Apparatus and Method for a Networked Power Management System with One-Click Remote Battery Discharge Testing

• US 20130275783A1
• Filed: 04/09/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LifeSafety Power Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: LifeSafety Power Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Liu, Guang, Holland, Joseph M., Ye, Larry L., Olliver, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/00 Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems

Abstract

A method of operation includes receiving, by a power supply with battery backup, a battery test command from a user interface on a remote device, switching the power supply to the battery backup in response to the battery test command, monitoring voltage and discharge current of the battery, determining that the battery has reached a threshold capacity due the battery discharge, terminating the battery discharge test and switching the power supply off of the battery backup. The battery backup test command received may be a one-click selection input at a user interface on the remote device where the battery test command is sent to the power supply in response to the one-click selection input. An apparatus that performs the method of operation is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a power management system, comprising:

receiving, by a power supply with battery backup, a battery test command from a user interface on a remote device;

switching the power supply to the battery backup in response to the battery test command;

monitoring voltage and discharge current of the battery;

determining that the battery has reached a threshold capacity due the battery discharge;

terminating the battery discharge test; and

switching the power supply off of the battery backup.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a one-click selection input at a user interface on the remote device; and

sending the battery test command in response to the one-click selection input.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

comparing the monitored voltage and discharge current of the battery with battery specification data; and

determining that the battery has reached the threshold capacity based on the comparison.

4. The method of claim 1, where receiving, by a power supply with battery backup, a battery test command from a user interface on a remote device, comprises:

receiving the battery test command by control and access logic operatively coupled to the power supply, over a network connection.

5. The method of claim 4, where switching the power supply to the battery backup in response to the battery test command, comprises:

controlling at least one relay by the control and access logic to switch the power supply to the battery backup in response to the battery test command.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving the battery test command from data manager and interface logic over the network;

forwarding the battery test command to the control and access logic at the power supply; and

providing measurement data to the remote device by the data manager and interface logic, the measurement data comprising voltage and discharge current of the battery measured by the control and access logic and by the data manager and interface logic.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating and emailing a battery test report conforming to a plurality of configurable report settings in response to termination of the battery discharge test.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a power supply and battery charger board comprising control and access logic operatively coupled to the power supply and the battery charger, wherein the control and access logic is operative to;

receive a battery test command from a user interface on a remote device;

switch the power supply to battery backup in response to the battery test command;

monitor voltage and discharge current of the battery;

determine that the battery has reached a threshold capacity due to battery discharge;

terminate the battery discharge test; and

switch the power supply off of the battery backup.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, comprising:

data manager and interface logic, operatively coupled to the control and access logic, the data manager and interface logic comprising a plurality of interface ports including at least one network interface port, the data manager and interface logic being operative to;

receive a one-click selection input from the user interface on the remote device over the network interface port; and

send the battery test command to the control and access logic in response to the one-click selection input.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, where at least one of the control and access logic or the data manager and interface logic is operative to:

compare the monitored voltage and discharge current of the battery with battery specification data; and

determine that the battery has reached the threshold capacity based on the comparison.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, where the control and access logic is operative to switch the power supply to the battery backup in response to the battery test command, by controlling at least one relay to switch the power supply to the battery backup in response to the battery test command.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, where the data manager and interface logic is operative to:

generate the battery test command based on the on-click selection input and send the battery test command to the control and access logic at the power supply; and

provide measurement data to the remote device, the measurement data comprising voltage and discharge current of the battery measured by the control and access logic and by the data manager and interface logic.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, where the data manager and interface logic is operative to:

generate and email a battery test report conforming to a plurality of configurable report settings in response to termination of the battery discharge test.

17. The computer readable memory of claim 13, wherein said executable instructions, when executed further cause the at least one processor to receive a battery test command from a user interface on a remote device, by:

receiving the battery test command by control and access logic operatively coupled to the power supply, over a network connection.

20. The computer readable memory of claim 13, wherein said executable instructions, when executed further cause the at least one processor to:

generate and email a battery test report conforming to a plurality of configurable report settings in response to termination of the battery discharge test.

14. A computer readable memory comprising:

executable instructions for execution by at least one processor, that when executed cause said at least one processor to;

receive a battery test command from a user interface on a remote device;

switch a power supply to battery backup in response to the battery test command;

monitor voltage and discharge current of the battery;

determine that the battery has reached a threshold capacity due the battery discharge;

terminate the battery discharge test; and

switch the power supply off of the battery backup.

15. The computer readable memory of claim 14, wherein said executable instructions, when executed further cause the at least one processor to:

receive a one-click selection input at a user interface on the remote device; and

send the battery test command in response to the one-click selection input.

16. The computer readable memory of claim 14, wherein said executable instructions, when executed further cause the at least one processor to:

compare the monitored voltage and discharge current of the battery with battery specification data; and

determine that the battery has reached the threshold capacity based on the comparison.

18. The computer readable memory of claim 14, wherein said executable instructions, when executed further cause the at least one processor to switch the power supply to the battery backup in response to the battery test command, by:

controlling at least one relay to switch the power supply to the battery backup in response to the battery test command.

19. The computer readable memory of claim 14, wherein said executable instructions, when executed further cause the at least one processor to:

receive the battery test command by data manager and interface logic over a network;

forward the battery test command to control and access logic at the power supply; and

provide measurement data to the remote device by the data manager and interface logic, the measurement data comprising voltage and discharge current of the battery measured by the control and access logic and by the data manager and interface logic.