US Patent 8710798 Electric vehicle charging station parking meter systems

Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems relating to electric vehicle charging stations (“EVCS s”) or electric vehicle supply equipment (“EVSE”) that are configured to provide parking meter functionality. Embodiments of the disclosed technology can be used to improve the basic process of connecting an electric vehicle to the power grid with an EVCS/EVSE for charging purposes by also providing a means of parking access control for vehicles parked near the EVCS/EVSE in spaces managed by the EVCS/EVSE. The parking meter system enables installers and/or operators of EVCSs/EVSE to reduce equipment costs by eliminating the need to have separate parking meters in addition to EVCS/EVSE. This can potentially lead to an increase in the number of EVCSs/EVSE that are installed and in the speed with which these EVCSs/EVSE are installed.