Dynamic adjustment of capacity threshold for a battery unit
First Claim
1. A battery backup unit, comprising:
- a current sensor;
one or more battery cells;
a battery management unit that comprises a processor and a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor, cause the battery management unit to, at least;
receive, from the current sensor, information related to a current to or from the one or more battery cells;
determine, based on the information related to the current, a full-charge capacity value for the one or more battery cells;
receive a power requirement for a load supported by the battery backup unit, the power requirement for the load comprising an amount of energy consumed by the load during some preceding period of time;
determine, based on the power requirements, a capacity threshold to be associated with the load that comprises an amount of energy required by the load over a predetermined period of time, wherein the capacity threshold is a product of the power requirement for the load and the predetermined period of time;
compare the full-charge capacity value for the one or more battery cells to the capacity threshold associated with the load; and
upon determining that the full-charge capacity value for the one or more battery cells is less than the determined capacity threshold associated with the load, provide an indication that the battery backup unit is insufficient to power the load.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein is a smart battery unit capable of assessing its suitability to support a particular load. In some embodiments, the battery unit may receive an indication of power requirements for the particular load with respect to a period of time and may evaluate a total electrical capacity that would be required to support such a load based on those power requirements. The battery backup unit may monitor and dynamically update a full-charge capacity value related to its battery cells as well as the capacity requirement related to the load. The two values may then be compared to determine whether the battery backup unit is capable of supporting the load. If the full-charge capacity value is less than the capacity requirement for the load, then the battery unit may determine that it is not suitable for that load.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A battery backup unit, comprising:
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a current sensor; one or more battery cells; a battery management unit that comprises a processor and a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor, cause the battery management unit to, at least; receive, from the current sensor, information related to a current to or from the one or more battery cells; determine, based on the information related to the current, a full-charge capacity value for the one or more battery cells; receive a power requirement for a load supported by the battery backup unit, the power requirement for the load comprising an amount of energy consumed by the load during some preceding period of time; determine, based on the power requirements, a capacity threshold to be associated with the load that comprises an amount of energy required by the load over a predetermined period of time, wherein the capacity threshold is a product of the power requirement for the load and the predetermined period of time; compare the full-charge capacity value for the one or more battery cells to the capacity threshold associated with the load; and upon determining that the full-charge capacity value for the one or more battery cells is less than the determined capacity threshold associated with the load, provide an indication that the battery backup unit is insufficient to power the load. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method comprising:
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determining, based on information related to a current to or from a battery cell, a full-charge capacity value associated with the battery cell; receiving a power requirement for a load supported by the battery cell based on an amount of energy consumed by the load during some preceding period of time; determining, based on the power requirements, a capacity threshold to be associated with the load by multiplying the power requirement for the load by a desired support time; comparing the full-charge capacity value associated with the battery cell to the capacity threshold associated with the load; and upon determining that the full-charge capacity value associated with the battery cell is less than the determined capacity threshold associated with the load, providing an indication that a battery backup unit that includes the battery cell is insufficient to power the load. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A power system comprising:
a battery unit supporting a load, the battery unit comprising a battery cell and a battery management unit configured to; receive an indication of a power requirement of the load based on an amount of current consumed by the load within a preceding period of time; determine, based on the power requirement of the load, a capacity threshold value for the load by multiplying the power requirement of the load by a predetermined period of time; determine a full-charge capacity value associated with the battery cell; compare the full-charge capacity value to the capacity threshold value; and upon determining that the full-charge capacity value is less than the capacity threshold value, providing an indication that the battery unit is insufficient to support the load. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
Specification