Method and system for controlling charging of a vehicle based on theft information

Abstract

A system for controlling a charging process of a vehicle. A control device that is designed for the purpose of verifying, based on theft information, whether the vehicle has been reported as stolen and to control a charging process of the vehicle in dependence on this verification. The vehicle itself includes the control device. Furthermore, a vehicle having such a control device as well as a method for controlling a charging process of a vehicle is provided.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a charging process of a vehicle, comprising: an information storage element configured to store theft information; and a control device configured to verify, based on the theft information stored in the information storage element, whether the vehicle has been reported as stolen and to control a charging process of the vehicle in dependence on this verification, wherein the control device and the information storage element are components of the vehicle, wherein the theft information comprises a timed certificate which indicates that the vehicle is not stolen, so that if a predetermined amount of time elapses without the timed certificate being refreshed or reset, the control device controls the charging process of the vehicle as if the vehicle has been reported as stolen.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system includes a server device external to the vehicle, which is designed for the purpose of transmitting the theft information to the vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle-external server device receives the theft information from an authority, especially from a police authority.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle-external server device receives the theft information from a mobile terminal, especially a smartphone.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system includes a smartphone, which transmits the theft information directly or at least indirectly to the vehicle.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control device restricts and/or prevents a re-charging of the vehicle.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control device prevents an authentication necessary for a re-charging of the vehicle at a private and/or public charging station.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control device prevents an unlocking of a charging plug inserted into the vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is designed for the purpose of discharging the vehicle by way of a charging column connected to the vehicle.

10. A vehicle having: an information storage element configured to store theft information; and a control device configured to verify, based on the theft information stored in the information storage element, whether the vehicle has been reported as stolen and to control a charging process of the vehicle in dependence on this verification, wherein the theft information comprises a timed certificate which indicates that the vehicle is not stolen, so that if a predetermined amount of time elapses without the timed certificate being refreshed or reset, the control device controls the charging process of the vehicle as if the vehicle has been reported as stolen.

11. A method for controlling a charging process of a vehicle, comprising: verifying based on theft information stored in an information storage unit of the vehicle whether the vehicle has been reported as stolen; and controlling a charging process of the vehicle in dependence on this verification, wherein the verification as to whether the vehicle has been reported as stolen and the controlling of the charging process is carried out by a control device of the vehicle, wherein the theft information comprises a timed certificate which indicates that the vehicle is not stolen, so that if a predetermined amount of time elapses without the timed certificate being refreshed or reset, the control device controls the charging process of the vehicle as if the vehicle has been reported as stolen.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a system for theft prevention of a vehicle, comprising a control device on the vehicle side which is designed for the purpose of modifying a charging process of the vehicle in the event of a theft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(2) A system 1 comprises a vehicle-external server device 2 and a plurality of electrically driven vehicles 3, wherein, for the sake of simplicity, only one of the vehicles 3 is represented at present. The system 1 serves for being able to provide a theft prevention for the vehicle 3, in the event of it being stolen. The vehicle 3 comprises a control device 4, which can be, for example, part of a charging device on the vehicle side, which will not be explained here in more detail. The control device 4 may act in various ways on a charging process of the vehicle 3, especially in the event of a theft of the vehicle 3.

(3) An authority in the form of a police station 5 is furthermore shown schematically. An owner of the vehicle 3 may call the police station 5 in order to report a theft of his vehicle 3. The police authority 5 thereupon saves electronic theft information 6, which is then transmitted from the police station 5 to the vehicle-external server device 2.

(4) For example, it is also possible for the owner of the vehicle 3 to report the theft electronically and wirelessly to the police station 5 by means of a smartphone, which is not represented here, and which serves as a front-end 9. At the front-end 9, such as one in the form of the mentioned smartphone, which can also be part of the system 1, an app may be installed, for example, by means of which the theft information 6 can be sent by a simple pressing of a button to the nearest police station, in the present example the police station 5 represented here. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible for the owner of the just stolen vehicle 3 to transmit the theft information 6 to his stolen vehicle 3 directly via his smartphone without any detours.

(5) Once the theft information 6 has been transmitted to the vehicle-external server device 2, this device can save the theft information 6 itself, for example in a memory 7 on the vehicle side. This saving is preferably performed wirelessly, for example, by way of a mobile phone or radio network or the equivalent. A plurality of these memories 7 may also be provided at the most varied locations in the vehicle 3, so that the theft information 6 is saved in a distributed manner and, in particular, is difficult to locate in the vehicle 3.

(6) Whenever the stolen vehicle 3 is connected to a charging capability, such as, for example, a public charging station or a private charging station, a theft prevention logic 8 saved in the control device 4 is initiated. Thus, as soon as the stolen vehicle 3 is coupled to a charging capability, the control device 4 at first checks once according to the logic 8 whether the mentioned theft information 6 has been saved in the memory 7 on the vehicle side or also in other vehicle-side memories, which are not represented here. If no theft information 6 has been saved, the vehicle 3 can be charged without any problem. In contrast, if the theft information 6 has been saved on the vehicle side, the control device 4 then modifies a charging process in such a way that it is difficult to drive the vehicle 3 any further.

(7) Alternatively, the control device 4 may already be appropriately modified when the information 6 is entered, and not just when the charging process is started. Alternatively, furthermore, corresponding information may be present in the motor vehicle, which states that the vehicle 3 has not been stolen. After a given time, this information elapses. If this information is not updated in timely manner before it elapses, the charging function will be modified at private and/or public charging points, as described above.

(8) The control device 4 may restrict a kind of charging, so that the vehicle 3, for example, can no longer be charged with direct current, no longer with alternating current, or also no longer with three-phase current. Furthermore, it is also possible for the control device 4 to not allow any re-charging of the vehicle 3. Furthermore, it is also possible for the control device 4 to limit a charging power with which a battery of the vehicle 3 can be re-charged. For example, a limiting to 1 kW can be carried out, so that in the case of an 80 kWh battery, a full charging of the totally discharged battery would take 80 hours.

(9) Furthermore, it may also be provided that the control device 4 prevents an authentication, such as, e.g., a plug & charge authentication, by the vehicle 3. Thus, whenever an authentication by the vehicle 3 is necessary after connecting the vehicle 3 to a charging station, the control device 4 can prevent the vehicle 3 from successfully authenticating itself. Consequently, the vehicle 3 can no longer be re-charged at such a charging station.

(10) Furthermore, the control device 4 may also prevent a charging plug from being unlocked and removed from the vehicle 3, for example. In this way, the control device 4 may ensure that the vehicle 3 can no longer be taken away from the particular charging point, such as, e.g., a private or public charging column. Furthermore, the control device 4 may also be designed to discharge a battery of the vehicle 3 as soon as the vehicle 3 has been connected to a suitable charging station, in order to further decrease the driving range of the stolen vehicle 3.

(11) If the vehicle 3 has been reported as stolen, the location of the vehicle 3 can be traced, for example, by way of tracking functionalities. For example, an owner of the vehicle 3 may track the location of the stolen vehicle 3 directly by way of his smartphone. The control device 4 on the vehicle side may resort to one or more of the above-described measures in order to prevent the vehicle 3 from proceeding further. Or, for example, if a person has committed a crime and is escaping in such a vehicle 3, the above-described measures may likewise impede the charging of a battery of the vehicle 3 in question and thus make it much easier for the authorities to catch the escaping person. Basically, the ability to modify the most varied charging functions of the affected vehicle 3 can make it difficult for the vehicle 3 to proceed any further, in a simple and efficient way.

(12) Furthermore, it is also possible for the vehicle 3 itself to recognize a theft or an attempted theft and to save the information 6 itself on the vehicle side. The control device 4 then modifies a charging process so that further travel with the vehicle 3 is impeded. This information 6 is represented in the vehicle 3 by the absence of a feature, e.g., by a time-limited certificate, which is generally refreshed. When the certificate expires, the charging function is modified as described above.