Battery monitor

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a battery monitor system for monitoring and managing a battery during short-term or long-term storage and transportation while ensuring low power consumption of the monitored customer battery. The battery monitor system periodically powers a battery management system (BMS) of a customer battery to retrieve battery information. The battery monitoring system may also collect battery information from other sensors (e.g., motion, ambient temperature, humidity, current, voltage, data integrity, and global positioning). The system can integrate data provided by a customer battery and a sensor of the customer battery, and evaluates the state, environmental conditions and potential risks of the battery and whether the battery meets specific storage or transportation conditions or not by using an algorithm. In addition, the battery monitor system may also be equipped with in-vehicle visual and auditory indicators. In a dangerous situation, the system can automatically activate the indicator to remind related personnel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to monitoring customer batteries during storage. Background Art

[0002] Modern batteries are often equipped with a battery management system that provides sophisticated monitoring during operation when the battery is installed in the target device. A battery management system (BMS) typically manages rechargeable batteries (e.g., cells or battery packs) to prevent them from operating outside of safe operating ranges. A battery management system can monitor the state of the customer's battery, calculate various battery information based on internal sensors, and report this data through a controller area network (CAN) interface. For example, a battery management system can monitor the state of the battery, which is represented by various sensed and / or derived characteristics, such as voltage, state of charge, state of health, power state, safety state, charge current limit, discharge current limit, energy output since last charge, internal impedance of the battery cell, stored charge, total operating time since first use, and total number of cycles, etc.

[0003] However, battery management systems require power and active communication (e.g., CAN communication with a vehicle controller) to operate. During storage (e.g., in the cargo area of ​​a transport vehicle or in the cargo area of ​​a warehouse), a BMS integrated in a customer battery is generally not operational because there is no CAN connection to a controller to control the operation of the BMS and there is generally no power supplied to the BMS (typically, the BMS itself is not powered by the customer battery but rather by a separate power source when installed in a target device (e.g., a vehicle)).

[0004] Efficiently storing and transporting batteries requires adherence to specific environmental conditions to preserve the battery chemistry, contact materials, and chassis over the long term. Ignoring these conditions can lead to battery degradation and safety risks such as thermal runaway, or extreme danger when charging after storage or transport. Existing monitoring systems may drain customer batteries or ignore environmental monitoring, resulting in shortened battery life and unreliable data collection. Summary of the invention

[0005] Therefore, a system is needed that can solve the above problems without affecting battery performance.

[0006] The battery watchdog system of the present invention provides an advanced battery monitoring system specifically designed to periodically collect data from one or more batteries during customer battery storage (e.g., in a warehouse or storage area of ​​a transport vehicle). Its built-in power supply ensures portability and the ability to accompany the battery for a long time (even up to several years if necessary). Periodically powering the customer's battery management system allows retrieval of customer battery information, including open circuit voltage, internal temperature, battery temperature, and other relevant customer battery parameters. Seamless communication with various data transmission protocols (such as CAN, SCP, DOIP, etc.) facilitates the transmission of data to a central server or local receiver, enabling technicians, operators, or supervisors to remotely access and analyze customer battery information.

[0007] To assess the state of a customer’s battery and ensure compliance with storage requirements, a battery monitor system can leverage algorithms that integrate data from its own sensors, which can include accelerometers, humidity, and temperature sensors. Factors such as self-discharge rate and external temperature limits can be taken into account, allowing the system to assess the condition of the battery and notify personnel if any discrepancies or potential hazards are detected.

[0008] The present invention provides a battery monitor unit for monitoring a customer battery during storage. The battery monitor unit may include a housing and a connection interface for removably physically connecting the unit to a customer battery during storage. The monitor unit may include a power supply for selectively powering a battery management system of the customer battery, and a communication interface (e.g., a CAN interface) for facilitating communication with the battery management system. The wireless communication module of the monitor unit may facilitate communication of battery information collected during storage of the customer battery with a remote server. The monitor unit may also include one or more sensors, and a controller for collecting battery information (e.g., battery environment information, such as ambient temperature information, global positioning system information, humidity, and accelerometer information) from one or more sensors, and collecting battery information (e.g., temperature, voltage, and current information from a general purpose input output (GPIO) pin or a CAN data packet) from a customer battery management system. The monitor unit may include a battery monitor power source (e.g., a portable power source, such as a battery or a connection to a wall power supply or an external power source). The power source may power the electrical components of the battery monitor unit.

[0009] The battery monitor controller may be configured or programmed to selectively provide power to a power source during customer battery storage, thereby providing power to a battery management system of a customer battery during customer battery storage; receive battery information, including environmental customer battery information, from the battery management system of the customer battery via a communication interface during customer battery storage; receive battery information from one or more battery monitoring sensors during customer battery storage, store the received customer battery information in a memory, and transmit the battery information to a remote device via a wireless communication module.

[0010] In one embodiment, the communication interface may include a CAN interface for receiving battery information including a customer battery identifier associated with the customer battery.

[0011] In one embodiment, the one or more sensors include a global positioning system for sensing location information. The battery monitor unit controller is configured or programmed to receive the location information from the global positioning system, associate a timestamp with the location information, and store the location information with the associated timestamp in a memory.

[0012] In one embodiment, the one or more sensors include a thermocouple system for sensing ambient temperature information during storage of the customer battery. The battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to receive the ambient temperature information from the thermocouple system, associate a timestamp with the ambient temperature information, and store the ambient temperature information and the associated timestamp in a memory.

[0013] In one embodiment, the one or more sensors include an accelerometer for sensing accelerometer information associated with the battery monitor unit and a physically coupled customer battery during storage of the customer battery. The battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to receive the accelerometer information from the accelerometer, associate a timestamp with the accelerometer information, and store the accelerometer information with the associated timestamp in a memory.

[0014] In one embodiment, the battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to receive battery monitor subsystem information from one or more sensors, associate a battery monitoring timestamp with the battery monitor subsystem information, and store the battery monitor subsystem information in a memory together with the associated timestamp. The battery monitor controller may be configured or programmed to associate a timestamp with the received customer battery information and store the received customer battery information in a memory together with the associated timestamp. The received customer battery information may include a customer battery timestamp, and the battery monitor controller may be configured or programmed to associate the battery monitor subsystem information with the customer battery information using the battery monitor subsystem timestamp and the customer battery timestamp, and store the battery monitor subsystem information, the customer battery information, and at least one of the battery monitor subsystem timestamp and the customer battery timestamp in a memory.

[0015] In one embodiment, the battery monitor unit includes a user interface including a speaker, a display screen, and one or more status indicator lights. In certain embodiments, the user interface is configured to receive location information indicating the physical location of the customer's battery within the cargo area.

[0016] The present invention also provides a battery monitor system for monitoring a plurality of customer batteries stored in a cargo hold area. The system may include a plurality of battery monitor units that are physically coupled to different customer batteries. Each battery monitor unit may have a controller as described above that receives some battery information from a battery management system of the customer battery and some battery information from one or more battery monitor sensors via a communication interface. The battery information may be transmitted to a remote device via a network via a wireless communication module.

[0017] In one embodiment, the battery monitor system may include battery identifier indicators (battery ID indicators) disposed on and associated with the customer batteries, each battery ID indicator indicating a customer battery ID of an associated customer battery. The cargo area of ​​the battery monitor system may include one or more racks for storing customer batteries. The rack may include a plurality of customer battery storage locations, each location being associated with a location ID. At each customer battery storage location, a location ID indicator may be disposed indicating a physical location within the cargo area.

[0018] In one embodiment, each battery monitor unit includes a data input device configured to receive and send a customer battery identifier and a battery location to a battery monitor controller. In one embodiment, the battery monitor system may include a scanning device configured to scan a battery identifier indicator and a battery location indicator and transmit the battery identifier information and the battery location information to the battery monitor controller. In one embodiment, the battery monitor system may include an RFID interrogation device configured to interrogate the battery identifier indicator and the battery location indicator in the form of an RFID tag and transmit the battery identifier information and the battery location information to the battery monitor controller.

[0019] A battery monitor unit, system, and associated methods provide effective and efficient monitoring of customer batteries during storage without compromising customer battery performance.

[0020] These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention may be more fully appreciated and understood by reference to the description of the present embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Before explaining the specific embodiments of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the details of operation or the structural and arrangement details of the components shown in the following description or drawings. The present invention can be implemented in various other specific embodiments, and can also be implemented or carried out in alternative ways not explicitly disclosed herein. In addition, it should be understood that the words and terms used herein are only for description and should not be regarded as limiting terms. The use of "including" and "comprising" and their variations is to cover the items listed thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items and their equivalents. In addition, enumeration may be used when describing various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use of enumeration should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to any specific order or number of components. The use of enumeration should also not be interpreted as excluding any additional steps or components that may be combined with or included in the enumerated steps or components from the scope of the invention. Any reference to "at least one of X, Y and Z" in a claim refers to any of X, Y or Z alone, and any combination of X, Y and Z, such as X, Y, Z; X, Y; X, Z; and Y, Z. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is an example of a representative block diagram of a battery monitor system according to the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 2 is an example of a representative battery storage area of ​​a battery monitor system according to the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 3is another representative battery storage area example of a battery monitor system according to the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 4 An exemplary representative block diagram of a battery monitor unit connected to a customer battery, a thermocouple, and a router is shown.

[0026] Figure 5 An exemplary view of an overheat alarm for a particular battery at a particular location on a display showing a battery monitor desktop application is shown.

[0027] Figure 6 An exemplary view of an over-temperature alert for a specific battery in a specific location on a smartphone displaying a battery monitor smartphone application is shown.

[0028] Figure 7 Another exemplary representative block diagram of a battery monitor system according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 8 An exemplary battery monitor unit is shown physically mounted to a customer battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present invention relates to a battery monitor system 100, an exemplary embodiment of which is as follows Figure 1 In general, the battery monitor system 100 includes a battery monitor unit 102 that can monitor a customer battery 104 by facilitating operation and collecting battery information for storage in a memory of the monitor unit 102, which information comes from an integrated BMS 105 of the customer battery 104. The battery monitor unit 102 can include its own sensors (e.g., accelerometers, thermocouples, and / or global positioning systems) that can collect and store additional battery information, as well as battery information collected from an integrated BMS.

[0031] Figure 8 An exemplary battery monitor unit 102 is shown electrically coupled to a customer battery 104 via wires. In alternative embodiments, a wireless connection may be used between the battery monitor unit 102 and the customer battery 104. In addition, Figure 8 A battery monitor unit connection interface 800 is shown for removably physically connecting the battery monitor unit 102 to the customer battery 104. The battery monitor unit connection interface 800 may include a hook and loop fastener surface (e.g., on the surface of the battery monitor unit and the customer battery housing), double-sided tape, a pouch, a fastener (e.g., a screw or bolt), or other interface for securing the battery monitor unit to the customer battery.

[0032] The battery monitor system 100 may also include an input / output (I / O) device 106. The I / O device may be a scanner, a keyboard, a touch screen, or substantially any other data input or user interface device. The input / output device 106 may conveniently enable the battery monitor unit 102 to be used with a specific customer battery 104 having an associated battery identifier 130 and located at a specific location associated with the location identifier 120.

[0033] In one embodiment, the I / O device 106 may be a scanner for use by a configurator to scan a customer battery ID indicator 130 and a location ID indicator 120. The customer battery 104 may include a customer battery ID indicator 130 that displays the customer battery ID. In the storage area, the location ID indicator 120 may be placed and associated with each location where the customer battery 104 may be located during storage. In operation, the configurator scans the customer battery ID indicator 130 to obtain the customer battery ID and scans the location ID indicator 120 to obtain the location ID of the customer battery's current location (e.g., floor, rack, row / column, etc.). The scanner sends the ID information to the battery monitor unit 102 associated with the customer battery 104 (e.g., the customer battery 104 is connected to the battery monitor unit 102 via a CAN cable and possibly other cables (e.g., Figure 1 The ID information, combined with other battery information collected by the battery monitor unit 102, can be used to track battery information for the customer battery 104 during storage, which is associated with a specific customer battery that can be identified by the customer battery ID and location ID. The battery information (e.g., including ID information, BMS information, and monitor unit information) can include timestamp data associated with some or all of the battery information to facilitate tracking the status of the customer battery over time.

[0034] In an alternative embodiment, the I / O device 106 may not be a scanner for scanning the customer battery indicator and the location indicator, but an RFID query device. In this embodiment, the customer battery ID indicator and the location ID indicator may be RFID tags. That is, each customer battery may include an RFID tag with a memory containing the relevant customer battery ID. And each location may also be placed at or near the location with an RFID tag having the relevant location ID in its memory.

[0035] The battery monitor system of the present invention is configured to monitor one or more customer batteries during storage. Figure 2-3 An exemplary storage area is shown in FIG. Figure 2An exemplary customer battery storage area 140 is shown in FIG. The exemplary storage area 140 is located in a warehouse where batteries may be temporarily placed (e.g., after manufacturing but before being sold to a customer or an intermediate facility such as a distribution warehouse). The storage area 140 may include a plurality of racks, each of which may house a plurality of customer batteries 104, each with an associated battery monitor unit 102. The battery monitor units may be mounted in the storage area for removable connection to configured customer batteries mounted in racks (placed in the storage area), or temporarily mounted on customer batteries.

[0036] exist Figure 2 In an embodiment, the batteries are arranged on one set of racks, and the battery monitor units are arranged on another set of racks. Each battery is connected to the battery monitor unit at a corresponding position in another rack by electrical coupling (e.g., by a CAN cable). In this way, the battery monitor units can be permanently installed in the storage area, and when the batteries are brought into or taken out of the storage area, they can be electrically coupled to the battery monitor units to monitor the batteries at the corresponding positions.

[0037] A different location ID indicator 120 may be placed on each rack for each location where batteries are stored. Each location ID indicator 120 may be associated with a location ID that is associated with a different physical location on the storage rack 121 (e.g., rack number, row, and column). In this way, the location ID 120 may be used to guide a user to a specific location (e.g., rack, row, and column). Alternatively, in another embodiment, a location ID indicator is provided for each rack that may be used to guide a user to a specific rack. A user may identify a specific battery on a rack by a warning light or warning audio of an electrically coupled battery monitor unit.

[0038] Figure 3 Another exemplary customer battery storage area 141 is shown as a payload for a transport vehicle. Figure 3 The storage area 141 in FIG. 1 is the cargo area of ​​the truck where the batteries can be temporarily placed during transportation (e.g., from a manufacturing plant to a distribution warehouse, or from a distribution warehouse to an assembly plant or point of sale). Figure 2 Same, Figure 3 The storage area 140 in the vehicle may include a plurality of racks, each rack being capable of housing a plurality of customer batteries, each battery having its own battery monitor unit. The battery monitor unit may be mounted in the vehicle for removable connection with a configured customer battery, may be mounted in a battery monitoring rack (disposed within the vehicle), or may be temporarily mounted on a customer battery.

[0039] A location ID indicator 120 is placed on each rack where batteries are stored. Each location ID indicator 120 can include a location ID that is associated with a vehicle / payload, a storage rack, and a different physical location (e.g., row and column) within the storage rack. In this way, the location ID can be used to identify (and therefore direct a user to) a specific location (e.g., vehicle, rack, row, and column). In other embodiments, a location ID indicator is provided for each rack - which can be used to identify a specific rack, and the battery monitor unit can automatically identify (e.g., through a warning light or warning sound) a user near the rack.

[0040] refer to Figure 1-3 , the storage areas 140, 141 may include network devices 108, 508 for facilitating communication with a battery monitor server 112, 512 or a battery monitor application 116, 516 on a user device 114, 514 over a network 110, 510. The battery monitor unit 102 may send battery information (e.g., ID information, battery monitor unit sensor information, customer battery BMS information, and timestamps received from the input / output device 106) to one or more battery monitor servers 112, 512 and / or user devices 114, 514. The battery information may be communicated over the network 110, 510. A hub, cellular router, WiFi router, or other network device 108, 508 may facilitate communication between the battery monitor unit 102 and the server 112, 512 and / or user device. The battery monitor application 116, 516 on the user device may provide real-time (e.g., real-time or near real-time) and / or recorded updates about the status of the customer battery 104.

[0041] In this manner, battery information, such as battery characteristics (e.g., temperature, voltage, and / or current), may be tracked based on a timestamp as well as a customer battery ID and location ID and correlated with the output of monitor sensors (e.g., accelerometers, humidity, thermocouples, and GPS) for individual customer batteries. The battery information may provide a monitor history of the battery during storage and / or transportation that would otherwise not be available. For example, if a customer battery is bumped, dropped, removed from a designated location, or has a charge level below a preset level, the collected battery information may allow a user to track such changes in real time via a battery monitor application 116, 516 on a user device 114, 514 and / or record a history of the sequence of events. Furthermore, because the timestamped battery information is collected from the customer battery BMS and monitor sensors, the battery monitor unit, battery monitor server, and / or battery monitor application may automatically analyze correlations between the information to determine and report various battery events to the user.

[0042] For example, Figure 5-6As shown, overheat warning notifications 308, 408 may be sent to a battery monitor desktop application 302 running on a desktop computer 300, or to a battery monitor mobile application 402 running on a smartphone or other mobile device 400. The alerts 308, 408 may identify information about the specific customer battery for which the warning was issued based on the customer battery ID (e.g., Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the alert may include the customer battery ID 304, 404. The alert may also include information identifying where the battery is located (e.g., Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the warning may include a location ID 306, 406). Additional notifications and / or alerts may be provided to the user. For example, in a battery monitor system that includes a global positioning system (GPS), the location of the battery may be monitored. If any problems occur in the battery storage area, a warning may be issued to alert the user to the potential problem and encourage the user to exercise caution before entering the storage area.

[0043] Integrated BMS are typically designed to not function during battery storage. Once installed in a target device, they can provide battery management functions and can be controlled by the target device systems (e.g., chargers, loads, thermal management systems, and / or emergency shutdown systems). The battery monitor system in the present disclosure can communicate with and enable the battery management system when the target device system does not control the battery management system, such as when customer batteries are stored in a storage area. That is, when the customer battery is not installed in the target device (e.g., when the customer battery is an electric vehicle battery—at this time the electric vehicle battery is not installed as a vehicle battery). The battery monitor system can enable battery monitoring functions when the battery management system is unable to operate.

[0044] Providing battery monitoring capabilities during storage / transport can provide multiple values. For example, the battery monitor system can ensure that the consumption of the monitored customer battery remains at a low level (if any). The battery monitor system can also monitor the battery voltage, battery current, battery temperature, and other battery information of the customer battery. This information can be stored in the local memory of the battery monitor unit or transmitted (e.g., wirelessly via a network device 108, 508 (e.g., a router, hub, switch)) to the battery monitor cloud server 112, 512 and / or the battery monitor application 116, 516 on the user device 114, 514.

[0045] Figure 4A representative block diagram of a battery monitor unit 102 designed in accordance with the present disclosure is shown. The battery monitor unit 102 includes a controller 201 that controls various components of the battery monitor unit 102 in accordance with programmed instructions. The controller may be a peripheral interface controller (“PIC”) or any other type of controller suitable for controlling various battery monitoring components. The controller 201 may include memory (e.g., non-volatile program memory, electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and / or random access memory (RAM)). The controller memory may be used to store machine instructions that the controller may execute as well as battery information. In some embodiments, the battery information may be stored locally on the controller (e.g., a day or week of battery information), with old data being replaced by new data. Alternatively, or in addition, additional memory external to the controller may be provided to store the battery information.

[0046] The battery monitor unit 102 may include a power supply 200. The controller 201 may selectively enable the power supply 200 to selectively provide sufficient power to operate the battery management system (even if it is not installed in the target device). In the current embodiment, the power supply is a 12V power supply. In alternative embodiments, the power supply may provide different voltage levels. The power supply 200 may selectively obtain power from the monitor power source 220 without obtaining power from the client battery (e.g., a static power supply).

[0047] The battery monitor unit may include a communication interface 202. The communication interface 202 may facilitate communication between the controller 201 and the BMS 105 of the customer battery 104. In the present embodiment, the communication interface 202 is a controller area network (CAN) interface that may facilitate communication between a CAN device (e.g., a battery management system) and a serial peripheral interface (SPI) device (e.g., a microcontroller). The communication interface 202 may receive CAN communications from the battery management system and convert the communications into serial peripheral interface protocol messages that the controller 201 may receive and understand. The communication interface 202 may receive SPI protocol messages from the controller 201 and convert them into CAN messages for communication and understanding by the BMS 105. Although the current embodiment uses a CAN interface, other embodiments may also use other data transmission protocols, such as the Secure Copy Protocol (SCP), Diagnostics over Internet Protocol (DOIP), or substantially any other suitable communication protocol.

[0048] Reference Figure 4, the battery monitor unit 102 may include additional sensor components to collect additional sensor data that is particularly useful in monitoring during battery storage. The battery monitor unit 102 may include additional sensor components, such as an accelerometer 206, a thermocouple system (including a thermocouple integrated circuit 204 and a thermocouple 205), a humidity sensor 207, and / or a global positioning system 222. These additional sensor components can provide additional battery information that the integrated BMS 105 cannot provide. For example, the accelerometer 206 can provide acceleration data, such as raw acceleration data, orientation data, vibration / motion data, shock / vibration data, activity tracking data, tilt / level data, and free fall data. The thermocouple system (204, 205) can provide thermocouple data, such as ambient temperature readings and / or customer battery housing temperature readings, depending on the configuration and location of the thermocouples (e.g., the thermocouples can be directly in contact with the surface of the customer battery to sense its surface temperature, or can be placed in the general ambient airflow to sense the ambient temperature reading). By incorporating these components into the battery monitor unit, additional sensor data can be collected during storage, which information is particularly useful during storage. Furthermore, because these components are located in the battery monitor unit, they do not introduce interference to the integrated battery management system of the customer battery, i.e., additional components that collect unnecessary information or become idle elements when the customer battery is installed in the target device. Similarly, other battery monitor components, such as displays, warning lights, status lights, warning buzzers, and wireless communication modules, etc., can also be included in the battery monitor unit to provide additional functions that are particularly useful during battery transport / storage, but which may be duplicated or become unnecessary once the customer battery is installed in the target device.

[0049] Each monitored battery can be referred to as a customer battery. The battery monitor system has an internal power source, is portable, and can remain connected to the customer battery for extended periods of time. The battery monitor system periodically powers the battery management system (BMS) of each customer battery to retrieve important information while providing multiple communication options (e.g., using one or more data transmission protocols such as controller area network (CAN), secure copy protocol (SCP), Internet protocol diagnostics (DOIP), or other data transmission protocols). The battery monitor is equipped with motion, ambient temperature, humidity, current, voltage, data integrity, and GPS sensors, integrating data from customer batteries and its own sensors, and using algorithms to evaluate battery status, environmental conditions, potential hazards, and compliance with specific storage or transportation requirements. The collected data can be processed locally at the battery monitor unit and transmitted in raw and processed form to a central server or local receiver for comprehensive monitoring and further analysis. In addition, the battery monitor can be equipped with on-board visual and audible warning / status indicators, including the option to connect high-power visual and audible warning devices that meet regulatory standards. In dangerous situations, the battery monitor can operate autonomously and activate its on-board / local audio-visual warning components to alert personnel without the need for a third-party on-board system. For example, the battery monitor unit may include a warning buzzer 210 as well as one or more warning LEDs 212 and one or more status LEDs 214. In addition, the battery monitor unit may include a screen 216 to display information such as the currently configured battery ID and location ID.

[0050] During operation, the battery monitor unit may wake up periodically (e.g., every 15 or 30 minutes) and check the status of the customer battery by supplying power to the BMS 105 of the customer battery and receiving battery information from the BMS. During this wake-up period, the battery monitor unit may also simultaneously collect and receive additional battery information from any monitor sensors (e.g., thermocouples, accelerometers, and humidity sensors) and process any communications received from the user (e.g., via a desktop or mobile application). That is, some sensors may be powered by the battery monitor power source while other components are in a dormant state. During the wake-up period, the battery monitor unit may process and issue any appropriate alarms (e.g., by activating a local buzzer, a local light source, and / or communicating with a desktop or mobile user application). For example, if a battery unit accelerometer detects a predetermined force exceeding a certain threshold, an alarm may be triggered to check the physical state of the battery. For another example, the user interface of the desktop or mobile application may provide a function to find a customer battery. The function may include a user interface element that, when activated, sends a communication to the battery monitor unit to activate its buzzer and / or indicator light, thereby enabling the user to quickly identify the target customer battery. As another example, this functionality could operate automatically and if the battery monitor unit determines that there may be a problem (e.g., a detected value or combination of detected values ​​is outside a specific acceptable range), it could activate its buzzer and / or indicator light to draw attention to the customer's battery. Additionally, the battery monitor unit could send a notification to the user via a desktop and / or mobile application prompting them to investigate. These alerts could also be conditioned on a set of battery monitor safety conditions. For example, if a battery enters a thermal runaway state or develops another potentially unsafe condition, or the battery monitor unit determines that one of the above conditions may occur, the alert system could provide that information so that the user knows there is a problem and does not physically inspect the customer's battery without the proper precautions and equipment.

[0051] The battery monitor unit may include its own monitor power source 220. In this embodiment, the battery monitor unit includes 21700 modules x2 (in series) with a nominal voltage of 7.4V. Alternatively, the power source may include a power input for connecting to a wall power supply or other external power source. The power source 220 may be connected via USB-C 218, and the USB data may be transmitted to the wireless module 208.

[0052] In addition to monitoring capabilities, battery monitor systems can also be equipped with sensors to detect motion, temperature changes, and internal current changes. These features enable the system to identify instances of improper battery handling, such as drops or jolts. As a result, the battery monitor system can trigger checks to protect the integrity and performance of customer batteries during storage. These trigger conditions (and associated tolerances) can vary depending on the specific storage environment. For example, when customer batteries are stored in a warehouse storage area, the accelerometer trigger conditions and tolerances may be lower, as opposed to when customer batteries are stored in a transportation vehicle storage area.

[0053] In some embodiments, one battery monitor unit can monitor multiple customer batteries, such as Figure 7 . In this embodiment, a battery monitor unit 552 is similar to the battery monitor unit described above and is connected to a customer battery 554 having its own battery management system via CAN. When configured, the I / O device 506 can be used to scan the battery ID indicator 555 and the location #1 indicator 558 to associate the customer battery with a specific location and the battery monitor unit 552. Another battery monitor unit 562 includes multiple CAN connections, which are connected to the battery management system of customer batteries 564, 566 respectively. When configuring these customer batteries 564, 566, the battery ID indicators 565, 567 and location indicators 568, 569 can be scanned and the corresponding battery ID can be associated with the corresponding location ID and the specific CAN interface in the battery monitor unit 562. In this way, a battery monitor unit can collect battery environmental data using its environmental sensors and combine this data with the data of the two batteries. For example, the ambient temperature readings of a battery monitor unit can be combined with the battery information collected from the two batteries 565, 567 by the battery management system.

[0054] Additionally, in some embodiments, two customer batteries may be physically mounted to the same battery monitor unit 562 (e.g., via Velcro, double-sided tape, or a pouch-like structure). In this way, accelerometer data recorded due to changes in acceleration of the battery monitor unit 562 may be input into both customer batteries 565, 567. In other embodiments, the battery monitor unit 562 and the two customer batteries may be located in the same vicinity (e.g., located on the same rack) rather than being physically coupled together. In this way, if the battery monitor unit accelerometer is subjected to acceleration forces, those forces may be reasonably attributed to the customer battery being monitored (e.g., if the rack is jostled or tipped over, the battery monitor unit may treat that ambient battery information as ambient battery information for both customer batteries). The same logic applies to a GPS or other battery monitor unit sensor subsystem.

[0055] While the accelerometer, thermocouple integrated circuit, and GPS battery monitoring subsystem are internal sensors of the battery monitor unit, in certain embodiments, the battery monitor sensor subsystem may be located external to the battery monitor unit and used by multiple battery monitor units within an overall area. For example, a separate temperature sensor unit may be installed in a storage area and configured to periodically send ambient temperature readings to the battery monitor unit (or directly to a nearby network device for later correlation with battery information collected from the battery monitor unit). In this way, a single temperature sensor system may serve multiple battery monitor units without the need to provide the sensor system in each unit. As another example, some storage areas may be equipped with fan units. The speed and operation of such fan units may constitute battery information related to airflow within the battery storage area, which may be correlated with the overall battery information collected. Similarly, multiple battery monitor units may utilize this fan information without each having a fan / cooling system.

[0056] The battery monitoring system of the present disclosure introduces an innovative solution for comprehensive monitoring of batteries during short-term or long-term storage (e.g., storage in a warehouse or storage during vehicle transportation), ensuring that customer battery performance is maintained while reducing power consumption. Through a built-in power supply and a diverse sensor suite, the battery monitoring system can provide real-time (e.g., real-time, near real-time, or historical data) battery data, including battery health status, battery storage conditions, and potential battery-related hazards. With its advanced monitoring and early warning capabilities, the battery monitoring system is a reliable and efficient tool for extending battery life and reducing operational risks during battery storage and transportation.

[0057] Based on the orientation of the embodiments shown in the drawings, directional terms such as "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", "inner", "inward", "outer" and "outward" are used to describe the present invention. The use of directional terms should not be construed as limiting the present invention to any particular orientation.

[0058] The above description is an existing embodiment of the present invention. Various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention defined in the accompanying claims, and these modifications and changes should be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law (including the doctrine of equivalents). This disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive description of all embodiments of the present invention, nor should it be interpreted as limiting the scope of the claims to specific elements specifically described or described in connection with these embodiments. For example, but not limited to, any single element of the present invention described can be replaced by an alternative element that provides a substantially similar function or otherwise provides sufficient operation. For example, this includes currently known alternative elements, such as alternative elements that may be currently known to those skilled in the art, and alternative elements that may be developed in the future, such as elements that may be considered replaceable by those skilled in the art after development. In addition, the disclosed embodiments include a plurality of commonly described features that may provide a series of advantages together. The present invention is not limited to those embodiments that include only all of these features or provide all of the described benefits, unless otherwise expressly provided in the issued claims. Any reference to a singular form in a claim, such as the use of the articles "one", "single", "said", "above", "above", etc., should not be interpreted as limiting the element to a singular form.

Claims

1. A battery monitor unit for monitoring a customer battery during storage of the customer battery, the customer battery having a battery management system, the battery monitor unit comprising: a battery monitor power supply for selectively supplying power to the battery management system of the customer battery during storage of the customer battery; a communication interface for receiving battery information from the battery management system of the customer battery during storage of the customer battery; one or more battery monitor sensors for sensing battery information, including ambient battery information; a wireless communication module for communicating with a remote device, including battery information received from the battery management system of the customer battery and ambient battery information obtained from the one or more battery monitor sensors and collected during storage of the customer battery; Battery monitor controller; a battery monitor power source for powering electrical components of the battery monitor unit, including the battery monitor power supply, the communication interface, the wireless communication module, and the battery monitor controller; and Wherein, the battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to: selectively powering the battery monitor power supply to selectively power the battery management system of the customer battery during storage of the customer battery; receiving battery information from the battery management system of the customer battery via the communication interface during storage of the customer battery; receiving battery information, including ambient battery information, from the one or more battery monitoring sensors during storage of the customer battery; storing the received battery information in a memory; and The battery information is transmitted to a remote device via the wireless communication module.

2. The battery monitor unit of claim 1, wherein the communication interface comprises a controller area network interface for receiving battery information including a customer battery identifier associated with the customer battery. 3 . The battery monitor unit of claim 1 , wherein the battery monitor controller comprises a plurality of general purpose input / output interfaces for receiving client battery voltage information and client battery temperature information from the battery management system.

4. The battery monitor unit of claim 1 , comprising a global positioning system for sensing location information, wherein the battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to receive location information from the global positioning system, associate a timestamp with the location information, and store the location information with the associated timestamp in a memory.

5. The battery monitor unit of claim 1 , comprising a thermocouple system for sensing ambient temperature information during storage of customer batteries, wherein the battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to receive ambient temperature information from the thermocouple system, associate a timestamp with the ambient temperature information, and store the ambient temperature information with the associated timestamp in a memory.

6. The battery monitor unit of claim 1 , comprising a battery monitor unit connection interface for removably physically connecting the battery monitor unit to the customer battery, and further comprising an accelerometer for sensing accelerometer information associated with the battery monitor unit and the physically connected customer battery during storage of the customer battery, wherein the battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to receive the accelerometer information from the accelerometer and store the accelerometer information in a memory.

7. The battery monitor unit of claim 6, wherein the battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to receive accelerometer information from the accelerometer, associate a timestamp with the accelerometer information, and store the associated timestamp with the accelerometer information in a memory.

8. The battery monitor unit of claim 1, wherein the battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to receive battery monitor subsystem information from one or more battery monitor sensors, associate a battery monitoring timestamp with the battery monitoring subsystem information, and store the battery monitoring subsystem information with the associated timestamp in a memory.

9. The battery monitor unit of claim 8, wherein the battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to associate a timestamp with the received battery information and store the received battery information with the associated timestamp in a memory.

10. The battery monitor unit of claim 8, wherein: The received battery information includes a customer battery timestamp, and the battery monitor controller is configured or programmed to use the battery monitor subsystem timestamp and the customer battery timestamp, associate the battery monitor subsystem information with the battery information, and store the battery monitor subsystem information, battery information, and at least one of the battery monitor subsystem timestamp and the customer battery timestamp in a memory.

11. The battery monitor unit of claim 1, comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises a speaker, a display, and one or more lights.

12. The battery monitor unit of claim 1, comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to receive location information indicating a physical location within the storage area where the customer battery is located.

13. The battery monitor unit of claim 1, wherein: The customer battery includes a battery identifier indicator; wherein the customer battery storage location includes a battery location indicator indicating a physical location within a customer battery storage area; wherein the battery monitor system includes a scanning device configured to scan the battery identifier indicator and the battery location indicator and send the battery identifier information and the battery location information to the battery monitor controller.

14. The battery monitor unit of claim 1, wherein: The customer battery is associated with a battery identifier and the customer battery storage location is associated with a battery location identifier; wherein the battery monitor system includes a data input device configured to receive the battery identifier and the battery location identifier and send them to the battery monitor controller.

15. The battery monitor unit of claim 1, comprising a battery monitor unit connection interface for removably physically connecting the battery monitor unit to the customer battery.

16. The battery monitor unit of claim 1, wherein the battery monitor unit power supply selectively provides power to the battery management system of the customer battery during storage of the customer battery without drawing power from the customer battery.

17. A battery monitor system for monitoring a plurality of customer batteries during storage, each customer battery having a battery management system and a customer battery identifier representing a different customer battery ID, the battery monitor system comprising: A plurality of battery monitor units, each battery monitor unit comprising: a power source electrically coupled to a battery management system of one of the plurality of client batteries; a communication interface for communicating with an electrically coupled battery management system; a battery monitor sensor subsystem for sensing battery information, including ambient battery information; a wireless communication module for transmitting battery information to a remote device, the battery information being collected from an electrically coupled battery management system and ambient battery information; A battery monitor unit controller configured to: selectively powering a power source of a battery monitor unit to selectively power an electrically coupled battery management system of the client battery; receiving battery information from an electrically coupled battery management system of the client battery and the battery monitor sensor subsystem; storing the received battery information in a memory; and transmitting the battery information to a remote device via the wireless communication module; and a battery monitor unit power source for powering electrical components of the battery monitor unit, including a power source of the battery monitor unit, a communication interface of the battery monitor unit, a wireless communication module of the battery monitor unit, and a battery monitor unit controller; and a cargo area having a plurality of different customer battery storage locations, each customer battery storage location being associated with a different location identifier indicator representing a different location ID, wherein the plurality of customer batteries are located in the plurality of different customer battery storage locations; An I / O device configured to facilitate configuration of the plurality of battery monitor units to monitor the plurality of customer batteries stored in the plurality of different customer battery storage locations in the cargo hold area based on the different location IDs of the plurality of different customer battery storage locations and the different customer battery IDs of the plurality of customer batteries.

18. The battery monitor system of claim 17, wherein: Each communication interface of the plurality of battery monitor units includes a controller area network interface for receiving battery information including a customer battery identifier associated with the customer battery.

19. The battery monitor system of claim 17, wherein: Each controller of the plurality of battery monitor units includes a plurality of general purpose input / output interfaces for receiving customer battery voltage information and customer battery temperature information.

20. The battery monitor system of claim 17, wherein the battery monitor sensor subsystem of each battery monitor unit includes a global positioning system for sensing location information.

21. The battery monitor system of claim 17, wherein the battery monitor sensor subsystem of each battery monitor unit includes a thermocouple system for sensing ambient temperature information.

22. The battery monitor system of claim 17, wherein the battery monitor sensor subsystem of each battery monitor unit includes an accelerometer for sensing accelerometer information.

23. A battery monitor system according to claim 17, wherein the battery monitor controller of each battery monitor unit is configured or programmed to associate a battery monitor timestamp with battery information received from a battery monitor sensor subsystem, and store the battery information received from the battery monitor sensor subsystem together with the associated timestamp in a memory.

24. The battery monitor system of claim 17, wherein the battery monitor controller of each battery monitor unit is configured or programmed to associate a timestamp with the received battery information and store the received battery information with the associated timestamp in a memory.

25. The battery monitor system of claim 17, wherein the received battery information includes a customer battery timestamp, and wherein: The battery monitor controller of each battery monitor unit is configured or programmed to associate battery information from its battery monitor sensor subsystem with customer battery information using the battery monitor sensor subsystem timestamp and the customer battery timestamp, and to store the battery information, and at least one of the battery monitor sensor subsystem timestamp and the customer battery timestamp, in a memory.

26. The battery monitor system of claim 17, wherein the input / output device comprises a scanning device configured to scan the battery identifier indicator and the battery location indicator and send the battery identifier information and the battery location information to the selected battery monitor controller.

27. The battery monitor system of claim 17, wherein the input / output device comprises a data input device configured to receive the battery identifier and battery location identifier and send them to a selected battery monitor controller.

28. The battery monitor unit of claim 17, wherein each battery monitor unit comprises a battery monitor unit connection interface for removably physically connecting the battery monitor unit to a customer battery.

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