Battery life tracking for wireless sensor systems

• US 10,088,528 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Corbin, Scott Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Paul D
• Application Number:
  US14/101,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20150160303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 702 63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/36 Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to predicting an amount of energy associated with a battery, by: storing, by a node, a value for an amount of energy drawn from the battery for each type of operation performed by the node, storing, by the node, a value for an amount of energy drawn from the battery when the node is active based on the stored amount of energy drawn for each type of operation, and transmitting, by the node, an indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery in order to compute a prediction of the remaining battery energy.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a lifetime of a battery, comprising:

storing, by a node, a value for an amount of energy drawn from the battery for each type of operation performed by the node;

determining, by the node, a running count of operations performed when the node is active;

receiving at the node a request for a remaining battery energy;

determining, by the node, an amount of energy drawn from the battery based on the amount of energy drawn from the battery for each type of operation and the running count of operations;

determining, by the node, an indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery in order to compute a predicted remaining battery energy;

transmitting the predicted remaining battery energy from the node to a host computer;

determining at the host computer a remaining number of operations from the remaining battery energy;

determining a remaining battery time from the remaining number of operations and an operation profile of the node; and

replacing the battery at a time indicated by the predicted remaining battery time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the value for the amount of energy drawn for each type of operation is based on an average profile for a plurality of nodes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the value for the amount of energy drawn for each type of operation is based on a profile for the node.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the node, an update to the value for the amount of energy drawn for at least one of the operations performed by the node;

storing, by the node, the update to the value; and

transmitting, by the node, a second indication of a second amount of energy drawn from the battery based on the update to the value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing an indication of an initial energy associated with the battery.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the indication of the initial energy is stored by the node.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

computing, by the node, the predicted remaining battery energy by subtracting the value for the amount of energy drawn from the battery from the initial energy, and

transmitting the predicted remaining battery energy.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the stored value for the amount of energy drawn from the battery.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scheduling at least one of a maintenance activity and a battery replacement activity based on the transmitted indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the node is included in one of an aircraft and mining equipment.

11. An apparatus for measuring a lifetime of a battery comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

store a value for an amount of energy drawn from a battery powering the apparatus for each type of operation performed by the apparatus;

determine a running count of operations performed when a node is active;

receive at the node a request for a remaining battery energy;

determine an amount of energy drawn from the battery based on the amount of energy drawn from the battery for each type of operation and the running count of operations;

determine an indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery in order to compute a predicted remaining battery energy;

transmit the predicted remaining battery energy from the node to a host computer;

determine at the host computer a remaining number of operations from the remaining battery energy;

determine a remaining battery time from the remaining number of operations and an operation profile of the node; and

replace the battery at a time indicated by the predicted remaining battery time.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the value for the amount of energy drawn for each type of operation is based on an average profile for a plurality of apparatuses that are of the same model type as the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is configured to store an indication of an initial energy associated with the battery.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

measure a temperature associated with the apparatus; and

compute the predicted remaining battery energy by subtracting the value for the amount of energy drawn from the battery as a function of the measured temperature from the initial energy.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising transmitting an indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery.

16. An aircraft comprising:

a wireless node configured to;

store a value for an amount of energy drawn from a battery powering the node for each type of operation performed by the node;

determine a running count of operations performed when the node is active;

receive a request for a remaining battery energy;

determine an amount of energy drawn from the battery based on the amount of energy drawn from the battery for each type of operation and the running count of operations;

determine an indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery in order to compute a predicted remaining battery energy;

transmit the predicted remaining battery energy; and

a host computer configured to;

receive the predicted remaining battery energy from the node;

determine at the host computer a remaining number of operations from the remaining battery energy;

determine a remaining battery time from the remaining number of operations and an operation profile of the node; and

replace the battery at a time indicated by the predicted remaining battery time.

17. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the value for the amount of energy drawn for each type of operation is based on an average profile for a plurality of nodes that are of the same model type as the node.

18. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the node is configured to store an indication of an initial energy associated with the battery.

19. The aircraft of claim 18, wherein the node is configured to:

compute the predicted remaining battery energy based on;

the value for the amount of energy drawn from the battery, the initial energy, an age of the battery, and a self-discharge rate associated with the battery,

wherein the transmitted indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery comprises the predicted remaining battery energy.

20. The aircraft of claim 16, further comprising transmitting an indication of the amount of energy drawn from the battery.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

store first values corresponding to energy consumed by a wireless node for a plurality of operation types;

store a second value corresponding to an initial battery energy associated with a battery that powers the wireless node;

receive a request for a remaining battery energy;

determine an amount of energy drawn from the battery based on a running count of the plurality of operation types and the first values;

predict a remaining battery energy associated with the battery based on a difference between the second value and the determined amount of energy drawn from the battery;

transmit the predicted remaining battery energy; and

a host computer configured to;

receive the predicted remaining battery energy from the node,

determine at the host computer a remaining number of operations from the remaining battery energy,

determine a remaining battery time from the remaining number of operations and an operation profile of the node, and

replace the battery at a time indicated by the predicted remaining battery time.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the predicted remaining battery energy is based on a profile of the wireless node that specifies a number of operations of a given type executed by the wireless node per unit time.