Network-controlled charging system for electric vehicles through use of a remote server
View Patent ↗A network-controlled charge transfer device for electric vehicles includes a control device to turn electric supply on and off to enable and disable charge transfer for electric vehicles, a transceiver to communicate requests for charge transfer with a remote server and receive communications from the remote server, and a controller, coupled with the control device and the transceiver, to cause the control device to turn the electric supply on based on communication from the remote server.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a control device to turn electric supply on and off to enable and disable charge transfer for electric vehicles;
a transceiver to communicate requests for charge transfer with a remote server and receive communications from the remote server via a data control unit that is connected to the remote server through a wide area network; and
a controller, coupled with the control device and the transceiver, to cause the control device to turn the electric supply on based on communication from the remote server.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical coupler to make a connection with an electric vehicle, wherein the control device is to turn electric supply on and off by switching the electric coupler on and off.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the electric coupler is an outlet.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a device to measure electricity used during charge transfer.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a current measuring device to measure current during charge transfer.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to calculate power consumed during charge transfer.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication device coupled with the controller, the communication device to receive the requests for charge transfer.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further to manage charge transfer based on power grid load data received from the remote server.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further to manage charge transfer based on profiles associated with electric vehicle operators, wherein each profile associated with a particular electric vehicle operator indicates whether that electric vehicle operator wants to charge their electric vehicle only during periods of lower power rates.
10. A method, comprising:
receiving a first request for charge transfer for a first electric vehicle;
communicating the first request to a remote server for determination of whether to enable charge transfer, wherein the first request is communicated to the remote server via a data control unit that is connected to the remote server through a wide area network; and
responsive to receiving communication from the remote server to enable charge transfer, enabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
responsive to detecting completion of the charge transfer, disabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein disabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle includes causing a control device of a network-controlled charge transfer device to turn off an electric supply.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving information that indicates whether an electric vehicle operator wants to charge their electric vehicle only during periods of lower power rates;
receiving a second request for charge transfer for a second electric vehicle, the second request being received from the electric vehicle operator of the second electric vehicle;
responsive to determining a period of lower power rates exist, enabling charge transfer for the second electric vehicle; and
responsive to determining a period of higher power rates exist, disabling charge transfer for the second electric vehicle.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein enabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle includes causing a control device of a network-controlled charge transfer device to turn on an electric supply.
15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
measuring electricity used during charge transfer.
16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
measuring current being transferred during the charge transfer.
17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
maintaining a running total of charge transferred between the first electric vehicle and a power grid.
18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
responsive to receiving communication from the remote server to disable charge transfer for the first electric vehicle, disabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle.
19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first request is received from an operator of the first electric vehicle.
20. An apparatus, comprising:
a control device to turn electric supply on and off to enable and disable charge transfer for electric vehicles;
a transceiver to communicate requests for charge transfer with a remote server and receive communications from the remote server; and
a controller, coupled with the control device and the transceiver, to cause the control device to turn the electric supply on based on communication from the remote server, and further to manage charge transfer based on power grid load data received from the remote server.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising an electrical coupler to make a connection with an electric vehicle, wherein the control device is to turn electric supply on and off by switching the electric coupler on and off.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the electric coupler is an outlet.
23. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising:
a device to measure electricity used during charge transfer.
24. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising:
a current measuring device to measure current flowing during charge transfer.
25. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the controller is further configured to calculate power consumed during charge transfer.
26. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising:
a communication device coupled with the controller, the communication device to receive the requests for charge transfer.
27. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the transceiver is to communicate requests for charge transfer with the remote server via a data control unit that is connected to the remote server through a wide area network.
28. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the controller is further to manage charge transfer based on profiles associated with electric vehicle operators, wherein each profile associated with a particular electric vehicle operator indicates whether that electric vehicle operator wants to charge their electric vehicle only during periods of lower power rates.
29. An apparatus, comprising:
a control device to turn electric supply on and off to enable and disable charge transfer for electric vehicles;
a transceiver to communicate requests for charge transfer with a remote server and receive communications from the remote server; and
a controller, coupled with the control device and the transceiver, to cause the control device to turn the electric supply on based on communication from the remote server, wherein the controller is further to manage charge transfer based on profiles associated with electric vehicle operators, wherein each profile associated with a particular electric vehicle operator is to indicate whether that electric vehicle operator wants to charge their electric vehicle only during periods of lower power rates.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 , further comprising an electrical coupler to make a connection with an electric vehicle, wherein the control device is to turn electric supply on and off by switching the electric coupler on and off.
31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the electric coupler is an outlet.
32. The apparatus of claim 29 , further comprising:
a device to measure electricity used during charge transfer.
33. The apparatus of claim 29 , further comprising:
a current measuring device to measure current flowing during charge transfer.
34. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the controller is further configured to calculate power consumed during charge transfer.
35. The apparatus of claim 29 , further comprising:
a communication device coupled with the controller, the communication device to receive the requests for charge transfer.
36. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the transceiver is to communicate requests for charge transfer with the remote server via a data control unit that is connected to the remote server through a wide area network.
37. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the controller is further to manage charge transfer based on power grid load data received from the remote server.
38. A method, comprising:
receiving a first request for charge transfer for a first electric vehicle of a first electric vehicle operator;
communicating the first request to a remote server for determination of whether to enable charge transfer;
responsive to receiving communication from the remote server to enable charge transfer, enabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle;
receiving information that indicates that a second electric vehicle operator wants to charge a second electric vehicle only during periods of relatively lower power rates;
receiving a second request for charge transfer for the second electric vehicle, the second request being received from the second electric vehicle operator;
responsive to determining a period of relatively lower power rates exist, enabling charge transfer for the second electric vehicle; and
responsive to determining a period of relatively higher power rates exist, disabling charge transfer for the second electric vehicle.
39. The method of claim 38 , further comprising:
responsive to detecting completion of the charge transfer, disabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle.
40. The method of claim 39 , wherein disabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle includes causing a control device of a network-controlled charge transfer device to turn off an electric supply.
41. The method of claim 38 , wherein enabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle includes causing a control device of a network-controlled charge transfer device to turn on an electric supply.
42. The method of claim 38 , further comprising:
measuring electricity used during charge transfer.
43. The method of claim 38 , further comprising:
measuring current being transferred during the charge transfer.
44. The method of claim 38 , further comprising:
maintaining a running total of charge transferred between the first electric vehicle and a power grid.
45. The method of claim 38 , further comprising:
responsive to receiving communication from the remote server to disable charge transfer for the first electric vehicle, disabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle.
46. The method of claim 38 , wherein the first request is received from an operator of the first electric vehicle.
47. The method of claim 38 , wherein communicating the first request to the remote server includes communicating the first request to a data control unit that is connected to the remote server through a wide area network.
48. A method, comprising:
receiving a first request for charge transfer for a first electric vehicle;
communicating the first request to a remote server for determination of whether to enable charge transfer;
receiving communication from the remote server that indicates charging periods based on load management data; and
responsive to receiving communication from the remote server to enable charge transfer, performing the following:
determining charge transfer parameters based on load management data, and
enabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle subject to the determined charge transfer parameters.
49. The method of claim 48 , further comprising:
responsive to detecting completion of the charge transfer, disabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle.
50. The method of claim 49 , wherein disabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle includes causing a control device of a network-controlled charge transfer device to turn off an electric supply.
51. The method of claim 48 , further comprising:
receiving information that indicates whether an electric vehicle operator wants to charge their electric vehicle only during periods of lower power rates;
receiving a second request for charge transfer for a second electric vehicle, the second request being received from the electric vehicle operator of the second electric vehicle;
responsive to determining a period of lower power rates exist, enabling charge transfer for the second electric vehicle; and
responsive to determining a period of higher power rates exist, disabling charge transfer for the second electric vehicle.
52. The method of claim 48 , wherein enabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle includes causing a control device of a network-controlled charge transfer device to turn on an electric supply.
53. The method of claim 48 , further comprising:
measuring electricity used during charge transfer.
54. The method of claim 48 , further comprising:
measuring current being transferred during the charge transfer.
55. The method of claim 48 , further comprising:
maintaining a running total of charge transferred between the first electric vehicle and a power grid.
56. The method of claim 48 , further comprising:
responsive to receiving communication from the remote server to disable charge transfer for the first electric vehicle, disabling charge transfer for the first electric vehicle.
57. The method of claim 48 , wherein the first request is received from an operator of the first electric vehicle.
58. The method of claim 48 , wherein communicating the first request to the remote server includes communicating the first request to a data control unit that is connected to the remote server through a wide area network.