IP Library Granted Patent US 11,374,421
Granted Patent B2
US 11,374,421 · App. 16/705,011 · Granted Jun 28, 2022

Rechargeable battery kiosk that dynamically alters a charging rate of rechargeable batteries based on usage data

Inventors: Ashley Cooper (San Francisco, CA); Paul Durkee (San Francisco, CA); Celina Mikolajczak (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Neutron Holdings, Inc.
H02J7/007B60L53/62B60L53/80B60L58/16H02J7/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,374,421
App. No.
16/705,011
Granted
Jun 28, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A rechargeable battery kiosk can dynamically alter a charging rate of one or more rechargeable batteries housed within the rechargeable battery kiosk to increase a probability that the rechargeable battery kiosk has an ample supply of fully charged, or mostly fully charged, rechargeable batteries based on an anticipated usage data for the rechargeable battery kiosk.

Claims (46)

1. A method, comprising:

communicating with a computing device comprising one or more input devices and one or more output devices;

receiving, at a rechargeable battery kiosk, anticipated usage data for the rechargeable battery kiosk for a given duration of time, wherein the anticipated usage data is based, at least in part, on one or more of

historical usage data of rechargeable batteries at the rechargeable battery kiosk;

current rechargeable battery usage information in an area associated with the rechargeable battery kiosk; and

a request for one or more of a plurality of rechargeable batteries housed in the rechargeable battery kiosk;

in response to receiving the anticipated usage data, selecting, by the rechargeable battery kiosk, a rechargeable battery from the plurality of rechargeable batteries;

charging the selected rechargeable battery at a first charging rate while charging at least one of the plurality of rechargeable batteries at a second charging rate that is different from the first charging rate;

initiating an increase in the first charging rate when compared to the second charging rate based on the request for one or more of a plurality of rechargeable batteries housed in the rechargeable battery kiosk; and

transmitting a status of the selected rechargeable battery to the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first charging rate is faster than the second charging rate.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a state of health of each rechargeable battery in the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the selected rechargeable battery has fewer charging cycles when compared with the charging cycles of each of the other rechargeable batteries in the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, based, at least in part, on information provided by each of the plurality of rechargeable batteries, a charge level for each rechargeable battery in the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein selecting the rechargeable battery from the plurality of rechargeable batteries is based, at least in part, the charge levels of the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the rechargeable battery kiosk, an amount of time required to substantially charge the selected rechargeable battery.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising initiating the charging of the selected rechargeable battery at the first charging rate at the amount of time prior to the given duration of time.

9. A charging control system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the charging control system to

receive anticipated usage data for a rechargeable battery kiosk for a given duration of time, wherein the anticipated usage data is based, at least in part, on one or more of historical usage data of rechargeable batteries at the rechargeable battery kiosk, wherein the rechargeable battery kiosk is communicatively coupled to a computing device comprising one or more input devices and one or more output devices, wherein the rechargeable battery kiosk increases a charging rate of a requested battery when compared to other batteries housed in the rechargeable battery kiosk; and transmits a status of the selected rechargeable battery to the computing device;

current rechargeable battery usage information in an area associated with the rechargeable battery kiosk; or

requests for one or more of a plurality of rechargeable batteries housed in the rechargeable battery kiosk;

in response to receiving the anticipated usage data, select a rechargeable battery from the plurality of rechargeable batteries; and

cause the rechargeable battery kiosk to charge the selected rechargeable battery at a first charging rate while charging at least one of the plurality of rechargeable batteries at a second charging rate that is different from the first charging rate.

10. The charging control system of claim 9 , wherein the duration of time is one or more blocks of time during a particular day.

11. The charging control system of claim 9 , further comprising instructions for determining, based, at least in part, on information provided by each of the plurality of rechargeable batteries, a number of charging cycles of each rechargeable battery in the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

12. The charging control system of claim 11 , wherein the selected rechargeable battery has fewer charging cycles when compared with the charging cycles of each of the other rechargeable batteries in the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

13. The charging control system of claim 9 , further comprising instructions for determining, based, at least in part, on information provided by each of the plurality of rechargeable batteries, a charge level for each rechargeable battery in the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

14. The charging control system of claim 13 , wherein selecting the rechargeable battery from the plurality of rechargeable batteries is based, at least in part, the charge levels of the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

15. The charging control system of claim 9 , further comprising instructions for determining an amount of time required to substantially charge the selected rechargeable battery.

16. The charging control system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for initiating the charging of the selected rechargeable battery at the first charging rate at the amount of time prior to the given duration of time.

17. A rechargeable battery kiosk, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory resources, coupled to the one or more processors, storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the rechargeable battery kiosk to:

receive a request for a rechargeable battery exchange:

in response to the request, receiving, in a first battery bay, a first rechargeable battery;

receiving, anticipated usage data for the rechargeable battery kiosk, wherein the anticipated usage data is based, at least in part, on one or more of historical usage data of rechargeable batteries at the rechargeable battery kiosk;

current rechargeable battery usage information in an area associated with the rechargeable battery kiosk; and

requests for one or more of a plurality of rechargeable batteries housed in the rechargeable battery kiosk;

in response to receiving the anticipated usage data, charging the first rechargeable battery at a first charging rate while charging at least one of the plurality of rechargeable batteries at a second charging rate that is different from the first charging rate; and

releasing a second rechargeable battery from a second battery bay;

wherein the rechargeable battery kiosk is communicatively coupled to a computing device comprising one or more input devices and one or more output devices, wherein the rechargeable battery kiosk increases a charging rate of a requested battery when compared to other batteries housed in the rechargeable battery kiosk; and transmits a status of the selected rechargeable battery to the computing device.

18. The rechargeable battery kiosk of claim 17 , wherein the anticipated usage data is associated with a particular duration of time.

19. The rechargeable battery kiosk of claim 17 , further comprising instructions for determining, based, at least in part, on information provided by each of the plurality of rechargeable batteries, a number of charging cycles of each rechargeable battery in the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

20. The rechargeable battery kiosk of claim 19 , wherein the selected rechargeable battery has fewer charging cycles when compared with the charging cycles of each of the other rechargeable batteries in the plurality of rechargeable batteries.

Assignments (7)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2023
From: NEUTRON HOLDINGS, INC.
To: DIAMETER FINANCE ADMINISTRATON LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 065181/0082 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2023
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: NEUTRON HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 065180/0812 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: NEUTRON HOLDINGS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 056484/0244 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2020
From: NEUTRON HOLDINGS, INC.
To: NEUTRON HOLDINGS, INC. DBA LIME
Reel/Frame 053322/0431 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2020
From: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: NEUTRON HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053243/0233 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2020
From: SOCIAL BICYCLES LLC
To: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 053001/0557 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2020
From: COOPER, ASHLEY; DURKEE, PAUL; MIKOLAJCZAK, CELINA
To: SOCIAL BICYCLES LLC
Reel/Frame 052624/0588 →