Systems and methods are provided herein for charging an electric vehicle based on the inferred dwell time of a user of the electric vehicle. This may be accomplished by an electric vehicle charging station (EVCS) receiving a request from a user to charge an electric vehicle. The EVCS can use the request to identify a profile associated with the user, wherein the profile comprises user information related to the user. The EVCS then estimates a dwell time for the user using the user information. The EVCS can use the dwell time to estimate a total charge time for the electric vehicle. The EVCS then charges the electric vehicle based on the estimated charge time.

A management server is configured to perform a process including: setting a basic fee of a first monthly fee when a utilization manner is battery lease; setting discount rates based on the weight, capacity, manufacturer, degree of initial deterioration, amount of power consumption, number of times of performing quick electric charging, utilization region, and utilization period of the battery; determining the first monthly fee; setting a basic fee of a second monthly fee when the utilization manner is vehicle lease; setting discount rates based on the weight of the battery, a utilization region of the vehicle, and a utilization period; determining the second monthly fee; and determining a total monthly fee.

A system for controlling prepaid delivery of utilities includes a utility meter with a cutoff device for enabling or disabling delivery of a utility; and a server connected to the utility meter via a network. The utility meter receives a usage limit from the server, measures usage of the utility by the load, and when the usage limit is exceeded, activates the cutoff device. The utility meter transmits the measured usage to the server at configurable intervals. The server maintains an account balance associated with the load, receives the measured usage from the utility meter, and decrements the account balance based on the measured usage. When the account balance is exhausted, the server sends a command to activate the cutoff device to the utility meter. Otherwise, the server generates a further usage limit based on the account balance, and sends the further usage limit to the utility meter.

A method of providing an account is provided. The method includes receiving identification information associated with a user during a communication session. The method further includes communicating a request for credit information. The request includes at least a portion of the identification information. The method further includes receiving the requested credit information, and for each of a plurality of different types of accounts, determining whether to approve that type of account based at least in part on the received credit information. The method further includes communicating an indication of at least a portion of the approved types of accounts and receiving a selection of at least one of the approved types of accounts. The method further includes opening at least one of the selected types of accounts and providing access to at least one of the opened accounts during the communication session.

Systems and methods for financial settlement of transactions within an electric power grid network are disclosed. A multiplicity of active grid elements are constructed and configured for electric connection and network-based communication over a blockchain-based platform. The multiplicity of active grid elements are operable to make peer-to-peer transactions based on their participation within the electric power grid by generating and executing a digital contract. The multiplicity of active grid elements generate messages autonomously and/or automatically within a predetermined time interval. The messages comprise energy related data and settlement related data. The energy related data of the multiplicity of active grid elements are based on measurement and verification. The energy related data and the settlement related data are validated and recorded on a distributed ledger with a time stamp and a geodetic reference.

Peer-to-Peer Electronic token exchange systems and methods utilizing electricity generated and validated with a distributed ledger as the underlying physical value for the token.

A system for generating and applying a secure token in a resource distribution network is provided. For example, a headend system generates a global token based on a time duration specified for multiple meters that are in communication with the headend system through at least a mesh network in a normal condition. The global token is associated with the time duration and is applicable to the multiple meters. The headend system causes the global token to be broadcast via a broadcast network. After receiving the global token, the meter verifies the global token and determines the time duration associated with the global token. The meter further connects premises associated with the meter to a resource distribution network for at least the time duration associated with the global token.

Methods and systems for communicating with a server of a cloud services system used to interface with vehicles are provided. One method includes receiving, by the server, a request from electronics of a vehicle to access a profile for a user account. The request identifies user information for a user to use the vehicle. The method includes processing, by the server, at least part of the user information to verify the user against data associated with the user account. The profile has a plurality of settings of the user for the vehicle, and at least part of the plurality of settings for the profile being stored on storage accessible to the cloud services system. The method includes transferring, by the server, upon verification of the user information, one or more settings of the plurality of settings to the vehicle. The transferring is configured to instruct software associated with said electronics of the vehicle to apply said one or more settings to the vehicle for customizing said vehicle to use said one or more settings, and the vehicle uses wireless communication with the cloud services system to receive said one or more settings for the profile. And, the profile is transferrable from vehicle to vehicle used by the user, so user settings go with the user. The profile, in one example, is activated automatically in a vehicle upon pairing a device with the vehicle.

A vehicle charging station for use in transmitting charging power to an electric vehicle for use in charging the vehicle is configured to communicatively couple to the electric vehicle via a network connection to a wireless network provider and electrically couple to the electric vehicle via a connector. Vehicle charging station is further configured to receive a unique identifier from the electric vehicle via the network connection, deliver a quantity of electrical charging power to the electric vehicle via the connector, and meter the quantity of electrical charging power delivered to the electric vehicle.

A robot for charging a vehicle is provided. The robot has wheels or configured for a track for the robot to automatically move to the vehicle to provide charge to a battery of the vehicle. A charge storage is associated with the robot. An articulating arm of the robot. The articulating arm is configured for movement that enables the articulating arm to automatically connect to a connector of the vehicle after the robot moves in position beside the vehicle for providing charge to the battery of the vehicle.