RENTAL SYSTEM AND RENTAL MANAGEMENT METHOD

• US 20160267579A1
• Filed: 02/20/2016
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: TOYA, SHOICHI
• Application Number:
  US15/049,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20160267579A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A rental system includes a first acquirer that acquires first identification information, which is identification information of a user, from a storage device in which the first identification information is stored; a second acquirer that acquires second identification information, which is identification information of a first battery pack, which is a battery pack for rent, from a storage provided in the first battery pack; control circuitry that associates the first identification information acquired by the first acquirer and the second identification information acquired by the second acquirer with each other when the first battery pack is rented to the user; and a storage in which the first identification information and the second identification information are stored in association with each other.

Claims

1. A rental system comprising:

a first acquirer that acquires first identification information, which is identification information of a user, from a storage device in which the first identification information is stored;

a second acquirer that acquires second identification information, which is identification information of a first battery pack, which is a battery pack for rent, from a storage provided in the first battery pack;

control circuitry that associates the first identification information acquired by the first acquirer and the second identification information acquired by the second acquirer with each other when the first battery pack is rented to the user; and

a storage in which the first identification information and the second identification information are stored in association with each other.

2. The rental system according to claim 1, wherein:

the second acquirer further acquires information indicative of a first degree of degradation, which is a degree of degradation of the first battery pack; and

the information indicative of the first degree of degradation acquired by the second acquirer is further stored in the storage included in the rental system.

3. The rental system according to claim 2, further comprising an output unit that acquires the information indicative of the first degree of degradation from the storage included in the rental system and outputs the information indicative of the first degree of degradation when the first battery pack is rented to the user.

4. The rental system according to claim 3, wherein

the output unit outputs the information indicative of the first degree of degradation on a display screen.

5. The rental system according to claim 1, wherein:

the second acquirer further acquires third identification information, which is identification information of a second battery pack, which is a battery pack owned by the user, from a storage provided in the second battery pack;

the control circuitry further associates the first identification information acquired by the first acquirer and the third identification information acquired by the second acquirer with each other when the first battery pack is rented to the user by exchange between the first battery pack and the second battery pack; and

the first identification information and the third identification information are further stored in association with each other in the storage included in the rental system.

6. The rental system according to claim 5, further comprising a notifier that notifies the user of completion of charge upon completion of charge of the second battery pack.

7. The rental system according to claim 1, wherein

when the first battery pack is returned from the user, the control circuitry compares the first identification information acquired by the first acquirer and the second identification information acquired by the second acquirer with the first identification information and the second identification information that are associated with each other by the control circuitry and stored in the storage included in the rental system when the first battery pack is rented to the user.

8. The rental system according to claim 1, wherein

the control circuitry performs processing for imposing a penalty on the user in a case where the first battery pack is returned from the user past a return deadline.

9. The rental system according to claim 2, wherein

the control circuitry performs processing for imposing a penalty on the user in a case where it is determined that the first degree of degradation acquired when the first battery pack is returned from the user is higher by a predetermined value than that acquired when the first battery pack is rented to the user on the basis of the information indicative of the first degree of degradation acquired by the second acquirer when the first battery pack is returned from the user and the information indicative of the first degree of degradation stored in the storage included in the rental system when the first battery pack is rented to the user.

10. The rental system according to claim 1, wherein

the second acquirer further acquires information indicative of a state of the first battery pack when the first battery pack is returned from the user;

and

the control circuitry performs processing for imposing a penalty on the user in a case where it is determined that the first battery pack has abnormality in accordance with the information indicative of the state of the first battery pack.

11. The rental system according to claim 2, wherein

the second acquirer further acquires information indicative of a second degree of degradation, which is a degree of degradation of a second battery pack, which is a battery pack brought by the user;

and

the control circuitry selects, as the first battery pack rented to the user, a battery pack whose degree of degradation is equal to or lower than the second degree of degradation from among a plurality of battery packs for rent when the first battery pack is rented to the user by exchange between the first battery pack and the second battery pack.

12. The rental system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connector that is electrically connected to the first battery pack; and

a discharger that discharges the first battery pack connected to the connector,

the connector being integral with the second acquirer, and

the second acquirer being located so as to be able to acquire the second identification information from the storage provided in the first battery pack when the first battery pack and the connector are connected to each other.

13. The rental system according to claim 12, further comprising a first inspector that inspects whether or not the first battery pack is discharged by using the discharger when the first battery pack and the discharger are electrically connected to each other via the connector.

14. The rental system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a charger that charges the first battery pack connected to the connector; and

a second inspector that inspects whether or not the first battery pack is charged by using the charger when the first battery pack and the charger are electrically connected to each other via the connector.

15. The rental system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a housing in which a plurality of battery packs including the first battery pack are contained;

a connector that is provided in the housing and is electrically connected to each of the plurality of battery packs; and

a charger that charges the plurality of battery packs connected to the connector by using electric power from an external power supply;

the second acquirer being located so as to be able to acquire identification information of each of the plurality of battery packs from a plurality of storages provided in the plurality of battery packs connected to the connector in the housing.

16. A rental management method performed by a rental system, comprising:

acquiring first identification information, which is identification information of a user, from a storage device in which the first identification information is stored;

acquiring second identification information, which is identification information of a first battery pack, which is a battery pack for rent, from a storage provided in the first battery pack; and

causing the acquired first identification information and the acquired second identification information to be stored in a storage included in the rental system when the first battery pack is rented to the user.