Systems and methods of modifying idle thresholds for charging electric vehicles

1 . A method, comprising:

determining that a vehicle is occupying a bay of an electric vehicle charging station (EVCS);

identifying a user associated with the vehicle;

allotting a predefined time threshold during which the vehicle is allowed to occupy the bay of the EVCS;

during the predefined time during which the vehicle is allowed to occupy the bay of the EVCS, charging, by the EVCS, the vehicle;

determining whether a device associated with the user has detected a signal from a BLE beacon that is located within a predefined geographic area; and

in accordance with a determination that the device associated with the user has detected a signal from a BLE beacon that is located within the predefined geographic area, increasing the predefined time threshold from a first predefined time threshold value to a second predefined time threshold value; and

transmitting, to the user, an alert indicating that the predefined time threshold has increased.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, while the vehicle is occupying the bay of the EVCS, determining that the vehicle has satisfied extension criteria, wherein the predefined time threshold is increased in accordance with a determination that the vehicle has satisfied extension criteria.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the user comprises identifying a user device of the user.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in accordance with a determination that the user is not located within the predefined geographic area, maintaining the predefined time threshold.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the user is in the predefined geographic area using background indoor tracking.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the user is in the predefined geographic area by determining whether a geofence at the predefined geographic area has been crossed.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the user is in the predefined geographic area by determining whether a device associated with a user has detected a signal from a wireless access point that is transmitted from within the predefined geographic area.

8 . The method of claim 1 , determining whether the user is in the predefined geographic area by determining, using a store purchase system, whether the user has completed a transaction within the predefined geographic area.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the user is in the predefined geographic area comprises tracking the user.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined geographic area is associated with a site-partner of the EVCS.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after increasing the predefined time threshold:

determining that the vehicle has satisfied second extension criteria;

determining that the user continues to be located within the predefined geographic area;

in accordance with a determination that the user continues to be located within the predefined geographic area and that the vehicle satisfies the second extension criteria, increasing the predefined time threshold from the second predefined time threshold value to a third predefined time threshold value.

12 . A system for charging a vehicle at an electric vehicle charging station, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are configured for execution by the one or more processors and include instructions for:

determining that a vehicle is occupying a bay of an electric vehicle charging station (EVCS);

identifying a user associated with the vehicle;

allotting a predefined time threshold during which the vehicle is allowed to occupy the bay of the EVCS;

during the predefined time during which the vehicle is allowed to occupy the bay of the EVCS, charging, by the EVCS, the vehicle;

determining whether a device associated with the user has detected a signal from a BLE beacon that is located within a predefined geographic area; and

in accordance with a determination that the device associated with the user has detected a signal from a BLE beacon that is located within the predefined geographic area, increasing the predefined time threshold from a first predefined time threshold value to a second predefined time threshold value; and

transmitting, to the user, an alert indicating that the predefined time threshold has increased.

13 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed by a system that includes one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform a set of operations, comprising:

determining that a vehicle is occupying a bay of an electric vehicle charging station (EVCS);

identifying a user associated with the vehicle;

allotting a predefined time threshold during which the vehicle is allowed to occupy the bay of the EVCS;

during the predefined time during which the vehicle is allowed to occupy the bay of the EVCS, charging, by the EVCS, the vehicle;

determining whether a device associated with the user has detected a signal from a BLE beacon that is located within a predefined geographic area; and

in accordance with a determination that the device associated with the user has detected a signal from a BLE beacon that is located within the predefined geographic area, increasing the predefined time threshold from a first predefined time threshold value to a second predefined time threshold value; and

transmitting, to the user, an alert indicating that the predefined time threshold has increased.