Method and apparatus for sharing electric vehicle and electric appliance usage data

Abstract

A system and method allowing electric vehicle (EV) and other appliance owners to share data with other appliance owners and service providers. For an EV, data like SoC, or whether the EV is presently connected to an EV charger, can be shared through a server and database with a control system that can now know the type of vehicle that is connected to a particular EV charger. Such a system can also know when an EV owner has been notified that his EV is charging, or fully charged, and if the EV is still connected to an EV charger. Such data originates at the EV (or other appliance), is sent wirelessly to the EV manufacturer's central database, and from there is sent to, or can be requested by, the EV owner(s). Data is merged with EV charger usage data for the EV or a plurality of EV's.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for improved appliance management comprising:
 a) receiving with a first server a first information regarding a first appliance;   b) providing with the first server the first information to an appliance controller for at least one of control and management of a second appliance;   
       wherein the appliance controller at least partially controls a second appliance based on the first information. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first information is obtained from a second server by a user-configured device and provided to the first server. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the user-configured device is a portable handheld device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 c) receiving with the first server a second information; 
 d) accessing with the first server a second server using the second information; 
 
       wherein in step a) the first information is received by the first server from the second server. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein in step a) the second server is polled by the first server for the first information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein in step a) the first information is pushed to the first server by the second server. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first appliance is an electric vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second appliance is an electric vehicle charging apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the first server is a sharing server sharing information between a plurality of appliances. 
     
     
         10 . A system for improved appliance management comprising:
 a first appliance in data communication with a first server;   an appliance controller also in data communication with said first server, said appliance controller configured to control said first appliance;   said first server adapted to receive a first information from said first appliance and relay said first information to said appliance controller;   said appliance controller adapted to send a control command to a second appliance based on said first information.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said first appliance is an electric vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said second appliance is an electric vehicle charging apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said second appliance is an electric vehicle charging apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising a second server in data communication with said first server, said second server adapted to share said first information with a plurality of appliances. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising an application running on a portable user device, said application adapted to provide said second server with credentials to access information about said first or second appliance. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said application is also adapted to indicate that said first appliance is attached to or cooperating with said second appliance. 
     
     
         17 . A system for improved appliance management comprising:
 an electric vehicle (EV) in data communication with a first server;   an electric vehicle charging apparatus (EVSE) controller also in data communication with said first server, said EVSE controller configured to control said EVSE;   said first server adapted to receive a first information from said EV and relay said first information to said EVSE controller;   said EVSE controller adapted to send a control command to said EVSE based on said first information.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said EVSE controller is adapted to send a command to said EVSE to stop charging.