Systems and methods for remotely determining a battery characteristic

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10859705-B2
Application number	US-202016789606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2020
Priority date	Jun 21, 2013
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

Included are embodiments for remotely determining a battery characteristic. Some embodiments include searching for a first wireless signal that identifies the energy storage device and, in response to receiving the first wireless signal, determining a current charge level of the energy storage device. Some embodiments include receiving a second wireless signal from the energy storage device, determining from the second wireless signal, whether the current charge level of the energy storage device reaches a predetermined threshold, and in response to determining that the current charge level of the energy storage device reaches the predetermined threshold, facilitating replacement of the battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device for remotely monitoring battery activity comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory memory component that stores logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the computing device to perform at least the following:
detect a wireless communication signal that identifies a battery;
determine, from the wireless communication signal, a battery characteristic of the battery;
provide, via a user interface generated by a software application executing on the computing device, data related to the battery characteristic of the battery;
predict a charge remaining in the battery;
determine that an unused or partially used battery is within a signal range of the computing device;
in response to determining that the unused or partially used battery is within the signal range of the computing device, provide, via a user interface generated by the software application executing on the computing device, an indication of a physical location of the unused or partially used battery.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the signal range of the computing device is a Bluetooth signal range.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the logic further causes the computing device to determine a current depletion rate of the battery.

4. The computing device of claim 3 , wherein to determine the current depletion rate of the battery, the logic further causes the computing device to:
access a discharge model stored in a memory of the computing device.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the logic further causes the computing device to:
search for the battery upon launching the software application, and
detect the wireless communication signal in response to the search.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the logic further causes the computing device to predict an expected time when the battery will be depleted.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the logic further causes the computing device to transmit the charge remaining in the battery to a remote server associated with a manufacturer of the battery.

8. A method for remotely monitoring activity of an energy storage device, comprising:
searching, by a computing device, for a first wireless signal that identifies the energy storage device;
in response to detecting the first wireless signal, determining, by the computing device, a current charge level of the energy storage device;
receiving, by the computing device, a second wireless signal from the energy storage device;
based on the second wireless signal, determining, by the computing device, that the current charge level of the energy storage device is depleted below a threshold charge level;
in response to determining that the current charge level of the energy storage device is depleted below the threshold charge level, generating, by the computing device, an alert indicating that the current charge level is depleted below the threshold charge level;
determining that an unused or partially used energy storage device is within a signal range of the computing device; and
in response to determining that the unused or partially used energy storage device is within the signal range of the communication device, providing a user interface that includes a physical location of the unused or partially used energy storage device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising predicting a time that the current charge level will reach the threshold charge level.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the signal range of the computing device is a Bluetooth signal range.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
transmitting the current charge level of the energy storage device to a remote server associated with a manufacturer of the energy storage device.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the computing device searches for the first wireless signal in response to launching a software application.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving location information of a plurality of energy storage devices that are located within the signal range of the computing device.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
predicting an expected time when the energy storage device will be depleted.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein predicting the expecting time when the energy storage device will be depleted comprises:
access a discharge model stored in a memory of the computing device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for remotely monitoring activity of an energy storage device powering a powered device that stores logic that, when executed by a processor, causes a computing device to perform the following:
search for a first wireless signal that identifies the energy storage device;
in response to detecting the first wireless signal, determine a current charge level of the energy storage device;
receive a second wireless signal from the energy storage device;
based on the second wireless signal, determine that the current charge level of the energy storage device is depleted below a threshold charge level;
in response to determining that the current charge level of the energy storage device is depleted below the threshold charge level, generate an alert indicating that the current charge level is depleted below the threshold charge level;
determine that an unused or partially used energy storage device is within a signal range of the computing device; and
in response to determining that the unused or partially used energy storage device is within the signal range of the communication device, providing a user interface that includes a physical location of the unused or partially used energy storage device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the signal range of the computing device is a Bluetooth signal range.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the logic causes the computing device to:
transmit the current charge level of the energy storage device to a remote server associated with a manufacturer of the energy storage device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the logic causes the computing device to search for the first wireless signal in response to launching a software application.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the logic causes the computing device to receive location information of a plurality of energy storage devices that are located within the signal range of the computing device.

Assignees

• Duracell Us Operations Inc

Inventors

• Dempsey Nancy Taylor
• Mcginnis Karen Coltharp
• Wenzel Elizabeth Jane
• Amann Mathias
• Bourilkov Jordan Todorov
• Coronado Hortal Sergio
• Joyce Jonathan Livingston
• Sherman Faiz Feisal
• Specht Steven Jeffrey

Classifications

• H01M10/488

  Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density · CPC title

• H01M10/48

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• G01S17/89 Primary

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G01R31/371 Primary

  with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers · CPC title

• H01M10/425

  Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00) · CPC title