Granted Patent B2

US 12,283,844 · App. 18/207,576 · Granted Apr 22, 2025

Inventors: Brett Davis (Roswell, GA); Darwin Dowdie (Roswell, GA); Christopher Warren Fortenberry (Roswell, GA)

Assignee: Cattron North America, Inc.

H02J9/068H02J9/066

Abstract

Claims (86)

1. A method comprising:

measuring voltage across a first battery that is connected to a switch and to an electrical interface;

providing a voltage sensor signal to a control unit;

determining whether said voltage sensor signal is below a predetermined value;

connecting said switch to a second battery via said electrical interface when said voltage sensor signal is below the predetermined value;

wherein said switch is adapted for being connected to said electrical interface and to said control unit;

wherein said switch is adapted for being controlled by said control unit; and

wherein the method further comprises:

measuring electric currents delivered to said electrical interface through said first battery;

providing a current sensor signal to said control unit; and

communicating a digital replica of said voltage sensor signal and a digital replica of said current sensor signal to a remote location for storage and/or analysis.

2. A method comprising:

measuring voltage across a first battery that is connected to a switch and to an electrical interface;

providing a voltage sensor signal to a control unit;

determining whether said voltage sensor signal is below a predetermined value;

connecting said switch to a second battery via said electrical interface when said voltage sensor signal is below the predetermined value;

wherein said switch is adapted for being connected to said electrical interface and to said control unit;

wherein said switch is adapted for being controlled by said control unit; and

wherein the method further comprises:

measuring electric currents delivered to said electrical interface through said first battery;

providing a current sensor signal to said control unit; and

using an analytics module for analyzing a digital replica of said voltage sensor signal and a digital replica of said current sensor signal.

3. A method comprising:

measuring voltage across a first battery that is connected to a switch and to an electrical interface;

providing a voltage sensor signal to a control unit;

determining whether said voltage sensor signal is below a predetermined value;

connecting said switch to a second battery via said electrical interface when said voltage sensor signal is below the predetermined value;

wherein said switch is adapted for being connected to said electrical interface and to said control unit;

wherein said switch is adapted for being controlled by said control unit; and

wherein the method further comprises:

measuring electric currents delivered to said electrical interface through said first battery;

providing a current sensor signal to said control unit; and

using an analytics module for communicating with a data server and for performing analysis of said voltage sensor signal and said current sensor signal.

4. A method comprising:

measuring voltage across a first battery that is connected to a switch and to an electrical interface;

providing a voltage sensor signal to a control unit;

determining whether said voltage sensor signal is below a predetermined value;

connecting said switch to a second battery via said electrical interface when said voltage sensor signal is below the predetermined value;

wherein said switch is adapted for being connected to said electrical interface and to said control unit;

wherein said switch is adapted for being controlled by said control unit; and

wherein the method further comprises:

measuring electric currents delivered to said electrical interface through said first battery;

providing a current sensor signal to said control unit; and

storing a digital replica of said current sensor signal over a predetermined time period.

5. A method comprising:

measuring voltage across a first battery that is connected to a switch and to an electrical interface;

providing a voltage sensor signal to a control unit;

determining whether said voltage sensor signal is below a predetermined value;

connecting said switch to a second battery via said electrical interface when said voltage sensor signal is below the predetermined value;

wherein said switch is adapted for being connected to said electrical interface and to said control unit;

wherein said switch is adapted for being controlled by said control unit; and

wherein the method further comprises storing a digital replica of said voltage sensor signal over a predetermined time period.

6. A method comprising:

measuring voltage across a first battery that is connected to a switch and to an electrical interface;

providing a voltage sensor signal to a control unit;

determining whether said voltage sensor signal is below a predetermined value;

connecting said switch to a second battery via said electrical interface when said voltage sensor signal is below the predetermined value;

wherein said switch is adapted for being connected to said electrical interface and to said control unit;

wherein said switch is adapted for being controlled by said control unit; and

wherein the method further comprises:

measuring voltage across a third battery that is connected to a second switch and to a second electrical interface;

providing a second voltage sensor signal to said control unit;

determining whether said second voltage sensor signal is below the predetermined value; and

connecting said second switch to said second battery via said second electrical interface when said second voltage sensor signal is below the predetermined value;

wherein said second switch is adapted for being connected to said second electrical interface and to said control unit; and

wherein said second switch is adapted for being controlled by said control unit.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising communicating with a data server via said control unit.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein said control unit includes a memory unit adaptable for being programmed with a control software.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein said switch is a semiconductor switch or a mechanical relay.

10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

measuring electric currents delivered to said electrical interface through said first battery; and

providing a current sensor signal to said control unit.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method includes connecting a current sensor to said control unit and to said electrical interface, whereby the current sensor is operable for:

measuring electric currents delivered to said electrical interface through said first battery; and

providing the current sensor signal to said control unit.

12. The method of claim 3 , further comprising disconnecting said first battery that was connected to a motor from said motor when a malfunction of said first battery is detected based upon analysis of said voltage sensor signal and said current sensor signal.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein in response to the analysis performed by the analytics module, the method further includes the analytics module providing maintenance and diagnostics information related to a device to which a reserve power system is attached.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising performing analysis of said voltage sensor signal and said current sensor signal.

15. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

measuring electric currents delivered to said second electrical interface through said third battery; and

providing a second current sensor signal to said control unit.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the method includes connecting a second current sensor to said control unit and to said second electrical interface, whereby the second current sensor is operable for:

measuring electric currents delivered to said second electrical interface through said third battery; and

providing the second current sensor signal to said control unit.

17. The method of claim 6 , wherein the method includes connecting the second switch to the third battery and connecting said third battery to the second electrical interface.

18. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method includes connecting the switch to the first battery and connecting said first battery to the electrical interface.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (20)