Smart post system for vehicle authentication and charging/fueling
AssigneePrologis, L.P.
InventorCasper Jan-Theo Hendrik Steenkamp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system facilitates electric vehicle (EV) charging using one or more posts mounted on a foundation, integrating communication, imaging, and control functionalities. The posts enable communication with EV operators via an intercom and a light source. A camera mounted on a post captures images of the EVs. A computer system processes these images to determine charging authorization. Based on the authorization, the computer system controls the light source to indicate each vehicle's charging status. The light source guides each EV to a designated charging post. The computer system controls the designated post to initiate the charging process.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- one or more posts mounted on a foundation,
- wherein the one or more posts are configured to:
- communicate with operators of electric vehicles for charging the electric vehicles using the system;
- a camera mounted on at least one of the one or more posts,
- wherein the camera is configured to capture an image of at least one electric vehicle;
- a light emitting diode (LED) beacon mounted on at least one of the one or more posts,
- wherein the LED beacon includes programmable multi-color status indicators to indicate a charging authorization status of the at least one electric vehicle;
- an intercom mounted on at least one of the one or more posts,
- wherein the one or more posts are configured to communicate with the operators using the intercom and the LED beacon;
- and
- a computer system communicably coupled to the camera, the LED beacon, and the intercom,
- wherein the computer system is configured to:
- process the image to determine whether the at least one electric vehicle is authorized for charging by the system,
- control the LED beacon to indicate the charging authorization status of the at least one electric vehicle;
- control the LED beacon to direct the at least one electric vehicle towards a particular post for charging the at least one electric vehicle;
- and
- control the particular post to charge the at least one electric vehicle.
A system comprising:
- one or more posts mounted on a foundation and configured to perform communication with operators of vehicles for at least one of charging or fueling the vehicles by the system;
- a camera mounted on one of the one or more posts and configured to capture images of the vehicles;
- a light source mounted on one of the one or more posts and configured to indicate a charging authorization status or a fueling authorization status of at least one vehicle;
- and
- a computer system communicably coupled to the camera and the light source,
- wherein the computer system is configured to:
- process at least one image of the at least one vehicle to determine whether the at least one vehicle is authorized for charging or fueling by the system;
- and
- direct the at least one electric vehicle, using the light source, towards a particular post for charging or fueling the at least one vehicle.
A method performed by a system, the method comprising:
- receiving, by one or more computer processors, an image of a license plate of a vehicle from a camera mounted on a first post of the system;
- performing license plate recognition on the image to determine whether the vehicle is authorized for charging or fueling by the system;
- authenticating the vehicle using the license plate recognition;
- controlling a light emitting diode (LED) beacon mounted on the first post to indicate that the vehicle is authorized to be charged or fueled by the system;
- detecting that the vehicle is connected to a charging cable or a hydrogen fueling hose mounted on a second post of the system;
- and
- operating the second post to charge or fuel the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.