WO2016023131A1

WO2016023131A1 - Vehicle sharing system having virtual docking stations

Info

Publication number: WO2016023131A1
Application number: PCT/CA2015/050776
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alain Ayotte; Catarina MIGUEL GARCIA MARTINS; Ricardo FERREIRA DA COSTA; Rui Miguel BERNARDES REBELO; Carlos Eduardo FERREIRA DE OLIVEIRA
Original assignee: Technologies Bewegen Inc.; Bikeemotion, Lda
Priority date: 2014-08-15
Filing date: 2015-08-14
Publication date: 2016-02-18

Abstract

There is described herein a vehicle sharing system having virtual docking stations. The system is operable with vehicles that are equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS). In some embodiments, the vehicles may also have a locking mechanism. The vehicles are capable of communicating with a vehicle sharing management system via a wireless network. Virtual docking stations may be designated for short-term or long-term use, as a function of need and/or demand. They may be expanded when full or used to complement existing physical docking stations.

Description

VEHICLE SHARING SYSTEM HAVING VIRTUAL DOCKING STATIONS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001 ] The present application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 62/037,749, filed on August 15, 2014, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle sharing systems and more particularly, to managing docking stations for vehicles in a vehicle sharing system.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

[0003] Bicycle sharing systems are a growing trend in many urban communities as they help alleviate problems related to traffic and pollution. They offer a flexible transportation option at low cost. They can be found in many cities, at universities, on corporate campuses, or generally city-wide. Users are typically charged on a per-use basis and bicycles may be obtained and returned at different locations throughout a geographical area.

[0004] One of the inconveniences of the system is the physical limitation imposed by docking stations, which are the areas reserved for returning bicycles after use. Bicycle docking stations usually include physical racks for parking the bicycles, whereby the number of bicycles that fit in the rack is limited by the physical space available. Docking stations near popular points of interest often get filled rapidly in a day and users are stuck looking for an alternative docking station, further from their destination, in order to return the bicycle.

[0005] This issue has in part been addressed by bicycle sharing systems without any docking stations, where the bicycles are provided with remotely operable locking mechanisms such that they may be anchored anywhere. However, keeping track of the location of each bicycle in the system is complex, and users do not have a fixed location where they know they can retrieve a bicycle for use.

SUMMARY

[0006] There is described herein a vehicle sharing system having virtual docking stations. The system is operable with vehicles that are equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS). In some embodiments, the vehicles may also have a locking mechanism. The vehicles are capable of communicating with a vehicle sharing management system via a wireless network. Virtual docking stations may be designated for short-term or long-term use, as a function of need and/or demand. They may be expanded when full or used to complement existing physical docking stations.

[0007] The vehicle sharing system allows the availability status of each vehicle to be managed in terms of location and/or use. Vehicle tracking may serve for one or more of billing users, maintenance purposes, identifying unreturned vehicles, redistributing vehicles to other docking stations, etc.

[0008] In accordance with a first broad aspect, there is provided a vehicle sharing management system in communication with a plurality of vehicles over a network, the vehicles each having a global positioning device. The system comprises a memory, a processor coupled to the memory, and at least one application stored in the memory and executable by the processor. The application is executable for designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station, wherein vehicles located within the virtual docking station and inactive are considered available for use; monitoring the vehicles for location in the geographical area through wireless communication with the vehicles over the network; managing an availability status of each vehicle by tracking vehicle use as a function of vehicle location with respect to the at least one zone defining the virtual docking station; and updating the availability status of each vehicle accordingly. [0009] In accordance with another broad aspect, there is provided a method for managing a plurality of vehicles capable of communicating with at least one processor over a network, the vehicles each having a global positioning device. The method comprises executing program code on the at least one processor for designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station, wherein vehicles located within the virtual docking station and inactive are considered available for use; monitoring the vehicles for location in the geographical area through wireless communication with the vehicles over the network; managing an availability status of each vehicle by tracking vehicle use as a function of vehicle location with respect to the at least one zone defining the virtual docking station; and updating the availability status of each vehicle accordingly.

[0010] In accordance with another broad aspect, there is provided computer- readable medium having stored thereon program code executable by at least one processor for managing a plurality of vehicles capable of communicating with the at least one processor over a network, the vehicles each having a global positioning device. The program code is executable for designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station, wherein vehicles located within the virtual docking station and inactive are considered available for use; monitoring the vehicles for location in the geographical area through wireless communication with the vehicles over the network; managing an availability status of each vehicle by tracking vehicle use as a function of vehicle location with respect to the at least one zone defining the virtual docking station; and updating the availability status of each vehicle accordingly.

[001 1 ] The vehicle sharing system described herein may be used for various types of vehicles, such as but not limited to single-wheel devices (such as a Segway™ or a Solowheel™), two-wheel devices (such as bicycles and motorcycles), three- wheel devices (such as upright, recumbent, or semi-recumbent tricycles), four- wheelers, etc. The vehicles may be motor-powered, such as motorcycles and automobiles, or human-powered, such as bicycles and tricycles. The vehicles may be land-based or water-based, such as kayaks, canoes, paddle-boats, surfboards, sailboats, and motorboats. The vehicle sharing system may be used for single-type vehicles or for a combination of two or more types of vehicles. The detailed description refers to bicycles for illustrative purposes only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:

[0013] Fig. 1 is a schematic of an exemplary vehicle sharing system for bicycles;

[0014] Fig. 2 is an exemplary bicycle for use in the system of figure 1 ;

[0015] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary control module on the bicycle of figure 2;

[0016] Fig. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary application running on the bicycle sharing management system; and

[0017] Fig. 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary method as performed by the application of figure 4.

[0018] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Referring to Figure 1 , there is illustrated a vehicle sharing system for bicycles, for use in various types of environments or communities, such as a county, a city, a village, a corporate campus, a school campus, a province, a state, and a country. Large or small geographical areas may be covered by the bicycle sharing system. Users of the bicycle sharing system may be registered or unregistered. Registered end-users may be granted access as part of a subscription or on a single use basis. Unregistered end-users may be granted access on a temporary basis and/or for a limited amount of time.

[0020] The embodiment of figure 1 comprises a bicycle sharing management system 102 that is adapted to communicate with a plurality of bicycles 108 via a wireless network 106, such as a cellular network, Wi-Fi, wireless Personal Area Networks (PAN), wireless Local Area Network (LAN), wireless mesh network, and others known to those skilled in the art, or via a combination of types of networks. For example, the bicycles 108 may communicate with an intermediate device (not shown) via a first type of network and the intermediate device may communicate with the system 102 via a second type of network. Exemplary intermediate devices are routers, computers, servers, communication towers, base stations, and other devices that may receive and transmit signals. Such signals may be received wirelessly from the bicycles 108 and retransmitted wirelessly and/or via wire to the bicycle sharing management system 102. For example, retransmission may occur via cables, optical fibers, and/or other wired-type transmission modes. Similarly, intermediate devices may receive signals wirelessly or via wire from the bicycle sharing management system 102 and retransmit them wirelessly to the bicycles 108. Signals may be processed and/or transformed before retransmission by the intermediate devices. Two or more network types and/or intermediate devices may be used to form the communication link between the system 102 and the bicycles 108. The system 102 may also communicate with personal computing devices 104 via the same network 106 or a different one. The devices 104 may comprise any device, such as a laptop computer, a tablet, a smartphone, or the like, adapted to communicate over the network 106.

[0021 ] The system 102 may comprise one or more server(s) 1 12. For example, a series of servers corresponding to a web server, an application server, and a database server may be used. These servers are all represented by server 1 12 in Figure 1 . The server 1 12 may comprise, amongst other things, a processor 1 14 coupled to a memory 1 16 and having a plurality of applications 1 18a, 1 18n running thereon. The processor 1 14 may access the memory 1 16 to retrieve data. The processor 1 14 may be any device that can perform operations on data. Examples are a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, and a front-end processor. The applications 1 18a, 1 18n are coupled to the processor 1 14 and configured to perform various tasks as explained below in more detail. It should be understood that while the applications 1 18a, 1 18n presented herein are illustrated and described as separate entities, they may be combined or separated in a variety of ways. It should be understood that an operating system (not shown) may be used as an intermediary between the processor 1 14 and the applications 1 18a, 1 18n. Also, although the system 102 is described herein as comprising the processor 1 14 having the applications 1 18a, 1 18n running thereon, it should be understood that cloud computing may also be used such that the bicycle sharing management system 102 is provided partially or entirely in the cloud. In some embodiments, part or all of an application 1 18a may be downloaded directly onto devices 104 and application 1 18n communicates with application 1 18a via the network 106. Thus the expression "server with a processor having an application running thereon" will be used herein to include any embodiment whereby cloud computing is used.

[0022] The memory 1 16 accessible by the processor 1 14 may receive and store data. The memory 1 16 may be a main memory, such as a high speed Random Access Memory (RAM), or an auxiliary storage unit, such as a hard disk or flash memory. The memory 1 16 may be any other type of memory, such as a Read-Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), or optical storage media such as a videodisc and a compact disc.

[0023] One or more databases 120 may be integrated directly into the memory 1 16 or may be provided separately therefrom and remotely from the server 1 12 (as illustrated). In the case of a remote access to the databases 120, access may occur via any type of network 106, as indicated above. The databases 120 may also be accessed through an alternative wireless network or through a wired connection. The databases 120 described herein may be provided as collections of data or information organized for rapid search and retrieval by a computer. The databases 120 may be structured to facilitate storage, retrieval, modification, and deletion of data in conjunction with various data-processing operations. The databases 120 may consist of a file or sets of files that can be broken down into records, each of which consists of one or more fields. Database information may be retrieved through queries using keywords and sorting commands, in order to rapidly search, rearrange, group, and select the field. The databases 120 may be any organization of data on a data storage medium, such as one or more servers. Information about various services and/or products and/or users of the bicycle sharing system may be stored in the databases 120. In one embodiment, the databases 120 are secure web servers and Hypertext Transport Protocol Secure (HTTPS) capable of supporting Transport Layer Security (TLS). Communications to and from the secure web servers may be secured using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Identity verification of a user may be performed using usernames and passwords for all users. Various levels of access rights may be provided to multiple levels of users. Alternatively, any known communication protocols that enable devices within a computer network to exchange information may be used. Examples of protocols are as follows: IP (Internet Protocol), UDP (User Datagram Protocol), TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), FTP (File Transfer Protocol), Telnet (Telnet Remote Protocol), SSH (Secure Shell Remote Protocol).

[0024] Figure 2 is an exemplary embodiment of a bicycle 200 from the plurality of bicycles 108 that operate within the bicycle sharing system of figure 1 . Basic bicycle hardware is provided, such as a frame 202, wheels 204a, 204b, a seat 206, and handle bars 208. In some embodiments, the bicycle 200 is electric and thus comprises an electric motor 210 that runs on battery power. Part or all of the electric motor 210 may be integrated within the frame 202, or it may be mounted thereto. A control module 212 may be used to manage the various functions of the bicycle and communicate with the management system 102.

[0025] Figure 3 is an exemplary embodiment of the control module 212. A bicycle communication module 302 may communicate with the management system 102 via the network 106 as described above. A global positioning system (GPS) device 304 may be provided in the control module 212. In some embodiments, part or all of the GPS device 304 may be outside of the control module 212. For example, a GPS receiver (not shown) may be mounted to the frame 202 while data collection hardware and/or software is provided inside the control module 212. The GPS device may be powered by the battery of the electric motor 210 or it may be powered by a separate power source, such as solar power. The GPS receiver calculates its position by precisely timing the signals sent by GPS satellites. The GPS device provides the position to the bicycle communication module 302 for transmission to the management system 102.

[0026] A locking module 306 may be provided to lock and unlock the bicycle 200. Locking and unlocking may be performed locally by entering commands directly on the bicycle 200 via a user interface 308 or it may be performed remotely by the management system 102. Locking may be effected by deactivating the electric motor 210 or preventing battery power from being fed to the electric motor 210. Alternatively, a separate control mechanism may be provided and operably connected to the locking module 306. The control mechanism may be configured to prevent the front and/or back wheels 204a, 204b of the bicycle 200 from rotating when the lock is activated. A locking status signal, indicative of whether the bicycle is locked or unlocked, may be provided from the locking module 306 to the bicycle communication module 302 for transmission to the management system 102.

[0027] The user interface 308 may be used to locally lock and unlock the bicycle. In some embodiments, the user interface 308 comprises an input keypad for entering an unlocking code. Alternatively, the user interface 308 may comprise a touch screen for entering data and/or an RFID reader for reading membership cards of registered users. The user interface may also comprise a USB port for connecting with a computing device 104. In some embodiments, virtual membership cards may be displayed on a computing device 104 and read by scanning means on the user interface 308. Various other data entering mechanisms will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. The user interface 308 may comprise a display (not shown) for displaying a bicycle status to potential users, such as available and unavailable. Other status levels, such as "in use", "needs maintenance", or "parked", may also be displayed.

[0028] In some embodiments, users may be required to log in or otherwise gain authorized access to the bicycle 200 through the use of a unique identifier. For this purpose, users may illustratively register with the system 102 by completing an application form, thereby creating a unique profile or account. This may be done by accessing a website associated with the system 102 using a device 104, for example. Once registration is complete, each user is illustratively provided with a unique identifier, such as a username and password, associated with his/her profile. The identifier may be used to verify the identity of the user and for processing requests for a bicycle 200. The user may then access the system 102 by logging on to the website using the identifier.

[0029] Alternatively, a native application may be provided on device 104, and launched by the user for access to the system 102. The system 102 may also be accessed via a mobile Web application. It should be understood that the system 102 may be accessed by multiple users simultaneously. In this manner, a large volume of consumers may be supported. It should also be understood that the user may log into the system 102 using an identifier associated with an online social network or social networking application (e.g. Facebook™, Google+™, Twitter™ or the like) to which the user has subscribed, after a user profile for the system has been initially created.

[0030] Bicycles 108 may be retrieved and returned at various designated areas within the operating territory. Physical docking stations may be provided at predetermined locations. Such stations may comprise a base and a rack for storing the bicycles in an orderly manner. Some of the physical docking stations may also be charging stations. Such stations may comprise one or more charging docks and power source(s). Some of the physical docking stations may also be equipped with kiosks for dispensing tickets and/or RFID cards for use with the bicycles 108. The kiosks may be configured to receive cash, credit cards, and/or debit cards. The charging stations and/or kiosks may also be provided separately from the physical docking stations, at other designated areas within the operating range of the bicycle sharing system.

[0031 ] Virtual docking stations may be designated throughout the operating territory. Such stations may be designated on a short-term basis or a long-term basis by the system 102. Short-term virtual docking stations may be designated for specific functions, such as a concert or a sporting event at a given location. Registered users may be informed of the creation of short-term virtual docking stations via their user accounts or on an application residing on a computing device 104. Such information may also be posted on a website of the bicycle sharing system operator or of the event, or via another communication medium such as Twitter™ or Facebook™. For example, an announcement such as "a virtual docking station for ebikes from bikes'r'us will be provided in the lot at the corner of elm street and maple street from 8:00 pm to 2:00 am on Friday July 18" may be tweeted or posted. Short-term virtual docking stations may also be designated for periods longer than a single day or a few hours, such as days, weeks, or months. For example, a virtual docking station may be designated for the months of July and August only, or for the week of Spring Break. Announcements may be provided on various social media, in user accounts, or using other known communication means.

[0032] Long-term virtual docking stations may be designated as pseudo- permanent, i.e. there is no known date at which they will be moved or shut down. However, should the need arise to displace them, it may be done readily due to the absence of any physical components required at the location of a virtual docking station. For example, construction or road work may cause a long-term virtual docking station to be moved to another location, temporarily or not. Virtual docking stations that have low popularity, perhaps because they are hard to access, may also be moved to another location. The locations of long-term virtual docking stations may be publicized using various mechanisms, digital or physical (i.e. posters or billboards).

[0033] In some embodiments, a virtual docking station is used to expand a physical docking station. For example, the racks provided at the physical docking station may be full and it may be desired to allow users to continue returning bicycles at the physical docking station until the end of the day. In another example, an event is planned at a venue having a physical docking station nearby with limited capacity and it is desired to increase the capacity for a fixed period of time. Managing the locations and size of the virtual docking station may be done by the management system 102, using for example application 1 18a. Referring to Figure 4, there is illustrated an exemplary embodiment of application 1 18a for managing the bicycle sharing system. The application 1 18a illustratively comprises a bicycle status module 402, a management communication module 404, a tracking module 406, a docking station module 408, and a user accounts module 410. The management communication module 404 may be configured to communicate with all external entities, such as the bicycles 108 and the computing devices 104, via the network 106. The user accounts module 410 may be updated with information regarding individual accounts that is received by the management communication module 404, such as payment information, subscription information, use information, etc.

[0034] The docking station module 408 may be configured to allow the virtual docking stations to be designated and managed. The module 408 may receive the designation in various forms, such as geographical coordinates (longitude and latitude), an address, a point of interest (e.g. municipal library), or a combination thereof. The designation may also delineate a perimeter using street addresses (e.g. 1930 elm street to 1985 elm street), intersections (e.g. elm street from 1 ^st avenue to 10^th avenue, or the block formed by elm street, maple street, oak street, and pine street), or as a set of geographical coordinates (e.g. 38.744243, - 121.262519; 38.743942, -121 .262047; 38.744227, -121.261661 ; 38.743858, - 121.261919). In some embodiments, the docking station module 408 may display a map of a territory on which the system operates on a computing device 104 via the management communication module 404. An operator may designate a virtual docking station by selecting a location, either a single point or a perimeter, directly on the map.

[0035] Once designated, virtual docking stations may be assigned unique identifiers, such as a name, an ID number, or both, for ease of reference. Existing virtual docking stations may be managed by referring to the unique identifier or by identifying them directly on the map. The perimeter or location may be changed at any time by authorized operators. The docking station module 408 may be configured to automatically shut-down short-term virtual docking stations at a predetermined moment in time. For example, an expiry time may be set to "Saturday 2:00 am", or "August 31 , 2014". Once the expiry time is reached, user accounts or various websites may be automatically updated to remove the expired short-term virtual docking station from a listing of available virtual docking stations.

[0036] The docking station module 408 may also be configured to manage physical docking stations, charging stations, and kiosks. Any requirements for the physical docking stations, charging stations, and kiosks, such as repairs, replacement parts, change or cards for the kiosks, etc, may be coordinated by the docking station module 408. Alternatively, the physical docking stations, charging stations, and kiosks may be managed externally to application 1 18a and the docking station module 408 may be dedicated to the designation and management of the virtual docking stations.

[0037] The management communication module 404 may be configured to receive data indicative of a locking status of a bicycle, i.e. locked or unlocked, and GPS data indicative of a position of a bicycle. As previously described, this information may be provided by the locking module 306 and GPS device 304 of the control module 212 on the bicycle 200. The GPS or position data may be provided to the tracking module 406 for use in tracking the bicycles operating on the territory. The docking station module 408 may provide the tracking module 406 with the location of the docking stations (physical and/or virtual) and this information may be combined with the GPS data to determine whether a bicycle that was previously in use has been returned. As the locations of the virtual docking stations may change, the tracking module 406 may communicate with the docking station module 408 for updated information. Bicycles that are inactive and located in a docking station may be designated as "parked". Such a location designation may facilitate managing the bicycle statuses, as described below. Therefore, a designation of "unparked" may be assigned to any bicycle outside of the docking station areas.

[0038] A bicycle status module 402 may manage the status of all active bicycles within the territory. Various status identifiers may be used to manage the bicycles. For example, a basic embodiment may comprise only two status identifiers, namely "available" and "unavailable". Bicycles locked and having a location designation of "parked" may be set as "available". When either of these conditions is not met, the status may be set to "unavailable". In some embodiments, a distinction is made between unavailable bicycles that are in-use versus those that are locked but outside of a designated docking station. "In-use" may be used as a status identifier for all bicycles that are unlocked and outside of the docking station, i.e. "unparked", while "paused" may be used as a designation for bicycles that are locked and "unparked". Such a distinction may be useful if payment conditions are dependent on actual use of the bicycle and not just running time from rental to return. For example, payment conditions may comprise a first tariff for "in-use" time and a second lower or higher tariff for "paused" time. Various other scenarios may be considered for identifying a status of the bicycles and setting payment conditions accordingly.

[0039] Bicycle statuses may be updated by the bicycle status module 402 as a function of changes in the locking status of the bicycle. For example, when the bicycle is "parked" and the locking status changes from locked to unlocked, this may be set as an update trigger, whether the unlocking of the bicycle was performed locally or remotely. The status of the bicycle may then be updated from "available" to "unavailable". Similarly, when the bicycle is "parked" and the locking status changes from unlocked to lock, this may be indicative of a returned bicycle and the status may be updated from "unavailable" to "available". In some embodiments, the "unavailable" status is changed to "in-use" when the bicycle leaves the perimeter of the virtual docking station.

[0040] Figure 5 is an exemplary embodiment of a computer-implemented method as performed by the application 1 18a illustrated in figure 4. A first step 502 comprises defining at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station. As stated above, the zone may be defined upon receipt by the application 1 18a of a designation such as geographical coordinates, an address, a point of interest, or a combination thereof. Such designation may be entered by a user or administrator.

[0041 ] Locking device status data and position data are received from the bicycles, as per 504, 506. Data reception may be combined in a single step or performed in two separate steps, as illustrated. The locking device status may be received independently from the position data, over a same or different network. Both types of data may be received directly from the bicycles or via one or more intermediate devices.

[0042] From the GPS data and a location of the virtual docking station(s), bicycles that are "parked" may be identified as such, as per 508. Using this designation and the locking device status data, the bicycle status may be updated. The status is updated from available to unavailable when the locking device status changes from locked to unlocked and the bicycle is parked, as per 510. The status is updated from unavailable to available when the locking device status changes from unlocked to locked and the bicycle is parked, as per 512. Other conditions may be set to cause the status to be updated, such the locking device status changing from unlocked to locked while the bicycle is unparked, or the locking device status changing from locked to unlocked while the bicycle is unparked.

[0043] In some embodiments, the application 1 18a or another application 1 18n running on the processor 1 14 may be configured to send a given user messages on the display of the control module 212 while the bicycle is in-use. For example, information regarding available docking stations (virtual or physical), user account, or user subscription may be provided selectively to any given bicycle specifically for its user.

[0044] While illustrated in the block diagrams as groups of discrete components communicating with each other via distinct data signal connections, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present embodiments are provided by a combination of hardware and software components, with some components being implemented by a given function or operation of a hardware or software system, and many of the data paths illustrated being implemented by data communication within a computer application or operating system. The structure illustrated is thus provided for efficiency of teaching the present embodiment. It should be noted that the present invention can be carried out as a method and can be embodied in a system or on a computer readable medium. The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary only. The scope of the invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A vehicle sharing management system in communication with a plurality of vehicles over a network, the vehicles each having a global positioning device, the system comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory; and

at least one application stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the at least one application comprising program code for:

designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station for the vehicles, wherein vehicles located within the virtual docking station and inactive are considered available for use; monitoring the vehicles for location in the geographical area through wireless communication with the vehicles over the network;

managing an availability status of each vehicle by tracking vehicle use as a function of vehicle location with respect to the at least one zone defining the virtual docking station; and

updating the availability status of each vehicle accordingly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein updating the availability status of each vehicle comprises transmitting an updated availability status to each vehicle through the wireless communication over the network, for display on the vehicle.

3. The system of claims 1 or 2, wherein updating the availability status of each vehicle comprises remotely activating or deactivating a control mechanism on the vehicle.

4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein managing the availability status comprises determining if a vehicle previously in use has been returned to the virtual docking station, and updating a user account accordingly.

5. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vehicles each comprise a locking device having one of a locked and an unlocked status, wherein monitoring the vehicles comprises monitoring a locking device status through wireless communication with the vehicles over the network, and wherein tracking vehicle use comprises doing so as a function of vehicle location and locking device status.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein updating the availability status of each vehicle comprises assigning one of the following statuses to the vehicle:

available when the locking device status changes from unlocked to locked and the vehicle is within the at least one zone; and

in-use when the locking device status changes from locked to unlocked and the vehicle is inside or outside of the at least one zone.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein updating the availability status of each vehicle comprises assigning a paused status when the locking device status changes from unlocked to locked and the vehicle is outside of the at least one zone.

8. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one zone comprises a plurality of zones defining a plurality of virtual docking stations at different locations, and wherein managing the availability status comprises determining which one of the plurality of virtual docking stations a returned vehicle sits in.

9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one application is further configured for communicating with a personal computing device to display on a graphical user interface of the personal computing device a virtual docking station location.

10. The system of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station comprises designating the at least one zone as a temporary docking station for a fixed period of time.

1 1 . The system of claim 10, wherein the temporary docking station is automatically undesignated when the fixed period of time has expired.

12. The system of any one of claims 1 to 1 1 , wherein designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station comprises expanding an area of at least one already defined zone.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein managing an availability status of each vehicle comprises determining that a number of vehicles in the at least one zone has reached a threshold and triggering the expanding of the area of the at least one already defined zone.

14. The system claims 12 or 13, wherein expanding the area of the at least one already defined zone comprises annexing the at least one zone to a physical docking station to expand the physical docking station.

15. A method for managing a plurality of vehicles capable of communicating with at least one processor over a network, the vehicles each having a global positioning device, the method comprising executing program code on the at least one processor for: designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station, wherein vehicles located within the virtual docking station and inactive are considered available for use;

monitoring the vehicles for location in the geographical area through wireless communication with the vehicles over the network;

updating the availability status of each vehicle accordingly.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein updating the availability status of each vehicle comprises transmitting an updated availability status to each vehicle through the wireless communication over the network, for display on the vehicle.

17. The method of claims 15 or 16, wherein updating the availability status of each vehicle comprises remotely activating or deactivating a control mechanism on the vehicle.

18. The method of any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein managing the availability status comprises determining if a vehicle previously in use has been returned to the virtual docking station, and updating a user account accordingly.

19. The method of any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the vehicles each comprise a locking device having one of a locked and an unlocked status, wherein monitoring the vehicles comprises monitoring a locking device status through wireless communication with the vehicles over the network, and wherein tracking vehicle use comprises doing so as a function of vehicle location and locking device status.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein updating the availability status of each vehicle comprises assigning one of the following statuses to the vehicle:

21 . The method of claim 20, wherein updating the availability status of each vehicle comprises assigning a paused status when the locking device status changes from unlocked to locked and the vehicle is outside of the at least one zone.

22. The method of any one of claims 15 to 21 , wherein the at least one zone comprises a plurality of zones defining a plurality of virtual docking stations at different locations, and wherein managing the availability status comprises determining which one of the plurality of virtual docking stations a returned vehicle sits in.

23. The method of any one of claims 15 to 22, wherein the at least one application is further configured for communicating with a personal computing device to display on a graphical user interface of the personal computing device a virtual docking station location.

24. The method of any one of claims 15 to 23, wherein designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station comprises designating the at least one zone as a temporary docking station for a fixed period of time.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the temporary docking station is automatically undesignated when the fixed period of time has expired.

26. The method of any one of claims 15 to 25, wherein designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station comprises expanding an area of at least one already defined zone.

27. The method of claim 126, wherein managing an availability status of each vehicle comprises determining that a number of vehicles in the at least one zone has reached a threshold and triggering the expanding of the area of the at least one already defined zone.

28. The method claims 26 or 27, wherein expanding the area of the at least one already defined zone comprises annexing the at least one zone to a physical docking station to expand the physical docking station.

29. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon program code executable by at least one processor for managing a plurality of vehicles capable of communicating with the at least one processor over a network, the vehicles each having a global positioning device, the program code executable for: designating at least one zone in a geographical area as a virtual docking station, wherein vehicles located within the virtual docking station and inactive are considered available for use;

updating the availability status of each vehicle accordingly.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the program code is executable for the method of any one of claims 16 to 28.