Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND PRESENTING
BATTERY INFORMATION
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[001] This application claims priority to, and the benefit of: U.S.
Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/538,622 filed on July 28, 2017 entitled "ENERGY STORAGE
DEVICE,
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND PERFORMING DIAGNOSTICS
ON POWER DOMAINS"; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/659,929 filed on
April 19, 2018 entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING BATTERY
PERFORMANCE"; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/660,157 filed on
April 19,
2018 entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ANALYSIS OF MONITORED
TRANSPORTATION BATTERY DATA"; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
62/679,648 filed on June 1, 2018 entitled "DETERMINING THE STATE OF CHARGE OF
A DISCONNECTED BATTERY". The contents of each of the foregoing applications
are
hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes (except for any subject
matter disclaimers
or disavowals, and except to the extent that the incorporated material is
inconsistent with the
express disclosure herein, in which case the language in this disclosure
controls).
TECHNICAL FIELD
[002] The present disclosure relates generally to monitoring of energy
storage devices,
and in particular to the processing and presenting of battery information.
BACKGROUND
[003]
Lead acid energy storage devices are prevalent and have been used in a variety
of
applications for well over 100 years. In some instances, these energy storage
devices have
been monitored to assess a condition of the energy storage device.
Nevertheless, these prior
art monitoring techniques typically are complex enough and sufficiently costly
as to limit
their use, and to limit the amount of data that is obtained, particularly in
low value remote
applications. For example, there is generally insufficient data about the
history of a specific
energy storage device over the life of its application. Moreover, in small
numbers, some
energy storage devices are coupled to sensors to collect data about the energy
storage system,
but this is not typical of large numbers of devices and/or in geographically
dispersed systems.
Often the limited data obtained via prior art monitoring is insufficient to
support analysis,
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actions, notifications and determinations that may otherwise be desirable.
Similar limitations
exist for non-lead-acid energy storage devices. In particular, these
batteries, due to their high
energy and power have entered various new mobile applications that are not
suitable for
traditional monitoring systems. Accordingly, new devices, systems and methods
for
.. monitoring energy storage devices (and batteries in particular) remain
desirable, for example
for providing new opportunities in managing one or more energy storage
devices, including
in diverse and/or remote geographic locations.
SUMMARY
[004] In an example embodiment, systems and methods relating to monitoring,
measuring, and presenting battery information are disclosed. In various
embodiments, the
system may be configured to perform operations including receiving, by the
processor,
voltage data of a battery measured by a monitor circuit; receiving, by the
processor,
temperature data of the battery measured by the monitor circuit; and
displaying, by the
processor, the temperature data and the voltage data of the battery on a
graphical user
interface on a display screen. In various embodiments, the operations may
further comprise
receiving, by the processor, at least one of battery-specific data
characterizing the battery or
application-specific data characterizing an application of the battery; and
displaying, by the
processor, at least one of the battery-specific data or the application-
specific data on the
graphical user interface.
[005] In various embodiments, the operations may further comprise
analyzing, by the
processor, the voltage data, the temperature data, and/or at least one of the
battery-specific
data or the application-specific data; determining, by the processor, at least
one of a state of
charge of the battery, a state of health of the battery, a crank health of the
battery, a reserve
time of the battery, a remaining life of the battery, or a discharge health of
the battery in
response to the analyzing the voltage data, the temperature data, and/or the
at least one of the
battery-specific data or the application-specific data; and displaying, by the
processor,
information regarding the at least one of the state of charge of the battery,
the state of health
of the battery, the crank health of the battery, the reserve time of the
battery, the remaining
life of the battery, or the discharge health of the battery on the display
screen.
[006] In various embodiments, the system performing the operations
discussed herein
may further comprise a battery, a monitor circuit coupled to the battery
(either internal or
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external to the battery), a processor in communication with the monitor
circuit, and a memory
for storing the received battery information and instructions for processor
execution.
[007] In various embodiments, the system may receive and/or analyze voltage
data,
temperature data, battery-specific data, and/or application-specific data for
a plurality of
batteries and display the information or analysis results on a display screen.
The system may
receive a selection of one or more of the batteries from a user, and in
response, display the
information for the selected battery(s).
[008] The contents of this section are intended as a simplified
introduction to the
disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of any claim.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[009] FIG. 1A illustrates a monobloc having a battery monitor circuit
disposed therein,
in accordance with various embodiments
[0010]
FIG. 1B illustrates a monobloc having a battery monitor circuit coupled
thereto, in
accordance with various embodiments;
[0011]
FIG. 2A illustrates a battery comprising multiple monoblocs, with each
monobloc
having a battery monitor circuit disposed therein, in accordance with various
embodiments;
[0012]
FIG. 2B illustrates a battery comprising multiple monoblocs, with the battery
having a battery monitor circuit coupled thereto, in accordance with various
embodiments;
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a method of monitoring a battery in accordance
with various
embodiments;
[0014]
FIG. 4A illustrates a battery monitoring system, in accordance with various
embodiments;
[0015]
FIG. 4B illustrates a battery monitoring system, in accordance with various
embodiments;
[0016]
FIG. 4C illustrates a battery operating history matrix having columns
representing
a range of voltage measurements, and rows representing a range of temperature
measurements, in accordance with various embodiments;
[0017]
FIG. 4D illustrates a battery having a battery monitor circuit disposed
therein or
coupled thereto, the battery coupled to a load and/or to a power supply, and
in
communicative connection with various local and/or remote electronic systems,
in
accordance with various embodiments;
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[0018]
FIG. 5 illustrates a method for analyzing battery information and displaying
results to a user, in accordance with various embodiments;
[0019]
FIG. 6A illustrates a navigation screen for a software application in a system
for
battery monitoring, in accordance with various embodiments;
[0020] FIG. 6B illustrates an end-user flow chart for use of a software
application in a
system for battery monitoring, in accordance with various embodiments;
[0021]
FIG. 7 illustrates a graphical user interface of a software application in a
system
for battery monitoring, in accordance with various embodiments;
[0022]
FIG. 8 illustrates another graphical user interface of a software application
in a
system for battery monitoring, in accordance with various embodiments;
[0023]
FIG. 9 illustrates yet another graphical user interface of a software
application in a
system for battery monitoring, in accordance with various embodiments; and
[0024]
FIG. 10 illustrates yet another graphical user interface of a software
application in
a system for battery monitoring, in accordance with various embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] The
detailed description shows embodiments by way of illustration, including the
best mode. While these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to
enable those skilled
in the art to practice the principles of the present disclosure, it should be
understood that other
embodiments may be realized and that logical, mechanical, chemical, and/or
electrical
changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of principles
of the present
disclosure. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of
illustration only
and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method
descriptions may
be executed in any suitable order and are not limited to the order presented.
[0026] Moreover, for the sake of brevity, certain sub-components of
individual
components and other aspects of the system may not be described in detail
herein. It should
be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or
physical couplings
may be present in a practical system, for example a battery monitoring system.
Such
functional blocks may be realized by any number of suitable components
configured to
perform specified functions.
[0027]
Principles of the present disclosure improve the operation of a battery, for
example by eliminating monitoring components such as a current sensor which
can drain a
battery of charge prematurely. Further, a battery monitoring circuit may be
embedded within
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the battery at the time of manufacture, such that it is capable of monitoring
the battery and
storing / transmitting associated data from the first day of a battery's life
until it is recycled or
otherwise disposed of Moreover, principles of the present disclosure improve
the operation
of various computing devices, such as a mobile communications device and/or a
battery
monitor circuit, in numerous ways, for example: reducing the memory utilized
by a battery
monitor circuit via compact storage of battery history information in a novel
matrix-like
database, thus reducing manufacturing expense, operating current draw, and
extending
operational lifetime of the battery monitor circuit; facilitating monitoring
and/or control of
multiple monoblocs via a single mobile communications device, thus improving
efficiency
and throughput; and reducing the amount of data transmitted across a network
linking one or
more batteries and a remote device, thus freeing up the network to carry other
transmitted
data and/or to carry data of relevance more quickly, and also to significantly
reduce
communications costs.
[0028]
Additionally, principles of the present disclosure improve the operation of
devices
coupled to and/or associated with a battery, for example a cellular radio base
station, an
electric forklift, an e-bike, and/or the like.
[0029] Yet
further, application of principles of the present disclosure transform and
change objects in the real world. For example, as part of an example
algorithm, lead sulfate
in a lead-acid monobloc is caused to convert to lead, lead oxide, and sulfuric
acid via
application of a charging current, thus transforming a partially depleted lead-
acid battery into
a more fully charged battery. Moreover, as part of another example algorithm,
various
monoblocs in a warehouse may be physically repositioned, recharged, or even
removed from
the warehouse or replaced, thus creating a new overall configuration of
monoblocs in the
warehouse.
[0030] It will be appreciated that various other approaches for monitoring,
maintenance,
and/or use of energy storage devices exist. As such, the systems and methods
claimed herein
do not preempt any such fields or techniques, but rather represent various
specific advances
offering technical improvements, time and cost savings, environmental
benefits, improved
battery life, and so forth. Additionally, it will be appreciated that various
systems and
methods disclosed herein offer such desirable benefits while, at the same
time, eliminating a
common, costly, power-draining component of prior monitoring systems ¨ namely,
a current
sensor. Stated another way, various example systems and methods do not
utilize, and are
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configured without, a current sensor and/or information available therefrom,
in stark contrast
to nearly all prior approaches.
[0031] In
an exemplary embodiment, a battery monitor circuit is disclosed. The battery
monitor circuit may be configured to sense, record, and/or wired or wirelessly
communicate,
certain information from and/or about a battery, for example date/time,
voltage and
temperature information from a battery.
[0032] In
an exemplary embodiment, a monobloc is an energy storage device comprising
at least one electrochemical cell, and typically a plurality of
electrochemical cells. As used
herein, the term "battery" can mean a single monobloc, or it can mean a
plurality of
monoblocs that are electrically connected in series and/or parallel. A
"battery" comprising a
plurality of monoblocs that are electrically connected in series and/or
parallel is sometimes
referred to in other literature as a "battery pack." A battery may comprise a
positive terminal
and a negative terminal. Moreover, in various exemplary embodiments, a battery
may
comprise a plurality of positive and negative terminals. In an exemplary
embodiment, a
battery monitor circuit is disposed within a battery, for example positioned
or embedded
inside a battery housing and connected to battery terminals via a wired
connection. In
another exemplary embodiment, a battery monitor circuit is connected to a
battery, for
example coupled to the external side of a battery housing and connected to the
battery
terminals via a wired connection.
[0033] In an embodiment, a battery monitor circuit comprises various
electrical
components, for example a voltage sensor, a temperature sensor, a processor
for executing
instructions, a memory for storing data and/or instructions, an antenna, and a
transmitter /
receiver / transceiver. In some exemplary embodiments, a battery monitor
circuit may also
include a clock, for example a real-time clock. Moreover, a battery monitor
circuit may also
include positioning components, for example a global positioning system (GPS)
receiver
circuit.
[0034] In
certain example embodiments, a battery monitor circuit may comprise a voltage
sensor configured with wired electrical connections to a battery, for
monitoring a voltage
between a positive terminal and a negative terminal (the terminals) of the
battery. Moreover,
the battery monitor circuit may comprise a temperature sensor for monitoring a
temperature
of (and/or associated with) the battery. The battery monitor circuit may
comprise a processor
for receiving a monitored voltage signal from the voltage sensor, for
receiving a monitored
temperature signal from the temperature sensor, for processing the monitored
voltage signal
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and the monitored temperature signal, for generating voltage data and
temperature data based
on the monitored voltage signal and the monitored temperature signal, and for
executing
other functions and instructions.
[0035] In
various example embodiments, the battery monitor circuit comprises a memory
for storing data, for example voltage data and temperature data from (and/or
associated with)
a battery. Moreover, the memory may also store instructions for execution by
the processor,
data and/or instructions received from an external device, and so forth. In an
exemplary
embodiment, the voltage data represents the voltage across the terminals of
the battery, and
the temperature data represents a temperature as measured at a particular
location on and/or
in the battery. Yet further, the battery monitor circuit may comprise an
antenna and a
transceiver, for example for wirelessly communicating data, such as the
voltage data and the
temperature data to a remote device, and for receiving data and/or
instructions. Alternatively,
the battery monitor circuit may include a wired connection to the battery
and/or to a remote
device, for example for communicating the voltage data and the temperature
data to a remote
device via the wired connection, and/or for receiving data and/or
instructions. In one
exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit transmits the voltage data
and the
temperature data wirelessly via the antenna to the remote device. In another
exemplary
embodiment, the battery monitor circuit transmits the voltage data and the
temperature data
via a wired connection to the remote device. In an exemplary embodiment, the
battery
.. monitor circuit is configured to be located external to the battery and
wired electrically to the
battery.
[0036] The
battery monitor circuit may be formed, in one exemplary embodiment, via
coupling of various components to a circuit board. In an exemplary embodiment,
the battery
monitor circuit further incorporates a real-time clock. The real-time clock
may be used, for
example, for precisely timing collection of voltage and temperature data for a
battery. As
described herein, the battery monitor circuit may be positioned internal to
the battery, and
configured to sense an internal temperature of the battery; alternatively, the
battery monitor
circuit may be positioned external to the battery, and configured to sense an
external
temperature of the battery. In another exemplary embodiment, a battery monitor
circuit is
.. positioned within a monobloc to sense an internal temperature of a
monobloc. In still another
exemplary embodiment, a battery monitor circuit is coupled to a monobloc to
sense an
external temperature of a monobloc. The wired and/or wireless signals from the
battery
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monitor circuit can be the basis for various useful actions and determinations
as described
further herein.
[0037]
With reference now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, in an exemplary embodiment, a battery
100 may comprise a monobloc. The monobloc may, in an exemplary embodiment, be
.. defined as an energy storage device. The monobloc comprises at least one
electrochemical
cell (not shown). In various example embodiments, the monobloc comprises
multiple
electrochemical cells, for example in order to configure the monobloc with a
desired voltage
and/or current capability. In various exemplary embodiments, the
electrochemical cell(s) are
lead-acid type electrochemical cells. Although any suitable lead-acid
electrochemical cells
may be used, in one exemplary embodiment, the electrochemical cells are of the
absorbent
glass mat (AGM) type design. In
another exemplary embodiment, the lead-acid
electrochemical cells are of the gel type of design. In another exemplary
embodiment, the
lead-acid electrochemical cells are of the flooded (vented) type of design.
However, it will
be appreciated that various principles of the present disclosure are
applicable to various
battery chemistries, including but not limited to nickel-cadmium (NiCd),
nickel metal hydride
(NiMH), lithium ion, lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, lithium ion
manganese
oxide, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, lithium nickel cobalt aluminum
oxide, lithium
titanate, lithium sulpher, rechargeable alkaline, and/or the like, and thus
the discussion herein
directed to lead-acid batteries is provided by way of illustration and not of
limitation.
[0038] The battery 100 may have a housing 110. For example, the battery 100
may be
configured with a sealed monobloc lead-acid energy storage case made of a
durable material.
The battery 100 may further comprise a positive terminal 101 and a negative
terminal 102.
The sealed case may have openings through which the positive terminal 101 and
negative
terminal 102 pass.
[0039] With reference now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a battery 200 may comprise a
plurality
of electrically connected monoblocs, for example batteries 100. The monoblocs
in the
battery 200 may be electrically connected in parallel and/or series. In an
exemplary
embodiment, the battery 200 may comprise at least one string of monoblocs. In
an
exemplary embodiment, a first string may comprise a plurality of monoblocs
electrically
connected in series. In another exemplary embodiment, a second string may
comprise a
plurality of monoblocs electrically connected in series. If there is more than
one string of
monoblocs in the battery, the first, second, and/or additional strings may be
electrically
connected in parallel. A series/parallel connection of monoblocs may
ultimately be
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connected to a positive terminal 201 and a negative terminal 202 of the
battery 200, for
example in order to achieve a desired voltage and/or current characteristic or
capability for
battery 200. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, a battery 200 comprises more
than one
monobloc. A battery 200 may also be referred to herein as a power domain.
[0040] The battery 200 may have a cabinet or housing 210. For example, the
battery 200
may comprise thermal and mechanical structures to protect the battery and
provide a suitable
environment for its operation.
[0041]
With reference now to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B, in an example application, a
battery 100/200 may be used for back-up power (also known as an uninterrupted
power
supply or UPS). Moreover, the battery 100/200 may be used in a cellular radio
base station
application and may be connected to a power grid (e.g., to alternating current
via a
rectifier/inverter, to a DC microgrid, and/or the like). In another exemplary
embodiment, the
battery 100/200 is connected to an AC power grid and used for applications
such as peak
shaving, demand management, power regulation, frequency response, and/or
reactive power
supply. In another exemplary embodiment, the battery 100/200 is connected to a
drive
system providing motive power to various vehicles (such as bicycles),
industrial equipment
(such as forklifts), and on-road light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles. In
other example
applications, the battery 100/200 may be used for any suitable application
where energy
storage is desired on a short or long-term basis. The battery 100/200 may be
shipped in
commerce as a unitary article, shipped in commerce with other monoblocs (such
as on a
pallet with many other monoblocs), or shipped in commerce with other monoblocs
as part of
a battery (for example, multiple batteries 100 forming a battery 200).
[0042] In
an exemplary embodiment, a battery monitor circuit 120 may be disposed
within and internally connected to the battery 100; alternatively, a battery
monitor circuit 120
may be coupled to and externally connected to the battery 100/200. In an
exemplary
embodiment, a single battery monitor circuit 120 may be disposed within and
associated with
a single monobloc (see battery 100), as illustrated in FIG. 1A. In another
exemplary
embodiment, a single battery monitor circuit 120 may be coupled to and
associated with a
single monobloc (see battery 100), as illustrated in FIG. 1B. In another
exemplary
embodiment, multiple batteries 100, each having a battery monitor circuit 120
disposed
therein, may be disposed within and comprise a portion of a single battery
200, as illustrated
in FIG. 2A. In another exemplary embodiment, a single battery monitor circuit
120 may be
externally coupled to and associated with a single battery 200, as illustrated
in FIG. 2B. In
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yet another exemplary embodiment, more than one battery monitor circuit 120 is
disposed
within and connected to one or more portions of a single battery. For example,
a first battery
monitor circuit could be disposed within and connected to a first monobloc of
the battery and
a second battery monitor circuit could be disposed within and connected to a
second
monobloc of the battery. A similar approach may be employed to associate
multiple battery
monitor circuits 120 that are externally coupled to a battery.
[0043] The
battery monitor circuit 120 may comprise a voltage sensor 130, a temperature
sensor 140, a processor 150, a transceiver 160, an antenna 170, and a storage
medium or
memory (not shown in the Figures). In an exemplary embodiment, a battery
monitor circuit
120 is configured to sense a voltage and temperature associated with a
monobloc or battery
100/200, to store the sensed voltage and temperature in the memory together
with an
associated time of these readings, and to transmit the voltage and temperature
data (with their
associated time) from the battery monitor circuit 120 to one or more external
locations.
[0044] In
an exemplary embodiment, the voltage sensor 130 may be electrically
connected by a wire to a positive terminal 101/201 of the battery 100/200 and
by a wire to a
negative terminal 102/202 of the battery 100/200. In an exemplary embodiment,
the voltage
sensor 130 is configured to sense a voltage of the battery 100/200. For
example, the voltage
sensor 130 may be configured to sense the voltage between the positive
terminal 101/201 and
the negative terminal 102/202. In an exemplary embodiment, the voltage sensor
130
comprises an analog to digital converter. However, any suitable device for
sensing the
voltage of the battery 100/200 may be used.
[0045] In
an exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensor 140 is configured to sense a
temperature measurement of the battery 100/200. In one exemplary embodiment,
the
temperature sensor 140 may be configured to sense a temperature measurement at
a location
in or inside of the battery 100/200. The location where the temperature
measurement is taken
can be selected such that the temperature measurement is reflective of the
temperature of the
electrochemical cells comprising battery 100/200. In another exemplary
embodiment, the
temperature sensor 140 may be configured to sense a temperature measurement at
a location
on or outside of the battery 100/200. The location where the temperature
measurement is
taken can be selected such that the temperature measurement primarily reflects
the
temperature of the electrochemical cells comprising battery 100/200 itself and
only indirectly,
secondarily, or less significantly is influenced by neighboring batteries or
environmental
temperature. In various exemplary embodiments, the battery monitor circuit 120
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configured to be located inside of the battery 100/200. Moreover, in various
exemplary
embodiments the presence of battery monitor circuit 120 within battery 100/200
may not be
visible or detectable via external visual inspection of battery 100/200. In
other exemplary
embodiments, the battery monitor circuit 120 is configured to be located
outside of the
battery 100/200, for example attached to a battery 100/200, electrically
connected by wire to
battery 100/200, and/or configured to move with battery 100/200 so as to
remain electrically
connected to the positive and negative terminals of battery 100/200.
[0046] In
an exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensor 140 may be configured to
sense the temperature measurement at a location on or outside of the battery
100/200. The
location where the temperature measurement is taken can be selected such that
the
temperature measurement primarily reflects the temperature of the battery
100/200 itself and
only indirectly, secondarily, or less significantly is influenced by
neighboring monoblocs or
environmental temperature. In an exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensor
140
comprises a thermocouple, a thermistor, a temperature sensing integrated
circuit, and/or the
.. like embedded in the battery 100/200. In certain exemplary embodiments, the
temperature
sensor 140 is embedded in the connection of battery monitor circuit 120 to the
positive or
negative terminal of the battery 100/200.
[0047] In
an exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 comprises a printed
circuit board for supporting and electrically coupling a voltage sensor,
temperature sensor,
processor, storage medium, transceiver, antenna, and/or other suitable
components. In
another exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 includes a
housing (not
shown). The housing can be made of any suitable material for protecting the
electronics in
the battery monitor circuit 120, for example a durable plastic. The housing
can be made in
any suitable shape or form factor. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing of
battery
.. monitor circuit 120 is configured to be externally attached to or disposed
inside battery
100/200, and may be secured, for example via adhesive, potting material,
bolts, screws,
clamps, and/or the like. Moreover, any suitable attachment device or method
can be used to
keep the battery monitor circuit 120 in a desired position and/or orientation
on, near, and/or
within battery 100/200. In this manner, as battery 100/200 is transported,
installed, utilized,
and so forth, battery monitor circuit 120 remains securely disposed therein
and/or coupled
thereto, and thus operable in connection therewith. For example, battery
monitor circuit 120
may not be directly attached to battery 100/200, but may be positioned
adjacent thereto such
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that it moves with the battery. For example, battery monitor circuit 120 may
be coupled to
the frame or body of an industrial forklift containing battery 100/200.
[0048] In
an exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 further comprises a
real-time clock capable of maintaining time referenced to a standard time such
as Universal
Time Coordinated (UTC), independent of any connection (wired or wireless) to
an external
time standard such as a time signal accessible via a public network such as
the Internet. The
clock is configured to provide the current time/date (or a relative time) to
the processor 150.
In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 150 is configured to receive the
voltage and
temperature measurement and to store, in the storage medium, the voltage and
temperature
data associated with the time that the data was sensed/stored. In an exemplary
embodiment,
the voltage, temperature and time data may be stored in a storage medium in
the form of a
database, a flat file, a blob of binary, or any other suitable format or
structure. Moreover, the
processor 150 may be configured to store additional data in a storage medium
in the form of a
log. For example, the processor may log each time the voltage and/or
temperature changes
by a settable amount. In an exemplary embodiment, the processor 150 compares
the last
measured data to the most recent measured data, and logs the recent measured
data only if it
varies from the last measured data by at least this settable amount. The
comparisons can be
made at any suitable interval, for example every second, every 5 seconds,
every 10 seconds,
every 30 seconds, every minute, every 10 minutes, and/or the like. The storage
medium may
be located on the battery monitor circuit 120, or may be remote. The processor
150 may
further be configured to transmit (wirelessly or by wired connection) the
logged
temperature/voltage data to a remote device for additional analysis,
reporting, and/or action.
In an exemplary embodiment, the remote device may be configured to stitch the
transmitted
data log together with the previously transmitted logs, to form a log that is
continuous in
time. In this manner, the size of the log (and the memory required to store
it) on the battery
monitor circuit 120 can be minimized. The processor 150 may further be
configured to
receive instructions from a remote device. The processor 150 may also be
configured to
transmit the time, temperature and voltage data off of the battery monitor
circuit 120 by
providing the data in a signal to the transceiver 160.
[0049] In another exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 is
configured
without a real-time clock. Instead, data is sampled on a consistent time
interval controlled by
the processor 150. Each interval is numbered sequentially with a sequence
number to
uniquely identify it. Sampled data may all be logged; alternatively, only data
which changes
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more than a settable amount may be logged. Periodically, when the battery
monitor circuit
120 is connected to a time standard, such as the network time signal
accessible via the
Internet, the processor time is synchronized with real-time represented by the
time standard.
However, in both cases, the interval sequence number during which the data was
sampled is
also logged with the data. This then fixes the time interval between data
samples without the
need for a real-time clock on battery monitor circuit 120. Upon transmission
of the data log to
a remote device, the intervals are synchronized with the remote device
(described further
herein), which maintains real time (e.g., UTC), for example synchronized over
an Internet
connection. Thus, the remote device is configured to provide time via
synchronization with
the battery monitor circuit 120 and processor 150. The data stored at the
battery monitor
circuit 120 or at the remote device may include the cumulative amount of time
a monobloc
has spent at a particular temperature and/or voltage. The processor 150 may
also be
configured to transmit the cumulative time, temperature and voltage data from
the battery
monitor circuit 120 by providing the data in a signal to the transceiver 160.
[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the time, temperature and voltage data
for a battery
may be stored in a file, database or matrix that, for example, comprises a
range of voltages on
one axis and a range of temperatures on a second axis, wherein the cells of
this table are
configured to increment a counter in each cell to represent the amount of time
a battery has
spent in a particular voltage/temperature state (i.e., to form a battery
operating history
.. matrix). The battery operating history matrix can be stored in the memory
of battery monitor
circuit 120 and/or in a remote device. For example, and with brief reference
to FIG. 4C, an
example battery operating history matrix 450 may comprise columns 460, with
each column
representing a particular voltage or range of voltage measurements. For
example, the first
column may represent a voltage range from 0 volts to 1 volt, the second column
may
represent a voltage range from 1 volt to 9 volts, the third column may
represent a voltage
range from 9 volts to 10 volts, and so forth. The battery operating history
matrix 450 may
further comprise rows 470, with each row representing a particular temperature
(+/-) or range
of temperature measurements. For example, the first row may represent a
temperature less
than 10 C, the second row may represent a temperature range from 10 C to 20 C,
the third
row may represent a temperature range from 20 C to 30 C, and so forth. Any
suitable scale
and number of columns/rows can be used. In an exemplary embodiment, the
battery
operating history matrix 450 stores a cumulative history of the amount of time
the battery has
been in each designated voltage/temperature state. In other words, the battery
operating
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history matrix 450 aggregates (or correlates) the amount of time the battery
has been in a
particular voltage/temperature range. In
particular, such a system is particularly
advantageous because the storage size does not increase (or increases only a
marginal
amount) regardless of how long it records data. The memory occupied by the
battery
.. operating history matrix 450 is often the same size the first day it begins
aggregating
voltage/temperature data as its size years later or near a battery's end of
life. It will be
appreciated that this technique reduces, compared to implementations that do
not use this
technique, the size of the memory and the power required to store this data,
thus significantly
improving the operation of the battery monitor circuit 120 computing device.
Moreover,
battery voltage/temperature data may be transmitted to a remote device on a
periodic basis.
This effectively gates the data, and, relative to non-gating techniques,
reduces the power
required to store data and transmit data, reduces the size of the memory, and
reduces the data
transmission time.
[0051] To
elaborate on the collection and storage of battery operating condition
information (e.g., voltage, temperature, and/or time information), in various
embodiments,
monitor circuit 120/220 (and/or the temperature and voltage sensors comprised
therein) may
measure a temperature and a voltage of the battery at a plurality of times
producing a
plurality of data points. Each data point of the plurality of data points may
comprise the
temperature and the voltage of the battery and a respective time at which the
temperature and
the voltage was measured. Monitor circuit 120/220 (and/or a processor within
or external to
monitor circuit 120/220) may assign each data point to a respective cell of a
plurality of cells
in a matrix stored on a memory in communication with the processor. The matrix
may
comprise a first axis comprising a plurality of voltage ranges and a second
axis comprising a
plurality of temperature ranges, wherein the each cell of the matrix is
associated with a
voltage range and a temperature range. The voltage of each data point may be
within the
voltage range of the assigned cell and the temperature of each data point may
be within the
temperature range of the assigned cell.
Monitor circuit 120/220 may generate a first
value in a counter comprised in each cell of the plurality of cells reflecting
a total number of
data points of the plurality of data points assigned to the respective cell,
such that the first
value in each cell is stored in the memory. In various embodiments, the first
value in each
cell of the plurality of cells may represent a cumulative time amount that the
battery has been
operating in the voltage range and the temperature range associated with the
respective cell, a
number of time intervals that the battery has been operating in the voltage
range and the
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temperature range associated with the respective cell, a number of events that
have occurred,
and/or the like.
[0052] In
an exemplary embodiment, the transceiver 160 may be any suitable transmitter
and/or receiver. For example, the transceiver 160 may be configured to up-
convert the signal
to transmit the signal via the antenna 170 and/or to receive a signal from the
antenna 170 and
down-convert the signal and provide it to the processor 150. In an exemplary
embodiment,
the transceiver 160 and/or the antenna 170 can be configured to wirelessly
send and receive
signals between the battery monitor circuit 120 and a remote device. The
wireless
transmission can be made using any suitable communication standard, such as
radio
frequency communication, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth , Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE),
Bluetooth Low
Power (IPv6/6LoWPAN), a cellular radio communication standard (2G, 3G, 4G,
LTE, 5G,
etc.), and/or the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the wireless transmission
is made using
low power, short range signals, to keep the power drawn by the battery monitor
circuit low.
In one exemplary embodiment, the processor 150 is configured to wake-up,
communicate
wirelessly, and go back to sleep on a schedule suitable for minimizing or
reducing power
consumption. This is desirable to prevent monitoring of the battery via
battery monitor
circuit 120 from draining the battery prematurely. The battery monitor circuit
120 functions,
such as waking/sleeping and data gating functions, facilitate accurately
sensing and reporting
the temperature and voltage data without draining the battery 100/200. In
various exemplary
embodiments, the battery monitor circuit 120 is powered by the battery within
which it is
disposed and/or to which it is coupled for monitoring. In other exemplary
embodiments, the
battery monitor circuit 120 is powered by the grid or another power supply,
for example a
local battery, a solar panel, a fuel cell, inductive RF energy harvesting
circuitry, and/or the
like.
[0053] In some exemplary embodiments, use of a Bluetooth protocol
facilitates a single
remote device receiving and processing a plurality of signals correlated with
a plurality of
batteries (each equipped with a battery monitor circuit 120), and doing so
without signal
interference. This one-to-many relationship between a remote device and a
plurality of
batteries, each equipped with a battery monitor circuit 120, is a distinct
advantage for
monitoring of batteries in storage and shipping channels.
[0054] In
an exemplary embodiment, battery monitor circuit 120 is located internal to
the
battery. For example, battery monitor circuit 120 may be disposed within a
housing of
battery 100. In various embodiments, battery monitor circuit 120 is located
internal to a
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monobloc or battery. Battery monitor circuit 120 may be hidden from view /
inaccessible
from the outside of battery 100. This may prevent tampering by a user and thus
improve the
reliability of the reporting performed. Battery monitor circuit 120 may be
positioned just
below a lid of battery 100, proximate the interconnect straps (lead inter-
connecting bar), or
the like. In this manner, temperature of a monobloc due to the electrochemical
cells and heat
output of the interconnect straps can be accurately measured.
[0055] In
another exemplary embodiment, battery monitor circuit 120 is located external
to the battery. For example, battery monitor circuit 120 may be attached to
the outside of
battery 100/200. In another example, battery monitor circuit 120 is located
proximate to the
.. battery 100/200, with the voltage sensor 130 wired to the positive and
negative terminals of
the battery 100/200. In another exemplary embodiment, battery monitor circuit
120 can be
connected to the battery 100/200 so as to move with the battery 100/200. For
example, if
battery monitor circuit 120 is connected to the frame of a vehicle and the
battery 100/200 is
connected to the frame of the vehicle, both will move together, and the
voltage and
.. temperature monitoring sensors 130 and 140 can continue to perform their
proper functions
as the vehicle moves.
[0056] In
an exemplary embodiment, temperature sensor 140 may be configured to sense
a temperature of one of the terminals of a monobloc. In another exemplary
embodiment,
temperature sensor 140 may be configured to measure the temperature at a
location or space
between two monoblocs in a battery, the air temperature in a battery
containing multiple
monoblocs, the temperature at a location disposed generally in the middle of a
wall of a
monobloc, and/or the like. In this manner, the temperature sensed by the
battery monitor
circuit 120 may be more representative of the temperature of battery 100/200
and/or the
electrochemical cells therein. In some exemplary embodiments, temperature
sensor 140 may
.. be located on and/or directly coupled to the printed circuit board of
battery monitor circuit
120. Moreover, the temperature sensor 140 may be located in any suitable
location inside of
a monobloc or battery for sensing a temperature associated with the monobloc
or battery.
Alternatively, the temperature sensor 140 may be located in any suitable
location outside of a
monobloc or battery for sensing a temperature associated with the monobloc or
battery.
[0057] Thus, with reference now to FIG. 3, an exemplary method 300 for
monitoring a
battery 100/200 comprising at least one electrochemical cell comprises:
sensing a voltage of
the battery 100/200 with a voltage sensor 130 wired to the battery terminals
(step 302), and
recording the voltage and the time that the voltage was sensed in a storage
medium (step
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304); sensing a temperature associated with battery 100/200 with a temperature
sensor 140
disposed within and/or on battery 100/200 (step 306), and recording the
temperature and the
time that the temperature was sensed in the storage medium (step 308); and
wired or
wirelessly transmitting the voltage, temperature and time data recorded in the
storage
medium to a remote device (step 310). The voltage, temperature, and time data,
together
with other relevant data, may be assessed, analyzed, processed, and/or
utilized as an input to
various computing systems, resources, and/or applications (step 312). In an
exemplary
method, the voltage sensor 130, temperature sensor 140, and storage medium are
located
inside the battery 100 on a battery monitor circuit 120. In another exemplary
method, the
voltage sensor 130, temperature sensor 140, and storage medium are located
outside the
battery 100/200 on a battery monitor circuit 120. Moreover, method 300 may
comprise
taking various actions in response to the voltage, temperature, and/or time
data (step 314), for
example charging a battery, discharging a battery, removing a battery from a
warehouse,
replacing a battery with a new battery, and/or the like.
[0058] With reference now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, in an exemplary embodiment,
the
battery monitor circuit 120 is configured to communicate data with a remote
device. The
remote device may be configured to receive data from a plurality of batteries,
with each
battery equipped with a battery monitor circuit 120. For example, the remote
device may
receive data from individual batteries 100, each connected to a battery
monitor circuit 120.
And in another exemplary embodiment, the remote device may receive data from
individual
batteries 200, each battery 200 connected to a battery monitor circuit 120.
[0059] An
example system 400 is disclosed for collecting and using data associated with
each battery 100/200. System 400 may be computer-based, and any or all
components of
system 400 may comprise a processor, a tangible non-transitory computer-
readable memory,
and/or a network interface. Instructions stored on the tangible non-transitory
memory may
allow system 400 to perform various functions, as described herein. In
general, the remote
device is an electronic device that is not physically part of the battery
100/200 or the battery
monitor circuit 120. The system 400 may comprise a local portion 410 and/or a
remote
portion 420. The local portion 410 comprises components located relatively
near the battery
.. or batteries 100/200. "Relatively near," in one exemplary embodiment, means
within
wireless signal range of the battery monitor circuit antenna. In another
example embodiment,
"relatively near" means within Bluetooth range, within the same cabinet,
within the same
room, and the like. The local portion 410 may comprise, for example, one or
more batteries
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100/200, a battery monitor circuit 120, and optionally a locally located
remote device 414
located in the local portion 410. Moreover, the local portion may comprise,
for example, a
gateway. The gateway may be configured to receive data from each battery
100/200. The
gateway may also be configured to transmit instructions to each battery
100/200. In an
example embodiment, the gateway comprises an antenna for transmitting /
receiving
wirelessly at the gateway and/or for communicating with a locally located
remote device 414.
The locally located remote device 414, in an exemplary embodiment, is a
smartphone, tablet,
or other electronic mobile device. In another exemplary embodiment, the
locally located
remote device 414 is a computer, a network, a server, or the like. In a
further exemplary
embodiment, the locally located remote device 414 is an onboard vehicle
electronics system.
Yet further, in some embodiments, the gateway may function as locally located
remote
device 414. For example, the gateway may be positioned at a location that
coincides with a
travel or usage path of an application. In various embodiments, the gateway
can be located at
a garage or parking area at which the application with battery 100/200 is
temporarily stored.
Exemplary communications, for example between the gateway and locally located
remote
device 414, may be via any suitable wired or wireless approach, for example
via a Bluetooth
protocol.
[0060] In
some exemplary embodiments, the remote device is not located in the local
portion 410, but is located in the remote portion 420. The remote portion 420
may comprise
any suitable back-end systems. For example, the remote device in the remote
portion 420
may comprise a computer 424 (e.g., a desk-top computer, a laptop computer, a
server, a
mobile device, or any suitable device for using or processing the data as
described herein).
The remote portion may further comprise cloud-based computing and/or storage
services, on-
demand computing resources, or any suitable similar components. Thus, the
remote device,
in various exemplary embodiments, may be a computer 424, a server, a back-end
system, a
desktop, a cloud system, or the like.
[0061] In
an exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 may be configured
to communicate data directly between battery monitor circuit 120 and the
locally located
remote device 414. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication between the
battery
monitor circuit 120 and the locally located remote device 414 can be a
wireless transmission,
such as via Bluetooth transmission. Moreover, any suitable wireless protocol
can be used.
In some embodiments where battery monitor circuit 120 is external to battery
100/200, the
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communication can be by wire, for example by Ethernet cable, USB cable,
twisted pair,
and/or any other suitable wire and corresponding wired communication protocol.
[0062] In
an exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 further comprises a
cellular modem for communicating via a cellular network 418 and other
networks, such as
the Internet, with the remote device. For example, data may be shared with the
computer 424
or with the locally located remote device 414 via the cellular network 418.
Thus, battery
monitor circuit 120 may be configured to send temperature and voltage data to
the remote
device and receive communications from the remote device, via the cellular
network 418 to
other networks, such as the Internet, for distribution anywhere in the
Internet connected
world.
[0063] In
various exemplary embodiments, the data from the local portion 410 is
communicated to the remote portion 420. For example, data and/or instructions
from the
battery monitor circuit 120 may be communicated to a remote device in the
remote portion
420. In an exemplary embodiment, the locally located remote device 414 may
communicate
data and/or instructions with the computer 424 in the remote portion 420. In
an exemplary
embodiment, these communications are sent over the Internet. The
communications may be
secured and/or encrypted, as desired, in order to preserve the security
thereof
[0064] In
an exemplary embodiment, these communications may be sent using any
suitable communication protocol, for example, via TCP/IP, WLAN, over Ethernet,
WiFi,
cellular radio, or the like. In one exemplary embodiment, the locally located
remote device
414 is connected through a local network by a wire to the Internet and thereby
to any desired
remotely located remote device. In another exemplary embodiment, the locally
located
remote device 414 is connected through a cellular network, for example
cellular network 418,
to the Internet and thereby to any desired remotely located remote device.
[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, this data may be received at a server,
received at a
computer 424, stored in a cloud-based storage system, on servers, in
databases, or the like. In
an exemplary embodiment, this data may be processed by the battery monitor
circuit 120, the
locally located remote device 414, the computer 424, and/or any suitable
remote device.
Thus, it will be appreciated that processing and analysis described as
occurring in the battery
monitor circuit 120 may also occur fully or partially in the battery monitor
circuit 120, the
locally located remote device 414, the computer 424, and/or any other remote
device.
[0066] The
remote portion 420 may be configured, for example, to display, process,
utilize, or take action in response to, information regarding many batteries
100/200 that are
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geographically dispersed from one another and/or that include a diverse or
differing types,
groups, and/or sets of batteries 100/200. The remote portion 420 can display
information
about, or based on, specific individual battery temperature and/or voltage.
Thus, the system
can monitor a large group of batteries 100/200 located great distances from
each other, but do
so on an individual battery level.
[0067] The
remote portion 420 device may be networked such that it is accessible from
anywhere in the world. Users may be issued access credentials to allow their
access to only
data pertinent to batteries owned or operated by them. In some embodiments,
access control
may be provided by assigning a serial number to the remote device and
providing this
number confidentially to the battery owner or operator to log into.
[0068]
Voltage, temperature and time data stored in a cloud-based system may be
presented in various displays to convey information about the status of a
battery, its
condition, its operating requirement(s), unusual or abnormal conditions,
and/or the like. In
one embodiment, data from one battery or group of batteries may be analyzed to
provide
additional information, or correlated with data from other batteries, groups
of batteries, or
exogenous conditions to provide additional information.
[0069]
Systems and methods disclosed herein provide an economical means for
monitoring the performance and health of batteries located anywhere in the
cellular radio or
Internet connected world. As battery monitor circuits 120 rely on only
voltage, temperature
and time data to perform (or enable performance of) these functions, cost is
significantly less
than various prior art systems which must monitor battery current as well.
Further,
performance of calculations and analyses in a remote device, which is capable
of receiving
voltage, temperature and time data from a plurality of monitoring circuits
connected to a
plurality of batteries, rather than performing these functions at each battery
in the plurality of
batteries, minimizes the per battery cost to monitor any one battery, analyze
its performance
and health, and display the results of such analyses. This allows effective
monitoring of
batteries, critical to various operations but heretofore not monitored because
an effective
remote monitoring system was unavailable and/or the cost to monitor batteries
locally and
collect data manually was prohibitive. Example systems allow aggregated remote
monitoring
of batteries in such example applications as industrial motive power
(forklifts, scissor lifts,
tractors, pumps and lights, etc.), low speed electric vehicles (neighborhood
electric vehicles,
electric golf carts, electric bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc.), grid power
backup power
supplies (computers, emergency lighting, and critical loads remotely located),
marine
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applications (engine starting batteries, onboard power supplies), automotive
applications,
and/or other example applications (for example, engine starting batteries,
over-the-road truck
and recreational vehicle onboard power, and the like). This aggregated remote
monitoring of
like and/or disparate batteries in like and/or disparate applications allows
the analysis of
battery performance and health (e.g., battery state-of-charge, battery reserve
time, battery
operating mode, adverse thermal conditions, and so forth), that heretofore was
not possible.
Using contemporaneous voltage and temperature data, stored voltage and
temperature data,
and/or battery and application specific parameters (but excluding data
regarding battery
100/200 current), the short term changes in voltage and/or temperature, longer
term changes
in voltage and/or temperature, and thresholds for voltage and/or temperature
may be used
singularly or in combination to conduct exemplary analyses, such as in the
battery monitor
circuit 120, the locally located remote device 414, the computer 424, and/or
any suitable
device. The results of these analyses, and actions taken in response thereto,
can increase
battery performance, improve battery safety and reduce battery operating
costs.
[0070] In various embodiments, monitor circuit 120/220 stores and/or
transmits a subset
of temperature and voltage data measured during the life-cycle of battery
100/200. For
example, monitor circuit 120/220 may continuously measure temperature and
voltage, and
store data corresponding with changes in one or both parameters. In various
embodiments,
changes based on one or both parameters can indicate an occurrence or event
significant to
battery operation such as, for example, a change in operating mode of the
application, a
cranking event (e.g., starting an engine via battery 100/200), or any other
change or deviation
in operation of battery 100/200. However, the storage and transmittal of any
amount of
voltage and temperature data measured during operation of battery 100/200 is
within the
scope of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the processor in
system 400 may
analyze the voltage and temperature data at a point in time, or over a
duration, to determine
the operating conditions and/or health of the battery.
[0071]
Analysis of voltage and temperature battery data transmitted by monitor
circuit
120/220 can further utilize battery-specific data characterizing the battery
as described herein
(e.g., a battery type, a battery cell configuration, a battery brand, a
battery model, a battery
manufacture data, a battery in-service date, a battery capacity, a battery
nominal voltage, a
location of purchase of the battery, and/or warranty information or
requirements), and/or
application-specific data characterizing the application as described above
(e.g., an
application type, a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a VIN, a vehicle model
year, a vehicle age,
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a vehicle engine classification, and/or a vehicle drive type). Such analytics
can be performed
on any combination of measured and stored voltage and temperature data for a
specific
battery, battery-specific information, and/or application-specific
information. For
example, the processor may determine the crank health, reserve time, state of
health, state of
charge, discharge health, remaining life of a battery, or the like, through
analysis of the
battery information obtained from circuit monitor 120/220 or received through
other
channels.
[0072] In
accordance with various embodiments, a method of determining battery crank
health (whether the battery can crank an engine and/or how many cranks the
battery remains
capable of) comprises: detecting a crank event, sensing battery temperature
and voltage
(Crank Voltage) during the crank event, storing the temperature and Crank
Voltage
associated with the crank event, and determining the health of the battery
based on the stored
data. In another example embodiment, detecting an engine crank event comprises
monitoring
battery voltage continuously at a suitably high frequency. The monitoring
frequency can be
dependent on the duration of the initial short circuit condition of the engine
crank. In an
example embodiment, some engine cranks have a duration of less than 100
milliseconds. In
another example embodiment, the battery voltage may be continuously monitored
at a high
frequency, for example between 10 Hz and 1 kHz, or any suitable frequency high
enough to
detect the initial short circuit like condition during an engine crank.
[0073] In various embodiments, the system is configured to consider the
internal
resistance of the battery as reflective of battery health, with increasing
resistance causing the
voltage available for cranking an engine to be lower. An increase in internal
resistance of the
battery decreases the ability of the battery to start the internal combustion
engine. The near
instantaneous minimum voltage of the battery during a cranking event (Crank
Voltage)
represents the internal resistance of the battery. Therefore, the system is
configured to
measure and/or log the Crank Voltage to provide insight into the internal
resistance of the
battery, and determine if battery 100/200 comprises a minimum voltage to crank
the engine.
The system is further configured to measure the temperature of the battery at
the time of
crank. The internal resistance and, therefore, the Crank Voltage is
temperature dependent, so
the temperature of the battery at the time of crank is also measured, as well
as crank voltage
for a given temperature over multiple crank events. In another example
embodiment, the
system is configured to determine battery health based solely on the voltage
(Crank Voltage)
and temperature of the battery at the time of crank. For further explanation
of determining
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the crank health of a battery, see the U.S. Patent Application entitled
"SYSTEMS AND
METHODS FOR DETERMINING CRANK HEALTH OF A BATTERY," as further
referenced below.
[0074] In
accordance with various embodiments, system 400 (or components therein)
may determine a reserve time of one or more monobloc. The determined reserve
time may
be used to identify whether a monobloc should be replaced. An exemplary method
includes
measuring a temperature and a voltage of a monobloc or one or more of a
plurality of
monoblocs, transmitting that data from the temperature and voltage sensor to a
receiver,
transmitting the data from the receiver to a processor, and determining via
the processor
.. whether the battery has reached an end of its useful life and/or whether
the actual reserve
time of the battery (the time it is capable of powering a connected load) is
less than or equal
to a minimum required reserve time.
[0075] In
some embodiments, the duration of time that the battery is capable of
sustaining
its connected load (the "Reserve Time") is calculated based on a duration of a
discharge and
based on a voltage of the battery at an end of the discharge. To accomplish
this, the remote
device may be configured to establish a minimum Reserve Time, RTMIN, which is
the
predetermined reserve time and may correspond to the lowest Reserve Time that
the battery
may reach before the remote device determines that the battery (or at least
the corresponding
monobloc therein) should be replaced. In some embodiments, RTMIN is
established in the
remote device by the battery owner. In some embodiments, RTMIN is established
in the
remote device by the manufacturer of the battery. In some embodiments, RTMIN
is set to a
default value. For example, RTMIN may be set to a default value of 2 hours, 4
hours, 8
hours, or the like. For further explanation on determining the reserve time of
a battery, see
the U.S. Patent Application entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A
RESERVE TIME OF A MONOBLOC," as further referenced below.
[0076] In
accordance with various embodiments, system 400 (or components therein)
may determine a state-of-charge (SOC) of a battery operated under various
conditions during
which the state-of-charge may vary (i.e., while the battery is connected to at
least one of a
power source or a load). The system (i.e., the monitor circuit 120/220) may be
designed to
sense or detect an instantaneous internal temperature (Tx) and voltage (Vx) of
the monobloc.
The system (such as the monobloc or the remote device) may further be designed
to
determine an average voltage (Vxave). Vxave can be determined in any suitable
way, but in
some embodiments, Vxave is determined by averaging the voltage (Vx) of the
battery for a
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predetermined period of time (tavg). In some embodiments, Vxave is calculated
in the
battery monitor circuit 120/220 and transmitted to the remote device.
[0077] In various embodiments, the remote device (or a processor of the
monitor circuit)
may calculate a state-of-charge (SOCx) based on the present operating state,
the average
voltage, and/or the empirical correlation. For example, the processor may
determine the SOC
based on the empirical correlation as a function of the average voltage for
the monobloc and
based on the present operating state. The SOC value may represent a percentage
that the
monobloc is currently charged between 0% and 100%, inclusive. In various
embodiments, an
empirical correlation may be established between state of charge and an
average voltage
value. For example, the empirical correlation may be determined experimentally
using a
specific battery or an analog of a specific battery, or may be determined
based on an
estimated relationship between state of charge and voltage based on a specific
chemistry of
the battery. For further explanation on determining the state-of-charge of a
battery, see the
U.S. Patent Application entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A
STATE OF CHARGE OF A BATTERY," as further referenced below.
[0078] In accordance with various embodiments, system 400 (or components
therein)
may determine a remaining life of a battery 100/200, or whether a battery has
reached the end
of its useful life. Whether the battery has reached the end of its life is
determined based on
the float life and a cycle life of the battery. The float life and cycle life
are calculated based
on the voltage, temperature, as well as the length of time the battery has
been in operation.
[0079] In an example embodiment, the time remaining before the battery
reaches the end
of its service life, that is, battery capacity is expected to decrease at a
rate significantly faster
than experienced prior to the end of life point, may be calculated. In an
example
embodiment, the remote device may be configured to receive data at the time of
installation
of the battery. Such data may comprise the battery manufacturer's design float
life of the
battery module in float mode at 25 C ("PDFLoAT") and the design cycle life of
the battery
module ("PDcTo"). Wherein, the float mode is defined as when the battery is
connected to a
power system, charging the battery at its maximum (top-of-charge) voltage, at
or near full
charge.
[0080] In example embodiments, the impact of discharges on the Remaining
Life may be
calculated by the remote device for the battery, wherein the remote device
determines that the
battery has been in the float mode for a set period of time and the battery is
continuously
discharged for a minimum period of time. Using the voltage and temperature
measured at the
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end of the discharge, the impact of the discharges ("ART0,0") on battery
discharge life
consumed may be calculated by the remote device. The remote device may then
convert the
value of ARTcTo to the fraction of battery discharge life remaining
("ALIFED"). The remote
device may calculate a new value of Remaining Life ("LIFEpDR") after the
battery has
operated for a period of battery float operation of sufficient duration and/or
experiences
sufficient number of discharges, to consume a measureable portion of one or
both of the
battery's float life or its cycle life. In accordance with example
embodiments, the remote
device may calculate the value of LIFEpDR. For further explanation on
determining the
remaining life of a battery, see the U.S. Patent Application entitled "SYSTEMS
AND
METHODS FOR DETERMINING A HEALTH STATUS OF A MONOBLOC," as further
referenced below.
[0081]
While many of the embodiments herein have focused on electrochemical cell(s)
which are lead-acid type electrochemical cells, in other embodiments the
electrochemical
cells may be of various chemistries, including but not limited to, lithium,
nickel, cadmium,
sodium and zinc. In such embodiments, the battery monitor circuit and/or the
remote device
may be configured to perform calculations and analyses pertinent to that
specific battery
chemistry.
[0082] In
some example embodiments, via application of principles of the present
disclosure, outlier batteries can be identified and alerts or notices provided
by the battery
monitor circuit 120 and/or the remote device to prompt action for maintaining
and securing
the batteries. The batteries 100/200 may be made by different manufacturers,
made using
different types of construction or different types of cells. However, where
multiple batteries
100/200 are constructed in similar manner and are situated in similar
environmental
conditions, the system may be configured to identify outlier batteries, for
example batteries
.. that are returning different and/or suspect temperature and/or voltage
data. This outlier data
may be used to identify failing batteries or to identify local conditions
(high load, or the like)
and to provide alerts or notices for maintaining and securing such batteries.
Similarly,
batteries 100/200 in disparate applications or from disparate manufacturers
can be compared
to determine which battery types and/or manufacturers products perform best in
any
.. particular application.
[0083] In
an exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 and/or the remote
device may be configured to analyze the data and take actions, send
notifications, and make
determinations based on the data. The battery monitor circuit 120 and/or the
remote device
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may be configured to show a present temperature for each battery 100/200
and/or a present
voltage for each battery 100/200. Moreover, this information can be shown with
the
individual measurements grouped by temperature or voltage ranges, for example
for
prompting maintenance and safety actions by providing notification of
batteries that are
outside of a pre-determined range(s) or close to being outside of such range.
[0084]
Moreover, the battery monitor circuit 120 and/or the remote device can display
the
physical location of each battery 100/200 (as determined by the battery
monitor circuit 120)
for providing inventory management of the batteries or for securing the
batteries. In one
exemplary embodiment, the physical location information is determined by the
battery
.. monitor circuit 120 using a cellular network. Alternatively, this
information can be provided
by the Global Positioning System (GPS) via a GPS receiver installed in the
battery monitor
circuit 120. This location information can be stored with the voltage,
temperature, and time
data. In another exemplary embodiment, the location data is shared wirelessly
with the
remote device, and the remote device is configured to store the location data.
The location
data may be stored in conjunction with the time, to create a travel history
(location history)
for the monobloc that reflects where the monobloc or battery has been over
time.
[0085]
Moreover, the remote device can be configured to create and/or send
notifications
based on the data. For example, a notification can be displayed if, based on
analysis in the
battery monitor circuit and/or the remote device a specific monobloc is over
voltage, the
notification can identify the specific monobloc that is over voltage, and the
system can
prompt maintenance action. Notifications may be sent via any suitable system
or means, for
example via e-mail, SMS message, telephone call, in-application prompt, or the
like. In
various embodiments, a software application for battery monitoring may be
utilized by a user
on a web client (e.g., a personal device and/or mobile device). The software
application may
monitor and/or receive battery information (e.g., voltage, temperature, time),
and present the
information and/or results of analyses to determine battery operating
conditions, health,
and/or performance to a user, as discussed herein in relation to FIGS. 5-10.
[0086] In
an exemplary embodiment, where the battery monitor circuit 120 has been
disposed within (or coupled externally to) and connected to a battery 100/200,
the system
provides inventory and maintenance services for the battery 100/200. For
example, the
system may be configured to detect the presence of a monobloc or battery in
storage or
transit, without touching the monobloc or battery. The battery monitor circuit
120 can be
configured, in an exemplary embodiment, for inventory tracking in a warehouse.
In one
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exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 transmits location data
to the locally
located remote device 414 and/or a remotely located remote device and back-end
system
configured to identify when a specific battery 100/200 has left the warehouse
or truck, for
example unexpectedly. This may be detected, for example, when battery monitor
circuit 120
associated with the battery 100/200 ceases to communicate voltage and/or
temperature data
with the locally located remote device 414 and/or back end system, when the
battery location
is no longer where noted in a location database, or when the wired connection
between the
monobloc or battery and the battery monitor circuit 120 is otherwise severed.
The remote
back end system is configured, in an exemplary embodiment, to trigger an alert
that a battery
may have been stolen. The remote back end system may be configured to trigger
an alert that
a battery is in the process of being stolen, for example as successive
monoblocs in a battery
stop (or lose) communication or stop reporting voltage and temperature
information. In an
exemplary embodiment, a remote back end system may be configured to identify
if the
battery 100/200 leaves a warehouse unexpectedly and, in that event, to send an
alarm, alert,
or notification. In another embodiment wherein the battery monitor circuit
120
communicates via a cellular network with a remote device, the actual location
of the battery
can be tracked and a notification generated if the battery travels outside a
predefined geo-
fenced area. These various embodiments of theft detection and inventory
tracking are unique
as compared to prior approaches, for example, because they can occur at
greater distance than
RFID type querying of individual objects, and thus can reflect the presence of
objects that are
not readily observable (e.g., inventory stacked in multiple layers on shelves
or pallets) where
RFID would not be able to provide similar functionality.
[0087] In
some exemplary embodiments, the remote device (e.g., the locally located
remote device 414) is configured to remotely receive data regarding the
voltage and
temperature of each battery 100/200. In an exemplary embodiment, the remote
device is
configured to remotely receive voltage, temperature, and time data from each
battery monitor
circuit 120 associated with each battery 100/200 of a plurality of batteries.
These batteries
may, for example, be inactive or non-operational. For example, these batteries
may not yet
have been installed in an application, connected to a load, or put in service.
The system may
be configured to determine which batteries need re-charging. These batteries
may or may not
be contained in shipping packaging. However, because the data is received and
the
determination is made remotely, the packaged batteries do not need to be
unpackaged to
receive this data or make the determination. So long as the battery monitor
circuit 120 is
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disposed within (or coupled externally to) and connected to these batteries,
these batteries
may be located in a warehouse, in a storage facility, on a shelf, or on a
pallet, but the data can
be received and the determination made without unpacking, unstacking, touching
or moving
any of the plurality of batteries. These batteries may even be in transit,
such as on a truck or
.. in a shipping container, and the data can be received and the determination
made during such
transit. Thereafter, at an appropriate time, for example upon unpacking a
pallet, the battery
or batteries needing re-charging may be identified and charged.
[0088] In
a further exemplary embodiment, the process of "checking" a battery may be
described herein as receiving voltage data and temperature data (and
potentially, time data)
associated with a battery, and presenting information to a user based on this
data, wherein the
information presented is useful for making a determination or assessment about
the battery.
In an exemplary embodiment, the remote device is configured to remotely
"check" each
battery 100/200 of a plurality of batteries equipped with battery monitor
circuit 120. In this
exemplary embodiment, the remote device can receive wireless signals from each
of the
plurality of batteries 100/200, and check the voltage and temperature of each
battery 100/200.
Thus, in these exemplary embodiments, the remote device can be used to quickly
interrogate
a pallet of batteries that are awaiting shipment to determine if any battery
needs to be re-
charged, how long until a particular battery will need to be re-charged, or if
any state of
health issues are apparent in a particular battery, all without un-packaging
or otherwise
touching the pallet of batteries. This checking can be performed, for example,
without
scanning, pinging, moving or individually interrogating the packaging or
batteries, but rather
based on the battery monitor circuit 120 associated with each battery 100/200
wirelessly
reporting the data to the remote device (e.g., 414/424).
[0089] In
an exemplary embodiment, the battery 100/200 is configured to identify itself
electronically. For example, the battery 100/200 may be configured to
communicate a unique
electronic identifier (unique serial number, or the like) from the battery
monitor circuit 120 to
the remote device, the cellular network 418, or the locally located remote
device 414. This
serial number may be correlated with a visible battery identifier (e.g.,
label, barcode, QR
code, serial number, or the like) visible on the outside of the battery, or
electronically visible
.. by means of a reader capable of identifying a single battery in a group of
batteries.
Therefore, the system 400 may be configured to associate battery data from a
specific battery
with a unique identifier of that specific battery. Moreover, during
installation of a monobloc,
for example battery 100, in a battery 200, an installer may enter into a
database associated
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with system 400 various information about the monobloc, for example relative
position (e.g.,
what battery, what string, what position on a shelf, the orientation of a
cabinet, etc.). Similar
information may be entered into a database regarding a battery 100/200.
[0090]
Thus, if the data indicates a battery of interest (for example, one that is
performing
subpar, overheating, discharged, etc.), that particular battery can be singled
out for any
appropriate action. Stated another way, a user can receive information about a
specific
battery (identified by the unique electronic identifier), and go directly to
that battery
(identified by the visible battery identifier) to attend to any needs it may
have (perform
"maintenance"). For example, this maintenance may include removing the
identified battery
from service, repairing the identified battery, charging the identified
battery, etc. In a specific
exemplary embodiment, a battery 100/200 may be noted as needing to be re-
charged, a
warehouse employee could scan the batteries on the shelves in the warehouse
(e.g., scanning
a QR code on each battery 100/200) to find the battery of interest and then
recharge it. In
another exemplary embodiment, as the batteries are moved to be shipped, and
the package
containing the battery moves along a conveyor, past a reader, the locally
located remote
device 414 can be configured to retrieve the data on that specific battery,
including the unique
electronic identifier, voltage and temperature, and alert if some action needs
to be taken with
respect to it (e.g., if the battery needs to be recharged before shipment).
[0091] In
an exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 itself, the remote
device and/or any suitable storage device can be configured to store the
battery operation
history of the individual battery 100/200 through more than one phase of the
battery's life. In
an exemplary embodiment, the history of the battery can be recorded. In an
exemplary
embodiment, the battery may further record data after it is integrated into a
product or placed
in service (alone or in a battery). The battery may record data after it is
retired, reused in a
second life application, and/or until it is eventually recycled or disposed.
[0092]
Although sometimes described herein as storing this data on the battery
monitor
circuit 120, in a specific exemplary embodiment, the historical data is stored
remotely from
the battery monitor circuit 120. For example, the data described herein can be
stored in one
or more databases remote from the battery monitor circuit 120 (e.g., in a
cloud-based storage
offering, at a back-end server, at the gateway, and/or on one or more remote
devices).
[0093] The
system 400 may be configured to store, during one or more of the
aforementioned time periods, the history of how the battery has been operated,
the
environmental conditions in which it has been operated, and/or the society it
has kept with
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other batteries, as may be determined based on the data stored during these
time periods. For
example, the remote device may be configured to store the identity of other
batteries that
were electrically associated with the battery 100/200, such as if two
batteries are used
together in one application. This shared society information may be based on
the above
described unique electronic identifier and data identifying where
(geographically) the battery
is located. The remote device may further store when the batteries shared in a
particular
operation.
[0094]
This historical information, and the analyses that are performed using it, can
be
based solely on the voltage, temperature and time data. Stated another way,
current data is not
utilized. As used herein, "time" may include the date, hour, minute, and/or
second of a
voltage/temperature measurement. In another exemplary embodiment, "time" may
mean the
amount of time that the voltage/temperature condition existed. In particular,
the history is not
based on data derived from the charge and discharge currents associated with
the battery(s).
This is particularly significant because it would be very prohibitive to
connect to and include
a sensor to measure the current for each and every monobloc, and an associated
time each
was sensed from the individual battery, where there is a large number of
monoblocs.
[0095] In
various exemplary embodiments, system 400 (and/or components thereof) may
be in communication with an external battery management system (BMS) coupled
one or
more batteries 100/200, for example over a common network such as the
Internet. System
400 may communicate information regarding one or more batteries 100/200 to the
BMS and
the BMS may take action in response thereto, for example by controlling or
modifying
current into and/or out of one or more batteries 100/200, in order to protect
batteries 100/200.
[0096] In
an exemplary embodiment, in contrast to past solutions, system 400 is
configured to store contemporaneous voltage and/or contemporaneous temperature
data
relative to geographically dispersed batteries. This is a significant
improvement over past
solutions where there is no contemporaneous voltage and/or contemporaneous
temperature
data available on multiple monoblocs or batteries located in different
locations and operating
in different conditions. Thus, in the exemplary embodiment, historical voltage
and
temperature data is used to assess the condition of the monoblocs or batteries
and/or make
predictions about and comparisons of the future condition of the monobloc or
battery. For
example, the system may be configured to make assessments based on comparison
of the data
between the various monoblocs in a battery 200. For example, the stored data
may indicate
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the number of times a monobloc has made an excursion out of range (over
charge, over
voltage, over temperature, etc.), when such occurred, how long it persisted,
and so forth.
[0097] By
way of contrast, it is noted that the battery monitor circuit 120 may be
located
internal to the monobloc or within the monobloc. In an exemplary embodiment,
the battery
monitor circuit 120 is located such that it is not viewable / accessible from
the outside of
battery 100. In another example, battery monitor circuit 120 is located
internal to the battery
100 in a location that facilitates measurement of an internal temperature of
the battery 100.
For example, the battery monitor circuit 120 may measure the temperature in
between two or
more monoblocs, the outer casing temperature of a monobloc, or the air
temperature in a
battery containing multiple monoblocs. In other exemplary embodiments, the
battery
monitor circuit 120 may be located external to the monobloc or on the
monobloc. In an
exemplary embodiment, the battery monitor circuit 120 is located such that it
is viewable /
accessible from the outside of battery 100.
[0098]
With reference now to FIG. 4D, in various exemplary embodiments a battery or
batteries 100/200 having a battery monitor circuit 120 disposed therein (or
externally coupled
thereto) may be coupled to a load and/or to a power supply. For example,
battery 100/200
may be coupled to a vehicle to provide electrical energy for motive power.
Additionally
and/or alternatively, battery 100/200 may be coupled to a solar panel to
provide a charging
current for battery 100 / 200. Moreover, in various applications battery
100/200 may be
coupled to an electrical grid. It will be appreciated that the nature and
number of systems
and/or components to which battery 100/200 is coupled may impact desired
approaches for
monitoring of battery 100/200, for example via application of various methods,
algorithms,
and/or techniques as described herein. Yet further, in various applications
and methods
disclosed herein, battery 100/200 is not coupled to any external load or a
charging source, but
is disconnected (for example, when sitting in storage in a warehouse).
[0099] For
example, various systems and methods may utilize information specific to the
characteristics of battery 100/200 and/or the specific application in which
battery 100/200 is
operating. For example, battery 100/200 and application specific
characteristics may include
the manufacture date, the battery capacity, and recommended operating
parameters such as
voltage and temperature limits. In an example embodiment, battery and
application specific
characteristics may be the chemistry of battery 100/200 ¨ e.g., absorptive
glass mat lead acid,
gelled electrolyte lead acid, flooded lead acid, lithium manganese oxide,
lithium cobalt oxide,
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lithium iron phosphate, lithium nickel manganese cobalt, lithium cobalt
aluminum, nickel
zinc, zinc air, nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium, and/or the like.
[00100] In an example embodiment, battery-specific characteristics may be the
battery
manufacturer, model number, battery capacity in ampere-hours (Ah), nominal
voltage, float
voltage, state of charge v. open circuit voltage, state of charge, voltage on
load, and/or
equalized voltage, and so forth. Moreover, the characteristics can be any
suitable specific
characteristic of battery 100/200. In various embodiments, information
characterizing battery
100/200 (i.e., battery-specific information) may comprise information about
the intended use
of battery 100/200. For example, battery 100/200 can be used, among other
applications, for
.. providing electrical power to an engine of an application during operation,
for providing
auxiliary power to non-engine systems (e.g., an air conditioning system of a
heavy-duty
truck), or for non-vehicle applications. Any manner of use of battery 100/200
is within the
scope of the present disclosure.
[00101] Information characterizing battery 100/200 may comprise information
about the
battery chemistry. For example, the chemistry of the battery can comprise:
lead acid (e.g.,
flooded lead acid (flat plate or tubular), or RLA (absorptive glass mat and
gel)), lithium ion,
and/or the like.
[00102] Information characterizing battery 100/200 may comprise information
about a
battery brand, a battery model number, a battery capacity, a battery nominal
voltage, a float
voltage, a state of charge vs. an open circuit voltage, a state of charge vs.
voltage on load, an
equalized voltage, and/ or the like.
[00103] Information characterizing battery 100/200 may also comprise
information
characterizing the battery charger, including manufacturer, model, output
current, and
charging algorithm.
[00104] Information characterizing battery 100/200 may comprise information
about the
number of batteries installed in an application, the battery cell
configuration (e.g., parallel or
series), the location of each battery (e.g., front-located battery, rear-
located battery, etc.), a
battery in-service date (e.g., the date battery 100/200 was installed in the
application), a
location of purchase of the battery, warranty information/requirements for
battery 100/200, or
any other information regarding the specifics of battery 100/200.
[00105] In various exemplary embodiments, application specific characteristics
may
identify the application as a cellular radio base station, an electric
forklift, an e-bike, and/or
the like. More generally, application specific characteristics may distinguish
between grid-
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coupled applications and mobile applications (e.g., vehicles). Information
characterizing an
application (i.e., application-specific) may comprise information about the
type of
application. The
information characterizing the type of application may comprise
information indicating, for example: standby application, motive power,
marine, material
handling, automotive, audio, airport ground support, rental equipment,
construction, and/or
the like. Information characterizing the application may comprise information
about the type
of equipment used in the application. The information characterizing the type
of equipment
used may comprise and/or indicate, for example: a lift truck, a man lift,
tractor, an
uninterrupted power supply, a marine reserve, an engine starter, a passenger
car, a livery car,
a passenger truck, a light duty truck (e.g., a Class 1, 2, or 3 truck), a
medium duty truck (e.g.,
a Class 4, 5, or 6 truck), a heavy duty truck (e.g., a Class 7, 8, or 9
truck), a boat, a light duty
industrial vehicle (e.g., a forklift), a medium duty industrial vehicle,
and/or a heavy duty
industrial vehicle, a mobile audio and/or video system, an uninterrupted power
supply, and/or
the like.
[00106] Information characterizing the application may comprise an identifier
of specific
equipment. The information characterizing the specific equipment used may
comprise, for
example: a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a license plate number, a vehicle
identification
number ("VIN"), a vehicle model year, or any information useful for more
specifically
identifying a particular subgroup of equipment or a specific piece of
equipment. The
information characterizing the application may further comprise the age of the
equipment
(e.g., vehicle age), a vehicle engine classification (e.g., a 4-, 6-, or 8-
cylinder internal
combustion engine), a number of starts of a vehicle engine (e.g., a diesel
engine), a vehicle
drive type (e.g., 2-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, etc.),
classifications of
forklifts, and/or the like.
[00107] Furthermore, information characterizing the application may comprise
the
intended manner of use of the application. For example, the anticipated
operating conditions
of the application can be provided by a user of a battery monitoring software
application
and/or may be received by the system. These anticipated operating conditions
can include an
anticipated duration of use, an anticipated distance of use, an anticipated
average speed, an
anticipated cargo capacity, an anticipated lift capacity (for example, for a
forklift), use for
auxiliary power, use for starting the vehicle, for local delivery or long
haul, for start/stop
applications, average anticipated ambient temperature of geographic location
of use or
storage, or any other anticipated operating condition.
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[00108] Moreover, the application-specific information may comprise the
expected
location (e.g., geographic location, indoor or outdoor location, or the like)
of the equipment.
Although this may be provided in many forms, in one embodiment, a geo-fence
indicates
where the application is expected to be present. For example, the geo-fence
may
circumscribe the warehouse, and an application that drives out of the
warehouse would be
outside of the expected location of the equipment.
[00109] In various example embodiments, information characterizing battery
100/200 can
be input by: manually typing the information: into a software program running
on a mobile
device, into a web interface presented by a server to a computer or mobile
device, or any
other suitable manual data entry method. In other example embodiments,
information
characterizing battery 100/200 can be selected from a menu or checklist (e.g.,
selecting the
supplier or model of a battery from a menu). In other example embodiments,
information can
be received by scanning a QR code on the battery. In other example
embodiments,
information characterizing battery 100/200 can be stored in one or more
databases (e.g., by
the users providing an identifier that links to a database storing this
information). For
example, databases such as Department of Motor Vehicles, battery manufacturer
and OEM
databases, fleet databases, and other suitable databases may have parameters
and other
information useful for characterizing the application of a battery or
batteries 100/200.
Moreover, the characteristics can be any suitable application specific
characteristic.
[00110] In one example embodiment, if battery 100/200 is configured with a
battery
monitor circuit 120 therewithin or externally coupled thereto, battery and
application specific
characteristics can be programmed onto the circuitry (e.g., in a battery
parameters table). In
this case, these characteristics for each battery 100/200 travel with battery
100/200 and can
be accessed by any suitable system performing the analysis described herein.
In another
example embodiment, the battery and application specific characteristics can
be stored
remote from battery 100/200, for example in the remote device. Moreover, any
suitable
method for receiving information characterizing battery 100/200 may be used.
In an example
embodiment, the information can be stored on a mobile device, on a data
collection device
(e.g., a gateway), or in the cloud. Moreover, exemplary systems and methods
may be further
configured to receive, store, and utilize specific characteristics related to
a battery charger
(e.g., charger manufacturer, model, current output, charge algorithm, and/or
the like).
[00111] The various system components discussed herein may include one or more
of the
following: a host server or other computing systems including a processor for
processing
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digital data; a memory coupled to the processor for storing digital data; an
input digitizer
coupled to the processor for inputting digital data; an application program
stored in the
memory and accessible by the processor for directing processing of digital
data by the
processor; a display device coupled to the processor and memory for displaying
information
derived from digital data processed by the processor; and a plurality of
databases. Various
databases used herein may include: temperature data, time data, voltage data,
battery location
data, battery identifier data, and/or like data useful in the operation of the
system. As those
skilled in the art will appreciate, a computer may include an operating system
(e.g., Windows
offered by Microsoft Corporation, MacOS and/or iOS offered by Apple Computer,
Linux,
Unix, and/or the like) as well as various conventional support software and
drivers typically
associated with computers.
[00112] The present system or certain part(s) or function(s) thereof may be
implemented
using hardware, software, or a combination thereof, and may be implemented in
one or more
computer systems or other processing systems. However, the manipulations
performed by
embodiments were often referred to in terms, such as matching or selecting,
which are
commonly associated with mental operations performed by a human operator. No
such
capability of a human operator is necessary, or desirable in most cases, in
any of the
operations described herein. Rather, the operations may be machine operations,
or any of the
operations may be conducted or enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI) or
machine learning.
Useful machines for performing certain algorithms of various embodiments
include general
purpose digital computers or similar devices.
[00113] In fact, in various embodiments, the embodiments are directed toward
one or more
computer systems capable of carrying out the functionality described herein.
The computer
system includes one or more processors, such as a processor for managing
monoblocs. The
processor is connected to a communication infrastructure (e.g., a
communications bus,
cross-over bar, or network). Various software embodiments are described in
terms of this
computer system. After reading this description, it will become apparent to a
person skilled
in the relevant art(s) how to implement various embodiments using other
computer systems
and/or architectures. A computer system can include a display interface that
forwards
graphics, text, and other data from the communication infrastructure (or from
a frame buffer
not shown) for display on a display unit, such as the graphical user
interfaces depicted in
FIGS. 7-10 and discussed herein.
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[00114] A computer system also includes a main memory, such as for example
random
access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory or in-memory (non-
spinning) hard drives. The secondary memory may include, for example, a hard
disk drive
and/or a removable storage drive, representing a disk drive, a magnetic tape
drive, an optical
disk drive, etc. The removable storage drive reads from and/or writes to a
removable storage
unit in a well-known manner. Removable storage unit represents a disk,
magnetic tape,
optical disk, solid state memory, etc. which is read by and written to by
removable storage
drive. As will be appreciated, the removable storage unit includes a computer
usable storage
medium having stored therein computer software and/or data.
[00115] In various embodiments, secondary memory may include other similar
devices for
allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into computer
system. Such
devices may include, for example, a removable storage unit and an interface.
Examples of
such may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that
found in video
game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an erasable programmable read
only
memory (EPROM), or programmable read only memory (PROM)) and associated
socket, and
other removable storage units and interfaces, which allow software and data to
be transferred
from the removable storage unit to a computer system.
[00116] A computer system may also include a communications interface. A
communications interface allows software and data to be transferred between
computer
system and external devices. Examples of communications interface may include
a modem,
a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a
Personal Computer
Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot and card, etc. Software
and data
transferred via communications interface are in the form of signals which may
be electronic,
electromagnetic, optical or other signals capable of being received by a
communications
interface. These signals are provided to communications interface via a
communications path
(e.g., channel). This channel carries signals and may be implemented using
wire, cable, fiber
optics, a telephone line, a cellular link, a radio frequency (RF) link,
wireless and other
communications channels.
[00117] The terms "computer program medium" and "computer usable medium" and
"computer readable medium" are used to generally refer to media such as
removable storage
drive and a hard disk. These computer program products provide software to a
computer
system.
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[00118] Computer programs (also referred to as computer control logic) are
stored in main
memory and/or secondary memory. Computer programs may also be received via a
communications interface. Such computer programs, when executed, enable the
computer
system to perform certain features as discussed herein. In particular, the
computer programs,
when executed, enable the processor to perform certain features of various
embodiments.
Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of the computer
system.
[00119] In various embodiments, software may be stored in a computer program
product
and loaded into computer system using removable storage drive, hard disk drive
or
communications interface. The control logic (software), when executed by the
processor,
causes the processor to perform the functions of various embodiments as
described herein. In
various embodiments, hardware components such as application specific
integrated circuits
(ASICs) may be utilized in place of software-based control logic.
Implementation of a
hardware state machine so as to perform the functions described herein will be
apparent to
persons skilled in the relevant art(s).
[00120] A web client includes any device (e.g., a personal computer) which
communicates
via any network, for example such as those discussed herein. Such browser
applications
comprise Internet browsing software installed within a computing unit or a
system to conduct
online transactions and/or communications. These computing units or systems
may take the
form of a computer or set of computers, although other types of computing
units or systems
may be used, including laptops, notebooks, tablets, hand held computers,
personal digital
assistants, set-top boxes, workstations, computer-servers, main frame
computers, mini-
computers, PC servers, pervasive computers, network sets of computers,
personal computers,
kiosks, terminals, point of sale (POS) devices and/or terminals, televisions,
or any other
device capable of receiving data over a network. A web-client may run Internet
Explorer or
Edge offered by Microsoft Corporation, Chrome offered by Google, Safari
offered by Apple
Computer, or any other of the myriad software packages available for accessing
the Internet.
[00121] Practitioners will appreciate that a web client may or may not be in
direct contact
with an application server. For example, a web client may access the services
of an
application server through another server and/or hardware component, which may
have a
direct or indirect connection to an Internet server. For example, a web client
may
communicate with an application server via a load balancer. In various
embodiments, access
is through a network or the Internet through a commercially-available web-
browser software
package.
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[00122] A web client may implement security protocols such as Secure Sockets
Layer
(SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS). A web client may implement several
application
layer protocols including http, https, ftp, and sftp. Moreover, in various
embodiments,
components, modules, and/or engines of an example system may be implemented as
micro-
applications or micro-apps. Micro-apps are typically deployed in the context
of a mobile
operating system, including for example, iOS offered by Apple Computer,
Android offered
by Google, Windows Mobile offered by Microsoft Corporation, and the like. The
micro-app
may be configured to leverage the resources of the larger operating system and
associated
hardware via a set of predetermined rules which govern the operations of
various operating
systems and hardware resources. For example, where a micro-app desires to
communicate
with a device or network other than the mobile device or mobile operating
system, the micro-
app may leverage the communication protocol of the operating system and
associated device
hardware under the predetermined rules of the mobile operating system.
Moreover, where
the micro-app desires an input from a user, the micro-app may be configured to
request a
.. response from the operating system which monitors various hardware
components and then
communicates a detected input from the hardware to the micro-app.
[00123] As used herein an "identifier" may be any suitable identifier that
uniquely
identifies an item, for example a battery 100/200. For example, the identifier
may be a
globally unique identifier.
.. [00124] As used herein, the term "network" includes any cloud, cloud
computing system
or electronic communications system or method which incorporates hardware
and/or software
components. Communication among the parties may be accomplished through any
suitable
communication channels, such as, for example, a telephone network, an
extranet, an intranet,
Internet, point of interaction device (point of sale device, smartphone,
cellular phone, kiosk,
etc.), online communications, satellite communications, off-line
communications, wireless
communications, transponder communications, local area network (LAN), wide
area network
(WAN), virtual private network (VPN), networked or linked devices, keyboard,
mouse and/or
any suitable communication or data input modality. Moreover, although the
system is
frequently described herein as being implemented with TCP/IP communications
protocols,
the system may also be implemented using IPX, APPLEOtalk, IP-6, NetBIOSO, OSI,
any
tunneling protocol (e.g. IPsec, SSH), or any number of existing or future
protocols. If the
network is in the nature of a public network, such as the Internet, it may be
advantageous to
presume the network to be insecure and open to eavesdroppers. Specific
information related
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to the protocols, standards, and application software utilized in connection
with the Internet is
generally known to those skilled in the art and, as such, need not be detailed
herein. See, for
example, Dilip Naik, Internet Standards and Protocols (1998); JAVA 2
Complete, various
authors, (Sybex 1999); Deborah Ray and Eric Ray, Mastering HTML 4.0 (1997);
and Loshin,
TCP/IP Clearly Explained (1997) and David Gourley and Brian Totty, HTTP, The
Definitive
Guide (2002), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference
(except for any
subject matter disclaimers or disavowals, and except to the extent that the
incorporated
material is inconsistent with the express disclosure herein, in which case the
language in this
disclosure controls). The various system components may be independently,
separately or
collectively suitably coupled to the network via data links.
[00125] "Cloud" or "cloud computing" includes a model for enabling convenient,
on-
demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources
(e.g., networks,
servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned
and released with
minimal management effort or service provider interaction. Cloud computing may
include
location-independent computing, whereby shared servers provide resources,
software, and
data to computers and other devices on demand. For more information regarding
cloud
computing, see the NIST's (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
definition of
cloud computing available at Iittps://cloi.om/10.6028/NIST.SP.800445 (last
visited July
2018), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[00126] As used herein, "transmit" may include sending electronic data from
one system
component to another over a network connection. Additionally, as used herein,
"data" may
include encompassing information such as commands, queries, files, data for
storage, and the
like in digital or any other form.
[00127] The system contemplates uses in association with web services, utility
computing,
pervasive and individualized computing, security and identity solutions,
autonomic
computing, cloud computing, commodity computing, mobility and wireless
solutions, open
source, biometrics, grid computing and/or mesh computing.
[00128] Any databases discussed herein may include relational, hierarchical,
graphical,
blockchain, object-oriented structure and/or any other database
configurations. Common
database products that may be used to implement the databases include DB2 by
IBM
(Armonk, NY), various database products available from ORACLE Corporation
(Redwood
Shores, CA), MICROSOFT Access or MICROSOFT SQL Server by MICROSOFT
Corporation (Redmond, Washington), MySQL by MySQL AB (Uppsala, Sweden),
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MongoDBO, Redis0, Apache Cassandra , HBase by APACHE , MapR-DB, or any other
suitable database product. Moreover, the databases may be organized in any
suitable manner,
for example, as data tables or lookup tables. Each record may be a single
file, a series of
files, a linked series of data fields or any other data structure.
[00129] Any database discussed herein may comprise a distributed ledger
maintained by a
plurality of computing devices (e.g., nodes) over a peer-to-peer network. Each
computing
device maintains a copy and/or partial copy of the distributed ledger and
communicates with
one or more other computing devices in the network to validate and write data
to the
distributed ledger. The distributed ledger may use features and functionality
of blockchain
technology, including, for example, consensus based validation, immutability,
and
cryptographically chained blocks of data. The blockchain may comprise a ledger
of
interconnected blocks containing data. The blockchain may provide enhanced
security
because each block may hold individual transactions and the results of any
blockchain
executables. Each block may link to the previous block and may include a
timestamp. Blocks
may be linked because each block may include the hash of the prior block in
the blockchain.
The linked blocks form a chain, with only one successor block allowed to link
to one other
predecessor block for a single chain. Forks may be possible where divergent
chains are
established from a previously uniform blockchain, though typically only one of
the divergent
chains will be maintained as the consensus chain. In various embodiments, the
blockchain
may implement smart contracts that enforce data workflows in a decentralized
manner. The
system may also include applications deployed on user devices such as, for
example,
computers, tablets, smartphones, Internet of Things devices ("IoT" devices),
etc. The
applications may communicate with the blockchain (e.g., directly or via a
blockchain node) to
transmit and retrieve data. In various embodiments, a governing organization
or consortium
may control access to data stored on the blockchain. Registration with the
managing
organization(s) may enable participation in the blockchain network.
[00130] Data transfers performed through the blockchain-based system may
propagate to
the connected peers within the blockchain network within a duration that may
be determined
by the block creation time of the specific blockchain technology implemented.
The system
also offers increased security at least partially due to the relative
immutable nature of data
that is stored in the blockchain, reducing the probability of tampering with
various data inputs
and outputs. Moreover, the system may also offer increased security of data by
performing
cryptographic processes on the data prior to storing the data on the
blockchain. Therefore, by
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transmitting, storing, and accessing data using the system described herein,
the security of the
data is improved, which decreases the risk of the computer or network from
being
compromised.
[00131] In various embodiments, the system may also reduce database
synchronization
errors by providing a common data structure, thus at least partially improving
the integrity of
stored data. The system also offers increased reliability and fault tolerance
over traditional
databases (e.g., relational databases, distributed databases, etc.) as each
node operates with a
full copy of the stored data, thus at least partially reducing downtime due to
localized
network outages and hardware failures. The system may also increase the
reliability of data
transfers in a network environment having reliable and unreliable peers, as
each node
broadcasts messages to all connected peers, and, as each block comprises a
link to a previous
block, a node may quickly detect a missing block and propagate a request for
the missing
block to the other nodes in the blockchain network.
[00132] With reference to FIGS. 1A-2B and 4A-4B, in various embodiments,
information
relating to battery 100/200 may be displayed to a user through a battery
monitoring software
application on the display screen of computer 424, on a mobile device, or the
like. With
additional reference to FIG. 5 and 6A-6B, method 500 depicts a method for
analyzing battery
information and displaying results, in accordance with various embodiments. In
various
embodiments, system 400 may receive application-specific and/or battery-
specific
information (step 502) for a battery(s) 100/200 and its application, such as
any of the
information described herein. Information regarding battery 100/200 and/or the
application
may be provided to the battery monitoring software application through any
suitable method.
For example, information can be selected and/or entered manually (e.g., typing
in the
information into a mobile device 600 through a graphical user interface (GUI),
such as
welcome GUI 602), for example, by selecting the Add/Change Batteries button
615. For
example, battery-specific and/or application-specific information may be
entered into the
battery monitoring software application from a menu or checklist (e.g.,
selecting the make
and model of a vehicle or a battery from a menu), scanning a QR or bar code of
battery
100/200 and/or the application, selecting information via a graphical user
interface (the
location of the battery can be indicated on a screen by a user), typing in an
identifier that
links to a database storing information regarding battery 100/200 and/or the
application (e.g.,
databases such as Department of Motor Vehicles, manufacturer and OEM
databases, fleet
databases, and other suitable databases may have parameters and other
information useful for
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characterizing the application and/or battery), and/or submitting image and/or
video data of
battery 100/200 or the application. For example, a user can provide a vehicle
identification
number (VIN), which may automatically provide vehicle-specific information
(such as make,
model, year, engine classification, or other data encoded into the VIN by the
vehicle
manufacturer).
[00133] In various embodiments, battery-specific and/or application-specific
information
may be stored on monitor circuit 120/220 or on any other component (e.g., in
local portion
410 and/or remote portion 420) in system 400. The battery-specific and/or
application-
specific information may be accessed by any system performing the analysis
described
herein, including a battery monitoring software application on a mobile device
600, system
400, and/or any components comprised therein.
[00134] In various embodiments, the physical, geographical location of battery
100/200
may be received by and/or stored in system 400. For example, a fleet manager
may enter the
geographical location of a battery into the mobile application as in the yard,
or a cellular
provider may enter the geographical location of battery 100/200 as in Northern
Arizona. As
another example, as described herein, battery 100/200 and/or monitor circuit
120/220 may
comprise a GPS component able to detect the location of battery 100/200 and/or
the
application.
[00135] All of this information characterizing the battery or the application
may be starting
points. In an example embodiment, the system and methods are configured to
determine
whether the information can be updated with new, updated, or more accurate
information.
[00136] As described herein, system 400 (or any components therein) may
receive voltage
data and temperature data of battery 100/200 during operation (step 504). The
voltage and
temperature data may be measured by monitor circuit 120/220, as described
herein. The
voltage and temperature data, and/or the application-specific and/or battery-
specific
information may be transmitted to a remote device (step 506) in any suitable
manner, as
described herein. The information may be processed and/or analyzed (step 508)
to determine
the health and/or performance of battery 100/200. For example, the information
may
determine battery operating conditions (e.g., voltage and temperature), the
reserve time of
battery 100/200, the state of charge of battery 100/200, the crank health of
battery 100/200,
the remaining life of battery 100/200, the state of health of battery 100/200,
the discharge
health, and/or the like, as described herein.
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[00137] In
response to receiving the application-specific information, battery-specific
information, and/or voltage and/or temperature information, and/or determining
an aspect of
the health and/or performance of a battery (e.g., reserve time, state of
charge, state of health,
discharge health, crank health, and/or remaining life) resulting from the
information analysis,
system 400 may display the information and/or results of analysis (step 510).
Such
information may be displayed on a display screen of mobile device 600. For
example,
system 400 may display battery operating conditions, battery health or
performance
measures, or the like on a display screen of a mobile device through a battery
monitoring
software application comprised in and/or in communication with system 400. By
selecting
the View My Batteries button 605 on welcome GUI 602, system 400 through the
battery
monitoring software application may present information for the battery(s) for
which the user
has access, or which the user has selected. For example, the battery
monitoring software
application can display one or more of an identifier of battery, voltage,
temperature, state of
charge, state of health (e.g., 0% indicates the battery doesn't work for the
intended
application and use, and 100% is a new fully functional battery for the
intended application
and use), crank health (e.g., whether the battery is capable of starting a
motor, and for how
long it will likely be able to do so), discharge health (e.g., the percent of
calendar life left),
remaining battery life, reserve time, and/or warranty information/requirements
(e.g., calendar
warranty information (informing the user that their battery had a three year
warranty that
expires in two months, and/or detecting and recording operations outside the
warranted limits
(abusive conditions and how much time the battery was in those conditions))).
[00138] FIG. 7 depicts a state of charge GUI 700 comprising battery details
for a subject
battery 100/200, in accordance with various embodiments. State of charge GUI
700 may
comprise a selection bar 705, which allows a user to select which information
about a
battery(s) the user would like to display, an application-specific and/or
battery-specific
information line 702, which may display the specific application (e.g., a
Mercedes CLA
personal automobile), and a serial number 704 or other identifier identifying
the specific
application or battery. GUI 700 may further comprise a pictorial indicator 710
of the state of
charge of the specific battery along with an associated numerical indicator
712 corresponding
to pictorial indicator 710. As depicted, pictorial indicator 710 and numerical
indicator 712
indicate that the subject battery comprises 40% of its charge remaining.
Additionally, battery
operating conditions (voltage 722 and temperature 724) may be displayed on GUI
700, as
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well as any desired additional information, such as time remaining 726, the
status 714 (e.g.,
charging), or the like.
[00139] FIG. 8 depicts a state of health GUI 800 comprising battery health
details for a
subject battery 100/200, in accordance with various embodiments. State of
health GUI 800
may comprise selection bar 705, specific information line 702, and a serial
number 704 or
other identifier identifying the specific application or battery, similar to
GUI 700. GUI 800
may further comprise a pictorial indicator 810 of the state of health of the
specific battery
along with an associated numerical indicator 812 corresponding to pictorial
indicator 810. As
depicted, pictorial indicator 810 and numerical indicator 812 indicate that
the subject battery
is at 25% compared to its ideal conditions. Additionally, system 400 may
display a warning
or notification (e.g., notification 814) in response to potentially negative
circumstances or
risks based on the battery health and/or performance. For example,
notification 814 warns
that with a state of health of 25%, the battery may experience difficulty in
low temperatures.
[00140] FIG. 9 depicts a history GUI 900 comprising battery history for a
subject battery
100/200, in accordance with various embodiments. The battery history may show
the
historical values of any information about a battery such as voltage and/or
temperature, state
of health, state of charge, crank health, remaining life, or the like. History
GUI 900 may
comprise selection bar 705, specific information line 702, and a serial number
704 or other
identifier identifying the specific application or battery, similar to GUIs
700 and 800. GUI
.. 900 may further comprise a graph 910 comprising time along a first axis 912
and units of the
information along a second axis 914. As depicted on GUI 900, state of charge
is graphed
over five days (on first axis 912), with percentage of charge on second axis
914. As can be
seen from graph 910, the percentage of charge reached a minimum of about 40%,
but has
since recharged to a level of about 100%. Any information about a battery(s)
may be
graphed in a graph similar to graph 910. In various embodiments, a user may
select which
battery information will be graphed and presented. In another example
embodiment, GUI
900 may display the operating conditions matrix or crank health matrix.
Moreover, GUI 900
may be configured to display any useful graphical representation of
information about the
specific battery in its specific application in real time or near real time.
[00141] In various embodiments, as discussed herein, a notification or warning
may be
presented on a display screen through a battery monitoring software
application in response
to certain conditions being achieved by a battery. For example, the battery
monitoring
software application may generate and present a notification or warning in
response to the
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state of health, state of charge, crank health, remaining battery life, or the
like reaching a
level or value which may cause issues in proper battery function or
application function (e.g.,
the battery will not be able to start a vehicle now, or after five more crank
events, or the like).
Additionally, the battery monitoring software application may generate and
present a
notification or warning in response to the battery being exposed to
unfavorable operating or
storage conditions which may decrease the lifetime of the battery. For
example, a
notification or warning may indicate that the temperature is too low or high,
the battery is
being exposed to overcharge or undercharge, or the like. Notifications (e.g.,
warnings) may
take any suitable configuration such as those shown in GUIs 800 and 1000
(e.g., comprising
symbols and/or text regarding the content of the notification), push
notifications (e.g., a
notification that is automatically displayed on the display screen if the
battery monitoring
software application is open (or regardless of whether the battery monitoring
software
application is open)), or the like.
[00142] As depicted in warranty GUI 1000, a warning 1010 or notification may
indicate
conditions which may put voiding a warranty of a battery at risk. For example,
warnings
1012 displayed in GUI 1000 may indicate that the battery is exposed to
undercharging, high
temperatures, overcharging, or the like. Exposure to such conditions may void
the warranty
or otherwise risk the future life and performance of the battery.
[00143] The information displayed in GUIs 700, 800, 900, and 1000 may have
been
related to the same battery and/or different batteries.
[00144] In various embodiments, the Check Battery button 610 on welcome GUI
602 may
also allow presentation of desired battery information such as the GUIs in
FIGS. 7-10. In
various embodiments, Check Battery button 610 may allow a user to scan an
identifier of or
on a battery (e.g., a QR or bar code), input the battery-specific information,
or otherwise
identify the battery to the battery monitoring software application. In
response, the battery
monitoring software application may receive any battery information and/or
analysis results,
such as voltage/temperature information or information about the health and/or
performance
of the battery, stored on the identified battery 100/200, circuit monitor
120/120, and/or local
portion 410 or remote portion 420 of system 400. The battery monitoring
software
application may present the received information about the subject battery to
the user on a
display screen of mobile device 600 similar to the GUIs in FIGS. 7-10.
[00145] Any one of GUIs 700, 800, 900, and/or 1000, or similar displays or
presentations
of battery information, may be presented in response to selection of the View
My Batteries
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button 605, the Check Battery button 610, or any other command provided to the
processor to
display such information.
[00146] The analytics performed by the system (such as, for example, system
400 and/or
the battery monitoring software application) can be configured to present to
the user analytics
and information regarding multiple batteries in discrete locations and/or
applications at the
same time. For example, a mobile device 600 (running the battery monitoring
software
application) can provide: viewing of any compatible battery within range of a
wireless
communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth), viewing of a user's own batteries
within range of a
wireless communication protocol, and/or comparing the state of health and/or
state of charge
of multiple batteries.
[00147] For example, information regarding batteries not owned by a particular
user may
be particularly beneficial for service providers or vendors (such as auto
parts stores). Such
users may connect to a battery at a customer's request to determine one or
more parameters
(such as contemporaneous or estimated future state of charge, state of health,
or the like) to
.. determine if replacement of the battery is warranted. Further, service
providers or vendors
could alert customers of impending failure of a battery before the battery
fails, which may be
particularly useful for personal automobile owners. For example, an auto parts
store may
scan the battery of cars parked in front of the store (e.g., by selecting the
Check Battery
button 610 on welcome GUI 602, and identifying the subject battery), receive
the
temperature/voltage data measured by and/or stored on monitor circuit 120/220
or any other
component of system 400, and/or receive any analysis results regarding the
operating
conditions and/or health/performance of a battery, as described herein. In
response, the
vehicle/battery owner may be alerted that their battery is, for example,
nearing end of life,
and the owner could be offered an appropriate replacement battery based on
that driver and
that vehicle's actual experience vis-à-vis the battery.
[00148] Further, when combined with location tracking capabilities, the
present system
can provide estimation of the current use of an in-service battery (e.g., what
specific task the
application is performing based on the location data and contemporaneous
operating data
transmitted by the battery). For example, for an industrial vehicle
application (such as a
forklift), if the industrial vehicle is determined to be located in the
warehouse, the application
may be configured to determine that the forklift is performing an operation
(such as lifting or
moving pallets); if the vehicle is located inside a garage, it is likely
parked. If the vehicle is
parked, the system can also determine if it is being properly charged,
properly stored, and, for
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example, alert a user if it is sitting discharged or otherwise under
conditions causing a
deterioration of battery health.
[00149] In various embodiments, the system can send different notifications
and/or
warnings to different users. For example, if the application (and battery
100/200 therein) is
rented to a renter, and is located outside of a predetermined geo-fence (the
rental lot), an alert
might be sent to the renter, for example, if battery 100/200 needs charging.
Within the geo-
fence (e.g., if the application is not rented to a renter), for example, the
alert may be sent to
the manager of the rental fleet to attend to the application and/or battery
100/200 therein.
Ranges to access various batteries, or other settings to determine the user
experience and
access to and notification regarding specific batteries and/or applications
may be updated, for
example, by selecting the Settings button 620 in welcome GUI 602.
[00150] Other alerts sent by system 400 to a user can include: notifying a
battery owner
that the battery should be placed on a charger when a motive power battery has
been left in a
discharged state for an extended period of time, notifying if the usage trends
are jeopardizing
the life, health, or warranty of the battery (e.g. high or low temperature,
high or low charging
voltage), sending a notification when the battery is outside a geo-fence, as
well as historic
data and significant events for any of these parameters, through use of the
operational history
matrix (significant events could be, e.g., low voltage, low state of charge,
etc.).
[00151] Further, analytics may, for example, detect unexpected or unusual
operation of a
battery, and may correlate this operation to a specific issue. For example,
for an application
of a personal automobile, the system may determine that voltage and
temperature data
indicate an electrical discharge that is likely unanticipated by a user, such
as a car door
remaining open, or a dome light, stereo, head- or taillights, or other
electrical system
remaining on after the engine of the application is turned off An alert
displayed to the user
.. on their mobile device can indicate that one or more of these systems are
still operating, and
may indicate the specific system or systems in operation.
[00152] The system, through, for example, a battery monitoring software
application, may
display status, location, and other relevant information for each of a number
of batteries used
by a single application. For example, in an application with multiple
batteries, system 400
can identify issues or problems with a specific battery within the
application, and display
them to the user via the battery monitoring software program. In various
embodiments, the
battery monitoring software program may comparatively analyze the operation of
multiple
batteries in a particular vehicle, e.g., compare how two different batteries
are operating within
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a particular vehicle. The battery monitoring software program may
comparatively analyze
the operation of batteries in different vehicles, e.g., compare how different
batteries operate
in different vehicles (of the same vehicle type or of different vehicle
types), and/or how
batteries of the same type operate differently in different applications
(e.g., types of use) or
different locations and/or climates (e.g., in hot climate as compared to cold
climate). Further,
system 400 may be configured for multiple batteries located at a multitude of
different
locations to be monitored simultaneously.
[00153] System 400 can, for example, provide users with information regarding
battery
performance of particular classifications of applications based on monitoring
of batteries
owned by multiple different users. In various embodiments, system 400 can
provide a user
information, via the battery monitoring software application, regarding
batteries used in one
or more of a specific application type, an application age, a vehicle make, a
vehicle model, a
vehicle model year, a vehicle engine classification, a number of starts of a
vehicle engine
(e.g., a diesel engine), a vehicle drive type, or any other application-
specific feature. For
example, system 400 may provide a user with information regarding battery
operation in a
particular application (such as a forklift), or a more specific application
type (such as a make
of forklift), or an even more specific application type (a model of forklift)
based on analysis
of data provided by one or more of the same application type.
[00154] Further, system 400 may provide a user with information regarding
battery
performance of a particular classification of batteries based on monitoring of
batteries owned
by multiple different users. For example, system 400 can provide a user
information
regarding performance of batteries (used in the same or different
applications) sharing a
characteristic, such as one or more of a specific battery type (e.g., the
chemistry of the battery
- lead acid (e.g., flooded lead acid (flat plate or tubular), or VRLA
(absorptive glass mat and
gel)) lithium ion, and others), a battery cell configuration (e.g., parallel
or series), a battery
brand, a battery model, a battery manufacture data, a battery in-service date
(e.g., the date
battery was installed in the application), a battery capacity, a battery
nominal voltage, a
location of purchase of the battery. Stated another way, system 400 can
provide a user with
information regarding a specific battery type (e.g., a lead acid battery), or
a more specific
battery type (e.g., a manufacturer of battery), and/or an even more specific
battery type (e.g.,
a model of battery).
[00155] Although all in the same application, the multiple batteries could be
(1) connected
to each other (e.g., parallel or series combinations), or (2) separate (e.g.,
one tractor battery
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could be for starting the motor and the other could be for running the cooling
and accessories
(e.g., a boat may have two separate batteries, which can be tied together if
needed).
[00156] The system 400 may, for example, utilize operational data collected
from battery
100/200 (such as voltage, temperature, time, and/or location) to evaluate
whether the battery-
specific and/or application-specific information provided to the system is
correct, change
incorrect battery and/or application information, fill in missing battery
and/or application
information, learn more about where and how the application and/or battery
100/200 are
being used, learn more about the types and/or characteristics of the
application and/or battery
100/200, optimize the operation of the battery in its specific application,
and/or determine
deficiencies in battery operation and identify improvements required.
[00157] In various embodiments, as discussed herein, system 400 may monitor
multiple
batteries, analyzing the conditions, performance, and/or health of the
batteries, present
information and/or warnings/notifications regarding battery health,
performance, conditions,
etc., and/or the like. With additional reference to FIG. 6B, an end-user flow
chart 650 for use
of a battery monitoring software application involving the gathering, use,
analysis, and
presentation of battery information is depicted. Welcome page 655 (e.g.,
welcome GUI 602)
may be the first GUI presented by the battery monitoring software application
on a display
screen. From welcome page 655, the user may navigate and select which
functions for the
battery monitoring software application and system 400 to take and which
information to
present/display. .
[00158] For example, a user may view all batteries to which the user may have
access
through the battery monitoring software application. The user may select the
View My
Batteries button 605, and in response, the battery monitoring software
application may
present on the display screen of mobile device 600 all active configurations
(i.e., batteries in
various configurations) (block 662). The active batteries may be those that
are active in
operation, implemented in an application, and/or within a geographic range
(e.g., a goe-fence,
Bluetooth range, or the like). In various embodiments, all batteries to which
the user may
have access through the battery monitoring software application may be
presented with
respect to block 662, and those active (e.g., in use) batteries may be
highlighted or otherwise
marked to indicate the same.
[00159] The user may select a specific configuration of batteries to determine
which
batteries and associated information will be presented by the battery
monitoring software
application. The batteries within the specific configuration (block 664) may
be presented to
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the user by the battery monitoring software application in response to the
user indicating the
same. In response to a group of batteries being selected (or a single
battery), the detailed
battery data (block 667) for the battery(s) may be presented by the battery
monitoring
software application. The
detailed battery data may be the operating conditions
(temperature/voltage), and/or battery health and/or performance, such as the
information
displayed in GUIs 700-1000 in FIGS. 7-10.
[00160] In various embodiments, batteries displayed by the battery monitoring
software
application (simultaneously or consecutively) which may be problematic (e.g.,
batteries that
may be nearing the end of battery life, are dead, are being exposed to
unfavorable conditions,
or the like), may comprise an indicator as a warning to the user. The user may
select a
battery with a warning indicator to focus in on a specific one or group of
batteries to view
their detailed battery data (block 667). In various embodiments, the battery
monitoring
software application may also present a suggested action in response to a
warning indicator,
for example, to replace or charge the battery, remove from high heat, or the
like. The battery
information such as operating conditions, battery health, and/or battery
performance may be
available for presentation by the battery monitoring software application in
real time or near
real time (e.g., accurate within the last five minutes to an hour).
[00161] To check a battery (button 610 on welcome GUI 602), Add/Change
Batteries
(button 615 on welcome GUI 602), and/or view the detailed battery data, the
battery
monitoring software application may receive the information for the subject
battery(s). For
example, the battery monitoring software application may receive application-
specific
information in which the battery will be implemented to define the application
(block 672).
The battery monitoring software application may receive any suitable
application-specific
information (e.g., a vehicle, geographic location, etc.) in any suitable
manner, as discussed
herein. The battery monitoring software application may receive the
information to define
the configuration (block 674) in which the subject battery is implemented. The
battery
monitoring software application may receive any suitable battery-specific
information in any
suitable manner, as discussed herein, to identify the batteries (block 676).
For example, the
battery monitoring software application may receive the QR or bar code, serial
number, or
any other battery identifier associated with the battery, and system 400 (or
any component
thereof) may match the information associated with the battery identifier with
the received
battery identifier. The battery identifier may be physically located on the
battery. In
response to defining the application, configuration, and specific battery, the
battery
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monitoring software application may present the battery information, preferred
battery
conditions and use to maintain optimal battery performance and health, average
performance
of like batteries, or the like. For example, the user of the battery
monitoring software
application may be a vehicle rental company, and the battery monitoring
software application
may be commanded to show the battery(s) implemented in a commercial vehicle
application,
or the batteries in applications within a certain geographic area, or the
like.
[00162] Principles of the present disclosure may be combined with and/or
utilized in
connection with principles disclosed in other applications. For example,
principles of the
present disclosure may be combined with principles disclosed in: U.S. Serial
No. 16/046,777
filed on July 26, 2018 and entitled "BATTERY WITH INTERNAL MONITORING
SYSTEM"; U.S. Serial No. 16/046,727 filed on July 26, 2018 and entitled
"ENERGY
STORAGE DEVICE, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND
PERFORMING DIAGNOSTICS ON BATTERIES"; U.S. Serial No. 16/046,883 filed on
July 26, 2018 and entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A STATE
OF CHARGE OF A DISCONNECTED BATTERY"; U.S. Serial No. 16/046,671 filed on
July 26, 2018 and entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILIZING BATTERY
OPERATING DATA"; U.S. Serial No. 16/046,709 filed on July 26, 2018 and
entitled
"SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILIZING BATTERY OPERATING DATA AND
EXOGENOUS DATA"; U.S. Serial No. 16/046,747 filed on July 26, 2018 and
entitled
"SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING CRANK HEALTH OF A
BATTERY"; U.S. Serial No. 16/046,774 filed on July 26, 2018 and entitled
"SYSTEMS
AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A RESERVE TIME OF A MONOBLOC"; U.S.
Serial No. 16/046,687 filed on July 26, 2018 and entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS
FOR DETERMINING AN OPERATING MODE OF A BATTERY"; U.S. Serial No.
16/046,811 filed on July 26, 2018 and entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR
DETERMINING A STATE OF CHARGE OF A BATTERY"; U.S. Serial No. 16/046,792
filed on July 26, 2018 and entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING
AND PRESENTING BATTERY INFORMATION"; U.S. Serial No. 16/046,737 filed on
July 26, 2018 and entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A
HEALTH STATUS OF A MONOBLOC"; U.S. Serial No. 16/046,773 filed on July 26,
2018
and entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING BATTERY THEFT"; U.S.
Serial No. 16/046,791 filed on July 26, 2018 and entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS
FOR DETECTING THERMAL RUNAWAY OF A BATTERY"; and U.S. Serial No.
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16/046,855 filed on July 26, 2018 and entitled "OPERATING CONDITIONS
INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR AN ENERGY STORAGE DEVICE". The contents of
each of the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
[00163] In describing the present disclosure, the following terminology will
be used: The
singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the
context clearly dictates
otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to an item includes reference to one
or more items.
The term "ones" refers to one, two, or more, and generally applies to the
selection of some or
all of a quantity. The term "plurality" refers to two or more of an item. The
term "about"
means quantities, dimensions, sizes, formulations, parameters, shapes and
other
characteristics need not be exact, but may be approximated and/or larger or
smaller, as
desired, reflecting acceptable tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off,
measurement error
and the like and other factors known to those of skill in the art. The term
"substantially"
means that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be
achieved exactly, but
that deviations or variations, including for example, tolerances, measurement
error,
measurement accuracy limitations and other factors known to those of skill in
the art, may
occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was
intended to provide.
Numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is
to be
understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity
and thus
should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values
explicitly recited as
the limits of the range, but also interpreted to include all of the individual
numerical values or
sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-
range is
explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of "about 1 to 5"
should be
interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to
about 5, but also
include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus,
included in this
numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3 and 4 and sub-ranges such
as 1-3, 2-4 and
3-5, etc. This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical
value (e.g.,
"greater than about 1") and should apply regardless of the breadth of the
range or the
characteristics being described. A plurality of items may be presented in a
common list for
convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of
the list is
individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual
member of
such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of
the same list
solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to
the contrary.
Furthermore, where the terms "and" and "or" are used in conjunction with a
list of items, they
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are to be interpreted broadly, in that any one or more of the listed items may
be used alone or
in combination with other listed items. The term "alternatively" refers to
selection of one of
two or more alternatives, and is not intended to limit the selection to only
those listed
alternatives or to only one of the listed alternatives at a time, unless the
context clearly
indicates otherwise.
[00164] It should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown and
described
herein are illustrative and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of
the present
disclosure in any way. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various
figures
contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships
and/or physical
couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many
alternative or
additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in
a practical
device or system.
[00165] It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and
specific
examples, while indicating exemplary embodiments, are given for purposes of
illustration
.. only and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope
of the present
disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the
scope of this
disclosure includes all such modifications. The corresponding structures,
materials, acts, and
equivalents of all elements in the claims below are intended to include any
structure, material,
or acts for performing the functions in combination with other claimed
elements as
specifically claimed. The scope should be determined by the appended claims
and their legal
equivalents, rather than by the examples given above. For example, the
operations recited in
any method claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the
order presented in
the claims. Moreover, no element is essential unless specifically described
herein as
"critical" or "essential."
[00166] Moreover, where a phrase similar to 'at least one of A, B, and C' or
'at least one
of A, B, or C' is used in the claims or specification, it is intended that the
phrase be
interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may
be present in
an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any
combination of the
elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and
B, A and C,
B and C, or A and B and C.
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