Systems and methods for utilizing an array of power storage devices, such as batteries
First Claim
1. A system for utilizing an array of batteries, comprising:
- at least one controller; and
at least one communications module embedded in each of the batteries, wherein the at least one controller is configured to;
receive information from the batteries, wherein the received information includes age information of the batteries;
determine, based on the age information, a first set of batteries having a first age range;
determine, based on the age information, a second set of batteries having a second age range newer than the first age range;
connect the first set of batteries in parallel so as to allow power to be drawn from the first set of batteries;
connect the second set of batteries in parallel the so as to allow power to be drawn from the second set of batteries; and
selectively connect the batteries in each set to power a load so that batteries in the same age range are utilized at the same time.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for utilizing an array of electrical energy storage devices utilizes a smart manager that categorizes electrical energy storage devices in the array based on electrical energy storage device age and/or internal resistance level and causes those electrical energy storage devices with similar ages and/or resistance levels to be concurrently depleted. This is followed by concurrently depleting the electrical energy storage devices in a different category. The system also disconnects faulty electrical energy storage devices in the array and helps alleviate the need to carefully consider and reconfigure the location of individual electrical energy storage devices in the array. The system facilitates forecasting actual capacity and thus helps to guarantee available capacity and to actively maintain capacity via maintenance crews that need simply remove and replace cells as advised by the smart manager. The system 100 facilitates permitting a quality of service (QoS) to be provided to mission critical entities (banks, hospitals, etc.).
231 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for utilizing an array of batteries, comprising:
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at least one controller; and at least one communications module embedded in each of the batteries, wherein the at least one controller is configured to; receive information from the batteries, wherein the received information includes age information of the batteries; determine, based on the age information, a first set of batteries having a first age range; determine, based on the age information, a second set of batteries having a second age range newer than the first age range; connect the first set of batteries in parallel so as to allow power to be drawn from the first set of batteries; connect the second set of batteries in parallel the so as to allow power to be drawn from the second set of batteries; and selectively connect the batteries in each set to power a load so that batteries in the same age range are utilized at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method performed by a system for utilizing an array of batteries, the method comprising:
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receiving, information from the batteries, wherein the received information includes age information of the batteries; determining, by a controller of the system based on the age information, a first set of batteries having a first age range; determining, by the controller based on the age information, a second set of batteries having a second age range newer than the first age range; connecting the first set of batteries in parallel so as to allow power to be drawn from the first set of batteries; connecting the second set of batteries in parallel so as to allow power to be drawn from the second set of batteries; and connecting the batteries in each set to power a load so that batteries in the same age range are utilized at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions thereon that, when executed cause a processor of a system for utilizing an array of batteries to:
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receive information from each of the batteries via at least one communications module embedded in each of the batteries, wherein the received information includes age information of the batteries; determine, based on the age information, a first set of batteries having a first age range; determine, based on the age information, a second set of batteries having a second age range newer than the first age range; connect the first set of batteries in parallel so as to allow power to be drawn from the first set of batteries; connect the second set of batteries in parallel so as to allow power to be drawn from the second set of batteries; and selectively connect the batteries in each set to power a load so that batteries in the same age range are utilized at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method performed by a battery controller, comprising:
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receiving, from a communications module embedded in each of the batteries, information of the batteries, wherein the received information includes age information of the batteries; determining, based on the age information, a first set of batteries having a first age range; determining, based on the age information, a second set of batteries having a second age range newer than the first age range; connecting the first set of batteries in parallel so as to allow power to be drawn from the first set of batteries; connecting the second set of batteries in parallel so as to allow power to be drawn from the second set of batteries; and connecting the batteries in each set to power a load so that batteries in the same age range are utilized at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification