Apparatus, method and article for redistributing power storage devices, such as batteries, between collection, charging and distribution machines

• US 10,345,843 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2016
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Inventors: Luke, Hok-Sum Horace, Taylor, Matthew Whiting
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US15/384,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20170097652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 700282
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
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• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
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• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/427 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/429 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 : Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 : Temperature
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• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 : by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 : by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/44 : by parameter estimation
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• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 : of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/46 : Heat pumps, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 : relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 : relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 : relating to electrical machines
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• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 : Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 : using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 : characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 : using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 : Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 : Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 : DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 : Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 : involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 : Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 : Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 : Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 : Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 : for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 : responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/06 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/22 : Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 : operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0001 : with electric actuators; Constructional features thereof for vehicles E05B81/04
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/04 : Electrical electrical circuits E05B81/54
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/56 : Control of actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 : using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
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• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/05 : Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15048 : Microprocessor
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• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 : Regulating electric power
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• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0638 : Organizing or formatting or addressing of data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0671 : In-line storage system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 : Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 : During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 : based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 : based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 : Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 : with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 : Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 : wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 : operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 : for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 : dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/006 : dispensed for the electrical charging of other devices than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 : for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/12 : comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 : Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 : Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 : Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 : Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 : Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 : Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 : Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 11/00 : Circuit arrangements for providing service supply to auxiliaries of stations in which electric power is generated, distributed or converted
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 : Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 : Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 : Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 : Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 : Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 : Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 : Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

A network of collection, charging and distribution machines collect, charge and distribute portable electrical energy storage devices. To charge, the machines employ electrical current from an external source. As demand at individual collection, charging and distribution machines increases or decreases relative to other collection, charging and distribution machines, a distribution management system initiates redistribution of portable electrical energy storage devices from one collection, charging and distribution machine to another collection, charging and distribution machine in an expeditious manner. Also, redeemable incentives are offered to users to return or exchange their portable electrical energy storage devices at selected collection, charging and distribution machines within the network to effect the redistribution.

Claims

1. A method of operating a distribution management system for portable electrical energy storage devices, the method comprising:

receiving, by a distribution management system for portable electrical energy storage devices, information tracking physical exchanges of portable electrical energy storage devices for charged portable electrical energy storage devices at a plurality of distribution machines for distribution of portable electrical energy storage devices;

analyzing, by the distribution management system, the information tracking physical exchanges of portable electrical energy storage devices for charged portable electrical energy storage devices to determine a physical redistribution of portable electrical energy storage devices from a first one to a second one of the plurality of distribution machines; and

sending, by the distribution management system, information initiating the physical redistribution of portable electrical energy storage devices between the first one and the second one of the plurality of distribution machines.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending the information includes causing a message to be sent, the message including information identifying a selected one or more of the distribution machines to return a portable electrical energy storage device to according to the determined physical redistribution.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

redistributing one or more portable electrical energy storage devices from one or more distribution machines having a surplus of charged portable electrical energy storage devices to one or more other selected distribution machines having a deficit of charged portable electrical energy storage devices.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the redistributing includes physically moving the one or more portable electrical energy storage devices from the one or more distribution machines having the surplus of charged portable electrical energy storage devices to the one or more other selected distribution machines having the deficit of charged portable electrical energy storage devices.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending, by the distribution management system, based on the analyzing the information tracking physical exchanges of portable electrical energy storage devices for charged portable electrical energy storage devices, information initiating at least one of;

installation of one or more new distribution machines and removal of one or more existing distribution machines of the plurality of distribution machines.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the information initiating the physical redistribution, transmitting an instruction to a dispatch service to perform the physical redistribution of portable electrical energy storage devices between the first one and the second one of the plurality of distribution machines.

5. The method of 4 wherein the physically moving is performed by one or more delivery vehicles.

7. A distribution management system for portable electrical energy storage devices, comprising:

at least one processor of the distribution management system; and

at least one processor-readable memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one processor-readable memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the distribution management system to;

receive information regarding demand for charged portable electrical energy storage devices, the demand being at a plurality of distribution machines for portable electrical energy storage devices, wherein the information regarding demand includes information tracking physical exchanges of portable electrical energy storage devices for charged portable electrical energy storage devices at the plurality of distribution machines;

determine a physical redistribution of portable electrical energy storage devices from a first one to a second one of the plurality of distribution machines according to at least the received information regarding demand; and

send information initiating the physical redistribution between the first one and the second one of the plurality of distribution machines.

8. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the information regarding demand includes information regarding relative demand for charged portable electrical energy storage devices between different times of day, week or year.

9. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the information regarding demand includes information regarding relative demand of charged portable electrical energy storage devices between geographical locations.

10. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the information regarding demand includes information regarding historic usage patterns of one or more of the plurality of distribution machines.

11. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the information regarding demand includes information regarding user vehicle locations.

12. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the information regarding demand includes information regarding portable electrical energy storage device charge capacity.

13. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the information regarding demand includes information regarding portable electrical energy storage device exchanges occurring at the plurality of distribution machines.

14. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the information regarding demand includes information regarding route information associated with user profiles associated with one or more of the charged portable electrical energy storage devices.

15. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the computer-executable instructions that cause the distribution management system to determine the physical redistribution include further instructions to cause the distribution management system to determine the physical redistribution according to a first number of portable electrical energy storage devices currently removably located at a distribution machine of the plurality of distribution machines to be charged at an accelerated rate relative to at least a second number of portable electrical energy storage devices currently removably located at the distribution machine via energy supplied from at least the second number of portable electrical energy storage devices.

16. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the computer-executable instructions that cause the distribution management system to determine the physical redistribution cause the distribution management system to determine the physical redistribution by analyzing the information regarding demand to increase a likelihood of availability of charged portable electrical energy storage devices at selected distribution machines of the plurality of distribution machines to meet current or predicted demand of charged portable electrical energy storage devices at the selected distribution machines of the plurality of distribution machines.

17. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the information is sent to one or more distribution machines of the plurality of distribution machines.

18. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the distribution management system to send the information initiating the physical redistribution to one or more devices associated with one or more users of one or more portable electrical energy storage devices, the one or more a portable electrical energy storage devices being from one or more of the distribution machines of the plurality of distribution machines.

19. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the distribution management system to send the information initiating the physical redistribution to one or more portable electrical energy storage device transfer services.

27. The distribution management system of claim 7 wherein the computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the distribution management system to:

based on the information initiating the physical redistribution, instruct a dispatch service to perform the physical redistribution of portable electrical energy storage devices between the first one and the second one of the plurality of distribution machines.

20. A distribution machine for portable electrical energy storage devices, the distribution machine comprising:

at least one processor of the distribution machine; and

at least one processor-readable memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one processor-readable memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the distribution machine to;

send information tracking physical exchanges of portable electrical energy storage devices for charged portable electrical energy storage devices at the distribution machine;

receive information regarding a physical redistribution of portable electrical energy storage devices from a first distribution machine to a second distribution machine of a plurality of distribution machines;

receive a request to exchange a portable electrical energy storage device at the distribution machine; and

respond to the request to exchange the portable electrical energy storage device based on the received information regarding the physical redistribution of portable electrical energy storage devices between the first distribution machine and the second distribution machine by instructing a dispatch service to perform the physical redistribution.

21. The distribution machine of claim 20 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the distribution machine to send the information tracking physical exchanges of portable electrical energy storage devices at the distribution machine to a distribution management system for portable electrical energy storage devices.

22. The distribution machine of claim 20 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the distribution machine to cause a message to be presented regarding exchanging the portable electrical energy storage device at one or more other selected distribution machines of the plurality of distribution machines according to the received information regarding physical redistribution of portable electrical energy storage devices between the distribution machine and the one or more other distribution machines of the plurality of distribution machines.

23. The distribution machine of claim 20 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the distribution machine to send information regarding relative demand for charged portable electrical energy storage devices at the distribution machine between different times of day, week or year.

24. The distribution of claim 20 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the distribution machine to send information regarding historic usage patterns at the distribution machine.

25. The distribution machine of claim 20 wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the distribution machine to send information regarding one or more user profiles associated with the distribution machine.