EP3941780A1

EP3941780A1 - Method for operating a charging system

Info

Publication number: EP3941780A1
Application number: EP20702629.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sebastian Bausen; Edgar Brodde; Stephan CATER
Original assignee: Innogy SE
Current assignee: Compleo Charging Solutions GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2019-02-11
Filing date: 2020-01-29
Publication date: 2022-01-26
Also published as: WO2020164909A1; DE102019103302A1

Abstract

The application relates to a method for operating a charging system (100) having at least one back-end system (104) and at least one charging station (102) for charging electric vehicles (106), said method comprising the steps: transmission by the back-end system (104) of at least one token to a mobile user terminal (110), an assignment of the token to a user identification of the user of the mobile user terminal (110) being stored in the back-end system (104); receipt by the charging station (102) of a charging initiation request from the mobile user terminal (110), the charging initiation request comprising at least the token transmitted to the mobile user terminal (110), carrying out a charging operation at the charging station (102) upon receipt of the token; storage by the charging station (102) of at least one charging protocol data record concerning the charging operation that has been carried out, together with the token; and transmission, by the charging station (102), of the stored charging protocol data record and the assigned token upon detection of a communication link between the charging station (102) and the back-end system (104), established after the charging operation.

Description

Method for operating a charging system

The application relates to a method for operating a charging system with at least one charging station for charging electric vehicles and with at least one backend system. The registration also relates to a charging system.

The development of the charging infrastructure is of crucial importance for the widespread establishment of electromobility. To this end, it is particularly necessary to install charging stations for electric vehicles on a large scale in public as well as partially public spaces. As a rule, charging systems with a backend system and a plurality of charging stations are installed.

In addition to setting up charging stations on streets and paths, the installation of charging stations in parking arrangements is particularly useful, in particular in the form of parking garages. The charging station can have at least one firmly attached charging cable and / or at least one charging connection that can be coupled to a charging cable. Furthermore, a charging station can have a (temporary) communication connection with a (central) backend system of the charging system.

In the prior art, it is first to start a charging process

required that the user of an electric vehicle to be charged on the

Backend system authenticated. For this purpose, it is provided in the prior art that the user should do an immediate download before starting a charging process

Establishes communication link between his mobile user terminal and the backend system and at least transmits authentication data, such as user ID or user name, password, etc., as well as the unique identifier of the charging station via the established communication link to the backend system. If, after checking this data, the backend system to a If the verification result comes, the charging process is released at the charging station by connecting the backend system to the

to be released charging station transmits a release message to the charging station. The charging process is then carried out at the charging station.

The disadvantage of this method, however, is that, for example due to the position of the charging station, this does not have a permanent communication link to the

Has backend system. This leads to the fact that a charging process cannot be released, for example if there is no communication connection at the moment, and thus cannot be carried out by the user. The user-friendliness is therefore considerably impaired.

The application is therefore based on the object of a method for operating a charging system with at least one charging station and at least one

Provide back-end system, which in a user-friendly manner the

Carrying out a charging process allows, in particular even if the charging station currently has no communication link to the backend system.

According to a first aspect of the application, the object is achieved by a method for operating a charging system with at least one backend system and at least one charging station for charging electric vehicles according to claim 1. The procedure includes:

The back-end system transmits at least one token to a mobile user terminal, with an association between the token and a user ID of the user of the mobile user terminal in the

Backend system is saved,

Receiving, by the charging station, a charging initiation request from the mobile user terminal, wherein the charging initiation request comprises at least the token transmitted to the mobile user terminal,

Carry out a charging process at the charging station upon receipt of the token, Storing, by the charging station, at least one charging log data record about the charging process carried out together with the token, and

Transfer, through the charging station, of the saved

Load log record and the associated token to the

Backend system on detection of a communication link established after the charging process between the charging station and the backend system.

In contrast to the prior art, a method for operating a charging system with at least one charging station and at least one back-end system is provided according to the application, which in a user-friendly manner the

Carrying out a charging process is allowed, especially if a

Communication connection between charging station and backend system cannot be established temporarily by assigning a token to a user ID of the requesting user and transmitting this to the mobile user terminal and to the

Performing the charging process is used. Here, a log data record is created about the charging process carried out at a later point in time (for example X hours or Y days later) during an (anyway)

Communication connection between the charging station and the backend system together with the token used for this charging process to the

Transfer backend system.

The charging station according to the application comprises at least one charging point, set up to deliver electrical power (or energy or current).

The charging point can preferably also be set up to receive electrical power. The charging point can in particular be an electrical interface, for example in the form of a firmly attached charging cable with a

Charging connection (e.g. charging plug) and / or a charging connection for connecting a charging cable (e.g. a charging plug receptacle, for example in the form of a charging plug socket). Under a firmly attached charging cable is particularly to understand that a user cannot disconnect the charging cable from the charging device in a non-destructive manner.

The charging station can comprise a charging device, which can have components in a conventional manner to enable a current flow from a power source (e.g. a public power grid, energy generator, etc.) via the charging point and a charging cable. In this way, an electrically operated vehicle or its electrical energy store can be charged (or discharged). In the present case, an electric vehicle is to be understood as meaning a vehicle which can be operated at least partially electrically and which includes a rechargeable electrical storage device.

The charging device can be integrated in the charging station or designed as a “wallbox”. In particular, the charging device can be part of the charging station. The charging device, in particular the components or the charging technology, can also be integrated in a wall or a floor. It goes without saying that a bidirectional current or power transmission can take place via the charging cable and the charging technology of the charging device.

In order to enable a current flow via a charging station, the charging process or the charging station must be released or activated. In order to achieve this, a user can, for example, request a token from the backend system of the charging system. In particular, it is provided that the backend system transmits a token to a mobile user terminal, i.e. causes a corresponding transmission, and stores the token together with the user ID of the user of the mobile terminal in the backend system, i.e. in a data memory accessible by the backend system. The backend system, for example formed by one or more (distributed) servers, has at least one suitable

Communication device to transmit the token. The user identifier can in particular be an identifier (for example a user name) which is uniquely assigned to a (registered) user in the charging system. According to the application, a token is to be understood as a data token which, in particular, can include or represent proof of authorization (for carrying out at least one (specific) loading process). A token can be generated in the charging system by the backend system and assigned to a specific user. A token according to the registration is preferably unique or unique in the charging system.

A charging process at a charging station can be carried out by transferring a

Charging initiation request can be initiated. In order to obtain this, the charging station can have at least one suitable communication device. A charging initiation request according to the registration comprises at least one previously transmitted token. Further information that can be contained in a charging initiation request can be at least one desired charging parameter, such as desired charging duration, desired amount of energy, etc.

If the charging station receives a token, a charging process can be carried out in a conventional manner at this charging station, that is to say in particular electrical power can be transferred to a connected electric vehicle belonging to the user of the mobile user terminal.

This can be logged by the charging station, especially during and after the charging process. The log data are stored in the charging station (locally) in the form of a log data record. The token of the carried out and logged loading process is assigned to the log data record, i.e. it is (temporarily) stored together with the log data record.

If the charging station detects the establishment of a communication connection between the charging station and the backend system after the charging process, the at least one stored log data record and the respective assigned tokens via this communication link to the backend system (at this later point in time) (automatically).

Here, a communication link between the charging station and the backend system is to be understood as a direct connection via a communication network (e.g. cellular network) between the charging station and the backend system without the interposition of a mobile user terminal (but possibly another backend system).

The communication connection between the charging station and the backend system is preferably (re) established only after the at least one charging process has been carried out (e.g. X hours and / or days afterwards). In particular, according to the application, the at least one communication connection between the charging station and the backend system that is next in time after the at least one charging process is carried out is automatically transmitted

Log data record and the respectively assigned token caused. Until this transmission, this data can remain stored in the charging station for transmission (and preferably deleted after the transmission).

According to a first embodiment of the method according to the application, the method can further comprise:

Receive, through the backend system, authentication data from the mobile user terminal,

Check, through the backend system, the received

Authentication data based on stored

User authentication data, and

Transfer of the token to the mobile user terminal only if the authentication result is positive.

In other words, before a token is sent to a requesting user or to his / her mobile user terminal, a User authentication carried out. For this purpose, authentication data of the user (e.g. user ID or user name and / or password etc.) can be transmitted to the backend system. As described, the backend system has at least one suitable communication device to

Receive authentication data. After receipt, the

Authentication data (in a conventional manner) can be checked by the backend system. In particular, the authentication data with (in

Backend system) stored user authentication data (for example, from previously registered users) are compared. If a correspondence, in particular equality, between the received authentication data and the e.g. found authentication data stored in user accounts, the verification result or authentication result is positive. In other words, in this case the user is entitled to at least one charging process in the

Carry out charging system. If no correspondence is found, that is

Check result negative. In other words, the user is not authorized to carry out a charging process in the charging system.

If the authentication result is positive, the transmission of a corresponding token can be released and this to the mobile

User terminal are transmitted. If the result of the check is negative, the transmission is blocked, for example a corresponding message is transmitted to the user terminal. An unauthorized implementation of a charging process in the charging system can be made more difficult without (significantly) impairing the user-friendliness.

According to a further embodiment of the method according to the application, when the token is received, the token can be checked by the charging station, based on at least one admissibility criterion. In particular, it can be checked whether the token is a permitted or valid token. For example, during the check, a proof of authorization contained in the token with a predefined admissibility criterion, for example in the charging station is saved. The loading process can only be carried out if the result of the admissibility check is positive. In other words, the charging process at the charging station is only released if the token includes a valid token, for example a valid credential. If the token is invalid, i.e. the result of the admissibility check is negative, the execution of a loading process is blocked. The number of unauthorized charging processes can be further reduced.

The token can preferably comprise a hash value (as proof of authorization). The token can be checked by the charging station based on the at least one admissibility criterion (for example a hash function or a value corresponding to the hash value) and the hash value. It goes without saying that in addition to the use of hash values or functions, other means for checking authorization or token validity can also be provided.

In order to make unauthorized use of a charging station even more difficult, it is proposed according to a further embodiment that the token can (additionally) have time-limited validity information. For example, a time stamp can be provided which represents an expiry time of the token. In this case, the token is no longer valid after the expiration time. The token can preferably be checked by the charging station, based on the time-limited validity information and the at least one

Eligibility criterion. In particular, a further admissibility criterion, for example the current time, can be provided. By comparing the current time with an expiry time of the token, it can be checked in a simple manner whether the token is (still) valid or not.

Alternatively or in addition to the hash value and / or the time-limited

Validity information can, according to a further embodiment of the

according to the procedure, the token is a geographically limited

Have validity information. For example, a geographically limited Validity information defines at least one permissible geographical area (eg defined by geographical boundary coordinates of the area). The token can be checked by the charging station on the basis of the geographically limited validity information and the at least one admissibility criterion (for example the actual geographical installation location of the charging station). For example, by comparing the coordinates of the installation site of the charging station with the permissible geographical area, defined for example by geographical coordinates, it is possible to check in a simple manner whether the token is valid at the charging station or not. It is understood that as geographical

Information also country-specific or region-specific (unique)

Identifiers can be provided.

According to a further embodiment of the method according to the application, the log data record can include loading log data of the loading process carried out, which can be selected from the group comprising:

Charging time,

Charging start time,

Loading end time, and

amount of energy exchanged and / or amount of electricity exchanged.

It goes without saying that the charging time is determined by the charging start time and the

Loading end time can be defined.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the application, the method can further comprise:

Allocation, by the back-end system, of the log data set received from the charging station to a user ID, based on the token received together with the log data set and the assignments stored in the back-end system

whereby in particular a billing process for the

Log data record associated loading process, through the backend system, is carried out, based at least on the log data record and the assigned user identifier.

In particular, in order to be able to bill a charging process, the back-end system can be set up to assign a received log data record to the user ID on the basis of the (unique) token. The charging process can then be billed in a conventional manner in particular.

The charging initiation request can preferably be received by the charging station from the mobile user terminal for carrying out a charging process via a wireless near-field connection, in particular a Bluetooth connection. The charging station can be connected via a wireless near-field interface (preferably Bluetooth interface, but also RFID interface, IR interface and / or NFC

Interface) that corresponds to a corresponding wireless near-field interface of the mobile user terminal. A secure transmission of the data is made possible.

Alternatively or additionally, the communication connection between the mobile user terminal and the backend system can be a wireless far-field connection, in particular using a cellular network.

A mobile user terminal is to be understood as meaning, in particular, a navigation device for the electric vehicle, smartphone, tablet computer, laptop, smartwatch, or a similar portable device.

According to a further embodiment, a (temporary) (wired and / or wireless) can be used between the charging station and the backend system.

Communication link can be established.

Another aspect of the registration is a charging system. The charging system includes at least one backend system. The charging system includes at least one charging station for charging electric vehicles. The backend system is set up for

Transferring at least one token to a mobile user terminal, an association between the token and a user identifier of the user of the mobile user terminal being stored in a first data memory (which the backend system can at least access). The charging station is set up to receive a charging initiation request from the mobile user terminal. The charge initiation request includes at least the token transmitted to the mobile user terminal. The charging station is set up to carry out a

Loading process upon receipt of the token. The charging station is set up to store at least one charging protocol data record about the charging process carried out together with the token in a further data memory of the charging station. The charging station is set up to transfer the saved

Charging protocol data set and the assigned token upon detection of a communication connection established after the charging process between the charging station and the backend system.

The charging system can in particular be operated using the method described above. The charging system can preferably have a large number of charging stations that can be temporarily connected to the backend system. The charging station and backend system can each have one or more suitable (communication) devices in the form of hardware (processors, antennas, memory, etc.) and / or software modules for transferring the data and / or for checking the data.

The characteristics of the charging systems and processes can be freely combined with one another. In particular, features of the description and / or the dependent

Claims, even with complete or partial circumvention of features of the independent claims, can be independently inventive on their own or freely combined with one another. There are now a number of possibilities for designing and developing the method according to the application and the charging system according to the application. For this purpose, reference is made on the one hand to the claims subordinate to the independent claims and on the other hand to the description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a

Charging system according to the present application, and

2 shows a diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the present application.

FIG. 1 shows a charging system 100 with a charging station 102 and a

Backend system 104, for example in the form of one or more servers. It goes without saying that with other variants of the application a large number of

Charging stations can be provided.

The charging station 102 includes a first charging point. The charging point can

be formed in particular by a charging connection which is designed to charge (or discharge) an electric vehicle 106 via a charging cable 108. The

Charging station 100 comprises a housing in which a charging device (e.g., the

Charging technology that is coupled to the charging port) can be integrated.

The charging station 102 can have at least one first (not shown)

Communication device (e.g. comprising antenna, controller etc.) which is set up to exchange bidirectional data via a (wireless and / or wired) communication connection 114 with a further communication device (e.g. comprising antenna, controller etc.) of the backend system 104 (not shown). However, this can only be produced temporarily, for example at certain times or areas. Furthermore, the charging station 102 can have at least one second (not shown) communication device (e.g. comprising antenna, controller, etc.), which is set up with a further communication device (e.g. comprising antenna, controller, etc.) of a mobile user terminal 110 ( e.g. a smartphone) to receive data via a communication link 112. The at least one communication connection 112 can in particular be a near-field connection 112 based on Bluetooth technology, NFC technology, RF1D technology, etc.

In addition, the backend system 104 can comprise at least one further communication device (not shown) in order to communicate via a direct

Communication link 116 (e.g. cellular network) with the mobile

User terminal 110 to communicate.

The operation of the charging system 100 is described in more detail below with the aid of FIG. FIG. 2 shows a diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a

Method according to the present application. In a first step 201, the backend system 104 can transmit at least one token to a mobile user terminal 110. In addition, an association between the token transmitted to the mobile user terminal and a user identifier of the user from this mobile user terminal 110 is stored in a data memory 118 of the backend system 104.

User authentication can optionally be carried out before step 201. To this end, the backend system 104

Authentication data of the user (e.g. user identification and / or password, etc.) are received by the mobile user terminal 110 and then checked.

After receiving the authentication data, the backend system 104 can authorize the user to carry out charging processes in the charging system 100 using this authentication data and saved

Check user authentication data, in particular authentication data of registered users stored in user accounts in one

User account can also include billing data (e.g. credit card number,

Account data, agreed tariff, etc.).

The check can include, for example, a comparison of the user ID received and the associated password with the stored authentication data, in particular the stored user IDs and the respectively assigned passwords.

If the authentication result is positive, for example if

If the user ID and password received match a stored user ID and the assigned password, a token can be generated and transmitted in step 201. The generated (data) token has, in particular, a proof of authorization and can optionally include time-limited validity information and / or geographical information

Include validity information. It goes without saying that only time-limited validity information and / or geographically limited validity information can be provided as proof of authorization. Such a token can be stored in the mobile user terminal 110 and used, for example, by the user during a temporary stay abroad. In this way, the user can, for example, carry out charging processes in a geographical region using the token for which he is otherwise not authorized. In step 202, the charging station 102 at which a charging process is to be carried out can receive a charging initiation request from the mobile user terminal 110, in particular received via the communication link 112. The

The charge initiation request comprises at least the token (previously) transmitted to the mobile user terminal 110, which is in a data memory 120 of the user terminal 110 can be stored after receipt of the token, and optionally desired loading parameters. In step 203, the charging process is carried out after the token has been received at the charging station 102. The charging process can preferably only be carried out and, in particular, released if a check of the received token by the charging station 102 provides a positive admissibility check result, that is to say a valid token is present. In particular, the authorization verification and optionally the time-limited validity information and / or the geographically limited validity information can be checked on the basis of corresponding admissibility criteria stored in the charging station 102.

In particular, after the charging process has been carried out, at least one charging log data record about the charging process carried out is stored in a local data memory 122 of the charging station 102 together with the (checked) token (step 204). For example, during and after

Charging process Charging log data of the charging process carried out are recorded and stored, such as charging duration, charging start time, charging end time and / or exchanged amount of energy (and / or exchanged amount of electricity). In step 205, the (at least one) stored charging protocol data record and the assigned token can be downloaded by the charging station 102 upon detection of an im

Communication connection 114 established after the charging process between charging station 102 and backend system 104 can be transmitted to backend system 104. In an optionally subsequent step 206, the backend system 104 can (unambiguously) assign a received loading log data record to a user on the basis of the token. In particular, the token received together with the loading log data record can be linked to the assignments stored in the data memory 118 (tokens and user ID) are compared to determine the user ID. This can then be assigned to the corresponding load log data record.

Based on this, the backend system 104 can optionally carry out an accounting for the charging process carried out by the user. In particular, billing can be carried out in a conventional manner, based on the log data, such as charging duration, charging start time, charging end time and / or exchanged amount of energy (and / or exchanged amount of electricity), and the billing data (agreed tariff) assigned to the user ID (e.g. in a user account) , Credit card details (or the like) etc.).

Claims

Patent claims

1. A method for operating a charging system (100) with at least one

Backend system (104) and at least one charging station (102) for charging electric vehicles (106), comprising:

Transmission by the back-end system (104) of at least one token to a mobile user terminal (110), an association between the token and a user ID of the user of the mobile user terminal (110) being stored in the back-end system (104),

Receiving, by the charging station (102), a charging initiation request from the mobile user terminal (110), the charging initiation request comprising at least the token transmitted to the mobile user terminal (110),

Carrying out a charging process at the charging station (102) upon receipt of the token, storing, by the charging station (102), at least one

Load log record about the load process carried out together with the token, and

Transferred, by the charging station (102), of the stored

Charging protocol data set and the assigned token to the backend system (104) upon detection of a communication connection established after the charging process between the charging station (102) and the

Back end system (104).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method

also includes:

Receiving, by the backend system (104), authentication data from the mobile user terminal (110), Check, by the backend system (104), of the received

Authentication data based on stored

User authentication data, and

Transmission of the token to the mobile user terminal (110) only if the authentication result is positive.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

when the token is received, the token is checked by the charging station (102) based on at least one admissibility criterion, and

the loading process is only carried out if the result of the admissibility check is positive.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that

the token comprises a hash value, and

the token is checked by the charging station (102) based on the at least one admissibility criterion and the hash value.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 3 and 4, characterized

marked that

the token has time-limited validity information, and the token is checked by the charging station (102) based on the time-limited validity information and the at least one

Eligibility criterion.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 3 to 5, characterized

marked that

the token has geographically limited validity information, and the token is checked by the charging station (102) based on the geographically limited validity information and the at least one admissibility criterion.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

the log data record comprises loading log data of the loading process carried out, selected from the group comprising:

Charging time,

Charging start time,

Loading end time, and

amount of energy exchanged and / or amount of electricity exchanged.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method further comprises,

Allocation, by the back-end system (104), of the log data record received from the charging station (102) to a user identifier, based on the token received together with the log data record and the assignments stored in the back-end system,

whereby in particular a billing process for the

Log data record associated loading process, is carried out by the backend system (104), based at least on the protocol data record and the assigned user ID.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

the charging initiation request is received by the charging station (102) from the mobile user terminal (110) for carrying out a charging process via a wireless near-field connection, in particular a Bluetooth connection, and / or

the communication connection between the mobile user terminal (110) and the backend system (104) is a wireless far-field connection.

10. A charging system (100) comprising:

at least one backend system (104), at least one charging station (102) for charging electric vehicles (106), the back-end system (104) being set up to transmit at least one token to a mobile user terminal (110), with an association between the token and a user ID of the user of the mobile

User terminal (110) is stored in a first data memory (118), wherein the charging station (102) is set up to receive a

Charge initiation request from the mobile user terminal (110), the charge initiation request comprising at least the token transmitted to the mobile user terminal (110),

- wherein the charging station (102) is set up to carry out a

Loading process upon receipt of the token,

wherein the charging station (102) is set up to store at least one charging log data record about the charging process carried out together with the token in a further data memory (122) of the charging station (102), and - wherein the charging station (102) is set up to transmit the stored

Back end system (104).