CHARGE RESERVATION SUPPORT SYSTEM, MOBILE TERMINAL DEVICE, CHARGE RESERVATION SUPPORT METHOD AND PROGRAM

• US 20140046707A1
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC CASIO Mobile Communications Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Hama, Riichiro
• Application Number:
  US14/111,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20140046707A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• 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 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a management server device constituting a charge reservation support system equipped with a charge reservation database for managing charge reservation statuses that includes an installation location and a reservation time for each mobile phone. When an inquiry for a charge reservation status is received from a mobile phone, the charge reservation database is searched based on the current position of the mobile phone, reservation support information is generated related to a charge reservation from the charge reservation statuses of a plurality of charging stands which are present at locations near the current position and transmitted to the mobile phone of the inquiry source. Accordingly, when making a charge reservation for a mobile terminal device, information can be supplied to reduce a user'"'"'s burden and enable the user to achieve a suitable charging reservation.

Claims

1. A charge reservation support system which comprises charge devices which are installed at a plurality of locations, a mobile terminal device which comprises a charge function to charge a secondary battery by electric power supply from the charge device, and a management device which manages each of the charge devices, and performs reservation support when charging of the mobile terminal device is reserved, the charge reservation support system comprising:

a reservation management section for managing a charge reservation status including an installation location and a reservation time for each of the charge devices;

a generation section for, when an inquiry regarding a charge reservation status is received from the mobile terminal device, searching for the charge reservation status based on a current position of the mobile terminal device, and generating reservation support information related to charge reservation from charge reservation statuses of a plurality of charge devices present at locations near the current position; and

a transmission section for transmitting the reservation support information generated by the generation section to the mobile terminal device which is an inquiry source.

2. The charge reservation support system according to claim 1, wherein the generation section generates reservation support information including a map which clearly indicates the installation locations of the charge devices and the current position of the mobile terminal device and reservation times of the charge devices, based on the charge reservation status for each of the charge devices and the current position of the mobile terminal device.

3. The charge reservation support system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notification section for notifying the mobile terminal device which is the request source of reservation completion and authentication data which is used to confirm, at the time of charging, which reservation is valid, when a reservation request of charging is received from the mobile terminal device by an acceptance section;

a judgment section for judging whether or not the reservation is valid based on the authentication data obtained from the mobile terminal device, when the mobile terminal device is connected to the charge device; and

a control section for controlling charging to the mobile terminal device by the charge device based on the judgment result by the judgment section.

4. A mobile terminal device which comprises a charge function to charge a secondary battery by electric power supply from a charge device, the mobile terminal device comprising:

a position obtaining section for obtaining a current position of the mobile terminal device;

an inquiry section for making an inquiry regarding a charge reservation status by transmitting the current position obtained by the position obtaining section to a management device which manages a charge reservation status including an installation location and a reservation time for each of charge devices installed at a plurality of locations;

an obtaining section for receiving and obtaining reservation support information related to charge reservation including installation locations and reservation times of a plurality of charge devices present at locations near the current position of the inquiry source in response to the inquiry regarding the charge reservation status made by the inquiry section, from the management device; and

an output section for outputting the reservation support information received and obtained by the obtaining section.

5. The mobile terminal device according to claim 4, wherein the obtaining section receives and obtains reservation support information including a map which clearly indicates the installation locations of the plurality of charge devices and the current position of the mobile terminal device and reservation times of the plurality of charge devices, from the management device.

6. The mobile terminal device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first transmission section for transmitting, when an available charge device for which a charge reservation has not been made is specified by a user operation from the reservation support information outputted by the output section, a charge reservation for the charge device to the management device;

a holding section for storing and holding authentication data received and obtained from the management device when the charge reservation is accepted;

a second transmission section for transmitting the authentication data stored and held in the holding section to the management device via the charge device, when the mobile terminal device is connected to the charge device; and

a reception section for receiving a judgment result when a judgment regarding whether or not the reservation is valid is made on the management device side in response to transmission of the authentication data,

wherein the output section outputs the judgment result received by the reception section.

7. A charge reservation support method for performing reservation support when charging of a mobile terminal device comprising a charge function to charge a secondary battery by electric power supply from a charge device is reserved, the charge reservation support method comprising:

managing a charge reservation status including an installation location and a reservation time for each of charge devices installed at a plurality of locations;

searching for, when an inquiry regarding a charge reservation status is received from the mobile terminal device, the charge reservation status based on a current position of the mobile terminal device and generating reservation support info cation related to charge reservation from charge reservation statuses of a plurality of charge devices present at locations near the current position; and

transmitting the generated reservation support information to the mobile terminal device which is an inquiry source.

8. A charge reservation support method for performing reservation support when charging of a mobile terminal device comprising a charge function to charge a secondary battery by electric power supply from a charge device is reserved, the charge reservation support method comprising:

making an inquiry regarding a charge reservation status by transmitting a current position of the mobile terminal device to a management device which manages a charge reservation status including an installation location and a reservation time for each of charge devices installed at a plurality of locations;

receiving and obtaining reservation support information related to charge reservation including installation locations and reservation times of a plurality of charge devices present at locations near the current position of the inquiry source in response to the inquiry regarding the charge reservation status, from the management device; and

outputting the received and obtained reservation support information.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon which causes a computer to actualize functions comprising:

a function for managing a charge reservation status including an installation location and a reservation time for each of charge devices installed at a plurality of locations;

a function for, when an inquiry regarding a charge reservation status is received from a mobile terminal device, searching for the charge reservation status based on a current position of the mobile terminal device and generating reservation support information related to charge reservation from charge reservation statuses of a plurality of charge devices present at locations near the current position; and

a function for transmitting the generated reservation support information to the mobile terminal device which is an inquiry source.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon which causes a computer to actualize functions comprising:

a function for making an inquiry regarding a charge reservation status by transmitting a current position of a mobile terminal device to a management device which manages a charge reservation status including an installation location and a reservation time for each of charge devices installed at a plurality of locations;

a function for receiving and obtaining reservation support information related to charge reservation including installation locations and reservation times of a plurality of charge devices present at locations near the current position of the inquiry source in response to the inquiry regarding the charge reservation status, from the management device; and

a function for outputting the received and obtained reservation support information.