SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING REMOTE BATTERY CHARGING

• US 20160121737A1
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MCE Purkey's FE LLC
• Original Assignee: Ph Ingenuities, LLC
• Inventors: Henningson, Dale B., Purkey, Bruce A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,725,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 Detection of state of health [SOH]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system for monitoring and indicating remote battery charging comprises a sensor unit, a power source, at least one remote battery, and a wiring harness; wherein the sensor unit comprises an analog to digital converter (an “A/D Converter”) and a display means such as lights (e.g., LEDs) and/or a screen (e.g., LCD). In one method of use, the system for monitoring then monitors the power supply (the source) as well as the auxiliary charging system (e.g., the liftgate electrical system) and provides advanced warnings or signals when the system is not receiving sufficient power or is otherwise not functioning properly.

Claims

1. A system located on a vehicle for monitoring and indicating battery status of the vehicle, comprising:

a sensor unit on a vehicle and electrically coupled to a power source onboard the vehicle and at least one remote battery on the vehicle, wherein the sensor unit comprises a housing, a voltage sensing means, a logic control means, and a component status indicator; and

wherein the logic control means of the sensor unit indicates to a user, via the component status indicator, the status of the power source and the status of the at least one remote battery based upon the voltage of the power source and the voltage of the at least one remote battery, respectively.

2. The system for monitoring and indicating battery status in a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the voltage sensing means comprises an analog to digital converter.

3. The system for monitoring and indicating battery status in a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the logic control means comprises a comparator.

4. The system for monitoring and indicating battery status in a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the logic control means comprises a microcontroller.

5. The system for monitoring and indicating battery status in a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the component status indicator comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

6. The system for monitoring and indicating battery status in a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the component status indicator comprises a liquid crystal display.

7. The system for monitoring and indicating battery status in a vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a battery charger onboard a vehicle and a means for switching said battery charger on or off.

13. The system for monitoring and indicating battery status in a vehicle of claim 7, wherein the means for switching the battery charger on or off comprises a relay controlled by the logic control means in response to voltage levels of the power source and the remote battery.

14. The system for monitoring and indicating battery status in a vehicle of claim 7, wherein the battery charger comprises a DC-DC converter.

26. The system for monitoring and indicating battery status in a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the power source is a tractor battery.

8-12. -12. (canceled)

15. A system located on a vehicle for indicating power status and improving charging of remote batteries on the vehicle, comprising:

a sensor unit on a vehicle and electrically coupled to at least two power sources onboard a vehicle and a battery charger onboard a vehicle;

the battery charger being further electrically coupled to a remote battery on the vehicle;

wherein the sensor unit comprises a means for switching between power sources to optimally charge the remote battery of the vehicle based upon voltage levels at the power sources, and a component status indicator.

18. The system for indicating power status and improving charging of remote batteries of claim 15, wherein the component status indicator comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

19. The system for indicating power status and improving charging of remote batteries of claim 15, wherein the component status indicator comprises a liquid crystal display.

20. The system for indicating power status and improving charging of remote batteries of claim 15, wherein the means for switching between power sources comprises a battery charge controller comprising a microprocessor-based control module including a voltage comparator, a communications system, and electrical switching devices to selectively open and close electrical circuits to manage current flow to the remote batteries.

21. The system for indicating power status and improving charging of remote batteries of claim 15, wherein the battery charger comprises a DC-DC converter.

23. The system for indicating power status and improving charging of remote batteries of claim 15, wherein the sensor unit selectively reduces or disables the battery charger based upon a predefined voltage value measured at an auxiliary pin.

24. The system for indicating power status and improving charging of remote batteries of claim 15, wherein the sensor unit selectively reduces or disables a battery charger based upon a predefined voltage value of a power source.

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

25. A system located on a vehicle for monitoring and improving charging of remote batteries in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a crank battery, a rechargeable auxiliary battery, and an onboard electrical power source separate from said crank battery and said auxiliary battery, a battery charge controller for managing a supply of electrical energy to said auxiliary battery to charge said auxiliary battery, said battery charge controller comprising:

means for monitoring a voltage level of said crank battery;

means for monitoring a voltage level of said onboard electrical power source;

means for electrically coupling said crank battery and said auxiliary battery to charge said auxiliary battery when the voltage level of said crank battery exceeds a first voltage threshold, and for electrically decoupling said crank battery and said auxiliary battery when the voltage level of said crank battery is below said first voltage threshold; and

means for electrically coupling said onboard power source and said auxiliary battery to charge said auxiliary battery when;

(i) the voltage level of said crank battery is below said first voltage threshold and (ii) the voltage level of said onboard power source exceeds a second voltage threshold, and for electrically decoupling said onboard power source and said auxiliary battery when the voltage level of said onboard power source is below said second voltage threshold; and

a component status indicator for indicating to a user the status of said crank battery, said onboard power source, and said auxiliary battery based upon the voltage of said crank battery, said power source, and said auxiliary battery.