Battery monitoring network

• US 7,576,518 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Power Quality Corporation (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Sanders, David Edwin, Ma, Zifang, Al-Anbuky, Adnan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fantu; Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US10/363,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,905 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/120, 320/149, 320/150, 370/282, 364/483, 700/293
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/379 for lead-acid batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls

Abstract

A battery monitoring network including a battery node (6); one or more distributed nodes of a first class (4) each including means for acquiring first battery variable information, processing means adapted to manipulate the first battery variable information, and a communication means for communicating with a battery node; and one or more distributed nodes of a second class (5) each including means for acquiring second battery variable information, processing means adapted to manipulate the second battery variable information, and a communication means for communicating with the battery node.

Claims

1. A battery monitoring network including a battery node;

one or more distributed nodes of a first class each including means for acquiring first battery variable information, processing means adapted to manipulate the first battery variable information, and a communication means for communicating with the battery node; and

one or more distributed nodes of a second class each including means for acquiring second battery variable information, processing means adapted to manipulate the second battery variable information, and a communication means for communicating with the battery node, wherein the distributed nodes are arranged in two or more sub-networks, each sub-network communicating with the battery node via a respective sub-network junction, each sub-network including one or more distributed nodes of the first class and one or more distributed nodes of the second class.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein the nodes of a first and/or second class each include a memory for storing the battery variable information and/or the results of manipulating the battery variable information.

3. The network of claim 1 wherein the first battery variable information includes voltage information.

4. The network of claim 1 wherein the first battery variable information includes temperature information.

5. The network of claim 1 wherein the second battery variable information includes current information.

6. The network of claim 1 adapted to monitor a battery which includes a plurality of blocs each comprising one or more serially connected cells and a plurality of strings each comprising one or more serially connected blocs, the strings being connected in parallel with each other, wherein the distributed nodes of a first class are bloc nodes each adapted to acquire information relating to one or more of the blocs, and wherein the distributed nodes of a second class are bank nodes each adapted to acquire information relating to one or more of the strings.

7. The network of claim 1 wherein the number of distributed nodes of a first class exceeds the number of distributed nodes of a second class.

8. The network of claim 1 wherein the battery node includes a processor for manipulating data received from the distributed nodes.

9. The network of claim 1 wherein the battery node includes a graphical user interface.

10. The network of claim 1 including an internet interface coupled to the battery node.

11. The network of claim 1 wherein the distributed nodes of a first class are adapted to communicate with the distributed nodes of a second class.

12. The network of claim 1 wherein each sub-network includes a respective router for routing data through the respective sub-network junction.

13. The network of claim 1 wherein the distributed nodes communicate with the battery node via a common bus.

14. The network of claim 1 wherein the battery node includes means for communicating data to the distributed nodes.

15. The network of claim 1 wherein each distributed node is adapted to receive battery variable information from a plurality of sensors.

16. The network of claim 1 wherein the distributed nodes of a first and/or second class are adapted to compare the battery variable information with one or more predetermined threshold values.

17. The network of claim 1 wherein the distributed nodes of a first class are adapted to acquire coup de fouet parameters during battery discharge.

18. The network of claim 1 adapted to monitor a valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery.

19. A VRLA battery in combination with the network of claim 18.

20. A battery monitoring network comprising:

a battery node;

one or more distributed nodes of a first class configured to generate first battery variable information;

one or more distributed nodes of a second class configured to generate second battery variable information; and

a communications network coupling the battery node, the one or more distributed nodes of the first class, and the one or more nodes of the second class,

wherein the battery node, the one or more nodes of the first class and the one or more nodes of the second class are configured to conduct peer-to-peer communications over the communications network.

21. The battery monitoring network of claim 20 wherein the one or more distributed nodes of the first class and the one or more distributed nodes of the second class are configured to monitor respective different types of arrangements of cells.

22. The battery monitoring network of claim 21 wherein the one or more distributed nodes of the first class are each configured to monitor a bloc of cells, and wherein the one or more distributed nodes of the second class are each configured to monitor one or more strings of blocs.

23. The battery monitoring network of claim 22 wherein the first battery variable information comprises bloc-related information and wherein the second battery variable information comprises string-related information.

24. The battery monitoring network of claim 23 wherein the one or more distributed nodes of the second class are configured to derive the string-related information from bloc-related information received from the one or more distributed nodes of the first class.

25. The battery monitoring network of claim 20 wherein the communications network comprises an intranet, and wherein the battery node is configured to interface the intranet to a public internet.

26. The battery monitoring network of claim 20 wherein the first battery variable information includes voltage information and/or temperature information, and wherein the second battery variable information includes current information.