Portable Battery Rental System with Usage Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electrical storage devices face issues with battery deterioration due to inappropriate usage and incompatible electrical devices, making it challenging for rental companies to manage and maintain their rental products effectively.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus and method that acquires usage circumstances of portable electrical storage devices, estimates connected electrical device types based on voltage and current measurements, and provides warnings or surcharges for undesirable load characteristics, while also determining the degree of battery deterioration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If rental companies provide portable electrical storage devices to users, then users can access power supply needs away from home, but battery deterioration is hastened due to inappropriate usage and incompatible electrical devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where usage information (voltage, current, power consumption patterns) is continuously collected from the portable electrical storage device and transmitted to the information processing apparatus. This feedback loop enables the system to monitor actual usage conditions, identify incompatible electrical devices, and provide warnings or restrictions to prevent battery deterioration while maintaining user access to power supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The information processing apparatus acts as an intermediary between the rental company and the user's portable electrical storage device. It receives usage data, analyzes compatibility between electrical devices and battery characteristics, and returns control instructions to prevent inappropriate usage. This intermediary system enables remote monitoring and protection without requiring direct physical control of the device.
2Reliability
If rental companies monitor usage circumstances to prevent battery deterioration, then battery lifespan is extended, but system complexity increases due to data acquisition and analysis requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The information processing apparatus performs multiple functions within a single system: it collects usage data, analyzes electrical device compatibility, determines battery deterioration risk, generates warnings or restrictions, and communicates with the portable device. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex subsystems into a unified platform, reducing overall system complexity while achieving comprehensive battery protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable electrical storage device automatically collects and transmits its own usage information (voltage, current, power consumption) without requiring external measurement equipment. The information processing apparatus automatically analyzes this data and generates appropriate responses. This self-service mechanism reduces the need for manual monitoring and complex external instrumentation.
3Reliability
If the system restricts use of incompatible electrical devices to protect the battery, then battery deterioration is reduced, but ease of operation decreases due to usage restrictions and warnings
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of electrical device compatibility before significant battery damage can occur. By continuously monitoring usage patterns and identifying incompatible devices early, the system can issue warnings or restrictions proactively, preventing deterioration rather than reacting to damage after it occurs. This preliminary action maintains user convenience by avoiding restrictions until necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary anti-action by implementing usage restrictions or warnings before incompatible electrical devices can cause substantial battery deterioration. Rather than allowing free usage and then penalizing damage, the system preemptively identifies and prevents problematic usage patterns, protecting the battery while minimizing impact on user experience.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus comprises acquiring information according to the usage circumstances of the portable electrical storage device; estimating a type of an electrical device that is connected, based on a measurement result with respect to a voltage and a current when the portable electrical storage device supplied electric power that is included in the information according to the usage circumstances; and, in a case where the type of the connected electrical device cannot be estimated, determining whether or not the connected electrical device is an electrical device that exhibits desirable load characteristics with respect to a storage battery that is provided in the portable electrical storage device, in accordance with whether or not an electric power supply amount indicated by the measurement result is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.