Battery exchange licensing program based on state of charge of battery pack

Abstract

A method and system are provided that manage an exchange of a vehicle power source. The system maintains a set of user or vehicle records for each of one or more users or vehicles and a set of equipment records for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment. The system receives a request to exchange a power source of the vehicle, identifies a service level of a plurality of service levels for the requested service based at least in part on the set of user or vehicle records and selects an available power source for the exchange based on the identified at least one service level and the set of equipment records.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing an exchange of a vehicle power source, the method comprising:
 maintaining a set of user or vehicle records for each of one or more users or vehicles;   maintaining a set of equipment records for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment;   receiving a request for service of a vehicle, the service comprising at least an exchange of a power source of the vehicle;   identifying at least one service level of a plurality of service levels for the requested service based at least in part on the set of user or vehicle records; and   selecting at least one available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle based on the identified at least one service level and the set of equipment records.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the at least one service level of the plurality of service levels for the requested service comprises determining whether the requested service is a prepaid service at a preselected service level of a plurality of service levels and wherein selecting at least one available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle comprises, in response to determining the requested service is a prepaid service at a preselected service level of a plurality of service levels, selecting an available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle based on the pre-elected service level. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the at least one service level has been preselected; and   in response to determining the at least one service level has been preselected, identifying the preselected service level, selecting the at least one available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle based on the preselected service level, determining a price or an incentive for using the at least one selected available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle, and providing the determined price or incentive to a user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, in response to determining a service level has been preselected:
 identifying one or more available power sources for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle;   determining a service level for each of the identified one or more available power sources;   determining a price or an incentive for using each of the identified available power sources for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle; and   providing the determined price or incentive for using each of the identified available power sources to a user.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle power source comprises a battery, wherein the plurality of service levels are defined based on a level of charge of a battery used for the exchange of the vehicle power source, wherein a first service level of the plurality of service levels is defined based on a level of charge that is higher than a level of charge defined for a second service level of the plurality of service levels, and wherein a cost for the first service level is higher than a cost for the second service level. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle power source comprises a battery, wherein the plurality of service levels are defined based on a state of life of a battery used for the exchange of the vehicle power source, wherein a first service level of the plurality of service levels is defined based on a state of life that is newer than a state of life defined for a second service level of the plurality of service levels, and wherein a cost for the first service level is higher than a cost for the second service level. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle power source comprises a battery, wherein the plurality of service levels are defined based on a historic number of charging cycles on a battery used for the exchange of the vehicle power source, wherein a first service level of the plurality of service levels is defined based on a higher number of charging cycles than a number of charging cycles defined for a second service level of the plurality of service levels, and wherein a cost for the first service level is higher than a cost for the second service level. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled with and readable by the processor and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to manage an exchange of a vehicle power source by:   maintaining a set of user or vehicle records for each of one or more users or vehicles;   maintaining a set of equipment records for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment;   receiving a request for service of a vehicle, the service comprising at least an exchange of a power source of the vehicle;   identifying at least one service level of a plurality of service levels for the requested service based at least in part on the set of user or vehicle records; and   selecting at least one available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle based on the identified at least one service level and the set of equipment records.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein identifying the at least one service level of the plurality of service levels for the requested service comprises determining whether the requested service is a prepaid service at a preselected service level of a plurality of service levels and wherein selecting at least one available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle comprises, in response to determining the requested service is a prepaid service at a preselected service level of a plurality of service levels, selecting an available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle based on the pre-elected service level. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein managing an exchange of a vehicle power source further comprises:
 determining whether the at least one service level has been preselected; and   in response to determining the at least one service level has been preselected, identifying the preselected service level, selecting the at least one available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle based on the preselected service level, determining a price or an incentive for using the at least one selected available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle, and providing the determined price or incentive to a user.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising, in response to determining a service level has been preselected:
 identifying one or more available power sources for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle;   determining a service level for each of the identified one or more available power sources;   determining a price or an incentive for using each of the identified available power sources for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle; and   providing the determined price or incentive for using each of the identified available power sources to a user.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the vehicle power source comprises a battery, wherein the plurality of service levels are defined based on a level of charge of a battery used for the exchange of the vehicle power source, wherein a first service level of the plurality of service levels is defined based on a level of charge that is higher than a level of charge defined for a second service level of the plurality of service levels, and wherein a cost for the first service level is higher than a cost for the second service level. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the vehicle power source comprises a battery, wherein the plurality of service levels are defined based on a state of life of a battery used for the exchange of the vehicle power source, wherein a first service level of the plurality of service levels is defined based on a state of life that is newer than a state of life defined for a second service level of the plurality of service levels, and wherein a cost for the first service level is higher than a cost for the second service level. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the vehicle power source comprises a battery, wherein the plurality of service levels are defined based on a historic number of charging cycles on a battery used for the exchange of the vehicle power source, wherein a first service level of the plurality of service levels is defined based on a higher number of charging cycles than a number of charging cycles defined for a second service level of the plurality of service levels, and wherein a cost for the first service level is higher than a cost for the second service level. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to manage an exchange of a vehicle power source by:
 maintaining a set of user or vehicle records for each of one or more users or vehicles;   maintaining a set of equipment records for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment;   receiving a request for service of a vehicle, the service comprising at least an exchange of a power source of the vehicle;   identifying at least one service level of a plurality of service levels for the requested service based at least in part on the set of user or vehicle records; and   selecting at least one available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle based on the identified at least one service level and the set of equipment records.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein identifying the at least one service level of the plurality of service levels for the requested service comprises determining whether the requested service is a prepaid service at a preselected service level of a plurality of service levels and wherein selecting at least one available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle comprises, in response to determining the requested service is a prepaid service at a preselected service level of a plurality of service levels, selecting an available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle based on the pre-elected service level. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein managing an exchange of a vehicle power source further comprises:
 determining whether the at least one service level has been preselected; and   in response to determining the at least one service level has been preselected, identifying the preselected service level, selecting the at least one available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle based on the preselected service level, determining a price or an incentive for using the at least one selected available power source for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle, and providing the determined price or incentive to a user.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising, in response to determining a service level has been preselected:
 identifying one or more available power sources for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle;   determining a service level for each of the identified one or more available power sources;   determining a price or an incentive for using each of the identified available power sources for the exchange of the power source of the vehicle; and   providing the determined price or incentive for using each of the identified available power sources to a user.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the vehicle power source comprises a battery, wherein the plurality of service levels are defined based on a level of charge of a battery used for the exchange of the vehicle power source, wherein a first service level of the plurality of service levels is defined based on a level of charge that is higher than a level of charge defined for a second service level of the plurality of service levels, and wherein a cost for the first service level is higher than a cost for the second service level. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the vehicle power source comprises a battery, wherein the plurality of service levels are defined based on a historic number of charging cycles on a battery used for the exchange of the vehicle power source, wherein a first service level of the plurality of service levels is defined based on a higher number of charging cycles than a number of charging cycles defined for a second service level of the plurality of service levels, and wherein a cost for the first service level is higher than a cost for the second service level.