Power supply unit

• US 9,692,256 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• 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:
  US15/160,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20160268838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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, the status of a main battery which is rechargeable and a back-up battery which is replaceable and 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; and

e) 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 state of the main battery, the back-up battery, or the one or more charging sources;

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

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the status message comprises one or more of:

battery charge rate, remaining battery charge, remaining battery life, real-time current supplied by a charging source, average current supplied by a charging source, error messages indicating battery failure, error messages indicating charging source failure, real-time power consumption, and average power consumption.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device communicates the status message 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 main battery consists of one to five cells.

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

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more charging sources comprises one or more solar panels.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the parking meter comprises a diode coupled to the one or more solar panels to prevent reverse current from flowing into the one or more solar panels.

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

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the back-up battery has a nominal supply voltage greater than that of the main battery.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking meter is a single space parking meter or a dual space parking meter.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the parking meter is a multi-space parking meter.

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

a) a main battery which is rechargeable;

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

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

d) a connection to a wireless communication device for communicating a status message regarding the state of the power supply, the main battery, the back-up battery, or the one or more charging sources to a control system external to the parking meter; and

e) 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 main battery, the back-up battery, the wireless communication device, and the control unit are received within the parking meter.

15. The power supply of claim 14, wherein the status message comprises one or more of:

battery charge rate, remaining battery charge, remaining battery life, real-time current supplied by a charging source, average current supplied by a charging source, resistance at various sections within the power supply, error messages indicating battery failure, error messages indicating charging source failure, real-time power consumption of the parking meter, and average power consumption of the parking meter.

16. The power supply of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication device communicates the status message over a telecommunications network.

17. The power supply of claim 14, the control unit is configured to switch the supply of power back to the main battery when the main battery is sufficiently recharged.

18. The power supply of claim 17, wherein the control unit is configured to minimize the supply of power from the back-up battery after switching the supply of power to come from the main battery.

19. The power supply of claim 14, wherein the main battery consists of one to five cells.

20. The power supply of claim 14, wherein the back-up battery consists of one to five cells.

21. The power supply of claim 14, wherein the one or more charging sources comprises one or more solar panels.

22. The power supply of claim 21, wherein the power supply comprises a diode coupled to the one or more solar panels to prevent reverse current from flowing into the one or more solar panels.

23. The power supply of claim 14, wherein the back-up battery has a nominal supply voltage greater than that of the main battery.

24. The power supply of claim 14, wherein the parking meter is a single space parking meter or a dual space parking meter.

25. The power supply of claim 14, wherein the parking meter is a multi-space parking meter.