SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOTELY MONITORING OR CONTROLLING A BATTERY

• US 20130148283A1
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Forutanpour, Babak, Dantsker, Larissa, Frantz, William T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,146,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.31
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery system for monitoring a battery-operated electronic device includes one or more battery cells for operating the electronic device, an electronic processor for monitoring electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and a wireless communication module for communicating with a remote electronic device via a network based on the electrical activity. Registration information, including a unique identity of the battery system, may be received at the remote electronic device. A first signal, including the unique identity, may be received at the remote electronic device during use of the battery system. A second signal may be transmitted from the remote electronic device to a communication device in response to receiving the first signal.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a state of a battery-operated electronic device from a remote electronic device, the electronic device having a battery system for operating the electronic device, the battery system having one or more battery cells, an electronic processor, and a wireless communication module, the method comprising:

receiving, at the remote electronic device, registration information for the battery system of the electronic device, the registration information comprising a unique identity of the battery system;

receiving, at the remote electronic device, a first signal during use of the battery system, the first signal comprising the unique identity of the battery system; and

transmitting a second signal from the remote electronic device to a communication device in response to receiving the first signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal includes data relating to use of the battery system by the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

determining a state of the electronic device based on the first signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining a state comprises comparing the data relating to use of the battery system by the electronic device with a profile for the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second signal includes data indicating the determined state of the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is received in response to a change in state of the battery system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is received in response to an electrical parameter measured by the battery system exceeding a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signal is transmitted in response to an electrical parameter measured by the battery system exceeding a predetermined threshold system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is received from a routing device in response to the routing device receiving a signal upon use of the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second signal is sent from the remote electronic device to the communication device via the routing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, computer, and portable digital assistant.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second signal comprises at least one of an email, SMS message, voicemail, and phone call.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration information is received from the battery system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration information is received from a communication device.

16. A battery system for monitoring a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the electronic device;

one or more battery cells arranged within the housing, the one or more battery cells for operating the electronic device;

an electronic processor for monitoring electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and

a wireless communication module for communicating with a remote electronic device via a network based on the electrical activity.

17. The system of claim 16, the wireless communication module for transmitting a signal during use of the battery system, the signal comprising the unique identity of the battery system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the signal includes data relating to use of the one or more battery cells by the electronic device.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication module transmits the signal in response to a change in state of the one or more battery cells.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication module transmits the signal in response to an electrical parameter monitored by the processor exceeding a predetermined threshold.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the housing is for containing the one or more battery cells, the electronic processor, and the wireless communication module

22. The system of claim 21, the housing having electrical connections for coupling electrically with corresponding electrical connections of the electronic device to allow the one or more battery cells to operate the electronic device when the housing is received in the electronic device.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a server.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the network comprises a local area network.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a base station for communicating with a remote electronic device via a wide area network based on the electrical activity.

27. An apparatus for monitoring a battery-operated electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the electronic device;

one or more battery cells arranged within the housing, the one or more battery cells for operating the electronic device;

an electronic processor;

a memory comprising processor executable code and/or data, the processor executable code, when executed by the processor, configures the apparatus to;

monitor electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and

communicate, via a wireless communication module, with a remote electronic device via a network based on the electrical activity.

28. A battery system for monitoring a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the electronic device;

battery means for operating the electronic device, the battery means arranged within the housing;

processor means for monitoring electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and

communication means for communicating with a remote electronic device via a network based on the electrical activity.

29. A method of providing an indication of a change in state of a battery-operated electronic device to a remote electronic device, the electronic device having a battery system for operating the electronic device, the battery system having one or more battery cells and a wireless communication module, the method comprising:

monitoring electrical activity of the one or more battery cells;

determining whether a state of the electronic device has changed based on the monitored electrical activity; and

sending a signal to a remote electronic device, upon determining that the state of the electronic device has changed.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the signal includes data relating to use of the one or more battery cells by the electronic device.

31. A method of controlling a battery-operated electronic device from a remote electronic device, the electronic device having a battery system for operating the electronic device, the battery system having one or more battery cells and a wireless communication module, the method comprising:

receiving, at the remote electronic device, registration information for the battery system of the electronic device, the registration information comprising a unique identity of the battery system;

receiving, at the remote electronic device, a first signal from a communication device, the first signal corresponding to the unique identity of the battery system; and

sending a second signal from the remote electronic device to the battery system based on the unique identity in response to receiving the first signal, the second signal for controlling the electronic device based on the first signal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a server.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the communication device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, computer, and portable digital assistant.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the first signal comprises at least one of an email, SMS message, voicemail, and phone call.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the registration information is received from the battery system.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the registration information is received from a communication device.

37. A battery system for controlling a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the electronic device;

one or more battery cells arranged within the housing, the one or more battery cells for operating the electronic device;

a wireless communication module for receiving a signal from a remote electronic device via a network; and

an electronic processor for controlling electrical activity of the one or more battery cells based on the signal.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the housing is for containing the one or more battery cells, the electronic processor, and the wireless communication module

39. The system of claim 38, the housing having electrical connections for coupling electrically with corresponding electrical connections of the electronic device to allow the one or more battery cells to operate the electronic device when the housing is received in the electronic device.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the network comprises a wide area network.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the remote electronic device comprises a server.

42. An apparatus for controlling a battery-operated electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the electronic device;

one or more battery cells arranged within the housing, the one or more battery cells for operating the electronic device;

a wireless communication module for receiving a signal from a remote electronic device via a network;

an electronic processor;

a memory comprising processor executable code and/or data, the processor executable code, when executed by the processor, configures the apparatus to;

control electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and

communicate, via a wireless communication module based on the signal.

43. A battery system for controlling a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing for receiving in and removing from the electronic device;

battery means for operating the electronic device, the battery means arranged within the housing;

communication means for receiving a signal from a remote electronic device via a network; and

processor means for controlling electrical activity of the one or more battery cells based on the signal.

44. A battery system for monitoring a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing configured to be received in and removed from the electronic device, the housing configured to receive one or more battery cells for operating the electronic device, the housing having one or more electrical connections for coupling electrically with corresponding electrical connections of the electronic device to allow the one or more battery cells to operate the electronic device when the housing is received in the electronic device;

an electronic processor arranged in the housing, the electronic processor configured to monitor electrical activity of the one or more battery cells; and

a wireless communication module arranged in the housing, the wireless communication module configured to communicate with a mobile device via a network based on the electrical activity.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the network comprises a wireless local area network.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the wireless local area network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein the network comprises a wireless personal area network.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the wireless personal area network is a Bluetooth network.

49. The system of claim 44, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to transmit a signal to the remote electronic device.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the signal includes data relating to use of the one or more battery cells by the electronic device.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the wireless communication module transmits the signal in response to a change in state of the one or more battery cells.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the change in state of the one or more battery cells corresponds to an activation or deactivation of the electronic device.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to provide a notification to the remote electronic device based on the activation or deactivation of the electronic device.

54. The system of claim 49, wherein the wireless communication module transmits the signal in response to an electrical parameter monitored by the processor exceeding a predetermined threshold.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the electrical parameter exceeding the predetermined threshold corresponds to an activation or deactivation of the electronic device.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the signal includes charge level information for the one or more battery cells.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to provide a notification to the remote electronic device via the network based on the charge level information.

58. The system of claim 44, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to provide a notification to the remote electronic device based on the electrical activity.

59. The system of claim 44, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to provide a notification to the remote electronic device upon occurrence of a predetermined event.

60. The system of claim 44, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to transmit the signal to the remote electronic device in response to a request from the remote electronic device.

61. The system of claim 44,

wherein the electronic device is operated by a battery of a first size;

wherein the housing corresponds to the first size; and

wherein the one or more cells have a second size that is smaller than the first size.

62. A battery system for controlling a battery-operated electronic device, the system comprising:

a housing configured to be received in and removed from the electronic device, the housing configured to receive one or more battery cells for operating the electronic device, the housing having electrical connections for coupling electrically with corresponding electrical connections of the electronic device to allow the one or more battery cells to operate the electronic device when the housing is received in the electronic device;

a wireless communication module arranged in the housing, the wireless communication module configured to receive a signal from a mobile device via a network; and

an electronic processor arranged in the housing, the electronic processor configured to control electrical activity of the one or more battery cells based on the signal.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the network comprises a wireless local area network.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the wireless local area network comprises a Wi-Fi network.

65. The system of claim 62, wherein the network comprises a wireless personal area network.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the wireless personal area network is a Bluetooth network.

67. The system of claim 62, wherein the electronic processor is configured to control electrical activity of the one or more battery cells based on the signal to activate the electronic device.

68. The system of claim 62, wherein the electronic processor is configured to control electrical activity of the one or more battery cells based on the signal to deactivate the electronic device.

69. The system of claim 62,

wherein the signal comprises a defined time period of use of the electronic device;

and

wherein the electronic processor is configured to control the electrical activity of the one or more battery cells based on the signal such that the one or more battery cells only operate the electronic device during the defined time period.

70. The system of claim 62,

wherein the electronic device is operated by a battery of a first size;

wherein the housing corresponds to the first size; and

wherein the one or more cells have a second size that is smaller than the first size.