NETWORK-CONTROLLED CHARGING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
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 - 87 . (canceled)
88 . A method in a server for determining availability of network-controlled charge transfer devices for charging electric vehicles, comprising:
storing availability information of a plurality of network-controlled charge transfer devices for charging electric vehicles; and
providing the availability information of the plurality of network-controlled charge transfer devices to operators of electric vehicles.
89 . The method of claim 88 , wherein the availability information is provided to operators of electric vehicles via the Internet.
90 . The method of claim 89 , wherein the availability information is provided to operators of electric vehicles on a web page accessible via the Internet.
91 . The method of claim 88 , wherein the availability information indicates that a network-controlled charge transfer device is unavailable when charging of an electric vehicle using that network-controlled charge transfer device is ongoing.
92 . The method of claim 88 , wherein the availability information indicates that a network-controlled charge transfer device is unavailable when vehicle-to-grid charge transfer using that network-controlled charge transfer device is ongoing.
93 . The method of claim 88 , wherein the availability information indicates that a network-controlled charge transfer device is unavailable during a time period when use of a parking space that is associated with that network-controlled charge transfer device has been paid for.
94 . The method of claim 88 , wherein the availability information indicates that a network-controlled charge transfer device is unavailable during a time period when an electric vehicle has been detected as being parked in a parking space that is associated with that network-controlled charge transfer device.
95 . The method of claim 88 , further comprising: collecting at least some of the availability information from a payment station coupled to at least some of the plurality of network-controlled charge transfer devices.
96 . The method of claim 88 , further comprising: collecting at least some of the availability information from a data control unit coupled to at least some of the plurality of network-controlled charge transfer devices.
97 . An apparatus, comprising:
a computer configured to:
store availability information of a plurality of network-controlled charge transfer devices for charging electric vehicles, and
provide the availability information of the plurality of network-controlled charge transfer devices to operators of electric vehicles.
98 . The apparatus of claim 97 , wherein the computer is configured to provide the availability information to operators of electric vehicles via the Internet.
99 . The apparatus of claim 98 , wherein the computer is configured to provide the availability information to operators of electric vehicles on a web page accessible via the Internet.
100 . The apparatus of claim 97 , wherein the availability information indicates that a network-controlled charge transfer device is unavailable when charging of an electric vehicle using that network-controlled charge transfer device is ongoing.
101 . The apparatus of claim 97 , wherein the availability information indicates that a network-controlled charge transfer device is unavailable when vehicle-to-grid charge transfer using that network-controlled charge transfer device is ongoing.
102 . The apparatus of claim 97 , wherein the availability information indicates that a network-controlled charge transfer device is unavailable during a time period when use of a parking space that is associated with that network-controlled charge transfer device has been paid for.
103 . The apparatus of claim 97 , wherein the availability information indicates that a network-controlled charge transfer device is unavailable during a time period when an electric vehicle has been detected as being parked in a parking space that is associated with that network-controlled charge transfer device.
104 . The apparatus of claim 97 , wherein the computer is further configured to collect at least some of the availability information from a payment station coupled to at least some of the plurality of network-controlled charge transfer devices.
105 . The apparatus of claim 97 , wherein the computer is further configured to collect at least some of the availability information from a data control unit coupled to at least some of the plurality of network-controlled charge transfer devices.