Apparatus, method and article for reserving power storage devices at reserving power storage device collection, charging and distribution machines

• US 9,830,753 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Inventors: Luke, Hok-Sum Horace, Wu, Yi-Tsung, Chen, Jung-Hsiu, Wu, Yulin, Huang, Chien Ming, Chan, TsungTing, Chen, Shen-Chi, Yang, Feng Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Rodney
• Application Number:
  US13/559,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20130030580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• 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 58/16 : 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 displayed on a collection, charging and distribution machine. The locations are indicated on a graphical user interface on a map on a user'"'"'s mobile device relative to the user'"'"'s current location. The user may use their mobile device select particular locations on the map to reserve an available portable electrical energy storage device. The system nay also warn the user that the user is near an edge of the pre-determined area having portable electrical energy storage device collection, charging and distribution machines. Reservations may also be made automatically based on information regarding a potential route of a user.

Claims

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

at least one processor of the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines; and

at least one processor-readable memory of the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines that stores instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to;

receive user input at a collection, charging and distribution machine;

determine, by the at least one processor, whether a portable electrical energy storage device is available at the collection, charging and distribution machine; and

if it is determined, by the at least one processor, that a portable electrical energy storage device is not available at the collection, charging and distribution machine, instruct the collection, charging and distribution machine to output an indication, of one or more other collection, charging and distribution machines at which a portable electrical energy storage device is available.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions include instructions for displaying a map on which the location of a vehicle or a mobile device associated with a user record is indicated and on which the one or more other collection, charging and distribution machines at which the portable electrical energy storage device is available are indicated.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor executes instructions to determine whether a portable electrical energy storage device is available at the collection, charging and distribution machine based on an existence of and a charge level of one or more portable electrical energy storage devices at the collection, charging and distribution machine.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the at least one processor to:

receive a selection of one of the collection, charging and distribution machine locations indicated on the displayed map; and

communicating the selection to reserve an available portable electrical energy storage device at a collection, charging and distribution machine at the selected location.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the at least one processor to:

cause an indication to be displayed on a mobile device that the available portable electrical energy storage device at the collection, charging and distribution machine.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the at least one processor to:

cause an indication to be displayed on a mobile device or a vehicle associated with a user record of how much time is remaining until a reservation of the portable electrical energy storage device at the collection, charging and distribution machine expires.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the at least one processor to:

reserve, based on a planned trip, a first available portable electrical energy storage device at a first collection, charging and distribution machine; and

reserve, based on the planned trip, a second available portable electrical energy storage device at a second collection, charging and distribution machine.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the at least one processor to:

receive a location of a mobile device;

receive a planned trip from the mobile device; and

transmit a notification to the mobile device based on the location of the mobile device and the planned trip, wherein notification is indicative of an availability of available portable electrical energy storage devices along the planned trip.

23. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the at least one processor to:

receive a location of a mobile device;

transmit a first notification to the mobile device regarding the reserved first available portable electrical energy storage device based on the location of the mobile device; and

transmit a second notification to the mobile device regarding the reserved second available portable electrical energy storage device based on the location of the mobile device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the at least one processor to:

transmit a first notification to the mobile device regarding the reserved first available portable electrical energy storage device based on the planned trip; and

transmit a second notification to the mobile device regarding the reserved second available portable electrical energy storage device based on the planned trip.

25. The system of claim 8, wherein the notification includes a point-of-no-return notification.

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

receiving, by a computer processor, information regarding locations of plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines for portable electrical energy storage devices; and

communicating to a mobile device or a vehicle associated with a user record, by the computer processor, locations of one or more collection, charging and distribution machines based on historical driving routes associated with the user record; and

receiving, by the computer processor, information regarding a location of a mobile device or the vehicle associated with the user record, and wherein the locations that are communicated to the mobile device or vehicle associated with the user record are based on historical driving routes associated with the user record and that are one or more of;

within a particular distance from the location of the mobile device or the vehicle associated with the user record;

within a particular driving time from the location of the mobile device or the vehicle associated with the user record; and

both within the particular distance from the location of the user and within the particular driving time from the location of the user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, by the computer processor, a request originating from the mobile device or the vehicle associated with the user record to reserve a portable electrical energy storage device available at one of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines; and

in response to the request, reserving, for a limited period of time, by the computer processor, an available portable electrical energy storage device at the one of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines, wherein the limited period of time automatically expires if the one of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines is not reached in time to obtain the reserved available portable electrical energy storage device.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the particular distance is within approximately a ten kilometer radius from the location of the mobile device or the vehicle associated with the user record.

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

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the limited period of time is based on one or more of:

a distance of the collection, charging and distribution machine at which the available portable electrical energy storage device is reserved from the location of the mobile device or the vehicle associated with the user record and a driving time from the location of the mobile device or vehicle associated with the user record to the collection, charging and distribution machines at which the available portable electrical energy storage device is reserved.

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

receiving, by a computer processor of the system for reserving portable electrical energy storage devices, information regarding locations of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines for collection, charging and distribution of portable electrical energy storage devices;

receiving, by a computer processor of the system for reserving portable electrical energy storage devices, information regarding historical driving routes associated with a user record; and

reserving for a vehicle associated with the user record, by a computer processor of the system for reserving portable electrical energy storage devices, one or more available portable electrical energy storage devices at one or more corresponding collection, charging and distribution machines based on the information regarding historical driving routes associated with the user record.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein reserving the one or more available portable electrical energy storage devices includes reserving the one or more available portable electrical energy storage devices in response to an exchange of a portable electrical energy storage device at a particular collection, charging and distribution machine.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein receiving the information regarding historical driving routes associated with a user record includes receiving the information regarding the historical driving routes associated with the user record prior to the exchange of the portable electrical energy storage device at the particular collection, charging and distribution machine by the vehicle associated with the user record.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving the information regarding historical driving routes associated with the user record includes receiving the information regarding the historical driving routes associated with user record at the particular collection, charging and distribution machine.

18. A system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines for portable electrical energy storage devices comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one processor-readable memory that stores instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to;

receive user input at a collection, charging and distribution machine;

determine, by the at least one processor, whether a portable electrical energy storage device is available at the collection, charging and distribution machine; and

if it is determined, by the at least one processor, that a portable electrical energy storage device is not available at the collection, charging and distribution machine, instruct the collection, charging and distribution machine to output an indication of one or more other collection, charging and distribution machines at which a portable electrical energy storage device is available based on historical driving routes associated with a user record identified by the input.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the indication includes a map on which the location of a mobile device or a vehicle associated with the user record is indicated and on which the one or more other collection, charging and distribution machines at which the portable electrical energy storage device is available are indicated.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the at least one processor to:

receive, from the collection, charging and distribution machine, a request to reserve an available portable electrical energy storage device.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to further cause the at least one processor to:

receive, from a mobile device, a request to reserve an available portable electrical energy storage device.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the user input is transmitted to the collection, charging and distribution machine from a mobile device.