EV Charger Access via Reservation Certificates and Offline Authorization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle drivers face challenges in finding and reserving charging stations with the correct voltage and current parameters, and there is a lack of convenient payment and reservation systems for electric vehicle charging.
Innovation Solution
A web-based system that allows users to reserve and activate electric vehicle chargers or access devices using a digital token or certificate sent to a cellular telephone, which can then authorize charging by communicating with the charger via short-range wireless technologies like Bluetooth or Zigbee, ensuring secure and reliable access with unique IDs and encryption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a random collection of charge stations is deployed, then charging availability increases, but the difficulty of finding a compatible charger with correct voltage and current parameters increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central server as an intermediary that maintains a database of charge station parameters (voltage, current, location, availability). The mobile device communicates with this server to obtain filtered information about compatible chargers, rather than requiring the user to manually search through all charge stations. This mediator resolves the contradiction by making the system's complexity invisible to the end user while enabling comprehensive charging availability.
2Ease of operation
If credit card payment systems are used at charge stations, then payment capability is provided, but the inability to reserve charging slots and provide correct parameters remains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated system: reservation of charging slots, provision of correct voltage/current parameters, and payment processing are all combined in one mobile application. The server coordinates these functions together, allowing the user to reserve a charger, receive the correct parameters for that specific charger, and make payment all through the same interface. This resolves the contradiction by making the system both easy to operate (single app for all functions) and versatile (multiple functions integrated).
3Ease of operation
If digital tokens are transferred to cellular telephones for access authorization, then convenience of access is improved, but security requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical access control mechanisms (keys, cards, manual authentication) with electronic digital tokens transferred via wireless communication to mobile devices. The server generates encrypted digital tokens that are transferred to the user's mobile device, which then presents these tokens to charge stations for authentication. This substitution provides both convenience (contactless, automated access) and security (encrypted tokens, server-validated authentication).
4Adaptability or versatility
If a comprehensive web-based reservation system is implemented, then service functionality is improved, but dependency on internet connectivity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the mobile device download and cache charging station parameters, reservation information, and authentication tokens before the user needs them. The system anticipates that internet connectivity may be unavailable at the charge station location, so it pre-loads all necessary information. When the user arrives at a charger, the mobile device can communicate with the charger using cached information without requiring real-time internet connection, thus maintaining full service functionality while reducing connectivity dependency.
Data Source
AI summary
An access control system for electric vehicle charging is provided that includes an access device, a secure reservation interface, a reservation server and a smartphone application installed on the smartphone. The access device includes a short-range wireless communication module connected to a processor having control of an electric vehicle charger. The secure reservation interface receives a reservation request for a reservation at a given destination. The reservation server receives the reservation request for the destination, issues a reservation certificate, and transmits the reservation certificate from the reservation server to a smartphone. The smartphone application has access to a short range wireless communication setting corresponding to the access device. The access device receives the reservation certificate from the smartphone application based on use by the smartphone application of the short-range wireless communication setting. The processor activates the electric vehicle charger based on at least the receipt of the reservation certificate.