Apparatus, method and article for providing locations of power storage device collection, charging and distribution machines

• US 8,862,388 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Inventors: Wu, Yi-Tsung, Taylor, Matthew Whiting, Luke, Hok-Sum Horace, Chen, Jung-Hsiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US13/559,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20130030696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/36, 701/431, 701/409, 180/271, 705/412, 320/107, 320/109, 320/110, 320/112, 320/113
• US Class Current: 701/425
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/16 DC brushless machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 : by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 : Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/645 : Type of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 : Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 : by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 : by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/18 : by enquiring driving style
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 : drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 : relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• 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 50/66 : Arrangements of batteries
• 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 58/12 : responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 : output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 : Saving storage space on storage systems
• 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 5/00 : Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 : wherein the data carrier is removable
• 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 2010/4278 : 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 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 7/00045 : 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 7/007 : 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 (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors or ultracapacitors). Locations of collection, charging and distribution machines having available charged portable electrical energy storage devices are communicated to or acquired by a mobile device of a user or a navigation system of a user'"'"'s vehicle. The locations are indicated on a graphical user interface on a map relative to the user'"'"'s current location. The user may select particular locations on the map to reserve an available portable electrical energy storage device at a particular collection, charging and distribution machine location. The collection, charging and distribution machine locations displayed may also be based on a physical distance or driving time from the current location of the user mobile device or vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of operating a system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines for collection, charging and distribution of portable electrical energy storage devices, the method comprising:

receiving, by the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, information regarding locations of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines for collection, charging and distribution of portable electrical energy storage devices, wherein the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines includes at least one computer processor coupled to a memory;

receiving, by the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, information regarding a location of a user;

determining, by a computer processor of the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, based on the information regarding the locations, locations of a group of collection, charging and distribution machines within the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines that are one or more of;

within a particular distance from the location of the user and within a particular driving time from the location of the user; and

communicating to the user, by a computer processor of the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, the determined locations of the group of collection, charging and distribution machines within the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines that are one or more of;

within a particular distance from the location of the user and within a particular driving time from the location of the user, wherein the determined locations of the group of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines are selectable by the user for the user to proceed to a selected one of the determined locations of the group of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the particular distance is within approximately a ten kilometer radius from the location of the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the driving time is approximately fifteen minutes.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communicating to the user the determined locations of the group of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines includes communicating to a mobile device of the user locations of one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines that are both within the particular distance from the location of the user and within the particular driving time from the location of the user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating to a mobile device of the user how many portable electrical energy storage devices are available at each collection, charging and distribution machine of the group of collection, charging and distribution machines.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request originating from the user to reserve a portable electrical energy storage device available at one of the group of collection, charging and distribution machines; and

in response to the request, reserving for the user an available portable electrical energy storage device at the one of the group of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating to the user how many portable electrical energy storage devices are available at each of the group of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines; and

communicating to the user types of portable electrical energy storage devices that are available at each of the group of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining, based on the information regarding the locations of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines, is based on one or more of:

historical driving routes of the user, the current direction the user is traveling.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the available portable electrical energy storage device is reserved for a limited amount of time for the user.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the reserving for the user an available portable electrical energy storage device includes decreasing a stored value indicative of how many portable electrical energy storage devices are available at the one of the group of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the limited amount of time is based on one or more of:

a distance of the one of the group of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines at which the available portable electrical energy storage device is reserved from the location of the user and a driving time from the location of the user to the one of the group of collection, charging and distribution machines at which the available portable electrical energy storage device is reserved.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the limited amount of time is approximately fifteen minutes.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving a request originating from the user to reserve a portable electrical energy storage device of a particular type of the types of portable electrical energy storage devices that are available at the each of the group of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines; and

in response to the request, reserving for the user an available portable electrical energy storage device of the particular type at the one of the group of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines.

14. A method of operating a system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines for collection, charging and distribution of portable electrical energy storage devices, the method comprising:

receiving, by the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, information regarding locations of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines for collection, charging and distribution of portable electrical energy storage devices, wherein the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines includes at least one computer processor coupled to a memory;

receiving, by the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, information regarding a location of a user;

determining, by the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, locations of one or more the collection, charging and distribution machines to communicate to the user;

communicating to the user, by the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, an incentive for the user to exchange or return a portable electrical energy storage device of the user to the determined one or more of the collection, charging and distribution machines that are further away from the user than one or more other closer collection, charging and distribution machines of the collection, charging and distribution machines that also have available portable electrical energy storage devices.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining, by the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, locations of one or more the collection, charging and distribution machines to communicate to the user includes selecting locations of one or more the collection, charging and distribution machines to communicate to the user to head off or smooth out an anticipated spike in demand for portable electrical energy storage devices at one or more of the collection, charging and distribution machines.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining, by the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines, locations of one or more the collection, charging and distribution machines to communicate to the user is based on relative demand of charged portable electrical energy storage devices at one or more of the collection, charging and distribution machines.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the incentive for the user to exchange or return a portable electrical energy storage device of the user to the determined one or more of the collection, charging and distribution machines that are further away from the user than one or more other closer collection, charging and distribution machines of the collection, charging and distribution machines that also have available portable electrical energy storage devices is an incentive for the user to exchange or return a portable electrical energy storage device of the user to one or more of the collection, charging and distribution machines that are currently experiencing less demand than the closer collection, charging and distribution machines.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the one or more other closer collection, charging and distribution machines that also have available portable electrical energy storage devices are currently experiencing higher demand than the determined one or more of the collection, charging and distribution machines that are further away from the user.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the incentive is redeemable as a discount or credit on fees related to the use of one or more of the collection, charging and distribution machines.