Battery monitor

• US 7,474,228 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CPG Beyond, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tarma, LLC
• Inventors: Lockhart, Bradley W., Toomey, Jason W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/209,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20060017582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636.1, 340/636.11, 340/636.12, 340/636.13, 340/636.14, 340/636.15, 340/636.16, 340/636.17, 340/636.18, 340/636.19, 340/636.2, 340/636.21, 324/426, 324/433, 324/435, 320/107, 320/137, 320/116, 320/120, 320/161, 320/162, 320/163, 320/164
• US Class Current: 340/636.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/389 Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery

Abstract

An apparatus and method for monitoring at least one battery condition. An ac signal is applied to a battery. A difference between a signal output from the battery and a threshold determines a battery condition. The determined battery condition is transmitted remotely from the battery location either wirelessly or through a network to controller and/or is visibly displayed at the battery location.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring an operative condition of each of a plurality of batteries comprising:

a control mounted on each battery and detecting a battery operating parameter;

the control comparing the detected battery operating parameter with a threshold value to determine an operative condition of the battery;

a data collection module including a processor and communicating with a data memory and executing a stored control program; and

a central area network serially connecting the control on each of a plurality of batteries with the data collection module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the control and the battery are mounted in a single case.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

an illuminatable element, activated by the control, to provide a visual indication of at least one of the battery test state and the determined battery operative condition.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

the illuminatable element is mounted in proximity to the battery.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

an electric power source for supplying electric power to the control.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further wherein the power source comprises:

Kelvin connections adapted to electrically connect the control to positive and negative terminals of a battery.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control further comprises:

means for testing at least one of battery internal resistance, battery nominal voltage and battery terminal temperature.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the control stores the detected battery condition from a test of at least one of a battery internal resistance, nominal battery voltage and battery terminal temperature in the data memory.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means for storing at least one of the time and day date in the data memory for communicating battery conditions to the data collection module.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

the control flagging the test data with an alarm tag when any of the battery test conditions are out of threshold boundaries; and

the control transmitting the alarm tag to a remote controller at one of the set one of the time and the date, and immediately for at least one of the tested battery conditions.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a modem, coupled to the data collection module, for communicating battery test data externally of the data collection module.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a portable processor executing a stored control program connectable in data communication with the data collection module.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a universal serial bus connection between the portable processor and the data collection module.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a current flow meter serially connected to the batteries.