A charging box for electric vehicle charging

Abstract

The present invention a charging box for electric vehicle charging that can provide an all-in-one system by placing OEM EV chargers inside the box, provisioned with a high-performance charging point, and a precise meter, in communication with a mobile application delivering a seamless charging experience tailored to modern electric vehicles therefore an innovative electric vehicle (EV) charging solution This solution involves a secured smart charging enclosure that integrates several essential components into a cohesive system.

Description

[0001] A CHARGING BOX FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present invention, in general, relates to EV charger boxes. Particularly, the invention relates to a smart EV charging box that can be used to place OEM EV chargers inside the box provisioned for connecting to power supply with a dedicated smart energy meter, provides security to the charging modules, compatibility with multiple types of OEM chargers, provides network connectivity, secure access to users, and payment gateway for commercial usage billing, wherein it also provides location spotting and availability of charging box with cloud connectivity to the public.

[0004] BACKGROUND ART

[0005] Smart Charging Box is an advanced solution designed to elevate the Electric Vehicle (EV) charging experience through cutting-edge technology. Currently, the most common methods for EV charging include home installations using a 230V outlet, which offers faster charging, as well as public charging stations that provide additional features such as payment options and networked services for managing charging sessions. However, there are several issues to be addressed, such as charging port compatibility, option for users to check the availability of a charger at a given time in advance, booking the charging slot by reserving and ensure the availability while the vehicle is reaching the charging point- especially in highway, setting up the charging duration, at the expiry of which the charging process is automatically stopped, protection against voltage surges, option to secure the charger near the parking space in a protective box as required, and an option to receive / view detailed statements of power consumption, including tariffs and respective billing amounts.

[0006] In the prior art literature, EP3266647B1 teaches a charging control apparatus and method for electric vehicle. KR 20120109023 A discloses an automatic charging and tolling system for an electric vehicle that enables electric charging and automatically collects parking and charging charges when leaving after charging. EP3017994A2 teaches a system for charging an electric vehicle uses an in-cable control box, wherein the electrical connecting device collects information about electric energy used to charge the vehicle and information about a position where the vehicle is charged.

[0007] From the foregoing, it becomes apparent that there exists need to provide a smart charging box for electric vehicles that can overcome the drawbacks of the existing technologies.

[0008] The present invention discloses a smart charging box for electric vehicles that provides an all-in-one system that integrates a high-performance charging point and a precise energy meter to deliver a seamless charging experience tailored to modem day electric vehicles. Said smart charger box provides compatibility with multiple types of OEM chargers, network connectivity, secure access to users, surge protection, automatic cutoff, and payment gateway for commercial usage billing, wherein it also provides location spotting and availability charging box with cloud connectivity to the public.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] It is therefore the primary objective of the present invention to provide a smart charge box that is useful for multistoried apartments and buildings as well as for public areas, and in the charging stations for commercial or non-commercial use.

[0011] It is another objective of the invention is to provide an all-in-one smart charging box that offers safety and security to the OEM EV chargers, a network connectivity, payment gateway that can be used for commercial usage, and location spotting and availability checking and reserving of charging box with cloud connectivity to the public.

[0012] It is yet another objective of the invention to avoid the EV Gun compatibility issue in charging station as two wheelers, three wheelers and four wheelers and all different type of vehicles are having their own type of EV Gun according to the manufacturers, wherein the users need to bring a compatibility cable for suiting to their vehicle for charging.

[0013] It is a further objective of the invention is to eliminate potential driving range anxiety by providing a cost-effective smart charging box having all types of charger connecting compatibility to cater to different vehicle types.

[0014] It is yet another objective of the invention to provide a less expensive smart charge box for better coverage and penetration of sustainable mobility even in the remote.

[0015] DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

[0016] The objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the disclosure is read in conjunction with the following figures, wherein

[0017] FIG.l shows a block representation of a charging box for electrical vehicles suitable for residential purposes is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIG.l depicts a block representation of a charging box for electrical vehicles for non-commercial use.

[0019] FIG.3 illustrates a block representation of a charging box for electrical vehicles for commercial use.

[0020] FIG.4 shows a block representation of a charging box for electrical vehicles powered by solar energy.

[0021] FIG.5 depicts a block representation of phase wise load management from the mains power supply to the independent EV chargers connected through the EV smart charge box with the load manager.

[0022] FIG.6 illustrates the flow representation of the functionalities mentioned in the embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The following description is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0024] Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described, which may be requirements for some embodiments but not for other embodiments.

[0025] The term ‘EV smart charger box’ and ‘charging box’, denotes the same apparatus, as mentioned in the preferred embodiment or one of the embodiments stated herein. The term ‘mobile application’, ‘mobile app’, ‘application’, and ‘app’ are used interchangeably in the description, wherein said terms are meant to mean or convey the same thing.

[0026] The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a charging box for electric vehicles, comprising of a housing featuring a door lock based on RFID / NFC / Mifare / Smart Card / Biometric lock, wherein said housing encompasses in its fold, a smart energy meter configured to display the power consumption in units while charging, a Wi-Fi, Ethernet and GSM Module ensuring cloud server connectivity, Bluetooth for transferring user data locally to the mobile app, and a visual display unit for publishing the usage related data pertaining of each user. The server is embodied in at least one computing device in communication with the network. The cloud server includes a computer system and database, wherein said computer system comprises of at least one processor for executing instructions, a memory, a communication interface, a storage interface, and a user interface (UI) that communicate with each other via a centralized bus. In an embodiment, the server system may be deployed as a standalone server. The processor is configured to at least: establish communication with one or more of the communication modules, and process the information received from said communication modules; access user data from a plurality of users from the memory, wherein said user data includes for authentication or otherwise, but not limited to, username, user type, charging category, permissions, and charging history, wherein based on relevant user information and authentication outcome, issue command to the microcontroller module to perform requisite actions, including allowing the user to initiate charging by plugging in the OEM charger to the socket for the desired duration; and process logs and consumption reports uploaded, and publish information relating to relevant user on respective dashboards and application;

[0027] The EV smart charger box in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, which is designed for commercial use, is provided with location of EV smart charger box for user mapping, and availability tracking functionality in communication with a mobile application integrated with payment gateway, wherein said charging box may be used in parking-lots, public places, hotels, charging stations, hospitals, or the like. An embodiment of the charging box for commercial use features a solar powered Smart EV Charger box equipped with various sensor modules capable of informing the user about the power generation, consumed power from solar generated power for EV charging, humidity conditions, temperature, and presence of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the air inside the housing to detect the event of smoke or fire, Wi Fi, GSM and Ethernet connectivity or other data connectivity. Referring to FIG.l, the charging box comprises of an electronic door locking module / controlled motors (door locking mechanism / motor-controlled mechanism), an energy meter, EV charger plugging provision, electrical safety units, a converter module, and an electronic circuit module comprising of a communication module in communication with a cloud server deployed mobile application. The communication module may connect to the cloud server network in accordance with various wired and wireless communication protocols, including, but not limited to, Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), GSM 2nd Generation (2G), 3rd Generation (3G), 4th Generation (4G), 5th Generation (5G) communication protocols, CDMA Protocols, Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication protocols, or any combination thereof.

[0028] The EV smart charger box comprises of a microcontroller module communicatively coupled to all sensors and interfaces, a user authentication unit, a plurality of electrical safety circuits, a converter circuit, sensor modules, switching relays, charging indicator modules, visual display unit, and interfacing circuit. The microcontroller module comprises of at least one processor for executing instructions, a memory to store said instructions, a communication interface, and storage interface that are communicatively coupled to each other. The microcontroller module is configured to authenticate user sign in through a hardware user authentication module that is communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, or through user credential entered in the mobile application to provide access to the EV charger box by opening the door lock mechanism / activating the unlock mechanism, and activating the switching relay; alternatively, the microcontroller is configured to communicate with the user device or mobile application in said user device through Bluetooth pairing, as an alternate means for user authentication, and provide access to the EV charger box if user is successfully verified; activate the relay to provide power connectivity to the industrial socket / power plug on user manually turning on the on / off switch, and plugging in the OEM charger; update user charging information to users and associated users from the cloud server through one or more of the communication modules; communicate with the RTC module for the time stamp synchronization of the data in the event of power interruptions; store the sensor logs, power consumption logs, and other data locally into memory storage provided in the EV smart charger box, and upload to the cloud server over the available communication means; compute the electrical load at any given time; and compute the electricity bill based on consumer power consumption and tariff once charging is performed.

[0029] The various electrical safety circuits are designed as protection circuits against potential conditions including, but not limited to, overvoltage, low voltage, and over current protection, wherein said safety circuits are capable of generating alerts through the mobile application and cloud dashboard logs. The safety circuits include, but not limited to, surge and spike protection circuits provided for additional safety of the circuits. The components described herein may include hardware and / or software that are configured or programmed to perform the steps described herein. The electric load manager module associated with each EV charger box is configured to regulate the number of simultaneous users based on the maximum permissible load per phase, wherein said modules are communicatively coupled to the microcontroller module and the cloud server.

[0030] The housing is designed as a rectangular / square or any other shape casing / box with door to secure said box, wherein said door features a door locking module in communication with the authentication module. Said door locking module comprises of a locking module including a sliding latch lock mechanism, door lock mechanism or any motor-controlled mechanism and lock with keys provided for the anti-theft. A heat exhaust fan with ventilation cut-outs is provided on multiple sides to facilitate air circulation. The box further features a charging indicator module of any size and shape comprising of at least one indication light for power availability and charger ON indication configured on the panel. In one of the embodiments, a cut-out with transparent closures for clear visibility of the Box interior is provided. As illustrated in FIG.l or FIG.2, the timer module is configured to function from the microcontroller / standalone timer or external timer modules, wherein said module features a cut-off timer and scheduled timer configured to be set using manual keys and at least one switching relay connecting the power supply and power socket for facilitating power cut-off . power on against a pre-set / scheduled time frame. When the pre-set time period of the cut-off timer exhausts, the relay disconnects the grid supply availability to the Electric Vehicle charger. The DC power circuit is further coupled to the microcontroller module, wherein said microcontroller is further communicatively coupled to a plurality of sensors, plurality of switching relays, and other interfacing circuits, as shown in the figure. In one embodiment, the charging box is provided with a keypad for setting the cutoff timer and for other operations that has to be carried out locally. The cut-off timer could also be set from mobile app or VDU.

[0031] The plurality of sensors provided include, but not limited to, humidity sensor, magnetic door sensor, and temperature sensor. The temperature sensor module is configured to sense the temperature inside the EV smart charge box and generate alerts at an extreme high threshold value, such as in the event of fire, by means of voice alert and notifies the user through the mobile application. The humidity sensor output data is used by the microcontroller module to analyze the health monitoring of the EV Charger Box and the OEM EV charger placed inside for electric vehicle charging. Further, a magnetic door sensor is provided to check the status of the door as to whether the door is open or closed for the safety of the EV Charger kept inside. Other functionalities include an option to switch on the light automatically when the door opens, generating alerts in the event of theft, if an unauthenticated door open happens, and provide a detailed log of the door open and close events occurred in a given time frame. Said sensor modules as well as independent sensors are connected to the microcontroller module.

[0032] Referring to FIG.l, the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is designed to provide robust security through hardware-based public key encryption and an integrated high-quality random number generator, securely store cryptographic keys and perform security functions in the hardware for the embedded microcontroller. AC- DC converter circuit is provided for converting the AC Power to the DC operating power for all the electrical and electronic units including the microcontroller, sensors, switching relays and other DC power operated modules. In one of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the switching relay includes relays, SSR (Solid State Relay), and Contactors wherein relay drivers are used to control the relay from the microcontrollers, meanwhile the relay is used to connect a higher current load with isolation from the microcontroller module. According to the requirements and application relays will be operated. In another embodiment SSR (Solid State Relay) or AC Contactor is employed.

[0033] The number and arrangement of systems, devices, and / or networks shown in FIG. 1 are provided as an example. There may be additional systems, devices, and / or networks; fewer systems, devices, and / or networks; different systems, devices, and / or networks; and / or differently arranged systems, devices, and / or networks than those shown in the figure. Furthermore, two or more systems or devices shown in FIG. 1 may be implemented within a single system or device, or a single system or device is shown in the figure may be implemented as multiple, distributed systems or devices.

[0034] Referring to FIG.l, the microcontroller module acts as a brain of the entire circuit by fetching the data from energy meter with the supporting protocols for computing the power consumption details. Energy meter data such as input voltage and consumed current are used to generate necessary alerts by the microcontroller in the mobile application through cloud server, based on the threshold settings namely low voltage alert, high voltage alert, over current alert, as set by the user through the application or set by default in the system, wherein the EV charging power is cut-off if the user configured threshold voltage or current limit is exceeded. GSM / Wi-Fi / Ethernet and Bluetooth and all the communication protocol modules are communicatively connected to the microcontroller according to the requirement of users, and priority stages for connecting with cloud dashboards and mobile application. The switching relays with drivers interfaced with microcontroller is configured to control exhaust fan, light, siren and solenoid latch lock. The microcontroller is further connected to the VDU configured for user interface, getting the information of the power consumption details, sensor logs, setting cutoff timer. The VDU are devices selected from the group consisting of LCD, LED Dot Matrix, TFT, OLED, HMI or others according to the user requirement.

[0035] Further, the microcontroller is in communication with a memory storage such as SD Card provided to store the sensor logs, power consumption logs and other data locally in the EV Smart charge box. In the event of unavailability of the data network connectivity to the cloud server, the data stored locally in the SD card is uploaded to the cloud server once the data network connectivity to cloud has been restored. Furthermore, RTC Module coupled to the controller is provided for the time stamp synchronization of the data in the event of power interruptions that might occur. For ensuring the timestamps remain consistent and reliable, RTC with battery is provided.

[0036] The smart charger box is provided with safety features such as door open / close access control with the keys in mobile application or with RFID / NFC / Mifare / Smart Card, and the electronic solenoid latch lock or by any motor-controlled mechanism. Bluetooth module is provided for fetching the power consumption details and logs locally. In one of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the solenoid latch lock is provided as an electronically controlled safety lock for the door. The lock is configured to lock / unlock the door on required authentication configured by the user and verified by microcontroller and the software.

[0037] As an aspect of the present invention, the cut-off timer is configured to receive user input via a manual keypad provided, through the VDU or through the mobile application, therein allowing the user to pre-set the charging time in the cut-off timer, and monitor the charging process, and terminate the power availability to the Electric Vehicle charger by switching the relay upon exhausting the pre-set time duration. The charging interface includes a power socket / industrial sockets provided to connect the EV Charger power plug, with a switch for power ON / OFF, wherein an MCB or additional circuit protection breakers is provided for the safety of the EV charger. Also provided are charger wire winding hooks inside and outside the housing, an MCBZELCB for electrical protection, and a power socket necessary for power plugin for EV charging. The charging wire slots are protected with rubber headings and cable glands for the Electrical Safety of the cables used against the metal. As another aspect, the charging box is provided with a multi charger compatibility socket with the variable size horizontal and variable size vertical mounting plates to suit multiple models of EV Charger fixing. Therefore, the charge box design in accordance with the present invention is suitable for indoor parking space as well as outdoor parking space usages.

[0038] Referring to FIG.5, the load manager module is a hardware unit connected to the incoming mains of the common electricity supply in apartments or buildings, wherein said hardware unit comprises of a secondary smart energy meter communicatively coupled with a secondary microcontroller and a plurality of communication modules configured to transmit live phase-wise load data to the cloud server. The sanctioned load capacity of the building is updated in the cloud server by the maintenance team user through the mobile app, wherein the available load capacity for EV charging at any given time, after deducting the real-time connected load from the sanctioned capacity, is obtained.

[0039] As another aspect, each EV smart charger box connected in respective phases of the mains supply is configured to operate in a test mode, before enabling it for continuous charging. In said test mode, a short-duration charging load is applied to determine the impact of the additional load on the total connected load capacity at a given time. When the calculated load data obtained from the cloud server to the load manager module of the EV Charger box remains within the available load capacity, the load manager permits activation of associated relays / contactors to supply continuous charging power. I.e. if calculated load data + total connected load < available load capacity, charging is permitted. Whereas, if the additional load causes the total load to exceed the sanctioned capacity, the load manager stops the activation of relays / contactors, cutting off the power supply to the EV chargers socket, thereby ensuring phase-wise load management, avoiding overloading of the mains supply, and maintaining uninterrupted power distribution within the apartment or building.

[0040] In one of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the mobile application is configured to allow a user to communicate with the charging box after getting signed up as residential user, and for non-commerci al user assigned by admin user [non-commercial hostee], with an RFID / NFC / Mifare / Smart Card Tags or mobile access authentication for a stipulated time. For apartment residential user, user sign up along with a maintenance team user sign up and login is required for sharing the power consumption details from the common electricity of apartments and generate bill against the usage of each EV user in the apartment community locally. For commercial user, accessibility grants from the QR code scanned from the box, wherein said QR code is either a static one or a variable one generated from the VDU for the required charging time. A unique id issued by the manufacturer to the admin user, for each of the individual users and that can be used for the identification of the charging box. The steps involved in operating the charging box through the mobile application are: a) opening login page, signing up in the case of first-time user, or sign in [existing individual user or admin user] by entering the user credentials. Login options include, but not limited to, login with OTP, fingerprint authentication login, login using 4 / 6-digit number in app, and the like. b) Choosing the type of utility case, which includes residential user, apartment user, non-commercial hostee, commercial hostee, solar powered commercial hostee, apartment maintenance team, or public user, wherein based on the choice made, corresponding software featured pages will appear. c) Adding and pairing the charging box to the mobile application either by scanning the QR code given on the charging box, or by entering the unique manufacturer id of the charging box. Provisions are given to delete the added device, if required. g) In user account there are options to change the Email Id, Mobile number, password change, adding additional user with full privilege or controlled privilege, added additional user can be deleted too, switching to multiple user account by adding if any addition account exists. e) Setting door lock Access control via app to User and Admin user. f) Configuring Wi Fi Network, Bluetooth Network data access for admin user. h) Configuring GSM data access with SIM management & Settings for admin user. i) Accessing SD Card and controls for admin user. j) Fire Alert or over heating of the EV Charge Box to User and Admin User. k) All types of warning alerts with higher threshold and lower threshold can be configured by the admin user or additional user if permission given. l) Theft alert or unauthorized access of doors can be configured by admin users. m) Setting high and low voltage alerts in mobile app. When a user configured set value of threshold voltage is exceeded, the EV charging power will be cut-off. User and admin configurable. n) Setting high current alert, wherein when a user configured threshold current limit exceeds, the EV charging power is cut-off. User and admin configurable. o) EV Charge box user can create maintenance team account on behalf of them provisioned in the mobile app. p) In apartment case, the maintenance team, after sign up, will receive a group ID. Maintenance team can add EV charger box user under them by scanning the QR code of the user or by searching users’ mobile number or email id. q) Maintenance team will get EV user consumption data and other permissible data, on approval of the request given by maintenance team to join under them. r) If the EV user has requested to join under maintenance team, for getting added under the group, maintenance team representative user have to approve the request. Specifically, the representative of the apartment maintenance team community can add the EV charge box user under the group by searching the user mobile number and put a request to join, on approval of the request EV charge box user will get added or the EV charge box user can show their QR Code for Joining and the representative can scan and add them. s) Maintenance user can add additional user under maintenance team, as well as delete that user. t) Power usage reports, graphs, analysis and historical data download can be downloaded in excel, word, pdf, wherein and sharing provisions are given. u) Electricity consumption bills against EV charging generated by maintenance team will be sent to the corresponding user, wherein they can make payments to the corresponding accounts that was set locally, and can update the status of payments, wherein said status will be verified and approved by the maintenance team. ■ Apartment maintenance team has the privilege to configure the tariff rule locally, as standard tariff or TOD (Time of Day) metering tariff, setting the billing cycle as same as following the service provider or can set as monthly, bi-monthly as decided locally among their group. w) Apartment maintenance team can configure the electricity load management page, wherein if high demand of electricity than the sanctioned capacity is observed, then they can implement the timing slot booking or First In First Out [FIFO] method or other rules that are defined locally for EV Charging to end users. x) Validating RFID, NFC, Mifare, Smart Card Access logs, Enroll / Delete new Tags by the admin user for all the variants. y) Uploading logs and consumption reports to the cloud server and local memory storage according to the user specific period. z) Uploaded logs of temperature, voltage, current and other parameters available can be accessed by the individual user and can be shared to maintenance team on approving the permission level settings. aa) Setting cut-off Timer - Set control by the end user in all variants. a. Setting scheduled charging on a defined time to the residential and apartment user. b. Electrical parameters that will load to their cloud space can limit by turning it off in the mobile app. User can set the data frequency to manage their cloud space. c. Notifications and settings can be configured and can turn on / off by the admin user. The same privilege can be given to additional users. d. In non-commerci al variants, corresponding hostee configure the tariff payment against consumption to user according to the service offered as free / paid for their customers. e. For the non-commercial variant, assigning tag or the mobile app control of their EV Charger box to the individual user by the business admin user. f. For non-commercial and commercial variants, mapping multiple EV Smart charge box under a Group Id for the Business Admin user. g. Providing reports of door access logs to the Admin user and allowing it to be shared with maintenance team in residential variant, and to the end user in the non-commercial variant. h. Allow access to users for commercial and non-commercial category and allow exclusive access to the smart charging box with mobile phone app or RFID / NFC / Mifare, Tag as the guest user category assigned by the business owner with a valid time. Guest user can access the full functionality of the smart charging box for the assigned duration of valid time. i. Switching to the public user in a single key for residential / apartment users for charging their vehicle in public places with EV Charger box commercial with the payment gateways and wallets j . While entering to the hotel / resort as guest user, same mobile app can be used in stipulated time.

[0041] In one embodiment, the mobile application allows the maintenance team to add the individual user to the application under the group id by searching user’s mobile phone number, device Id or user email Id, and sending an invite, provided that the individual user should approve said invite so that they can be added to the maintenance team group with necessary permissible features for viewing the page of the individual EV charge box user. In another implementation, the mobile application connecting apartment residential users, configuring the tariff payment against consumption when connected to the common electricity load is done by maintenance team user. Therefore, the bill payment details, power consumption, and other permissible features enabled in the viewing page to the maintenance team by the admin user. In an embodiment, the mobile application connecting commercial users, power consumption details are displayed to the individual user and admin users, wherein an integrated payment gateway is provided for making payments against the consumption for unlocking the door.

[0042] Referring to the FIG.l, a charging box for electrical vehicles suitable for residential purposes is illustrated in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The charging box is incorporated with a smart energy meter for power consumption readings, a microcontroller module in communication with a switching relay, user authentication module, communication module, plurality of sensor modules, and DC power converter circuit. The authentication module includes RFID / NFC / Mifare / Smart Card / Finger Print Based electronic controlled lock with magnetic door sensor for anti-theft and security with an alarm module. The communication module includes, but not limited to, a storage module such as an SD card, SIM / eSIM card module, ethernet module, Wi-Fi module, and a Bluetooth module.

[0043] Cut-off timer in communication with a manual keypad and a visual display unit (VDU) is provided on the front panel, wherein the user could set the timer through said keypad or VDU manually. Further, a mobile application adapted to be installed in user mobile phones, in communication with the microcontroller is provided to control the charging operations by changing the state of relays for power cut-off against a pre-set time. The SIM / eSIM and the Wi-Fi Setting configuration is provided such that the power consumption details may be viewed in the mobile application, and allows the payment procedure locally settled in accordance with the meter reading. The meter readings are made in accordance with the predefined electricity tariff as monthly or bimonthly as maintenance user define. The communication module equipped with GSM / Wi-Fi / Ethernet Modules are provided for establishing the data network connectivity to the cloud network for the mobile application and dashboards.

[0044] The features of the mobile application includes, but not limited to, user registration, authentication, authorization to register for a group ID, adding each individual user to a common group id on approval of the necessary permission levels from user settings, wherein said group id admin will receive the power consumption details of all the individual users for collecting the legally-mandated power tariff set by the group admin against the each user’s power consumption, a comprehensive report on power consumption, and door access logs with time.

[0045] Referring to the FIG.2, the charging box for electrical vehicles for non-commercial use is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Said charging box for non-commercial use is designed with an architecture mentioned for the residential usage, but with additional specific features in the mobile application and a software dashboard for viewing the power usage in hotels, hospitals, resorts, business parks, and the like.

[0046] Referring to the FIG.3, a charging box for electrical vehicles for commercial use is illustrated in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Said charging box features all the mentioned individual modules for non-commercial use, along with an inbuilt GPS Module for fetching the coordinates of charging point for locating the same to the public commercial users, complete with map integration for identifying the nearest available EV smart charger box, an option to reserve / book said available EV smart charger box, and payment gateway integration for paying for the power against their consumption is incorporated. Said additional module incorporated with the mobile application, with the aid of the GPS module, allows tracking, granting the location access, and pay through the payment gateway from the mobile application, as well as view the dash board configured with the charging box panel.

[0047] Referring to the FIG.4, a charging box for electrical vehicles powered by solar energy is illustrated in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment is configured with a plurality of solar panels for generating electricity, and a battery management system with a battery bank for storing the power. This includes an inverter configured for converting DC to AC for EV charging. In the embodiment, a plurality of sensors including carbon dioxide sensor, carbon monoxide sensor, and temperature sensor for fire and fume detection are incorporated for alerting the user about the weather and air quality parameters. Further, a GSM, WiFi and Ethernet Module is provided for cloud connectivity. RTC and SD cards are provided for local storage of data in the absence of the network connectivity for uploading into the cloud database. The mobile application in communication with the charging box is also configured to publish the daily generation data of electricity, consumption for EV charging from generated electricity, and reports for the total earnings against the consumption as period specific for the administrator use. FIG.6 shows the flow representation of the functionalities mentioned in the embodiments.

[0048] The solar panel is configured to generate DC power from the sunlight wherein the power generated is stored in a battery bank. Inverter module converts the DC power stored in the batteries to AC for charging the Electric Vehicle. Carbon dioxide sensor and carbon monoxide sensor configured to detect fumes in the event of fire in the charger or any accessory inside in the EV charge box and alert through hooter as well as the mobile app connected to the cloud is provided. The charging box is further provided with a payment gateway to cater to individual users. Said payment gateway integration is enabled for making the payment against the power consumption of the Electric Vehicle charging as commercial to the user. In the embodiment, the payment gateway is provided over the mobile application and local VDU by scanning the QR code by UPI apps. Further, the mobile application is incorporated with a geographical map, which shows all the nearest charging boxes available for commercial use, therein allowing potential users to choose the EV Smart charge box in his / her route plan.

[0049] ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION:

[0050] 1. EV owners of apartment residents have the ‘Right to Charge’ their vehicles at their convenient time with standard electricity tariff in their reserved parking lot by using their OEM chargers can be done by using EV smart charger box residential unit.

[0051] 2. The charging box for electrical vehicles in accordance with the present invention is equipped with RFID / NFC / Mifare / Smart Card, Biometric Lock and Physical Lock with Keys ensures security and theft.

[0052] 3. A Smart energy meter integrated with the controller is capable of displaying the power consumption units with detailed logs in a Mobile app, VDU and Software Dash Boards for the user reference.

[0053] 4. WiFi, GSM & Ethernet Module provided for Cloud Connectivity, a Display Unit with keys for local use, and a remote control by mobile phone application make the charging box extremely useful for both residential and public usage.

[0054] 5. The inverter in the solar power unit converts the DC power stored in the batteries into AC power, which is then used to charge the electric vehicle. This setup allows the business owner to generate and supply electric power on-site, leading to increased profitability in the long run.

[0055] 6. High-Performance Charging Point is designed for all Electric Vehicle charger plugin. This charging plugin point ensures efficient and reliable power delivery during the charging process. 7. The meter configured within the enclosure, accurately measures the energy consumed during charging. This data is crucial for billing, monitoring usage, and optimizing charging patterns.

[0056] 8. Mobile App Integration is configured to facilitate seamless connection with a mobile application. This allows users to conveniently manage their charging sessions, monitor charging status, receive notifications, and even schedule charging times from their smartphones.

[0057] 9. EV Travelers have the ‘Right to Charge’ in all residing Hotel s / Resorts parking lot, preferably an overnight charging of vehicles without waiting & disturbing the sleep hours for EV chargers by using EV smart charger box non-commercial unit with user’s OEM chargers.

[0058] 10. The smart charging enclosure aims to enhance the EV charging experience by combining security, accuracy, and user-friendly features tailored to modem electric vehicles.

[0059] 11. The smart charge box in charging spots allows the users connect their own charger by avoiding all type of confusions as whether to connect to a slow charger, Fast charger, DC - DC fast charger or any other type of charging method in charging stations.

[0060] 12. The charging box of the present invention offers a cost-effective alternative to existing charging stations. Its low capital investment allows for widespread deployment, making charging infrastructure accessible even in remote village areas across the country.

[0061] Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention unless they depart there from.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A EV smart charger box, characterized by:• rectangular or square casing with door to secure EV smart charger box, encompassing a multi-charger power socket / industrial socket configured to receive the complimentary connecting interfaces of a variety of OEM EV chargers, a switch for power ON / OFF, wherein an MCB or additional circuit protection breakers is provided for the safety of said EV chargers, charger wire winding hooks, and smart energy meter for computing the power consumption while charging;• microcontroller module communicatively coupled to a plurality of sensors and interfaces, a user authentication unit, plurality of electrical safety circuits, a converter circuit, plurality of sensor modules, multiple switching relays through respective drivers, charging indicator modules, visual display unit, smart energy meter, and interfacing circuits, wherein said microcontroller module encompassed in the casing, is configured to: a. authenticate user sign in through a hardware user authentication module communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, or through user credential entered in the mobile application, to provide access to the EV charger box by opening the door lock mechanism, wherein user inclusion to the application is performed by the maintenance team under a group id by searching user’s mobile phone number, device Id or user email Id, and sending an invite, wherein the user is added to the maintenance team group if said individual user approves said invite; b. activate the relay to provide power connectivity to the industrial socket / power plug, on user manually turning on the on / off switch, and plugging in the OEM charger;c. update user and associated users charging information to / from the cloud server through one or more of the communication modules; d. communicate with the RTC module for the time stamp synchronization of the data in the event of power interruptions; e. store the sensor logs, power consumption logs, and other data locally into memory storage provided in the EV smart charger box, and upload to the cloud server over the available communication means; f. communicate with the user device or mobile application in said user device through Bluetooth paring as an alternate means for user authentication, and provide access to the EV charger box if verified; g. analyze the health monitoring of the EV Charger Box and the OEM EV charger placed inside for electric vehicle charging by analyzing the different sensor readings; h. compute the electrical load at any given time; and i. compute the electricity bill based on consumer power consumption and tariff once charging is performed, wherein the tariff rule and billing cycle is set locally by the maintenance team as standard tariff or TOD (Time of Day) metering tariff.• timer module functioning from the microcontroller module or coupled externally to the microcontroller module, wherein said modules features a cut-off timer and scheduled timer, and at least one switching relay connecting the power supply and power socket, wherein said relay disconnects the grid supply availability to the charger on the expiry of the pre-set timer;• cloud server, comprising:a. communication interface; b. at least one processor for executing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processor is configured to at least: establish communication with one or more of the communication modules, and process the information received from said communication modules; access relevant user data from a plurality of users’ data stored in the memory for authentication or otherwise, wherein said user data includes, but not limited to, username, user type, charging category, permissions, and charging history, and based on relevant user information and authentication outcome, issue command to the microcontroller module to perform requisite actions, including activating the relay to allow the user to initiate charging by plugging in the OEM charger to the socket for the desired duration based on one or more conditions; and process logs and consumption reports uploaded, and publish information relating to relevant user on respective dashboards and application;• electric load manager modules associated with each EV charger box, configured to regulate the number of simultaneous users based on the maximum permissible load per phase, wherein said modules are communicatively coupled to the microcontroller module and the cloud server, wherein said load manager module comprises of: a secondary smart energy meter connected to the incoming mains of the common electricity supply, and communicatively coupled with a secondary microcontroller and a plurality of communication modules configured to transmit live phase-wise load data to the cloud server.

2. The EV smart charger box as claimed in claim 1, wherein a charging indicator module comprising of at least one indication light for power availability and charger ON indication is provided on the charger box.

3. The EV smart charger box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the TrustedPlatform Module (TPM) is designed to provide robust security through hardware-based public key encryption and integrated high-quality random number generator, securely store cryptographic keys, and perform security functions in the embedded microcontroller.

4. The EV smart charger box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cut-off timer is configured to receive user input through manual physical keypad, through the VDU or mobile application.

5. The EV smart charger box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the smart charger box is provided with a multi charger compatibility socket with variable size horizontal and variable size vertical mounting plates to suit multiple models of OEM chargers’ interface.

6. The EV smart charger box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microcontroller relies on energy meter data including input voltage and consumed current to generate relevant alerts in the mobile application through cloud server, wherein said alerts are based on the threshold settings such as low voltage alert, high voltage alert, over current alert, as set by the user through the application, or set by default in the system, wherein the EV charging power is cut-off if the user configured threshold voltage or current limit is exceeded.

7. A method of operating the EV smart charger box, comprising the steps of:• opening the application on user mobile device, wherein said application establishes communication with the cloud server, wherein the user is promoted to sign up in the case of first-time user,or sign in by entering the user credentials, wherein the login options include, but not limited to, login with OTP, fingerprint authentication login, or login using 4 / 6-digit number in app;• choosing the type of utility case, which typically includes residential user, apartment user, non-commercial hostee, commercial hostee, solar powered commercial hostee, apartment maintenance team, or public user, wherein said user type is recorded in the cloud server;• pairing the charging box with the mobile application either by scanning the charger box specific QR code or by entering the unique manufacturer id of the charger box, wherein the user profile is verified by authentication module in the cloud server, wherein on successful authentication, the microcontroller module is directed to activate the door unlock mechanism and activate the power switching relay, wherein the user could place the OEM EV charger inside the box and connect it to the power plug / industrial socket for charging;• setting the cut-off timer by the user on the application interface, physical keypad, or the VDU, wherein said timer is communicatively coupled to the microcontroller module;• plugging in the OEM charger to the charging socket of the EV charger box, wherein the power supply is disconnected at the expiry of said pre-set timer or when the vehicle is fully charged;• computing the cost of charging by the cloud server or microcontroller module based on tariff set by the admin user / maintenance user, energy meter reading corresponding to user profile, duration of charging, and time of day, wherein said cost value is updated on the mobile application / VDU; and• facilitating the payment locally;8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the payment is authorized through the mobile application / software platform through integrated securepayment gateway module communicatively coupled to cloud server in the case of commercial user.

9. A method of operating the EV charger box in a test mode, comprising the steps of:• allowing plugging in of the OEM charger by the user to cause short- duration charging load to be applied to the total connected load;• determining the impact of the additional load on said total connected load at a given time, wherein the calculated load data obtained from the cloud server to the load manager module is compared with the available load capacity; and• permitting the activation of associated relay s / contactors to supply continuous charging power to the EV smart charger socket by the load manager, if said calculated load data + total connected load < available load capacity;10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein if the additional load causes the total connected load to exceed the sanctioned or available load capacity, the load manager causes the deactivation of concerned relays / contactors, therein cutting off the power supply to the EV charger’ s socket.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein if the total connected load reduces to be lesser than the sanctioned or available load capacity, the power supply to the charger socket of the EV charger box with the first plugged in OEM charger is turned on in a FIFO method or other rules defined by the community locally.

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