Offline EV Charging Authorization via Stored Codes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle charging stations often become unusable when temporarily offline from the network, leaving users stranded without a means to charge their vehicles, even though smartphone authorization systems are convenient and efficient when online.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that generates and stores an authorization code on both the charging station and network server, allowing offline charging authorization through a mobile device application, ensuring secure and tamper-resistant charging operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If smartphone authorization is used for charging station access control, then convenience and efficiency are improved, but the system becomes unusable when the charging station is offline from the network
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing authorization codes locally at the charging station before offline operations are needed. The mobile application pre-syncs authorization data with the charging station, enabling the station to validate charging requests without real-time network connectivity. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring reliability during offline periods while maintaining the smartphone-based convenient interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging station acts as an intermediary between the mobile application and the charging network server. It caches authorization codes and transaction data locally, allowing it to mediate charging operations independently when the network is unavailable. This intermediary function enables the system to maintain both the convenience of smartphone authorization and the reliability of offline operation.
2Reliability
If offline authorization capability is added to charging stations, then service availability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a simplified copy of the centralized authorization architecture at the edge device (charging station). Instead of implementing a full-blown authorization server locally, the station stores essential authorization codes and validation logic in a lightweight local database. This copying approach enables offline capability while keeping the added complexity minimal and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by implementing offline authorization capabilities selectively at the charging station level rather than requiring complex changes across the entire network infrastructure. The charging station maintains specific local data (authorization codes, transaction history) needed for offline operation, while the rest of the system remains unchanged. This localized approach improves reliability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If authorization codes are stored locally at charging stations, then offline charging is enabled, but security risks from tampering increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs cryptographic hashing as a protective layer around stored authorization codes. Instead of storing plain-text codes that are vulnerable to tampering, the station stores hashed versions of these codes. This cryptographic 'shell' makes the stored data resistant to tampering and reverse-engineering, enabling offline capability while mitigating security risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the charging station periodically synchronizes its local authorization data with the central server when online. This feedback loop allows the system to detect and correct any potential tampering or data corruption that may have occurred during offline operation, maintaining security while enabling offline functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A charging system for charging an electric vehicle includes a charging station and a charging network server, with the charging network server in network communication with the charging station and a mobile device application. The charging station and the charging network server include computing devices programmed to: store an authorization code at each of the network server and the charging station for authorizing charging of the electric vehicle when the charging station is off-line from the charging network server, process a charging authorization request at the charging network server sent from the mobile device application, transmit the authorization code from the network server to the mobile device application responsive to the charging authorization request and when the charging station is off-line, and authorize or deny charging of the electric vehicle based on whether an authorization code input to the charging station matches the authorization code stored on the charging station.