Telemetry and Control

A charging network is only as intelligent and reliable as the data it can collect, interpret, and act upon. At DeCharge, telemetry and control systems form the nervous system of the network, continuously monitoring charger performance, detecting anomalies, and enabling dynamic interaction between devices, operators, and the backend infrastructure.

Whether it’s uptime reporting, energy logging, or remote diagnostics, telemetry ensures that every DeCharge charger functions as a verifiable, self-reporting energy node.

Core Principles

DeCharge’s telemetry and control layer is designed with the following objectives:

• Real-time monitoring of every session and hardware status

• Secure data transfer from device to backend over encrypted channels

• Remote management of chargers by both hosts and DeCharge Ops

• Autonomous self-diagnostics to reduce field service needs

• Reward eligibility tracking based on quantifiable metrics

This layer enables the system to operate transparently and fairly, especially in a distributed ownership model where devices are deployed globally.

What Data Is Captured

Every DeCharge charger records and transmits a rich set of telemetry data. These include:

Metric Category	Sample Data Points
Energy Consumption	Total kWh dispensed, per-session energy, peak load
Uptime and Connectivity	Online/offline status, connectivity duration
Session Logs	Session start/end timestamps, charging duration
Error Reporting	Overvoltage, ground fault, thermal anomalies
Environmental Metrics	Internal temperature, enclosure humidity (Titan)
Network Health	Ping latency, signal strength (4G/Wi-Fi), retry rate

All telemetry is signed using the onboard secure metering chip and is submitted in 60-minute intervals (for AC chargers) and 15-minute intervals (for DC chargers). Offline caching ensures no data is lost if internet access is briefly interrupted.

Communication Stack

DeCharge chargers communicate using OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol), an open industry standard for charger-backend interaction. This enables secure, vendor-neutral, and scalable data exchange.

Technologies used include:

• OCPP Protocol: All devices communicate via OCPP-compliant channels for session management, telemetry, and control.

• TLS Encryption: All communication is encrypted end-to-end using Transport Layer Security.

• Buffered Upload Queue: In low-connectivity environments, the charger stores data locally and uploads when a stable signal is available.

• Heartbeat Protocol: Chargers ping the backend at fixed intervals to verify health and trigger automated escalation workflows in case of silence.

Remote Command and Control

Operators and approved hosts have the ability to issue commands to chargers via the web dashboard. Common control functions include:

• Restart Device: Perform a remote reboot to recover from transient errors

• Session Lock/Unlock: Temporarily disable or enable charging

• Firmware Update Trigger: Deploy security or performance patches remotely

• Diagnostics Dump: Fetch real-time system logs for engineering support

• LED Indicator Override: Signal device status in offline troubleshooting scenarios

All control actions are logged, time-stamped, and tied to the responsible operator ID for full auditability.

Self-Diagnostics and Alerts

Each charger runs a full diagnostic scan every 24 hours. These checks cover:

• RCD and breaker health

• Power supply voltage consistency

• Earthing and ground resistance validation

• Temperature and humidity thresholds

• Communication latency and data sync failures

If anomalies are detected, alerts are sent to:

• The host (via app and email)

• The DeCharge Ops team (via CMS panel)

• The reward engine (to temporarily freeze payouts if safety is at risk)

Integration with Reward Engine

The telemetry layer feeds directly into the DeCharge reward computation engine. For example:

• Energy Dispensed (kWh): Determines session value and base reward

• Uptime Percentage (over 60-hour epoch): Affects reward multiplier

• Location Category (Tier 1, Tier 2, Underserved): Adds geographic bonus

• Charger Activity Consistency: Flags inactive or misused hardware

• Fault-Free Operation: Qualifies for reliability bonus

This integration ensures that contributors are rewarded fairly and transparently, based on objective, verifiable charger performance.

Use Cases Enabled by Telemetry

Telemetry is not just for backend operations, it enables meaningful functionality for every participant.

Stakeholder	Benefit Enabled by Telemetry
Hosts	View uptime, energy flow, estimated rewards
Operators	Remotely diagnose faults, push updates
Investors	Verify device activity for ROI visibility
Support Team	Respond to flagged anomalies with targeted guidance
Network Analysts	Optimize placement and cluster design based on live data

This layered access model ensures that everyone from a casual host to a fleet operator can engage with their devices and data as needed.

Local Privacy and Data Use

DeCharge only collects data essential for charger performance, safety, and reward calculation. We do not collect or store:

• Personal user payment data

• Vehicle-specific information (license plates, VINs, etc.)

• User identity or location tracking not related to the charger’s operation

All telemetry is anonymized when aggregated for analytics or reporting purposes.

DeCharge’s telemetry and control system is the backbone of its operational transparency. By enabling real-time visibility, secure communication, and smart diagnostics, this layer makes the DeCharge network both autonomous and accountable, a core requirement for scaling decentralized physical infrastructure.