Systems and methods of monitoring and replacing batteries

Abstract

A system and method for increasing device efficiency by monitoring and replacing batteries. The system includes a mobile computing device and a data repository, where the data repository is configured to detect a unique device identification, a unique battery identification, a geographic location of the device, and battery information such as the current life of the battery and the number of times the battery has been charged. The mobile computing device in the system communicates the data repository to a processor. The processor calculates when a new battery is needed and the system ships a replacement battery to the facility closest to the location of the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for tracking battery use and replacement within a distribution network, the system comprising:
 a first mobile delivery device comprising:
 a battery; 
 a scanner; 
 a memory storing a unique device identifier and battery information; 
 a global positioning system configured to detect a location of the first mobile delivery device; and 
 at least one processor in communication with the battery, and 
   one or more processors in communication with the first mobile delivery device, the one or more processors configured to:
 receive the battery information from the first mobile delivery device; 
 determine a battery status based on the battery information; and 
 when the battery status is below a battery threshold,
 select a replacement battery to replace the battery of the first mobile delivery device based on the location of the first mobile delivery device; and 
 cause an inventory management system to provide the replacement battery to the first mobile delivery device. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to select the replacement battery by:
 receiving, from a second mobile delivery device, battery information associated with a battery of the second mobile delivery device and a location of the second mobile delivery device; and   selecting the second battery as the replacement battery based at least in part on battery information associated with the battery of the second mobile device.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the server is further configured to select the second battery as the replacement battery based at least in part on the location of the first mobile delivery device and the location of the second mobile delivery device . 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the server is further configured to select the second battery as the replacement battery by:
 determining a distance between the first mobile delivery device and the second mobile delivery device based on the locations of the first mobile delivery device and the second mobile delivery device; and   when the distance between the first mobile delivery device and the second mobile delivery device is below a distance threshold, selecting the second battery as the replacement battery.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a display device, wherein the server is further configured to generate, on the display device, a map that displays a marker representing the first mobile delivery device at the location on the map. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the server is further configured to display the battery status on the map. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the server is further configured to provide an alert on the map, indicating that the battery status is below the battery threshold. 
     
     
         8 . A system for tracking battery use and replacement within a distribution network, the system comprising:
 a handheld scanning device comprising:
 a battery; 
 a memory storing battery information of the battery; 
 at least one processor in communication with the battery; and 
   a server configured to:
 receive the battery information from the handheld scanning device; 
 determine a battery status based on the battery information; and 
 when the battery status exceeds a battery threshold, cause an inventory management system to provide a new battery for the handheld scanning device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the battery comprises a battery identifier. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the battery information comprises one or more of:
 a current battery life, a number of battery charge cycles, a number of times the battery has been charged, or a number of battery-amps hours used and stored.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor of the handheld scanning device is further configured to set a power mode of the handheld scanning device based on the battery information. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor of the handheld scanning device is further configured to transmit the battery information and the unique device identifier to the server at an interval based on the power mode of the handheld scanning device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the server is further configured to provide the new battery for the handheld scanning device by shipping the new battery to a delivery facility associated with the handheld scanning device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the server is further configured to:
 receive scan data from the handheld scanning device; and   identify the delivery facility associated with the handheld scanning device based on the scan data.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the server is further configured to:
 determine that the new battery has arrived at a delivery facility associated with the handheld scanning device; and   instruct the handheld scanning device associated with the battery to generate a notification.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the server is further configured to:
 determine the new battery has arrived at a delivery facility associated with the handheld scanning device; and   provide a notification to a user, via the handheld scanning device, to replace the battery with the new battery, wherein the notification identifies a location of the new battery at the delivery facility associated with the handheld scanning device.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the handheld scanning device further comprises a global positioning system (GPS) configured to detect a location of the handheld scanning device, and wherein the server is further configured to receive the location of the handheld scanning device from the handheld scanning device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a display device, wherein the server is further configured to generate, on the display device, a map that displays a marker representing the handheld scanning device at the location on the map. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the server is further configured to display the battery status on the map. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the server is further configured to provide an alert on the map, indicating that the battery status is below the battery threshold.