Power management system that changes the operating conditions of a battery charger

• US 9,941,723 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Discovery Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Albsmeier, Eric D., Mauk, Richard A., Chiu, Harrison C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, NHA T
• Application Number:
  US14/974,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

Some embodiments relate to a power management system. The power management system includes a generator that provides a voltage output to a bus. The bus is adapted to be connected to a load. The power management system further includes a battery charger that is adapted to charge a battery. A generator controller operates the generator and also adjusts operating conditions of the battery charger. In some embodiments, the generator includes an internal combustion engine that drives an alternator. Embodiments are contemplated where the battery charger is adapted to receive power from a primary power source. As an example, the primary power source may be utility power or some other form of generator power.

Claims

1. A power management apparatus comprising:

a battery charger configured to charge a battery for a generator including an internal combustion engine that drives an alternator;

a generator controller configured to control the generator including the internal combustion engine that drives the alternator and configured to receive a communication describing a type of battery for the battery charged by the battery charger and configured to identify a charging profile, of a plurality of different charging profiles for different types of batteries, based on the communication describing type of battery of the battery charged by the battery charger; and

a server configured to communicate with the generator controller such that the server collects data related to the battery charger associated with the generator controller,

wherein the generator controller is configured to perform an adjustment of operating conditions of the battery charger based on the charging profile.

2. The power management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generator controller increases an efficiency of the battery charger from the adjustment of operating conditions.

3. The power management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generator controller is configured to generate data indicative of a charge level of the battery.

4. The power management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generator controller is configured to generate data indicative of a temperature at one or more terminals of the battery.

5. The power management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generator controller is configured to generate data indicative of a current or a voltage of one or more terminals of the battery.

6. The power management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the server collects data related to a plurality of battery chargers including the battery charger associated with the generator controller.

7. The power management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generator controller receives a command from the server for the charging profile for the type of battery of the battery charged by the battery charger.

8. A method for power management of a generator, the method comprising:

operating, using a generator controller, a generator including an internal combustion engine that drives an alternator;

receiving, at the generator controller, a communication describing a battery type for a battery charged by a battery charger of the generator;

receiving a command from a server for a charging profile for the type of battery of the battery charged by the battery charger;

identifying the charging profile for the battery type from a plurality of charging profiles for different types of batteries; and

instructing the battery charger according to the charging profile.

9. The method for power management of the generator of claim 8, the method comprising:

generating data for an adjustment of operating conditions of the battery charger.

10. The method for power management of the generator of claim 8, wherein the generator controller increases an efficiency of the battery charger from the adjustment of operating conditions.

11. The method for power management of the generator of claim 8, the method comprising:

generating data indicative of a charge level of the battery.

12. The method for power management of the generator of claim 8, the method comprising:

generating data indicative of a temperature at one or more terminals of the battery.

13. The method for power management of the generator of claim 8, the method comprising:

generating data indicative of a current or a voltage of one or more terminals of the battery.

14. A system comprising:

a battery for starting a generator including an engine, the generator providing a secondary power source;

a battery charger configured to charge the battery for the generator; and

a generator controller configured to operate the generator including the engine and configured to receive a communication and determine a type of battery for the battery charged by the battery charger based on the communication, the generator controller configured to identify a charging profile from a plurality of charging profiles for different types of batteries based on the type of battery of the battery charged by the battery charger; and

a server configured to communicate with the generator controller such that the server collects data related to the battery charger associated with the generator controller.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the generator controller is configured to perform an adjustment of operating conditions of the battery charger based on the charging profile.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the adjustment is based on an external condition.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the external condition is temperature.

18. The system of claim 16, configured to generate display data indicative of a charge level of the battery, a temperature at one or more terminals of the battery, or a voltage of one or more terminals of the battery.