Granted Patent B2

US 12,393,916 · App. 17/205,810 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Inventors: Norman Lu (Fairview, TX); Maximilian Parness (Takoma Park, MD)

Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

G06Q10/30G06F16/27G06Q10/08355

Abstract

Claims (65)

1. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a server device, a route to be traveled by a transport having a plurality of batteries each having an amount of charge;

identifying, by the server device, characteristics associated with passengers and cargo of the transport;

identifying, by the server device, an amount of charge that will be consumed by the transport traveling the route; and

in response to determining that the amount of charge that will be consumed is less than a total amount of charge of the plurality of batteries, decommissioning, by the server device, one or more batteries, of the plurality of batteries, so that the transport does not draw charge from the one or more batteries.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

receiving, by the server device, a request from the transport to locate a previously decommissioned charged battery at a location remote from the transport; and

sending, by the server device, an instruction to the transport to deviate from the route to the remote location for installation of the previously decommissioned charged battery.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

matching the one or more decommissioned batteries to another transport based on a level of charge of a battery of the another transport and on an amount of charge that the another transport will use.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

sending, by the server device, a notification to a user of the transport to remove the one or more decommissioned batteries from the transport.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

identifying, by the server, a number of batteries, of the plurality of batteries, to decommission based as a minimal number of batteries that provide a cumulative amount of charge above a threshold amount.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

identifying, by the server, that the transport requires an additional decommissioned battery to be installed;

identifying, by the server, that a single decommissioned battery having a sufficient amount of charge is not available within a certain distance of the transport;

identifying, by the server, a plurality of decommissioned batteries that together provide the sufficient amount of charge and that are located within the certain distance; and

directing, by the server, the transport to a location of the plurality of decommissioned batteries.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

sending, by the server, a charge level of a decommissioned battery to another transport;

in response, receiving, by the server, a charge level of a decommissioned battery of the another transport; and

directing, by the server, the transport and the another transport to a location to swap their respective decommissioned batteries.

8. A hardware-implemented server, comprising:

a processor that when executing instructions stored in an associated memory is configured to:

identify a route to be traveled by a transport having a plurality of batteries each having an amount of charge;

identify characteristics associated with passengers and cargo of the transport;

identifying, by the server device, an amount of charge that will be consumed by the transport traveling the route; and

in response to a determination that the amount of charge that will be consumed is less than a total amount of charge of the plurality of batteries, decommission one or more batteries, of the plurality of batteries, so that the transport does not draw charge from the one or more batteries.

9. The hardware-implemented server of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a request from the transport to locate a previously decommissioned charged battery at a location remote from the transport; and

send an instruction to the transport to deviate from the route to the remote location for installation of the previously decommissioned charged battery.

10. The hardware-implemented server of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

match the one or more decommissioned batteries to another transport based on a level of charge of a battery of the another transport and on an amount of charge that the another transport will use.

11. The hardware-implemented server of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

send a notification to a user of the transport to remove the one or more decommissioned batteries from the transport.

12. The hardware-implemented server of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that no other decommissioned batteries within range of the transport have needed charge for the route; and

identify a plurality of batteries within the range that have a cumulative charge similar to the needed charge in addition to a safety margin.

13. The hardware-implemented server of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify a number of batteries, of the plurality of batteries, to decommission based as a minimal number of batteries that provide a cumulative amount of charge above a threshold amount.

14. The hardware-implemented server of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

identifying, by the server, that the transport requires an additional decommissioned battery to be installed;

identifying, by the server, that a single decommissioned battery having a sufficient amount of charge is not available within a certain distance of the transport;

identifying, by the server, a plurality of decommissioned batteries that together provide the sufficient amount of charge and that are located within the certain distance; and

directing, by the server, the transport to a location of the plurality of decommissioned batteries.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform:

identifying a route to be traveled by a transport having a plurality of batteries each having an amount of charge;

identifying characteristics associated with passengers and cargo of the transport;

identifying an amount of charge that will be consumed by the transport traveling the route; and

in response to determining that the amount of charge that will be consumed is less than a total amount of charge of the plurality of batteries, decommissioning one or more batteries, of the plurality of batteries, so that the transport does not draw charge from the one or more batteries.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform:

receiving a request from the transport to locate a previously decommissioned charged battery at a location remote from the transport; and

sending an instruction to the transport to deviate from the route to the remote location for installation of the previously decommissioned charged battery.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform:

matching the one or more decommissioned batteries to another transport based on a level of charge of a battery of the another transport and on an amount of charge that the another transport will use.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform:

sending a notification to a user of the transport to remove the one or more decommissioned batteries from the transport.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform:

identifying a number of batteries, of the plurality of batteries, to decommission based as a minimal number of batteries that provide a cumulative amount of charge above a threshold amount.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform:

identifying that the transport requires an additional decommissioned battery to be installed;

identifying that a single decommissioned battery having a sufficient amount of charge is not available within a certain distance of the transport;

identifying a plurality of decommissioned batteries that together provide the sufficient amount of charge and that are located within the certain distance; and

directing the transport to a location of the plurality of decommissioned batteries.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (22)