System and method for a dynamically configurable power distribution control and management system

• US 9,293,928 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarovia Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Eagle Harbor Holdings, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Alexander, Kevin, Bannerman, Michael, Burbank, Isaac, Copple, Braden, Pease, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US13/868,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20140312848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 320/134
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• 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: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• 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: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/14 : District level solutions, i.e. local energy networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission

Abstract

An energy management system for monitoring and communicating characteristics of an intelligent energy storage device is disclosed. The energy management system includes at least one pack comprising one or more batteries in an energy storage device and the components to manage and wirelessly communicate the state characteristics of those batteries. The energy storage device is connected to a Local Pack Controller (LPC) which is configured to detect a connection to a host system and automatically establish a secure wireless connection to the Host System Controller (HSC). The LPC monitors the pack state and sends the state information wirelessly to the HSC, which then broadcasts the information wirelessly to a display and/or external network. Applications include, but are not limited to, integration in a vehicle, residential, industrial, or commercial market.

Claims

1. A dynamically configurable power distribution control and management system, comprising:

a central unit comprising a first wireless transceiver, connected to a first processor in the central unit, a first memory connected to the first processor in the central unit, a network connection to a packet network, wherein the connected elements of the central unit comprise a host system controller;

a remote unit comprising a second wireless transceiver, connected to a second processor in the remote unit, and a second memory connected to a second processor in the remote unit;

one or more batteries connected to the remote unit, wherein the connected batteries to the remote unit comprise a battery pack;

a wireless network, wherein the wireless network establishes communication between the host system controller and the battery pack;

one or more sensors connected to the second processor in the battery pack and connected to the one or more batteries in the battery pack, wherein the second processor in the battery pack is configured to;

detect a connection to the one or more batteries,

use the one or more sensors to monitor individual batteries in the battery pack during charging and discharging operations,

store in the second memory data generated from the one or more sensors connected to the individual batteries data that establishes a battery capability and status unique to each battery in the battery pack, wherein the stored data is stored as a battery record with a universal unique identifier,

detect a connection to the host system controller,

transmit the battery record to the host system controller; and

wherein the first processor in the host system controller configured to;

receive the battery record from the battery pack,

determine battery pack condition,

allow charge or discharge at a pre-determined rate, through the wireless network by transmitting instructions to the battery pack controller from the host controller, wherein the instructions are related to the individual batteries according to the universal unique identifier,

use the packet network to transmit at least one of the record, the status and condition based at least one of a predetermined condition or request from a third processor connected to the packet network.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first and second memory comprise non-volatile flash memory.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the packet network is a vehicle bus that comprises at least one of LIN, CAN, J-1850, MI, DSI, BST, MML, byteflight, flexray, IDB, 1394 and J-1708.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the packet network is TCP/IP.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the one or more batteries are rechargeable and comprise at least one of lead acid, lithium air, lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, nickel-iron, nickel-zinc, nickel-metal hydride, iron-air, zinc-air, zinc-bromine, vanadium redox, sodium-sulfur, sodium-nickel chloride, lithium-iron sulfides, nickel-cadmium and flow battery.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is at least one of 802.11, ZigBee, Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and Bluetooth.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the one of more sensors include at least one of contact sensors and non-contact sensors.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the contact sensors include at least one of voltage, amperage, and temperature.

9. The control system of claim 7, wherein the non-contact sensors include at least one of inductive sensors and infrared sensors.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the stored data is at least one of voltage, time to charge, time to discharge, temperature, State of Charge (SOC), and State of Health (SOH).

11. A method for dynamically configuring a power distribution control and management system, including the steps of:

connecting a central unit to a remote unit, the units comprising;

a first wireless transceiver, connected to a first processor in the central unit,

a first memory connected to the first processor in the central unit,

a network connection connected to a packet network, wherein the connected elements of the central unit comprise a host system controller

a second wireless transceiver, connected to a second processor in the remote unit, and

a second memory connected to a second processor in the remote unit,

one or more batteries connected to the remote unit, wherein the connected batteries to the remote unit comprise a battery pack;

establishing communications between the central unit and the remote unit through a wireless network;

connecting one or more sensors to the second processor in the battery pack and connecting to the one or more batteries in the battery pack, wherein the second processor in the battery pack is configured to;

detect a connection to the one or more batteries,

use the one or more sensors to monitor individual batteries in the battery pack during charging and discharging operations,

store in the second memory data generated from the one or more sensors connected to the individual batteries data that establishes a battery capability and status unique to each battery in the battery pack, wherein the stored data is stored as a battery record with a universal unique identifier,

detect a connection to the host system controller,

transmit the battery record to the host system controller;

wherein the first processor in the host system controller configured to;

receive the battery record from the battery pack,

determine battery pack condition,

allow charge or discharge at a pre-determined rate, through the wireless network by transmitting instructions to the battery pack controller from the host controller, wherein the instructions are related to the individual batteries according to the universal unique identifier,

use the packet network to transmit at least one of the record, the status and condition based at least one of a predetermined condition or request from a third processor connected to the packet network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second memory comprise non-volatile flash memory.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the packet network is a vehicle bus that comprises at least one of LIN, CAN, J-1850, MI, DSI, BST, MML, byteflight, flexray, IDB, 1394 and J-1708.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the packet network is TCP/IP.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the one of more batteries are rechargeable and comprise at least one of lead acid, lithium air, lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, nickel-iron, nickel-zinc, nickel-metal hydride, iron-air, zinc-air, zinc-bromine, vanadium redox, sodium-sulfur, sodium-nickel chloride, lithium-iron sulfides, nickel-cadmium and flow battery.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless network is at least one of 802.11, ZigBee, Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and Bluetooth.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the one of more sensors include at least one of contact sensors and non-contact sensors.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the contact sensors include at least one of voltage, amperage and temperature.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the non-contact sensors include at least one of inductive sensors and infrared.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the stored data is at least one of voltage, time to charge, time to discharge, temperature, State of Charge (SOC), and State of Health (SOH).