EVSE Edge Controller for Secure OCPP-to-MQTT Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) security profiles 0 and 1 transmit messages in plain text, posing a significant security risk as data can be intercepted and read by unauthorized parties, particularly for sensitive information like transaction details and user identification.

Innovation Solution

A charger management system with an edge controller and cloud server that establishes non-encrypted and encrypted connections based on different security profiles, converting messages from OCPP to MQTT, and performing mutual authentication tests to ensure secure communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If OCPP security profiles 0 and 1 are used for communication, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to plain text transmission

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication simplicityVSAvoiddata security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an edge controller as an intermediary component between the OCPP charger and the cloud server. This edge controller performs protocol conversion, transforming OCPP messages into MQTT messages, and establishes encrypted communication channels to the cloud server, thereby resolving the security issue while maintaining compatibility with existing OCPP chargers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the communication protocol parameter from plain text OCPP to encrypted MQTT protocol. By transforming the message format and encryption status, the system achieves secure transmission while maintaining the functional compatibility of the charging operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If encrypted connections with mutual authentication are implemented, then security is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication securityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the system into three distinct components with different security levels: the OCPP charger (simplest), the edge controller (intermediate), and the cloud server (most secure). This segmentation allows each component to have appropriate security measures without requiring all components to be equally complex

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The edge controller serves as a security intermediary that handles the complex mutual authentication and encryption processes, shielding the simpler OCPP charger from these complexities while still achieving secure communication with the cloud server

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250381879A1Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) management system and method to provide secured communication to multiple evse

Publication Date: 2025.12.18 LITE ON TECH CORP

AI summary

A charger management system includes an edge controller and a cloud server. The edge controller establishes a non-encrypted connection with a first type charger according a first security profile, and converts a first charging message, formatted according to a first communication protocol and transmitted from the first type charger, into a second charging message formatted according to a second communication protocol. The cloud server establishes a first encrypted connection with the edge charger if the edge controller passes a first mutual authentication test according to a second security profile higher than the first security profile, and performs a charging station management service on the first type charger in response to the second charging message transmitted through the first encrypted connection.