Network edge-based multimodal communication architecture for controlling electric vehicle supply equipment
Provided herein are techniques for managing charging stations with diverse communication capabilities. A system for EVSE management may include a first communication controller in communication with a first network to communicatively couple to a central control system, a second communication controller in communication with a second network to communicatively couple to a first EVSE charger, and a third communication controller in communication with a third network to communicatively couple to a second EVSE charger. A communication adapter may communicatively couple the first communication controller, the second communication controller, and third communication controller to receive a first message from the remote charging manager using a first application protocol, send the first message to the first EVSE charger using a second application protocol, receive a second message from the remote charging manager using the first application protocol, and send the second message to the second EVSE charger using a third application protocol.
1 . A method comprising:
detecting, by a multimodal communication device, a new charging site device at a charging site that utilizes a communications protocol;
determining, by the multimodal communication device, the communications protocol for the new charging site device;
determining, by the multimodal communication device, whether the communications protocol of the new charging site device is unique to the charging site;
in response to determining that the communications protocol of the new charging site device is not unique to the charging site, updating, by the multimodal communication device, a routing table to include the new charging site device, a communication network the new charging site device will utilize, and an association with currently existing communication hardware;
in response to determining that the communications protocol is unique to the charging site, updating, by the multimodal communication device, the routing table and a communication adapter in the multimodal communication device;
receiving, by the multimodal communication device, a communication directed to the new charging site device;
converting, by the multimodal communication device, the communication to the communications protocol, and
sending, by the multimodal communication device, the communication to the new charging site device in the communications protocol.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that the communications protocol is unique to the charging site, updating the communication adapter to accommodate the communications protocol.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the new charging site device includes at least one of a charging station or a distributed energy resource (DER).
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving anew communication from the new charging site device;
determining a destination for the new communication:
utilizing the routing table to determine a destination communications protocol, converting the new communication to the destination communications protocol, and
sending the new communication to the destination.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that an existing charging site device has been removed; and
updating the routing table to remove the existing charging site device.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising,
in response to determining that the commemorations protocol is unique, determining whether an existing communication controller is configured to utilize the communications protocol and, in response to determining that the existing communication controller is not configured to utilize the communications, sending an alert to a site administrator to add at least one of a new communication controller or new communication hardware to accommodate the communications protocol.
7 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a processing system, cause the processing system to:
detect a new charging site device at a charging site that utilizes a communications protocol,
determine the communications protocol for the new charging site device;
determine whether the communications protocol of the new charging site device is unique to the charging site;
in response to determining that the communications protocol of the new charging site device is not unique to the charging site, update a routing table to include the new charging site device, a communication network the new charging site device will utilize, and an association with currently existing communication hardware;
in response to determining that the communications protocol is unique to the charging site, update the routing table and a communication adapter,
receive a communication directed to the new charging site device:
convert the communication to the communications protocol; and
send the communication to the new charging site device in the communications protocol.
8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processing system to, in response to determining that the communications protocol is unique to the charging site, update the communication adapter to accommodate the communications protocol.
9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the new charging site device includes at least one of a charging station or a distributed energy resource (DER).
10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processing system to:
receive a new communication from the new charging site device;
determine a destination for the new communication;
utilize the routing table to determine a destination communications protocol;
convert the new communication to the destination communications protocol; and
send the new communication to the destination.
11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processing system to:
determine that an existing charging site device has been removed; and
update the routing table to remove the existing charging site device.
12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processing system to, in response to determining that the communications protocol is unique, determine whether an existing communication controller is configured to utilize the communications protocol.
13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processing system to, in response to determining that the existing communication controller is not configured to utilize the communications protocol, send an alert to a site administrator to add at least one of a new communication controller or new communication hardware to accommodate the communications protocol.