Measuring and monitoring a power source

• US 8,428,894 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phoenix Broadband Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Phoenix Broadband Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Rocci, Joseph D., Quelly, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BHAT, ADITYA S
• Application Number:
  US13/677,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 159 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57
• US Class Current: 702/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/389 Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general

Abstract

Battery testing sensors, and systems and methods for testing batteries, are disclosed. Each battery sensor has a microcontroller programmed to analyze the frequencies of noise or other undesirable signals (“background noise”) present at a battery to be tested, and to determine the duty cycle of a desired pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to be applied to the battery in view of the background noise. Duty cycles of desired PWM signals are selected such that, when applied to the battery, they will at least approximate an AC signal having a frequency that has been determined to provide optimal test results in view of the background noise. The microcontroller analyzes the battery'"'"'s response from application of the PWM signal thereto. Consequently, measurement errors from background noise present at the battery are minimized. Based on the response, attributes of the battery, such as internal admittance, voltage, current, and temperature, are determined.

Claims

1. A battery sensor for testing a battery comprising:

(a) a microcontroller configured to;

(i) analyze frequencies of background noise at a battery to be tested during a test operation;

(ii) determine, based on an analysis of the background noise, a duty cycle of a desired pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to be applied to the battery, the duty cycle being selected such that, when applied to the battery, it at least approximates an AC signal having a frequency that has been determined by the microcontroller to provide optimal test results in view of the background noise;

(iii) generate the desired PWM signal;

(iv) analyze a response from the battery resulting from application of the PWM signal thereto; and

(v) based on the response, determine at least one attribute of the battery; and

,

(b) circuitry, including a switch, for applying the PWM signal to the battery.

2. The battery sensor of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is configured to perform (i) through (v) for different test operations.

3. The battery sensor of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is configured to perform (i) through (v) on demand in response to a remotely generated command.

4. The battery sensor of claim 1 wherein the attribute comprises one or more of internal admittance, voltage, current, and temperature.

5. The battery sensor of claim 1 further comprising a communications interface adapted to communicate with a controller.

6. The battery sensor of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller is further configured to determine whether the battery under test is overcharged, and, in response, to cause the switch to draw current from the battery under test.

7. The battery sensor of claim 1 wherein the switch is a FET.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is adapted to be attached to the exterior of, and to a terminal of, the battery under test.

9. A battery testing system comprising:

(a) a plurality of battery sensors, each sensor adapted to be associated with one of a plurality of batteries to be tested, each sensor comprising;

(i) a microcontroller configured to;

(1) analyze frequencies of background noise at a battery to be tested during a test operation;

(2) determine, based on an analysis of the background noise, a duty cycle of a desired pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to be applied to the battery, the duty cycle being selected such that, when applied to the battery, it at least approximates an AC signal having a frequency that has been determined by the microcontroller to provide optimal test results in view of the background noise;

(3) generate the desired PWM signal;

(4) analyze a response from the battery resulting from application of the PWM signal thereto; and

, (5) based on the response, determine at least one attribute of the battery; and

,

(ii) circuitry, including a switch, for applying the PWM signal to the battery; and

,

(iii) a communications interface;

(b) a controller adapted to communicate with (i) the sensors via each sensor'"'"'s communications interface and (ii) a remote management server.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the microcontroller of each sensor is configured to dynamically alter the duty cycle of the PWM signals by analyzing the frequency spectrum of the background noise at its respective battery under test.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the attribute comprises one or more of internal admittance, voltage, current, and temperature.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the microcontroller of each sensor is configured to periodically determine the attribute and the microcontroller is configured to communicate the attribute to the controller.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein controller is configured to periodically poll each sensor to so as to communicate the attribute that each sensor determined to the controller.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller is configured to send a command to each sensor to initiate a test operation.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller is configured to provide an indication of battery condition based on the attribute.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller is configured to communicate the indication to the remote management server.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein the microcontroller is further configured to determine whether the battery under test is overcharged, and, in response, to cause the switch to draw current from the battery under test.

18. The battery sensor of claim 9 wherein the switch is a FET.

19. The system of claim 9 wherein the sensors are adapted to be attached to the exterior of, and to a terminal of, each respective battery under test.

20. A battery testing method comprising:

a) analyzing frequencies of background noise at a battery under test;

b) determining, based on an analysis of the background noise, a duty cycle of a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to be applied to the battery, the duty cycle being selected such that, when applied to the battery, it at least approximates an AC signal having a frequency that has been determined by the microcontroller to provide optimal test results in view of the background noise;

c) generating the PWM signal, and applying the PWM signal to the battery under test;

d) analyzing a response from the battery resulting from application of the PWM signal thereto; and

,

e) based on the response, determining at least one attribute of the battery.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising dynamically altering the duty cycle of the PWM signals by analyzing the frequency spectrum of the background noise at the battery under test.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the attribute comprises one or more of internal admittance, voltage, current, and temperature.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising providing an indication of battery condition based on the attribute, and communicating the indication to a remote management server.

24. The method according to claim 20 further comprising determining whether the battery under test is overcharged, and in response, causing the battery under test to discharge through a switch.