Wireless EV Charging Mediation via Cellular Network
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deployment of electric vehicle recharging stations faces challenges in providing universal access and billing methods, as existing systems often require users to have cash or credit cards and involve costly hardware for payment processing, especially when stations are not owned or operated by the electric power company.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes a user's cellular phone to authorize access to a recharging station and leverages the cellular network's billing system to generate payments to the operator, eliminating the need for complex hardware at the recharging station by using a wide-area wireless interface for authentication and billing through a front-end and back-end server communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cash or credit card payment systems are implemented at recharging stations, then users can pay for charging services, but the hardware complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cellular network operator as an intermediary to handle authentication and billing. Instead of implementing complex payment hardware at recharging stations, the system uses the user's mobile phone and the cellular network's existing authentication infrastructure (HLR, AuC, MSC) to verify user identity and process payments. This mediator approach transfers the payment processing complexity from the recharging station to the cellular network operator.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical payment systems (cash handling, credit card readers) with electronic authentication mechanisms. The system substitutes physical payment processing hardware with wireless communication-based authentication using mobile phone network protocols, thereby eliminating the need for complex payment terminals at recharging stations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If recharging stations are deployed in locations not owned or operated by power companies (e.g., parking garages), then universal access is improved, but payment handling becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal payment and authentication system that works across all recharging stations regardless of location or operator. By leveraging the cellular network's widespread infrastructure, the system provides a single, unified authentication mechanism that can be deployed anywhere with cellular coverage, eliminating the need for location-specific payment solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The cellular network operator serves as a neutral intermediary that enables payment processing between power companies and third-party recharging station operators. This mediator approach allows stations in diverse locations (parking garages, private properties) to participate in the recharging network without needing to implement their own payment handling capabilities.
3Device complexity
If power companies directly operate all recharging stations, then payment handling is simplified, but the number and accessibility of stations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the recharging ecosystem into distinct roles: power companies that provide electricity, third-party operators that deploy and maintain stations, and cellular network operators that handle authentication and billing. This segmentation allows each entity to focus on their core competency while benefiting from the coordinated system, thereby increasing overall station availability without complicating payment handling.
Data Source
AI summary
A recharging station for recharging an electric vehicle has a fixed transceiver operable with a local interface and a wide-area wireless interface, wherein the wide-area wireless interface corresponds to a cellular network provider. A user transceiver is activated by a user to send an authentication request to the recharging station via the local interface. A front-end server in a core network of the cellular network provider communicates with the recharging station and the user transceiver. The recharging station forwards the authentication request with an identification of the recharging station to the front-end server, and the front-end server creates a PIN code in response to the authentication request if the identification of the user transceiver is verified. A back-end server associated with the utility provider receives the PIN code and verifies the identification of the recharging station. The front-end server sends the PIN code to both the user transceiver and the recharging station via the wide-area wireless interface, and the PIN code is used to initiate charging.