Systems and method for charging vehicles
Systems and methods for charging vehicles includes at least one mobile device and a utility network management center (“NMC”). The at least one mobile device is configured as an electronic utility device and includes a network interface card (“NIC”). The at least one mobile device is also associated with a utility billing account and at least one utility commodity meter. The utility NMC is configured to communicate with the at least one mobile device and the at least one utility commodity meter over a network, locate the at least one mobile device, and monitor a state of the at least one utility commodity meter. The utility NMC is also configured to determine a usage of a commodity based on the state of the at least one utility commodity meter and bill the utility billing account associated with the mobile device for the usage of the commodity.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a server and from a rechargeable vehicle, data indicating a meter program being used by the rechargeable vehicle, wherein the meter program comprises a collection of configuration options that specify one or more of what data the rechargeable vehicle is recording, a frequency with which the rechargeable vehicle is recording the data, or restriction rules the rechargeable vehicle is required to follow;
determining, by the server, that the received data indicating the meter program matches data indicating an expected meter program for the rechargeable vehicle; and
assigning, by the server, an active state to the rechargeable vehicle based on the determining; and
distributing, by the server, an amount of a commodity to the rechargeable vehicle via a utility grid.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data indicating the expected meter program is determined based on a location of the rechargeable vehicle.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the data indicating the expected meter program is determined based on prior consumption of the commodity by the rechargeable vehicle at the location.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data indicating the expected meter program is determined based on prior consumption of the commodity by the rechargeable vehicle at a specific time of year.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received data indicating the meter program is the meter program, a hash of the meter program, or a program seal for the rechargeable vehicle.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring, by the server, the rechargeable vehicle to comply with infrastructure guidelines for the utility grid.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the server, a location of the rechargeable vehicle.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising discovering, by the server, that the rechargeable vehicle is connected to the utility grid before receiving the data indicating the meter program from the rechargeable vehicle.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the server, the amount of the commodity distributed to the rechargeable vehicle; and
billing, by the server, a customer associated with the rechargeable vehicle based on the amount of the commodity distributed to the rechargeable vehicle.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the meter program indicates that commodity consumption should be recorded based on a location of the rechargeable vehicle.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the meter program indicates that commodity consumption should be recorded at a first frequency.
12. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable medium storing software that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
detecting that a rechargeable vehicle is connected to a utility network being managed by the system;
receiving, from the rechargeable vehicle, information identifying program data being used by the rechargeable vehicle, wherein the program data comprises a collection of configuration options that specify one or more of what data the rechargeable vehicle is recording, a frequency with which the rechargeable vehicle is recording the data, or restriction rules the rechargeable vehicle is required to follow;
determining that the received data identifying the program data matches data identifying expected program data for the rechargeable vehicle; and
changing, based on the determining, an operational state of the rechargeable vehicle to active; and
distributing an amount of a commodity to the rechargeable vehicle using the utility network.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data identifying the expected program data is determined based on prior consumption of the commodity by the rechargeable vehicle at a location of the rechargeable vehicle.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data identifying the expected program data is determined based on prior consumption of the commodity by the rechargeable vehicle at a specific time of year.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the received data identifying the program data is the program data, a hash of the program data, or a program seal for the rechargeable vehicle.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise configuring the rechargeable vehicle to comply with infrastructure guidelines for the utility network.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a location of the rechargeable vehicle.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining the amount of the commodity distributed to the rechargeable vehicle; and
billing a customer associated with the rechargeable vehicle based on the amount of the commodity distributed to the rechargeable vehicle.
19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the program data indicates that commodity usage by the rechargeable vehicle should be recorded based on a location of the rechargeable vehicle.
20. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing software which, when executed by a processor of a server, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a rechargeable vehicle, data indicating a meter program being used by the rechargeable vehicle, wherein the meter program comprises a collection of configuration options that specify one or more of what data the rechargeable vehicle is recording, a frequency with which the rechargeable vehicle is recording the data, or restriction rules the rechargeable vehicle is required to follow;
determining that the received data indicating the meter program matches data indicating an expected meter program for the rechargeable vehicle; and
assigning an active state to the rechargeable vehicle based on the determining; and
distributing an amount of a commodity to the rechargeable vehicle via a utility grid.