Offline EV Charging Payment Using Preauthorized Signed Receipts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle charging systems face challenges in managing payment transactions, especially when charge stations lack access to communication networks, making it difficult to facilitate electronic payments.
Innovation Solution
A user device communicates with a payment management device to preauthorize payment before leaving a communication network, then initiates charging at a station without network access, with final payment information reconciled upon re-entering the network, using signed receipts to manage and balance funds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If charge stations operate without communication network access, then charging service availability is improved, but payment transaction reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs payment preauthorization before the vehicle arrives at the charge station. The user device sends a preauthorization request to the payment management device, which reserves the required funds. This preliminary payment action ensures that when charging occurs offline at the charge station, the payment transaction can be completed reliably using the pre-secured funds, resolving the contradiction between offline service availability and payment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The user device acts as an intermediary between the charge station and the payment management device. It stores signed receipts locally and uses them to initiate charging at offline stations. The user device also manages the reconciliation process by communicating charging information back to the payment management device when online, serving as a mediator that enables payment transactions to work across both online and offline charging scenarios.
2Reliability
If payment preauthorization is implemented before charging, then payment processing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the complex payment processing logic from the charge station and user device, concentrating it in the payment management device. The charge station only needs to verify signed receipts, while the payment management device handles preauthorization, fund verification, and reconciliation. This extraction reduces device complexity at the edge while maintaining reliable payment processing through centralized management.
Solution Approach 2:
The payment management device performs preliminary actions by verifying funds and generating signed receipts before charging occurs. This pre-verification of payment capability simplifies the actual charging transaction, as the charge station only needs to validate the pre-generated signed receipt rather than processing complex payment transactions in real-time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If signed receipts are used for offline charging, then charging accessibility is improved, but transaction accuracy risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback through the reconciliation process. After offline charging using signed receipts, the user device communicates the charging information back to the payment management device. The payment management device then verifies the charging details against the preauthorization and adjusts the user's account accordingly. This feedback loop ensures transaction accuracy is maintained even though charging occurred offline with simplified verification.
Data Source
AI summary
The present systems, devices, and methods relate to managing vehicle battery charging. Payment for charging is preauthorized, and a receipt for preauthorization is sent from a payment management device to a user device when the user device has access to internet or cellular communications. This preauthorization receipt is later sent from the user device to a charge station where internet or cellular communication is not available, to enable charging of the vehicle battery at the charge station. Another receipt is sent from the charge station to the user device after charging of the vehicle, indicating a payment amount for actual energy used to charge the battery. Later, when the user device has access to cellular or internet communications, the user device sends the receipt indicating payment amount for actual energy used to the payment management device, for final payment balancing.