COMMUNICATION-CONNECTED BATTERY WITH EXPANSION CAPABILITY

• US 20160093924A1
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Roost, Inc. (Deluxe Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Zlick, Inc.
• Inventors: Peeters, Roel, Blackwell, James
• Application Number:
  US14/501,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20160093924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A sensor element includes mechanical connectors adapted to couple to conventional battery electrical terminals to provide mechanical support for the sensor on a battery housing or device, at least one sensing element that is capable of emitting an electrical signal upon sensing an sensed environmental variable, and an electrical connector, distinct from the mechanical connectors for receiving power from, and sending signals to, the battery housing or device. The coupled unit can be used to provide powered sensing and communication capability. The coupled unit'"'"'s outputs could be processed with user presence information.

Claims

1. A sensor element comprising:

mechanical connectors adapted to couple to conventional battery electrical terminals to provide mechanical support for the sensor on a battery housing or device;

at least one sensing element that is capable of emitting an electrical signal upon sensing an sensed environmental variable; and

an electrical connector, distinct from the mechanical connectors for receiving power from, and sending signals to, the battery housing or device.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the battery housing or device is a battery with communication capability.

3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the power received from the battery housing or device is at a voltage other than a voltage supplied at the conventional battery electrical terminals.

4. A sensor network comprising:

at least one sensor element comprising;

a) mechanical connectors adapted to couple to conventional battery electrical terminals to provide mechanical support for the sensor on a battery housing or device;

b) at least one sensing element that is capable of emitting an electrical signal upon sensing an sensed environmental variable; and

c) an electrical connector, distinct from the mechanical connectors for receiving power from, and sending signals to, the battery housing or device;

a communications hub, that receives and processes messages received from the at least one sensor element;

an external information source;

a processor that evaluates the messages and information from the external information source; and

a user interface that shows display data filtered by at least some of the information from the external information source.

5. The sensor network of claim 4, wherein the information from the external information source includes user presence information, such that the display data varies based on presence of predetermined users.