Peer-to-peer wireless communication network among rechargeable batteries

• US 9,444,273 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Gothoskar, Gaurav, Chopra, Rohan
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US14/633,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20160254684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 4553431-3436, 455 411- 413, 455/572
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 Detection of state of health [SOH]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

An apparatus and method for operating a peer-to-peer wireless communication network among batteries. A first step includes providing a plurality of batteries with each internally housing a processor and a wireless communication transceiver. A next step includes designating one of the batteries as a master in the network, and the remaining batteries as slaves. A next step includes measuring at least one battery operating parameter for each battery by its associated processor. A next step includes peer-to-peer communicating a health indication of each battery, based on the at least one battery operating parameter, to the master that can determine which of the batteries is the healthiest, and inform a user of the healthiest batteries.

Claims

1. A method for operating a peer-to-peer wireless communication network among batteries, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of batteries, each battery internally housing a processor and a wireless communication transceiver coupled thereto;

designating one of the batteries as a master in the network, and designating the remaining batteries as slaves;

measuring at least one battery operating parameter for each battery by its associated processor;

peer-to-peer communicating a health indication of each battery, based on the at least one battery operating parameter, to the master,

determining, by the master using the health indication from each battery, which one or more batteries is the healthiest among the plurality of batteries; and

informing a user of the healthiest one or more batteries.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the providing step the batteries are rechargeable batteries, and wherein the at least one battery operating parameter is a level of charge of the battery.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in the providing step each battery is provided with a user interface coupled to the battery processor, and wherein in the informing step the master uses the peer-to-peer network to send a signal identifying those batteries having the highest level of charge, wherein each of those batteries identified in the signal can alert a user on its associated user interface that it is one of the healthiest batteries among the plurality of batteries.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery operating parameter is an open circuit voltage of the battery.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating step broadcasts the health indication based on weighting the at least one measured battery operating parameter, and further comprising determining by the master which one or more of the batteries is healthiest among the plurality of batteries based on the health indication.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically adding or removing a battery to the network on an ad-hoc basis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in the providing step each battery is provided with a light indicator coupled to the processor, and further comprising informing a user of the one or more healthiest batteries by triggering the light indicator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the light indicator is operable to indicate a charging status of the battery as well as indicate a health of the battery, and wherein the light indicator turns off when coupled to the communication device.

10. The battery of claim 1, wherein battery is a rechargeable battery, and wherein the at least one battery operating parameter is a level of charge of the battery cells.

9. A battery comprising:

battery cells;

a wireless transceiver operable on a peer-to-peer wireless communication network having a plurality of batteries; and

a processor coupled to the battery cells and transceiver, and operable to control the transceiver, wherein the processor is further operable to;

communicate with the plurality of batteries to designate one of the batteries as a master in the peer-to-peer network and the remaining batteries as slaves,

measure at least one battery operating parameter for the battery cells, and

communicate a health indication based on the at least one battery operating parameter to the master,

wherein

when the battery is the master, the processor is further operable to determine, using the health indication from each battery, which one or more of the batteries is the healthiest among the plurality of batteries and direct the healthiest one or more batteries to inform a user that they are the healthiest.

11. The battery of claim 9, further comprising a user interface coupled to the processor, and wherein when the battery is identified as one of the healthiest among the plurality of batteries, the processor is further operable to alert a user on its associated user interface that it is one of the healthiest batteries among the plurality of batteries.

12. The battery of claim 9, wherein the at least one battery operating parameter is an open circuit voltage of the battery.

13. The battery of claim 9, wherein the processor directs the transceiver to broadcast the health indication based on weighting the at least one measured battery operating parameter.

14. The battery of claim 9, further comprising a light indicator coupled to the processor, and wherein when the battery is identified as one of the healthiest batteries, the processor is further configured to inform a user by triggering the light indicator.

15. The battery of claim 14, wherein the light indicator is operable to indicate a charging status of the battery as well as indicate a health of the battery, and wherein the light indicator turns off when coupled to the communication device.