APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR VENDING, CHARGING, AND TWO-WAY DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES

• US 20160068075A1
• Filed: 09/01/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Jung-Hsiu, Chen, Shen-Chi, Huang, Chien-Ming, Chan, TsungTing, Wu, Yu-Lin, Yang, Feng Kai
• Granted Patent: US 10,040,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0494 with arrangements for sliding
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• 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 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable 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 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/126 Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/006 dispensed for the electrical charging of other devices than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/06 by returnable containers , i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value, e.g. bottles
• 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 7/0044 : specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• 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 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 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A two-way distribution, charging, and vending system permits a subscriber to exchange one or more partially or completely discharged portable electric energy storage devices for a comparable number of charged portable electric energy storage devices. The two-way distribution, charging, and vending system includes a number of charging modules, each with a dedicated power converter, communicably coupled to at least one two-way distribution system controller and to a power distribution grid. Upon receipt of a discharged portable electric energy storage device, the at least one two-way distribution system controller validates a manufacturer identifier and a subscriber identifier stored in a nontransitory storage media carried by the discharged portable electric energy storage device. Responsive to a successful authentication and validation, the at least one two-way distribution system controller dispenses a charged portable electric energy storage device to the subscriber.

Claims

1. A charging module to charge portable electric energy storage devices, the charging module comprising:

a housing dimensioned to accommodate the at least partial insertion of a portable energy storage device along a longitudinal axis of the housing into an interior space formed by a peripheral housing wall joined to a base;

a number of electric contacts projecting from the base at least partially into the interior space of the housing;

a locking mechanism projecting from the base at least partially into the interior space of the housing;

an entrance joined to the peripheral housing wall opposite the base, the entrance including an orifice connecting the interior space of the housing to an exterior space about the housing, the perimeter of the orifice closely corresponding to at least one physical aspect of the portable energy storage device casing;

a housing door operably coupled to and positioned in the interior of the housing, the housing door axially displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the housing from a first position perpendicular to the housing wall and proximate the orifice to at least a second position perpendicular to the housing wall and proximate the base of the housing;

an aperture concentric with the longitudinal axis of the housing through the housing door, the aperture to accommodate the passage of at least a portion of the locking mechanism and at least a portion of the number of electric contacts when the housing door is displaced to the second position; and

at least one biasing element operably coupling the door to the base, the at least one biasing element biasing the housing door towards the first position.

2. The charging module of claim 1, further comprising:

a displaceable cover disposed proximate the aperture and displaceable from a closed position in which the aperture is occluded, to an open position in which the aperture is unobstructed, the cover operably coupled to the housing door and to the housing such that as the housing door is displaced from the first position to the second position, the cover is displaced from the closed position to the open position.

3. The charging module of claim 1, further comprising:

an actuator coupled to the locking mechanism, the actuator causing a displacement of the locking mechanism responsive to a receipt of the portable energy storage device casing in the interior space of the housing.

4. The charging module of claim 1, further comprising:

a modular electrical interface electrically conductively coupled to the number of electric contacts projecting from the base of the housing into the interior space of the housing.

5. The charging module of claim 4 wherein each of the number of electric contacts are positioned concentric to the longitudinal axis of the housing and electrically isolated from any other of the number of electric contacts.

6. The charging module of claim 5 wherein each of the number of electric contacts comprise a circularly annular electric contact positioned concentric to the longitudinal axis of the housing and electrically isolated from any other of the number of electric contacts.

7. The charging module of claim 5 wherein each of the number of electric contacts comprise at least one of:

a polygonally annular electric contact or a rounded polygonally annular electric contact, each electric contact positioned concentric to the longitudinal axis of the housing and electrically isolated from any other of the number of electric contacts.

8. The charging module of claim 5 wherein the number of electric contacts form an electrically continuous circuit with a corresponding number of externally accessible electric contacts on the portable electric energy storage device casing when a portable electric energy storage device is inserted in the housing.

9. The charging module of claim 8 wherein the number of electric contacts form an electrically continuous circuit with a corresponding number of electric contacts on an exterior surface of the portable energy storage device casing independent of the rotation of the portable energy storage device casing about the longitudinal axis of the housing.

10. The charging module of claim 5 wherein the locking mechanism is positioned radially concentric to the number of electric contacts and is electrically isolated from the number of electric contacts.

11. The charging module of claim 1 wherein the displaceable cover comprises a rotatably displaceable cover;

and

wherein the rotatably displaceable cover rotates from the closed position to the open position as the housing door is displaced from the first position to the second position.

12. The charging module of claim 1 wherein the displaceable cover comprises a slideably displaceable cover;

and

wherein the slideably displaceable cover slides from the closed position to the open position as the housing door is displaced from the first position to the second position.

13. The charging module of claim 1 wherein a central region of the housing door includes a depression symmetric about two orthogonal transverse axes, the two orthogonal transverse axes mutually orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the depression corresponding to a projecting portion of the portable energy storage device casing.

14. The charging module of claim 1, further comprising:

a portable electrical energy storage device thermal control system that includes;

at least one input channel communicably coupled to at least one two-way distribution system controller, the at least one input channel to receive an input signal from a portable electrical energy storage device inserted in the respective housing, the input signal including digital data representative of an internal temperature of the portable electrical energy storage device inserted in the respective charging module;

at least one output channel communicably coupled to the at least one two-way distribution system controller, the at least one output channel to provide an output signal to at least one of a temperature control subsystem or a temperature control device to maintain the internal temperature of the portable electrical energy storage device inserted in the respective charging module in a defined range at least while charging the portable electrical energy storage device.

15. A method of operating a portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system, comprising:

accepting the insertion of a first portable electrical energy storage device into a first of a number of charging modules, each of the number of charging modules bidirectionally communicably coupled to at least one two-way distribution system controller;

reading data from one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the first portable electrical energy storage device via a communications interface communicably coupled to the at least one two-way distribution system controller;

authenticating a first portion of the data read from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the portable electrical energy storage device, using the at least one two-way distribution system controller;

validating a second portion of the data read from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the portable electrical energy storage device, using the at least one two-way distribution system controller; and

responsive to successfully authenticating the first portion of the data and responsive to successfully validating the second portion of the data;

writing the second portion of data read from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the first portable electrical energy storage device to one or more non-transitory storage media carried by a second portable electrical energy storage device inserted in a second of the number of charging modules, by the at least one two-way distribution system controller; and

allowing the removal of the second portable electrical energy storage device from a second of the number of charging modules.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein accepting the insertion of a first portable electrical energy storage device into a first of a number of charging modules comprises:

accepting the at least partial insertion of the first portable electrical energy storage device into the first of the number of charging modules;

locking the first portable electric energy storage device to the first of the number of charging modules by autonomously displacing a locking hub to a first (locked) position in which a portable electric energy storage device inserted into the first of the number of charging modules cannot be removed; and

wherein allowing the removal of the second portable electrical energy storage device from a second of the number of charging modules comprises;

unlocking the second portable electric energy storage device from the second of the number of charging modules by autonomously displacing a locking hub to a second (unlocked) position in which a portable electric energy storage device can be removed from the second of the number of charging modules.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein autonomously displacing the locking hub to a first (locked) position comprises:

rotatably displacing the locking hub in the first of the number of charging modules from the first (locked) position as the first portable electrical energy storage device is inserted into the first of the number of charging modules; and

autonomously rotatably returning the locking hub to the first (locked) position via one or more biasing members after the first portable electrical energy storage device is inserted into the first of the number of charging modules.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein autonomously displacing the locking hub to a second (unlocked) position comprises:

autonomously displacing an actuator from a first position to a second position, the displacement of the actuator from the first position to the second position sufficient to cause a corresponding displacement of the operably coupled locking hub in the second of the number of charging modules from the first (locked) position to the second (unlocked) position.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein allowing the insertion of a first portable electrical energy storage device into a first of a number of charging modules comprises:

accepting the at least partial insertion of the first portable electrical energy storage device into the first of the number of charging modules such that a perimeter of the first of the number of charging modules accommodates a perimeter of a casing disposed about the first portable electrical energy storage device regardless of an orientation of the casing about a longitudinal axis of the casing when the longitudinal axis of the casing and a longitudinal axis of the charging module are collinear.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

reading data indicative of one or more operational aspects of an external device powered by the first portable electrical energy storage device from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the first portable electrical energy storage device via the communications interface communicably coupled to the at least one two-way distribution system controller;

generating data representative of a display output for presentation on one or more output devices communicably coupled to the at least one two-way distribution system controller; and

erasing the data indicative of one or more operational aspects of the external device powered by the first portable electrical energy storage device from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the first portable electrical energy storage device via the communications interface communicably coupled to the at least one two-way distribution system controller.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein validating a second portion of the data read from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the portable electrical energy storage device comprises:

communicating the second portion of the data read from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the portable electrical energy storage device to one or more back-end systems, by the at least one two-way distribution controller;

confirming the validity of the second portion of the data read from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the portable electrical energy storage device by the at least one back-end system; and

responsive to successfully validating the second portion of the data read from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the portable electrical energy storage device by the back-end system, communicating a message indicative of a successful validation to the at least one two-way distribution controller.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein confirming the validity of the second portion of the data read from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the portable electrical energy storage device by the at least one back-end system comprises:

confirming at least a subscription plan logically associated with subscriber identification data included in the second portion of the data read from the one or more non-transitory storage media carried by the portable electrical energy storage device.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein accepting the insertion of a first portable electrical energy storage device into a first of a number of charging modules comprises:

accepting the at least partial insertion of the first portable electrical energy storage device into the first of the number of charging modules; and

wherein allowing the removal of the second portable electrical energy storage device from a second of the number of charging modules comprises;

locking the first portable electric energy storage device to the first of the number of charging modules by autonomously displacing a locking hub to a first (locked) position in which a portable electric energy storage device inserted into the first of the number of charging modules cannot be removed; and

unlocking the second portable electric energy storage device from the second of the number of charging modules by autonomously displacing a locking hub to a second (unlocked) position in which a portable electric energy storage device can be removed from the second of the number of charging modules.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein accepting the at least partial insertion of the first portable electrical energy storage device into the first of the number of charging modules comprises:

autonomously displacing an actuator from a first position to a second position sufficient to cause the displacement of the operably coupled locking hub in the first of the number of charging modules from the first (locked) position to the second (unlocked) position, and autonomously maintaining the actuator in the second position to maintain the locking hub in the second (unlocked) position; and

wherein preventing the removal of the first portable electrical energy storage device from the first of the number of charging modules by engaging a locking hub in the first of the number of charging modules comprises;

autonomously displacing the actuator from the second position to the first position sufficient to cause the displacement of the operably coupled locking hub in the first of the number of charging modules from the second (locked) position to the first (unlocked) position, and autonomously maintaining the actuator in the first position thereby preventing the removal of the first portable electrical energy storage device from the first of the number of charging modules.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein autonomously displacing the actuator from the second position to the first position comprises:

de-energizing the actuator and permitting at least one biasing device to return the locking hub in the first of the number of charging modules from the second (unlocked) position to the first (locked) position.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one two-way distribution controller, at least one output signal provided by at least one biometric sensor; and

selecting by the at least one two-way distribution controller, the second portable electrical energy storage device based at least in part on data included in the at least one output signal provided by the at least one biometric sensor.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

responsive to unsuccessfully authenticating the first portion of the data or responsive to unsuccessfully validating the second portion of the data;

displacing an actuator operably coupled to the locking hub in the first of the number of charging modules from a first position to a second position sufficient to displace the locking hub in the first of the number of charging modules from the first (locked) position to a second (unlocked) position thereby permitting the removal of the first portable electrical energy storage device from the first of the number of charging modules; and

maintaining an actuator operably coupled to the locking hub in the second of the number of charging modules in a first position sufficient to maintain the locking hub in the second of the number of charging modules in the first (locked) position thereby preventing the removal of the second portable electrical energy storage device from the second of the number of charging modules.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

responsive to unsuccessfully validating the second portion of the data;

causing a display on a display device communicably coupled to the at least one two-way distribution system controller, data indicative of the unsuccessful validation;

generating a request for a subscriber to perform one or more actions to restore a subscriber account logically associated with the respective subscriber to good standing; and

responsive to receipt of data indicative that the subscriber has performed the one or more actions to restore the subscriber account to good standing, allowing the removal of the second portable energy storage device from a second of the number of charging modules.

29. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

maintaining by the at least one two-way distribution system controller an environmental condition in at least one of;

the first of the number of charging modules or the first portable electric energy storage device.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein maintaining by the at least one two-way distribution system controller an environmental condition in at least one of:

the first of the number of charging modules or the first portable electric energy storage device comprises;

maintaining by the at least one two-way distribution system controller a temperature of the first portable electric energy storage device at or above a first defined temperature threshold for at least a first portion of a charging interval; and

maintaining by the at least one two-way distribution system controller the temperature of the first portable electric energy storage device at or below a second defined temperature for at least some of the remaining portion of the charging interval.

32. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 30 wherein the first communications interface bidirectionally transfers data with a communications interface carried by a portable energy storage device powered vehicle proximate the portable electric storage device charging system.

33. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 32 wherein the first communications interface bidirectionally transfers vehicle specific data with a communications interface carried by a portable energy storage device powered vehicle proximate the portable electric storage device charging system.

34. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 33 wherein the vehicle specific data comprises at least one of:

vehicle specific maintenance data or vehicle specific service data.

31. A portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system, comprising:

a housing that includes a power distribution grid and a number of buckets, each of the buckets capable of accommodating the reversible, selective insertion of a portable energy storage device charging module and a power converter module electrically conductively coupled to the power distribution grid and to the portable energy storage device charging module;

a first communications interface wirelessly communicably coupleable to at least some of a number of portable energy storage devices inserted into each of the number of buckets and wirelessly communicably coupleable to one or more wireless credentials carried by a system user;

a second communications interface communicably coupleable to at least one back-end system;

at least one non-transitory, processor-readable, storage media that stores processor-executable instructions; and

at least one two-way distribution system controller communicably coupled to the at least one non-transitory, processor-readable storage media, the at least one two-way distribution system controller to execute the processor-executable instructions and in response;

receive, via the first communications interface, data indicative of a subscriber identifier that uniquely identifies a subscriber;

transmit, via the second communications interface, the received data indicative of the subscriber identifier to the back-end system;

responsive to the insertion of a number of portable energy storage devices into a respective number of unoccupied portable energy storage device charging modules, locks the inserted portable energy storage devices into the respective portable energy storage device charging modules; and

responsive to the receipt of data indicative of an authorization from the back-end system unlocks an authorized number of charged portable energy storage devices from a respective number of occupied portable energy storage device charging modules.

35. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 31 wherein the first communications interface bidirectionally transfers data with a communications interface carried by a portable energy storage device.

36. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 31, further comprising at least one biometric sensor communicably coupled to the at least one two-way distribution system controller.

37. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 36 wherein the at least one two-way distribution system controller executes the processor-executable instructions and further:

receives data indicative of at least one subscriber biometric property from the at least one biometric sensor; and

responsive to the receipt of the data indicative of at least one subscriber biometric property, selectively unlocks an authorized number of charged portable energy storage devices from a respective number of occupied portable energy storage device charging modules.

38. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 31 wherein each portable energy storage device charging module comprises:

a housing dimensioned to accommodate the at least partial insertion of a portable energy storage device casing along a longitudinal axis of the housing into an interior space formed by a peripheral housing wall joined to a base;

a number of electric contacts projecting from the base at least partially into the interior space of the housing;

a locking mechanism projecting from the base at least partially into the interior space of the housing;

an entrance joined to the peripheral housing wall opposite the base, the entrance including an orifice connecting the interior space of the housing to an exterior space about the housing, the perimeter of the orifice closely corresponding to at least one physical aspect of the portable energy storage device casing;

a housing door operably coupled to and positioned in the interior of the housing, the housing door continuously axially displaceable along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the housing from a first position perpendicular to the housing wall and proximate the orifice to at least second position perpendicular to the housing wall and proximate the base of the housing;

an aperture concentric with the longitudinal axis of the housing through the housing door, the aperture to accommodate the passage of at least a portion of the locking mechanism and at least a portion of the number of electric contacts when the housing door is displaced to the second position;

at least one biasing element operably coupling the door to the base, the at least one biasing element biasing the housing door towards the first position; and

a displaceable cover disposed proximate the aperture and displaceable from a closed position in which the aperture is occluded, to an open position in which the aperture is unobstructed, the cover operably coupled to the housing door and to the housing such that as the housing door is displaced from the first position to the second position, the cover is displaced from the closed position to the open position.

39. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 31 wherein each of the buckets accommodates the reversibly slideable physical insertion and removal of a charging module.

40. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 39 wherein each of the buckets accommodates the reversibly slideable physical insertion and removal of a power converter module and the reversibly slideable electrical conductive coupling of the power converter module to a power distribution grid and to the respective charging module inserted in the bucket.

41. The portable electrical energy storage device charging and two-way distribution system of claim 31, further comprising at least one portable electric energy storage device temperature sensor disposed in each of the charging modules;

wherein the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to maintain a temperature of the portable electric energy storage device received by the charging module within a defined temperature range while charging the respective portable electric energy storage device.

42. A method of operating a portable electric energy storage device two-way distribution, charging, and vending apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a first portable electric energy storage device in a first of a number of charging modules communicably coupled to at least one two-way distribution system controller;

responsive to receiving the first portable electric energy storage device in the first of the number of charging modules, determining a condition of the first portable electric energy storage device by the at least one two-way distribution system controller;

responsive to determining the condition of the first portable electric energy storage device is acceptable for charging, initiating charging of the first portable electric energy storage device; and

contemporaneous with charging the first portable electric energy storage device, maintaining thermal conditions within the first portable electric energy storage device in a defined temperature range.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

positioning an actuator operably coupled to a locking hub in the first charging module in a first position sufficient to position the locking hub in the first charging module in a first (locked) position thereby preventing the removal of the first portable electric energy storage device from the first of the number of charging modules.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the first portable electric energy storage device in the first of the number of charging modules, reading by the at least one two-way distribution system controller data from a nontransitory storage media carried by the first portable electric energy storage device.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein reading by the at least one two-way distribution system controller data from a nontransitory storage media carried by the first portable electric energy storage device comprises:

reading by the at least one two-way distribution system controller, data from a first, immutable, portion of the nontransitory storage media carried by the first portable electric energy storage device, the data in the first, immutable, portion of the nontransitory storage media including data indicative of a manufacturer specific code.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein reading by the at least one two-way distribution system controller data from a nontransitory storage media carried by the first portable electric energy storage device comprises:

reading by the at least one two-way distribution system controller, data from a second, rewriteable, portion of the nontransitory storage media carried by the first portable electric energy storage device, the data in the second, rewriteable, portion of the nontransitory storage media including data indicative of at least one subscriber identifier.