US 11631987

U.S. Patent 11631987, titled "Systems and methods for charging electric vehicles," was issued to Charge Fusion Technologies LLC on April 18, 2023. [cite: The patent was filed on May 3, 2021, by inventors Jeffrey R. Ambroziak and Carson C.K. Fincham.

Abstract:
The patent describes systems and methods for charging electric vehicles using a dynamic charging schedule. This schedule may depend on user preferences, the availability of electrical energy from various power sources, and both scheduled and unscheduled electrical demands (e.g., the presence of other vehicles at a charging lot). The patent also details an exemplary interface that provides indicators related to charging.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes an electrical charging system. It includes one or more processing devices and a non-transitory memory device. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processing devices, perform several steps:

  1. Receiving information that indicates a vehicle's presence in a parking space.
  2. Receiving information identifying the vehicle.
  3. Determining a charging schedule for the vehicle, based on the vehicle identifier.
  4. Charging the vehicle according to the determined schedule.
  5. Displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) on an output device. This GUI includes a vehicle charge indicator with three parts: a first portion showing the current charge, a second portion showing the uncharged amount, and a third portion with a slider to specify a desired charge.

• Independent Claim 12: This claim is directed to a method for intelligently charging electric vehicles. The method involves:

  1. Receiving information (e.g., from a vehicle sensor) indicating the presence of a vehicle in a parking space.
  2. Receiving information (e.g., from a communication device) indicating an identifier of the vehicle.
  3. Determining a charging schedule for the vehicle, based at least on the vehicle identifier.
  4. Charging the vehicle in accordance with the charging schedule.

• Independent Claim 19: This claim focuses on a method for intelligent quantitative load balancing for vehicle charging. The method includes:

  1. Determining an estimated amount of power needed to charge a plurality of vehicles to desired levels.
  2. Providing information about the required power to a Power Supplying Entity (PSE) (e.g., via a communication device).
  3. Receiving information from the PSE (e.g., via the communication device) indicating when the best available rate will be available to purchase the required power.
  4. Charging the plurality of vehicles at the indicated time using multiple vehicle charging devices.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, there is no authoritative information directly linking US patent 11631987 to a 2026 docket in the CAFC database. However, it's important to note that an Inter Partes Review (IPR) petition, IPR2025-00153, was filed by Tesla, Inc. against U.S. Patent No. 11,631,987 on November 8, 2024. This IPR challenges claims 1-30 of the patent on grounds of obviousness over various prior art references. While IPRs are handled by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and not directly by the CAFC, decisions from the PTAB can be appealed to the CAFC. The IPR was instituted and is currently pending. Separately, Charge Fusion Technologies, LLC is involved in a lawsuit against Tesla in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, which was initially filed in 2021 and alleged infringement of several patents, including the '987 patent. This litigation is currently stayed.U.S. Patent 11631987, titled "Systems and methods for charging electric vehicles," was issued to Charge Fusion Technologies LLC on April 18, 2023. [cite: The patent was filed on May 3, 2021, by inventors Jeffrey R. Ambroziak and Carson C.K. Fincham. [cite: 3]

Abstract:
The patent describes systems and methods for charging electric vehicles using a dynamic charging schedule. This schedule may depend on user preferences, the availability of electrical energy from various power sources, and both scheduled and unscheduled electrical demands (e.g., the presence of other vehicles at a charging lot). The patent also details an exemplary interface that provides indicators related to charging. [cite: 3]

Independent Claims Overview:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes an electrical charging system. It includes one or more processing devices and a non-transitory memory device. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processing devices, perform several steps:

  1. Receiving information that indicates a vehicle's presence in a parking space.
  2. Receiving information identifying the vehicle.
  3. Determining a charging schedule for the vehicle, based on the vehicle identifier.
  4. Charging the vehicle according to the determined schedule.
  5. Displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) on an output device. This GUI includes a vehicle charge indicator with three parts: a first portion showing the current charge, a second portion showing the uncharged amount, and a third portion with a slider to specify a desired charge. [cite: 3, 5]

• Independent Claim 12: This claim is directed to a method for intelligently charging electric vehicles. The method involves:

  1. Receiving information (e.g., from a vehicle sensor) indicating the presence of a vehicle in a parking space.
  2. Receiving information (e.g., from a communication device) indicating an identifier of the vehicle.
  3. Determining a charging schedule for the vehicle, based at least on the vehicle identifier.
  4. Charging the vehicle in accordance with the charging schedule. [cite: 3]

• Independent Claim 19: This claim focuses on a method for intelligent quantitative load balancing for vehicle charging. The method includes:

  1. Determining an estimated amount of power needed to charge a plurality of vehicles to desired levels.
  2. Providing information about the required power to a Power Supplying Entity (PSE) (e.g., via a communication device).
  3. Receiving information from the PSE (e.g., via the communication device) indicating when the best available rate will be available to purchase the required power.
  4. Charging the plurality of vehicles at the indicated time using multiple vehicle charging devices.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, there is no authoritative information directly linking US patent 11631987 to a 2026 docket in the CAFC database. However, it's important to note that an Inter Partes Review (IPR) petition, IPR2025-00153, was filed by Tesla, Inc. against U.S. Patent No. 11,631,987 on November 8, 2024. [cite: 3, 5] This IPR challenges claims 1-30 of the patent on grounds of obviousness over various prior art references [cite: 5]. While IPRs are handled by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and not directly by the CAFC, decisions from the PTAB can be appealed to the CAFC. The IPR was instituted and is currently pending. [cite: 4] Separately, Charge Fusion Technologies, LLC is involved in a lawsuit against Tesla in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, which was initially filed in 2021 and alleged infringement of several patents, including the '987 patent. This litigation is currently stayed. [cite: 3, 5]

US Patent 11631987 is involved in the following known litigation:

Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceedings:

• Case Number: IPR2025-00153
  • Plaintiff(s): Tesla, Inc.
  • Defendant(s): Charge Fusion Technologies, LLC
  • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
  • Filing Date: November 8, 2024
  • Outcome or Current Status: Pending (Instituted)

District Court Litigation:

• Case Number: 1:22-cv-00488
  • Plaintiff(s): Charge Fusion Technologies, LLC
  • Defendant(s): Tesla, Inc.
  • Jurisdiction: United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
  • Filing Date: October 15, 2021
  • Outcome or Current Status: This lawsuit initially alleged infringement of three patents, with Charge Fusion later seeking to add US11631987, among others, to the assertion. The case is ongoing, and several IPR petitions, including IPR2025-00153, were filed in response to this lawsuit.

Proceedings overview

There is one active AIA trial proceeding on file for US patent 11631987. This proceeding is an Inter Partes Review, currently instituted and pending a final written decision.

IPR2025-00153 — Unified Patents PTAB Data v. Charge Fusion Technologies LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: The filing date is not explicitly provided, but the PTAB case was filed on 2025-01-28 according to the Unified Patents portal.
• Status: Instituted. This means the PTAB has decided to proceed with a full review of the challenged claims.
• Judge panel: Not publicly available at this stage.
• Petition grounds: Not publicly available at this stage.
• Institution decision: Instituted. The specific date of institution and the panel's reasoning are not yet publicly detailed in the provided information, though the case was instituted on 2025-07-29.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued. The anticipated due date for the Final Written Decision is 2026-07-29.
• Settlement / termination: Not settled or terminated.
• Appeal: No appeal yet, as a Final Written Decision has not been issued.
• Defensive value: This active IPR proceeding means that the patentability of certain claims of US11631987 is currently under review. A defendant facing assertion of this patent may find value in monitoring this proceeding closely, as an invalidation of claims could significantly weaken the patent owner's position.

Strategic summary

Currently, the patent US11631987 has one active Inter Partes Review, IPR2025-00153, filed by Unified Patents. This proceeding is in the "Instituted" phase, meaning the PTAB has found sufficient grounds to review the patentability of the challenged claims. As a final written decision has not yet been issued, no claims have been definitively canceled or sustained through PTAB. The specific claims under review and the prior art asserted are not publicly detailed in the provided information.

The estoppel landscape will become clearer once the Final Written Decision is issued. If claims are invalidated, the patent owner would be estopped from asserting those claims. For a potential defendant, the existence of an active IPR by Unified Patents is a significant signal. Unified Patents often targets patents that are being asserted, and their involvement suggests a strategic effort to challenge the patent's validity. If the IPR results in claim cancellation, the prior art used in the IPR would be unavailable for subsequent challenges by the petitioner or its privies under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2).

Recommended next steps

Monitor the progress of IPR2025-00153, particularly for the Final Written Decision. The anticipated due date for the Final Written Decision is 2026-07-29.
More information can be found on the Unified Patents portal for IPR2025-00153: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2025-00153.

Inventors

• Jeffrey R. Ambroziak
• Carson C.K. Fincham

No employer at the time of filing is determinable from the patent document or available search results.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is Charge Fusion Technologies LLC.

Charge Fusion Technologies LLC's mission statement indicates they invented "the technology to get electric cars from here to there." Their focus is on electric vehicle (EV) charging technology.

Based on available information, Charge Fusion Technologies LLC is an operating company engaged in patent assertion, particularly against automotive manufacturers concerning EV charging systems. They have sued Tesla, Inc. and Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. for patent infringement. Their current status appears to be operating, specifically as a patent licensing and assertion entity, rather than manufacturing or shipping products.

Assignment timeline

There are no recorded assignments for US Patent 11631987 on the USPTO Assignment Center. The patent remains assigned to the original assignee, Charge Fusion Technologies LLC, as of the grant date.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11631987
    2008 : Priority date
    2021 : Application filed by Charge Fusion Technologies LLC
    2023 : Patent granted to Charge Fusion
    2024 : IPRs filed by Tesla
    2025 : Litigation by Charge Fusion active

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Not present. The patent remains with the original assignee, Charge Fusion Technologies LLC. While the company primarily asserts patents, there is no evidence of a transfer to a separate shell entity for licensing purposes.

2. Known asserter in the chain — Unclear. Charge Fusion Technologies LLC has filed infringement lawsuits against major automotive manufacturers like Tesla and Polestar concerning EV charging systems. Unified Patents has filed inter partes reviews (IPRs) against patents owned by Charge Fusion Technologies LLC, indicating that Unified Patents considers them an NPE, as Unified Patents aims to protect against NPE patent assertions. However, Charge Fusion Technologies LLC's website presents them as a technology company focused on EV charging, suggesting they view themselves as an operating company. There is no direct mention of Charge Fusion Technologies LLC on the public NPE lists of Acacia Research Corp, Marathon Patent Group, Intellectual Ventures, IPNav, Wi-LAN, Mosaid / Conversant, Vringo, Pendrell, Innovatio IP Ventures, MPHJ Technology, Lumen View Technology, Round Rock Research, Document Generation Corp, or Erich Spangenberg entities from the provided search results.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Not present. No assignment records are available to analyze correspondent information.

4. Cascading transfers — Not present. No assignment records are available.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. The patent was granted to Charge Fusion Technologies LLC on April 18, 2023. Charge Fusion Technologies LLC filed a lawsuit against Tesla, Inc. in October 2021, before this specific patent was granted, though the lawsuit involved other patents from the same family. They also filed a lawsuit against Polestar Automotive USA, Inc. in October 2022, also before this patent's grant date. While the initial lawsuits occurred before this patent's issuance, they relate to a family of patents owned by Charge Fusion Technologies LLC. The context of their assertion activity suggests a strategy around this family of patents.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. No information suggests Charge Fusion Technologies LLC has filed for bankruptcy or that the patent was acquired through such a sale.

7. Privateering — Not present. There is no evidence from the provided information to suggest that an operating company transferred the patent to Charge Fusion Technologies LLC to assert on its behalf against competitors.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The patent is owned by Charge Fusion Technologies LLC, an entity involved in patent assertion, not a defensive aggregator like RPX, Allied Security Trust, LOT Network, Unified Patents, or Open Invention Network.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence

Charge Fusion Technologies LLC, the current and original assignee, is actively engaged in patent infringement litigation against major automotive manufacturers regarding EV charging technology. While they describe themselves as a technology company, their primary activity appears to be patent assertion, and Unified Patents has initiated IPRs against their patents, typically targeting NPEs. This indicates a pattern consistent with an NPE, even without explicit shell entity transfers within the patent's assignment chain.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US11631987: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/ [No records found on July 14, 2026]

U.S. Patent 11631987, titled "Systems and methods for charging electric vehicles," describes systems and methods for charging electric vehicles using a dynamic charging schedule. This schedule can depend on factors such as user preferences, availability of electrical energy from power sources, scheduled and unscheduled electrical demands, and market rates of electrical energy. The patent also details an exemplary interface that includes various charging-related indicators, such as a unitary vehicle charge indicator element with portions for charged amount, uncharged capacity, and a slider to specify the desired charge.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 11631987:

Based on the information available, the following prior art references have been cited in relation to US Patent 11631987, particularly in the context of an inter partes review (IPR) initiated by Tesla, Inc. against Charge Fusion Technologies, LLC:

1. Ferro (Application # 2009/0313034)

   • Full Citation: US 2009/0313034 A1 (This is an application publication, not a granted patent number. The filing date would be associated with the application, which is a priority date of 2008-07-11 for US11631987).
   • Publication/Filing Date: The IPR petition mentions "Ferro (Application # 2009/0313034)", indicating a publication date of 2009.
   • Brief Description: Ferro describes a dynamic energy transaction system for EV charging that uses a processor, memory, and communication device to generate a charging plan based on user preferences and fluctuating electricity prices.
   • Potentially Anticipates: Claims 1-4, 6-11, 13-18, 20-27, and 29-30, primarily as a core reference disclosing the overall system and dynamic charging schedule based on user preferences and electricity prices.

2. Oyobe (European Patent Application # 1920968)

   • Full Citation: EP 1920968 A2 (or A1, depending on the specific publication)
   • Publication/Filing Date: The IPR petition mentions "Oyobe (European Patent Application # 1920968)". The publication date associated with EP1920968A2 is May 14, 2008.
   • Brief Description: Oyobe is cited for teaching a vehicle sensor used to detect a vehicle's presence at a charging station.
   • Potentially Anticipates: Aspects of claims relating to vehicle detection, such as claim 1, which involves receiving information indicative of a presence of a vehicle in a parking space (from the full patent text, not specifically cited by search results but inferred from the description of claim 1 in relation to Oyobe).

3. Donnelly (Patent 7,124,691)

   • Full Citation: US 7,124,691 B1
   • Publication/Filing Date: The IPR petition mentions "Donnelly (Patent 7,124,691)", indicating a granted patent. The publication date of US7124691B1 is October 24, 2006.
   • Brief Description: Donnelly is asserted to teach a touchscreen GUI for a vehicle that displays the battery's state of charge in a bar graph format, including a first portion for charged amount and a second portion for uncharged capacity.
   • Potentially Anticipates: Claims related to the graphical user interface, specifically those describing a unitary vehicle charge indicator element with a first portion indicative of charge and a second portion indicative of uncharged capacity (e.g., claims 1[i], 8[e], 15[l], 22[d]).

4. Letendre (a 2002 printed publication)

   • Full Citation: The specific printed publication is not fully detailed in the search results but is identified as a "2002 printed publication".
   • Publication/Filing Date: 2002.
   • Brief Description: Letendre is cited for teaching a slider on a GUI for specifying a desired charge amount.
   • Potentially Anticipates: Claims related to the graphical user interface, specifically those describing a unitary vehicle charge indicator element with a third portion comprising a slider by which an amount of charge may be specified (e.g., claims 1[i], 8[e], 15[l], 22[d]). The Patent Owner does not dispute that Letendre teaches a "slider".

5. Seelig (Patent 5,654,621)

   • Full Citation: US 5,654,621 A
   • Publication/Filing Date: The IPR petition mentions "Seelig (Patent 5,654,621)", indicating a granted patent. The publication date of US5654621A is August 5, 1997.
   • Brief Description: Seelig was used to explicitly teach transmitting a control signal to initiate charging.
   • Potentially Anticipates: Claims related to initiating charging, such as claim 1 which starts charging in accordance with the charging schedule.

These references are specifically highlighted in the context of Tesla's IPR petition challenging claims 1-30 of US Patent 11631987, arguing obviousness over combinations of these prior art documents.

The provided patent text for US11631987B2 contains a "Prior art keywords" section which lists: "vehicle", "charging", "charge", "electrical", and "user interface". It also states a "Prior art date" of 2008-07-11.

However, the patent text does not include a "Prior Art" section listing specific prior art references (e.g., other patents or publications) that would be combined to conduct an obviousness analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103. Without such specific references, it is not possible to identify combinations of prior art references or explain a motivation to combine them. Therefore, I cannot perform the requested obviousness analysis based solely on the information provided in the "Prior Art section" of this page, as it lacks identifiable prior art documents.