SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILIZING BATTERY OPERATING DATA AND EXOGENOUS DATA

1 . A method for evaluating operation of a battery utilizing battery operating data and exogenous data, the method comprising:

a. sensing, for each battery in a plurality of batteries, a temperature of the battery and a voltage of the battery (collectively, for each battery, the “battery operating data”), wherein each battery has a respective battery monitor circuit embedded therein or attached thereto, and wherein the sensing of the battery operating data for each battery is performed by the respective battery monitor circuit;

b. wirelessly transmitting, from each battery monitor circuit, the battery operating data for the respective battery to a remote device;

c. receiving, at the remote device, exogenous data associated with at least one battery in the plurality of batteries;

d. logging, by the remote device, the battery operating data received from at least one battery in the plurality of batteries in a format that allows comparison of contemporary and/or historic battery operating data with exogenous data; and

e. utilizing the exogenous data associated with the battery, together with the battery operating data for that battery, to evaluate performance of that battery.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the exogenous data is local weather data for the location of the battery.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein utilizing the exogenous data comprises correlating battery temperature data with local weather data that is associated with a physical location of one or more of the batteries in the plurality of batteries, to:

a. generate an output identifying an effect of local weather conditions on performance of the battery; and

b. predict future performance of the battery utilizing weather forecast information for the physical location.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery is coupled to a power grid, wherein the exogenous data comprises electric utility data and power grid data, and wherein utilizing the exogenous data comprises correlating battery operating data with the electric utility data and the power grid data to:

a. generate an output identifying an effect of power grid conditions on performance of the battery; and

b. predict future performance of the battery utilizing forecast information for the power grid.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery is operating in a reserve application, wherein the exogenous data comprises historic call volume information for a cellular radio base station, wherein utilizing the exogenous data further comprises predicting a required reserve time of the battery by correlating the battery operating data with the exogenous data, and wherein the correlating utilizes:

a. the battery operating data;

b. historic call volume for the cellular radio base station; and

c. upcoming conditions which historically generate high call volume for the cellular radio base station to generate an output identifying an effect of call volume at the cellular radio base station on performance requirements of the battery.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising utilizing battery operating data and battery operating history to evaluate, for a selected time period:

a. how the battery has operated;

b. an environmental condition in which the battery has operated; and

c. a society the battery has kept with one or more other batteries in the plurality of batteries.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery monitor circuit comprises:

a. a voltage sensor for connecting electrically to the battery for monitoring a voltage between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the battery;

b. a temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature of the battery;

c. a processor for receiving a monitored voltage signal from the voltage sensor, for receiving a monitored temperature signal from the temperature sensor, for processing the monitored voltage signal and the monitored temperature signal, and for generating voltage data for the battery and temperature data for the battery based on the monitored voltage signal and the monitored temperature signal;

d. a memory for storing the voltage data and the temperature data;

e. an antenna; and

f. a transmitter for communicating the voltage data and the temperature data to the remote device, wherein the battery monitor circuit transmits the battery operating data wirelessly via the antenna to the remote device.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the battery monitor circuit is disposed entirely inside the battery and is not visible from outside of the battery.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, based on the performance information:

a. replacing the battery with a new battery;

b. replacing the battery with another of the plurality of batteries; or

c. sending a notification, from the remote device and to an owner of the battery, regarding the performance of the battery.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery monitor circuit does not comprise a current sensor, and wherein the utilizing the exogenous data does not include utilizing current information for the battery.

11 . A method for evaluating operation of a plurality of batteries utilizing battery operating data and exogenous data, the method comprising:

a. sensing, for each battery in the plurality of batteries, a temperature of the battery and a voltage of the battery (collectively, for each battery, the “battery operating data”), wherein each battery has a respective battery monitor circuit embedded therein or attached thereto, and wherein the sensing of the battery operating data for each battery is performed by the respective battery monitor circuit;

b. wirelessly transmitting, from each battery monitor circuit, the battery operating data for the respective battery to a remote device;

c. logging, by the remote device, the battery operating data in a format that allows comparison of contemporary and/or historic data between one or more batteries or groups of batteries in the plurality of batteries; and

d. evaluating, by the remote device, a condition of one or more batteries by utilizing battery operating data from one or more other batteries in the plurality of batteries and exogenous data to evaluate battery performance.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein utilizing the exogenous data comprises correlating battery temperature data with local weather data that is associated with a physical location of a group of batteries in the plurality of batteries, to:

a. generate an output identifying an effect of local weather conditions on performance of the group of batteries; and

b. predict future performance of the group of batteries utilizing weather forecast information for the physical location.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a group of batteries are coupled to a power grid, wherein the exogenous data comprises electric utility data and power grid data, and wherein utilizing the exogenous data comprises correlating battery operating data for the group of batteries with the electric utility data and the power grid data to:

a. generate an output identifying an effect of power grid conditions on performance of the group of batteries; and

b. predict future performance of the group of batteries utilizing forecast information for the power grid.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a group of batteries are operating in a reserve application, wherein the exogenous data comprises historic call volume information for a cellular radio base station, wherein utilizing the exogenous data further comprises predicting a required reserve time of the group of batteries by correlating the battery operating data with the exogenous data, and wherein the correlating utilizes:

a. the battery operating data for each battery in the group of batteries;

b. historic call volume for the cellular radio base station; and

c. upcoming conditions which historically generate high call volume for the cellular radio base station to generate an output identifying an effect of call volume at the cellular radio base station on performance requirements of the group of batteries.

15 . A system for evaluating operation of a battery, the system comprising:

a battery monitor circuit for connection to the terminals of the battery; and

b. a remote device in communicative connection with the battery monitor circuit, wherein the battery monitor circuit measures temperature and voltage information for the battery and wirelessly transmits the temperature and voltage information to the remote device, wherein the remote device receives exogenous data associated with the battery, and wherein the remote device evaluates a condition of the battery as a function of (i) the temperature and voltage information and (ii) the exogenous data.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the exogenous data comprises at least one of: ambient temperature at a location of a battery; ambient humidity at the location; ambient air temperature at the location; or ambient barometric pressure at the location.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the remote device is configured to store identifying information for each of a plurality of other batteries that were:

a. deployed in a common application as the battery;

b. deployed in a common location as the battery;

c. installed at a common time as the battery; or

d. manufactured by a common manufacturer as the battery.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the battery monitor circuit stores operating history for the battery.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the operating history is stored in a battery operating history matrix, and wherein the battery operating history matrix comprises:

a. a plurality of columns, each column representing a voltage range of the battery; and

b. a plurality of rows, each row representing a temperature range of the battery, wherein a numerical value in a cell of the battery operating history matrix represents a cumulative amount of time that the battery has been in a particular state corresponding to the voltage range and the temperature range for that cell.