Methods and systems for electric vehicle charging payments

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for electric vehicle charging payments. The electric vehicle charging payment may include a digital asset, wherein the methods and systems of the present disclosure may process digital asset payments for electric vehicle charging.

Description

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING PAYMENTSCROSS REFERENCE

[0001] This application claims the benefit of a provisional application under 35 U.SC. §119(e), 63 / 627,831, filed on 02 / 01 / 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to the field of electric vehicle charging and associated systems.BACKGROUND

[0003] The automotive industry has expanded to encompass Electric Vehicles (EV) having an electric motor powered by rechargeable power sources. EVs may include both fully electric and hybrid electric vehicles.

[0004] Power sources for EVs provide a limited amount of charge before recharging is necessary. Charging stations for EVs are scattered throughout the United States and countries around the world. Each EV manufacturer may have a system in which a user may interact with an interface to locate charging stations in the general area of an EV. However, current systems are unable to effectively located all EV charging stations, as each system will typically only be able to locate a specific subset of charging stations.

[0005] Charging stations typically charge a user for electricity use per minute or by total energy consumption, such as the amount of kilowatt hours (kWh). The type of payment may vary depending on the brand of EV or the brand or location of the charging station. This often leads to user confusion and inefficiency, causing waste and loss of profits for businesses. There may be a need for simplified EV charging methods that allow users to purchase charging services without the conventional process.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0006] The methods and systems of the present disclosure enable payments for electric vehicle charging using digital assets.

[0007] The presently disclosed methods and systems determine a location of a user; locate at least one electric vehicle charging station; prompt a user to select one electric vehicle charging station; prompt a user to select a payment method, wherein the payment method comprises a digital asset; initiate charging an electric vehicle; monitor energy consumption; determine a total cost; and process a payment for electric vehicle charging using the digital asset.

[0008] The methods and systems herein may be embodied as a system, method, or computer program product embodied in any tangible medium of expression having computer useable program code embodied in the medium.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] It is to be understood that both the foregoing summary and the following drawings and detailed description may be exemplary and may not be restrictive of the aspects of the present disclosure as claimed. Certain details may be set forth in order to provide a better understanding of various features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure. However, one skilled in the art will understand that these features, aspects, and advantages may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known structures, methods, and / or processes associated with methods of practicing the various features, aspects, and advantages may not be shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of other details of the present disclosure.

[0010] The present disclosure may be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing sheets, in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for performing electric vehicle charging payments in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a computer network system for performing electric vehicle charging payments in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a system of a client computer, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates an electrical vehicle charging system, in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] This disclosure generally describes methods and systems for payments relating to electric vehicle charging stations and electrical vehicle supply equipment. For many electrical vehicle (EV) owners, encountering barriers at charging stations may lead to frustrating or unsafe experience. In some instances, not having the appropriate account to the network associated with the charging station may lead to denial of service in emergency situations. Similarly, encountering payment issues may be frustrating. Therefore, the method and system for payments relating to EV charging stations may be utilized to address the issue.

[0016] The present method and system may allow users to carry their personal phone near the charging stations, which initiates a process to grant the user immediate access as a guest user. In various implementations, the present system may provide a digital asset, such as a token implemented in a blockchain environment, which serves as a verification means to connect the user with the charging service provided by the charging station. The present system may comprise a decentralized token specifically designated as a digital currency for EV charging. The present method and system may not require users to go through a lengthy sign-up process for the account associated with any particular station, thereby significantly simplifying the experience. After the charging session terminates, the user may utilize the present system to automatically settle the payment using the token.

[0017] The system for payments relating to EV charging stations may comprise a user interface in the form of a mobile app, which may be configured to enable additional functions associated with the EV charging experience. The mobile app may be implemented to provide real-time station availability, navigation, charging session management, and secure digital currency transactions. The mobile app may be designed to incorporate a user-friendly interface and a range of features that enhance accessibility and efficiency. The present system may be configured to be platform-agnostic, thereby compatible with a variety of charging stations and vendors.

[0018] FIG. 1 depicts a flowchart of a method 100 for performing payments relating to electric vehicle charging in accordance with the present disclosure. The method may determine a location of a user 110. The method may utilize location determination methods known in the art, including but not limited to, global positioning system (GPS), location services on a device, WiFi data, cellular network data, IP address, and / or the like. The user may also input a location.

[0019] The method 100 may locate at least one electric vehicle charging station 120. The methods and systems disclosed herein may access databases, application programming interfaces (APIs), geographic information system (GIS) data, and / or any third-party software or applications capable of locating an electric vehicle charging station. The method 100 may provide the user with a list of at least one available or in use charging station closest to the user’s current location or closest to the user’s location input. The method may display to the user a list of charging stations and / or may display the location of at least one charging station to the user on a map. The method may indicate and / or display to the user whether a charging station is available for charging or in use by another user. The method may indicate and / or display to the user the charging station’s information including, but not limited to, charging station name, operator ID, operator name, sub-operator name, hardware manufacturer, station name, plug type, power type, power quantity, voltage, ampere, and the like.

[0020] The method 100 may prompt a user to select an electric vehicle charging station 130. The methods and systems of the present disclosure may interact with the electric vehicle charging station and the electric vehicle charging station’s operator to start charging the electric vehicle.

[0021] The methods and systems of the present disclosure enable a user to charge an electric vehicle with minimal physical interaction with an electric vehicle charging station and the station’s existing payment system. The only physical interaction required is for the user to plugin the electric vehicle charging apparatus into the electric vehicle’s charging inlet and remove the apparatus from the electric vehicle when charging is complete. All other user interaction conventionally required in the art may be performed utilizing the methods and systems of the present disclosure.

[0022] The method 100 may prompt a user to select a payment method. As used herein, a payment method may include, but is not limited to, any payment method capable of being performed in an online environment, including, but not limited to, a digital asset, a digital wallet,a credit card, a debit card, a bank transfer, a mobile payment, a prepaid card, wire transfer, an online transfer, a payment utilizing a payment gateway, and / or the like.

[0023] The method 100 may prompt a user to select a payment method including a digital asset 140. The method may prompt a user to deposit at least one digital asset. The digital asset may be implemented through a blockchain module, which may enable decentralized management operations. The digital asset may be implemented by a blockchain module that enables smart contract creation and negotiation among software agents on an energy distribution system. A smart contract may be utilized to monitor the charging and discharging behavior of the electric vehicle when connected to the EV charging station. Additionally, the smart contract may be used to keep track of financial exchanges associated with EV charging.

[0024] The digital asset may comprise a token in a blockchain platform provided by the present system. The token may be implemented through code embedded in a smart contract that defines its properties, which may be self-executing contracts with rules of the agreement integrated into the code. The digital asset may provide a means to verify user identify associated with payment, thereby pairing the user’s device with the charging station without requiring a dedicated account setup. The token may leverage the smart contract to ensure transactions or payments involved in the process are recorded on the blockchain.

[0025] After selecting a payment, the method 100 may initiate charging 150 using the methods and systems of the present disclosure. The method 100 may monitor energy consumption during charging 160 until the electric vehicle is fully charged or the user instructs to stop charging. The user may initiate charging or the method and systems of the present disclosure may initiate charging automatically without user input or prompt. The method may monitor the amount of kilowatt hours (kWh) or utilize any other method of measuring electricity or energy consumption known in the art.

[0026] Once charging is stopped, the method 100 may determine a total cost for the electric vehicle charging according to the monitored energy consumption during charging and in terms of the payment method or digital asset selected by the user 170. The total charging cost may be displayed in an amount of a digital asset and / or in an amount of a currency, including, but not limited to, the United States Dollar, Euro, Pound sterling, Swiss franc, Japanese yen, Australian dollar, Canadian dollar, Chinese Yuan, and the like.

[0027] The method 100 may then process a payment using the payment method selected by the user. The payment may include the total cost and any incidental charges including, but not limited to, tax, fees, and the like. The method may process the electric vehicle charging payment using the digital asset 180. The method may process the payment using a digital asset and / or a digital asset payment system known in the art. The method and systems of the present disclosure may automatically process the payment transaction or may prompt the user to authorize the payment transaction.

[0028] The method 100 may prompt a user to input a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to link the electric vehicle to the methods and systems of the present disclosure. Linking the VIN to the methods and systems of the present disclosure provides greater efficiency and decreases the need for user input and / or user interaction with the electric vehicle charging station. Linking the VIN to the methods and systems of the present disclosure may decrease or eliminate user interaction with the methods and systems of the present disclosure.

[0029] A user may remain anonymous when using the methods and systems of the present disclosure. According to some aspects, the method may prompt a user to create an account. The account may identify personal information compliant with any Know Your Customer (KYC) protocol known in the art.

[0030] Known methods and systems for electric vehicle charging payments are inefficient and / or require significant user interaction, which may have one or more of the following shortcomings: user confusion, frequent failures, and / or significant user difficulty. The methods and systems of the present disclosure solve one or more shortcomings by requiring minimal user interaction. The user is required to insert and remove the charging apparatus, but the initiation and stopping of charging and payment processing using a digital asset may be completed by the methods and systems of the present disclosure without additional user interaction.

[0031] Payment methods for electric vehicle charging known in the art require specific payment methods that are not easily accessible. As a non-limiting example, a specific brand of electric vehicle charging station may require a specific payment method or specific card in order to facilitate charging. The methods and systems of the present disclosure may use a digital asset, which is readily available to anyone in the world, providing a more efficient and more accessible payment processing for electric vehicle charging compared to known methods.

[0032] Payment methods for electric vehicle charging known in the art are location specific and language specific. The methods and systems of the present disclosure are accessible to anyone in the world irrespective of language or the location of the charger. The present disclosure may identify and interact with any existing and any future electric vehicle charging station. The methods and systems disclosed herein are device agnostic and / or language agnostic.

[0033] Conventional methods and systems of determining a location of charging stations are inefficient and unable to effectively locate all charging stations, as conventional methods and systems struggle to locate all brands and all locations of chargers. This often leads to user confusion, inefficiency, and a lack of availability for electric vehicle charging. The methods and systems of the present disclosure enable effective location and payment processing for all electric vehicle charging stations regardless of brand or location.

[0034] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic diagram of a computer network system 200 of the present disclosure. The computer network system 200 may interface a system user and a server 205 according to the interface operations of the client computer 215 through a network 210.Although the depicted computer network system 200 is shown and described herein with certain components and functionality, other aspects of the computer network system 200 may be implemented with fewer or more components or with less or more functionality. As a nonlimiting example, some aspects of the computer network system 200 may include a plurality of servers 205 and a plurality of networks 210. Some aspects of the computer network system 200 may include similar components arranged in another manner to provide similar functionality in one or more aspects.

[0035] The client computer 215 manages the interface between a system user and the server 205. In one aspect, the client computer 215 is a mobile computer device that allows a user to connect to and interact with an electric vehicle charging station. The client computer 215 may be connected to the server 205 via a network 210, including, but not limited to, a local area network (LAN), wireless network, mobile internet, Virtual Private Network (VPN), WiFi, broadband internet, satellite connection, cable internet, and / or any other network or internet connection known in the art.

[0036] Although the present disclosure is described with regard to a “computer”, it should be noted that optionally any device featuring a data processor and the ability to execute one or moreinstructions may be described as a computer, including but not limited to any type of personal computer (PC), a server, a distributed server, a virtual server, a cloud computing platform, a cellular telephone, an IP telephone, a smartphone, a mobile device, or a personal digital assistant (PDA). Any two or more of such devices in communication with each other may optionally comprise a network or a computer network.

[0037] The network 210 may communicate traditional block I / O, as a non-limiting example, over a storage area network (SAN). The network 210 may also communicate file I / O, for as a non-limiting example, using a transmission control protocol / intemet protocol (TCP / IP) network or similar communication protocol. In one aspect, the storage system includes two or more networks. In another aspect, the client computer 215 is connected directly to a server 205 via a backplane or system bus. In one aspect, the network 210 includes a cellular network, other similar types of networks, or combinations thereof.

[0038] The computer network system 200 may include program instructions to store data in a centralized data store within a cloud environment. The data store may store and maintain data in both structured and unstructured formats.

[0039] The computer network system 200 may include program instructions for an API Gateway, wherein the API Gateway may manage traffic from the data store, services, and the client. The API Gateway may perform functions including, but not limited to, providing secure access to resources, auditing, usage policies, locating electric vehicle charging stations, facilitating payments, logging, and other API capabilities known in the art.

[0040] The computer network system 200 may include at least one computer service or cloud service offered by a third-party provider over the internet. A cloud service may include a cloud service generally known in the art having at least one feature including, but not limited to, CPU usage, data storage, bandwidth, and the like. A cloud service may replace physical computer hardware.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a system 300 of a client computer 215 capable of executing the methods of the present disclosure. The client computer 215 may comprise a user application interface 305, a display device 315, a processor 320 that interfaces with memory 325 (which may be separate from or included as part of processor 320), and a network client 310. In some aspects, the client computer may comprise at least one businterfaces. Although the presently depicted client computer 215 is shown and described herein with certain components and functionality, other aspects of the client computer 215 may be implemented with fewer or more components with less or more functionality.

[0042] The user application interface 305 may include a smartphone application for any smartphone known in the art.

[0043] The user application interface 305 may be stored as computer readable instructions in memory 325 or a data storage device within a client computer 215. Alternatively, the user application interface 305 may be implemented independently of the various components of the client computer 215. The user application interface 305 may be a client program executed on a client computer wherein the application interface 305 enables a user on a client computer 215 to interact pay for electric vehicle charging according to the method of the present disclosure as described herein.

[0044] The system 300 of FIG. 3 may comprise at least one or more non-transitory computer- readable storage devices for execution of program instructions by at least one or more processors 320 by at least one or more computer-readable memories 325. The program instructions comprise instructions to perform the methods of charging an electric vehicle and processing electric vehicle charging payments using a payment method as described herein.

[0045] The display device 315 may include, but is not limited to, a graphical display such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor, or another type of display device. The display device 315 may include any display screen or viewer as a part of a smartphone, mobile device, or electric vehicle device capable of interacting with the user application interface and / or an electric vehicle charging station.

[0046] Processor 320 may be a central processing unit (CPU) with one or more processing cores, a graphical processing unit (GPU), or another type of processing device such as a general purpose processor, an application specific processor (ASIC), a multi-core processor, a microprocessor, or other suitable processing device that interfaces with memory 325. The processor 320 executes instructions to provide operational functionality to the computer network system 200 and to complete and facilitate the methods described herein. The instructions may be stored locally in the processor 320 or in the memory 325. The memory 325 may also employcloud-based memory. In one aspect, the system may connect to a base station that includes memory and processing capabilities.

[0047] The client computer 200 may further comprise an I / O device. The I / O device (including, but not limited to, keyboards, displays, pointing devices, DASD, tape, CDs, DVDs, thumb drives and other memory media, etc.) may be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I / O controllers. Network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards may be just a few of the available types of network adapters.

[0048] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present disclosure may be embodied as a system, method, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware aspect, an entirely software aspect (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.), or an aspect combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “system.” Furthermore, the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied in any tangible medium of expression having computer useable program code embodied in the medium.

[0049] Any combination of one or more computer useable or computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer-useable or computer-readable medium may be, as a non-limiting example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. Computer-readable medium may also be an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM), an optical storage device, a transmission media such as those supporting the Internet or an intranet, a magnetic storage device, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Note that the computer-useable or computer-readable medium may be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled,interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-useable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-useable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc.

[0050] Computer program code for carrying out operations of the presently disclosed invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. The programming language may be, but is not limited to, object-oriented programming languages (Java, Smalltalk, C++, etc ), conventional procedural programming languages (“C” programming language, etc ), or React Native. The program code may execute entirely on a user’s computer, partly on the user’s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on a user’s computer and partly on a remote computer, or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user’s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer, which may include through the Internet using an Internet Services Provider. In some aspects, electronic circuitry including, as a non-limiting example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present disclosure.

[0051] The systems and methods of the present disclosure may process data on any commercially available computer. In other aspects, a computer operating system may include, but is not limited to MAC OS, iOS, Android, Ubuntu, Linux, Windows, or UNIX. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the forgoing processing devices or any other electronic, computation platform of a type designed for electronic processing of digital data as herein disclosed may be used.

[0052] Aspects of the present disclosure are described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, systems, and computer program products according to aspects of the present disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrationsand / or block diagrams, and combination of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, may be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, which the instructions execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus allowing for the implementation of the steps specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram blocks or blocks.

[0053] Various aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented in a data processing system suitable for storing and / or executing program code that includes at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements include, for instance, local memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memory which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution.

[0054] Computer readable program instructions described herein may be downloaded to respective computing / processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, as a non-limiting example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and / or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing / processing device.

[0055] A code segment or machine-executable instructions may represent a procedure, a function, a subprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a software package, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures, or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another code segment or a hardware circuit by passing and / or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via any suitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, among others.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 4, a system to charge an electric vehicle for a user is provided. A system to charge an electric vehicle comprises a digital platform 411 connected to at least one electric vehicle 412 and at least one electric vehicle charging station 414. The digital platform 411 comprises at least a digital asset 401, which may be implemented on a blockchain environment 413. The digital asset 401 is configured to authorize the electric vehicle charging station 414 to initiate a charging process for the electric vehicle 412, determine a cost for the charging process, and process a payment on the digital platform for the cost using the digital asset.

[0057] Conventional EV charging systems require pre-existing registration and profiles for designated charging stations, which may not be available to users in certain emergency situations. The present system leverages blockchain technology to provide convenience for the user experience. It is envisioned that the present system may be expanded and / or adapted into a large scale platform or app that would encompass all electric vehicle charges, thereby providing means for general access for all EV users. This may be accomplished by providing a digital asset, such as a blockchain token, that anonymously verifies and identifies the user while bypassing the conventional sign up process. The present system may in turn simplify the charging process by decreasing user interaction with the physical charging station, by incorporating a digital asset to simply the interaction. The present system may comprise a platform that allows seamless exchange between users, their EV, and the charging station. In various implementations, the present system may comprise a platform that provides users with easy and secure way to purchase charging services without cross-platform limitations that exist in conventional charging systems.

[0058] In one example, the present system enables users to offer personal charging stations to generate revenue. Conventionally, personal charging stations installed for home use for EV owners are configured ton provide charging functions to only the owner’s vehicle. These home charging stations would be set up to ensure that only the user’s EV may be charged, such that other EV users may not charge their vehicle without permission. Commercial charging stations are configured with user registration features to allow a wider user base, but the registration and identification verification would still require extensive processing.

[0059] The present system, by leveraging the secure features of the blockchain technology, may enable EV users to utilize personal charging stations in residential settings. In exchange, the EV owners may derive a portion of the charging cost as revenue. Therefore, the present system allows users to recoup cost of power usage by offering the personal charging station to others, through the secure distribution model provided by the blockchain technology.

[0060] In practice, an EV owner would install a personal charging station offered by the present system. The EV owner may indicate that the personal charging station is available for other users through an app or web program offered by the present system. Any user with a third party EV looking to utilize an EV charging station would search from the app or web program, and would be able to locate the personal charging station offered at the EV owner’s home. The EV user would be able to interact with the personal charging station through verification of the digital asset offered by the present system, which enables the personal charging station to dispense energy to the third party EV. When the user is charging the third party EV at the personal charging station, the digital asset may record the usage and calculate a revenue quantity. As a result, the EV owner may derive revenue from offering the personal charging station to third party users on the present system.Definitions

[0061] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. As such, terms, such as those defined by commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in a context of a relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0062] As used herein, the term “user” refers to any person, entity, corporation, individual, institution, and the like capable of utilizing the methods and systems of the present disclosure.

[0063] As used herein, a “digital wallet” is any online payment method allowing a customer to store information securely and make payments. A digital wallet may include, but is not limited to, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and the like.

[0064] A blockchain or blockchain is a distributed database that maintains a list of data records, the security of which is enhanced by the distributed nature of the blockchain. A blockchain typically includes several nodes, which may be one or more systems, machines, computers, databases, data stores or the like operably connected with one another. In some cases, each of the nodes or multiple nodes are maintained by different entities. A blockchain typically works without a central repository or single administrator. One well-known application of a blockchain is the public ledger of transactions for cryptocurrencies such as used in bitcoin. The data records recorded in the blockchain are enforced cryptographically and stored on the nodes of the blockchain.

[0065] The blockchain typically has two primary types of records. The first type is the transaction type, which consists of the actual data stored in the blockchain. The second type is the block type, which are records that confirm when and in what sequence certain transactions became recorded as part of the blockchain. Transactions are created by participants using the blockchain in its normal course of business, as a non-limiting example, when someone sends cryptocurrency to another person), and blocks are created by users known as “miners” who use specialized software / equipment to create blocks. Users of the blockchain create transactions that are passed around to various nodes of the blockchain. A “valid” transaction is one that can be validated based on a set of rules that are defined by the particular system implementing the blockchain. As a non-limiting example, in the case of cryptocurrencies, a valid transaction is one that is digitally signed, spent from a valid digital wallet and, in some cases, that meets other criteria. In some blockchain systems, miners are incentivized to create blocks by a rewards structure that offers a pre-defined per-block reward and / or fees offered within the transactions validated themselves. Thus, when a miner successfully validates a transaction on the blockchain, the miner may receive rewards and / or fees as an incentive to continue creating new blocks.

[0066] As used herein, a “digital asset” is any digital representation of value which is recorded on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger or any similar technology known in the art. A digital asset may include convertible virtual currency and cryptocurrency, stablecoins, and non- fungible tokens (NFTs). As a non-limiting example, a digital asset may include, but is not limited to, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Dogecoin (DOGE), BNB, Cardano, Litecoin, Dash, Monero, TRON, and the like.

[0067] A digital asset may include “tokens”, which like other digital assets may represent anything from loyalty points to vouchers and lOUs to actual objects in the physical world. Tokens may also be tools, such as in-game items, for interacting with other smart contracts. A token is a “smart contract” running on top of a blockchain network. As such, it is a set of code with an associated database. The database may be maintained by an issuer. Digital asset tokens may be accepted in trade or in commerce by merchants, individuals, and / or the methods and systems of the present disclosure.

[0068] A blockchain network may include, but is not limited to, the Bitcoin Network, the Ethereum Network, the NEO Network, the IBM Blockchain Network, R3 Corda Network, Hyperledger Fabric Network, Hydrachain Network, Ripple Network, IOW Network, the Libra Network, AIBlockchain network and the like. The blockchain network may be centralized (e.g., run by one or more central servers) or decentralized (e.g., run through a peer-to-peer network). The network may be an open network or a closed network.

[0069] A digital asset token may include, but is not limited to, EVDC token, Chainlink, Paxos, XRP, Matic, Uniswap, USDC, Quant, SAND, MANA, Curve DAO Token, Axie Infinity, and the like.

[0070] Smart contracts are computer processes that facilitate, verify and / or enforce negotiation and / or performance of a contract between parties. One fundamental purpose of smart contracts is to integrate the practice of contract law and related business practices with electronic commerce protocols between people on the Internet. Smart contracts may leverage a user interface that provides one or more parties or administrators access, which may be restricted at varying levels for different people, to the terms and logic of the contract. Smart contracts typically include logic that emulates contractual clauses that are partially or fully self-executing and / or self-enforcing. Non-limiting examples of smart contracts are digital rights management (DRM) used for protecting copyrighted works, buying or selling goods, whether or virtual or physical, executing transfers of goods or of rights associated with such goods, and the like. A smart contract may include a computer protocol intendent to digitally facilitate, verify, or enforce the negotiation or performance of credible transactions without third parties.

[0071] Smart contracts may also be described as pre-written logic (computer code), stored and replicated on a distributed storage platform (e.g., a blockchain), executed / run by a network ofcomputers (which may be the same ones running the blockchain), which can result in ledger updates (transfer of digital rights, etc.).

[0072] Smart contract infrastructure can be implemented by replicated asset registries and contract execution using cryptographic hash chains and Byzantine fault tolerant replication. As a non-limiting example, each node in a peer-to-peer network or blockchain distributed network may act as a title registry and escrow, thereby executing changes of ownership and implementing sets of predetermined rules that govern transactions on the network. Each node may also check the work of other nodes and in some cases, as noted above, function as miners or validators.

[0073] Not all blockchains can execute all types of smart contracts. As a non-limiting, Bitcoin cannot currently execute smart contracts. Sidechains, i.e., blockchains connected to Bitcoin's main blockchain could enable smart contract functionality: by having different blockchains running in parallel to Bitcoin, with an ability to jump value between Bitcoin's main chain and the side chains, side chains could be used to execute logic. Smart contracts that are supported by sidechains are contemplated as being included within the blockchain enabled smart contracts that are described below.

[0074] As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Likewise, as used in the following detailed description, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean nay of the natural inclusive permutations. Thus, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances.

[0075] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0076] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “including”, “having”, and “characterized by”, may be inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, elements, compositions, steps, integers, operations, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Although these open-ended terms may be to be understood as a non-restrictive term used to describe and claim various aspects set forth herein, in certain aspects, the term mayalternatively be understood to instead be a more limiting and restrictive term, such as “consisting of’ or “consisting essentially of.” Thus, for any given aspect reciting compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integers, operations, and / or process steps, described herein also specifically includes aspects consisting of, or consisting essentially of, such recited compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integers, operations, and / or process steps. In the case of “consisting of’, the alternative aspect excludes any additional compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integers, operations, and / or process steps, while in the case of “consisting essentially of’, any additional compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integers, operations, and / or process steps that materially affect the basic and novel characteristics may be excluded from such an aspect, but any compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integers, operations, and / or process steps that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics may be included in the aspect.

[0077] Any method steps, processes, and operations described herein may not be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed, unless otherwise indicated.

[0078] In addition, features described with respect to certain example aspects may be combined in or with various other example aspects in any permutational or combinatory manner. Different aspects or elements of example aspects, as disclosed herein, may be combined in a similar manner. The term “combination”, “combinatory,” or “combinations thereof’ as used herein refers to all permutations and combinations of the listed items preceding the term. As a nonlimiting example, “A, B, C, or combinations thereof’ is intended to include at least one of A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and if order is important in a particular context, also BA, CA, CB, CBA, BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB. Continuing with this example, expressly included may be combinations that contain repeats of one or more item or term, such as BB, AAA, AB, BBC, AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, and so forth. The skilled artisan will understand that typically there is no limit on the number of items or terms in any combination, unless otherwise apparent from the context.

[0079] Aspects of the present disclosure may be described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer programproducts according to aspects of the disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, may be implemented by computer readable program instructions. The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0080] The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various aspects of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. As a non-limiting example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustration, may be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0081] Words such as “then,” “next,” etc. are not intended to limit the order of the steps; these words may be simply used to guide the reader through the description of the methods. Although process flow diagrams may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, asubroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

[0082] In the description, certain details are set forth in order to provide a better understanding of various aspects of the systems and methods disclosed herein. However, one skilled in the art will understand that these aspects may be practiced without these details and / or in the absence of any details not described herein. In other instances, well-known structures, methods, and / or techniques associated with methods of practicing the various aspects may not be shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of other details of the various aspects.

[0083] While specific aspects of the disclosure have been provided hereinabove, the disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as necessarily being limited to only the aspects disclosed herein. Rather, these aspects may be provided so that this disclosure is thorough and complete, and fully conveys various concepts of this disclosure to skilled artisans.

[0084] Furthermore, when this disclosure states that something is “based on” something else, then such statement refers to a basis which may be based on one or more other things as well. In other words, unless expressly indicated otherwise, as used herein “based on” inclusively means “based at least in part on” or “based at least partially on.”

[0085] All numerical ranges stated herein include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. As a nonlimiting example, a range of “1 to 10” or “1-10” is intended to include all sub-ranges between and including the recited minimum value of 1 and the recited maximum value of 10 because the disclosed numerical ranges may be continuous and include every value between the minimum and maximum values. Any maximum numerical limitation recited herein is intended to include all lower numerical limitations. Any minimum numerical limitation recited herein is intended to include all higher numerical limitations.

[0086] Features or functionality described with respect to certain example aspects may be combined and sub-combined in and / or with various other example aspects. Also, different aspects and / or elements of example aspects, as disclosed herein, may be combined and subcombined in a similar manner as well. Further, some example aspects, whether individually and / or collectively, may be components of a larger system, wherein other procedures may takeprecedence over and / or otherwise modify their application. Additionally, a number of steps may be required before, after, and / or concurrently with example aspects, as disclosed herein. Note that any and / or all methods and / or processes, at least as disclosed herein, may be at least partially performed via at least one entity or actor in any manner.

[0087] All documents cited herein may be incorporated herein by reference, but only to the extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other documents set forth herein. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern. The citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to this application.

[0088] While particular aspects have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, numerous equivalents to the specific apparatuses and methods described herein, including alternatives, variants, additions, deletions, modifications and substitutions. This application including the appended claims is therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications that may be within the scope of this application.

[0089] Aspects of the present disclosure

[0090] Aspect 1 : A computer-implemented method to charge an electric vehicle for a user, comprising providing a digital asset to on a digital platform connected to at least one electric vehicle, authorizing, through the digital asset, the at least one electric vehicle charging station to initiate a charging process for the electric vehicle, determining a cost for the charging process, and processing a payment on the digital platform for the cost using the digital asset.

[0091] Aspect 2: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, comprising locating at least one electric vehicle charging station based on the digital asset.

[0092] Aspect 3 : The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the digital asset is a blockchain token.

[0093] Aspect 4: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, comprising associating the digital asset with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

[0094] Aspect 5: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, comprising interfacing, through the digital platform, with the at least one electric vehicle charging station bypassing a sign up process.

[0095] Aspect 6: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the digital asset authorizes the charging process through an identification protocol when the user is anonymous.

[0096] Aspect 7: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein initiating charging an electric vehicle comprises automatically initiating charging without user input.

[0097] Aspect 8: A system to charge an electric vehicle for a user, comprising a digital platform connected to at least one electric vehicle and at least one electric vehicle charging station, and a digital asset, wherein the digital asset authorizes the at least one electric vehicle charging station to initiate a charging process for the electric vehicle, determines a cost for the charging process, and processes a payment on the digital platform for the cost using the digital asset.

[0098] Aspect 9: The system according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the digital asset is configured to locate at least one electric vehicle charging station.

[0099] Aspect 10: The system according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the digital asset is a blockchain token.

[0100] Aspect 11 : The system according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the digital asset is associated with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

[0101] Aspect 12: The system according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the digital platform is configured to interface with the at least one electric vehicle charging station bypassing a sign up process.

[0102] Aspect 13: The system according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the digital asset authorizes the charging process through an identification protocol when the user is anonymous.

[0103] Aspect 14: The system according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein initiating charging an electric vehicle comprises automatically initiating charging without user input.

[0104] Aspect 15: A method of paying for and performing electric vehicle charging using digital assets, comprising: determine a location of a user; locate at least one electric vehicle charging station; prompt a user to select one electric vehicle charging station; prompt a user to select a payment method, wherein the payment method comprises a digital asset; initiate charging an electric vehicle; monitor energy consumption; determine a total cost; and process a payment for electric vehicle charging using the digital asset.

[0105] Aspect 16: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, comprising providing the digital asset on a blockchain.

[0106] Aspect 17: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, comprising associating the digital asset with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

[0107] Aspect 18: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, comprising interfacing, through the digital platform, with the at least one electric vehicle charging station bypassing a sign up process.

[0108] Aspect 19: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the digital asset authorizes the charging process through an identification protocol when the user is anonymous.

[0109] Aspect 20: The method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein initiating charging an electric vehicle comprises automatically initiating charging without user input

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method to charge an electric vehicle for a user, comprising: providing a digital asset to on a digital platform connected to at least one electric vehicle, authorizing, through the digital asset, the at least one electric vehicle charging station to initiate a charging process for the electric vehicle, determining a cost for the charging process, and processing a payment on the digital platform for the cost using the digital asset.

2. The method of Claim 1, comprising locating at least one electric vehicle charging station based on the digital asset.

3. The method of Claim 1, wherein the digital asset is a blockchain token.

4. The method of Claim 1, comprising associating the digital asset with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

5. The method of Claim 1, comprising interfacing, through the digital platform, with the at least one electric vehicle charging station bypassing a sign up process.

6. The method of Claim 1, wherein the digital asset authorizes the charging process through an identification protocol when the user is anonymous.

7. The method of Claim 1, wherein initiating charging an electric vehicle comprises automatically initiating charging without user input.

8. A system to charge an electric vehicle for a user, comprising: a digital platform connected to at least one electric vehicle and at least one electric vehicle charging station, and a digital asset, wherein the digital asset authorizes the at least one electric vehicle charging station to initiate a charging process for the electric vehicle, determines a cost for the charging process, and processes a payment on the digital platform for the cost using the digital asset.

9. The system of Claim 8, wherein the digital asset is configured to locate at least one electric vehicle charging station.

10. The system of Claim 8, wherein the digital asset is a blockchain token.

11. The system of Claim 8, wherein the digital asset is associated with a VehicleIdentification Number (VIN).

12. The system of Claim 8, wherein the digital platform is configured to interface with the at least one electric vehicle charging station bypassing a sign up process.

13. The system of Claim 8, wherein the digital asset authorizes the charging process through an identification protocol when the user is anonymous.

14. The system of Claim 8, wherein initiating charging an electric vehicle comprises automatically initiating charging without user input.

15. A method of paying for and performing electric vehicle charging using digital assets, comprising: determine a location of a user; locate at least one electric vehicle charging station; prompt a user to select one electric vehicle charging station; prompt a user to select a payment method, wherein the payment method comprises a digital asset; initiate charging an electric vehicle; monitor energy consumption; determine a total cost; and process a payment for electric vehicle charging using the digital asset.

16. The method of Claim 15, comprising providing the digital asset on a blockchain.

17. The method of Claim 15, comprising associating the digital asset with a VehicleIdentification Number (VIN).

18. The method of Claim 15, comprising interfacing, through the digital platform, with the at least one electric vehicle charging station bypassing a sign up process.

19. The method of Claim 15, wherein the digital asset authorizes the charging process through an identification protocol when the user is anonymous.

20. The method of Claim 15, wherein initiating charging an electric vehicle comprises automatically initiating charging without user input.

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