System for charging mobile device using an ad-hoc infrastructure with energy harvesting capabilities

• US 9,887,566 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cogill, Randall L., Lee, Chungmok, Nabi, Zubair, Naoum-Sawaya, Joe, Rufli, Martin, Shorten, Robert, Tchrakian, Tigran, Verago, Rudi, Wirth, Fabian, Zhuk, Sergiy
• Primary Examiner(s): GRANT, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US14/980,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20170187210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• 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 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system and method for charging of a mobile device in an ad hoc charging system. A plurality of mobile device users are registered in the ad hoc charging system, each with a charging profile. A plurality of charging stations are registered in the ad hoc charging system, each with a charge supply profile. A mobile device user is authenticated as an ad hoc charging system registered user with one of the plurality of registered charging stations, thereby enabling a charging connection between the authenticated user and the one registered charging station. The charging of the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device is controlled according to the authenticated user'"'"'s charging profile and the one registered charging station'"'"'s charge supply profile. Energy monitoring, movement tracking, energy prediction, user notification and energy allocation features are also included.

Claims

1. A method for charging of a mobile device in an ad hoc charging system, the method comprising:

registering a plurality of mobile device users in an ad hoc parked vehicle charging system, the registration including a charging profile, the charging profile including limits on charging cost;

registering a plurality of vehicle charging stations in the ad hoc parked vehicle charging system, the registration including a charge supply profile, the charge supply profile including costs for charging;

authenticating a mobile device user as an ad hoc charging system registered user in the ad hoc parked vehicle charging system;

automatically enabling a wireless charging connection between the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device and a first parked registered vehicle charging station parked at a location within a preset distance of the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device;

automatically controlling charging the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device according to the authenticated user'"'"'s charging profile and the first parked registered vehicle charging station'"'"'s charge supply profile; and

automatically enabling the charging connection to the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device to hop from the first parked vehicle charging station to a second parked vehicle charging station as the authenticated user moves out of the preset distance with the first parked registered vehicle charging station and within the preset distance with the second parked registered vehicle charging station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the current charge of the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device, alerting the authenticated user that the current charge is below a threshold set in the user'"'"'s charging profile, locating one or more of the plurality of registered vehicle charging stations within a preset distance range of the authenticated user and sending the location information of the one or more registered vehicle charging stations within the preset distance range to the authenticated user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising selecting one of the one or more registered vehicle charging stations within the preset distance range of the authenticated user based on an energy allocation criteria and automatically establishing a charging connection between the authenticated user and the selected registered vehicle charging station for charging the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one registered vehicle charging station automatically recognizes a mobile device within a preset distance as being a registered mobile device user and performs the authentication with the recognized registered mobile device user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the registered user is authenticated to obtain charge from a set of the plurality registered vehicle charging stations based on the authentication at the one registered vehicle charging station, each registered vehicle charging station in the set of the plurality of registered vehicle charging stations being identified as being part of the set in the charge supply profile of the registered vehicle charging station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of registered vehicle charging stations are one of an electric vehicle and a hybrid electric vehicle and wherein the method further includes tracking the location of the vehicles.

7. The method of claim 3, further including filtering the registered vehicle charging stations within the preset distance range based on a degree of a match between the charging profile of the authenticated user and the charge supply profile of the registered vehicle charging stations within the preset distance range and sending the location information of the one or more registered vehicle charging stations found to be within the degree of the match.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising predicting the mobile device energy usage of a registered mobile device user and sending an alert to the mobile device user that the current charge of the mobile device is insufficient for the predicted energy usage.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising tracking the location of the registered user and selecting one of the one or more registered vehicle charging stations within the preset distance range of the authenticated user based on the tracked location of the registered user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking the energy use and movement history of a registered mobile device user, predicting the mobile device energy usage of a registered mobile device user and sending a notice to the mobile device user suggesting alternative paths of travel based on the number vehicle charging stations available on each alternative path.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising tracking the energy use and movement history of registered mobile device users, predicting the mobile device energy usage of registered mobile device users and sending a notice to registered vehicle charging station vehicles suggesting locations to park the vehicles based on a probability of connecting with registered mobile device users needing a charge.

12. A computer system for charging of a mobile device in an ad hoc charging system, comprising:

a server having one or more computer processors, one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media and program instructions, stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media, which when implemented by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to perform the steps of;

registering a plurality of mobile device users in an ad hoc parked vehicle charging system, the registration including a charging profile, the charging profile including limits on charging cost;

registering a plurality of vehicle charging stations in the ad hoc parked vehicle charging system, the registration including a charge supply profile, the charge supply profile including costs for charging;

authenticating a mobile device user as an ad hoc charging system registered user in the ad hoc parked vehicle charging system;

automatically enabling a wireless charging connection between the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device and authenticating first parked registered vehicle charging station parked at a location within a preset distance of the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device;

automatically controlling charging the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device according to the authenticated user'"'"'s charging profile and the first parked registered vehicle charging station'"'"'s charge supply profile; and

automatically enabling the charging connection to the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device to hop from the first parked vehicle charging station to a second parked vehicle charging station as the authenticated user moves out of the preset distance with the first parked registered vehicle charging station and within the preset distance with the second parked registered vehicle charging station.

13. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising monitoring the current charge of the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device, alerting the authenticated user that the current charge is below a threshold set in the user'"'"'s charging profile, locating one or more of the plurality of registered vehicle charging stations within a preset distance range of the authenticated user and sending the location information of the one or more registered vehicle charging stations within the preset distance range to the authenticated user.

14. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

tracking the location of the registered user;

selecting one of the one or more registered vehicle charging stations within the preset distance range of the authenticated user based on the tracked location of the registered user and based on an energy allocation criteria; and

automatically establishing a charging connection between the authenticated user and the selected registered vehicle charging station for charging the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the registered user is authenticated to obtain charge from a set of the plurality registered vehicle charging stations based on the authentication at the one registered vehicle charging station, each registered vehicle charging station in the set of the plurality of registered vehicle charging stations being identified as being part of the set in the charge supply profile of the registered vehicle charging station.

16. The computer of claim 14, further including filtering the registered vehicle charging stations within the preset distance range based on a degree of a match between the charging profile of the authenticated user and the charge supply profile of the registered vehicle charging stations within the preset distance range and sending the location information of the one or more registered vehicle charging stations found to be within the degree of the match.

17. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising predicting the mobile device energy usage of a registered mobile device user and sending an alert to the mobile device user that the current charge of the mobile device is insufficient for the predicted energy usage.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising tracking the energy use and movement history of one or more registered mobile device user, predicting the mobile device energy usage of one or more registered mobile device user and sending a notice to one or more mobile device users suggesting alternative paths of travel based on the number of vehicle charging stations available on each alternative path, and sending a notice to one or more registered vehicle charging stations suggesting locations to park the vehicles based on a probability of connecting with registered mobile device users needing a charge.

19. A non-transitory article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions, which when implemented, cause a computer to perform the steps of a method for controlling one or more drones to respond to a request for information, comprising;

registering a plurality of mobile device users in an ad hoc parked vehicle charging system, the registration including a charging profile, the charging profile including limits on charging cost;

registering a plurality of vehicle charging stations in the ad hoc parked vehicle charging system, the registration including a charge supply profile, the charge supply profile including costs for charging;

authenticating a mobile device user as an ad hoc charging system registered user in the ad hoc parked vehicle charging system;

automatically enabling a wireless charging connection between the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device and a first parked registered vehicle charging station parked at a location within a preset distance of the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device;

automatically controlling charging the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device according to the authenticated user'"'"'s charging profile and the first parked registered vehicle charging station'"'"'s charge supply profile; and

automatically enabling the charging connection to the authenticated user'"'"'s mobile device to hop from the first parked vehicle charging station to a second parked vehicle charging station as the authenticated user moves out of the preset distance with the first parked registered vehicle charging station and within the preset distance with the second parked registered vehicle charging station.

20. The non-transitory article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the registered user is authenticated to obtain charge from a set of the plurality registered vehicle charging stations based on the authentication at the one registered vehicle charging station, each registered vehicle charging station in the set of the plurality of registered vehicle charging stations being identified as being part of the set in the charge supply profile of the registered charging station.