Bridge communication device, and battery monitoring system including the same

A battery monitoring system, comprising:

• a plurality of bridge communication devices comprising a first bridge communication device communicatively coupled to a second bridge communication device, said first bridge communication device operable for receiving first information for a status of a first battery of a plurality of batteries from a first battery monitoring device that monitors said status of said first battery, said first bridge communication device comprising:
• a first master communication module operable for transmitting said first information to a controller and for receiving an instruction from said controller, wherein said instruction identifies a mode selected from an upstream mode and a downstream mode;
• a first slave communication module, coupled to said first master communication module, and operable for receiving said instruction and for operating in the selected mode in response to receiving said instruction;
• wherein in said upstream mode, said first slave communication module is operable for transmitting said instruction through an upstream communication port of said first bridge communication device;
• and wherein in said downstream mode, said first slave communication module is operable for transmitting said instruction through a downstream communication port of said first bridge communication device, wherein said instruction identifies said selected mode;
• and
• said second bridge communication device comprising a second slave communication module, said second bridge communication device operable for receiving second information for a status of a second battery of said plurality of batteries from a second battery monitoring device that monitors said status of said second battery;
• wherein said second slave communication module is operable for receiving said instruction from said first slave communication module and for operating in said selected mode in response to receiving said instruction;
• wherein in said downstream mode said second slave communication module is operable for transmitting said second information to said controller through a downstream communication port of said second bridge communication device;
• and wherein in said upstream mode said second slave communication module is operable for transmitting said second information to said controller through an upstream communication port of said second bridge communication device.

A method performed by a first bridge communication device in a battery monitoring system, said method comprising:

• receiving an instruction from a controller at a master communication module in said first bridge communication device, said first bridge communication device configured to receive information for a status of a first battery of a plurality of batteries from a first battery monitoring device that monitors said status of said first battery;
• in response to receiving said instruction, configuring a slave communication module of said first bridge communication device to operate in a mode selected from an upstream mode and a downstream mode;
• transmitting a command through an upstream communication port of said first bridge communication device using said slave communication module of said first bridge communication device if said slave communication module of said first bridge communication device is operating in said upstream mode;
• transmitting said command through a downstream communication port of said first bridge communication device using said slave communication module of said first bridge communication device if said first slave communication module of said first bridge communication device operates in said downstream mode;
• receiving said command at a second bridge communication device of said plurality of bridge communication devices, said second bridge communication device configured to receive information for a status of a second battery of said plurality of batteries from a second battery monitoring device that monitors said status of said second battery;
• in response to said command, configuring a slave communication module of said second bridge communication device to operate in the selected mode;
• transmitting said information for said status of said second battery to said controller through a downstream communication port of said second bridge communication device if said slave communication module of said second bridge communication device is operating in said downstream mode;
• and
• transmitting said information for said status of said second battery to said controller through an upstream communication port of said second bridge communication device if said second slave communication module of said second bridge communication device is operating in said information upstream mode.