Method and system for securing a vehicle offered for rent, and vehicle rental facility implementing such a system or such a method

• US 9,685,008 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluecarsharing (Bollore SA)
• Original Assignee: Bluecarsharing (Bollore SA)
• Inventors: Augustin, Aymeric, Lambrinos, Clement, Barrois, Raphael, Ressayre, Sandrine, Thieulent, Franck, Aaron, Francis, Perrier, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, ISAAC G
• Application Number:
  US14/348,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• Field of Search: 701 314, 701 315, 701 23, 4554041, 4554042, 3406361, 340428
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (200) for securing a traveling electric vehicle offered for rent; said method including the following steps: measuring (206) at least one value of at least one parameter relating to said vehicle, comparing (208) the value of said parameter to at least one predetermined value, and reporting (220) an anomaly, on the basis of the result of the comparison step; wherein the reporting step is initiated by a so-called central site remote from the vehicle. Said invention likewise relates to a system implementing such a method and an automated vehicle rental facility implementing such a method or such a system.

Claims

1. A method for securing a vehicle available for rental when it is being driven, said method comprising:

measuring at least one value of at least one parameter relating to a charge level of a battery of the vehicle, the vehicle belonging to an installation for automated rental of electrical vehicles comprising a central site and several rental stations;

comparing the at least one value of at least one parameter with at least one predetermined value of the battery;

signalling an anomaly in the vehicle, depending on the result of the comparison step, said signalling step being initiated by the central site; and

associating at least one item of vehicle data and/or one item of user data with an item of anomaly data in a database;

wherein the at least one predetermined value relates to a critical charge level and a low charge level of the battery, the method further comprising;

determining whether the at least one value of at least one parameter corresponds to between the low charge level and the critical charge level; and

in response to determining the at least one value of at least one parameter corresponds to between the low charge level and the critical charge level, initiating a first signalling sequence;

wherein the first signalling sequence includes;

sending a first message to the vehicle, wherein the first message includes a request to park the vehicle at a rental station of said installation, and

displaying the first message on a user interface of the vehicle;

the method further comprising;

determining whether the at least one value of the at least one parameter corresponds to below the critical charge level; and

in response to determining the at least one value of the at least one parameter corresponds to below the critical charge level, initiating a second signalling sequence;

wherein the second signalling sequence includes;

sending a second message to the vehicle, wherein the second message includes a request to park the vehicle by a roadside, and

displaying the second message on a user interface of the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the database is stored at the central site.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a sensor for measuring the at least one value of at least one parameter relating to the charge level.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one value of at least one the parameter is measured by the central site.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying at least one user renting the vehicle by reading an identifier, the identifier being associated with an item of identification data of the vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein at least one of:

the identifier is of the RFID type, or

the item of identification data of the vehicle is at the level of the remote site.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein signalling an anomaly comprises transmitting a light or audible signal on the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein signalling an anomaly comprises transmitting at least one item of notification data to a communication device of the user or of a third party.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the remote site is capable of initiating at least two signalling sequences, said method further comprising:

comparing the at least one value of at least one parameter with two predetermined values; and

determining the following;

if a signalling step is to be carried out depending on the result of the comparison of the at least one value of at least one parameter with a first predetermined value, and

which signalling sequence will be carried out during the signalling step depending on the result of the comparison of the at least one value of at least one parameter with the second predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message further includes a map with the location of the rental station thereupon.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signalling sequence further includes:

collecting the location of the vehicle; and

sending a third message to an operator, wherein the third message includes a request for assistance and the location of the vehicle.

10. A system for securing a vehicle available for rental when it is being driven, said system comprising:

a sensor for detecting the state of at least one parameter relating to a charge level of a battery of said vehicle, said vehicle belonging to an installation for automated rental of electrical vehicles comprising a central site and several rental stations;

a control module configured to compare the detected state of at least one parameter to at least one predetermined value;

a speaker or a display capable of being activated to signal an anomaly in the vehicle depending on the result of the comparison, wherein the speaker or the display is controlled by the central site; and

a database in which at least an item of anomaly data is associated with at least one item of vehicle data and/or one item of user data;

the central site sending at least a first message to the vehicle when the detected state of the at least one parameter corresponds to a value between a critical charge level and a low charge level of the battery, the first message including a request to park the vehicle at a rental station of the installation; and

the central site sending at least a second message to the vehicle when the detected state of the at least one parameter corresponds to a value below the critical charge level of the battery, the second message including a request to park the vehicle by a roadside.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the database is stored at a remote site.

14. A method for securing a rental vehicle powered by a battery, the vehicle belonging to an installation for automated rental of electrical vehicles comprising a central site and several rental stations, the method comprising:

measuring with a sensor on the vehicle a value of at least one parameter related to a charge level of the battery;

transmitting data related to the measured value to the central site over a wireless communications network;

determining with a processor at the central site whether the value of at least one parameter is between a low charge level and a critical charge level of the battery;

in response to determining the value of at least one parameter is between the low charge level and the critical charge level;

sending a first message from the central site to the vehicle over the wireless communications network; and

displaying the first message on a user interface of the vehicle;

the first message including a request to park the vehicle at a rental station of the installation;

determining whether the measured charge level is below the critical charge level; and

in response to determining the value of at least one parameter is below the critical charge level;

sending a second message from the central site to the vehicle; and

displaying the second message on the user interface of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second message includes a request to park the vehicle immediately.