IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,350,525
Granted Patent B2
US 8,350,525 · App. 12/536,212 · Granted Jan 8, 2013

Charging vehicles in a parking area

Assignee: Credit Lock, LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,350,525
App. No.
12/536,212
Granted
Jan 8, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems for charging vehicles in a parking area are described. In one embodiment, a charge request may be received for a vehicle located in a parking area. The vehicle may have a power connection with a power source. An electric charge is provided through the power connection from the power source to the vehicle based on receiving the charge request. Payment is recorded for providing the electric charge based upon departure of the vehicle from the parking area. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Claims (30)

1. A method comprising:

using one or more processors to perform at least some portion of the following:

establishing an energy account associated with a user;

associating an energy account identifier with the energy account;

receiving a payment request to provide an electric charge to a vehicle, the payment request including the energy account identifier;

verifying that the energy account is associated with the vehicle; and

adjusting a value of the energy account based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, on the verifying that the energy account is associated with the vehicle, and on a power basis of the vehicle, the adjustment on the power basis enabling a different assessment of value based on the power basis of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving funds for the energy account, wherein the adjusting of the energy account is based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, the verifying, and the receiving of the funds.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating an energy card with the energy account identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the value of the energy account on an energy card.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting of the value comprises adjusting the value of the energy account based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, the verifying, and a vehicle type of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy account is a balance account, a credit account, or combinations thereof.

7. A method comprising:

using one or more processors to perform at least some portion of the following:

establishing an energy account associated with a user;

associating an energy account identifier with the energy account;

receiving a payment request to provide an electric charge to a vehicle, the payment request including the energy account identifier;

verifying that the energy account is associated with the vehicle; and

adjusting a value of the energy account based on a power basis of the vehicle, the adjustment on the power basis enabling a different assessment of value based on the power basis of the vehicle.

8. A machine-readable storage device having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by a machine, causes execution of the following operations:

establishing an energy account associated with a user;

associating an energy account identifier with the energy account;

receiving a payment request to provide an electric charge to a vehicle, the payment request including the energy account identifier;

verifying that the energy account is associated with the vehicle; and

adjusting a value of the energy account based on a power basis of the vehicle, the adjustment on the power basis enabling a different assessment of value based on the power basis of the vehicle.

9. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8 , the operations further comprising receiving funds for the energy account, wherein the adjusting of the energy account is based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, the verifying, and the receiving of the funds.

10. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8 , the operations further comprising associating an energy card with the energy account identifier.

11. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8 , the operations further comprising storing the value of the energy account on an energy card.

12. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the adjusting of the value comprises adjusting the value of the energy account based on the receiving of the payment request to provide the electric charge, the verifying, and a vehicle type of the vehicle.

13. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8 , wherein the energy account is a balance account, a credit account, or combinations thereof.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2021
From: CREDIT LOCK, LLC
To: HANDLER, BRADLEY A
Reel/Frame 056329/0889 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2010
From: HANDLER, BRADLEY A
To: CREDIT LOCK, LLC
Reel/Frame 025111/0763 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110035261A1 · Feb 10, 2011