Street light mounted network-controlled charge transfer device for electric vehicles
A network-controlled charge transfer device for transferring charge between a local power grid and an electric vehicle is mounted to a street light. The charge transfer device includes the following: an electrical receptacle to receive an electrical connector for connection to the electric vehicle; an electric power line that couples the power grid to the electrical receptacle through a wiring box; a control device to switch the receptacle on and off; a current measuring device to measure current flowing through the electric power line; and a controller to operate the control device and to monitor output from the current measuring device.
1. A charge transfer device for transferring charge between a local power grid and an electric vehicle, comprising:
a control device to control application of charge transfer between the electric vehicle and the local power grid, wherein the charge transfer device is coupled to the local power grid through a wiring box that also couples a street light to the local power grid;
a transceiver to communicate with a remote server;
a current measuring device to measure a first amount of current flowing for charge transfer for the electric vehicle; and
a controller coupled with the control device, transceiver, and current measuring device, wherein the controller is configured to:
cause the control device to control application of charge transfer to the electric vehicle based on communication received by the transceiver from the remote server.
2. The charge transfer device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication device connected to the controller to connect the controller to a mobile wireless communication device for communication between an operator of the electric vehicle and the controller.
3. The charge transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further to cause a reporting of the first amount of current flowing for charge transfer to a utility company operating the local power grid.
4. The charge transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the current measuring device is further to measure a second amount of current flowing on an electric power line coupled with the wiring box that provides electricity to a light of the street light.
5. The charge transfer device of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein the controller is to further manage charge transfer based on power grid load data that is received from the remote server.
6. The charge transfer device of claim 1 , wherein charge transfer may be in either direction between the local power grid and the electric vehicle.
7. A system, comprising:
a street light comprising:
a light, and
a first electric power line that couples the light with a local power grid through a wiring box; and
a charge transfer device that transfers charge between the local power grid and an electric vehicle, the charge transfer device coupled with the wiring box that also couples the street light, the charge transfer device comprising:
an electric coupler that makes a connection with the electric vehicle,
a second electric power line that couples the electric coupler with the local power gird through the wiring box,
a control device that controls application of charge transfer between the electric vehicle and the local power grid through switching on and off the electric coupler;
a transceiver that communicates with a remote server;
a current measuring device that measures a first amount of current flowing on the second electric power line; and
a controller configured that causes the control device to control application of charge transfer to the electric vehicle based on communication received by the transceiver from the remote server.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first electric power line and the second electric power line are different.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first electric power line and the second electric power line are the same.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the current measuring device further measures a second amount of current flowing on the first electric power line.
11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller further causes a reporting of the first amount of current flowing on the second electric power line to a utility company that operates the local power grid.
12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller further manages charge transfer based on power grid load data and consumer profiles that are received from the remote server.
13. A method for transferring charge between a local power grid and an electric vehicle through a network-controlled charge transfer device, comprising:
receiving a communication from a server that instructs the network-controlled charge transfer device to enable charge transfer;
responsive to the receiving, activating a control device to switch on an electric coupler of the network-controlled charge transfer device that makes a connection with the electric vehicle to transfer charge between the local power grid and the electric vehicle, wherein the charge transfer is provided through a first electrical power line that is coupled with the local power grid through a wiring box that also couples a street light to the local power grid; and
monitoring the charge transfer using a current measuring device on the first electrical power line.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
prior to receiving the communication from the server, receiving a request at the network-controlled charge transfer device for charge transfer that originates from a mobile wireless communication device of an operator of the electric vehicle, and relaying the request to the server.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
reporting an amount of current flowing through the first electrical power line to a utility company operating the local power grid.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the street light includes a light coupled with a second electrical power line that is coupled with the local power grid through the wiring box.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising monitoring current flowing through the second electrical power line.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
reporting an amount of current flowing through the second electrical power line to a utility company operating the local power grid.
19. The charge transfer device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further to cause a reporting of the measured second amount of current flowing on the electric power line coupled with the wiring box that provides electricity to the light of the street light to a utility company operating the local power grid.
20. The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller further causes a reporting of the second amount of current flowing on the first electric power line to a utility company that operates the local power grid.