A sensor (2) for determining solar altitude information includes at least one diode (24) for measuring sun intensity. A computation module (20) has interfaces (72, 74) at its input side for time- and location-based data for determining the current sun position from said location-based data, said time-based data and sun intensity measured and for providing a sun output signal on an output interface (80).

Methods and apparatus for improving a procedure based upon wireless determination of a location of agents and equipment during a procedure and quantifying conditions in an environment via automated sensors. The present invention provides apparatus and methods for wireless designation of a position of agents and equipment relative to each other based upon wireless communications amongst multiple wireless transceivers combined with ongoing monitoring of conditions present in a facility. The transceivers may be portions of nodes, and nodes may form self-verifying arrays. A user interface may provide an augmented reality view of positions of all or some the providers and equipment and condition quantifying sensors.

A system and method for locking a charging port to charge an electric vehicle that includes determining that the electric vehicle is located within a predetermined distance of a charging station and determining when the charging port of an electric vehicle supply equipment of the charging station is attached to the electric vehicle to actively charge the electric vehicle. The system and method also include determining if the charging station accesses a parking citation associated with parking of the electric vehicle if the electric vehicle is not attached to the charging port. The system and method additionally include locking the charging port to the electric vehicle to disallow decoupling of the charging port from the electric vehicle by an unauthorized individual to avoid the parking citation.

A system and method for locking a charging port to charge an electric vehicle that includes determining that the electric vehicle is located within a predetermined distance of a charging station and determining when the charging port of an electric vehicle supply equipment of the charging station is attached to the electric vehicle to actively charge the electric vehicle. The system and method also include determining if the charging station accesses a parking citation associated with parking of the electric vehicle if the electric vehicle is not attached to the charging port. The system and method additionally include locking the charging port to the electric vehicle to disallow decoupling of the charging port from the electric vehicle by an unauthorized individual to avoid the parking citation.

An information providing device includes: a reception unit configured to receive current location information on a transportable power supply device from the transportable power supply device that supplies power to an electric apparatus detachably connected thereto; an information generation unit configured to generate use place information indicating a place of use of the transportable power supply device based on the received current location information; and a transmission unit configured to transmit the use place information to a service provider's terminal. The reception unit receives information on the electric apparatus connected to the transportable power supply device from the transportable power supply device. The use place information includes information on a type of the electric apparatus connected to the transportable power supply device.

An information providing device includes: a reception unit configured to receive current location information on a transportable power supply device from the transportable power supply device that supplies power to an electric apparatus detachably connected thereto; an information generation unit configured to generate use place information indicating a place of use of the transportable power supply device based on the received current location information; and a transmission unit configured to transmit the use place information to a service provider's terminal. The reception unit receives information on the electric apparatus connected to the transportable power supply device from the transportable power supply device. The use place information includes information on a type of the electric apparatus connected to the transportable power supply device.

The various systems and methods disclosed herein provide for a secure, cost effective, and high accuracy location detection. In some implementations of the system and method for high accuracy location detection, a mobile location device obtains and calculates location data from a plurality of sources without requiring expensive and power inefficient processors. In some implementations, such secure, cost effective, and high accuracy location detection by the mobile location device is used in improved vehicle based transactions, such as energy dispensing and payment management systems and methods. In some such implementations, the mobile location device communicates with remote geomapping servers and payment systems to provide automated vehicle based transactions, such as energy dispensing sessions and payment.

An example method includes receiving information related to a transaction with a financial account initiated by a customer at a financial terminal, the financial account including a transaction limit. Based on the information related to the transaction exceeding the transaction limit for the financial account, the method includes identifying a mobile device associated with the financial account and receiving location information of the mobile device via one or both of a passive location response or an active location response. Based on the location information of the mobile device, the method includes determining that the mobile device is located within a predetermined distance from a location of the financial terminal and temporarily changing the transaction limit for the financial account by a variable amount based on whether the location information of the mobile device was received via the one or both of the passive or the active location response.

An example method includes receiving information related to a transaction with a financial account initiated by a customer at a financial terminal, the financial account including a transaction limit. Based on the information related to the transaction exceeding the transaction limit for the financial account, the method includes identifying a mobile device associated with the financial account and receiving location information of the mobile device via one or both of a passive location response or an active location response. Based on the location information of the mobile device, the method includes determining that the mobile device is located within a predetermined distance from a location of the financial terminal and temporarily changing the transaction limit for the financial account by a variable amount based on whether the location information of the mobile device was received via the one or both of the passive or the active location response.

A system configured to, and method of, transmitting connected vehicle data from a vehicle that includes carrying out a point of rest area learning process to obtain point of rest area(s); periodically obtaining a current geographical location of the vehicle; determining whether the vehicle is located within any of the point of rest area(s) based on the obtained geographical location; when it is determined that the vehicle is not located within any of the point of rest area(s), periodically transmitting the obtained geographical location; and when it is determined that the vehicle is located within any of the point of rest area(s), either transmitting an obfuscated geographical location or forgoing transmission of the obtained geographical location, wherein the obfuscated geographical location is an obfuscated representation of the obtained geographical location.