COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20120185187A1
• Filed: 04/11/2011
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imergy Power Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Deeya Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Parakulam, Gopalakrishnan R., Rasu, Veluchamy, Prabhu, Omkar G., Bhat, Sunil
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/826 where the data is sent periodically
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An apparatus and method for monitoring energy storage devices is disclosed. A monitoring system that monitors an energy storage device collects and stores operating data from the device and relays that data through a communications system to one or more servers. The servers can store the operating data from each of the monitored energy storage devices.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

a microprocessor coupled to receive data from an energy storage device and from external sensors;

a communications device coupled to the microprocessor, the communications device coupled to communicate data between the microprocessor and an external network of servers; and

memory coupled to the microprocessor to store data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor operates with a state function, the state function including

an arbiter state;

one or more transmit or receive states coupled to the arbiter state.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more transmit or receive states includes a send GPRS state and a receive GPRS state.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more transmit or receive states includes a send SMS and a receive SMS state.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the arbiter state includes a modem init state, a registration state, a handler state, and a dispatcher state.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein during the registration state the monitoring system identifies a list of servers that may receive data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein monitoring system operates such that data received from the energy storage device or the sensors is transmitted to a server on the list of servers.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein if no server on the list of servers is available, the monitoring system stores the data for later transmission to a server on the list of servers.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein during the registration state servers on the list of servers acknowledge and verify the monitoring system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device receives a time acknowledgment from the microprocessor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy storage device utilizing the time acknowledgment from the microprocessor to time stamp at least one event.

12. The system of claim 1, further including a power supply that receives power from the energy storage device, from a battery, or from an external power source depending on availability, wherein the monitoring system can continue to monitor the energy storage device and or the external sensor under any power circumstance.

13. A communications system, comprising:

a server system coupled to receive data from one or more monitoring systems coupled to an energy storage device; and

a data base coupled to the server system,

wherein data from the energy storage device is stored in the data base.

14. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the server system includes one or more GPRS based servers.

15. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the server system includes one or more SMS based servers.

16. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the server system includes one or more user SMS servers.

17. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the server system includes one or more test servers.

18. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the server system can provide commands to the monitoring system.

19. The communications system of claim 13, wherein data from the monitoring system is analyzed to provide performance and maintenance reports.

20. The communications system of claim 13, wherein the server system registers the one or more monitoring systems.

21. A method of monitoring an energy storage device, comprising:

registering with one or more servers;

receiving data form the energy storage device;

reporting the data to one of the one or more servers.

22. The method of claim 21, further including

determining that none of the one or more servers is available;

and

storing the data for a period of time before reporting the data to one of the one or more servers.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein reporting the data includes determining a communications network.