# US 7,612,472 B2 · Method and apparatus for monitoring energy storage devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,612,472 B2 - Document ID: US7612472B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/764,343 - Filed: 2004-01-23 - Published: 2005-07-28 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2004-01-23 - Assignees: American Power Conversion Corporation - Inventors: Srdan Mutabdzija; Eyob Demissie; Francis J. Masciarelli; Michael Falcinelli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612472B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/48: 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) - H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially - H02J 7/80: including monitoring or indicating arrangements - H02J 7/84: Control of state of health [SOH] - H04B 2203/5412: by modofying wave form of the power source - H04B 2203/5458: Monitor sensor; Alarm systems - H04B 2203/547: via DC power distribution - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H04B: TRANSMISSION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An improved battery, monitoring circuit and method for communicating with the battery is provided. Such batteries and communication methods are particularly useful in UPS systems that use such batteries to provide back-up power to electrical loads. In one aspect, performance, manufacturing, trend and/or other data are stored in non-volatile memory of the battery and are communicated to an external system such as a UPS. In another aspect, a method for communicating via single-wire interface is provided. In one aspect, a same interface is used to communicate with both conventional batteries and improved batteries having increased monitoring capabilities. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery having an apparatus for monitoring the battery, the battery comprising: one or more cells that provide power to at least one output; and a monitor that is adapted to monitor and store performance information relating to the operation of the one or more cells, and which is adapted to communicate with an external system, and that is adapted to receive a monitor signal from the external system, wherein the monitor is coupled to the one or more cells and is adapted to receive power for the monitor from the external system and wherein the monitor communicates with the external system by actively suspending current of received power provided to the monitor by the external system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the external system comprises a portion of an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the monitor further comprises a processor, the processor including a circuit to reset the processor if the received power is insufficient. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the monitor includes an associated memory in which the monitor is adapted to store the performance information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The battery according to claim 4, wherein the memory is a nonvolatile-type memory. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The battery according to claim 5, wherein the nonvolatile-type memory is an EEPROM. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is adapted to receive a monitor signal from the external system and wherein the monitor is adapted to receive power from the external system via the monitor signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate in an asynchronous manner with the external system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is adapted to store performance information indicating performance of the battery. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is adapted to store the performance information periodically. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the performance information includes a count of the number of discharges of the battery, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the number of discharges of the battery to the external system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the performance information includes a software identifier of the monitor, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the software identifier of the monitor to the external system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the performance information includes a temperature of the battery, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the temperature of the battery to the external system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the performance information includes an accumulated time that the battery is in a charge state, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the accumulated time to the external system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the performance information includes an accumulated time that the battery is in a floating state, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the accumulated time to the external system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the performance information includes an accumulated time the battery is in a discharging state, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the accumulated time to the external system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the performance information includes a maximum temperature experienced by the battery, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the maximum temperature to the external system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The battery according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is adapted to store manufacturing information relating to the battery. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The battery according to claim 18, wherein the manufacturing information includes a model type of the battery, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the model type to the external system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The battery according to claim 18, wherein the manufacturing information includes a serial number of the battery, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the serial number to the external system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The battery according to claim 18, wherein the manufacturing information includes rating information of the battery, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the rating information to the external system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The battery according to claim 18, wherein the manufacturing information includes a manufacturing date of the battery, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the manufacturing date to the external system. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The battery according to claim 18, wherein the manufacturing information includes one or more battery constants, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the one or more battery constants to the external system. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The battery according to claim 18, wherein the manufacturing information includes one or more battery constants that relate to the battery's expected performance, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the one or more battery constants to the external system. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The battery according to claim 18, wherein the battery further comprises a temperature sensor, and wherein the manufacturing information includes one or more constants relating to the temperature sensor, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the one or more constants to the external system. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The battery according to claim 18, wherein the battery further comprises a resistor used to detect current provided by the battery, and wherein the manufacturing information includes parameters related to the resistor, and wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate the parameters related to the resistor to the external system. ### Claim 27 A battery having an apparatus for monitoring the battery, the battery comprising: one or more cells that provide power to at least one output; and a monitor that is adapted to monitor and store performance information relating to the operation of the one or more cells, and which is adapted to communicate with an external system, and that is adapted to receive a monitor signal from the external system, wherein the monitor is coupled to the one or more cells and is adapted to receive power for the monitor from the external system and wherein the monitor communicates with the external system by actively suspending current of received power provided to the monitor by the external system, wherein the monitor is adapted to communicate in an asynchronous manner with the external system, and wherein a start of communication with the battery is initiated by the external system by interrupting the current of the power supply. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The battery according to claim 27, wherein the monitor is adapted to detect the start of communication, and is adapted to receive, after the start of communications is detected, a request message from the external system. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The battery according to claim 28, wherein the monitor is adapted to transmit a response message in response to the received request message. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The battery according to claim 29, wherein the monitor comprises an LC-type oscillator that provides clocking for the monitor. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The battery according to claim 29, wherein the monitor comprises a crystal oscillator that provides clocking for the monitor.