging stations 62 for electric vehicles or its service partner. The first communication module 20 is also configured to communicate with a mobile device 63 and / or a vehicle 64 and with an electric charging station 62.Communication takes place primarily via a wireless interface, for example via WLAN, an LTE mobile network, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and the like.

[0053] The vehicle 10 further comprises the driving system 30, which is configured for fully automatic driving operation, in particular for longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle 10. The driving system 30 includes a navigation module 32, which is configured for calculating routes between a start and a destination point and for determining the maneuvers to be performed by the vehicle 10 along this route. The navigation module 32 is also preferably configured for performing specific maneuvers of the vehicle 10, such as parking and unparking maneuvers. In addition, the driving system 30 includes an internal memory 31, which communicates with the navigation module 32, for example via a suitable data bus. The functionality of the driving system 30 is controlled by the control unit 40.

[0054] The vehicle 10 also features the electric drive system 35, which includes an electric energy storage device 36 and a charging port 37. The electric energy storage device 36 can be charged via the charging port 37, which is connected to a charging station 62. The functionality of the electric drive system 35 is controlled by the control unit 40.

[0055] The vehicle 10 further comprises a first control unit 40, which is configured to perform the steps of the vehicle 10 in the method according to the invention. The control unit 40 either performs the steps itself or controls the other components of the vehicle 10 accordingly. For this purpose, the first control unit 40 has an internal memory 41 and a CPU 42, which communicate with each other, for example via a suitable data bus. Furthermore, the first control unit 40 is in communication connection with at least the first sensors 11, 12, 13, the second sensors 51, 52, 53, the first communication module 20, and the driving system 30, for example via one or more respective CAN connections, one or more respective SPI connections, or other suitable data connections.

[0056] The network server 70 has a second control unit 80, which is configured to perform the steps of the network server 70 in the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the second control unit 80 has an internal memory 81 and a CPU 82, which communicate with each other, for example via a suitable data bus. The network server 70 also has a second communication module 90. The second communication module 90 has a memory 92 and one or more transponders or receivers 91. The transponders 91 are radio, WLAN, GPS, or Bluetooth transmitters or the like. The transponder 91 communicates with the internal memory 92 of the second communication module 90, for example via a suitable data bus. Preferably, the second communication module 90 is configured to communicate via an LTE mobile network.

[0057] The charging station 62 and the mobile device 63 each also have a third and fourth communication module and a third and fourth control unit, respectively. The charging station 62 further includes means for charging the battery system 36 of an electric vehicle 10, in particular a charging plug for connecting to a charging port 37 of the electric vehicle system 35. The charging station 62 is preferably connected to an energy source or energy storage device, preferably to a power grid.

[0058] Figure 2 Figure 1 shows a schematic flowchart of a method according to the invention carried out in the system 100 according to the invention in accordance with one implementation form.

[0059] In a first step, S100, the network server 70 receives a blockage message from the mobile device 63 or the vehicle 64 regarding a specific first charging station 62. The blockage message contains identification information of the mobile device 63 or the vehicle 64, identification information of the first charging station 62, and a timestamp.

[0060] In response to receiving the blockage message, the network server performs several checks in step S200 to determine whether access to charging station 62 is actually restricted or whether the blockage message is incorrect.

[0061] In particular, in step S201, network server 70 checks whether the current distance between the mobile device 63 or the vehicle 64 and the first charging station 62 falls below a predetermined threshold. For this purpose, network server 70 receives a current position from the mobile device 63 or the vehicle 64 and calculates the distance to a position of the first charging station 62 stored in network server 70. If the predetermined distance is not undercut, it is assumed that the user is located a distance from charging station 62 and therefore cannot assess whether the charging station 62 is blocked. The process then proceeds to step S300, in which the blockage message is discarded. If the predetermined distance is exceeded, the process proceeds to step S400.

[0062] Furthermore, in step S202, network server 70 checks whether the current charge level of the first charging station 62 indicates a charging process of a second vehicle at the first charging station 62. For this purpose, it checks whether a plug of the charging station is connected to a charging port of the second vehicle and, if so, whether the second vehicle is drawing power. If the plug in the second vehicle is not connected or is not drawing power, it is assumed that the first charging station 62 may be blocked, possibly by the previous charging vehicle, and the process continues to step S400. However, if the plug is connected and the second vehicle is drawing power from the first charging station 62, the first charging station 62 is occupied but not blocked. In this case, the blockage message is discarded in step S300.

[0063] Finally, in step S203, network server 70 checks whether a booking entry currently exists for a user connected to mobile device 63 or vehicle 64. The current time is determined using the timestamp of the blockage message and compared with entries in a booking system located on network server 70. If no current booking entry exists for the user, they are not authorized to submit a blockage message, and this message is therefore discarded in step S300. However, if a current booking entry exists for the user, the process proceeds to step S400.

[0064] In S400, the blockage message is further processed. For this purpose, the blockage message is transmitted in its entirety from an input memory 92 of the second communication module 90 of the network server 70 to a control unit 80 of the network server. Furthermore, the control unit 80 starts a timer whose duration corresponds to the booking entry determined for the user and the timestamp. In other words, the time for which the user had booked the first charging station 62 is counted down.

[0065] While the timer is running, step S500 further checks whether the user, i.e., a vehicle 64 associated with them, starts a charging process at the first charging station 62 or whether the blockage lasts for the entire duration of the booking entry. If the blockage does not last for the entire booked duration, but a charging process is started during the duration of the original booking entry, the blockage is removed, and the user becomes entitled to a partial refund of a booking fee in step S601. The amount of the refund is preferably determined by the ratio of the charging time actually used by the user to the originally booked time. The user is not entitled to a full refund in step S601.

[0066] If, however, step S500 determines that the first charging station 62 is blocked for the entire duration of the booking, the user is entitled to a full refund of the booking fee in step 602. For this purpose, an entry in the booking system for charging station 62 may be modified and / or a corresponding notification is transmitted from network server 70 to a payment service provider. If the blockage was caused by the user who previously charged at the first charging station 62, i.e., a person known to network server 70 via ID information, a penalty fee may be imposed on this user. In this case, an entry in the booking system may also be modified and a payment service provider notified. Reference symbol list

[0067] 10 Vehicle 11 First sensor 12 Second sensor 13 Third sensor 20 Communication module 21 Memory 22 Transponder 30 Driving system 31 Memory 32 Navigation module 35 Electric driving system 36 Electric energy storage (battery system) 37 Charging port 40 Control unit 41 Memory 42 CPU 51 Fourth sensor 52 Fifth sensor 53 Sixth sensor 61 Satellite 62 Charging station 63 Mobile device (smartphone) 70 Network server 80 Control unit 81 Memory 82 CPU 90 Communication module 91 Transponder 92 Memory 100 System

Claims

1. Method for operating a booking system of a charging station (62) for an electric vehicle (10), the method comprising the steps of: receiving a blockage message concerning an impossibility of carrying out a charging process at the charging station (62) from a user for the charging station (62); determining a current distance between the user and the charging station (62); determining a current charging status of the charging station (62), wherein the charging status indicates whether a vehicle (10) is currently connected to the charging station (62) and / or electrical current is being drawn by the vehicle (10); determining a current booking entry of the charging station (62); and discarding or further processing the blockage message depending on the distance, the charging status and the booking entry, wherein the blockage message is discarded if the determined distance exceeds a predetermined distance, if the determined charging status indicates the charging of a further vehicle or if the determined booking entry does not correspond to the user.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the blockage message is received by a vehicle (10) or by a mobile terminal (63) of the user.

3. Method according to claim 2, further comprising the method steps of: receiving a current position of the vehicle (10) or mobile terminal (63); and determining the distance based on the received position and a location of the charging station (62).

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the blockage message is received by a vehicle (10), further comprising the method step of: receiving the distance between the vehicle (10) and the charging station (62), wherein the distance is determined by at least a first sensor of the vehicle (10).

5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the charging status is determined based on a plug status or a power output of the charging station (62).

6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the blockage message is further processed if the determined distance falls short of a predetermined distance, if the determined charging status indicates no charging of the further vehicle and if the determined booking entry corresponds to the user.

7. Method according to claim 6, further comprising the method steps of: determining a charging process of the user in a window of time corresponding to the determined booking entry; and further processing of the blockage message in the booking system for a partial refund of booking fees.

8. Method according to claim 6, further comprising the method steps of: determining no charging process of the user in a window of time corresponding to the determined booking entry; and further processing of the blockage message in the booking system for a full refund of booking fees.

9. Network server (70) comprising a communication module (90) designed for data communication with a motor vehicle (10) and a charging station (62); and a control unit (80), wherein the control unit (80) is designed to: control the communication module (90) for receiving a blockage message concerning an impossibility of carrying out a charging process at the charging station (62) from a user for a charging station (62), wherein the charging status indicates whether a vehicle (10) is currently connected to the charging station (62) and / or electrical current is being drawn by the vehicle (10); determine a current distance between the user and the charging station (62), a current charging status of the charging station (62) and a current booking entry of the charging station (62); and discard or further process the received blockage message depending on the distance, the charging status and the booking entry, wherein the blockage message is discarded if the determined distance exceeds a predetermined distance, if the determined charging status indicates the charging of a further vehicle or if the determined booking entry does not correspond to the user.