Understanding the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) 1.6 Boot Notification

The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) 1.6 Boot Notification plays a crucial role in the communication between an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station, also known as a Charge Point, and the central system, referred to as a Charge Point Operator. When a charging station boots up, it sends a Boot Notification message to the central system, providing important information about its identification, model, vendor or manufacturer, firmware version, and serial number (if available).

Upon receiving the Boot Notification, the central system has the option to either accept or deny the charging station. If the central system accepts the Boot Notification, it sends a BootNotification.conf message back to the charging station, indicating a status of “Accepted.” Additionally, the central system provides the current time and a heartbeat interval to the charging station.

The BootNotification.conf message serves as confirmation of successful communication between the charging station and the central system. The charging station will then send periodic heartbeat messages to the central system based on the specified heartbeat interval, ensuring ongoing communication.

Here is an example of a JSON payload for a Boot Notification in OCPP 1.6:

{
  "status": "Accepted",
  "currentTime": "2023-11-22T20:39:24.150Z",
  "heartbeatInterval": 300
}

In the example above, the “status” field is set to “Accepted,” indicating that the Boot Notification was successful. The “currentTime” field indicates the timestamp when the BootNotification.conf message was sent, and the “heartbeatInterval” field specifies the interval, in seconds, at which the charging station should send heartbeat messages to the central system.

It is important to note that a successful Boot Notification signifies that the central system has acknowledged the charging station. On the other hand, if the Boot Notification is denied, it means that the charging station has failed to establish communication with the central system.

The OCPP 1.6 Boot Notification is a critical step in the initialization and connection process between EV charging stations and central systems. By exchanging essential information and establishing communication parameters, this protocol ensures efficient and reliable operation of the charging infrastructure.

With the OCPP 1.6 Boot Notification, the EV charging industry benefits from standardized communication protocols, enabling interoperability between different charging station manufacturers and central system operators. This standardization promotes widespread adoption of EV charging infrastructure and facilitates seamless integration into smart grid systems.

In conclusion, the OCPP 1.6 Boot Notification is an integral part of the communication process between EV charging stations and central systems. By providing key information and confirming successful communication, this protocol ensures the efficient operation of the charging infrastructure and promotes interoperability within the industry.