EV Charging Host Dynamic Pricing Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle charging stations have inflexible pricing models that do not account for market dynamics, leading to inefficient usage and limited revenue potential for charging station hosts, as prices are typically fixed per charging session regardless of energy transferred or duration.
Innovation Solution
A system allowing charging station hosts to define customizable pricing through a network interface, enabling per-session, per-time, or per-energy-based pricing, with options for varying prices based on time, date, and user type, and the ability to restrict access to certain vehicles or charging points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed per-charging-session pricing is used, then pricing simplicity is maintained, but revenue optimization and usage efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic pricing by allowing hosts to set different prices for different time periods (off-peak, peak, ultra-peak hours) and different days (weekdays, weekends, holidays). This resolves the contradiction by moving from static fixed pricing to dynamic time-based pricing, enabling revenue optimization while maintaining operational simplicity through automated selection of applicable price periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pricing parameter from a single fixed value to multiple variable values based on time of day, day of week, and holiday status. Hosts can define up to 16 different price periods with distinct pricing, allowing revenue optimization through parameter variation while the system automatically manages the complexity of selecting and applying the correct price.
2Device complexity
If fixed per-charging-session pricing is used, then pricing structure simplicity is maintained, but charging station usage efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic time-based pricing where prices vary according to demand periods (off-peak, peak, ultra-peak hours) and day types (weekdays, weekends, holidays). This resolves the contradiction by using automated systems to manage pricing structure complexity while improving usage efficiency through economic incentives that encourage off-peak charging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the pricing structure from a single fixed parameter to multiple time-dependent parameters (16 configurable price periods). The automated selection and application of appropriate price periods manages the increased complexity while the varied pricing structure improves charging station utilization by distributing demand across different time periods.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hosts must use service-established pricing, then operational flexibility is reduced, but system control simplicity is maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables hosts to dynamically configure their own pricing structures with up to 16 different price periods based on their specific operational needs and market conditions. This resolves the contradiction by providing hosts with full adaptability and flexibility to set custom prices while the automated time-period selection system manages the complexity of implementing and maintaining these flexible pricing structures.
Data Source
AI summary
An electric vehicle charging station network includes multiple electric vehicle charging stations belonging to multiple charging station hosts. Each host controls one or more charging stations. A charging station network server provides an interface that allows each of the hosts to define one or more pricing specifications for charging electric vehicles on one or more of their electric vehicle charging stations belonging to that host. The pricing specifications are applied to the charging stations such that a cost of charging electric vehicles using those charging stations is calculated according to the pricing specifications.