Power supply unit

• US 9,391,474 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPS Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Hunter, Stephen John, Joubert, Andre Malan
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett, Joel
• Application Number:
  US13/928,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20130285455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/24 for parking meters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

A power supply unit for supplying power to a device has a rechargeable, main battery; a charging arrangement for charging the main battery; a non-rechargeable back-up battery; load terminals for connection to a load; and a control unit for controlling supply of power to the load primarily from the main battery and secondarily from the back-up battery. The device is, in particular, a single bay, stand alone parking meter. In the event that the main battery runs low, the control unit is configured to supply power to the load from both the main battery and the back-up battery or only from the back-up battery. The back-up battery is easily replaceable, and the power supply unit has a bay, with connectors for receiving the back-up battery. The main battery is charged from solar panels. A communication device is provided to communicate status messages wirelessly to a control system.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the supply of power to a parking meter comprising:

a) monitoring, by a control unit, a status of a main battery which is rechargeable and a back-up battery which is non-rechargeable;

b) charging at least partially, by the control unit, the main battery via one or more charging sources;

c) supplying power, by the control unit, to the parking meter primarily from the main battery;

d) switching the supply of power, by the control unit, to come from the back-up battery when the voltage across the main battery falls below a predetermined level;

e) supplementing the supply of power during a peak power demand, by the control unit, to the main battery by utilizing at least one capacitor; and

f) signaling, by the control unit, a wireless communication device to communicate a status message to a control system external to the parking meter regarding the status of the main batter and the back-up battery;

wherein the main battery, the back-up battery, the at least one capacitor, the wireless communication device, and the control unit are received within the parking meter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking meter further comprises a solar cell, and wherein the status message comprises one or more of:

battery charge rate, remaining battery charge, remaining battery life, real-time current supplied by the solar cell, average current supplied by the solar cell, resistance at various sections within the power supply, error messages indicating battery failure, error messages indicating solar cell failure, real-time power consumption, and average power consumption.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the status message is communicated over a telecommunications network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching the supply of power, by the control unit, back to the main battery when the main battery is sufficiently recharged.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising minimizing the supply of power from the back-up battery after switching the supply of power to come from the main battery.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable main battery consists of one to five cells.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the replaceable back-up battery consists of one to five cells.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one capacitor consists of two to five capacitors.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one capacitor comprises an ultra-capacitor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one capacitor is in parallel with the main battery.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a first capacitor is connected in parallel with the main battery to assist the main battery during the peak power demand, and a second capacitor is connected in parallel with the back-up battery to assist the back-up battery during the peak power demand.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the peak power demand is during start up of the parking meter.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the peak power demand is during start up of the wireless communications device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking meter further comprises a solar panel connected to the main battery.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the main battery is recharged by the solar panel.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the parking meter further comprises a diode coupled to the solar panel to prevent reverse current from flowing into the solar panel.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined level is 5.5V.

18. A power supply for supplying power to a parking meter comprising:

a) a main battery which is rechargeable;

b) a charging arrangement comprising one or more terminals for connecting the main battery to one or more charging sources;

c) a back-up battery which is replaceable and non-rechargeable;

d) at least one capacitor;

e) a connection to a wireless communication device for communicating a status message regarding the state of the main battery and the state of the back-up battery to a control system external to the parking meter; and

f) a connection to a control unit for controlling supply of power to the parking meter primarily from the main battery and secondarily from the back-up battery, wherein the at least one capacitor assists during a peak power demand;

wherein the main battery, the back-up battery, the at least one capacitor, the wireless communication device, and the control unit are received within the parking meter.

19. The power supply of claim 18 further comprises a solar cell, wherein the wireless communication device communicates status messages to the control system, the status messages comprising one or more of:

battery charge rate, remaining battery charge, remaining battery life, real-time current supplied by the solar cell, average current supplied by the solar cell, resistance at various sections within the power supply, error messages indicating battery failure, error messages indicating solar cell failure, real-time power consumption, and average power consumption.

20. The power supply of claim 18, further comprising a solar panel connected to the main battery.

21. The power supply of claim 20, wherein the main battery is recharged by the solar panel.

22. The power supply of claim 18, wherein the peak power demand is during start up of the parking meter.

23. The power supply of claim 18, wherein the peak power demand is during start up of the wireless communications device.

24. The power supply of claim 18, wherein the at least one capacitor comprises an ultra-capacitor.