Patent ID: 8355832

Claim:
Apparatus for supplying electrical power to a vehicle from an electrical outlet to which the vehicle is brought and at which it remains stationary for a period during which the power is supplied through an electrical connection cable connected from the vehicle to the electrical outlet, the apparatus comprising: an outlet control unit for mounting at the electrical outlet; and a vehicle control unit for mounting in the vehicle; the outlet control unit comprising: at least one electrical outlet; a microprocessor; and a switch operable by the microprocessor for selectively supplying power from a central power supply to said at least one electrical outlet; the vehicle control unit comprising: an input cable for connection to the electrical outlet; a power supply connection for supplying power from the outlet to one or more loads in the vehicle; a microprocessor; the microprocessor of the vehicle control unit being arranged to communicate data to the outlet control unit; wherein the outlet control unit comprises a power supply system arranged to supply power at a plurality of different power supply characteristics including a plurality of different voltage values and including voltages with DC supply and AC supply; wherein the switch is arranged to select from the different power supply characteristics; and wherein the microprocessor of the vehicle control unit has a data storage containing data relating to the characteristics of the power required for the vehicle for communication to the outlet control unit.