Methods and systems for secure communication and authorization of vehicle mode change

A vehicle power system comprising:

• a remote server;
• and
• a local system comprising:
• a battery;
• an electrical connection point configured to provide electrical power to an electrically-powered accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container;
• a wireless communication antenna;
• and
• a controller, configured to:
• obtain authentication information for the electrically-powered accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container;
• obtain an authentication level for the electrically-powered accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container by:
• directing transmission of the authentication information from the vehicle power system to the remote server by way of the wireless communication antenna;
• and
• receiving the authentication level for the electrically-powered accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container from the remote server by way of the wireless communication antenna;
• and
• direct a connection operation between the vehicle power system and the electrically-powered accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container based on the authentication level of the electrically-powered accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container,
• wherein the remote server is configured to process the authentication information to determine the authentication level by combining the authentication information with a second source of authentication information, and
• the authentication level is selected from a plurality of authentication levels, each of the plurality of authentication levels having a different set of permitted connections, and wherein the connection operation is selected from within the set of permitted connections for the authentication level.

A method of connecting an electrically-powered accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container to a vehicle power system, comprising:

• providing authentication information for the electrically-powered accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container to a vehicle power control of the vehicle power system;
• transmitting the authentication information from the vehicle power control to a remote server;
• at the remote server, processing the authentication information to determine an authentication level by combining the authentication information with a second source of authentication information,
• forming a permitted connection selected from a plurality of permitted connections between the electrically-powered accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container and the vehicle power system, wherein the permitted connection is selected based on the authentication level,
• wherein the authentication information determines an authentication level of the accessory configured to be used with at least one of the vehicle, a trailer, and a transport container, and
• the authentication level is selected from a plurality of authentication levels, each of the plurality of authentication levels having a different set of permitted connections, and wherein the formed permitted connection is selected from within the set of permitted connections for the authentication level.