Remote-Controlled EV Charger Adapter for Shared Access Security
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The rapid adoption of electric vehicles outpaces the development of public charging infrastructure, leading to concerns about the cost and efficiency of establishing scalable public charging solutions.
Innovation Solution
A retrofittable EV charger adapter with a switch and processor that allows remote control of charging sessions, enabling secure, shared, and monitored use of private EV chargers, preventing unauthorized usage and allowing proprietors to manage access and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If public EV charging infrastructure is established at scale, then charging accessibility is improved, but implementation cost and deployment time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a charger adapter as an intermediary device that connects between an existing EV charger and the vehicle's charging port. This adapter enables remote control functionality without requiring replacement of the entire charging infrastructure, thus improving accessibility while avoiding the complexity and cost of large-scale infrastructure deployment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If private EV chargers are made available for shared use, then charging availability is improved, but unauthorized usage and electricity cost loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The charger adapter incorporates a communication interface that enables two-way communication between the charger and remote devices. This allows the proprietor to receive notifications about charging sessions, monitor electricity consumption, and control charger access in real-time, thereby preventing unauthorized usage while enabling legitimate shared use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces physical control mechanisms (such as manual switches or mechanical locks) with electronic control through the switch component and remote communication interface. This allows for automated access control and monitoring, reducing the risk of unauthorized usage while maintaining ease of legitimate access.
3Reliability
If remote control capability is added to EV chargers, then security and management control are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the charging system into two independent parts: the existing EV charger and the separate charger adapter with remote control functionality. This segmentation allows the remote control capability to be added without modifying or complicating the original charger design, thus improving security while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
An electric vehicle charger adapter is disclosed, comprising an incoming power connection point configured to be electrically coupled to an EV charger, an outgoing power connection point configured to be electrically coupled to an EV and a switch, coupled between the incoming power connection point and the outgoing power connection point; and a processor, coupled to the switch. The processor comprises a wireless communication interface and is configured to transition the switch between an open configuration and a closed configuration based on signals received by the wireless communication interface from a remote device. A method for charging an EV, for example using the electric vehicle charger adapter, is also disclosed.