Battery Stack Location Tracking via Wired Wireless Controllers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Locating and tracking batteries within a stack is a time and resource-intensive task in manufacturing environments where autonomous robots use modular and swappable batteries, hindering efficient battery management and retrieval processes.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a battery controller, a battery stack controller, and a central controller that communicate using wired and wireless protocols to determine battery connection and disconnection conditions, generate connection timestamps, and monitor battery locations, enabling accurate tracking and controlling robot operations for efficient battery retrieval and charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual locating and tracking of batteries within a stack is performed, then battery management can be conducted, but the process is time-consuming and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The battery management system performs self-monitoring and self-tracking through integrated sensors and controllers. Each battery unit automatically reports its status and location to the central controller, eliminating the need for manual intervention in locating and tracking batteries within the stack.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection and tracking with an automated electronic monitoring system. Sensors detect battery conditions and communicate location data via wired or wireless protocols, substituting human operators with an automated control system that continuously monitors battery positions and states.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive monitoring of battery locations is implemented, then battery management accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is divided into modular components: individual battery controllers at each unit, intermediate battery stack controllers, and a central controller. Each segment handles specific monitoring tasks locally, reducing the complexity burden on any single component while maintaining overall system accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Battery stack controllers act as intermediaries between individual battery controllers and the central controller. These intermediate nodes aggregate and preprocess location data from multiple batteries before transmitting to the central controller, reducing communication overhead and simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Reliability
If real-time tracking of battery connections and disconnections is performed, then operational reliability is improved, but communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous real-time communication, the system employs periodic status reporting where battery controllers transmit connection and disconnection information at scheduled intervals or when state changes occur. This reduces communication frequency while maintaining reliable tracking of battery connection status.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements event-driven feedback mechanisms where battery controllers automatically transmit status updates when connection or disconnection events occur. This ensures reliable tracking of battery status changes while minimizing unnecessary communication by only transmitting data when state changes occur.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes determining, by a battery controller, whether a battery connection condition of a given battery from among a plurality of batteries disposed within a battery stack is satisfied; generating, by the battery controller, a connection indication signal associated with the given battery in response to the battery connection condition being satisfied; transmitting, by the battery controller, the connection indication signal and battery identification information associated with the given battery to a battery stack controller using a wired communication protocol; transmitting, by the battery stack controller, the connection indication signal and the battery identification information to a central controller using a wireless communication protocol; monitoring, by the central controller, a location of the given battery based on the connection indication signal and the battery identification information; and controlling, by the central controller, an operation of a robot based on the location of the given battery.