Wireless battery monitor

• US 7,774,151 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Franklin Grid Solutions, LLC (EBW, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Midtronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bertness, Kevin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau; Tung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUN, XIUQIN
• Application Number:
  US11/018,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20050162172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 702/63, 702/108, 324/426, 324/427, 324/434, 320/131, 320/136, 370/313
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/163 with special means for initiating or limiting the excitation current

Abstract

An electronic battery tester and method includes generating battery test data from an electronic battery test. The battery test data is transmitted over a wireless communication medium. In another aspect, a method and apparatus is provided for receiving battery test data from a wireless communication medium.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a plurality of storage batteries, comprising:

(a) performing a battery test on each of a plurality of storage batteries and generating corresponding test data, the test data including a generated battery test result;

(b) transmitting test data for each of the plurality of storage batteries over a wireless communication medium,

wherein steps (a) and (b) are performed by each individual one of a plurality of battery testers, and wherein each of the plurality of battery testers is installed on a corresponding one of the plurality of batteries, and

conducting a data transmission synchronization operation prior to transmitting the test data for each of the plurality of storage batteries over the wireless communication medium to prevent collision of test data transmitted for the different ones of the plurality of storage batteries.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting, over the wireless communication medium, identification information along with the test data for each of the plurality of storage batteries.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the identification information is related to individual batteries of the plurality of storage batteries.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the identification information is related to individual battery testers of the plurality of battery testers.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the identification information comprises a plurality of unique addresses.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each unique address of the plurality of unique addresses comprises a different serial number of each battery of the plurality of storage batteries.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein each unique address of the plurality of unique addresses comprises a different IP address.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting test data step (b) is carried out in a half-duplex mode.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting test data step (b) is carried out in a full-duplex mode.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting step (b) further comprises periodically transmitting the test data over the wireless medium.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (a) and (b) are carried out in response to receiving a polling signal.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing RF signals to carry out the transmitting step (b).

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the test data for each of the plurality of storage batteries relates to a condition of each of the plurality of storage batteries.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein performing a battery test step (a) comprises determining a dynamic parameter of each storage battery of the plurality of storage batteries.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the dynamic parameter of each storage battery of the plurality of storage batteries is a conductance of each storage battery of the plurality of storage batteries.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising sensing a temperature of each of the plurality of storage batteries.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising transmitting the sensed temperature of each of the plurality of storage batteries over the wireless communication medium.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing the battery test step (a) comprises periodically performing the battery test, at a first predetermined period, on each of the plurality of batteries and generating corresponding test data.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein transmitting the test data step (b) comprise periodically transmitting the test data, at a second predetermined period, for each of the plurality of storage batteries over the wireless communication medium.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing steps (a) an (b) in response to receiving a test activation signal over the wireless communication medium.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the transmitted test data for each of the plurality of storage batteries over the wireless communication medium.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising at least temporarily storing the received test data for each of the plurality of storage batteries.

23. A battery monitoring system, comprising:

a first electronic battery tester comprising;

a first test circuit configured to test a first storage battery and to generate test data corresponding to the first storage battery;

a first memory configured to store a first identifier;

a first communication circuit configured to transmit the test data, corresponding to the first storage battery, and the first identifier over a wireless communication medium; and

a first synchronization input to synchronize data transmission over the wireless communication medium when more than one battery tester in the battery monitoring system transmits data over the wireless communication medium.

24. The battery monitoring system of claim 23 and further comprising a second electronic battery tester comprising:

a second test circuit configured to test a second storage battery and to generate test data corresponding to the second storage battery;

a second memory configured to store a second identifier;

a second communication circuit configured to transmit the test data, corresponding to the second storage battery, and the second identifier over a wireless communication medium; and

a second synchronization input to synchronize data transmission over the wireless communication medium when the second battery tester is used along with the first electronic battery tester in the battery monitoring system to transit data over the wireless communication medium.

25. The battery monitoring system of claim 24 and further comprising a receiving station configured to receive the test data, corresponding to the first storage battery and the second storage battery, and the first and second identifier over the wireless communication medium.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the first identifier relates to the first storage battery and the second identifier relates to the second storage battery.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the first identifier relates to the first electronic battery tester and the second identifier relates to the second electronic battery tester.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first identifier and the second identifier comprises a unique address.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the unique address comprises a serial number of one of the first storage battery and the second storage battery.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the unique address comprises an IP address.

31. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first communication circuit and the second communication circuit is configured to operate in half-duplex mode when sending and receiving signals over the wireless communication medium.

32. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first communication circuit and the second communication circuit is configured to operate in full-duplex mode when sending and receiving signals over the wireless communication medium.

33. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the test data corresponding to the first storage battery and the second storage battery is periodically transmitted over the wireless communication medium.

34. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the test data corresponding to the first storage battery and the second storage battery is transmitted over the wireless communication medium in response to polling of the first battery tester and the second battery tester.

35. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the first communication circuit and the second communication circuit utilize RF signals to transmit the test data, corresponding to the first storage battery and the second storage battery, and the first and second identifier over the wireless communication medium.

36. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the test data corresponding to the first storage battery relates to a condition of the first storage battery, and the test data corresponding to the second storage battery relates to a condition of the second storage battery.

37. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first test circuit and the second test circuit is configured to determine a dynamic parameter of each of the corresponding first storage battery and second storage battery.

38. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the dynamic parameter of each of the first storage battery and the second storage battery is a conductance of the corresponding first storage battery and second storage battery.

39. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first test circuit and the second test circuit comprises Kelvin connections configured to couple to terminals of a corresponding one of the first storage battery and second storage battery.

40. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first battery tester and the second battery tester comprises a temperature sensor that is configured to measure a temperature of each of the corresponding first storage battery and second storage battery.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein each one of the first communication circuit and the second communication circuit is configured to transmit the measured temperature of each of the first storage battery and the second storage battery over the wireless communication medium.

42. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first test circuit and the second test circuit is configured to receive software updates.

43. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first test circuit and the second test circuit is configured to receive information related to the corresponding first storage battery and second storage battery.

44. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first test circuit and the second test circuit is configured to periodically test the corresponding first storage battery and the second storage battery at a first predetermined period.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein each of the first communication circuit and the second communication circuit is configured to periodically transmit the test data related to the corresponding first storage battery and second storage battery at a second predetermined period.

46. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first communication circuit and the second communication circuit is configured to receive a test activation signal over the wireless communication medium.

47. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein each of the first test circuit and the second test circuit is configured to test each one of the corresponding first storage battery and the second storage battery upon receipt of an activation signal from the receiving station.

48. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the receiving station comprises an output configured to display received test data corresponding to the first storage battery and the second storage battery.

49. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the receiving station comprises a user interface that includes a battery monitoring and test activation screen.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the battery monitoring and test activation screen is configured to operate in a manual mode.

51. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the battery monitoring and test activation screen is configured to operate in an automatic refresh mode.

52. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the user interface further comprises a user login screen, which controls user access to the battery monitoring and test activation screen.

53. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the receiving station comprises a receiver and a computing device that is coupled to the receiver, the computing device is configured to at least temporarily store the received test data corresponding to the first storage battery and the second storage battery.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the receiver is a RF receiver.

55. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the receiver is coupled to the computing device using an RS-232 cable.

56. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the receiving station is configured to couple to an Internet connection and thereby serve as a web server.

57. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the at least temporarily stored data corresponding to the first storage battery and the second storage battery is accessed using a web browser.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein each of the first test circuit and the second test circuit is activated, to test each of the corresponding first storage battery and second storage battery, using the web browser.

59. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the receiving station is configured to couple to an Intranet connection.

60. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein the at least temporarily stored data corresponding to the first storage battery and the second storage battery is accessed from a client computer coupled to the Intranet.

61. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein each of the first test circuit and the second test circuit is activated, to test each of the corresponding first storage battery and second storage battery, from the client computer coupled to the Intranet.