SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AND LOCATING PUBLIC OR PRIVATE MOBILE DEVICE CHARGING STATIONS

• US 20140155100A1
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChargeItSpot, LLC
• Original Assignee: ChargeItSpot, LLC
• Inventors: Horstmann, Jens, Baldasare, Douglas, Tate, Sheri, Kay, Robert, Nolan, Colin, Pondo, Beth
• Granted Patent: US 9,537,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating and providing public mobile device charging stations are disclosed. One or more charging stations may be configured to charge a battery of a mobile device. A database may be configured to store location information of the one or more charging stations as well as mobile device location information of the one or more respective mobile devices. A server communicatively coupled with the one or more charging stations and the database, may be configured to determine a proximity of the one or more charging stations to a location of the mobile device. This determination may be based on the station location information and the mobile device location information. Based on the determined proximity, provide the station location information of the respective one or more charging stations to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A publicly available mobile device charging system comprising:

one or more charging stations configured to charge a battery of a mobile device;

a database configured to store;

station location information of the one or more charging stations;

mobile device location information of the mobile device; and

a server communicatively coupled with the one or more charging stations and the database, the server being configured to;

based on the station location information and the mobile device location information, determine a proximity of the one or more charging stations to a location of the mobile device; and

based on the determined proximity, provide the station location information of the respective one or more charging stations to the mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

monitor a power level of the battery of the mobile device;

based on the battery level reaching a predetermined threshold;

alert a user of the mobile device to the battery level; and

provide the location information of the respective one or more charging stations to the mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the station location information comprises availability status of lockers associated with the one or more charging stations.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

collect GUI user information associated with a user of the mobile device; and

collect entity information associated with entities sponsoring one or more of the charging stations.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the database is further configured to store user information associated with the user of the mobile device and entity information associated with entities sponsoring the one or more charging stations.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the server is further configured to provide the entity information to the respective one or more mobile devices.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the entity information provided to the mobile device is based on a prioritization algorithm.

8. A method for charging a mobile device, the method comprising:

tracking a location of a mobile device and one or more charging stations;

storing, by one or more databases;

station location information of the respective one or more charging stations;

mobile device location information of the mobile device;

based on the station location information and the mobile device location information, determining a proximity of one or more charging stations to the mobile device; and

based on the determined proximity, providing the station location information of the respective one or more charging stations to the respective on or more mobile devices.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

monitoring, by the server, a power level of the battery of the mobile device;

based on the battery level reaching a predetermined threshold,

alerting a user of the mobile device to the power level of the battery; and

providing, by the server, the location information of the respective one or more charging stations to the mobile device

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the station location information comprises availability status of lockers associated with the one or more charging stations.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

collecting, by the server, user information associated with the user of the mobile device; and

collecting, by the server, entity information associated with entities sponsoring one or more charging stations.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing information associated with the user of the mobile device and entities sponsoring the one or more charging stations.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing entity information to the respective one or more mobile devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the provided entity information is based on a prioritization algorithm.

15. A system for publicly charging a mobile device, the system comprising:

means for charging a battery of a mobile device;

means for storing;

station location information of the one or more charging stations;

mobile device location information of the mobile device;

means for determining a proximity of one or more charging stations to the mobile device; and

based on the determined proximity, means for providing the station location information of the respective one or more charging stations to the mobile device.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for monitoring a power level of the battery of the mobile device;

based on the battery power level reaching a predetermined threshold;

means for alerting a user of the mobile device to the power level and

means for providing the location information of the respective one or more charging stations to the mobile device

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the station location information comprises availability status of lockers associated with the one or more charging stations.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for collecting user information associated with the user of the mobile device; and

means for collecting entity information associated with entities sponsoring one or more charging stations.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for storing information associated with the user of the mobile device and entities sponsoring the one or more charging stations.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for providing entity information to the respective one or more mobile devices.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the provided entity information is based on a prioritization algorithm.