Apparatus and method for on-line power source replacement in wireless transmitters and other devices

• US 7,812,480 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Datta, Indradyumna, Ramamoorthy, RamKumar K., Subbaiah, Ramesh, Reddy, Y. Jaganmohan
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US12/051,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20090236912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 307/46, 307 64- 66, 307/23, 307/150
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method includes powering a device using one or more first power sources and coupling one or more second power sources to provide power to the device. The method also includes replacing at least one of the first power sources, where the one or more second power sources provide power to the device during replacement of the at least one first power source. The first power source(s) could include one or more first batteries in one or more first battery slots, and the second power source(s) could include one or more second batteries in one or more second battery slots. The second batteries could be inserted into the second battery slots prior to replacement of at least one of the first batteries. The first power source(s) could also include one or more batteries in one or more battery slots, and the second power source(s) could include a portable voltage source.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

powering a device using multiple first batteries, the first batteries inserted into multiple first battery slots within the device, the device comprising a sensor or actuator in an industrial process control system, the first batteries comprising industrial-grade batteries;

inserting one or more second batteries into one or more spare battery slots within the device; and

replacing at least one of the first batteries in the first battery slots while the one or more second batteries are positioned in the one or more spare battery slots, wherein the one or more second batteries provide power to the device during the replacement of the at least one first battery;

wherein, before the insertion of the one or more second batteries and after the replacement of the at least one first battery, each of the one or more spare battery slots is not occupied by a battery during normal operation of the device in which the sensor or actuator is powered by the batteries present in the first battery slots.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more spare battery slots are adjacent to the first battery slots.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the one or more second batteries and replacing at least one of the first batteries comprise:

inserting one second battery into one spare battery slot;

replacing one first battery in one first battery slot and then replacing another first battery in another first battery slot; and

removing the second battery from the spare battery slot after replacement of the first batteries in the first battery slots.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the one or more second batteries and replacing at least one of the first batteries comprise:

inserting one second battery into one spare battery slot; and

replacing one first battery in one first battery slot and then removing without replacing another first battery from another first battery slot.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

limiting current from the first and second batteries during insertion of the one or more second batteries and during replacement of at least one of the first batteries.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a wireless sensor or wireless actuator.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing the one or more second batteries after replacement of the at least one first battery.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a wireless transmitter.

9. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a plurality of battery slots including;

multiple first battery slots configured to receive multiple first batteries and to provide current from the first batteries, the first batteries comprising industrial-grade batteries; and

one or more spare battery slots configured to receive one or more second batteries and to provide current from the one or more second batteries during replacement of at least one of the first batteries;

a current limiter configured to limit the current from the batteries; and

a power supply output configured to provide the current to one or more external components including a sensor or actuator in an industrial process control system;

wherein each of the one or more spare battery slots is not occupied by a battery during normal operation of the one or more external components in which the sensor or actuator is powered by the batteries present in the first battery slots.

10. The power supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more spare battery slots are adjacent to the first battery slots.

11. The power supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the current limiter is configured to limit the current when the one or more second batteries are inserted into the one or more spare battery slots and when at least one of the first batteries is replaced in the first battery slots.

12. The power supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first battery slots comprise two first battery slots, and the one or more spare battery slots comprise a single spare battery slot.

13. The power supply apparatus of claim 12, wherein the two first battery slots are adjacent to each other, and the spare battery slot is adjacent to one of the first battery slots.

14. The power supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more external components comprise a wireless sensor or wireless actuator.

15. The power supply apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more external components comprise a wireless radio.

16. An apparatus comprising:

one or more powered components comprising a sensor or actuator in an industrial process control system; and

a power supply apparatus within at least one of the powered components comprising;

a plurality of battery slots including;

multiple first battery slots configured to receive multiple first batteries and to provide current from the first batteries, the first batteries comprising industrial-grade batteries; and

one or more spare battery slots configured to receive one or more second batteries and to provide current from the one or more second batteries during replacement of at least one of the first batteries;

a current limiter configured to limit the current from the batteries; and

a power supply output configured to provide the current to the one or more powered components;

wherein each of the one or more spare battery slots is not occupied by a battery during normal operation of the one or more powered components in which the sensor or actuator is powered by the batteries present in the first battery slots.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the one or more spare battery slots are adjacent to the first battery slots.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the current limiter is configured to limit the current when the one or more second batteries are inserted into the one or more spare battery slots and when at least one of the first batteries is replaced in the first battery slots.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first battery slots comprise two first battery slots, and the one or more spare battery slots comprise a single spare battery slot.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sensor or actuator comprises:

a wireless radio configured to transmit information associated with the sensor or receive information associated with the actuator.