# US 11,897,360 B2 · Information processing device, information processing method, and program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,360 B2 - Document ID: US11897360B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/976,862 - Filed: 2018-12-11 - Published: 2020-12-31 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-08 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Yasuhisa Kamikawa; Aneesh Chand; Wataru Kokubo; Kazuo Hongo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897360B2 ## CPC - B60L 53/80: Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries - H02J 7/751: {concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries} - B25J 5/00: Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages (B25J1/00 takes precedence; program-controlled manipulators B25J9/00) - B25J 13/00: Controls for manipulators (program controls B25J9/16) - B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries} - B60L 53/36: by positioning the vehicle - G05D 1/0088: {characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00)} - G05D 1/228: Command input arrangements located on-board unmanned vehicles - H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC] - A63H 11/20: with pairs of legs, e.g. horses - B62D 57/032: with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid (B62D57/024 takes precedence) - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - A63H: TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An information processing device, an information processing method, and a program are proposed that make it possible to allow an autonomous moving body to make battery replacement more easily. The information processing device includes a controller. The controller couples, in a first region, a connection terminal to the autonomous moving body. The first region is provided for ejection of a first battery included in the autonomous moving body. The connection terminal is provided for power supply and included in a power supply apparatus disposed in the first region. The controller moves the autonomous moving body with the connection terminal coupled, from the first region to a second region in which a charged second battery is disposed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing device, comprising a controller configured to: couple, in a first region, a connection terminal to an autonomous moving body, the first region for ejection of a first battery in the autonomous moving body, and the connection terminal for power supply and in a power supply apparatus, wherein the power supply apparatus is in the first region; and move the autonomous moving body with the connection terminal coupled, from the first region to a second region that includes a charged second battery. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein a main body of the power supply apparatus and the connection terminal are linked by a cable, and the controller is further configured to move the autonomous moving body with the connection terminal coupled, from the first region to the second region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to allow the autonomous moving body to eject the first battery in the first region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to allow the second battery to be installed in the autonomous moving body in the second region, and allow the connection terminal to be removed from the autonomous moving body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, further comprising an acquisition unit configured to acquire a measured value of an amount of charge left in the first battery, wherein the controller is further configured to move the autonomous moving body from outside the first region to inside the first region on a condition that the measured value of the amount of charge left in the first battery becomes equal to or smaller than a specific threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to: couple the connection terminal to the autonomous moving body in the first region, and allow the autonomous moving body to eject the first battery in the first region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein on a condition that the connection terminal is removed from the autonomous moving body, the connection terminal and the cable are retracted toward the main body of the power supply apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein the autonomous moving body includes a plurality of legs, and the controller is further configured to: control the autonomous moving body in the first region, to allow the autonomous moving body to bend down to a specific height or lower, and allow the autonomous moving body to eject the first battery in the first region, with the autonomous moving body bending down to the specific height or lower. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The information processing device according to claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to: control the autonomous moving body in the second region, to allow the autonomous moving body to bend down to the specific height or lower, and allow the second battery to be installed in the autonomous moving body by drawing the second battery up to the main body of the autonomous moving body in the second region, with the autonomous moving body bending down to the specific height or lower. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The information processing device according to claim 8, further comprises: a plurality of rollers in the main body of the autonomous moving body, wherein the plurality of the rollers are for the ejection of the first battery and installation of the second battery, and the controller is further configured to: allow the first battery to be ejected to outside the autonomous moving body, based on a rotation, in the first region, the plurality of the rollers in contact with the first battery, and allow the second battery to be installed in the main body of the autonomous moving body, based on the rotation of the plurality of the rollers in the second region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The information processing device according to claim 8, further comprises: a linear pin mechanism in the main body of the autonomous moving body, the linear pin mechanism is for the ejection of the first battery and installation of the second battery, wherein the controller is further configured to: allow the first battery to be removed from the autonomous moving body, by sliding the linear pin mechanism to allow the linear pin mechanism in contact with the first battery to become non-contact with the first battery in the first region, and allow the second battery to be installed in the main body of the autonomous moving body, by sliding the linear pin mechanism to bring the linear pin mechanism into contact with the second battery in the second region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein a power cable is in the main body of the autonomous moving body, and the controller is further configured to allow the second battery to be installed in the autonomous moving body, by coupling a first connector and a second connector, the first connector being coupled to the power cable, and the second connector being included in the second battery. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The information processing device according to claim 12, wherein at least one resilient body is between the first connector and the main body of the autonomous moving body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein the first region and the second region are in a specific battery station. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The information processing device according to claim 14, wherein the first region includes: a first sub-region for the ejection of the first battery; and a second sub-region outside the first sub-region, and in which the power supply apparatus is disposed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The information processing device according to claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to: allow the autonomous moving body to eject the first battery in the first sub-region, and allow the second battery to be installed in the autonomous moving body in the second sub-region. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The information processing device according to claim 14, wherein the information processing device comprises the autonomous moving body. ### Claim 18 An information processing method comprising: coupling, in a first region, a connection terminal to an autonomous moving body, the first region for ejection of a first battery in the autonomous moving body, and the connection terminal for power supply and in a power supply apparatus, wherein the power supply apparatus is in the first region; and allowing a processor to move the autonomous moving body with the connection terminal coupled, from the first region to a second region that includes a charged second battery. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute operations, the operations comprising: coupling, in a first region, a connection terminal to an autonomous moving body, the first region for ejection of a first battery in the autonomous moving body, and the connection terminal for power supply and in a power supply apparatus, wherein the power supply apparatus is in the first region; and allowing a processor to move the autonomous moving body with the connection terminal coupled, from the first region to a second region that includes a charged second battery.