HK1260014A1 - Intelligent monitoring systems for liquid electrolyte batteries - Google Patents

Description

Intelligent monitoring system for liquid electrolyte battery

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an intelligent system for monitoring the condition and performance of liquid electrolyte batteries, such as lead acid batteries.

Background

Liquid electrolyte batteries, such as lead acid batteries, provide electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction. The electrochemical reaction involves the reaction of an acid, such as sulfuric acid, with the battery electrodes to generate an electrical potential. Lead-acid batteries are one of the main sources of self-powered vehicles (including, for example, forklifts and reach trucks), backup power, and other applications due to their reliability and low cost.

There are a variety of sensors used to monitor the condition or performance of lead acid batteries. For example, lead acid batteries can experience water loss when recharged and due to water evaporation from heat. Thus, known water level sensors can measure the liquid level within the battery housing. Additional sensors are then known for measuring ambient air temperature, battery fluid temperature, battery voltage, amp hour flux, and half voltage (voltage of half of the battery compared to the other half of the battery).

However, existing sensors present various problems. For example, existing sensors lack integration and do not completely alleviate the need to manually inspect each cell. In addition, existing level sensors do not measure the amount of water consumed by the battery, but rather the presence or absence of a predetermined level of water at a given point in time.

Accordingly, there remains a continuing need for an improved battery monitoring system for liquid electrolyte batteries and particularly lead acid batteries. Furthermore, there remains a continuing need for an improved battery monitoring system that automatically monitors the condition and performance of lead acid batteries, thereby improving the operation and life of the batteries.

Disclosure of Invention

A battery monitoring system for a plurality of liquid electrolyte batteries is provided. The battery monitoring system includes a network of sensors for monitoring the condition or performance of each of a plurality of batteries. Sensor data from the network of sensors is shared with the independent device via the wireless network. A separate device, such as a smartphone or tablet, communicates with the server for analyzing the sensor data. The stand-alone device provides a maintenance alert to ensure proper maintenance and service of the plurality of batteries.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of batteries includes a control module in electrical communication with a network of sensors. The sensors may include voltage sensors, flow rate sensors, pressure sensors, level sensors, amp hour flux current sensors, and dirty battery sensors. The control module also includes an onboard temperature sensor and an onboard accelerometer. The sensor measures electrolyte level, electrolyte temperature, ambient temperature, battery orientation, amp hour flux, voltage between the positive and negative terminals, and half voltage of the battery.

In another embodiment, the control module shares data via a wireless network, optionally according to a bluetooth smart bulletin mode. The first data packet is associated with a battery status. The battery status packet may alert the user if the battery requires immediate attention. For example, the battery status data packet may contain information relating to battery impact, battery temperature, cell imbalance, and low electrolyte levels. The second data includes historical sensor data including digital timestamps. The historical sensor data is forwarded to a server for storage and analysis.

In yet another embodiment, the control module shares data with the standalone device via a wireless personal area network, such as a bluetooth smart network or a ZigBee network. The standalone device may comprise a smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, or vehicle computer adapted to receive data via a wireless personal area network. The standalone device may also include a gateway (wireless access point), cellular system, or mesh network. The standalone device includes an application adapted to display a maintenance alarm or other alert indicating, for example, an unsafe level or an unsafe battery temperature.

In another embodiment, a battery monitoring system measures the amount of water added to a lead acid battery. The battery monitoring system includes a flow rate sensor, a pressure sensor, and a microprocessor coupled to an output of the flow rate sensor and an output of the pressure sensor. When the flow rate exceeds a predetermined minimum flow rate, the microprocessor determines the amount of water added to the lead acid battery based on the pressure measured within the feed tube. The amount of water added to the battery may be indicative of the condition of the battery and its remaining useful life.

In yet another embodiment, the battery monitoring system measures the amount of water added to the lead-acid battery without a flow rate sensor. In this embodiment, the microprocessor determines the amount of water added to the lead acid battery based on the time period between when the water pressure exceeds the minimum pressure and when the water pressure stabilizes at the maximum pressure. As described above, the amount of water added to the battery may be indicative of the condition of the battery and its remaining useful life.

In yet another embodiment, the battery monitoring system uses a pressure sensor to determine whether to add water to the lead acid battery, optionally without a flow rate sensor. In this embodiment, the microprocessor measures the output of the pressure sensor to determine whether the battery has been supplied with water. If the battery is not being supplied with water, the user may be alerted to the need to supply water to the battery, optionally by issuing a maintenance alert to a separate device.

In another embodiment, a battery monitoring system includes a multi-axis accelerometer, a microprocessor coupled to an output of the accelerometer, and a separate unit in wireless communication with the microprocessor. The microprocessor is operable to determine an impact to the battery housing and an orientation of the battery housing based on the output of the accelerometer. The information is broadcast to the individual devices. The stand-alone device may alert the user to an unsafe battery condition, such as the battery housing being in an unsafe orientation (e.g., a severe tilt) or the battery housing being subjected to an unsafe impact (e.g., a drop).

The present invention may therefore provide an improved battery monitoring system for liquid electrolyte batteries and in particular lead acid batteries. The improved battery monitoring system may replace existing sensors with a network of connected sensors to provide an analysis of battery performance and battery condition. The improved battery monitoring system may reduce or eliminate manual inspection of the lead-acid batteries and improve the operation and life of the batteries by ensuring an appropriate level of maintenance for each lead-acid battery.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention, when viewed in accordance with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a deep cycle (deep cycle) lead acid battery coupled to a single point water supply.

Fig. 2 is a top view of a deep cycle lead acid battery coupled to a single point water supply.

Fig. 3 is a top view of a battery monitoring system according to the current embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a control module with internal wireless communication circuitry according to the current embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a control module according to the current embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a battery monitoring system including a handheld device and a remote server for determining battery alarms.

Fig. 7 is a flow chart illustrating the collection of sensor data according to the current embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating uploading of sensor data from multiple control modules to a local stand-alone device.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating uploading sensor data from a local standalone to a remote server.

Fig. 10 is a flow chart illustrating evaluation of accelerometer data of a battery according to the current embodiment.

Detailed Description

As contemplated and disclosed herein, the present invention includes a battery monitoring system for liquid electrolyte batteries, and in particular lead acid batteries. As described below, the battery monitoring system includes a network of sensors for monitoring the condition or performance of a plurality of liquid electrolyte batteries. The sensor data is shared to the independent devices via the wireless network. A server in electrical communication with the standalone device receives the data for analysis, which may generate additional maintenance alerts and other alerts that are sent to the standalone device.

I. Overview of the Battery

Referring now to fig. 1, an exemplary liquid electrolyte battery is shown and generally designated 100. The liquid electrolyte battery 100 is a deep cycle lead acid battery that includes a plurality of battery cells that house a collection of electrodes, electrolyte solution, and terminals. The cells share a common housing 102 and comprise a 12 volt configuration. Each cell includes a small vent opening in the housing cover 104. The lead acid battery also includes a vent cap twisted into the vent opening of each cell. A positive terminal 106 and a negative terminal 108 protrude from the top of the housing cover 104.

During recharging, and due to water evaporation caused by heating, the lead acid battery 100 will experience water loss. As shown in fig. 1, the single point water supply 110 provides water to each cell. The single point water supply includes a flexible feed tube 116 that provides a fluid flow path from the inlet 112 to each cell. The single point water supply also includes a refill control valve 114 for each cell that replaces the vent cap and is torqued into the vent opening of each cell.

Overview of the System

As described above, the present embodiments include a battery monitoring system for monitoring the condition or performance of a plurality of deep cycle lead acid batteries. The battery monitoring system 10 is shown in fig. 1-5 and includes a control module 12, a plurality of external sensors, and a plurality of internal sensors. The external sensors include current sensor 14, flow rate sensor 16, pressure sensor 18, positive electrode 20, ground electrode 22, half-voltage electrode 24, level sensor 28, and dirty battery sensor 30. Internal sensors (internal to the control module 12) include a temperature sensor 32 and an accelerometer 34. Other embodiments include a greater or lesser number of external sensors and/or internal sensors as desired. Each sensor measures a characteristic (e.g., condition or performance) of lead-acid battery 100. The measured characteristics may include electrolyte level, electrolyte temperature, ambient temperature, case integrity (e.g., any history of having dropped or impacted), case orientation, voltage between the positive and negative terminals, and half voltage of battery 100. Other characteristics may be measured as desired in other embodiments.

As shown in fig. 1-2, the control module 12 is centrally mounted on the housing cover 104. The control module 12 includes an internal controller for processing the output of the aforementioned sensors. In this embodiment, the controller is a microprocessor 40, but may comprise, for example, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) in other embodiments. The microprocessor 40 is coupled to the output of each of the sensors identified above, optionally via an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 42. The control module 12 may also include a shift register, such as a parallel input, serial output shift register, to reduce the number of inputs to the microprocessor 40. The shift register may be included in the signal conditioning circuit 44, shown in fig. 5 as being connected between the external sensor and the microprocessor 40. Microprocessor 40 may also include an integrated communication circuit for communicating via a wireless personal area network, such as a bluetooth intelligent (BLE) network. Other networks include, for example, ZigBee networks and Wi-Fi networks. When using a bluetooth smart network, the integrated communication circuit may include a bluetooth chip and an integrated 2.4GHz antenna for communicating with a stand-alone device (discussed below).

As also shown in fig. 5, the control module 12 includes a programming interface 46, a serial debug interface 48, an onboard temperature sensor 32, an onboard accelerometer 34, an external non-volatile memory (NVM)50, an onboard LED indicator 52, a serial bus to a remote LED indicator 54, a regulated rail voltage 56, and a four-pin wire and wire connector 58. The programming interface 46 receives computer readable instructions for processing sensor data and/or broadcasting sensor data via a wireless network. Serial debug interface 48 supports data transfer to verify that microprocessor 40 is functioning properly prior to packaging and shipping. The on-board temperature sensor 32 provides a temperature measurement for output to the microprocessor 40. The temperature sensor 32 may comprise a thermistor having a variable resistance. The microprocessor 40 can determine the ambient air temperature by measuring the resistance of the thermistor, optionally using a voltage divider. The on-board accelerometer 34 is a tri-axial accelerometer used to measure the orientation (e.g., upright, inverted, tilted) of the battery 100 and any impact on the battery 100. The on-board LED indicator 52 provides immediate feedback regarding the condition or performance of the battery 100. In some embodiments, the on-board indicator 52 includes three LEDs: a stable green LED, a stable red LED, and a blinking red LED. A steady green LED may indicate that the liquid level does not need refilling, a flashing red color may indicate that the liquid level needs refilling, and a steady red color may indicate that the liquid level is too high. Although described as being present on the control module 12, the LED indicator 52 may also or alternatively be present elsewhere, such as on the level sensor 28. The LED indicator 42 may alternatively be present at the end of a wire protruding from the control module 12. Finally, the line-to-line connector 58 in this embodiment includes four connections, two connections to the microcontroller (5V and ground) and two connections to the serial debug interface 48 (transmit and receive).

Periodically or as sensor data is collected, the control module 12 publishes or transmits the sensor data via a wireless network to a nearby standalone device 60. The stand-alone device 60 includes: a handheld device, such as a smartphone, tablet or laptop, or a desktop device, such as a computer workstation, or a component of a vehicle, such as an on-board computer. The standalone device 60 then transmits all or a portion of the data to a remote server 62 for further analysis. As shown in fig. 6, the standalone device 60 may be connected to multiple battery monitoring systems 10 via a wireless network. The data transmitted to the remote server 62 may be stored in a remote database and/or analyzed. For example, the remote server 62 may analyze the sensor data and transmit added maintenance alerts and other alerts to the standalone device 62.

To reiterate, the standalone appliance 60 acquires sensor data from a plurality of control modules 12, each associated with a battery 100. In one embodiment, the control module 12 communicates with the standalone device 60 according to the bluetooth smart protocol (also referred to as bluetooth low energy, bluetooth LE, or BLE). Each control module 12 is a peripheral device that publishes data for reading by the central device, according to the bluetooth smart protocol. The individual device 60, which is a central device, reads the issued data from the control module 12. The control module 12 may update the published data periodically or in response to an event, such as when there is a significant change in sensor data. The sensor data includes two data packets. The first data packet includes a battery status. The battery status data packet may be used to alert the user that the battery requires an action item. For example, the battery status data packet may contain information relating to battery shock, over-temperature, cell imbalance, and low electrolyte levels. The action items may include: recharging the batteries with water, replacing the batteries with new batteries, cleaning the battery top cover, or restoring the batteries to an upright orientation. The action items may also include equalization, charging a battery, repairing a battery, temperature point water system repair, or state of charge. For example, the action items may be presented to the user on a touch screen display of the standalone device 62. The second data packet may include historical sensor data including digital timestamps for diagnostic analysis by the remote server 62, as explained further below.

More specifically, remote server 62 includes a processor to perform a series of diagnostic functions associated with battery 100. Based on the output of the diagnostic function, the remote server 62 transmits one or more maintenance alerts to the independent device 60. However, in other embodiments, stand-alone device 60 includes an internal processor adapted to perform diagnostic functions associated with battery 100. In these embodiments, the remote server 62 is omitted and the stand-alone device 60 provides self-alerts. The diagnostic function comprises a series of instructions stored in a computer readable data storage device. The computer readable data storage device may be a portable storage device that can be read by the processor. Such portable storage devices may include compact disks, digital video disks, flash drives, and any other disk, memory stick, or any other portable storage medium now known or later developed that can be read by a disk drive embedded in or externally connected to a computer. Additionally, the machine-readable data storage device may be an embedded component of the computer, such as a hard disk or flash drive of the computer.

Sensor overview

As described above, the battery monitoring system 10 includes various sensors for measuring and reporting one or more characteristics of the battery 100. Exemplary sensors are discussed below by way of non-limiting examples; in other embodiments, additional sensors may be utilized as desired. The sensor data is time stamped and analyzed by the microcontroller 40 prior to being broadcast over the wireless network.

The current sensor 14 is an electrical sensor adapted to measure the power output of the battery 100. As shown in fig. 5, the current sensor 14 is coupled to the signal conditioning circuit 44 with two inputs (power and ground) and one output (current sensor signal). The analog value of the signal is proportional to the power output of the battery 100 and is output as an analog input to the microprocessor 40.

The flow sensor 16 is an in-line flow sensor having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the supply line 116. The flow sensor 16 includes an internal rotor and an internal hall effect sensor. The speed at which the rotor rotates will vary depending on the water flow rate. The hall effect sensors output corresponding pulse signals to the signal conditioning circuit 44, which in turn is output to the microprocessor 40 via the ADC 42. The microprocessor 40 then converts the digital signal to a value corresponding to the flow rate in the supply line 116.

The pressure sensor 18 is an in-line pressure sensor having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the supply tube 116. The pressure sensor 18 outputs an analog signal proportional to the fluid pressure in the supply line 116. The output of the pressure sensor 18 is coupled to a signal conditioning circuit 44, which in turn is output to the microprocessor 40 via the ADC 42. The microprocessor 40 then converts the digital signal to a value corresponding to the pressure in the supply line 116.

Half-voltage sensor 24 is adapted to compare the voltage at one half of battery 100 with the voltage at the other half of battery 100. As shown in fig. 5, the half-voltage sensor 24 includes an output to the signal conditioning unit 44 that is between 4 and 46 volts DC. The half-battery voltage is one of four inputs into the ADC 42, which also includes each terminal voltage (represented by BATT + and BATT-), and the dirty battery voltage.

The fluid level sensor 28 comprises a capacitive sensor that measures the fluid level within the battery housing 104. The capacitive sensor provides an output that varies as the liquid level rises relative to the probe. The output of the level sensor 28 is coupled to the wire-to-wire connector 58 and then to the microprocessor 40. The structure and function of the Level Sensor 28 is set forth in U.S. application No. __ entitled "Liquid Level Sensor for Battery Monitoring Systems," filed on even date herewith, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The dirty battery sensor 30 detects the accumulation of electrolyte on the battery cover 104 and includes conductive pads on the battery cover 104. The conductive pad outputs a voltage to the signal conditioning circuit 44, as shown in fig. 5 as "dirty battery voltage". The ADC 42 outputs a digital signal to the microprocessor 40, which is based on the dirty battery voltage. Once the voltage between the negative terminal 22 and the conductive pad falls within a predetermined range, a short circuit occurs across the battery cover 104 and a signal can be sent to the stand-alone unit 60 to inform the end user that the battery cover 104 should be cleaned.

The on-board temperature sensor 32 provides a temperature measurement above the water level (e.g., on top of the battery cover 104) for output to the microprocessor 40. In this embodiment, the on-board temperature sensor 32 comprises a thermistor having a resistance proportional to the ambient temperature. The output of the on-board temperature sensor 32 is an analog input to the microprocessor 40.

The on-board accelerometer 34 is a three-axis accelerometer that provides orientation sensing, free-fall sensing, and shock sensing. More specifically, the on-board accelerometer 34 measures the orientation (e.g., upright, inverted, tilted) of the battery 100 as well as any free-fall events or impacts to the battery 100. The output of the on-board temperature sensor 32 is an analog input to the microprocessor 40.

Referring to FIG. 7, a flow chart depicting operation of sensor data is depicted. At decision step 70, microprocessor 40 determines whether the current iteration started from boot-up or the power cycle. If a power cycle is detected, the microcontroller sets a flag in the non-volatile memory 50 for power loss for subsequent transmission to the stand-alone device 60 at step 72. If a start is detected, the microprocessor 40 turns on a watchdog timer for sensor data sampling, transmission over the wireless network, and on-board sensor polling, step 74. As used herein, a watchdog timer comprises an electronic countdown timer that periodically restarts during normal operation. At decision step 76, microprocessor 40 determines whether an interrupt is triggered. If an interrupt is triggered, the microprocessor 40 identifies the interrupt as coming from an accelerometer or communication circuit at step 78. The microprocessor 40 reads the accelerometer 34 at step 80 or services the communication request according to the results of decision step 78 at step 82. At decision step 84, the microprocessor 40 determines whether the timeout has expired. If not, the microprocessor 40 returns to step 74. If the timeout has expired, the microprocessor 40 identifies the source of the timeout at decision 86. The microprocessor 40 then reads the sensor data based on the source of the timeout and then returns to step 74. Without any timeout, the microprocessor 40 stores the sensor data to the non-volatile memory 50 for comparison with a threshold value also stored to the non-volatile memory 50. The threshold may be updated from time to time by the separate device 60. Sensor data outside the expected parameters is time stamped and stored to the non-volatile memory 50 for broadcast over a wireless network, optionally a bluetooth LE wireless personal area network.

The reading of data by the separate device 60 is further illustrated in fig. 8. At step 90, and after discovering each control module 12 on the local wireless network, the standalone device 60 identifies each control module 12 (identified as a "peripheral" or "external device" in fig. 8 and 9). At step 92, the standalone appliance 60 connects and authenticates each such control module 12. The independent device 60 reads data from each such control module 12 at step 94 and writes the data to local memory at step 96. In step 98, the standalone device 60 determines whether the data read is complete. If the data read is not complete, the independent device 60 continues to look for data packets from the control module 12 at step 100. If the data read is complete, the stand-alone device 60 is disconnected from the control module 12 at step 102. If a wireless network is available at step 104, then the standalone device 60 uploads the data to the remote server 62 at step 106. At decision step 108, the standalone device 60 determines whether the data read is complete, and if not, returns to step 90 for further iterations.

The upload of data from the standalone device 60 to the server 62 is further illustrated in fig. 9. In step 110, the standalone device 60 determines whether a wireless network is available. If a wireless network is not available, the standalone device 60 continues to attempt to connect to the wireless network at step 112. If a wireless network is available, the standalone device 60 authenticates the server Application Programming Interface (API) at step 114. At step 116, the standalone appliance 60 checks the time of the last update. At step 118, the standalone appliance 60 filters the data in the local storage received by the standalone appliance from the control module 12 since the last server upload. At step 120, the standalone device 60 transmits the POST request to the server 62, requesting that the server 62 accept and store data accompanying the POST request, which data corresponds to time-stamped sensor data from the control module 12. In step 122, the standalone device 60 receives the response code and message from the server 62. At step 124, the standalone device 60 determines whether the request is received by the server 62 and is being processed, such as the HTML-style response code 200. The standalone device 60 repeats or terminates the above process depending on whether the server 62 acknowledges receipt of the POST request.

Diagnostic function

As described above, the battery monitoring system 10 is adapted to provide automated diagnostics for a plurality of lead acid batteries 100. The automatic diagnostics may generate maintenance alerts to ensure proper maintenance and service of each of the plurality of lead acid batteries 100. In some embodiments, diagnostics may be performed remotely by the control module microprocessor 40, while in other embodiments diagnostics may be performed locally by the stand-alone device 60 or by the server 62. The generated maintenance alert is then presented by the application hosted on the standalone device 60 for viewing by the user.

Various diagnostic functions are presented below, according to the current embodiment. These diagnostic functions include: (a) measuring a liquid level within each of the plurality of cells; (b) measuring a volume of water added to each of the plurality of cells using the flow rate sensor and the pressure sensor; (c) measuring a volume of water added to each of the plurality of cells using the pressure sensor without using the flow rate sensor; (d) an accelerometer is used to measure the orientation of the battery and any unsafe impacts. In other embodiments, additional diagnostic functions may be utilized as desired. The output of each diagnostic function typically includes an alarm to a separate device to indicate an action item with respect to the battery. The action items may include refilling the charging battery with water, replacing the battery with a new battery, cleaning the battery top cover, or restoring the battery to an upright orientation. Other alerts may be generated as desired in other embodiments.

Measuring the liquid level within the cell typically includes measuring the output of the level sensor 28 and comparing the output to a predetermined minimum liquid level. The output of level sensor 28 varies relative to the level of liquid within the cell so that a plurality of non-zero liquid levels can be detected. If the comparison (performed by microprocessor 40, stand-alone device 60, or server 62) determines that the measured level is below the minimum level, stand-alone device 60 generates an alert to the user. The alert may include an action item to refill the battery before the next use. The action item may be presented on an application hosted on the standalone device 60.

Measuring the volume of water added to the cells typically includes (for each cell): measuring the flow rate of water moving through the supply pipe 116, calculating the volume of water added during the period when the measured flow rate exceeds the minimum flow rate, outputting the calculated volume of water for the application hosted on the separate device 60, and optionally indicating to a user of the separate device 60 when the water supply is complete. Calculation of the volume of water added is performed by multiplying the flow rate (derived from the output of flow sensor 16) by the area of supply tube 116 to determine the volumetric flow rate. The volumetric flow rate is then multiplied by the total time period that the flow rate exceeds the minimum flow rate to yield a measured fill volume, also referred to herein as the "refill volume". If the flow rate is not stable, the above calculation can be performed by integrating the flow rate over the same period of time. The measured water addition volume is then compared to the expected water addition volume for that particular cell. For example, the expected water addition volume may be a function of the remaining useful life of the battery, which in turn may be based on a previous amount of charge. If the measured fill volume exceeds the expected fill volume, the stand-alone device 60 generates an alert to the user. The alert may include an action item to replace the aged battery. The action item may be displayed by an application hosted on the standalone device 60. The standalone appliance 60 may additionally schedule water refills based on the collected data.

Measuring the volume of water added to the cells may alternatively include (for each cell): measuring the pressure of the water moving through the supply pipe 116, calculating the volume of water added during the period when the measured pressure is between the minimum pressure and the maximum pressure, outputting the calculated volume of water for the application hosted on the separate device 60, and indicating to a user of the separate device 60 when the water supply is complete. Calculation of the volume of water added is performed according to the bernoulli equation, where the flow rate is derived from the pressure within the supply tube 116 (as measured by the pressure sensor 18). The flow rate is then multiplied by the area of the supply tube 116 to determine the volumetric flow rate. The volumetric flow rate is then multiplied by the total time period for which the measured pressure is between the predetermined minimum pressure and the predetermined maximum pressure, resulting in the refill volume. If the flow rate is not stable, the above calculation can be performed by integrating the flow rate over the same time period. The refill volume is then compared to the expected fill volume for that particular cell. For example, the expected water addition volume may be a function of the remaining useful life of the battery, which in turn may be based on a previous amount of charge. If the refill volume exceeds the expected fill volume, the stand-alone device 60 generates an alert to the user. The alert may include an action item to replace the aged battery. The action item may be displayed by an application hosted on the standalone device 60. The standalone device 60 may additionally schedule water refills based on the collected data. In some embodiments, the method is modified to detect whether the battery is being supplied with water independent of a measurement of the amount of water added to the battery. For example, the method may include determining whether the battery is being supplied with water based on a comparison of the measured pressure (or flow rate derived as above) to a threshold pressure (or threshold flow rate). If the battery is not being supplied with water, the stand-alone device 60 generates an alert to the user. The alert may include an action item to supply water to the battery. The action item may be displayed by an application hosted on the standalone device 60.

Measuring the orientation of the battery and any unsafe impacts includes measuring (for each battery) the output of the accelerometer and determining the orientation of the battery case and any impacts thereto based on the output of the accelerometer. The orientation of the battery housing may be compared to an acceptable range of orientations stored in computer readable memory. If the measured orientation is outside of the acceptable range of orientations, the standalone device 60 generates an alert to the user. The alert may include an action item to return the battery to its upright position. The action item may be presented on an application hosted on the independent device 60. If the output of the accelerometer shows any gravity force exceeding a predetermined maximum gravity force, the separate device 60 generates an alert to the user. The alert may include an action item to visually inspect or replace the battery. The action item may be presented on an application hosted on the independent device 60.

Further with respect to fig. 10, measuring the orientation of the battery and any unsafe impacts includes reading the accelerometer's count data via the 12C bus at step 130. The accelerometer data is analyzed for angle events and shock events at step 132. At decision step 134, the microcontroller determines whether the accelerometer data relates to an angle event, an impact event, or both. If it is determined to be an angle event, the microprocessor 60 sets an exception flag for the angle event to be used by the bluetooth LE advertisement packet in step 136. At step 138, the data is stored to NVM 50 along with a timestamp. If a shock event is determined, the microprocessor 60 sets an exception flag for the shock event to be used by the bluetooth LE advertisement packet in step 140. At step 142, the data is stored to NVM 50 along with a timestamp. If both events are determined, the microprocessor 60 sets the exception flag used by the Bluetooth LE advertisement packet for both events at step 144. At step 146, the data is stored to NVM 50 along with a timestamp. The stored data is then transmitted across the bluetooth LE network for receipt by the standalone device 60, step 130.

Thus, the application for the standalone device 60 may present multiple maintenance alerts related to multiple batteries. The maintenance alert may indicate a battery condition and/or an action item with respect to the battery. The action item may include the following recommendations: visually inspecting the battery housing for cracks, refilling the charged battery with water, replacing the battery with a new one, cleaning the battery top cover, or restoring the battery to an upright orientation. Other alerts may be generated as desired in other embodiments. The application may also receive input from the user. For example, the application may receive confirmation that the action item has been performed, such as the battery has been checked, the battery has been refilled with water, the battery has been replaced, the battery has been cleaned, or the battery has been restored to an upright orientation. This input may be transmitted to one or both of the microcontroller 40 or the remote server 62.

The above description is that of the current embodiment of the invention. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Any reference to an element in the singular, for example, using the articles "a," "an," "the," or "said," is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.

The claims (modification according to treaty clause 19)

1. A battery monitoring system for a liquid electrolyte battery, the battery monitoring system comprising:

a battery monitoring unit comprising a plurality of sensors and a control module, wherein the battery monitoring unit is coupled to the liquid electrolyte battery;

a local stand-alone device in communication with the control module of the battery monitoring unit via a network; and

a remote server in communication with the standalone device, wherein the server receives sensor data for the liquid electrolyte battery from the standalone device, and wherein the remote server performs analysis of the sensor data and transmits a battery notification to the standalone device.

2. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a communication circuit for transmitting via the network, the network being a wireless personal area network.

3. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data relates to battery level, battery refill volume, battery half voltage, or battery orientation.

4. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an accelerometer, a liquid level sensor, a flow rate sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, or a dirty battery sensor.

5. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the battery notification indicates a recommended action item, the action item comprising: recharging the battery, replacing the battery, inspecting the battery, restoring the battery to an upright orientation, equalizing, charging the battery, repairing the temperature point water supply system, or charging status.

6. A battery monitoring system, comprising:

a supply tube for directing fluid into the cell;

a flow rate sensor for detecting a flow rate of fluid moving through the supply tube, the flow rate sensor providing an output;

a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of fluid moving through the supply tube, the pressure sensor providing an output; and

a controller electrically coupled to an output of the flow rate sensor and an output of the pressure sensor, wherein the controller is operable to:

measuring a flow rate of the fluid moving through the supply tube based on an output of the flow rate sensor,

measuring the pressure of the fluid moving through the supply tube based on the output of the pressure sensor, an

Determining an amount of fluid directed into the battery during the measured flow rate exceeding a predetermined minimum flow rate.

7. The battery monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further operable to output the determined amount of fluid to an application hosted on a standalone device.

8. The battery monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the controller is adapted to communicate with the standalone device via a personal area network.

9. The battery monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the standalone device comprises a smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, on-board computer, wireless access point, cellular system, or mesh network.

10. The battery monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the pressure sensor is an in-line pressure sensor in communication with the supply tube.

11. A battery monitoring system, comprising:

a supply tube for directing fluid into the cell;

a flow rate sensor for detecting a flow rate of fluid moving through the supply tube, the flow rate sensor providing an output; and

a controller electrically coupled to an output of the flow rate sensor, wherein the controller is operable to:

determining an amount of fluid directed into the battery based on an output of the flow rate sensor, an

Outputting the determined amount of fluid to an application hosted on a standalone device or an on-board computer.

12. The battery monitoring system of claim 11, further comprising a communication module electrically connected to the controller.

13. The battery monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the communication module is adapted to communicate with the standalone device via a personal area network.

14. The battery monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the flow rate sensor is an in-line flow rate sensor having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the supply tube.

15. A battery monitoring system for a liquid electrolyte battery having a battery housing, the battery monitoring system comprising:

a control module coupled to the battery housing and comprising:

a multi-axis accelerometer providing an output, an

A controller electrically coupled with the output of the accelerometer, the controller operable to determine a shock to the battery housing and an orientation of the battery housing based on the output of the accelerometer.

16. The battery monitoring system of claim 15, further comprising a standalone device in electrical communication with the controller via a wireless network, wherein the controller is adapted to output battery impact data and battery orientation data to the standalone device via the wireless network to alert a user of an unsafe battery condition.

17. The battery monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the unsafe battery condition indicates that the battery housing comprises an unsafe orientation or is subjected to a predetermined impact.

18. The battery monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the controller comprises an integrated communication circuit for sharing data via the wireless network.

19. A battery monitoring system, comprising:

a supply tube for directing fluid into the cell;

a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of fluid moving through the supply tube, the pressure sensor providing an output; and

a controller electrically coupled to an output of the pressure sensor, wherein the controller is operable to:

measuring the pressure of the fluid moving through the supply tube based on the output of the pressure sensor, an

Determining a time period for adding water to the battery based on the measured pressure.

20. The battery monitoring system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further operable to output an alert to an application hosted on a standalone device when the battery has not been supplied with water.

21. The battery monitoring system of claim 19, further comprising a communication module electrically connected to the controller, wherein the communication module is adapted to communicate with a standalone device via a personal area network.

Claims (21)

1. A battery monitoring system for a liquid electrolyte battery, the battery monitoring system comprising:

a battery monitoring unit comprising a plurality of sensors and a control module, wherein the battery monitoring unit is coupled to the liquid electrolyte battery;

a local stand-alone device in communication with the control module of the battery monitoring unit via a network; and

a remote server in communication with the standalone device, wherein the server receives sensor data for the liquid electrolyte battery from the standalone device, and wherein the remote server performs analysis of the sensor data and transmits a battery notification to the standalone device.

2. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a communication circuit for transmitting via the network, the network being a wireless personal area network.

3. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data relates to battery level, battery refill volume, battery half voltage, or battery orientation.

4. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an accelerometer, a liquid level sensor, a flow rate sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, or a dirty battery sensor.

5. The battery monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the battery notification indicates a recommended action item, the action item comprising: recharging the battery, replacing the battery, inspecting the battery, restoring the battery to an upright orientation, equalizing, charging the battery, repairing the temperature point water supply system, or charging status.

6. A battery monitoring system, comprising:

a supply tube for directing fluid into the cell;

a flow rate sensor for detecting a flow rate of fluid moving through the supply tube, the flow rate sensor providing an output;

a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of fluid moving through the supply tube, the pressure sensor providing an output; and

a controller electrically coupled to an output of the flow rate sensor and an output of the pressure sensor, wherein the controller is operable to:

measuring a flow rate of the fluid moving through the supply tube based on an output of the flow rate sensor,

measuring the pressure of the fluid moving through the supply tube based on the output of the pressure sensor, an

Determining an amount of fluid directed into the battery during the measured flow rate exceeding a predetermined minimum flow rate.

7. The battery monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further operable to output the determined amount of fluid to an application hosted on a standalone device.

8. The battery monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the controller is adapted to communicate with the standalone device via a personal area network.

9. The battery monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the standalone device comprises a smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, on-board computer, wireless access point, cellular system, or mesh network.

10. The battery monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the pressure sensor is an in-line pressure sensor in communication with the supply tube.

11. A battery monitoring system, comprising:

a supply tube for directing fluid into the cell;

a flow rate sensor for detecting a flow rate of fluid moving through the supply tube, the flow rate sensor providing an output; and

a controller electrically coupled to an output of the flow rate sensor, wherein the controller is operable to:

determining an amount of fluid directed into the battery based on an output of the flow rate sensor, an

Outputting the determined amount of fluid to an application hosted on a standalone device or an on-board computer.

12. The battery monitoring system of claim 11, further comprising a communication module electrically connected to the controller.

13. The battery monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the communication module is adapted to communicate with the standalone device via a personal area network.

14. The battery monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the flow rate sensor is an in-line flow rate sensor having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the supply tube.

15. A battery monitoring system for a liquid electrolyte battery having a battery housing, the battery monitoring system comprising:

a control module coupled to the battery housing and comprising:

a multi-axis accelerometer providing an output, an

A controller electrically coupled with the output of the accelerometer, the controller operable to determine a shock to the battery housing and an orientation of the battery housing based on the output of the accelerometer.

16. The battery monitoring system of claim 15, further comprising a standalone device in electrical communication with the controller via a wireless network, wherein the controller is adapted to output battery impact data and battery orientation data to the standalone device via the wireless network to alert a user of an unsafe battery condition.

17. The battery monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the unsafe battery condition indicates that the battery housing comprises an unsafe orientation or is subjected to a predetermined impact.

18. The battery monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the controller comprises an integrated communication circuit for sharing data via the wireless network.

19. A battery monitoring system, comprising:

a supply tube for directing fluid into the cell;

a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of fluid moving through the supply tube, the pressure sensor providing an output; and

a controller electrically coupled to an output of the pressure sensor, wherein the controller is operable to:

measuring the pressure of the fluid moving through the supply tube based on the output of the pressure sensor, an

Determining whether the battery has been supplied with water based on the measured pressure.

20. The battery monitoring system of claim 19, wherein the controller is further operable to output an alert to an application hosted on a standalone device when the battery has not been supplied with water.

21. The battery monitoring system of claim 19, further comprising a communication module electrically connected to the controller, wherein the communication module is adapted to communicate with a standalone device via a personal area network.