Wireless EV Charge Authorization for Legacy Charging Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle charging systems lack efficient and secure methods for authorization and control, especially in legacy charging stations without digital programmable logic controller (PLC) communications, which limits the ability to provide smart charging capabilities and interoperability with various vehicles and charging infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of encrypted wireless connectivity using smart WiFi or SRC connectivity for vehicle charge authorization, employing a two-step bidirectional location and time check protocol, and a self-diagnostic algorithm to enable/disable charge authorization, allowing for contactless EV charge authorization and upgrading/downgrading vehicle identification codes for secure and efficient charging operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If encrypted wireless connectivity is implemented for vehicle charge authorization, then security and interoperability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a backend server as an intermediary that handles the complex encryption, decryption, and authentication processes. The EVCS and vehicle only need to perform simple wireless communication and protocol exchange, while the computationally intensive security operations are offloaded to the backend server, thus maintaining security without significantly increasing on-site device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional PLC communication mechanisms with wireless communication protocols (WiFi, SRC). This substitution eliminates the need for physical cable connections and associated communication infrastructure, reducing mechanical complexity while enabling encrypted data transmission for secure authorization
2Ease of operation
If wireless communication protocols are used instead of PLC communications, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the EVCS to support multiple wireless communication protocols (WiFi, SRC, and potentially others) through a unified architecture. This multi-functionality allows the system to operate with different vehicle types and communication capabilities, improving ease of operation while distributing the precision requirements across standardized protocol implementations rather than requiring custom high-precision solutions
3Measurement precision
If bidirectional location and time check protocol is implemented, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary location and time verification through wireless signal exchange before the actual charging authorization. The bidirectional protocol performs location triangulation and timestamp validation in advance, ensuring measurement precision while completing these checks during the vehicle approach phase, so that the main authorization process can proceed quickly once verification is complete
Data Source
AI summary
Presented are vehicle charging systems and control logic provisioning smart vehicle charging using encrypted wireless connectivity, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles interoperable with such systems. A method of controlling a charging operation of a vehicle includes a vehicle controller retrieving a unique ID assigned to the vehicle from a memory device. When approaching an electric vehicle charging station (EVCS), the controller responsively embeds the unique ID in a wireless message, including encrypting and inserting the unique ID into a dedicated extension frame within the wireless message. The vehicle then broadcasts the wireless message with the embedded and encrypted unique ID. An EVCS controller parses the encrypted unique ID from the wireless message and transmits the encrypted unique ID to a back-office (BO) vehicle services provider. When the BO vehicle services provider decrypts and authenticates the unique ID, the EVCS controller responsively commences charging of the vehicle's battery pack.