Apparatus, method and article for providing locations of power storage device collection, charging and distribution machines

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 a navigation system of a user's vehicle. The locations are indicated on a graphical user interface on a map relative to the user's current location. The user may select particular locations on the map to reserve an available portable electrical energy storage device at a particular collection, charging and distribution machine location. The collection, charging and distribution machine locations displayed may also be based on a physical distance or driving time from the current location of the user mobile device or vehicle.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines for collection, charging and distribution of portable electrical energy storage devices, the method comprising:
 receiving information regarding locations of one or more of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines that are one or more of: within a particular distance from a location of a user and within a particular driving time from the location of the user; and   displaying a map on which the location of the user is indicated and on which one or more of the locations of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines are indicated, wherein the one or more of the locations of the collection, charging and distribution machines displayed on the map are selectable by the user for the user to proceed to a selected one of the displayed locations of the collection, charging and distribution machines.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving information regarding the current location of the user; and 
 comparing the current location of the user with the locations of the one or more of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 indicating on the displayed map the location of the user and the locations of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines based on the comparison of the current location of the user with the locations of the one or more of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 indicating on the displayed map whether a portable electrical energy storage device is available at each of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines for which a location is indicated on the displayed map. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving information regarding availability of portable electrical energy storage devices at each of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines; and 
 indicating on the displayed map locations only of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines at which at least one portable electrical energy storage device is available based on the received information regarding availability of portable electrical energy storage devices. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving from the user 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. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 displaying an indication on a device of the user that the available portable electrical energy storage device at the collection, charging and distribution machine at the selected location has been reserved for the user. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 displaying an indication on a device of the user of how much time is remaining until a reservation of the portable electrical energy storage device at the collection, charging and distribution machine at the selected location expires. 
 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of the system for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 receive information regarding locations of one or more of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines that are one or more of: within a particular distance from a location of a user and within a particular driving time from the location of the user; and   display a map on which the location of the user is indicated and on which one or more of the locations of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines are indicated, wherein the one or more of the locations of the collection, charging and distribution machines displayed on the map are selectable by the user for the user to proceed to a selected one of the displayed locations of the collection, charging and distribution machines.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9  wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 receive information regarding the current location of the user; and 
 compare the current location of the user with the locations of the one or more of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines. 
 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10  wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 indicate on the displayed map the location of the user and the locations of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines based on the comparison of the current location of the user with the locations of the one or more of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines. 
 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11  wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 indicate on the displayed map whether a portable electrical energy storage device is available at each of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines for which a location is indicated on the displayed map. 
 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9  wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 receive information regarding availability of portable electrical energy storage devices at each of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines; and 
 indicate on the displayed map locations only of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines at which at least one portable electrical energy storage device is available based on the received information regarding availability of portable electrical energy storage devices. 
 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9  wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 receive from the user a selection of one of the collection, charging and distribution machine locations indicated on the displayed map; and 
 communicate the selection to reserve an available portable electrical energy storage device at a collection, charging and distribution machine at the selected location. 
 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14  wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 display an indication on a device of the user that the available portable electrical energy storage device at the collection, charging and distribution machine at the selected location has been reserved for the user. 
 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14  wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 display an indication on a device of the user of how much time is remaining until a reservation of the portable electrical energy storage device at the collection, charging and distribution machine at the selected location expires. 
 
     
     
         17 . A method for providing locations of collection, charging and distribution machines for collection, charging and distribution of portable electrical energy storage devices, the method comprising:
 receiving information regarding locations of one or more of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines based on a location of a user; and   displaying a map on which the location of the user is indicated and on which one or more of the locations of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines are indicated, wherein the one or more of the locations of the collection, charging and distribution machines displayed on the map are selectable by the user for the user to proceed to a selected one of the displayed locations of the collection, charging and distribution machines.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 receiving information regarding the current location of the user; and 
 comparing the current location of the user with the locations of the one or more of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 indicating on the displayed map the location of the user and the locations of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines based on the comparison of the current location of the user with the locations of the one or more of a plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 indicating on the displayed map whether a portable electrical energy storage device is available at each of the one or more of the plurality of collection, charging and distribution machines for which a location is indicated on the displayed map.