Systems and methods for remotely determining a battery characteristic

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022236331-A1
Application number	US-202217721585-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 15, 2022
Priority date	Jun 21, 2013
Publication date	Jul 28, 2022
Grant date	—

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 the remaining charge is depleted below a threshold charge level; and
provide, via a user interface generated by the software application, an indication of a location at which the battery may be recycled.

2 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the logic further causes the computing device to:
record to a user profile an indication corresponding to whether the battery was recycled in accordance with the indication.

3 . The computing device of claim 2 , wherein to record the indication corresponding to whether the battery was recycled, the logic further causes the computing device to:
determine that the battery was recycled in accordance with the indication; and record to the user profile an indication that the battery was recycled in accordance with the indication.

4 . The computing device of claim 3 , wherein recording the indication that the battery was recycled causes a user corresponding to the user profile to be provided at least one of a coupon or a credit for purchasing a replacement battery.

5 . The computing device of claim 4 , wherein:
to provide the at least one of the coupon or the credit, the logic further causes the computing device to detect that the computing device has entered a retail establishment; and the at least one of the coupon or the credit is for the retail establishment.

6 . The computing device of claim 3 , wherein in response to recording the indication that the battery was recycled to the user profile, the logic further causes the computing device to:
determine that an unused or partially used battery is within a signal range of the computing device; and generate an alert indicating a physical location of the unused or partially used battery.

7 . The computing device of claim 2 , wherein to record the indication whether the battery was recycled to the user profile, the logic further causes the computing device to:
determine that the battery was not recycled in accordance with the indication; and record to the user profile an indication that the battery was not recycled in accordance with the indication.

8 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the location at which the battery may be recycled includes an indication of when the battery should be recycled.

9 . The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the logic further causes the computing device to determine when the battery should be recycled based upon a determined depletion rate for the battery and the remaining charge.

10 . A method for remotely monitoring activity of a battery, comprising:
detecting, by a computing device, a wireless communication signal that identifies a battery; determining, from the wireless communication signal and by the computing device, a battery characteristic of the battery; providing, via a user interface generated by a software application executing on the computing device, data related to the battery characteristic of the battery; predicting, by the computing device, a charge remaining in the battery; determining, by the computing device, that the remaining charge is depleted below a threshold charge level; and providing, via a user interface generated by the software application, an indication of a location at which the battery may be recycled.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
recording, by the computing device and to a user profile, an indication corresponding to whether the battery was recycled in accordance with the indication.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein recording the indication corresponding to whether the battery was recycled comprises:
determining, by the computing device, that the battery was recycled in accordance with the indication; and recording, by the computing device and to the user profile, an indication that the battery was recycled in accordance with the indication.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein recording the indication that the battery was recycled causes a user corresponding to the user profile to be provided at least one of a coupon or a credit for purchasing a replacement battery.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
providing the at least one of the coupon or the credit comprises detecting, by the computing device, that the computing device has entered a retail establishment; and the at least one of the coupon or the credit is for the retail establishment.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein in response to recording the indication that the battery was recycled to the user profile, the method comprises:
determining, by the computing device, that an unused or partially used battery is within a signal range of the computing device; and generating, by the computing device, an alert indicating a physical location of the unused or partially used battery.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein recording the indication corresponding to whether the battery was recycled comprises:
determining, by the computing device, that the battery was not recycled in accordance with the indication; and recording, by the computing device and to the user profile, an indication that the battery was not recycled in accordance with the indication.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the indication of the location at which the battery may be recycled includes an indication of when the battery should be recycled.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein determining when the battery should be recycled comprises:
determining, by the computing device, when the battery should be recycled based upon a determined depletion rate for the battery and the remaining charge.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed by a processor, causes a computing device to perform 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 the remaining charge is depleted below a threshold charge level; and provide, via a user interface generated by the software application, an indication of a location at which the battery may be recycled.

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

• H01M10/4221

  with battery type recognition · CPC title

• H01M2010/4278

  Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller · CPC title

• G01R31/382

  Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC · CPC title