Abstract: A remote rental store system that includes (a) a remote store monitor located at a rental location, the remote store monitor including: (i) a wireless receiver for receiving wirelessly transmitted signals from a plurality of mobile rental units located at the remote rental location; and (ii) a store controller connected to the wireless receiver for generating rental unit usage data for the rental units in dependence on the signals and providing the rental unit status data over a communications link; and (b) a management controller, at a location that is remote from the rental location, for receiving the rental unit usage data through the communications link from the store controller and periodically determining a rental charge for the rental units in dependence on the rental unit usage data.

Abstract: A battery information collection system for collecting information on one or more batteries in use at a first site. The system comprises a data collection unit associated with each of the one or more batteries, the data collection unit including a sensor coupled to the battery associated therewith and a transmitter for sending battery operating data to a receiver. One or more controllers receive the battery operating data for a plurality of batteries and generate notifications upon detecting certain conditions.