Systems and methods for remotely monitoring or controlling a battery

• US 9,146,595 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Forutanpour, Babak, Dantsker, Larissa, Frantz, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US13/252,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20130148283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery system for monitoring a battery-operated electronic device includes one or more battery cells for operating the electronic device, an electronic processor for monitoring electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and a wireless communication module for communicating with a remote electronic device via a network based on the electrical activity. Registration information, including a unique identity of the battery system, may be received at the remote electronic device. A first signal, including the unique identity, may be received at the remote electronic device during use of the battery system. A second signal may be transmitted from the remote electronic device to a communication device in response to receiving the first signal.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a state of a battery-operated electronic device from a remote electronic device, the battery-operated electronic device having a battery system for operating the battery-operated electronic device, the battery system having one or more battery cells, an electronic processor, and a wireless communication module, the method comprising:

receiving, at the remote electronic device, registration information for the battery system of the battery-operated electronic device, the registration information comprising a unique identity of the battery system;

receiving, at the remote electronic device, a first signal during use of the battery system, the first signal comprising the unique identity of the battery system; and

transmitting a second signal from the remote electronic device to a communication device in response to receiving the first signal;

wherein receiving the registration information and receiving the first signal comprising receiving from the battery system wireless communication module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal includes data relating to use of the battery system by the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

determining a state of the battery-operated electronic device based on the first signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining a state comprises comparing the data relating to use of the battery system by the battery-operated electronic device with a profile for the battery-operated electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second signal includes data indicating the determined state of the battery-operated electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is received in response to a change in state of the battery system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is received in response to an electrical parameter measured by the battery system exceeding a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signal is transmitted in response to an electrical parameter measured by the battery system exceeding a predetermined threshold system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is received from a routing device in response to the routing device receiving a signal upon use of the battery-operated electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second signal is sent from the remote electronic device to the communication device via the routing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, computer, and portable digital assistant.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signal comprises at least one of an email, SMS message, voicemail, and phone call.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration information is received from the battery system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration information is received from the communication device.

16. A battery system for monitoring a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the battery-operated device, the housing configured to selectively receive one or more battery cells for operating the battery-operated device;

an electronic processor for monitoring electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and

a wireless communication module for communicating with a remote electronic device via a network based on the electrical activity, wherein the wireless communication module is contained in the housing.

17. The system of claim 16, the wireless communication module for transmitting a signal during use of the battery system, the signal comprising the unique identity of the battery system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the signal includes data relating to use of the one or more battery cells by the battery-operated device.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication module transmits the signal in response to a change in state of the one or more battery cells.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication module transmits the signal in response to an electrical parameter monitored by the processor exceeding a predetermined threshold.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the housing contains the one or more battery cells, the electronic processor, and the wireless communication module, when the housing is received in the battery-operated device and when the housing is removed from the battery-operated device.

22. The system of claim 21, the housing having electrical connections for coupling electrically with corresponding electrical connections of the battery-operated device to allow the one or more battery cells to operate the battery-operated device when the housing is received in the battery-operated device.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a server.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the network comprises a local area network.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a base station for communicating with a second remote electronic device via a wide area network based on the electrical activity.

42. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more battery cells are for receiving in and removing from the housing.

44. The system of claim 16, wherein the battery-operated device is configured to receive at least one standard battery having a predefined size or shape, and wherein the housing has a size or shape corresponding to the predefined size or shape of the at least one standard battery.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the size or shape of the housing corresponds to a size or a shape of at least one standard 9V battery, AA battery, AAA battery, C battery, D battery or lantern battery.

50. The system of claim 16, wherein the housing is configured to be removable from the battery-operated electronic device to disconnect the battery system from the battery-operated electronic device and wherein the wireless communication module is configured to communicate with the remote electronic device when the battery system is disconnected from the battery-operated electronic device.

27. An apparatus for monitoring a battery-operated electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the battery-operated device, the housing configured to selectively receive one or more battery cells for operating the battery-operated device;

an electronic processor;

a wireless communication module in the housing;

a memory comprising processor executable code and/or data, the processor executable code, when executed by the processor, configures the apparatus to;

monitor electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and

communicate, via the wireless communication module, with a remote electronic device via a network based on the electrical activity.

46. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the battery-operated device is configured to receive at least one standard battery having a predefined size or shape, and wherein the housing has a size or shape corresponding to the predefined size or shape of the at least one standard battery.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the size or shape of the housing corresponds to a size or a shape of at least one standard 9V battery, AA battery, AAA battery, C battery, D battery or lantern battery.

28. A battery system for monitoring a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the battery-operated device, the housing configured to selectively receive one or more battery cells for operating the battery-operated device;

processor means for monitoring electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and

communication means in the housing, for communicating with a remote electronic device via a network based on the electrical activity.

43. The method of claim 28, wherein the electrical activity is monitored without a request from the remote electronic device.

48. The system of claim 28, wherein the battery-operated device is configured to receive at least one standard battery having a predefined size or shape, and wherein the housing has a size or shape corresponding to the predefined size or shape of the at least one standard battery.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the size or shape of the housing corresponds to a size or a shape of at least one standard 9V battery, AA battery, AAA battery, C battery, D battery or lantern battery.

51. The system of claim 28, wherein the housing is removable from the battery-operated electronic device to disconnect the battery system from the battery-operated electronic device and wherein the communication means includes means for communicating with the remote electronic device when the battery system is disconnected from the battery-operated electronic device.

29. A method of controlling a battery-operated electronic device from a remote electronic device, the battery-operated electronic device having a battery system for operating electronic device, the battery system having one or more battery cells and a wireless communication module, the method comprising:

receiving, at the remote electronic device, registration information for the battery system of the battery-operated electronic device, the registration information comprising a unique identity of the battery system;

receiving, at the remote electronic device, a first signal from a communication device, the first signal corresponding to the unique identity of the battery system; and

sending a second signal from the remote electronic device to the battery system based on the unique identity in response to receiving the first signal, the second signal for controlling the battery-operated electronic device based on the first signal;

wherein receiving the registration information and receiving the first signal comprising receiving from the battery system wireless communication module.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a server.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the communication device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, computer, and portable digital assistant.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the first signal comprises at least one of an email, SMS message, voicemail, and phone call.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the registration information is received from the battery system.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the registration information is received from a communication device.

35. A battery system for controlling a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the battery-operated device;

one or more battery cells arranged within the housing, the one or more battery cells for operating the battery-operated device;

a wireless communication module located in the housing, for receiving a signal from a remote electronic device via a network; and

an electronic processor for controlling electrical activity of the one or more battery cells based on the signal.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the housing contains the one or more battery cells, the electronic processor, and the wireless communication module, when the housing is received in the battery-operated device and when the housing is removed from the battery-operated device.

37. The system of claim 36, the housing having electrical connections for coupling electrically with corresponding electrical connections of the battery-operated device to allow the one or more battery cells to operate the battery-operated device when the housing is received in the battery-operated device.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a server.

40. An apparatus for controlling a battery-operated electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the electronic device;

one or more battery cells arranged within the housing, the one or more battery cells for operating the electronic device;

a wireless communication module for receiving a signal from a remote electronic device via a network, the wireless communication module arranged within the housing;

an electronic processor;

a memory comprising processor executable code and/or data, the processor executable code, when executed by the processor, configures the apparatus to;

control electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and

communicate, via the wireless communication module based on the signal.

41. A battery system for controlling a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the battery-operated device;

battery means for operating the battery-operated device, the battery means arranged within the housing;

communication means for receiving a signal from a remote electronic device via a network, the communication means arranged within the housing; and

processor means for controlling electrical activity of the one or more battery cells based on the signal.