How a System Tracks and Transfers Rechargeable Batteries Between Users
This patent describes a system that verifies a rechargeable battery's actual capacity and then updates which user is associated with that specific battery, especially useful for shared or transferable batteries.
Original patent title: “Battery management system, battery management method, and program”
This patent describes a system that verifies a rechargeable battery's actual capacity and then updates which user is associated with that specific battery, especially useful for shared or transferable batteries. Owned by Mirai Labo Co with 23 claims and 2 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2042.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The system starts with a 'battery status acquisition unit' that collects unique identification data for a rechargeable battery and its electrical characteristics, like voltage or internal resistance, while it's connected, charging, or discharging (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1, Claim 5). Next, a 'battery capacity authentication unit' calculates the battery's true usable capacity based on these electrical characteristics and confirms it as an 'authentication capacity' (Claim 1). This authenticated capacity, along with the battery's ID, is stored in a 'battery management database' on a central server. Separately, a 'user management database' links user information to specific battery IDs. Crucially, a 'user data modification unit' can change which user is linked to a battery's ID, potentially based on the authenticated capacity (Claim 2) or even an offer from another user to acquire that battery (Claim 4). For example, if you return a rental power bank, the system could authenticate its remaining capacity and then reassign it to the next user who rents it, ensuring its health is known.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover a simple battery charging system that doesn't authenticate the battery's actual chargeable capacity.
- Does not cover a system that tracks battery usage but does not allow modification of the association between a user and a specific battery.
- Does not cover a system where the authenticated capacity isn't derived from the battery's electrical characteristics, such as voltage or resistance.
- Does not cover a system that manages batteries without a central management server and associated databases for battery and user data.
- Does not cover systems that only monitor battery health without enabling the transfer or re-assignment of the battery to a different user based on its authenticated capacity.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The innovation lies in combining the precise authentication of a battery's real-world capacity using its electrical characteristics with the ability to dynamically reassign that specific battery to different users in a managed system. This ensures transparency and accurate value assessment for shared or transferred batteries.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Battery swapping stations for electric scooters or motorcycles
Rental power bank services in public spaces
Managed battery pools for shared tools or devices
Systems for tracking and re-selling refurbished batteries
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This system is important for managing rechargeable batteries in scenarios where they are shared, rented, or frequently change hands. By authenticating a battery's actual capacity and dynamically linking it to users, it enables more efficient use, fair pricing based on battery health, and better tracking of battery lifecycles. This could support the growth of battery-as-a-service models and circular economy initiatives.
Filed
March 29, 2022
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Mirai Labo Co Ltd, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is active in this space. Companies like Gogoro, known for its battery swapping networks for electric scooters, and various providers of shared power bank services, such as ChargePoint or Anker, are operating in areas that could leverage or build upon such battery management principles.
Market impact
This patent's concepts could facilitate the expansion of battery-as-a-service models and shared economy platforms for portable power. By providing a reliable method to authenticate battery health and manage user associations, it helps build trust and efficiency in markets where batteries are not individually owned but rather part of a larger, shared infrastructure. This could reduce waste and extend the useful life of rechargeable batteries.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The system starts with a 'battery status acquisition unit' that collects unique identification data for a rechargeable battery and its electrical characteristics, like voltage or internal resistance, while it's connected, charging, or discharging (Claim 1, Claim 5). Next, a 'battery capacity authentication unit' calculates the battery's true usable capacity based on these electrical characteristics and confirms it as an 'authentication capacity' (Claim 1). This authenticated capacity, along with the battery's ID, is stored in a 'battery management database' on a central server. Separately, a 'user management database' links user information to specific battery IDs. Crucially, a 'user data modification unit' can change which user is linked to a battery's ID, potentially based on the authenticated capacity (Claim 2) or even an offer from another user to acquire that battery (Claim 4). For example, if you return a rental power bank, the system could authenticate its remaining capacity and then reassign it to the next user who rents it, ensuring its health is known.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in combining the precise authentication of a battery's real-world capacity using its electrical characteristics with the ability to dynamically reassign that specific battery to different users in a managed system. This ensures transparency and accurate value assessment for shared or transferred batteries.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover a simple battery charging system that doesn't authenticate the battery's actual chargeable capacity.
- Does not cover a system that tracks battery usage but does not allow modification of the association between a user and a specific battery.
- Does not cover a system where the authenticated capacity isn't derived from the battery's electrical characteristics, such as voltage or resistance.
- Does not cover a system that manages batteries without a central management server and associated databases for battery and user data.
- Does not cover systems that only monitor battery health without enabling the transfer or re-assignment of the battery to a different user based on its authenticated capacity.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
10/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$35K – $112K
Midpoint $70K · 15.7 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Hiratsuka, T. How a System Tracks and Transfers Rechargeable Batteries Between Users (U.S. Patent No. 20,240,186,800). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20240186800/battery-management-system-battery-management-method-and-program
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How a System Tracks and Transfers Rechargeable Batteries Between Users cover?
This patent describes a system that verifies a rechargeable battery's actual capacity and then updates which user is associated with that specific battery, especially useful for shared or transferable batteries.
Who owns patent US 20240186800?
This patent is owned by Mirai Labo Co.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on March 29, 2042, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 20240186800 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This system is important for managing rechargeable batteries in scenarios where they are shared, rented, or frequently change hands. By authenticating a battery's actual capacity and dynamically linking it to users, it enables more efficient use, fair pricing based on battery health, and better tracking of battery lifecycles. This could support the growth of battery-as-a-service models and circular economy initiatives.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover a simple battery charging system that doesn't authenticate the battery's actual chargeable capacity.
Patent monitoring