EV Charging Station Whitelist Beacons for Automatic User Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electric vehicle charging systems require manual user identification, which is inconvenient and inefficient, especially for frequent users of home or workplace charging stations, and GPS-based solutions are not optimal due to battery consumption and privacy concerns.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a beacon transmitter system that broadcasts identifiers of charging stations and associated whitelists, allowing mobile devices to automatically authenticate users and initiate charging when in proximity, without the need for special hardware or continuous GPS tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual user identification is required at charging stations, then security and billing control are improved, but user convenience and operational efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs user identification and authentication in advance by detecting the mobile device's proximity to the charging station through beacon signals. The user is automatically identified and authorized before the actual charging operation begins, eliminating the need for manual identification at the point of use while maintaining security and billing control.
2Ease of operation
If GPS-based location tracking is used to enable automatic charging, then user convenience is improved, but battery consumption and privacy concerns worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces beacon transmitters as intermediary devices installed at charging stations that broadcast location information through localized signals. The mobile device detects these beacons to determine proximity to charging stations without requiring continuous GPS tracking, thereby enabling automatic charging functionality while significantly reducing battery consumption and privacy concerns associated with GPS.
3Productivity
If continuous GPS tracking is implemented for charging management, then location-based charging control is improved, but energy consumption and system complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous GPS tracking, the system uses periodic beacon signal detection. The mobile device periodically checks for nearby beacon transmitters at charging stations, which provides sufficient location information for charging management without the continuous energy consumption of GPS. This periodic approach maintains charging management efficiency while reducing battery usage.
4Ease of operation
If beacon signal detection is used for user identification, then ease of operation is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses beacon technology, which is a standardized and widely adopted protocol already integrated into many modern mobile devices. By leveraging this existing universal technology rather than implementing a proprietary identification system, the solution achieves automatic authentication functionality while minimizing additional system complexity. The beacon infrastructure can serve multiple functions including location detection, user identification, and charging initiation.
Data Source
AI summary
Various example embodiments relate to managing charging stations of electric vehicles based on a proximity of a user. A beacon transmitter is configured to broadcast identifiers of a charging station and of a list of allowed users. A mobile device of the user is configured to detect a proximity of the beacon transmitter and determine if the charging station can be set for charging based on an identifier of the user, the identifier of the charging station and the identifier of the user list. Apparatuses, methods, and computer programs are disclosed.