EV Charging Authentication via Image Feature Transformation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current authentication methods for electric vehicle charging, such as RFID cards, transmit sensitive identification features to multiple servers, raising data protection concerns and enabling unauthorized data collection and profile creation.

Innovation Solution

The procedure involves forming an image feature from the user's identification feature using an assignment regulation and transmitting this image feature to authentication centers, where it is verified against a second image feature, ensuring only registered users can authenticate and preventing abusive data use by contractual partners.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the original identification feature is transmitted to multiple authentication servers, then authentication can be performed across multiple contractual partners, but data protection is compromised and unauthorized data collection becomes possible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication capability across multiple contractual partnersVSAvoiddata protection risks and unauthorized data collection
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary transformation process that converts the original identification feature into an image feature through assignment regulations before transmission to authentication servers. This intermediary step protects the original identification feature while enabling authentication, as the image feature serves as a safe intermediary that can be shared without exposing sensitive data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of transmitting the original identification feature, the system creates a copy in the form of an image feature through assignment regulations. This copy contains sufficient information for authentication purposes but lacks the sensitivity of the original identification feature, allowing multiple servers to authenticate users without accessing protected data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple servers receive the identification feature for authentication, then users can access charging points with different contractual partners, but user profiles can be created without user awareness or consent

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to charging points with different contractual partnersVSAvoiduser privacy and control over personal data
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The image feature acts as an intermediary that enables multi-partner authentication while preventing privacy loss. The transformation through assignment regulations ensures that servers receive authentication-capable data without accessing personally identifiable information, thus maintaining user privacy while enabling versatile access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts only the necessary authentication information from the original identification feature through assignment regulations, creating an image feature that contains minimal required data. This extraction process removes sensitive personal information while retaining authentication functionality, preventing unauthorized profile creation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the identification feature is transmitted to all known servers via multicast or unicast requests, then authentication can be attempted with all contractual partners, but data transmission volume and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication with all contractual partnersVSAvoidauthentication process complexity and data transmission overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a transformed copy (image feature) of the identification feature that can be efficiently transmitted to multiple servers. This copy enables parallel authentication attempts with all contractual partners without requiring complex coordination, as each server independently processes the image feature through its own assignment regulations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4072180A1Method for authorizing a charging process at a charging point
Publication Date: 2022.10.12 SIEMENS AG
  • EP4072180A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4072180A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4072180A1 patent drawing

AI summary

To authenticate a user at a charging point, authentication methods, in particular charging cards or RFID cards, are typically used. An identification feature stored on the charging card is currently transmitted to a large number of potential contractual partners to achieve authentication by an authorized partner. The present invention discloses a more data-efficient method for authorizing a charging process, which technically prevents or limits the misuse of identification features by a contractual partner. In contrast to currently common methods, an image feature is transmitted to the large number of potential contractual partners for authentication according to the invention, instead of the identification feature.Authentication is not performed by comparing the identification features in "plaintext," but rather by comparing the representational features, which are, for example, available as cryptographic hash values ​​of the identification features. This prevents unauthorized access to the identification features. The invention describes two variants in which the comparison of the representational features takes place either at the charging point or at an authentication point of the contractual partner.