Method and apparatus for fuel payment processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10957146-B2
Application number	US-201815870482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2018
Priority date	Jan 12, 2018
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to receive a vehicle identifier identifying a vehicle from a first digital entity. The processor is also configured to digitally obtain a payment account associated with the identifier, responsive to receiving the identifier. The processor is further configured to validate payment rights through input from a second entity, confirming the right to use the account to pay for charging the vehicle and responsive to successful validation, charge the payment account for vehicle charging, following vehicle charging completion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a processor configured to:
detect a vehicle and a fob broadcasting a detectable signal;
requesting a vehicle identifier identifying the vehicle, from a first one of either the vehicle or the fob, responsive to detecting connection of a charging cable to the vehicle;
receive the vehicle identifier identifying the vehicle from either the vehicle or the fob;
responsive to receiving the identifier, digitally obtain a payment account associated with the identifier;
determine which of the vehicle or the fob from which the vehicle identifier was obtained;
responsive to determining which of the vehicle or the fob from which the vehicle identifier was obtained, connect to a second, other one of the vehicle or the fob;
validate payment rights through input from the second connection, confirming the right to use the account, obtained based on the identifier received from the first connection, to pay for charging the vehicle, the validation including at least verifying that a second vehicle identifier, received over the second connection, matches the vehicle identifier received over the first connection; and
responsive to successful validation, charge the payment account for vehicle charging, following vehicle charging completion.

2. A computer implemented method comprising:
receiving, at a vehicle charger provided to charge a vehicle at a vehicle charging station, a first vehicle identifier wirelessly from a vehicle fob or a vehicle;
digitally requesting payment information associated with the first vehicle identifier, the request including the first vehicle identifier;
determining whether the first vehicle identifier came from the fob or the vehicle;
responsive to determining which of the vehicle or the fob provided the first vehicle identifier, verifying permission to use the payment information by querying the other of the fob or the vehicle over a connection established with the fob or the vehicle, wherein the vehicle verifies the payment by responding with a predefined verification, including at least a second vehicle identifier, used in comparison to the first vehicle identifier to confirm a match;
beginning charging of the vehicle responsive to verifying the payment information; and
using the payment information to pay for the charging, subsequent to charge completion.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Bartlett Alexander
• Erb Dylan
• Wiles Jacob
• Singh Bikram
• Sun Baocheng

Classifications

• G06Q20/3278 Primary

  RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices · CPC title

• G07F17/0057

  for the hiring or rent of vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or wheelchairs (car rental G07B15/00) · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title

• H04W4/44

  for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H] · CPC title

• G07F15/005 Primary

  dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles (electrical charging as such, B60L50/00) · CPC title