# US 8,996,876 B2 · Method and system for using a smart phone for electrical vehicle charging

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,996,876 B2
- Document ID: US8996876B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/582,467
- Filed: 2011-03-02
- Published: 2012-12-27
- Granted: 2015-03-31
- Earliest claimed: 2010-03-02
- Assignees: Liberty PlugIns, Inc.
- Applicants: Chris Outwater; William Gibbens Redmann
- Inventors: Chris Outwater; William Gibbens Redmann
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8996876B2

## CPC

- G07C 9/27: with central registration
- B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/18: Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/31: Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
- B60L 53/57: Charging stations without connection to power networks
- B60L 53/65: involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
- B60L 53/665: {Methods related to measuring, billing or payment}
- B60L 53/68: Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
- G06Q 10/02: Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
- G06Q 20/045: {using payment protocols involving tickets}
- G06Q 20/308: {using the Internet of Things}
- G06Q 20/32: using wireless devices
- G06Q 20/3223: {Realising banking transactions through M-devices}
- G06Q 20/3278: {RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices}
- G06Q 20/38215: {Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights}
- G06Q 20/3829: {involving key management}
- G06Q 30/06: Buying, selling or leasing transactions
- G06Q 50/06: Energy or water supply
- G07C 9/20: involving the use of a pass
- G07C 9/215: {the system having a variable access-code, e.g. varied as a function of time}
- G07C 9/22: in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
- G07C 9/29: the pass containing active electronic elements, e.g. smartcards
- G07F 5/26: Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used
- G07F 15/005: {dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles (electrical charging as such, B60L50/00)}
- H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures}
- H04L 9/3263: {involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823)}
- H04L 9/3268: {using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]}
- H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload}
- H04L 63/0823: {using certificates (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263)}
- H04L 63/102: {Entity profiles}
- H04W 4/021: Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
- H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds}
- H04W 12/069: using certificates or pre-shared keys
- H04W 12/08: Access security
- B60L 2240/622: by satellite navigation
- B60L 2240/72: Charging station selection relying on external data
- B60L 2240/80: Time limits
- B60L 2250/10: by alarm
- G06Q 2240/00: Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking
- G07C 2209/08: With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
- H04L 63/0442: {wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30)}
- H04L 2209/56: Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
- H04L 2209/80: Wireless
- H04L 2209/84: Vehicles
- H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
- 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 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- 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
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- 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
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- 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 and methods are provided to allow a smart phone or any terminal to reserve and activate an electric vehicle charger using a web site or server computer system. An access control system is provided that includes a server and an access device. The access device includes an electrical vehicle charger. A reservation request is accepted from a first terminal using the server. A reservation certificate is provided to a portable second terminal in response to the request using the server. The reservation certificate is accepted from the portable second terminal using the access device. The reservation certificate is determined to be authentic using the access device. The electric vehicle charger is activated in response to accepting an authentic reservation certificate using the access device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An access device for use in a reservation system for electric vehicle charging, the access device comprising:
a processor (16) having control of an electric vehicle charger (6);
a communication module (17) connected to the processor, the processor able to receive a reservation certificate (5) presented by a portable terminal (4) through the communication module;
wherein the processor enables the electric vehicle charger when a current reservation certificate has been presented.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The access device of claim 1 wherein the processor enables the electric vehicle charger for up to a predetermined duration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The access device of claim 2 wherein the predetermined duration is all day.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The access device of claim 1 wherein the reservation certificate comprise data representative of a duration and the processor enables the electric vehicle charger for up to the duration.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The access device of claim 1 wherein the processor has access to the current time, the reservation certificate comprises data representative of an interval of the reservation, and the processor enables the electric vehicle charger for up to the interval.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The access device of claim 5 wherein the interval is specified by a start time and one of an end time and a duration.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The access device of claim 1 further comprising:
a memory to which the processor has access, the memory containing a public key for a server authorized to issue the reservation certificate;
wherein at least a portion of the reservation certificate is encrypted by the server using a private key and the processor verifies that the reservation certificate is genuine by decrypting the portion with the public key.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The access device of claim 1 further comprising:
a memory to which the processor has access, the memory containing a symmetric key;
wherein at least a portion of the reservation certificate is encrypted by a server using the symmetric key and the processor verifies that the reservation certificate is genuine by decrypting the portion with the symmetric key.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The access device of claim 1 wherein the processor verifies that the reservation certificate is genuine.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The access device of claim 1 further comprising:
an identification to which the processor has access, the identification corresponding to one of the access device and the electric vehicle charger, wherein the processor determines that the reservation certificate comprises data representative of the identification.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The access device of claim 1 further comprising:
a memory to which the processor has access, the memory containing a private key of the access device;
wherein at least a portion of the reservation certificate is encrypted by a server using a corresponding public key for the access device and the processor decrypts the portion with the private key.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The access device of claim 1 wherein the processor has access to a server through the communication module and the processor reports to the server that electric vehicle charger was enabled on the basis of the reservation certificate.

### Claim 13

A method for use by an access device in a reservation system for electric vehicle charging, the method comprising:
a) accepting, by a processor through a communication module, a reservation certificate presented with a portable terminal;
b) determining, by the processor, that the reservation certificate is current;
c) enabling, by the processor on the basis of the reservation certificate being current, an electric vehicle charger.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the enabling is for up to a predetermined duration.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein the predetermined duration is all day.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the reservation certificate comprises data representative of a duration and the c) enabling is for up to the duration.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the processor has access to the current time and the reservation certificate comprises data representative of an interval of the reservation, and the c) enabling is for up to the interval.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 wherein the interval is specified by a start time and one of an end time and a duration.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the reservation certificate is encrypted by a server using a private key for which the corresponding public key is stored in a memory accessible to the processor, wherein the b) determining by the processor is further that the reservation certificate is genuine on the basis of decrypting the portion with the public key, and the c) enabling is on the further basis of the reservation certificate being genuine.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the reservation certificate is encrypted by a server using a symmetric key stored in a memory accessible to the processor, wherein the b) determining by the processor is further that the reservation certificate is genuine on the basis of decrypting the portion with the symmetric key, and the c) enabling is on the further basis of the reservation certificate being genuine.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the b) determining by the processor is further that the reservation certificate is genuine, and the c) enabling is on the further basis of the reservation certificate being genuine.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the processor has access to an identification, the identification corresponding to one of the access device and the electric vehicle charger, wherein the b) determining by the processor is further that the reservation certificate comprises data representative of the identification, and the c) enabling is on the further basis of the reservation certificate comprising data representative of the identification.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the reservation certificate is encrypted by a server using a public key for which the corresponding private key is stored in a memory accessible to the processor, the method further comprising the step of:
d) decrypting the portion, by the processor, with the private key.

### Claim 24 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the processor has access to a server through the communication module, the method further comprising the step of:
d) reporting to the server that the electric vehicle charger was enabled on the basis of the reservation certificate.