Application Board
The Application Board represents an application layer that interfaces with the user and cloud. It upgrades the EV charger by providing features that are user-oriented, i.e. giving the charger an advanced design while keeping it user-friendly; the result is a competitive charger that allows the use of third party services to run your own applications.
Our Solution
What
The core functionality of the AB is to provide a sandbox for a broad variety of third party applications and micro services.
The AB offers user interfaces ranging from LEDs to multimedia rich touch displays which support user interactive services – e.g. informing the customer about the status of the charging session, charging options etc. All details of the charging process can be accessed via the EcoG API.
Furthermore, seamless authentication is supported – different authentication methods such as bluetooth and RFID are available.
Why
Not only does the AB allow for competitive chargers offering a user-friendly yet advanced design, it also opens up the possibility of business services on chargers.
The charging infrastructure may be connected to surrounding businesses to allow for third party services such as showing advertisements to the charging customer. This is possible both via an app as well as the on-charger display, as all is connected to the Internet using EcoG IoT OS.
How
The AB allows for use of third party services by providing a mobile app sdk through which these may interact with the OpenAPI services offered by EcoG OS once the charger is on the market. The integrated bluetooth interface also supports integration of other mobile apps.
Via OpenAPI, the AB can communicate with the device management daemon of the SECC to get the charging status of the session and provide information to the backend and other services including the UI. The network connectivity to the backend is provided by an included WiFi module which connects to the remote network and routes internet to the SECC using an Ethernet port and RJ45 cable.
IoT services such as the communication with the charger and start/stop charging are thus supported.
Where
The AB interfaces with the on-charger display, self-integrated mobile applications of our customers, as well as with EcoG’s cloud server by sending charging data to it.
It also acts as a gateway to the SECC via OpenAPI, the local network as well as the backend.
More Solutions & How to Combine Them
EcoG offers a site controller which can manage multiple chargers as one unit, which, in combination with the application board, acts as a central AB. The operator thus interacts with the site controller which then forwards the requests to the chargers.
