SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF AUTHENTICATION UTILIZING A DIGITAL TOKEN
A secure electric vehicle (EV) charger and system incorporating thereof is provided. One embodiment includes an EV charger. The EV charger includes a processor, a low power short range point-to-point communication system, and a memory containing an authentication software application. The processor is configured by the authentication software application to receive an authentication request from a mobile device via the low power short range point-to-point communication system, send encrypted EV charger access credentials to the mobile device, receive a digital token from the mobile device, verify the digital token, and initiate a charging session based upon a command contained within the digital token. The digital token may be encrypted using a public key and may be self-authenticating without use of an internet connection thus enabling secure charging without the presence of an internet connection.
1 . A method of charging a vehicle, comprising:
(a) receiving, at a vehicle charger, an input from the vehicle;
(b) in response to receiving the input, starting a charging session to deliver power to a battery of the vehicle;
(c) ending the charging session;
(d) transferring, by the vehicle charger, data of the charging session to the vehicle; and
(e) transferring, by the vehicle, the data of the charging session to a server.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the input comprises a digital token comprising a command.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein (b) comprises starting the charging session by executing the command.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein (c) comprises ending the charging session based, at least in part, on a second input from the vehicle, wherein the second input comprises a second command.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein (e) comprises transferring, by the vehicle via near-field-communication, the data of the charging session to a mobile device, the mobile device transferring the data to the server.
6 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising decrypting one or more components of the digital token.
7 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising verifying the digital token received from the vehicle prior to starting the charging session.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data of the charging session comprises one or more of: a duration of the charging session, energy used during the charging session, a plug-in status, a status of the EV charger, diagnostics data, temperature data, or humidity data.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the EV charger further comprises a locking mechanism, and wherein the method further comprises releasing, by the EV charger, the locking mechanism upon ending the charging session.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring, by the server, the data of the charging session to a mobile device.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(a) receiving one or more pieces of firmware from a mobile device; and
(b) performing, by the EV charger, a firmware update using the one or more pieces of firmware.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(a) receiving a first piece of firmware from a mobile device;
(b) receiving a second piece of firmware from a second mobile device; and
(c) performing a firmware update of the EV charger using the first piece of
firmware and the second piece of firmware.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing, prior to starting the charging session, a connection between the EV charger and the vehicle via a cable.
14 . A system for electric vehicle (EV) charging, the system comprising:
an EV charger, a vehicle, and a server, wherein the EV charger, the vehicle, and the server comprise:
a plurality of processors; and
a plurality of memories comprising executable instructions;
wherein the plurality of processors, when executing the executable instructions, are configured to cause the system to:
(i) receive, at a vehicle charger, an input from the vehicle;
(ii) in response to receiving the input, start a charging session to deliver power to a battery of the vehicle;
(iii) end the charging session;
(iv) transfer, by the vehicle charger, data of the charging session to the vehicle; and
(v) transfer, by the vehicle, the data of the charging session to a server.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the input comprises a digital token comprising a command.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein (ii) comprises the plurality of processors being configured to start the charging session by executing the command.
17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein (iii) comprises the plurality of processors being configured to cause the system, by the EV charger, to end the charging session based on a second input from the vehicle, wherein the second input comprises a second command.
18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein (v) comprises the plurality of processors being configured to cause the system to, through the vehicle transfer the data of the charging session to a mobile device via near-field communication, the mobile device transferring the data to the server.
19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of processors are further configured to:
(a) cause the system to decrypt one or more components of the digital token; and
(b) verify the digital token from the vehicle prior to starting the charging session.
20 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of processors is further configured to cause the system to transfer, by the server, the data of the charging session to a mobile device.