ChargePoint Network Operating System

What is the ChargePoint Network? The ChargePoint Network is an open-platform network of charging stations that is delivering electric fuel to plug-in electric vehicles around the globe.

The ChargePoint Network makes plug-in electric vehicle use a practical reality for drivers who can now top off their vehicle batteries wherever they park - at home and at convenient public locations such as at work, or at the marketplace. Drivers prefer the network because makes it easy for them to locate available public charging stations along their commute route and to track their vehicle’s charging performance from anywhere there is an Internet connection. Drivers rely on the network to keep them informed of their vehicle’s charging status at all times.

Municipalities and businesses are using the network to offer charging services to residents, employees and customers. The ChargePoint network offers the open, high-reliability charging that drivers prefer with the option to offset electricity, capital equipment and maintenance costs by collecting charging access fees for station owners. The network takes care of drivers, freeing station owners to focus on their core business and provides the tools to effortlessly track and keep operation costs for plug-in electric vehicle charging low.

By delivering electric fuel for drivers with ChargePoint charging stations, electric utilities, sensitive to the increasing demand on their electric grid, are using the network to collect data to forecast grid enhancements necessary for EV programs and services. The standards based, secure, open architecture allows utilities to scale from one to millions of stations and provides many options for utilities to integrate with their existing business and meter management systems.

Network Architecture

ChargePoint Network enabled charging stations are in constant communication with the ChargePoint Network Operating System (CPNOS) using a combination of standards-based protocols and wide area communications technologies.

Charging stations are grouped together into radio groups that communicate locally with one another using 2.4GHz, 802.15.4, full mesh radio protocol. Each radio group has a charging station, called a gateway charging station, which is equipped with a cellular modem. Communications with the CPNOS occur through the gateway charging station that has the option to communicate with either CDMA or GPRS – an option you can choose. The combination of self healing wireless mesh and cellular communication technologies ensure that the charging stations are connected to the network whenever needed – whether located on a busy city street with moving traffic, or within a rural home.

The CPNOS provides the core network operation services that actively monitor the operational health of every charging station worldwide. The CPNOS also provides the conduit for IP based, bi-directional communications with the stations enabling on-demand web-accessed applications for access control, billing, advertising, remote diagnostics, demand side management, station map locations, station-trip-mapping and more.

Open Standards

The ChargePoint Network is founded on an open, standards-based architecture providing both station owners and drivers a flexible and consistent platform for plug-in electric vehicle fueling.

The network allows the integration of systems and hardware from multiple suppliers providing station owners the freedom to choose the best charging options available - accommodating the evolving vehicle charging needs of today and tomorrow.

The network's IP based protocols and standard interfaces allow the network to easily scale and integrate with existing business systems. Published, open XML API interfaces to the CPNOS provide seamless integration into a company's office systems or a Utility's AMI systems. The network also provides opportunities for custom applications and new businesses. Charging station location and availability information can be used in custom mobile phone applications and more.