Method and apparatus for measuring and monitoring a power source

• US 8,311,753 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phoenix Broadband Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Phoenix Broadband Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Rocci, Joseph D., Quelly, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Charioui, Mohamed
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desta, Elias
• Application Number:
  US13/169,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20110288798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/136, 702/60, 702/182, 702/189, 713/340, 714/22
• US Class Current: 702/60
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring power sources, such as the batteries making up a bank of batteries, is disclosed. There is provided a plurality of addressable sensors each adapted to communicate with one of the power sources, and to provide information concerning a characteristic of the power source in response to application of an event to the power source by the sensor. A controller that addressably communicates with the sensors, and that determines additional information, is also provided. In one embodiment, the sensor includes the power source, such as the battery.

Claims

1. A power source monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of addressable sensors each adapted to communicate with a respective one of a plurality of power sources, each sensor being adapted to determine an exponential discharge characteristic of its respective power source in response to application of an event thereto; and

a controller for addressably communicating with the sensors, and being adapted to determine performance characteristics of the power sources as a function of the exponential discharge characteristics thereof.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the event is a test signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the event is an instantaneous current.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a switch closing defines the event and causes current to flow from one of the power sources through a test load.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each sensors is adapted to be connected to supply terminals of a respective power sources.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the power sources are connected in a string, and the controller is adapted to distinguish the sensors and to determine a relative location of each sensor in the string.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the relative location is determined as a function of a voltage level of a particular power source relative to an overall voltage of the power sources.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to receive data related to the power sources.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to collect the data via the sensors over a period of time, process the data, and provide processed data indicative of a condition of the power sources.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit a command to the sensors to cause the application of the event.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to communicate with a network.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to obtain indications of voltages of at least selected ones of the power sources, and to combine the indications to provide parameters for at least selected ones of the power sources.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein one of the parameters comprises a capability of one of the power sources to deliver power to a load.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are adapted to provide an indication of at least one of the following of their respective power sources:

voltage, temperature or resistance.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein each sensor is adapted to provide an indication of a voltage of its respective power source at various time intervals.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein each sensor includes one of the power sources.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein each power source is a battery.

16. A battery monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of batteries each having an addressable sensor associated therewith, each sensor being adapted to determine an exponential discharge characteristic of its respective battery; and

a controller adapted to addressably communicate with the sensors, and determine a performance characteristic of each battery as a function of the exponential discharge characteristic thereof.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein each sensor is adapted to calculate the exponential discharge characteristic of its respective battery in response to application of an event to its respective battery.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the event is an instantaneous current.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein a switch closing defines the event, and causes current to flow from one of the batteries through a load.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the batteries are connected in a string, and the controller is adapted to distinguish the sensors and to determine a relative location of each sensor in the string as a function of a voltage level of a particular battery relative to an overall voltage of the plurality of batteries, and wherein the sensors are adapted to provide an indication of at least one of the following of the their respective batteries:

voltage, temperature or resistance.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein each sensor includes one of the batteries.

21. A method of monitoring a power source comprising:

providing a plurality of addressable sensors each having a microcontroller, each sensor being adapted to communicate with a respective one of a plurality of power sources;

determining at each sensor, via its respective microcontroller, an exponential discharge characteristic of its respective power source in response to application of an event to its respective power source; and

determining, via a controller adapted to addressably communicate with the sensors, a performance characteristic of each power source as a function of the exponential discharge characteristic thereof.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the sensors includes one of the power sources.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein each power source is a battery.