# US 2014/0191030 A1 · Automatic authentication for service access for fueling of vehicles

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- Number: US 2014/0191030 A1
- Document ID: US20140191030A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/827,753
- Filed: 2013-03-14
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-09
- Assignees: Powertree Services, Inc.
- Applicants: Powertree Services, Inc.
- Inventors: Stacey Reineccius; Franklin Gobar; John C. Sellers
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191030A1

## CPC

- B60L 53/30: Constructional details of charging stations
- B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/65: involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
- G06K 19/07758: {arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag}
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- Y02T 90/167: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
- Y04S 30/14: Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for refueling a vehicle are discussed herein. According to one embodiment, a vehicle charging station includes a power distribution interface, a receiver component, and an authorization component. The power distribution interface is configured to electrically couple with and provide electrical power to a power receiving interface of a vehicle. The power distribution interface includes a power cable extending from the vehicle charging station and the power cable includes an outlet plug. The receiver component is located within the power cable and is configured to receive identification information that uniquely identifies the vehicle from an identification component of the vehicle. The receiver component is positioned to align with the identification component to allow electrical communication between the identification component and the receiver component when the power receiving interface is electrically coupled to the power distribution interface. The authorization component is configured to allow flow of electrical power to the vehicle in response to authorization based on the received identification information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle charging station comprising:
a power distribution interface for electrically coupling with and providing electrical power to a power receiving interface of a vehicle, the power distribution interface comprising a power cable extending from the vehicle charging station, the power cable comprising an outlet plug;
a receiver component within the power cable for receiving identification information from an identification component of the vehicle, the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle, wherein the receiver component is positioned to align with the identification component to allow electrical communication between the identification component and the receiver component when the power receiving interface is electrically coupled to the power distribution interface; and
an authorization component configured to allow flow of electrical power to the vehicle in response to authorization based on the received identification information.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the outlet plug complies with a vehicle recharging standard.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the receiver component comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader and wherein the receiver component receives the identification information from the identification component comprising an RFID tag.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the receiver component receives the identification information in response to providing a valid passcode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the receiver component is positioned to align with the identification component of the vehicle when the power distribution interface is electrically coupled to the power receiving interface, wherein alignment of the receiver component with the identification component allows electrical communication between the identification component and the receiver component.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle charging station of claim 1, further comprising an indicator light for indicating one or more of a charge status and an authorization status for the vehicle.

### Claim 7

A vehicle fueling interface comprising:
a fuel receiving interface integrated with a body of a vehicle for coupling with and receiving fuel from a distribution interface of a fuel distribution station; and
an identification component on the fuel receiving interface for providing identification information to the fuel distribution station, the identification information uniquely identifying a vehicle, wherein the identification component is permanently affixed to the vehicle and wherein the identification component is not removable from the vehicle without damaging the identification component.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 7, wherein the identification component self destructs in response to removal from the vehicle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 8, wherein the identification component self destructing comprises mechanically destroying the identification component.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 8, wherein the identification component self destructing comprises electronically destroying the identification information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 7, wherein the fuel receiving interface comprises a power receiving interface and the distribution interface comprises a power distribution interface, and wherein receiving fuel comprises receiving electrical energy from the power distribution interface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 11, wherein the power receiving interface comprises a vehicle inlet, the vehicle inlet comprising a conductor configured to physically mate with an outlet plug of the power distribution interface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 12, wherein the identification component is mounted on the vehicle inlet.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 13, wherein the identification component comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 12, wherein the vehicle inlet complies with a society of automotive engineers (SAE) J1772 standard.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 12, wherein the vehicle inlet is located on a body of the vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 12, wherein the outlet plug is on a power cable extending from the fuel distribution station, the outlet plug configured to mate with the vehicle inlet.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 12, wherein the identification component comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 18, wherein the RFID tag is configured to provide the identification information in response to receiving a valid passcode.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 18, wherein the RFID tag is mounted on the vehicle inlet and is not removable from the vehicle inlet without damaging the RFID tag.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 20, wherein the RFID tag self destructs in response to removal from the vehicle inlet.

### Claim 22 (depends on 11)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 11, wherein the identification component is positioned to align with a receiver component of the fuel distribution station when the power receiving interface is electrically coupled to the power distribution interface, wherein alignment of the identification component with the receiver component allows electrical communication between the identification component and the receiver component.

### Claim 23 (depends on 11)

The vehicle fueling interface of claim 11, wherein the power receiving interface comprises a first wireless power coupling configured to wirelessly receive power from a second wireless power coupling of the power distribution interface.

### Claim 24

A system comprising:
a vehicle charging station comprising,
a power distribution interface for electrically coupling with and providing electrical power to a vehicle, the power distribution interface comprising a power cable extending from the vehicle charging station, the power cable comprising an outlet plug, and
a receiver component within the power cable for receiving identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle; and
a vehicle charging interface comprising,
a power receiving interface integrated with a body of the vehicle for coupling with and receiving electrical power from the power distribution interface to charge the vehicle; and
an identification component on the fuel receiving interface for providing identification information to the fuel distribution station, the identification information uniquely identifying the vehicle, wherein the identification component is permanently affixed to the vehicle and wherein the identification component is not removable from the vehicle without damaging the identification component;
wherein the identification component and the receiver component are communicatively aligned when the power distribution interface and fuel receiving interface are coupled.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The system of claim 24, wherein the receiver component receives the identification information in response to coupling of the distribution interface and the fuel receiving interface.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The system of claim 24, wherein fueling the vehicle comprises electrically charging a battery of the vehicle.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26, wherein the distribution interface comprises an outlet plug attached to the fuel distribution station via a power cable and the fuel receiving interface comprises a vehicle inlet on the body of the vehicle.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27, wherein the outlet plug and power cable comply with a society of automotive engineers (SAE) J1772 standard.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27, wherein the vehicle inlet complies with a society of automotive engineers (SAE) J1772 standard.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27, wherein the outlet plug comprises an indicator light, the indicator light indicating one or more of an authorization status of the vehicle and a charging status of the vehicle.

### Claim 31 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27, wherein the receiver component comprises an RFID reader.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The system of claim 31, wherein the RFID reader comprises an antenna located to align with an RFID tag.

### Claim 33 (depends on 31)

The system of claim 31, wherein at least a portion of the RFID reader is embedded in the outlet plug.

### Claim 34 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26, wherein the distribution interface comprises a first wireless power coupling and the fuel receiving interface comprises a second wireless power coupling wherein the first and second wireless power couplings wirelessly electrically couple to charge the vehicle.

### Claim 35 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26, further comprising a flow component for selectively allowing flow of electricity between the vehicle charging station and the vehicle charging interface in response to receiving a signal indicating authorization for the vehicle.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The system of claim 35, further comprising an authentication component for authorizing electrical power flow to the vehicle based on the identification information.

### Claim 37

A system comprising:
a vehicle charging station comprising,
a power distribution interface, and
a receiver component configured to receive identification information uniquely identifying a vehicle; and
a vehicle charging interface comprising,
a power receiving interface for electrically coupling with and receiving electrical power from the power distribution interface to charge the vehicle, and
an identification component configured to provide the identification information to the vehicle charging station, wherein the identification component is permanently affixed to the vehicle;
wherein the identification component and the receiver component are communicatively aligned when the power distribution interface and power receiving interface are electrically coupled.

### Claim 38

A method for providing a refueling subscription comprising:
determining a maximum amount of refueling for a vehicle in a subscription time period, the maximum amount based on the vehicle type;
provide identification information for the vehicle in an identification component permanently affixed to the vehicle; and
allow unlimited fueling at a fuel distribution station for the subscription time period in response to the fuel distribution station receiving the identification information.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, further comprising affixing the identification component to the vehicle, the identification component comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

### Claim 40 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, wherein fueling is allowed based on the identification information corresponding to a current subscription listed in an authorization list maintained by the fuel distribution station.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, further comprising updating on an update period an authorization list at the fuel distribution station.

### Claim 42 (depends on 41)

The method of claim 41, wherein the update period is greater than or equal to about an hour.

### Claim 43 (depends on 41)

The method of claim 41, wherein the update period is greater than or equal to about a day.