Patent Publication Number: US-11642978-B2

Title: Apparatus and method for electric vehicle battery resource sharing

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application, Ser. No. 63/175,797, filed on Apr. 16, 2021, entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY RESOURCE SHARING, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming available to consumers as the various issues pertaining to power, speed, range and safety have been overcome. Consumers now have more choices in available EVs as more manufacturers begin to produce EVs in increasingly different styles. 
     However, all EVs inherently have the drawback of having a limited power supply. Namely, the EV power supply consists of a bank of rechargeable batteries. At some point, the EV battery power supply runs out and must be recharged. Consequently, the owner of the EV  102  is not able to use their EV during the battery recharging period. 
       FIG.  1    is a diagram of a conventional EV  102 . To recharge the EV battery power supply, the EV owner simply connects their EV  102  to a suitable recharging station  104  using an electrical cable  106  and plug  108 . The EV  102  must remain stationary during the battery recharging process. Typically, the recharging may take some discernable amount of time for the recharging to complete. Or, at least some amount of time is required for partial recharging so that the EV  102  can be used for travel over a limited range. 
     Such recharging stations  104  are limited in number. Further, a recharging station  104  may not be available when and/or where the EV owner needs to perform a battery recharging operation. 
     This limitation may be extremely inconvenient for the EV owner, especially during a long distance trip that exceeds the battery&#39;s power supply range. Here, the EV owner would be required to stop for battery recharging at some point during their trip. 
     Accordingly, in the arts of electric vehicles, there is a need for improved methods, apparatus, and systems for providing electric power to an EV  102 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the EV battery resource sharing system provide a system and method for an electric vehicle (EV) battery resource sharing system. One embodiment has a plurality of battery modules and a plurality of battery exchange facilities. Each different EV contains a battery swap cabinet that is configured to releasably secure at least one of the plurality of battery modules within the EV. A user of an EV, while at the battery exchange facility, exchanges a discharged first battery module for a second battery module that is recharged. The battery exchange facility releases the recharged second battery module to the user after payment has been made by the user. The battery exchange facility recharges the discharged first battery module after the user has placed the discharged first battery module into the battery exchange facility. 
     An objective of the EV battery resource sharing system is to provide battery standardization across the EV industry. The standardization includes standardization of the shape, size, terminal voltage, terminal connectors, and communication protocols for EV battery modules. Accordingly, the EV battery is no longer bound to a particular vehicle. Another objective is to provide a robust and reliable tracking system and protocol for standardized EV battery modules. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other. Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG.  1    is a diagram of a conventional EV. 
         FIG.  2    is a block diagram of an EV provisioned with an EV battery resource sharing system. 
         FIG.  3    is an example block diagram of an example computing system that may be used to practice embodiments of an EV battery resource sharing system. 
         FIG.  4    conceptually illustrates a battery module standardization alliance. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  2    is a block diagram of an Electric Vehicle (EV)  102  provisioned with an EV battery resource sharing system  200 . Embodiments of the EV battery resource sharing system  200  comprise a battery module  202  that provides power (electrical energy) to operate the EV  102 , a battery swap cabinet  204  disposed within the EV  102  which secures the battery module  202  and couples the battery module  202  to the power system of the EV  102 , and a battery exchange facility  206 . A plurality of battery exchange facilities  206  are conveniently dispersed over a geographic service area. Each battery exchange facility  206  is configured to secure a plurality of battery modules  202 . A battery resource manager  208  resides in the battery exchange facility  206  and manages the battery module swap out process (exchange process), wherein a discharged battery module  202  is removed from the EV  102  and is replaced with a recharged battery module  202  from the battery exchange facility  206 . 
     The disclosed systems and methods for EV battery resource sharing system  200  will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations, however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description. 
     Throughout the following detailed description, various examples for systems and methods for EV battery resource sharing system  200  are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in a previously explained example. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example. For example, the EV battery resource sharing system  200  may be provisioned in other types of vehicles, such as vessels, aircraft, hybrid gas/electric vehicles, or the like. 
     The following definitions apply herein, unless otherwise indicated. 
     “Substantially” means to be more-or-less conforming to the particular dimension, range, shape, concept, or other aspect modified by the term, such that a feature or component need not conform exactly. For example, a “substantially cylindrical” object means that the object resembles a cylinder, but may have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. 
     “Comprising,” “including,” and “having” (and conjugations thereof) are used interchangeably to mean including but not necessarily limited to, and are open-ended terms not intended to exclude additional elements or method steps not expressly cited. 
     Terms such as “first”, “second”, and “third” are used to distinguish or identify various members of a group, or the like, and are not intended to denote a serial, chronological, or numerical limitation. 
     “Coupled” means connected, either permanently or releasably, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components. “Secured to” means directly connected without intervening components. 
     “Communicatively coupled” means that an electronic device exchanges information with another electronic device, either wirelessly or with a wire based connector, whether directly or indirectly through a communication network  330  ( FIG.  3   ). “Controllably coupled” means that an electronic device controls operation of another electronic device. 
     Returning to  FIG.  2   , the battery module  202  in the EV  102  is safely secured within the battery swap cabinet  204 . Each battery module  202  has a standardized set of terminals that mate with and connect to corresponding terminals in the battery swap cabinet  204 . Here, each of the different models of EVs  102  manufactured by a plurality of different vehicle manufacturing companies have standardized battery swap cabinets  204  with terminals configured to receive power from a standardized battery module  202 . 
     The battery swap cabinets  204  preferably have cabinet doors that are easily and conveniently accessed by the user during a battery module  202  swap out. The battery swap cabinet  204  may be configured to enable access to the secured battery module  202  from the back, the front, the bottom, and/or the side of the EV  102 . Since powering the EV  102  may require a relatively large amount of power capacity, and because an individual battery module  202  must be easily handled by a person, any particular EV  102  may be configured to hold and secure a plurality of battery modules  202  in one or more battery swap cabinets  204 . That is, the standardized battery module  202  would have a size and/or weight that permits a typical user to manipulate the battery module  202  easily and conveniently, with or without assistance of a fixture, with or without handles or other grasping devices attached to the battery. 
     The terminals  218  of the battery swap cabinet  204  are coupled to the power system and the electronic control system of the EV  102 . Depending upon the power requirement characteristics of the motor  220  of the EV  102 , the battery swap cabinet  204  may be configured to releasably secure multiple battery modules  202 . The battery swap cabinet  204  provides protection to the EV  102  and the battery module  202 , and serves as an anti-theft deterrent. 
     Preferably, each battery module  202  may be handled by the operator of the EV  102  or another individual to facilitate the battery module swap out process. With some EV&#39;s  102 , a plurality of battery modules  202  may be used to provide power. In practice, the operator or other individual may choose to replace only those discharged battery modules  202  with replacement recharged battery modules  202 . Fully charged or partially charged battery modules  202  would not necessarily have to be replaced. 
     Similar to filling a legacy vehicle with gasoline, the EV operator drives their EV  102  to the battery exchange facility  206 . The EV operator or another individual then removes the discharged or partially discharged battery module(s)  202  from the battery swap cabinet  204 . In some embodiments, a robotic machine may remove and replace the battery module  202 . The EV operator or other individual then retrieves the recharged battery module(s)  202  from the battery exchange facility  206  and then installs the battery module(s)  202  into the battery swap cabinet  204  of their EV  102 . 
     When the recharged battery module is received by the user, the battery resource manager  208  reports the information to the central dispatch facility  340  ( FIG.  3   ). The information includes at least the identifier of the recharged battery module that is received by the user, information that identifies the user (identity information), and a time (date and optionally hour of day) that the recharged battery module was received by the user. Any other information of interest may be included in the communicated information. For example, operational status information describing the operational condition of the battery module  202  may be sent to the central dispatch facility  340 . Sales price paid by the user, cost information pertaining to the cost of recharging the battery module  202 , information identifying the owner of the battery module  202 , and the type and/or model of the EV  102  are other non-limiting examples of information that can be communicated to the central dispatch facility  340 . With this information, the central dispatch facility  340  can track the movement, a usage or use history of, and/or cost data for a particular battery module  202 . 
     Battery modules  202  may be standardized to provide power to a plurality of different models of EVs  102  manufactured by a plurality of different vehicle companies. The battery modules  202  enable the EV battery resource sharing system  202  to provide battery standardization across the EV industry. The standardization includes standardization of the shape, size, terminal voltage, and communication protocols for EV battery modules. Accordingly, the EV battery is no longer bound to a particular vehicle. For example, a sedan, a sports car, a truck, a van, a bus, and a recreational vehicle (RV) are a non-limiting example list of vehicle models. Further, there may be a variety of different sized and/or configured battery modules  202  that have been standardized across the industry to accommodate different models of an EV  102 . Accordingly, a standardized battery module  202  is defined as a battery module  202  that is configured to be secured in a battery swap cabinet  204  of different models of vehicles that are made by different vehicle manufacturing companies. 
     An unexpected benefit of standardizing battery modules  202  is that the initial purchase cost of an EV  102  may be reduced since the purchaser does not have to pay for the power supply and/or since the manufacturer may not have to equip the EV  102  with the battery modules  202 . The purchaser can pay for the service (use) of their battery modules  202 , such as under a leasing or rental program managed by a third party vendor, thus avoiding the initial purchase price of the EV&#39;s power supply. (One skilled in the art appreciates that a battery exchange facility  206  may be located at the vehicle point of purchase so that dealership can provide the one or more recharged battery modules  202  to the purchaser.) 
     The EV operator or other individual also places the discharged battery module(s)  202  in the battery exchange facility  206 . The discharged battery module(s)  202  are then releasably secured by the battery exchange facility  206 . 
     Each battery exchange facility  206  has a power supply bus  210  that is coupled to one or more of the local area electric power arid, a solar panel, a wind generator, or another power source (not shown). The discharged battery module(s)  202  are then recharged with electrical power received from the electric power grid via the power supply bus  210  within the battery exchange facility  206 . 
     In practice, each recharged battery module  202  has at least a predefined amount of electrical power that is stored in the battery module  202 . Accordingly, the EV operator knows how much electrical power that they are purchasing when they receive a recharged battery module  202 . For example, the predefined electrical power of a recharged battery module  202  may be, for example, but not limited to, fifty kilowatt-hours (50 kWh). Any suitable predefined amount of electric al power may be used in the various embodiments. 
     One skilled in the art appreciates that capacity of any particular battery module  202  may vary based on the age of the battery module  202 , the number of recharging cycles the battery module  202  has gone through, the type of battery cell material, or the like. Such characteristics of the battery module  202  may be used to assess the state of the battery module  202 . So long as the capacity of the battery module  202  is greater than the predefined amount of electrical power, the battery module  202  may be recharged up to the predefined amount of electrical power. One skilled in the art understands that battery capacity degrades over the useful lifetime of the battery module  202 . When the capacity of the battery module  202  falls below a predefined or a predetermined amount of electrical power, that battery module  202  may be identified for removal or retirement. 
     Individual battery modules  202  are coupled to the power supply bus  210  via an intervening disconnect device  212 . Each disconnect device  212  is controllably coupled to the battery resource manager  208 . The recharging process is controlled by the battery resource manager  208 . The battery resource manager  208  monitors the amount of electrical power provided to the discharged battery module  202  during a recharging process. Other characteristics of the recharging may be monitored, such as time of recharge, rate of recharge, or the like. Such information may be used to evaluate the condition of the recharging battery module  202 . The battery resource manager  202  actuates the disconnect device  212  to decouple (disconnect) the discharged battery module  202  after the discharged battery module  202  has been recharged with a predefined amount of electrical power. 
     In the various embodiments, the operators of the battery exchange facility  206  may determine the amount of electrical power that is required for recharging a returned discharged or partially discharged battery module  202 . For example, but not limited to, the actual charge level may be monitored while the amount of recharging electrical power is metered. The recharging process may end when the actual charge reaches the predefined amount of electrical power. Alternatively, the amount of residual electrical power may be determined, and then the difference between the predefined amount of electrical power and the amount of residual electrical power can be provided to the recharging battery module  202 . Any suitable process of managing the amount of electrical power that is provided during the recharging process may be used in the various embodiments of the EV battery resource sharing system  200 . 
     As noted above, a returned discharged battery module  202  will likely have some amount of remaining or residual stored electrical power. Accordingly, the operator of the battery exchange facility  206  will only need to provide an amount of electrical power required to recharge the battery module  202  to the predefined amount of electrical power. Returning to the hypothetical example of the 50 kWh predefined amount of electrical power, if the residual charge on the returned battery module  202  is 5 kWh, then the recharging requires only 45 kWh. If another returned battery module  202  has 10 kWh of remaining charge, then the operator of the battery exchange facility  206  needs only to provide 40 kWh to recharge that battery module  202 . An unexpected benefit to the operator of the battery exchange facility  206  is that the recharging cost can be accurately managed. That is, the operator of the battery exchange facility  206  does not have to pay for the cost of power if the recharging process stops when the charge level of the battery module  202  reaches the predefined amount of electrical power. 
     Embodiments of the EV battery resource sharing system  200  may be configured to recharge a battery module  202  using the most cost efficient available power source. Accordingly, some embodiments may include a plurality of power supply busses  210 , and may be coupled to different sources of power, such as the electric power grid, a solar panel, and/or a wind turbine. A disconnect device, switch or the like may be used to selectively couple the battery exchange facility  206  to a selected power source that provides the lowest cost energy for recharging the battery module  202 . 
     Alternatively, or additionally, embodiments of the EV battery resource sharing system  200  may be configured to recharge a battery module  202  during off peak power times when the cost of power may be less than at other times of the day. Off peak times are known to be periods of time when usage of power by all customers on the power grid is below some threshold level. The power suppliers typically sell power at reduced rates during off peak times. During other times of the day, such as during the peak demand time of the day where power consumption is typically at a maximum rate by all customers connected to the power grid, the rate charged for purchasing power may be greater. 
     For example, the battery exchange facility  206  may delay recharging of returned battery modules  202  so long as there is a sufficient number of recharged battery modules  202  available for customers. Here, if the number of recharged battery modules  202  drops below a predefined threshold number, then the battery exchange facility  206  may immediately recharge one or more of the secured discharged battery modules  202  so that sufficient quantaties of recharged battery modules  202  are available for customers. Otherwise, the battery exchange facility  206  may delay recharging until off peak times of the day. 
     Some embodiments of the battery exchange facility  206  may be configured to purchase power from different power providers if permitted by the regional regulating authority. Here, power may be purchased from a particular power supplier having a favorable cost, and then transmitted to the battery exchange facility  206  via the electric grid. 
     After the battery module  202  has been recharged, the battery resource manager  208  saves information indicating that that particular battery module  202  is now recharged and is available for another customer. Accordingly, the battery resource manager  208  is able to access information stored in the battery information database  326  ( FIG.  3   ) to ascertain the charging state of each of the battery modules  202 . Further, when another customer comes to the battery exchange facility  206  to exchange a discharged battery module  202  for a recharged battery module  202 , the battery resource manager  208  can identify a particular recharged battery module  202  based on the stored information, and then release that identified recharged battery module  202  to the customer after payment. 
     Alternatively, or additionally, the identified recharged battery module  202  may be released to the customer after the discharged battery module  202  has been returned to the battery exchange facility  206  by the customer. In some embodiments, the customer may receive a credit for the return of the discharged battery module  202  to the battery exchange facility  206 . Alternatively, or additionally, the battery resource manager  208  may automatically charge the customer through a third party billing system  336  ( FIG.  3   ), and then release the recharged battery module  202  to the customer after confirmation of payment from the third party billing system  336 . These above-described activities may be performed by the battery resource manager  208  located at the battery exchange facility  206  and/or at the central dispatch facility  340  ( FIG.  3   ). 
     Each battery module  202  has a unique identifier (ID). Preferably, the ID of the battery module  202  is readable by the battery resource manager  208 . For example, the battery module  202  may have a bar code or the like that is scanned by the battery resource manager  208 . Alternatively, or additionally, the battery module  202  may have a module information device  214 , such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or other electronic scannable identifying device that is readable by the battery resource manager  208 . Alternatively, or additionally, each battery module  202  may be provisioned with a mobile information device  214  that contains the ID information, and optionally other supplemental information in a memory, for that particular battery module  202 . Information in the memory may be accessed using a hard wired or wireless communication format. 
     Supplemental information, such as, but not limited to, dimensions of the battery module  202 , manufacturer of the battery module  202 , owner of the battery module  202 , owner contact information, or the like may be included with the ID information. The supplemental information may be used for revenue sharing purposes such that the owner of the battery exchange facility  206  is compensated for recharging an exchanged discharged battery module  202 , and the owner of the battery module  202  is compensated for their investment in a battery module  202 . For example, the battery resource manager  208  may determine the cost of recharging an exchanged battery module  202 . After the recharging cost is deducted from the fee paid by the customer (interchangeably referred to herein as the user) to acquire the recharged battery module  202 , the remaining amount of money may be shared among the owner of the battery module  202 , the owner of the battery exchange facility, and other interested parties. That is, the fee includes three components: a component for the energy cost (paid to the power provider), a fee for usage of the battery module  202  (paid to the owner of the battery module  202 ), and a service fee (paid to the owner of the battery exchange facility  206 ). 
     In some embodiments, in a returned, partially discharged battery module  202  may be determined. A credit for the amount of remaining power (energy) may then be computed and applied to the customer who is returning the battery module  202 . For example, the customer may be travelling to a location where the partially discharged battery module  202  does not have sufficient power to complete the trip. Accordingly, the customer may return a partially discharged battery module  202  that has some remaining amount of power. To illustrate, the partially discharged battery module  202  may have a remaining amount of power equal to twenty five percent (25%) of the capacity of the battery module  202 . Here, a computed value of the remaining power may be applied as a credit to the cost that the customer pays to obtain a recharged battery module  202  from the battery exchange facility  206 . 
     In some embodiments, the RFID tag  214  may also be used for device tracking by a remote party and/or by the battery resource manager  208 . Here, the current location of a specific battery module  202  can be determined. 
     In some embodiments, a securing device  216  releasably secures each of the individual battery modules  202  within the battery exchange facility  206 . Preferably, each securing device  216  is controllably coupled to the battery resource manager  208 . For example, when a user has paid for a recharged battery module  202 , the battery resource manager  208  may actuate the securing device  216  to release a selected battery swap cabinet  204 . When a user returns a discharged battery module  202  to the battery exchange facility  206 , the battery resource manager  208  may actuate a selected securing device  216  to releasably secure the returned battery module  202 . 
       FIG.  3    is an example block diagram of an example computing system that may be used to practice embodiments of an EV battery resource sharing system  200  described herein. Note that one or more general purpose virtual or physical computing systems suitably instructed or a special purpose computing system may be used to implement the EV battery resource sharing system  200 . Further, the EV battery resource sharing system  200  may be implemented in software, hardware, firmware, or in some combination to achieve the capabilities described herein. 
     Note that one or more general purpose or special purpose computing systems/devices may be used to implement the described techniques. However, just because it is possible to implement the EV battery resource sharing system  200  on a general purpose computing system does not mean that the techniques themselves or the operations required to implement the techniques are conventional or well known. 
     The battery resource manager  208  may comprise one or more server and/or client computing systems and may span distributed locations. In addition, each block shown may represent one or more such blocks as appropriate to a specific embodiment or may be combined with other blocks. Moreover, the various blocks of the battery resource manager  208  may physically reside on one or more machines, which use standard (e.g., TCP/IP) or proprietary interprocess communication mechanisms to communicate with each other. 
     In the embodiment shown, the battery resource manager  208  comprises a computer memory (“memory”)  302 , a display  304 , one or more Central Processing Units (“CPU”)  306 , Input/Output devices  308  (e.g., keyboard, mouse, CRT or LCD display, etc.), other computer-readable media  310 , an optional wireless transceiver  312 , an optional payment processing system  314 , and one or more network connections  332 . A portion of the battery exchange facility  206  is shown residing in memory  302 . In other embodiments, some portion of the contents, and some or all of the components of the battery resource manager  208  may be stored on and/or transmitted over the other computer-readable media  310 . The components of the battery resource manager  208  preferably execute on one or more CPUs  306  and manage the recharging and information tracking of the battery module  202 , as described herein. Other code or programs  313  and potentially other data repositories, such as data repository  314 , also reside in the memory  302 , and preferably execute on one or more CPUs  306 . Of note, one or more of the components in  FIG.  3    may not necessarily be present in any specific implementation. For example, some embodiments embedded in other software may not provide means for user input or display. 
     In a typical embodiment, the battery resource manager  208  includes a battery recharge module  316 , a battery information tracking module  318 , a customer information module  320 , a processor  322 , APIs  324 , a battery information database  326  and a customer information database  328 . In at least some embodiments, the battery information database  326  and/or the customer information database  328  may be provided external to the batter exchange facility  206  and be available, potentially, over one or more networks  330  via network connections  332 . Other and/or different modules may be implemented. In addition, the battery resource manager  208  may interact via a network  330  with one or more client computing systems  334 , one or more third-party information provider systems  336 , and one or more mobile electronic devices  338 , such as, but not limited to, smart phones. Also, of note, the battery information database  326  and a customer information database  328  may be external to the battery resource manager  208  as well, for example in a Web-based knowledge base accessible over one or more networks  330 . 
     In an example embodiment, components/modules of the battery resource manager  208  are implemented using standard programming techniques. For example, the battery resource manager  208  may be implemented as a “native” executable running on the CPU  306 , along with one or more static or dynamic libraries. In other embodiments, the battery resource manager  208  may be implemented as instructions processed by a virtual machine. In general, a range of programming languages known in the art may be employed for implementing such example embodiments, including representative implementations of various programming language paradigms, including, but not limited to, object-oriented (e.g., Java, C++, C #, Visual Basic.NET, Smalltalk, and the like), functional (e.g., ML, Lisp, Scheme, and the like), procedural (e.g., C, Pascal, Ada, Modula, and the like), scripting (e.g., Perk Ruby, Python, JavaScript, VBScript, and the like), and declarative (e.g., SQL, Prolog, and the like). 
     The embodiments described above may also use well-known or proprietary, synchronous or asynchronous, client-server computing techniques. Also, the various components may be implemented using more monolithic programming techniques, for example, as an executable running on a single CPU computer system, or alternatively decomposed using a variety of structuring techniques known in the art, including, but not limited to, multiprogramming, multithreading, client-server, or peer-to-peer, running on one or more computer systems each having one or more CPUs. Some embodiments may execute concurrently and asynchronously and communicate using message passing techniques. Equivalent synchronous embodiments are also supported. Also, other functions could be implemented and/or performed by each component/module, and in different orders, and/or in different components/modules, yet still achieve the described functions. 
     In addition, programming interfaces for data stored as part of the battery resource manager  208  (e.g., in the battery information database  326  and the customer information database  328 ) can be available by standard mechanisms such as through C, C++, C #, and Java APIs; libraries for accessing files, databases, or other data repositories; through scripting languages such as XML; or through Web servers, FTP servers, or other types of servers providing access to stored data. The battery information database  326  and a customer information database  328  may be implemented as one or more database systems, file systems, or any other technique for storing such information, or any combination of the above, including implementations using distributed computing techniques. 
     Also, the example battery resource manager  208  may be implemented in a distributed environment comprising multiple, even heterogeneous, computer systems and networks. Different configurations and locations of programs and data are contemplated for use with techniques of described herein. Also, one or more of the modules  316 ,  318 ,  320  may themselves be distributed, pooled or otherwise grouped, such as for load balancing, reliability or security reasons. A variety of distributed computing techniques are appropriate for implementing the components of the illustrated embodiments in a distributed manner, including, but not limited to, TCP/IP sockets, RPC, RMI, HTTP, Web Services (XML-RPC, JAX-RPC, SOAP, etc.) and the like. Other variations are possible. Also, other functionality could be provided by each component/module, or existing functionality could be distributed among the components/modules in different ways, yet still achieve the functions of the battery resource manager  208 . 
     Furthermore, in some embodiments, some or all of the components of the battery resource manager  208  may be implemented or provided in other manners, such as at least partially in firmware and/or hardware, including, but not limited to, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), standard integrated circuits, controllers executing appropriate instructions, and including microcontrollers and/or embedded controllers, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and the like. Some or all of the system components and/or data structures may also be stored as contents (e.g., as executable or other machine-readable software instructions or structured data) on a computer-readable medium (e.g., a hard disk; memory; network; other computer-readable medium; or other portable media article to be read by an appropriate drive or via an appropriate connection, such as a DVD or flash memory device) to enable the computer-readable medium to execute or otherwise use or provide the contents to perform at least some of the described techniques. Some or all of the components and/or data structures may be stored on tangible, non-transitory storage mediums. Some or all of the system components and data structures may also be stored as data signals (e.g., by being encoded as part of a carrier wave or included as part of an analog or digital propagated signal) on a variety of computer-readable transmission mediums, which are then transmitted, including across wireless-based and wired/cable-based mediums, and may take a variety of forms (e.g., as part of a single or multiplexed analog signal, or as multiple discrete digital packets or frames). Such computer program products may also take other forms in other embodiments. Accordingly, embodiments of this disclosure may be practiced with other computer system configurations. 
     In practice, when the operator of the EV  102  arrives at the battery exchange facility  206 , the operator/customer provides various input, via the I/O devices  308 , to identify themselves to the battery resource manager  208 . In response to receiving the identify information of the operator/customer, the customer information module  320  may access the customer information database  328  to determine if the identified operator/customer is authorized to return a discharged battery module  202 , receive a recharged battery module  202 , and/or exchange the discharged battery module  202  for a recharged battery module  202 . 
     If payment at the time of return, receipt, and/or exchange for one or more battery modules  202  is required, payment may be made via the payment processing system  314  (such as a credit card machine, cash machine, or the like). Interactive feedback may be presented to the operator by presenting text and/or image information on the display  304 . Alternatively, or additionally, the operator may use a personal mobile electronic device  338 , such as a smart phone or a cellphone, to communicate with the battery resource manager  208  that receives wireless data via the transceiver  312  or one of the network connections  332 . Another transceiver  312  may be configured to receive information from the RFID tag  214  of a battery module  202 . Alternatively, or additionally, the customer information module  320  may send an invoice and/or receipt to a client computing system  334  (and/or a personal mobile electronic device  338 ) of the operator/customer (interchangeably referred to herein as a user), and/or to a third party information provider system  336 . For example, the third party, such as a credit card company, a bank or the like, may remotely handle invoicing and payment processing. 
     As the discharged battery module  202  is exchanged for a recharged battery module  202 , the batten information tracking module  318  associates the identity of the exchanged battery modules  202  with the operator/customer. This information, along with other supplemental information, is saved into the battery information database  326 . Supplemental information may include the date and time of exchange, the location of the exchange, and/or information identifying the EV  102  and/or the operator/customer. Here, each of the plurality of battery exchange facilities are associated with an identifier that identifies a location of that particular battery exchange facility  206 . 
     Other supplemental information may include remaining power in the discharged battery module  202  and/or the power level of the recharged battery module  202  that was received by the operator/customer. The battery information tracking module  318  may run various diagnostic routines to assess the operational condition of the discharged battery module  202  that has been received, and/or to assess the operational condition of the charged battery module  202  that is going to be received, by the operator/customer. The operational condition is defined as a condition of the various components of a battery module  202  being at least equal to a condition threshold that corresponds to a satisfactory operating condition of that component. In the various embodiments, if the battery resource manager  208  assesses the condition of a battery module  202  and determines that the condition of one of more of the components does not meet the corresponding operational condition threshold, that battery module  202  will not be released to a user. Rather, the inoperative battery module  202  will be retained by the battery exchange facility  206 , which will then report the inoperative battery module  202  to a central dispatch facility  340 , and then release the inoperative battery module  202  to service personnel who will be dispatched to the battery exchange facility  206  to retrieve the inoperable battery module  202 . Optionally, the battery resource manager  208  may communicate other test result information for operable and inoperable battery modules  202  to the central dispatch facility  340  and to other interested parties. 
     Another optional function of the battery resource manager  208  is to facilitate communication with other battery resource managers  208 . Examples include, but are not limited to, inventory control may be facilitated between battery resource managers  208  and/or a central dispatch facility  340 . Here, the battery resource manager  208  at the battery exchange facility  206  that issued the discharged battery module  202  to the operator/customer (which was recharged) can be notified of the exchange at another battery exchange facility  206  and/or the central dispatch facility  340 . 
     If a damaged battery module  202  is identified, the battery resource manager  208  may facilitate replacement of the damaged battery module  202  with a replacement battery module  202  by communicating the information to the central dispatch facility  340 . The central dispatch facility  340  may automatically arrange for a service person to replace the damaged battery module  202  with a functioning battery module  202 . 
     The battery recharge module  316  manages the charging of a received discharged battery module  202 . Voltage, current and power received at a charging battery module  202  can be monitored and controlled to determine cost of the recharge and to limit or control the amount of power provided to the recharging battery module  202 . Generally, the cost of recharging is the cost of power paid to the power provider, plus other incidental costs. 
     One skilled in the art appreciates that when there are numerous battery exchange facilities  206  are distributed over a large region, that the battery exchange facilities  206  may receive power provided by different power providers (power companies, utilities, or the like). Thus, the cost of recharging may be different depending upon the rates charged for the power consumed during the recharge. This actual cost information may be used to determine the fee charged to the user. That is, the cost of obtaining a recharged battery module  202  may vary between battery exchange facilities  206 . Further, actual cost information may be communicated to the central dispatch facility  340 . In some embodiments, the user may obtain cost information from different battery resource managers  208  so that they can identify a preferred battery exchange facility  206  that has a best cost and/or a most convenient location. 
     Once a battery module  202  has been recharged, the battery recharge module  316  may disconnect the charged battery module  202  from the power supply bus  210  that is connected to the local electric power grid to end the charging process. Further, the disconnecting of the battery module  202  may be appropriate for safety reasons. In some embodiments, a disconnect device  212 , such as a breaker or the like, may be used to disconnect the battery module  202  from the local electric power grid. The disconnect device  212  may provide a visible indicator that can be seen by a person so that they understand that it is safe to handle the battery module  202 . A securing device may be included with the disconnect device  212  to prevent removal of the battery module  202  while the battery module  202  is connected to the power supply bus  210 . 
     Periodically, the battery recharge module  316  may monitor charge on the battery modules  202  stored at the battery exchange facility  206 , wherein the battery recharge module  316  may add additional electrical charge to the battery modules  202  to ensure that the battery modules  202  remain in a recharged state with the predefined amount of electrical power that defines a battery module  202  as being recharged. 
     In some embodiments, the plurality of battery resource managers  208  may operate as a peer to peer network to facilitate communication with one or more central dispatch facilities  340  and/or with other battery resource managers  208 . 
     In some embodiments, industry standards are defined for a plurality of different sized battery modules  202  with different electric power capacities and the EV&#39;s corresponding battery swap cabinet  204 . Different standards are used by all electric vehicle manufacturers that are participating. For instance, battery module  202 A may be used for sedans, battery module  202 B may be used for SUVs, and battery module  202 C may be used for trucks since these different types of EVs  102  may have different power requirements. The battery swap cabinet  204  will have different sizes accordingly with similar structures which will contribute to an easier process of replacing a particular sized discharged battery module  202 . 
     An unexpected advantage provided by embodiments of the EV battery resource sharing system  200  results from the scalability of the system. Initially, a battery exchange facility  206  may be co-located with and/or be in close proximity to an existing gasoline retail outlet (gas station). Since the size of a battery exchange facility  206  may be relatively small (compared to the size required for a legacy gas station), the battery exchange facility  206  may be located on or adjacent to the gas station property. As more and more client users, such as owners of the EVs  102 , begin to use more and more battery modules  202 , the modular nature of an EV battery resource sharing system  200  permit additional battery exchange facilities  206  to be installed at a single location as demand for recharged battery modules  202  increases. Further, other locations may be used for battery exchange facilities  206 , such as parking lots or garages at shopping malls, restaurants, travel rest stops, etc. 
     Also, employees currently working at legacy gas station may be cross trained to swap out battery modules  202 . As the use of gas decreases and transition to use of the EV battery resource sharing system  200  occurs, these cross trained employees may be able to retain their jobs as the growing EV industry displaces legacy gas powered vehicles. Further, the business owners of the legacy gas station may retain their business as they will be able to provide both gas to legacy vehicles and battery modules  202  to EVs  102 . Eventually, a legacy gas station may transition to providing only battery modules  202  to EV owners. 
       FIG.  4    conceptually illustrates a battery module standardization alliance  400 . The alliance  400  is formed by agreement between battery manufacturers/providers  402 , EV manufacturers  404 , and the battery exchange facilities  206  to use a standardized battery module  202 . Each battery manufacturer/provider  402 , EV manufacturer  404 , and battery exchange facility  206  is identified by a unique identifier. 
     It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the EV battery resource sharing system  200  are merely possible examples of implementations of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by any later filed claims. 
     Furthermore, the disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” or “an” element, “a first” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. 
     Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower, or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein.