Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to charging stations for charging an electric vehicle.

Background art

[0002] In prior art, charging stations are located at homes, garages, apartments buildings and gas-stations, for example. These locations are most probable in areas where both the electric grid as well as wired internet network connections are established. The charging station is connected to the electric grid and the network, and both charging, and payment, are commenced by the charging station. If the wired network connection is interrupted, the charging cannot be realized since connection to a bank cannot be established. Therefor there is a need to be able to charge an electric vehicle at a charging station that lacks internet connection.

Summary of invention

[0003] An object of the present invention is to offer a charging station by which charging of an electric vehicle is possible, even if the charging station only has an electric connection and lacks an internet network connection. A method for authenticating a user to a charging station for charging an electric vehicle with electric power comprises the steps of: generating a first pattern by the charging station, the first pattern containing information regarding the charging station, displaying the first pattern on a display arranged at the charging station, reading the first pattern by a handheld user device, keying in charging information and payment information in the handheld user device by the user, communicating the information regarding the charging station contained in the first pattern, and the information and payment information keyed in, in the handheld user device, with a server via the handheld user device, verifying the charging information and payment information by the server, generating a second pattern by the server, the second pattern containing activation instructions for the charging station, displaying the second pattern on the handheld user device, reading the second pattern by the charging station, interpreting, by the charging station, the information in the second pattern, and activating the charging station for delivery of electric power to the electric vehicle according to the information and user verification.

By these steps charging can be fulfilled with a charging station that only is connected to the electric grid. The online payment is carried out by the handheld user device, such as a smart phone. This gives the advantage that charging stations can be located at more remote locations where wired internet network connections is not available, as a “stand alone” charging station.

Another object of the invention, is to offer a charging station for charging an electric vehicle, comprising a processor for generating a first pattern, a display device for presenting the first pattern to a handheld user device and a scanner or an optical sensor for reading a second pattern from the handheld user device to activate the charging station.

By this, the charging station can be activated and used to charge an electric vehicle even if the charging station lacks connection to an internet network.

Another object of the invention provides a transaction method when charging an electric vehicle at a charging station, wherein the transaction is commenced by any online payment method. Also, the user can create an account on a web application for being charged directly or at a later occasion.

Brief description of drawings

[0004] The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 A - 1 D shows examples of charging stations, patterns and a user device,

Fig 2 shows a charging station and an electric vehicle to be charged,

Fig 3 shows another embodiment of Fig 2, and

Fig 4 and Fig 5 shows two alternative flow charts

Description of embodiments

[0005] In the following, a charging station 1 and a method activating a charging station 1 using an optical pattern verification method for charging an electric vehicle 2 is described.

[0006] Before using the system, the user can register and create an account in a mobile application hosted by a database located at a website at a distant web server. The account comprises personal information such as username, password, and mobile number as identification factors. It can also comprise a credit card number used for payment.

[0007] As can be seen in FIG. 1 A - 1 B, a charging station 1 comprises a housing 3. The housing 3 can be a box on a wall 4, as shown in FIG. 1A, or as shown in FIG. 1 B a charging pole 5, from which a charging cable 6 extends. The housing 3 comprises an electric connection to the electric grid 7, at least one processor 8, an optical interface which includes a display device 9 for communication with a handheld user device 10 and a scanner 11 or an optical sensor 12, such as a camera. Further as can be seen in and FIG.3, the charging station 1 comprises the electric charging cable 6 to connect an electric vehicle 2 to the charging station 1 . [0008] In another embodiment as shown in figure 2 the housing 3 is arranged with a socket 6.1 for receiving a charging cable 6. The charging cable 6 is arranged with a connector 6.2, 6.3, one in each end. One of the connectors 6.2 is to be inserted into the socket 6.1 at the charging station 1 , and one connector 6.3 to be inserted into the socket 6.4 at the electric vehicle 2.

[0009] In another embodiment as shown in Fig. 1 B the charging station 1 is provided with both a charging cable 6 extending from the housing 3, as well as a socket 6.1 for receiving a charging cable.

[0010] The electric connection to the electric grid 7 provides electric power to both the equipment in the charging station as well as electric power for charging an electric vehicle 2. The processor 8 of the charging station 1 is connected to the optical sensor 12 and the display device 9 and contains a software for both produce, present and read an optical pattern 13, 15. The optical pattern 13, 15 is formed as a two-dimensional code, preferably a quick response code, as shown in FIG 1 D.

[0011 ] At a first step the processor 8 produces a first optical pattern 13 on the display. The produced first optical pattern 13 contains information about the charging station 1 , such as identity, location and information about last usage, information that is stored in a memory 14 of the processor. When the user is signing in on the mobile application or a web-browser with a handheld user device 10, such as a smart phone or a PDA as shown in FIG 1 C, the handheld user device 10 becomes the link between the charging station 1 and the web server.

[0012] When the first optical pattern 13 is produced, it is shown on a display 9 arranged at the charging station 1 . The user scans the first optical pattern 13 using the scanner 11 or the optical sensor 12 of the user device 10, whereafter the information contained in the first optical pattern 13 is delivered to the distant web server via a mobile network, i.e. 3G, 4G, 5G or similar. If the user is a registered user, the web server requests the user to launch the application on the handheld user device 10 and log on to the server using his credentials and key in information regarding charging demands such as charging time, charging amount and payment information. Payment information can be credit card number or logging in to an online payment method.

[0013] The input information is delivered from the handheld user device 10 to the web server, which verifies the charging and payment information and generates a second optical pattern 15. The second optical pattern 15 contains activation instructions for the charging station 1 . The registered mobile number can be used as a keyword to retrieve the information from database.

[0014] If the information cannot be verified, or if any information is missing, no second optical pattern is generated. Instead, an error message is sent to the mobile application on the handheld user device 10 informing the user that an error has occurred.

[0015] When the user device 10 receives the second optical pattern 15, a message requests the user to present the second optical pattern 15 to the scanner 11 or optical sensor 12 located at the charging station 1. When the scanner 11 or the optical sensor 12 reads the second optical pattern 15, the information is retrieved by the processor 8 arranged at the charging station 1 .

[0016] The processor 8 at the charging station 1 is used to execute a program module, of which the second optical pattern 15, recorded by the scanner 11 or the optical sensor 12, for example a quick response code, is identified and if the credentials are met, the charging station 1 is activated, and the electric vehicle 2 starts to charge.

[0017] FIG. 4 shows a corresponding flow diagram, the numbers in the boxes corresponding to the different steps described in the following. In step 1 a request is input into the charging station 1 . This may occur by insertion of the charging cable 6 into the vehicle, or a sensor, for example a proximity sensor 16 of the charging station 1 , that senses the presence of the user and therefore the request of the user to use the charging station 1 and the display device 9 is activated. In another embodiment the display device 9 is always on. The charging station 1 generates a first optical pattern 13, such as a quick response code or other two- dimensional code, which contains information regarding the charging station 1 . This first optical pattern 13 is displayed by the charging station 1 on the display device 9.

[0018] In step 2, the user records the first pattern 13 from the display device 9 at the charging station 1 with the aid of the camera on the handheld user device 10.

[0019] In step 3 the information from the charging station contained in the first optical pattern 13 is delivered to the distant web server.

[0020] In step 4 the user logs on to the server using the web-browser application on the handheld user device 10.

[0021] In step 5 the user keys in charging information, such as time and charging amount needed. Also, payment information is keyed in. Payment can be performed via credit card number or any online payment method, if the user is an unregistered user. If the user logs in as a registered user, the payment can be made when the user logs in.

[0022] In step 6 the web server verifies that the user is registered, and that payment is done.

[0023] In step 7, if all information from step 6 is correct, the web server generates a second optical pattern 15 and delivers this second optical pattern 15 to the handheld device. The second optical pattern 15 contains an activation instruction for the charging station 1 .

[0024] In step 8, the user is instructed to present the second optical pattern 15 to the scanner 11 or optical sensor 12 arranged at the charging station 1 .

[0025] In step 9, the processor 8 of the charging station 1 interprets the information in the second optical pattern 15.

[0026] In step 10, the charging station 1 is activated for the specified time or demanded charging amount wanted by the user. [0027] In another embodiment, the payment step is arranged in another way. If the charging station 1 is included in a housing cooperative, the charging can be billed on the tenant rental bill. In this case, the user and the charging station 1 is registered to the housing cooperative, and the user credentials are connected to the billing system of the cooperative. Each time the user needs to charge an electric vehicle, the user enters his credentials, but the charging demand is registered in the billing system at the cooperative, and the user is charged at a later occasion.

[0028] In another embodiment shown in FIG.5, where the numbers in the boxes corresponds to the different steps described hereafter, the user can activate the charging station without logging in as a user. The first optical pattern is presented in step 1 . When the first optical pattern is scanned with the handheld user device in step 2, the user is directed to the server and key in information regarding charging demands such as charging time and charging amount. When the charging demands is finished the information is received by the server in step 3. The server then responds by directing the handheld user device to an online payment method in step 4. When the user fulfills the payment, the second optical pattern is created in step 5 and is delivered to the handheld device in step 6 with instructions to present the second optical pattern to the charging station, step 7, whereafter the charging station is activated in step 8.

[0029] The present invention is not limited to the description above or the attached drawings but can be modified withing the inventive thinking stated in the attached set of claims.