Battery Charger Status Control System and Method

• US 20160046199A1
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Butler, Brian F., Nguyen, Linh, Clarke, Patrick, Whiting, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,579,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/12 Starting of engines by means of mobile, e.g. portable, starting sets
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/14 Starting of engines by means of electric starters with external current supply F02N11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/306 with external senders or receivers, e.g. receiving signals from traffic lights, other vehicles or base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/122 Provisions for temporary connection of DC sources of essentially the same voltage, e.g. jumpstart cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 Detection of state of health [SOH]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A battery charging system comprising a battery charger configured to deliver power to a rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charger comprises a wireless data transceiver; and a remote server communicatively coupled to the battery charger through a network via said wireless data transceiver and configured to communicate one or more battery charge parameters or battery charger control commands between the battery charger and a remotely situated portable user device.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

a battery charger configured to charge a battery in a vehicle, wherein the battery charger comprises a wireless data transceiver; and

a remote server communicatively coupled with the battery charger over a communication network via said wireless data transceiver, wherein the remote server communicates one or more parameters of the battery charger or the battery from said battery charger to a remotely situated, portable user device.

2. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the portable user device is a mobile phone.

3. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the remote server communicates a control command from said remotely situated, portable user device to said battery charger.

4. The battery system of claim 3, wherein said control command instructs the battery charger to perform at least one of:

(1) charge the battery;

(2) stop charging the battery; and

(3) reset the battery charger.

5. The battery system of claim 3, wherein said control command instructs the battery charger to jump start the vehicle.

6. The battery system of claim 1, wherein said battery charger comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitter.

7. The battery system of claim 6, wherein said GPS transmitter generates positional data, said positional data being communicated from said battery charger to said remotely situated, portable user device.

8. The battery system of claim 1, wherein said battery charger employs a predetermined charging mode based at least in part on a user input at said remotely situated, portable user device.

9. The battery system of claim 8, wherein said user input indicates a battery type or the battery'"'"'s nominal voltage.

10. The battery system of claim 8, wherein said battery charger is integrated with a vehicle.

11. A battery charger comprising:

a charger circuit for selectively charging a battery using one or more charging modes;

a set of output terminals connected to said charger circuit and configured to couple with the battery;

a sensor, the sensors detecting one or more parameters of the battery charger or the battery;

a wireless data transceiver; and

a processor operatively couple with each of said charger circuit, said voltage sensor, and said wireless data transceiver,

wherein said battery charger is communicatively coupled with a remote server over a communication network via said wireless data transceiver,

wherein said battery charger transmits said one or more parameters said battery charger to a remotely situated, portable user device.

12. The battery charger of claim 11, wherein the portable user device is a mobile phone.

13. The battery charger of claim 11, wherein the battery charger receives a control command from said remotely situated, portable user device.

14. The battery charger of claim 13, wherein said control command causes the battery charger to perform at least one of:

(1) charge the battery;

(2) stop charging the battery; and

(3) reset the battery charger.

15. The battery charger of claim 13, wherein said control command causes the battery charger to jump start the vehicle.

16. The battery charger of claim 11, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitter, wherein said GPS transmitter generates positional data, said positional data being communicated from said battery charger to said remotely situated, portable user device.

17. The battery charger of claim 11, wherein one of said one or more charging modes is selected based at least in part on a user input at said remotely situated, portable user device, wherein said user input indicates a battery type or the battery'"'"'s nominal voltage.

18. A battery charger management system comprising:

processing circuitry; and

a communication interface communicatively coupled with one or more remotely situated battery chargers and one or more remotely situated, portable user devices over a communication network,

wherein said one or more remotely situated battery chargers are configured to charge a battery in a vehicle,

wherein the communication interface receives one or more parameters of said one or more remotely situated battery chargers or the battery from said battery charger,

wherein the communication interface communicates said one or more parameters of said one or more remotely situated battery chargers to said remotely situated, portable user device.

19. The battery charger management system of claim 18, wherein the communication interface (1) receives a control command from one of said one or more remotely situated, portable user devices and (2) instructs one of said one or more remotely situated battery chargers to perform at least one of (i) charge the battery, (ii) stop charging the battery, or (iii) reset the battery charger.

20. The battery charger management system of claim 18, wherein the communication interface (1) receives a control command from one of said one or more remotely situated, portable user devices and (2) instructs one of said one or more remotely situated battery chargers to jump start the vehicle.

21. The battery charger management system of claim 18, wherein at least one of said one or more remotely situated battery chargers comprises a charger circuit that selectively charges a battery using one or more charging modes, wherein one of said one or more charging modes is selected based at least in part on a user input at one of said remotely situated, portable user device, wherein said user input indicates a battery type or the battery'"'"'s nominal voltage.