Portable Power Solutions

• US 20180123361A1
• Filed: 12/27/2017
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicharge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Oomf, Inc.
• Inventors: Gray, Gavin
• Granted Patent: US 10,630,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

The system includes a device activation module and a system monitoring module in resources accessible to the system operator over the wide area network. In one embodiment, the method operates to process collateral received by the resources from a client device possessed by a user interested in activating an AC output included in a charger selected by the user from the plurality of portable chargers. Further, if the collateral is accepted, an authorization is wirelessly communicated from the device activation module to the client device, a device activation signal wirelessly communicated from the client device following a receipt of the authorization is received by the charger selected by the user, and the AC output included in the charger selected by the user is activated following a receipt of the device activation signal.

Claims

1. A system for remote monitoring and management of chargers providing an AC output in a portable, hand-held form factor, the monitoring and management functionality accessible to a system operator over a wide area network, the system comprising:

a plurality of portable chargers each including an internal battery, a first charging output coupled to the internal battery and configured to provide AC charging power and at least one additional charging output coupled to the internal battery, the at least one additional charging output selected from a group consisting of;

an inductive charger and a plug-in DC charger; and

an enclosure coupled to a source of AC power suitable for recharging the plurality of portable chargers, the enclosure including a plurality of bays each configured to receive one of the plurality of portable chargers, respectively, each of the plurality of bays including an electrical connection configured to couple to the internal battery of the respective portable charger to provide power to recharge the internal battery; and

resources accessible to the system operator over the wide area network to allow the system operator to monitor and manage an operation of the plurality of portable chargers, the resources including;

a device activation module configured to permit users to activate a charger selected from the plurality of portable chargers following a receipt of collateral provided by the user via a client device, the device activation resulting in charging power being made available at each of the first charging output and the at least one additional charging output; and

a system monitoring module configured to provide the system operator with information concerning an operational status of each of the plurality of portable chargers, the operational status including information selected from a group consisting of;

usage statistics, a projected life of the internal battery, and a current charge status of the internal battery.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the client device is a first wireless communication device configured to wirelessly couple to the resources.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second wireless communication device configured to wirelessly couple to the plurality of portable chargers,

wherein the second wireless communication device is configured to wirelessly communicate the information concerning the operational status to the system monitoring module.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the device activation module is configured to communicate a device activation signal to client device, and

wherein the charger selected from the plurality of chargers is configured to provide power at the first charging output and at the at least one additional charging output when the device activation signal is received from the client device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the device activation module is configured to maintain the charger selected from the plurality of chargers in an off-state pending an acceptance of the collateral provided by the user.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the device activation module is configurable by the system operator to accept collateral of a pre-determined type selected by the system operator.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the pre-determined type of collateral is selected from a group consisting of:

a monetary payment;

an interaction by the user with content hosted on the resources and delivered to the client device;

an authenticated identity of the user; and

payment-account information of the user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the resources include a user management module configured to allow each of a plurality of users to establish an account to uniquely identity the user, respectively, and

wherein the user management module is accessible to the system operator to establish one or more permissions for each of the plurality of users, the permissions established by the system operator based on conditions selected from a group consisting of:

acceptance of a user identity;

an identification of a geographic location of the plurality of portable chargers accessible to the respective user; and

a venue accessible to the respective user.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first charging output is configured to provide 120 VAC charging power rated at 75 Watts or greater.

10. A method of remotely monitoring and managing, over a wide area network, an operation and deployment of a plurality of portable chargers each providing an AC output in a hand-held form factor by a system operator, the method comprising:

including a device activation module and a system monitoring module in resources accessible to the system operator over the wide area network;

processing collateral received by the resources from a client device possessed by a user interested in activating an AC output included in a charger selected by the user from the plurality of portable chargers; and

if the collateral is accepted;

wirelessly communicating an authorization from the device activation module to the client device;

receiving, by the charger selected by the user, a device activation signal wirelessly communicated from the client device following a receipt of the authorization; and

activating the AC output included in the charger selected by the user following a receipt of the device activation signal.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

coupling each of the plurality of portable chargers to a wireless communication device when the plurality of chargers are deployed; and

receiving, by the system monitoring module, information communicated wirelessly from the wireless communication device the information concerning an operational status of each of the plurality of portable chargers, the operational status including information selected from a group consisting of;

usage statistics, a projected life of the internal battery, and a current charge status of the internal battery.