Remote rechargeable monitoring system and method

• US 9,608,460 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2010
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto SE (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Muzaffer, Rehan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US12/846,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,434 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 320/106, 320/107, 702/60, 324/426, 324/430
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/30 Charge provided using DC bus or data bus of a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• 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 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A system including a remote server connected over a network to a battery charger is configured to track usage of rechargeable batteries. Values of various sensed parameters of a battery, such as temperature, charge, current, and water level are stored with the battery and uploaded to the remote server, either wirelessly or through the network, and either directly from the battery or by way of the battery charger when the battery is coupled to the battery charger. The remote server operates to determine the condition, value and warranty of the battery based on the sensed parameters and on the user history of the battery. Alerts and warnings can be forwarded to the user and/or an enterprise manager or shop manager in the case of enterprise vehicles such as warehouses operating multiple electric forklifts, or rental car agencies, so that multiple rechargeable batteries can be readily tracked, monitored and maintained.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery system comprising:

a battery pack including one or more batteries, the battery pack further having integrated therewith, as a single physical unit;

one or more sensors for sensing an operational parameter of the battery pack,

a wireless transmitter, and,

a battery monitor and identifier module coupled to at least one of the sensors and operable to provide operational information of the battery pack, based on the sensed operational parameter, to the wireless transmitter;

a battery charger that is coupleable and decoupleable from the battery pack and operable to deliver power from a power source to the battery pack when an electrical connection is established between the battery charger and the battery pack; and

a remote server coupleable to the battery charger through a network and including a first communication device configured to receive the operational information delivered wirelessly by the wireless transmitter irrespective of the coupleable and decoupleable state of the battery charger to the battery pack.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operational information is further delivered to the battery charger.

3. The system of claim 1, further including a connector through which the battery pack is coupleable to the battery charger.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the battery charger includes a second communication device configured to receive the operational information from the battery monitor and identifier module and deliver same to the server.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the connector includes power cables through which power is delivered to the battery pack, and wherein the operational information is delivered to the second communication device through the power cables.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the server includes a first memory device configured to store the operational information received by the first communication device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the stored operational information is part of a stored profile associated with the battery pack.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first memory device is configured to store multiple profiles associated with multiple battery packs.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the operational information includes at least one of temperature, voltage, amperes, current, time, water level, and geographic location.

10. The system of claim 1, further including a firewall disposed between the network and the system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery monitor and identifier module includes a second memory device for storing the operational information obtained from the one or more sensors.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second memory device accumulates a history of operational information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the accumulated history of operational information is transmitted to the battery charger and/or the server.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors obtain information relating to one or more of temperature, voltage, amperes, current, time, water level, and geographic location.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the server includes a processor configured to determine a battery characteristic based on the operational information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the battery characteristic relates to one or more of battery warranty, battery life, and battery value and is used to dynamically vary warranty terms.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the server is configured to send an alert indicative of the battery characteristic.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the alert is sent to a first recipient and is escalated to a second recipient in the absence of a response from the first recipient.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the response is a corrective measure.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter sends the operational information in real time to the battery charger and/or the server.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote server is operable to direct charging of the battery pack by the battery charger based on the operational information received by the communication device.

21. A method for monitoring a battery pack having one or more batteries, the method comprising:

using one or more sensors, integrated with the battery pack as a single physical unit, to sense an operational parameter of the battery pack;

delivering the sensed operational parameter to a battery monitor and identifier module integrated with the battery pack as a single physical unit;

wirelessly transmitting operational information based on the operational parameter from the battery monitor and identifier module to a server remote from the battery pack; and

determining a battery characteristic using the received operational information wherein the battery pack is rechargeable by way of a charger that is coupleable and decoupleable from the battery pack, and wherein the determining the battery characteristic is irrespective of the coupleable or decoupleable state.

22. The method of claim 21, further including delivering the operational information to a battery charger to which the battery pack is connected.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising sending charger command information from the server to the battery charger, the charger command information controlling an aspect of battery charger operation.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the aspect of battery charger operation includes one or more of voltage applied, current applied, rate of voltage or current applied, and fluid replenishment.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the operational information is transmitted in real time to the server.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the operational information is part of an accumulated history of operational information stored in advance of sending.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving at the server additional operational information and associating same with an additional battery pack; and

determining a battery characteristic of the additional battery pack.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the operational information includes at least one of temperature, voltage, amperes, current, time, water level, and geographic location.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the battery characteristic relates to one or more of battery warranty, battery life, and battery value.

31. The method of claim 21, further including sending an alert indicative of the battery characteristic.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the alert is sent to a first recipient and is escalated to a second recipient in the absence of a response from the first recipient.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the response is a corrective measure.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising sending vehicle command information from the server to a vehicle in which the battery pack is mounted, the vehicle command information controlling an aspect of vehicle operation.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the aspect of vehicle operation includes one or more of cooling system operation, fan operation, hydraulic system operation, and ignition.

37. The method of claim 21, further comprising directing a charging operation of the battery pack by the remote server based on the operational information.

23. The method of clam 22, wherein the operational information is delivered to the battery charger by way of charging cables through which power is delivered from the battery charger to the battery pack.