Battery and Charger Kiosk

• US 20160071079A1
• Filed: 11/12/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Aloe
• Original Assignee: John Aloe
• Inventors: Aloe, John
• Granted Patent: US 10,157,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/347 Passive cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery rental kiosk system is provided. The system allows for batteries to be rented or purchased for mobile devices that may require a battery recharge. In one embodiment, the system may allow a customer to rent the battery for a predetermined time period and charge a customer credit card periodically at the expiration of the time period.

Claims

1. A kiosk based battery rental system comprising:

a computerized kiosk and a charging unit configured to charge at least one of a plurality of battery packs;

wherein the kiosk comprises;

a computerized user interface module providing a user interface to a customer, the user interface module allowing a customer to identify one of the plurality of battery packs required to charge a device of the customer, the user interface module further configured to direct a customer to pay for the identified battery pack for a predetermined rental time period, and to dispense the identified battery pack to the user;

a dispensing structure allowing the identified battery pack to be removed from a vending rack and dispensed through the dispensing structure;

a return structure having a sensor to identify when a battery pack has been received within the return structure;

a returned battery pack bin connected to the return structure, the returned battery pack bin sized to receive and store a returned battery pack; and

a communications unit capable of communicating information relating to the battery pack identified by the customer to a computer memory in communication with the computerized user interface, the information comprising an identification number of the identified battery pack, time period, the device of the customer, and a payment information of the customer.

2. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 wherein the computerized kiosk is configured to repeat a charging the payment information at the expiration of the rental time period, and to repeat re-setting the rental time period until the battery pack is returned by the customer, wherein after a predetermined number of re-settings of the rental time period, the charging of the payment information is stopped and the user owns the battery pack.

3. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of battery packs comprises a plurality of batteries, and a plurality of different adapters, a first plurality of adapters of the plurality of different adapters configured to connect one of the plurality of batteries to a first device, and a second plurality of adapters of the plurality of different adapters configured to connect the one of the plurality of batteries to a second device.

4. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 further comprising a server in electronic communication with the computerized kiosk, wherein the server comprises a core services module configured to receive the information communicated by the communications unit, and further configured to process payment information and return a confirmation to the customer through the kiosk and computerized user interface module.

5. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 further comprising a server in electronic communication with the computerized kiosk, wherein the server comprises an administration repository module configured to store and receive information relating to a history of the renting of the plurality of battery packs, the core services module passing the identification number and a kiosk identification number identifying the kiosk to the administration repository module;

and an analytics repository module configured to receive information from the core services module and configured to calculate and store analytics information regarding kiosk operation based on the information received by the core services module.

6. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 further comprising a server in electronic communication with the computerized kiosk, wherein the server comprises an administrator and analytics reporting module configured to provide a user interface and access to the server system, the administrator and analytics reporting module allowing an administrator to access data of the analytics repository, administration repository module, and the core services module.

7. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 4 wherein the core services module of the server is configured to charge the payment information of the customer based on the payment information, to begin a timer for the time period and, upon expiration of the time period charge the payment information of the customer again, and restart the timer for the time period.

8. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of battery packs comprises a scannable identification code, and wherein the kiosk further comprises a scanner to scan and record the scannable identification code.

9. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 wherein the server is further configured to provide an indication to the operator that the battery pack has been returned, and to instruct the operator to receive the battery pack and recharge the battery pack.

10. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 wherein the charging unit in positioned within the kiosk.

11. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 wherein the dispensing slot and the return slot are a same opening on the kiosk.

12. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 1 wherein the charging unit is integrated into the vending rack.

13. A kiosk based battery rental system comprising:

a computerized kiosk and a charging unit configured to charge at least one of a plurality of battery packs;

wherein the kiosk comprises;

a computerized user interface module providing a user interface to a customer, the user interface module allowing a customer to identify one of the plurality of battery packs required to charge a device of the customer, the user interface module further configured to direct a customer to pay for the identified battery pack for a predetermined rental time period, and to dispense the identified battery pack to the user;

a dispensing structure allowing the identified battery pack to be removed from a vending rack and dispensed through the dispensing structure;

a return structure having a sensor to identify when a battery pack has been received within the return structure;

a battery replacement unit connected to the return structure, the replacement unit configured to automatically place the returned battery pack into the charging unit, the charging unit being within the kiosk;

a communications unit capable of communicating information relating to the battery pack identified by the customer to a computer memory in communication with the computerized user interface, the information comprising an identification number of the identified battery pack, time period, the device of the customer, and a payment information of the customer.

14. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 13 wherein the charging unit is integrated into the vending rack.

15. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 13 wherein the computerized kiosk is configured to repeat a charging of the payment information at the expiration of the rental time period, and to repeat re-setting the rental time period until the battery pack is returned by the customer, wherein after a predetermined number of re-settings of the rental time period, the charging of the payment information is stopped and the user owns the battery pack.

16. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of battery packs comprises a plurality of batteries, and a plurality of different adapters, a first plurality of adapters of the plurality of different adapters configured to connect one of the plurality of batteries to a first device, and a second plurality of adapters of the plurality of different adapters configured to connect the one of the plurality of batteries to a second device.

17. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 13 further comprising a server in electronic communication with the computerized kiosk, wherein the server comprises a core services module configured to receive the information communicated by the communications unit, and further configured to process payment information and return a confirmation to the customer through the kiosk and computerized user interface module.

18. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 13 further comprising a server in electronic communication with the computerized kiosk, wherein the server comprises an administration repository module configured to store and receive information relating to a history of the renting of the plurality of battery packs, the core services module passing the identification number and a kiosk identification number identifying the kiosk to the administration repository module;

and an analytics repository module configured to receive information from the core services module and configured to calculate and store analytics information regarding kiosk operation based on the information received by the core services module.

19. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 13 further comprising a server in electronic communication with the computerized kiosk, wherein the server comprises an administrator and analytics reporting module configured to provide a user interface and access to the server system, the administrator and analytics reporting module allowing an administrator to access data of the analytics repository, administration repository module, and the core services module.

20. The kiosk based battery rental system of claim 17 wherein the core services module of the server is configured to charge the payment information of the customer based on the payment information, to begin a timer for the time period and, upon expiration of the time period charge the payment information of the customer again, and restart the timer for the time period.