System and method for replacing a battery in an uninterruptible power supply

• US 9,595,742 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Brookshire, Kyle, Spitaels, James S., Deokar, Vishwas Mohaniraj, Rodenhiser, Fred William
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodas, Richard Isla
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORRES RUIZ, JOHALI ALEJANDRA
• Application Number:
  US12/412,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20100244567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,909 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A system for guiding a user through a procedure corresponding to installing a battery in a UPS that is associated with the system. The system includes at least one programmed processor embedded within the UPS. The programmed processor is configured to retrieve at least one stored procedure corresponding to installing the battery in the UPS including at least one step to be performed by the user. The system further includes at least one device embedded within the UPS to provide information regarding a status indicator of the battery of the UPS. The programmed processor and the device are operatively coupled such that the programmed processor receives at least a portion of the information of the battery from the device. The system further includes a user interface forming part of the UPS. The user interface is coupled to the programmed processor for displaying the step of the stored procedure. The programmed processor is configured to prompt the user via the user interface to install a battery and reset at least one battery performance indicator. Other systems, devices and methods for replacing a battery within a device are further disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for guiding a user through a procedure corresponding to installing a battery in an uninterruptible power supply that is associated with the system, the system comprising:

at least one programmed processor embedded within the uninterruptible power supply, the programmed processor being configured to determine whether the battery is disconnected from the uninterruptible power supply, and in response to determining the battery is disconnected, retrieve at least one stored procedure corresponding to a battery installment routine for installing the battery in the uninterruptible power supply, the stored procedure including a plurality of steps arranged in a predetermined order to be performed by the user;

at least one device embedded within the uninterruptible power supply, the device providing information regarding a status indicator of the battery of the uninterruptible power supply, the programmed processor and the device being operatively coupled such that the programmed processor receives at least a portion of the information of the battery from the device; and

a display screen including an alphanumeric display forming part of the uninterruptible power supply, and including at least one function button, the display screen being coupled to the programmed processor for displaying the plurality of steps of the stored procedure,

wherein in response to receiving user acceptance of the battery installment routine the display screen forming part of the uninterruptible power supply is configured to depict individual steps of the plurality of steps in the predetermined order and the programmed processor is configured to guide the user via the display screen through the individual steps of the plurality of steps of the stored procedure in the predetermined order to install a battery and to receive confirmation from the user that an individual step has been completed based on activation of the function button by the user, and determine whether the user followed the stored procedure to install the battery, and wherein the stored procedure is further configured to prompt for input from the user subsequent to installation of the battery, and the programmed processor is configured to wait for the input prior to resetting at least one battery performance indicator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the step of resetting the battery performance indicator includes verifying battery runtime accuracy.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the step of resetting the battery performance indicator includes calibrating battery constant values.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the step of resetting the battery performance indicator includes updating the battery installation date.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmed processor is further configured to notify the user via the display screen of when the battery will shut down.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmed processor, when prompting the user to install the battery, notifies the user of a battery disconnection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmed processor, when prompting the user to install the battery, notifies the user of proper installation of the battery.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmed processor, when prompting the user to reset the battery performance indicator, prompts the user to input or otherwise verify the installation date of the battery.

9. An uninterruptible power supply comprising:

a housing;

an input, supported by the housing, to receive input power;

a power supply circuit, supported by the housing and coupled to the input, to convert input power received from the input;

an output, supported by the housing and coupled to the power supply circuit, to provide output power derived from the power supply circuit;

a battery, supported by the housing and coupled to the power supply circuit, to provide battery power to the power supply circuit when input power to the input is compromised;

a controller, supported by the housing and coupled to the power supply circuit, the controller being configured to determine whether the battery is disconnected from the UPS, and in response to determining the battery is disconnected retrieve at least one stored procedure corresponding to a battery installment routine for installing the battery, the stored procedure including a plurality of steps arranged in a predetermined order to be performed by the user;

at least one device, supported by the housing, to provide information regarding the status of the battery of the uninterruptible power supply, the controller and the device being coupled such that the controller receives at least a portion of the information from the device; and

a display screen including an alphanumeric display, and including at least one function button, supported by the housing and coupled to the controller, to display the steps,

wherein in response to receiving user acceptance of the battery installment routine the display screen is configured to depict individual steps of the plurality of steps in the predetermined order and the controller is further configured to guide the user via the display screen through the individual steps of the plurality of steps of the stored procedure in the predetermined order to install the battery and to receive confirmation from the user that an individual step has been completed based on activation of the function button by the user, and determine whether the user followed the stored procedure to install the battery, wherein the stored procedure is configured to prompt for input from the user subsequent to installation of the battery, and wherein the controller is further configured to wait for the input prior to resetting at least one battery performance indicator.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the step of resetting the battery performance indicator includes calibrating battery constant values.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the step of resetting the battery performance indicator includes updating the battery installation date.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller prompts the user to input or otherwise confirm the installation date of the battery.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to notify the user via the display screen of when the battery will shut down.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller, when prompting the user to install the battery, notifies the user of a battery disconnection.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller, when prompting the user to install the battery, prompts the user to input or otherwise confirm the installation date of the battery.

16. A method of guiding a user through a procedure corresponding to installing a new battery of an uninterruptible power supply, the method comprising:

(a) determining whether the new battery within the uninterruptible power supply is connected to the uninterruptible power supply;

(b) initiating a battery installment routine if the battery within the uninterruptible power supply requires installment, the battery installment routine including, arranged in a predetermined order,

receiving acceptance of the battery installment routine from a user,

providing instructions to the user to remove a first battery,

indicating that the first battery has been removed,

providing instructions to a user to install the new battery,

prompting for confirmation from the user that the new battery has been installed based on activation of a function button by the user;

determining whether the user followed the instructions to the user to remove the first battery and the instructions to the user to install the new battery,

determining whether the new battery has been properly installed,

prompting for input from a user subsequent to determining whether the new battery has been properly installed, and

resetting at least one battery performance indicator based on the input; and

(c) displaying steps (a) and (b) on an alphanumeric display included within a display screen provided on a housing of the uninterruptible power to guide the user through the installment routine in the predetermined order.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining whether the new battery has been properly installed is determined by obtaining information of the status of the new battery of the uninterruptible power supply from at least one device embedded within the uninterruptible power supply.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein resetting the new battery performance indicator includes verifying battery runtime accuracy.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein resetting the new battery performance indicator includes calibrating battery constant values.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein resetting the new battery performance indicator includes updating the new battery installation date.