MONITOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORED BATTERY

• US 20150061603A1
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Loftus, Michael Edward, Tabatowski-Bush, Ben A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,285,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• 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: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A monitor system for an inventoried battery includes at least one battery pack; at least one embedded monitor subsystem interfacing with the battery pack, the embedded monitor system adapted to acquire sensor data from the battery pack; and at least one archival data storage system interfacing with the embedded monitor subsystem, the archival data storage system adapted to archive the sensor data. A method of monitoring a stored battery is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A monitor system for an inventoried battery, comprising:

at least one battery pack;

at least one embedded monitor subsystem interfacing with the battery pack, the embedded monitor system adapted to acquire sensor data from the battery pack; and

at least one archival data storage system interfacing with the embedded monitor subsystem, the archival data storage system adapted to archive the sensor data.

2. The monitor system of claim 1 wherein the embedded monitor subsystem comprises a subsystem computer and at least one subsystem battery interfacing with the subsystem computer.

3. The monitor system of claim 2 further comprising a BECM wakeup connection interfacing with the subsystem computer of the embedded monitor subsystem and a BECM of the battery pack.

4. The monitor system of claim 2 further comprising a BECM CAN connection interfacing with the subsystem computer of the embedded monitor subsystem and a BECM of the battery pack.

5. The monitor system of claim 2 further comprising a BECM power connection interfacing with the subsystem computer of the embedded monitor subsystem and a BECM of the battery pack.

6. The monitor system of claim 1 wherein the archival data storage system comprises a central data collection computer interfacing with the embedded monitor subsystem and an archival database interfacing with the central data collection computer.

7. The monitor system of claim 1 wherein the embedded monitor system is adapted to wirelessly transmit the sensor data to the archival data storage system.

8. The monitor system of claim 7 wherein the archival data storage system comprises a wireless access device interfacing with the embedded monitor subsystem, a central data collection computer interfacing with the wireless access device and an archival database interfacing with the central data collection computer.

9. A monitor system for an inventoried battery, comprising:

a storage container;

at least one battery pack in the storage container;

at least one embedded monitor subsystem in the storage container, the embedded monitor subsystem interfacing with the battery pack and adapted to distribute flow of electrical current to the battery pack, maintain a BECM of the battery pack in an alert mode and acquire sensor data from the battery pack; and

at least one archival data storage system interfacing with the embedded monitor subsystem, the archival data storage system adapted to archive the sensor data.

10. The monitor system of claim 9 wherein the embedded monitor subsystem comprises a subsystem computer and at least one subsystem battery interfacing with the subsystem computer.

11. The monitor system of claim 10 further comprising a BECM wakeup connection interfacing with the subsystem computer of the embedded monitor subsystem and a BECM of the battery pack.

12. The monitor system of claim 10 further comprising a BECM CAN connection interfacing with the subsystem computer of the embedded monitor subsystem and a BECM of the battery pack.

13. The monitor system of claim 10 further comprising a BECM power connection interfacing with the subsystem computer of the embedded monitor subsystem and a BECM of the battery pack.

14. The monitor system of claim 9 wherein the archival data storage system comprises a central data collection computer interfacing with the embedded monitor subsystem and an archival database interfacing with the central data collection computer.

15. The monitor system of claim 9 wherein the embedded monitor system is adapted to wirelessly transmit the sensor data to the archival data storage system.

16. The monitor system of claim 15 wherein the archival data storage system comprises a wireless access device interfacing with the embedded monitor subsystem, a central data collection computer interfacing with the wireless access device and an archival database interfacing with the central data collection computer.

17. A method of monitoring a stored battery, comprising:

acquiring sensor data from at least one battery pack during storage of the battery pack; and

archiving the sensor data.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising distributing flow of electrical current to the battery pack.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising maintaining a BECM of the battery pack in an alert mode.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising transmitting the sensor data.