UPS system with network monitoring and attached battery pack information sensing functions

• US 10,097,034 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cyberpower Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cyberpower Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Hsieh, Hung-Ming, Chien, Hung-Chun, Peng, Yung-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US14/572,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20160172901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 307 64, 307 66
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A UPS system with network monitoring and attached battery pack information sensing functions includes a UPS apparatus including a UPS body and a UPS monitoring module, and attached battery packs coupled to the UPS body. Each attached battery pack includes a battery pack body, and a battery pack monitoring module that includes a control unit, a sensor module for detecting the status information of the battery pack body, a memory, and a network interface for communication with the UPS monitoring module through a local area network to transmit the status information of the battery pack body. When the battery pack monitoring module transmits the status information to the UPS monitoring module, the manager can link a web browser of an external equipment to a battery pack status page provided by a built-in web server of the UPS monitoring module to get the status information of every attached battery pack.

Claims

1. A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) system with network monitoring and attached battery pack information sensing functions, comprising a local area network, a UPS apparatus, and at least one attached battery pack connected to said UPS apparatus through said local area network, wherein said UPS apparatus comprises a UPS body and a UPS monitoring module having a web server built in said UPS monitoring module, and each attached battery pack comprises a battery pack body and a battery pack monitoring module, wherein said battery pack monitoring module comprises a control unit, a sensor module electrically coupled to said control unit to sense status information of said respective battery pack body, a memory electrically coupled to said control unit to store predetermined data, and a network interface communicating with said UPS monitoring module through said local area network to transmit said status information of said respective battery pack body to said UPS monitoring module, wherein a web browser of an external equipment links to said web server of said UPS monitoring module and obtains said status information of each attached battery pack through said local area network;

wherein said web server of said UPS monitoring module of said UPS apparatus provides a newly added page to input an IP address or MAC address of a new attached battery pack from said web browser of said external equipment, to add said new attached battery pack for management, and to transmit a request network packet to said battery pack monitoring module of said new attached battery pack for handshaking from said UPS monitoring module of said UPS apparatus, and after said battery pack monitoring module accepts to be added into management and sends back a reply packet, said new attached battery pack monitoring module timely transmits a network packet of status information to said UPS monitoring module to display or update said status information of said new attached battery pack on the web browser through said web server of said UPS monitoring module.

2. The UPS system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said UPS body of said UPS apparatus comprises a first microcontroller, a first communication interface, an AC-to-DC charger, a DC-to-AC inverter and a changeover switch, wherein said first communication interface, said AC-to-DC charger, said DC-to-AC inverter and said changeover switch are electrically coupled to said first microcontroller, a DC input/output interface is electrically coupled to said AC-to-DC charger and said DC-to-AC inverter for DC input and output, an AC input interface is electrically coupled to said AC-to-DC charger and said changeover switch, and an AC output interface is electrically coupled to said changeover switch, said changeover switch is electrically coupled to said DC-to-AC inverter.

3. The UPS system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said UPS monitoring module of said UPS apparatus comprises a second microcontroller, a second communication interface electrically coupled with said second microcontroller and said first communication interface of said UPS body, a memory electrically connected to said second microcontroller for storing data, and a network interface electrically connected to said second microcontroller for network communication.

4. The UPS system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first communication interface of said UPS body and said second communication interface of said UPS monitoring module are USARTs (Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitters).

5. The UPS system as claimed in claim 3, wherein when said UPS monitoring module receives said status information from said battery pack monitoring module of one of said at least one attached battery pack and said status information is verified by said second microcontroller to be in conformity with a set condition of a pre-stored data in said memory, said UPS monitoring module sends a network packet of status information or a warning message through said network interface of said UPS monitoring module to said external equipment.

6. The UPS system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said battery pack body of each attached battery pack comprises at least one battery module, a DC input/output interface electrically coupled to said at least one battery module and electrically connected to said UPS body of said UPS apparatus through a DC bus, wherein said UPS body transmits a DC power to charge said at least one battery module.

7. The UPS system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said sensor module of said battery pack monitoring module of each attached battery pack comprises a voltage sensing circuit detecting voltage of said battery pack body and internal voltage of said at least one battery module and a current sensing circuit detecting electrical current of said at least one battery module.

8. The UPS system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said sensor module of said battery pack monitoring module of each attached battery pack comprises an environmental sensing circuit detecting internal and surrounding temperature, moisture, air pressure, airflow and contact closure of said battery pack body of said attached battery pack.

9. The UPS system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said request network packet provided by said UPS monitoring module of said UPS apparatus contains an authentication data;

said reply network packet provided by said battery pack monitoring module of said new attached battery pack contains said authentication data and a reply content;

said authentication data is a combination of an account and a password, or a hash value;

said replay content is about accepting or not accepting to be added into management.