Information processing apparatus, information processing method, storage medium, portable electric generator, and rental system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11764576-B2
Application number	US-202017021119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2020
Priority date	Mar 20, 2018
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

An information processing apparatus comprises an acquisition unit configured to acquire information according to the usage circumstances of the portable electric generator; an estimation unit configured to estimate 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 electric generator supplied electric power that is included in the information according to the usage circumstances; and a calculation unit configured to calculate a rental fee associated with an electric power amount supplied by the portable electric generator at the rental destination, using a billing coefficient corresponding to an electrical device estimated by the estimation unit, and the measurement result.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus managing usage circumstances at a rental destination of a portable electric generator configured to supply electric power to an electrical device detachably connected to the portable electric generator, the apparatus comprising:
a first storage device that stores instructions; and
at least one first processor that executes the instructions to:
read out information according to the usage circumstances stored in a second storage device provided in the portable electric generator;
estimate a type of the electrical device that is detachably connected, based on a measurement result with respect to a voltage and a current when the portable electric generator supplied electric power that is included in the information according to the usage circumstances; and
calculate a rental fee associated with an electric power amount supplied by the portable electric generator at the rental destination, using a billing coefficient corresponding to an electrical device that is estimated, and the measurement result,

wherein the portable electric generator comprises:
at least one of an engine generator and a storage battery configured to supply electric power to the electrical device,
a measurement unit configured to measure a voltage and a current when electric power is supplied by at least one of the engine generator and the storage battery,
the second storage device storing instructions and storing a measurement result that is measured by the measurement unit as the information according to the usage circumstances; and
at least one second processor that executes the instructions to:
read out a measurement result stored in the second storage device, and
transmit the read out measurement result to a communicably connected external apparatus, and
upon receiving a response to the transmission of the measurement result from the external apparatus, in a case where warning information is included in response information that is received, display information indicating that a surcharge will be imposed as information for a user on a display unit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the portable electric generator comprises a communication apparatus that performs a radio communication with the information processing apparatus; and
the at least one processor executes instructions in the storage device to:
receive the information according to the usage circumstances that is transmitted through the communication apparatus from the portable electric generator during a period in which the portable electric generator is supplying electric power.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the at least one processor executes instructions in the first storage device to:
notify warning information to the portable electric generator in a case where a billing coefficient corresponding to the estimated electrical device is a surcharge.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the warning information includes screen information of a warning screen that is displayed on a display apparatus provided in the portable electric generator, and
information indicating that a surcharge will be imposed is displayed on the warning screen, and a choice regarding whether to continue supplying electric power or stop supplying electric power to the estimated electrical device is displayed in a selectable manner on the warning screen.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one processor executes instructions in the first storage device to:
add an additional surcharge to the rental fee in a case where the measurement result indicates that supply of electric power exceeding a rated output of the portable electric generator was performed for a time period exceeding a predetermined time period or more.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the portable electric generator comprises a USB interface;
the information according to the usage circumstances that is stored in the second storage device of the portable electric generator is read through the USB interface to a terminal of a service provider that rented out the portable electric generator, when the portable electric generator is returned; and
the at least one processor executes instructions in the first storage device to, after the portable electric generator is returned to the service provider, receive the information according to the usage circumstances from the terminal through a network.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the portable electric generator includes a storage battery, and
the portable electric generator supplies electric power from at least one of an engine generator or the storage battery.

8. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus managing usage circumstances at a rental destination of a portable electric generator configured to supply electric power to an electrical device detachably connected to the portable electric generator, the method comprising:
reading out information according to the usage circumstances stored in a second storage device provided in the portable electric generator;
estimating a type of the electrical device that is detachably connected, based on a measurement result with respect to a voltage and a current when the portable electric generator supplied electric power that is included in the information according to the usage circumstances; and
calculating a rental fee associated with an electric power amount supplied by the portable electric generator at the rental destination, using a billing coefficient corresponding to the estimated electrical device, and the measurement result
wherein the portable electric generator comprises:
at least one of an engine generator and a storage battery configured to supply electric power to the electrical device,
a measurement unit configured to measure a voltage and a current when electric power is supplied by at least one of the engine generator and the storage battery,
the second storage device storing instructions and storing a measurement result that is measured by the measurement unit as the information according to the usage circumstances; and

the method further comprising:
reading out a measurement result stored in the second storage device, and
transmitting the read out measurement result to a communicably connected external apparatus, and
upon receiving a response to the transmission of the measurement result from the external apparatus, in a case where warning information is included in response information that is received, displaying information indicating that a surcharge will be imposed as information for a user on a display unit.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute each process in a method of controlling an information processing apparatus managing usage circumstances at a rental destination of a portable electric generator configured to supply electric power, the method comprising:
reading out information according to the usage circumstances stored in a second storage device provided in the portable electric generator;
estimating a type of an electrical device that is detachably connected to the portable electric generator, based on a measurement result with respect to a voltage and a current when the portable electric generator supplied electric power that is included in the information according to the usage circumstances; and
calculating a rental fee associated with an electric power amount supplied by the portable electric generato

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Matsunaga Yoshihiro
• TAKADA Sho
• Ito Mitsuhiro
• Sasaki Nobuyuki
• Oshima Ryo
• Oshima Mio

Classifications

• H02J2105/61

  Load identification · CPC title

• H02J13/10

  characterised by displaying of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition [SCADA] systems · CPC title

• H02J13/12

  Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• G06F13/382 Primary

  using universal interface adapter · CPC title