ESTIMATED REMAINING LIFE OF A BATTERY INCLUDED IN AN UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY

• US 20090189451A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: ROEPKE, JON
• Granted Patent: US 8,471,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24

Abstract

An uninterruptible power supply (“UPS”) is provided with a backup power supply that has an adjustable reserve power level that is based on a user'"'"'s input and/or is configured to notify a user if a battery included in the UPS needs to be replaced. In one embodiment of the present invention, the UPS (or a circuit included therein) estimates a remaining life (ERL) of the battery by considering various battery conditions, including, but not limited to, a predetermined battery life expectancy, whether the battery is being used to power a load, and battery temperature. If it is estimated that the ERL is low, or below a predetermined threshold, then the UPS (or a circuit included therein) is configured to notify a user that the battery needs to be replaced.

Claims

1. A method for estimating a remaining life of at least one battery in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), comprising:

retrieving from memory a remaining life value for said at least one battery;

determining whether said at least one battery is being used to power at least one load;

measuring a temperature of at least said at least one battery; and

using at least one algorithm, said remaining life value, said determination of whether said at least one battery is being used to power said at least one load, and said temperature to estimate said remaining life of said at least one battery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said remaining life value comprises a predetermined life expectancy value of said at least one battery.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said remaining life value comprises a previously estimated remaining life of said at least one battery.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating at least one indicator if said remaining life is equal to or below an end of life value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating at least one indicator if said remaining life is equal to or below a predetermined value, said predetermined value being a percentage of an end of life value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using said algorithm to decelerate said remaining life estimation of said at least one battery if said at least one battery is not being used to power said at least one load.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said algorithm is used to decelerate said remaining life estimation of said at least one battery by approximately 20 percent if said at least one battery is not being used to power said at least one load.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising using said algorithm to accelerate said remaining life estimation of said at least one battery if said temperature is above a predetermined value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said algorithm is used to accelerate said remaining life estimation of said at least one battery if said temperature is above 25 degrees Celsius.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said algorithm is used to accelerate said remaining life estimation of said at least one battery by approximately 40 percent for every 5 degrees Celsius that said temperature is above 25 degrees Celsius.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of estimating said remaining life of said at least one battery is performed at predetermined time intervals.

12. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) comprising:

an AC/DC converter in communication with an AC power source;

at least one battery selectively connected to at least one load;

a battery charger in communication with said AC/DC converter and said at least one battery for charging said at least one battery; and

a test circuit in communication with said at least one battery and adapted to estimate a remaining life of said at least one battery using at least (i) a prior remaining life value of said at least one battery, (ii) a value indicative of whether said at least one battery is being used to power said at least one load, and (iii) a temperature of at least said at least one battery.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said prior remaining life value comprises a predetermined life expectancy of said at least one battery.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said prior remaining life value comprises a previously estimated remaining life of said at least one battery.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said test circuit if further adapted to store said remaining life of said at least one battery in a memory device.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a communication circuit in communication with said test circuit and adapted to notify a user of said UPS that said at least one battery needs to be replaced.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said test circuit is further adapted to decelerate said estimation of said remaining life of said at least one battery if said value indicates that said at least one battery is not being used to power said at least one load.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said test circuit is further adapted to accelerate said estimation of said remaining life of said at least one battery if said temperature is above a predetermined value.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said test circuit further comprises a memory and if further adapted to estimate said remaining life of said at least one battery at predetermined intervals and to store said remaining life in said memory as said prior remaining life value after each one of said predetermined intervals.

20. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) comprising:

an AC/DC converter in communication with an AC power source;

at least one battery selectively connected to an AC output;

a DC/AC converter in communication with said at least one battery and said AC output;

a battery charger in communication with said AC/DC converter and said at least one battery for charging said at least one battery; and

a test circuit in communication with said at least one battery and adapted to estimate a remaining life of said at least one battery using at least (i) a prior remaining life value of said at least one battery, (ii) a value indicative of whether said at least one battery is connected to said AC output, and (iii) a temperature of at least said at least one battery.