Method to resolve a remote electrical outlet for an electrically-powered vehicle

1. Method for operating a charging stall having a known geographic location configured to electrically charge an electrically-powered vehicle, the method comprising:

communicating a first message to a remote access server from a subject vehicle, the first message comprising geographic location information and temporal information corresponding to the subject vehicle;

detecting a presence of a parked vehicle at the charging stall with a monitoring system signally connected to a monitoring controller;

communicating a second message to the remote access server from the monitoring controller, the second message comprising temporal information corresponding to the detected presence of the parked vehicle at the charging stall;

resolving that the parked vehicle at the charging stall comprises the subject vehicle based upon the first and second messages comprising correlating the geographic location information corresponding to the subject vehicle to the known geographic location of the charging stall and correlating the temporal information corresponding to the subject vehicle to the temporal information corresponding to the detected presence of the parked vehicle at the charging stall; and

activating a power access control device at the charging stall to permit electric power flow through a corresponding electric power outlet.

2. Method for operating a charging stall having a known geographic location configured to electrically charge an electrically-powered vehicle, the method comprising:

communicating a first message to a remote access server from a subject vehicle, the first message comprising geographic location information and temporal information corresponding to the subject vehicle;

monitoring the charging stall to detect one of a presence and an absence of a parked vehicle thereat;

periodically communicating a second message to the remote access server from a monitoring controller, the second message comprising temporal information corresponding to the detected one of the presence and the absence of the parked vehicle at the charging stall;

resolving that the subject vehicle comprises the parked vehicle at the charging stall based upon the first message and the periodically communicated second message when the second message includes the detected presence of the parked vehicle at the charging stall, comprising correlating the geographic location information corresponding to the subject vehicle to the known geographic location of the charging stall and correlating the temporal information corresponding to the subject vehicle to the temporal information corresponding to the detected presence of the parked vehicle at the charging stall; and

activating a power access control device at the charging stall to permit electric power flow through a corresponding electric power outlet subsequent to resolving that the subject vehicle comprises the parked vehicle at the charging stall.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the temporal information corresponds to the subject vehicle when the subject vehicle was stopped and keyed off.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein monitoring the charging stall to detect one of the presence and the absence of the parked vehicle thereat comprises monitoring the charging stall with a video imaging system.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the video imaging system monitors a plurality of charging stalls.

6. Charging system for an electrically-powered vehicle, comprising:

a charging stall having a known geographic location and including an electric power outlet;

a monitoring system for detecting a parked vehicle in the charging stall;

a monitoring computer signally connected to the monitoring system; and

a remote access server

receiving a first message communicated from a subject vehicle, the first message comprising geographic location information and temporal information corresponding to the subject vehicle,

receiving a second message communicated from the monitoring computer, the second message comprising temporal information corresponding to the detection of the parked vehicle in the charging stall,

resolving whether the parked vehicle detected at the charging stall is the subject vehicle based upon the first and second messages including correlating the geographic location information corresponding to the subject vehicle to the known geographic location of the charging stall and correlating the temporal information corresponding to the subject vehicle to the temporal information corresponding to the detection of the parked vehicle in the charging stall, and

activating the electric power outlet when the parked vehicle detected in the charging stall is resolved to be the subject vehicle.