Systems And Methods For Electric Vehicle Charging And User Interface Therefor
Systems and methods for electric vehicle (EV) charging and graphic user interface for consumers, including consumer profiles and EV point of sale terminal profiles. Novel methods for consumer guidance and controls are provided coupled with graphic user interfaces for mobile applications, websites, and electric vehicle point of sale terminals.
Claim CLM-00001. 1. A system for managing electric vehicle (EV) charging comprising:
an EV charging station and a user device in communication with a server computer; wherein the EV charging station comprises a revenue grade electric meter configured for network-based communication with an EV; wherein the EV charging station is operable to communicate via network-based communication to the user device and/or the EV an amount of electric power consumed by the EV and/or a cost of the amount of electric power consumed by the EV; wherein the server computer is operable to collect data from the EV charging station and the user device; wherein the server computer is in network communication with the user device via an application program on the user device, wherein the application program comprises an interactive graphical user interface (GUI); wherein the user device is in communication with the EV, wherein the EV includes an EV profile; wherein the user device including an interactive interface is operable for displaying information related to the EV charging station, collecting EV profile data, and operable for receiving inputs via the interactive GUI, wherein the inputs are automatically associated with the user profile; wherein the information related to the EV charging station includes an EV charging station profile, the EV charging station profile including real-time or near real-time energy consumption patterns, wherein the real-time or near real-time energy consumption patterns indicate opportunities for up selling, down selling, and/or cross selling; wherein the information related to the EV charging station further includes data from the EV charging station which indicates that the EV charging station is inefficient, defective, and/or requires updating to meet current standards; wherein the user profile includes user profile data comprised of user information and geodetic information, wherein the geodetic information includes an EV location identifier and a location identifier for the user device location identifier, and wherein the user information includes a unique user identifier, an EV identifier, user financial account information, historical data including data relating to EV charging, EV location, EV mileage, EV status, EV systems, transactions relating to EV activities, and transactions relating to EV and/or non-EV activities, and combinations thereof; wherein the EV profile data comprises the make, the model, and/or the year of the EV, odometer information, time from last charge, an amount of charge required, location-based information including Global Positioning System (GPS) location, GPS programming for travel route, home base of operation, and service information, and combinations thereof; wherein the server computer is operable to collect the user profile data and the EV profile data; wherein the server computer is operable to determine an EV charging destination based on the user profile data, the EV profile data, and the EV charging station; wherein the server computer is operable to determine advertising information for a merchant associated with or proximal to the EV charging destination based on the user profile data; and wherein the interactive GUI is operable to display the advertising information; and wherein the GUI automatically provides the price at the EV charging station for charging an EV per unit or for charging an EV for a total charge.
Claim CLM-00006. 6. A system for electric vehicle (EV) charging comprising:
an EV charging terminal configured for network-based communication with a user device and an EV, wherein the EV charging terminal includes a revenue grade electric meter, a plug and/or adaptor for removable connection to the EV, and an identification scheme including a user profile and/or an EV profile, wherein the EV charging terminal is in network-based communication with a server computer, wherein the EV charging terminal is associated with a revenue grade electric meter and a charging profile, wherein the charging profile is comprised of geodetic information at the time of initiating a charge and/or initiating a reservation for EV charging and real-time or near real-time energy consumption patterns, wherein the EV charging terminal functions as a grid element within an electric power grid; wherein the user device is in network communication with the server computer via an application program provided by the server computer, wherein the application program comprises an interactive graphical user interface (GUI); wherein the user profile associated with the at least one user device comprises user information including a unique user identifier, an EV identifier, user financial account information, historical data including data relating to EV charging, EV location, EV mileage, EV status, EV systems, transactions relating to EV activities, and transactions relating to non-EV activities; wherein the server computer is operable to determine advertising information for a merchant associated with or proximal to the EV charging terminal based on the user profile; and wherein the interactive GUI is operable to display the advertising information; wherein the EV charging terminal includes a marketing database for delivering marketing messages, analytics, and advertisements to a user and/or the user device including marketing and advertising information about merchants associated with or proximal to the EV charging terminal.
Claim CLM-00016. 16. A method of electric vehicle (EV) charging comprising the steps of:
a user device initiating an EV charging transaction at an EV charging terminal configured for network-based communication with the user device and/or an EV and including a revenue grade electric meter, wherein the initiation includes the EV charging terminal matching geodetic information with a consumer profile and/or an EV profile, wherein the user device is in network communication with a server computer via an interactive graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the consumer profile comprises a unique user identifier, an EV identifier, user financial account information, historical data including data relating to EV charging, EV location, EV mileage, EV status, EV systems, transactions relating to EV activities, and transactions relating to non-EV activities; the EV charging terminal providing an amount of electric power to the EV upon initiation of the EV charging transaction; the user paying for device performing the EV charging transaction from the user device with the EV charging terminal, wherein the user device is associated with the consumer profile and/or the EV profile; and the user device receiving marketing messages, analytics, and advertisements including marketing and advertising information about merchants associated with or proximal to the EV charging terminal and displaying advertising information for a merchant associated with or proximal to the EV charging terminal based on the customer profile via the interactive GUI.
