RFID display label for battery packs

• US 8,616,457 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tocreo Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Tocreo Labs LLC
• Inventors: Krawczewicz, Mark Stanley, Steinmetz, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US13/303,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20120211569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/451, 340/10.6, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A smart battery label having an RFID or UHF antenna, sensors to monitor battery environmental data and a bi-state display for displaying battery data.

Claims

1. A smart label for a battery comprising:

a housing;

a processor;

an antenna;

a bi-state display; and

a sensor for sensing battery environment data;

wherein said processor receives battery status data from said battery through said antenna and displays said battery status data on said bi-state display.

2. A smart label for a battery according to claim 1 wherein said battery status data received from said battery comprises one of a number of recharge cycles of said battery, temperature of said battery and percentage of total battery discharge.

3. A smart label for a battery according to claim 1, wherein said processor is powered by energy received through said antenna and a state of said bi-state display is changed using energy received through said antenna.

4. A smart label for a battery according to claim 1, wherein said processor is powered by energy received through said antenna and a state of said bi-state display is changed using energy received through said antenna.

5. A smart label for a battery according to claim 1, further comprising means for receiving power from inside said battery through a sealed casing of said battery.

6. A smart label for a battery according to claim 5, wherein said means for receiving power comprises a secondary coil for receiving energy from an RFID energy coil inside said battery.

7. A smart label for a battery according to claim 1, further comprising a tamper evident seal.

8. A smart label for a battery according to claim 7, wherein said tamper evident seal comprises a holographic film.

9. A smart label for a battery according to claim 1 wherein said bi-state display comprises a multi-line display.

10. A smart label for a battery according to claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an accelerometer, and a shock sensor.

11. A smart label for a battery according to claim 1 further comprising non-volatile memory, wherein said processor stores diagnostic battery data in said non-volatile memory.