Battery management system and method

• US 8,583,955 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanergy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanergy, Inc.
• Inventors: Kelly, Todd Scott, Cheung, Lee, Lu, Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phil
• Application Number:
  US13/644,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20130086409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 713/340, 713/320, 713/324
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A battery management system/method implementing optimal dynamic battery charge/discharge cycling is disclosed. The system utilizes a power source control unit (PSCU) to selectively switch a power supply source to a battery charger that charges a battery servicing a portable computing device. The PSCU is controlled by a power monitor control unit (PMCU) that monitors the battery state and determines the optimal charge/discharge profile for the battery. Depending on the type and current condition the of battery as well as battery charge/discharge history, the PMCU monitors the historical, current, and/or anticipated demand activity of the battery to determine an optimal charge/discharge profile for the battery to enable maximum battery life under a wide variety of environmental and use profiles. Present invention methods control battery charge/discharge activity based on computing device historical/anticipated use characteristics, battery chemistry, and/or optimal battery lifecycle operation.

Claims

1. A battery management method, said method operating in conjunction with a battery management system, said system comprising:

(a) Power Source Control Unit (PSCU); and

(b) Power Monitor Control Unit (PMCU);

wherein

said PSCU further comprises an electrical power switch that controls electrical current supplied to a wall outlet power adapter responsible for charging a battery supplying power to a computing device;

said PMCU monitors the condition of said battery supplying power to said computing device;

said electrical power switch is controlled by said PMCU via a communication link between said PMCU and said PSCU; and

said PMCU activates said electrical power switch in response to said condition of said battery;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(1) Determining if said PSCU is available, and if so, proceeding to step (3);

(2) Issuing a warning message requesting a status of said PSCU and proceeding to said step (1);

(3) Determining if battery charging user input parameters are available, and if not, proceeding to step (7);

(4) Configuring user battery charge/discharge parameters;

(5) Configuring user battery calibration parameters;

(6) Configuring user battery recondition parameters then proceeding to said step (1);

(7) Executing a battery charge/discharge process;

(8) Executing a battery calibration process; and

(9) Executing a battery reconditioning process then proceeding to said step (1).

2. The battery management method of claim 1 wherein said communication link comprises an electrical interface selected from a group consisting of:

wireless hardware interface;

BLUETOOTH®

wireless hardware interface;

USB hardware interface;

UART hardware interface;

serial hardware interface;

parallel hardware interface;

Ethernet hardware interface; and

wireless Ethernet hardware interface.

3. The battery management method of claim 1 wherein said computing device is selected from a group consisting of:

a laptop computer;

a tablet computer;

a cellular phone; and

a smartphone.

4. The battery management method of claim 1 wherein said electrical power switch activation is conditioned on the charge/discharge chemistry profile of said battery.

5. The battery management method of claim 1 wherein said electrical power switch activation is conditioned on the charge/discharge history profile of said battery.

6. The battery management method of claim 1 wherein said electrical power switch activation is conditioned on the temperature of said battery.

7. The battery management method of claim 1 wherein said electrical power switch activation is conditioned on the age of said battery.

8. The battery management method of claim 1 wherein said PMCU further comprises said computing device.

9. A battery management method, said method operating in conjunction with a battery management system, said system comprising:

(a) Power Source Control Unit (PSCU); and

(b) Power Monitor Control Unit (PMCU);

wherein

said PSCU further comprises an electrical power switch that controls electrical current supplied from a wall outlet power adapter responsible for charging a battery supplying power to a computing device;

said PMCU monitors the condition of said battery supplying power to said computing device;

said electrical power switch is controlled by said PMCU via a communication link between said PMCU and said PSCU; and

said PMCU activates said electrical power switch in response to said condition of said battery;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(1) Determining if said PSCU is available, and if so, proceeding to step (3);

(2) Issuing a warning message requesting a status of said PSCU and proceeding to said step (1);

(3) Determining if battery charging user input parameters are available, and if not, proceeding to step (7);

(4) Configuring user battery charge/discharge parameters;

(5) Configuring user battery calibration parameters;

(6) Configuring user battery recondition parameters then proceeding to said step (1);

(7) Executing a battery charge/discharge process;

(8) Executing a battery calibration process; and

(9) Executing a battery reconditioning process then proceeding to said step (1).

10. The battery management method of claim 9 wherein said communication link comprises an electrical interface selected from a group consisting of:

wireless hardware interface;

BLUETOOTH®

wireless hardware interface;

USB hardware interface;

UART hardware interface;

serial hardware interface;

parallel hardware interface;

Ethernet hardware interface; and

wireless Ethernet hardware interface.

11. The battery management method of claim 9 wherein said computing device is selected from a group consisting of:

a laptop computer;

a tablet computer;

a cellular phone; and

a smartphone.

12. The battery management method of claim 9 wherein said electrical power switch activation is conditioned on the charge/discharge chemistry profile of said battery.

13. The battery management method of claim 9 wherein said electrical power switch activation is conditioned on the charge/discharge history profile of said battery.

14. The battery management method of claim 9 wherein said electrical power switch activation is conditioned on the temperature of said battery.

15. The battery management method of claim 9 wherein said electrical power switch activation is conditioned on the age of said battery.