SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING BATTERY COOL-DOWN

• US 20100013648A1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canadus Power Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Canadus Power Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Altman, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 8,164,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/636.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method for cooling a battery after a charging phase including the steps of providing a user display, identifying a starting point at which the charging phase of the battery transitions to a cooling phase, when the starting point is identified, instructing the user display to provide a first indication for a first predetermined amount of time, and after the first predetermined amount of time has elapsed, instructing the user display to provide a second indication.

Claims

1. A method for cooling a battery after a charging phase, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a user display;

identifying a starting point at which said charging phase of said battery transitions to a cooling phase;

when said starting point is identified, instructing said user display to provide a first indication for a first predetermined amount of time; and

after said first predetermined amount of time has elapsed, instructing said user display to provide a second indication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said battery is a lead-acid battery.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said user display includes a first light and a second light, wherein said first indication includes illuminating said first light and said second indication includes illuminating said second light.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said first light is a substantially red-colored light and said second light is a substantially green-colored light.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first predetermined amount of time is about 2 to about 8 hours.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said second indication is displayed for a second predetermined amount of time.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said second predetermined amount of time is about 2 to about 6 hours.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of, after said second predetermined amount of time has elapsed, instructing said user display to provide a third indication.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said user display includes a first light, a second light and a third light, wherein said first indication includes illuminating said first light, said second indication includes illuminating said second light, and said third indication includes illuminating said third light.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said first light is a substantially red-colored light, said second light is a substantially yellow-colored light, and said third light is a substantially green-colored light.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining a peak charging voltage of said battery, wherein said starting point is only identified if said peak charging voltage is greater than or equal to a reference value.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of instructing said user display to provide an error indication when said peak charging voltage is less than said reference value.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said error indication includes a flashing light.

14. A method for cooling a battery after a charging phase, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a user display including at least a first light, a second light and a third light;

identifying a starting point at which said charging phase of said battery transitions to a cooling phase;

when said starting point is identified, instructing said user display to illuminate said first light for a first predetermined amount of time;

after said first predetermined amount of time has elapsed, instructing said user display to illuminate said second light for a second predetermined amount of time; and

after said second predetermined amount of time has elapsed, instructing said user display to illuminate said third light.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said first light is a substantially red-colored light, said second light is a substantially yellow-colored light, and said third light is a substantially green-colored light.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said battery is a lead-acid battery.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said first predetermined amount of time is about 2 to about 4 hours, said second predetermined amount of time is about 2 to about 4 hours, and said third predetermined amount of time is about 2 to about 4 hours.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of determining a peak charging voltage of said battery, wherein said starting point is only identified if said peak charging voltage is greater than or equal to a reference value.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of flashing said first light when said peak charging voltage is less than said reference value.