Remotely controlled multiple battery system

• US 7,834,583 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reserve Power Cell LLC
• Original Assignee: Reserve Power Cell LLC
• Inventors: Elder, David, Bruno, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Muralidar; Richard V
• Application Number:
  US12/149,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20080315837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/104, 320/126, 307/10.7
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0445 Multimode batteries, e.g. containing auxiliary cells or electrodes switchable in parallel or series connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/122 Multimode batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/574 Devices or arrangements for the interruption of current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A remotely controllable multiple battery system for reliably supplying electrical energy to an electrical system, the remotely controllable multiple battery system receiving control signals from a remote control device, the remotely controllable multiple battery system having a remotely controlled controller. An at least one sensor that senses the condition of a main battery and an at least one controlled switching device coupled remotely to the controller and responding to a signal from the remote control device to the controller thereby switching from the main battery to an at least one auxiliary battery.

Claims

1. A remotely controllable multiple battery system for reliably supplying electrical energy to a vehicle electrical system, the remotely controllable multiple battery system receiving control signals from a remote control device, the remotely controllable multiple battery system comprising:

a main battery;

at least one sensor operable to sense at least one operating condition of the main battery and produce at least one output based on the at least one operating condition of the main battery;

at least one auxiliary battery;

at least one controllable switching device coupled to the main battery and the at least one auxiliary battery, the at least one controllable switching device being responsive to at least one control signal to engage one of the main battery and the at least one auxiliary battery to solely supply electrical energy only to the vehicle electrical system such that the main battery and the at least one auxiliary battery never supply electrical energy to the vehicle electrical system simultaneously while the vehicle is in operation; and

a controller in communication with the remote control device and coupled to the at least one sensor and the at least one controllable switching device, the controller operable to monitor the at least one output of the at least one sensor and provide an indication of the at least one operating condition to the remote control device, the controller further operable to receive the at least one control signal from the remote.

2. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a network interfaceable controller operable to communicate over a network.

3. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 2, wherein the remote control device is a network operation center.

4. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a wireless system controller operable to communicate over a wireless link.

5. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 4, wherein the remote control device comprises a wireless input device.

6. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 1, further comprising:

a one-way charging circuit configured to facilitate charging of and prevent current flow from the at least one auxiliary battery at all times during which the main battery is supplying electrical energy to the vehicle electrical system.

7. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 6, wherein the one-way charging circuit includes at least one one-way charging diode.

8. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 7, wherein the at least one one-way charging diode comprises at least one Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR).

9. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 8, wherein the least one sensor is further operable to sense at least one operating condition of the at least one auxiliary battery and produce at least a second output based on the at least one operating condition of the at least one auxiliary battery and wherein the controller controls the at least one Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR), responsive to the at least one control signal, to prohibit electrical charge from reaching the at least one auxiliary battery if the at least a second output of the at least one sensor indicates an over charge condition in the auxiliary battery.

10. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controllable switching device has at least two operating positions, a first operating position of the at least two operating positions coupling a positive output of the main battery to the electrical system while de-coupling a positive output of the at least one auxiliary battery from the electrical system and a second operating position of the at least two operating positions coupling the positive output of the at least one auxiliary battery to the electrical system while de-coupling the positive output of the main battery from the electrical system.

11. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 1, further comprising the remote control device and at least one indicator element coupled to the remote control device, the at least one indicator element operable to indicate an undesired operating condition of the main battery based on the indication of the at least one operating condition received from the controller.

12. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 11, wherein the at least one indicator element has at least one light emitting diode of at least one color.

13. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 11, wherein the at least one indicator element comprises a plurality of indicator elements having at least one of a red, an orange, a green, and an amber color.

14. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 11, wherein the at least one indicator comprises at least one of a klaxon, a horn, at least one incandescent light, an LCD panel, a simulated human voice, and an actual human voice.

15. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes at least one microprocessor, at least one signal transmitter, at least one signal receiver, a security protocol/encryption element, an indicator element, an input/output bus.

16. The remotely controllable multiple battery system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one VI sensor.