SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BATTERY REMEDIATION IN CONNECTION WITH AN ELECTRIC POWERED MOBIEL THING (EPMT)

• US 20120166240A1
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin Kelly Jones, Scott A. Horstemeyer
• Original Assignee: Martin Kelly Jones, Scott A. Horstemeyer
• Inventors: Jones, M. Kelly, Horstemeyer, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,058,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 53/305 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 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• 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

The present disclosure provides, among other things, various systems and methods for battery remediation in connection with electric powered mobile things (EPMTs). A representative method, among others, can be summarized by the following steps: monitoring electric power capacity (EPC) associated with locomotion of the EPMT; monitoring travel data relating to the EPMT; engaging in a communication session with a remote host computer system (H-CS) based upon the EPC monitoring; requesting assistance of a battery remediation station (BRS) during the communication session; communicating location information relating to the EPMT during the communication session so that the BRS can visit and remediate (recharge, repair, or replace) a battery associated with the EPMT. Upon receiving this information, the H-CS can contact and dispatch the BRS to visit the EPMT. A representative system, among others, comprises an EPMT-CS that is programmed or designed to perform the foregoing steps.

Claims

1. A method for a computer based system, comprising the steps of:

monitoring travel data associated with one or more BRSs;

engaging in an EPMT communication session with a party or a computer system associated with an EPMT;

receiving an EPMT battery remediation request relating to the EPMT during the communication session;

engaging in a BRS communication session with a party or computer system associated with the BRS; and

communicating a BRS battery remediation request to the BRS during the BRS communication session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving one or more of the following during the EPMT communication session:

a type of vehicle, a license plate number, a VIN, driver license information, a location of power port, an amount of recharge, a type of battery, whether a battery is stationary or removable, a type of connection port, a number of previous recharges, a condition of battery and/or battery cells, a number of batteries, a speed of battery remediation, a list of one or more acceptable specific or types of BRSs, billing information, credit card information, bank account charge information, a length of authorized recharge, control port information, power port information, a maximum monetary charge limit, a minimum acceptable recharge amount or minimum acceptable time that is available from the BRS.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving credit card information or accessing same in a database and causing a debit to a credit card based upon the recharge request.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating verification information to the EPMT that enables the EPMT to verify that the EPMT has found the BRS by exchanging the verification information with the EPMT.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the verification information includes a work order number, a code, or verification information that enables the EPMT to verify that the BRS is authorized or that enables the BRS to verify that the EPMT is authorized.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving availability information from one or more BRSs;

storing the information in a database;

accessing the database during or after the EPMT communication session; and

selecting the BRS based at least in part upon the availability information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving travel or location information from one or more BRSs;

storing the information in a database;

accessing the database during or after the EPMT communication session; and

selecting the BRS based at least in part upon the information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating control port and power port information associated with the EPMT to the BRS.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating with a government computer system that communicates information relating to acceptable battery remediation practices.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating one or more acceptable battery remediation locations in proximity of the BRS.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a fuel request during the communication session; and

communicating a fuel request to the BRS.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving location information relating to the EPMT during the communication session; and

communication location particulars of the EPMT, equivalent to or derived from, the location information during the BRS communication session.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating verification information to the EPMT that enables a party associated with the EPMT to verifty that the BRS was dispatched from the authorized source.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the authentication information is a link to a website that provides work order information.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of enabling a party to cancel, confirm, or modify an order.

16. A method for a computer system that dispatches BRSs, comprising the steps of:

storing location information and current battery power capacity information pertaining to EPMTs;

determining that an EPMT should be recharged; and

communicating a recharge request so that a BRS is dispatched to visit the EPMT.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of storing location information associated with BRSs.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of selecting a BRS to dispatch based upon its proximity to the EPMT that should be recharged.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of receiving the location information from a vehicle navigation system associated with the EPMT.

20. A method for a computer system, comprising:

storing location information pertaining to battery remediation stations (BRSs);

monitoring availability of the BRSs;

receiving a request from a requestor for a BRS; and

communicating an identification of one or more of the BRSs to the requestor.