HOME PLUS VEHICLE BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEM WITH INDIVIDUAL BATTERY MODULE PROFILES

Abstract

A home battery backup system may include a plurality of battery modules. Each battery module from the plurality may include one or more battery cells, a power output operably connected to the one or more battery cells, one or more module processors operably connected to the one or more battery cells or the power output, and an enclosure at least partially enclosing the one or more battery cells, the one or more module processors. The power outputs of each of the battery modules in the plurality may be connected to a common bus. A first battery module from the plurality may be settable to a first output power profile and a second battery module from the plurality may be simultaneously settable to a second output power profile different from the first output power profile.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to battery powered devices, in particular to a home battery backup system.

BACKGROUND

Energy backup systems include batteries that may be fixedly installed to homes and commercial buildings and relied upon in case of failure of a utility's electric power grid to power devices in the home. The batteries may be AC-coupled to the building power system to allow continuous use during utility outages. Conventional energy backup systems, even if including modular batteries, treated the conglomerate of modules as one system.

Conventionally, batteries for electric vehicles were charged in a manner similar to a manner used to power other devices in the home. That is, the user plugs a charger for the vehicle's battery into an electrical outlet connected to the utility's electric power grid and the vehicle's charger charges the vehicle's battery.

This conventional arrangements present problems of scalability and lack of granular control of energy backup systems and of electric vehicle charging systems. There remain significant challenges and opportunities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a home battery backup system that allows users to change the charge/discharge characteristics of the battery by utilizing software profiles. This way the home battery backup system may operate individual battery modules under different rules.

The techniques disclosed herein allow for individual battery modules to have unique characteristics controlled by the user. The battery modules have user created profiles that can control the modules' characteristics and availability.

For example, a battery backup system may have multiple battery modules connected to a home battery charge station. When a user adds a new depleted battery to the charge station, the user may set a profile of the new depleted battery module to charge-only, while profiles of other battery modules remain set to charge and discharge for home backup utilizations.

In another example, a battery backup system may have multiple battery modules connected to a home battery charge station. The user may need one battery module to plug in to their vehicle for transportation later that day. The user may set a profile of that battery module to locked mode while profiles of the other battery modules remain in share mode. The locked battery module only charges while the other battery modules are free to charge or discharge, as needed, for home power backup.

In yet another example, battery modules in a battery backup system may be part of a battery sharing program where a virtual grid of wirelessly connected battery modules is aware of the charge status of all battery modules in the virtual grid. A first user with a depleted battery module may swap the depleted battery module for a charged battery module as part of the program. However, a second user may already have plans for that charged battery module for later in the day (e.g., the second user may need that battery module to plug in to their vehicle for transportation later that day.) The second user may set a profile of that battery module to locked mode. The locked battery module only charges and is set to indicate to the first user its unavailability for sharing.

The battery modules being part of the virtual grid allows users to maintain connection with their battery modules and to set different profiles for each module through a phone app or web app. The virtual grid also allows the system to provide geolocation data for outage recognition and prevention and providing power smoothing to reduce peak power hours usage.

The modular and easily transportable construction of battery modules in the virtual grid as well as the system's ability to set individual profiles for battery modules allow for the ability to add or remove battery modules from the grid as needed and operate them flexibly and, thus, it eases problems of scalability and lack of granular control of energy backup systems and of electric vehicle charging systems.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various example systems, methods, and so on, that illustrate various example embodiments of aspects of the invention. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. An element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary home battery backup system.

FIG. 1B illustrates a schematic diagram of the exemplary home battery backup system of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary battery module for the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of the exemplary battery module.

FIG. 2C illustrates a perspective view of the exemplary battery module and a plug in base.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram for an exemplary method for home battery backup system.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computing environment for deploying portions of the system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrates a block diagram and schematic diagram, respectively, of an exemplary home battery backup system 1. The system 1 includes multiple battery modules 10 that share a power bus PB. The power bus PB may also connect to the utility power grid UG via a combination of rectifiers and/or inverters as needed.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a block diagram and profile views of an exemplary battery module 10. The battery module 10 may include one or more battery cells 12, one or more module processors 14, a battery management system (BMS) 16, a wireless transceiver 18, a power port 24, and a data port 26. The battery module may also include an enclosure 20 for at least partially housing the one or more battery cells 12, one or more module processors 14, battery management system (BMS) 16, wireless transceiver 18, power port 24, and data port 26.

The battery module 10 may include the one or more battery cells 12 electrically organized to enable delivery of targeted range of voltage and current for a duration of time against expected load scenarios. The number and capacity of the battery cells may result in capacity for the battery module 10 in the range of 1.0 kWh to 5.0 kWh. In one embodiment, the number and capacity of the battery cells results in 1.8 kWh capacity for the battery module 10. In another embodiment, the number and capacity of the battery cells results in 3.6 kWh capacity for the battery module 10. In yet another embodiment, the number and capacity of the battery cells results in 5.0 kWh capacity for the battery module 10. In some embodiments, the number and capacity of the battery cells may result in capacity for the battery module 10 in a range lower than 1.0 kWh or higher than 5.0 kWh. The battery cells 12 may be, for example, lithium-ion rechargeable cells, but may be other types of rechargeable cells.

The battery module 10 may include one or more module processors 14 operably connected to the one or more battery cells 12 to obtain performance information from the one or more battery cells 12. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2A, the processor 14 is operably connected to the battery cells 12 via the battery management system (BMS) 16. The BMS 16 may perform oversight of the battery cells 12 including, for example, monitoring parameters (e.g., voltage, current, temperature, etc.), providing battery protection (e.g., overcurrent, short circuit, over-temperature, etc.), preventing operation outside a battery cell's ratings, estimating a battery cell's operational state, continually optimizing battery performance, reporting operational status to the processor 14, etc. The processor 14 is operably connected to the BMS 16 to obtain the performance information of the battery cells 12. Performance information in this context includes all information the BMS 16 may obtain from the battery module 10 including the battery cells 12 including, for example, voltage, current, temperature, abnormal conditions such as overcurrent, short circuit, over-temperature, battery cell's operational state, etc.

In some cases, power may be need monitored when being passed through instead of being drawn from the battery module 10. For example, in a scenario where the battery module 10 is fully charged and utility grid power is low, a power company (e.g., through the remote server 32) or the user (e.g., through the computing devices CD) may instruct the battery module 10 to not discharge but instead act as a pass through for grid power to the load connected to the power port 24. The BMS 16 or the processor 14 (or their combination) may still monitor power delivery and gather data accordingly. Such data may be included in the performance information.

The battery module 10 may also include a wireless transceiver 18 operably connected to the processor 14 to remotely transmit data including the performance information from the battery cells 12. The wireless transceiver 18 may include a transmitter, a receiver, or both and, thus, it may exclusively transmit information, exclusively receive information, or it may transmit and receive information. The wireless transceiver 18 may be a broadband cellular network (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G, etc.) transceiver or a transceiver employing other local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) technologies. The wireless transceiver 18 may, for example, communicate in a network using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, satellite communication, etc.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the battery module 10 may also include an enclosure 20 at least partially enclosing the one or more battery cells 12, the one or more module processors 14, and the wireless transceiver 18. The enclosure 20 may have mounted to or built thereupon one or more handles 22 for a user to grab to transport the module 10. The weight, size, and form factor of the module 10 is designed with ergonomics in mind to be “human-sized.” That is, the module 10 may be designed to be pluggable/unpluggable and transportable by a single person: of such size, shape, and weight that a single person may carry it relatively comfortably and without injury.

Regarding weight, the module may be designed to comply with maximum lifting weight regulations or guidelines such as, for example, the Revised National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation (2021), guidelines for evaluating two-handed manual lifting tasks. Such guidelines define a Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) as the weight of the load that nearly all healthy people (typically workers) can lift over a substantial period of time (e.g., eight hours) without an increased risk of developing lower back pain. In some guidelines, the maximum weight to be lifted with two hands, under ideal conditions, is 51 pounds. In some guidelines, the maximum weight to be lifted with two hands, under ideal conditions, is 40 pounds. In one embodiment, the battery module 10 is designed to weight 51 pounds or less. In another embodiment, the battery module 10 is designed to weight 40 pounds or less. In yet another embodiment, the battery module 10 is designed to weight 25 pounds or less. In some embodiments, the battery module 10 is designed to weight in a range from 40 pounds to 51 pounds. In some embodiments, the battery module 10 is designed to weight in a range lower than 40 pounds or higher than 51 pounds.

Regarding size and form factor, the module 10 may be designed to have a generally “suit case” rectangular form factor with the handle 22 installed or built thereupon at one end of the module 10. The dimensions of the module 10 may be height in the range of 12 inches to 24 inches, width in the range of 6 inches to 12 inches, and depth in the range of 4 inches to 8 inches. In one embodiment, the module 10 may be 16 inches tall, 9.5 inches wide, and 5.5 inches deep. In some embodiments, the battery module 10 is designed with height in a range shorter than 12 inches or taller than 24 inches, width in a range narrower than 6 inches or wider than 12 inches, and depth in a range shallower than 4 inches or deeper than 8 inches.

Returning to FIG. 2A, the module 10 may include a power port 24 for connecting the battery module 10 to a powered device PD. The powered device PD may correspond to a vehicle, a home appliance, etc. as described in detail below. The power port 24 may also serve as a recharge port for the battery module 10. That is, since the battery module 10 is removable and transportable, a user may plug in the power port 24 of the battery module 10 in, for example, a vehicle's power port to power the vehicle, remove the battery module 10 from the vehicle, transport the battery module 10 to a charging station, and plug the battery module 10 to the charging station to be charged via the power port 24.

The battery module 10 may also include a data port 26 to connect the battery module 10 to a data buss of the powered device PD. For example, if the powered device PD is a vehicle, the data port 26 may be connected to a CAN bus (ISO 11898 Standard) of the vehicle. Similarly, the data port 26 may be connected to other communications systems such as, for example, wired standard (RS485, etc.) as well as wireless standard (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiMax, etc.) communications systems. Thus, the data port 26 may be wired port, a wireless port, or combinations thereof.

As best shown in FIG. 2C, the battery module 10 may have a connector 11 to plug in to a connector 15 of a base 13. The connector 11 may incorporate the power port 24 and data port 26. The base 13 may be a stand-alone charging/power distribution port connected to a building's power distribution system. The base 13 may also be a vehicle battery dock or receiver for a vehicle PD-V. For example, the base 13 may include an inverter/rectifier combination to transition seamlessly between a DC output of the battery module 10 and an AC power system of the building's power distribution system. In another embodiment, the inverter/rectifier combination may be part of the battery module 10 for the battery module 10 to have AC output.

The battery module 10 may also include a global position system (GPS) 28 receiver operably connected to the processor 14 to communicate to the processor 14 a geographical location of the battery module 10. In some embodiments, the battery module 10 may employ techniques (e.g., Bluetooth communication with GPS-equipped mobile phone, Wi-Fi Positioning System (WPS), etc.) instead of or in addition to the to the GPS 28 to obtain the geographical location of the battery module 10.

Returning to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the system 1 includes a plurality of battery modules 10. The battery modules 10 may be operably connected to powered devices PD such as home appliances PD-1 and PD-2 via the power bus PB. Although in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1B, the battery modules 10 are illustrated as connected directly to the home appliances PD via the bus PB, the battery modules 10 may be connected via an inverter/rectifier combination to which the home appliances PD may be connected. The battery modules 10 may power those devices PD, serve as one-way or two-way appliance wireless data transmission devices, and serve as the appliances' link to the IoT. The battery module 10 power capacity allows for powering of the appliances PD via the power port 24. The BMS 16 of the battery module may also allow for the collection of battery and appliance performance data. The GPS 28 may be used to obtain location data of the devices PD. For some equipped appliances, the battery module 10 may also be connected to an appliance data system of the appliances PD via the data port 26. The wireless transmitter 18 of the battery module 10 may transmit the collected data via the cloud CL to be stored in the database 30.

The charger CX is shown in FIG. 1B to exemplify power conversion from the utility power grid to the power bus PB. The charger CX may operate both ways: to charge the battery modules 10 and to provide power from the battery modules 10 back to the utility power grid. The battery modules 10 may be recharged by the charger CX, serve as one-way or two-way charger wireless data transmission devices, and serve as the charger's link to the IoT. The BMS 16 of the battery module 10 may also allow for the collection of battery and charger performance data. The GPS 28 may be used to obtain location data of the charger CX, etc. For some equipped chargers, the battery module 10 may also be connected to a charger data system of the charger CX via the data port 26. The wireless transmitter 18 of the battery module 10 may transmit the collected data via the cloud CL to be stored in the database 30.

Some battery modules 10e, 10f may be connected to vehicles PD-V1, PD-V2 to power the vehicles, to serve as one-way or two-way vehicle wireless data transmission devices, and to serve as the vehicles' link to the IoT. The battery module 10 power capacity allows for powering of the electric vehicle PD-V via the power port 24. The BMS 16 of the battery module may also allow for the collection of vehicle and battery performance data. The GPS 28 may be used to obtain location data of the vehicle PD-V and whether the battery module 10 (and hence the vehicle PD-V) is stationary or moving, etc. The battery module 10 may also be connected to a vehicle data system of the electric vehicle PD-V via the data port 26. The wireless transmitter 18 of the battery module 10 may transmit the collected data via the cloud CL to be stored in a database 30. Vehicles PD-V may include any transportation device including two-wheeled, three-wheeled, four-wheeled, etc.

Some battery modules 10 may be temporarily disconnected from devices such as vehicles PD-V, home appliances PD, or chargers CX, etc. Even when not powering other devices or being charged, the battery modules 10 may collect their own data (location data, how much charge remains in the battery, etc.) The BMS 16 of the battery module 10 may allow for the collection of the battery's performance data. The GPS 28 may be used to obtain location and whether the battery module 10 is stationary or being moved, etc. Thus, even when not powering other devices or being charged, the battery modules 10 may serve as one-way or two-way wireless data transmission devices for their own data (e.g., location data, whether the battery is being used (no), how much charge remains in the battery, etc.) and serve as its own link to the IoT. The wireless transmitter 18 of the battery module 10 may transmit the collected data via the cloud CL to be stored in the database 30.

In this way, the database 30 has stored therein data from all the battery modules 10 and their corresponding powered devices PD-V, PD and chargers CX. Each battery module 10 ever manufactured may have a corresponding field in the database 30 such that the system 1 may have up-to-date and detailed information of every battery module 10 in the fleet and the corresponding devices connected to the battery module 10.

The system 1 may also include a remote server 32 that communicates with the battery modules 10 or the database 30 including receiving the data including the performance information. That is, the battery modules 10 may use their wireless transceiver 18 to communicate the data including the performance information to the cloud CL and the server 30, also connected to the cloud CL, may receive the data including the performance information either directly from the battery modules 10 or from the database 30.

In reference to FIG. 2A, in cases in which the powered device PD has a data port of its own compatible with the data port 26, that connection may be used to obtain data including performance information of the powered device PD. The connection may also be used to control the powered device PD via the battery module 10. For example, the demand for energy may exceed the virtual grid's ability to supply it, potentially causing brownouts or blackouts. A grid operator may offset the imbalance by reducing the amount of electricity being consumed when demand exceeds supply. The remote server 32 (or user computing devices CD described below) may effect such demand response device control on the powered device PD by communicating with the powered device PD through the battery module 10.

In cases in which the powered device PD does not have a data port compatible with the data port 26, the system 1 of FIG. 1 may obtain data including characteristics of the powered devices PD via analysis of power consumption as detected at the power port 24. Characteristics in this context includes all information the BMS 16 may derive from the analysis of power consumption as detected at the power port 24 including, for example, identity (type of device, model, etc.), settings, performance characteristics such as power consumption, abnormal conditions such as overcurrent, short circuit, etc. of the powered devices PD.

Returning to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the system 1, represents a novel home battery backup system that allows for the movement of battery modules 10 instead of on the movement of power via a wired grid as prior art grids did. The VG collects data of the battery module 10 including data of the battery-powered device PD at the battery. The system 1 uses battery connectivity innovations to create a conglomerate system of devices, the Virtual Grid (VG). The VG acts as a power management system for all batteries and battery-powered devices connected to those batteries. The system 1 may provide data and feedback to VG users. This allows VG users to utilize their own data, as well as the conglomerate data, to grow and/or shrink their portion of the grid as needed. The VG may allow end users or the grid to control the output and charging of their respective batteries, as well as report diagnostic information, etc. The VG may allow end users or the grid to understand and control, not just any specific battery module, but also the corresponding battery-powered device as well as other batteries and devices in the logical vicinity of the specific battery module.

Wide deployment of battery modules 10 would allow for intercommunication between devices of various sorts, making possible simplified, centralized controlled and monitoring of batteries and powered devices as a virtual grid. Environments in which battery modules 10 may be deployed include home or commercial device power storage, device power backup, and vehicle power.

The system 1 may be used to map historical power demand and predict future power demand at specific nodes of the grid at specific times. The system 1 may also be used to identify individual and community tendencies, habits, etc. as reflected by power consumption of specific powered devices at specific locations at specific times (e.g., what days of the week and what time of day a user commutes to a specific location, what days of the week and what time of day a user washes clothes, what days of the week and what time of day are the most common for people to wash clothes, etc.) More specifically to power delivery, the system 1 may be used to ensure efficient power delivery by leveraging the data in the database 30.

In one embodiment, the user interface in the computing devices CD may communicate performance information of a battery module 10 correlated to location of the battery module 10 and may allow a user to set profiles for the independent battery modules 10 of the system 1.

For example, the user interface CD-1 (e.g., a web app) may allow a user to set a first battery module 10a to a first output power profile and a second battery module 10b to a second output power profile different from the first output power profile. The user may connect a new depleted battery 10b to the power bus PB for charging. The user may set a profile of the new depleted battery module 10b to charge-only, while profiles of other battery modules 10a and 10c remain set to charge and discharge for home backup utilizations.

In another example, the user interface CD-2 (e.g., a phone app) may allow a user to get a battery module 10a ready to plug in to their vehicle for transportation later that day. Via the user interface CD-2, the user may set a profile of that battery module 10a to locked mode while profiles of the other battery modules 10b, 10c remain in share mode. The locked battery module 10a only charges while the other battery modules 10b, 10c are free to charge or discharge, as needed, for home power backup.

In yet another example, battery modules 10 may be part of a wider battery module sharing program of wirelessly connected battery modules in the virtual grid enabled by the cloud CL is aware of the charge status of all battery modules in the virtual grid. A first user living in the house shown in FIG. 1B who has a depleted battery module 10c may swap the depleted battery module 10c for a charged battery module currently residing at a neighbor's house as part of the program. Identification of such a charge battery module is possible because all battery modules may wirelessly connect to the cloud CL and to the remote server 32 and all battery modules have the GPS 28 (or similar geolocation capability) that, in combination with respective processors 14, can pinpoint the location of the charged battery module. However, in this example, a second user (i.e., the neighbor) may already have plans for that charged battery module for later in the day (e.g., the neighbor may need that battery module to plug in to their own electric vehicle for transportation later that day.) The second user may use their own user interface to set a profile of that charged battery module to “locked mode.” This profile mode indicates to the system 1 that the neighbor's battery module is not available for sharing at the moment.

Battery module profiles can be user configured, system configured, or combinations thereof.

In one example of a combination profile, a user may set a conditional profile where a battery module may be set to behave a particular way (e.g., charge-only) while under a first condition and a different way (e.g., charge and discharge) while under a second condition different from the first one. Conditions in this context may include date, time, identity of the powered device being powered, location of the power module, etc.

Such conditions may also relate to the status of the utility power grid. So, a user may set a conditional profile where a battery module may be set to charge-only while the utility power grid power is low and a to charge and discharge while the utility power grid power is normal.

In another example, a battery module 10 may be set to a vehicle only power profile that corresponds to the battery module 10 being set to charge-only while not in used in the vehicle PD-V and to charge (e.g., regenerative charging) or discharge while in use in the vehicle.

In yet another example, the condition may relate to location of the battery module 10 as determined by the GPS receiver 28. An example of this would be a first battery module 10a being set to charge or discharge while a corresponding vehicle PD-V1 powered by the second battery module 10e is a first distance (e.g., >5 miles) from the first battery module 10a and to charge-only when the corresponding vehicle PD-V1 powered by the second battery module 10e is a second distance (e.g., <5 miles) from the first battery module 10a. In essence, the first battery module 10a may get “ready” to be used in the vehicle PD-V1 when the vehicle PD-V1 is nearby but may behave like other battery modules when the vehicle PD-V1 is far away.

In yet another example, the condition may relate to direction of travel of a powered vehicle PD-V2 as determined by the GPS receiver 28 installed in the battery module 10f plugged to that vehicle PD-V2. An example of this would be a first battery module 10b being set to charge or discharge while the corresponding vehicle PD-V2 powered by the second battery module 10f is traveling away from the first battery module 10b and to charge-only mode when the corresponding vehicle PD-V2 powered by the second battery module 10f is traveling towards the first battery module 10b. In essence, the first battery module 10b may get “ready” to be used in the vehicle PD-V2 when the vehicle PD-V2 is approaching but may behave like other battery modules (charge and discharge) when the vehicle PD-V2 is moving away.

These and other scenarios are possible because of the capabilities of the home battery backup system 1 of the present disclosure.

Exemplary methods may be better appreciated with reference to the flow diagram of FIG. 3. While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the illustrated methodologies are shown and described as a series of blocks, it is to be appreciated that the methodologies are not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks can occur in different orders or concurrently with other blocks from that shown and described. Moreover, less than all the illustrated blocks may be required to implement an exemplary methodology. Furthermore, additional methodologies, alternative methodologies, or both can employ additional blocks, not illustrated.

In the flow diagrams, blocks denote “processing blocks” that may be implemented with logic. The processing blocks may represent a method step or an apparatus element for performing the method step. The flow diagrams do not depict syntax for any particular programming language, methodology, or style (e.g., procedural, object-oriented). Rather, the flow diagrams illustrate functional information one skilled in the art or artificial intelligence (AI) may employ to develop logic to perform the illustrated processing. It will be appreciated that in some examples, program elements like temporary variables, routine loops, and so on, are not shown. It will be further appreciated that electronic and software applications may involve dynamic and flexible processes so that the illustrated blocks can be performed in other sequences that are different from those shown or that blocks may be combined or separated into multiple components. It will be appreciated that the processes may be implemented using various programming approaches like machine language, procedural, object oriented or artificial intelligence or machine learning techniques.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram for an exemplary method 300 for a home battery backup system. At 310, the method 300 includes deploying a plurality of battery modules in a home battery backup system. At 320, the method 300 includes receiving from a user a battery module power output profile setting. For example, the user may use the user interface of a computing device CD connected to the system 1 via the cloud CL. At 330, the method 300 includes setting a battery module power output In accordance with the power output profile set by the user. At 340, the method 300 includes operating the battery module differently from other power modules in the plurality based on the power output setting.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computing environment 400 that may be used to deploy the battery module 10 or the remote server 32 of the present disclosure. The environment 400 includes a processor 402 (e.g., the processor 14), a memory 404, and I/O Ports 410 operably connected by a bus 408. The environment 400 may also include the database 30 or may communicate with the database 30 via the cloud CL.

The processor 402 (e.g., the processor 14) can be a variety of various processors including dual microprocessor and other multi-processor architectures. The memory 404 can include volatile memory or non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can include, but is not limited to, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, and the like. Volatile memory can include, for example, RAM, synchronous RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), and direct RAM bus RAM (DRRAM).

A storage 406 may be operably connected to the environment 400 via, for example, an I/O Interfaces (e.g., card, device) 418 and an I/O Ports 410. The storage 406 can include, but is not limited to, devices like a magnetic disk drive, a solid state disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a tape drive, a Zip drive, a flash memory card, or a memory stick. Furthermore, the storage 406 can include optical drives like a CD-ROM, a CD recordable drive (CD-R drive), a CD rewriteable drive (CD-RW drive), or a digital video ROM drive (DVD ROM). The memory 404 can store processes 414 or data 416, for example. The storage 406 or memory 404 can store an operating system that controls and allocates resources of the environment 400. The database 30 may reside in the storage 406.

The bus 408 can be a single internal bus interconnect architecture or other bus or mesh architectures. While a single bus is illustrated, it is to be appreciated that environment 400 may communicate with various devices, logics, and peripherals using other busses that are not illustrated (e.g., PCIE, SATA, Infiniband, 1394, USB, Ethernet). The bus 408 can be of a variety of types including, but not limited to, a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus or external bus, a crossbar switch, or a local bus. The local bus can be of varieties including, but not limited to, an industrial standard architecture (ISA) bus, a microchannel architecture (MCA) bus, an extended ISA (EISA) bus, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus, a universal serial (USB) bus, and a small computer systems interface (SCSI) bus.

The environment 400 may interact with input/output devices via I/O Interfaces 418 and I/O Ports 410. Input/output devices can include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a microphone, a pointing and selection device, cameras, video cards, displays, storage 406, network devices 420, and the like. The I/O Ports 410 can include but are not limited to, serial ports, parallel ports, and USB ports.

The environment 400 (and the battery module 10) can operate in a network environment and thus may be connected to network devices 420 via the I/O Interfaces 418, or the I/O Ports 410. Through the network devices 420, the environment 400 may interact with a network such as the Internet or the cloud CL. Through the network, the environment 400 may be logically connected to remote computers including, for example, a network computer or file server hosting the database 30. The networks with which the environment 400 may interact include, but are not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and other networks. The network devices 420 can connect to LAN technologies including, but not limited to, fiber distributed data interface (FDDI), copper distributed data interface (CDDI), Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), token ring (IEEE 802.5), wireless computer communication (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15.1), Zigbee (IEEE 802.15.4) and the like. Similarly, the network devices 420 can connect to WAN technologies including, but not limited to, point to point links, circuit switching networks like integrated services digital networks (ISDN), packet switching networks, satellite communication, and digital subscriber lines (DSL). While individual network types are described, it is to be appreciated that communications via, over, or through a network may include combinations and mixtures of communications.

Definitions

The following includes definitions of selected terms employed herein. The definitions include various examples or forms of components that fall within the scope of a term and that may be used for implementation. The examples are not intended to be limiting. Both singular and plural forms of terms may be within the definitions.

The terms “energy,” “power,” and “charge” are used here generally interchangeably.

An “operable connection,” or a connection by which entities are “operably connected,” is one in which signals, physical communications, or logical communications may be sent or received. Typically, an operable connection includes a physical interface, an electrical interface, or a data interface, but it is to be noted that an operable connection may include differing combinations of these or other types of connections sufficient to allow operable control. For example, two entities can be operably connected by being able to communicate signals to each other directly or through one or more intermediate entities like a processor, operating system, a logic, software, or other entity. Logical or physical communication channels can be used to create an operable connection.

To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is employed in the detailed description or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “or” is employed in the detailed description or claims (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both.” When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 624 (2d. Ed. 1995).

While example systems, methods, and so on, have been illustrated by describing examples, and while the examples have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit scope to such detail. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the systems, methods, and so on, described herein. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus, and illustrative examples shown and described. Thus, this application is intended to embrace alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the preceding description is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A home battery backup system, comprising: a plurality of battery modules, each battery module from the plurality including: one or more battery cells,a power output operably connected to the one or more battery cells,one or more module processors operably connected to the one or more battery cells or the power output,a wireless transceiver operably connected to the one or more module processors and configured to remotely transmit and receive data, andan enclosure at least partially enclosing the one or more battery cells, the one or more module processors, and the wireless transmitter;wherein the power outputs of each of the battery modules in the plurality are operably connected to a common bus; anda user interface configured for a user to set a first battery module from the plurality to a first output power profile and a second battery module from the plurality to a second output power profile different from the first output power profile.

2. The home battery backup system of claim 1, the system comprising: a remote server configured to transmit and receive the data, wherein the remote server is configured to communicate with the user interface and the one or more module processors of the first battery module and the second battery module to set the first battery module to the first output power profile and the second battery module to the second output power profile.

3. The home battery backup system of claim 1, wherein the first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge-only while the second output power profile corresponds to the second battery module being set to charge and discharge.

4. The home battery backup system of claim 1, wherein power from a utility grid is operably connected to the common bus, wherein the first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge-only while the second output power profile corresponds to the second battery module being set to charge and discharge based on status of the utility grid.

5. The home battery backup system of claim 1, wherein the first output power profile is a vehicle only power profile that corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge-only while not in used in a vehicle and to charge or discharge while in use in the vehicle.

6. The home battery backup system of claim 1, wherein each battery module from the plurality includes a GPS receiver configured to communicate location of a respective battery module, wherein the first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge or discharge while a corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is a first distance from the first battery module and to charge-only when the corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is a second distance, different from the first distance, from the first battery module, orthe first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge or discharge while a corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is moving away from the first battery module and to charge-only when the corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is moving towards the first battery module.

7. The home battery backup system of claim 1, wherein the power outputs of each of the battery modules in the plurality are operably connected to a common DC bus, orthe power outputs of each of the battery modules in the plurality are operably connected to a common AC bus via one or more rectifier/inverter devices.

8. A home battery backup system, comprising: a plurality of battery modules, each battery module from the plurality including: one or more battery cells,a power output operably connected to the one or more battery cells,one or more module processors operably connected to the one or more battery cells or the power output, andan enclosure at least partially enclosing the one or more battery cells, the one or more module processors;wherein the power outputs of each of the battery modules in the plurality are connected to a common bus; anda first battery module from the plurality is settable to a first output power profile and a second battery module from the plurality is simultaneously settable to a second output power profile different from the first output power profile.

9. The home battery backup system of claim 8, each battery module from the plurality including a wireless transceiver operably connected to the one or more module processors and configured to remotely transmit and receive data,the system comprising a remote server configured to transmit and receive the data, wherein the remote server is configured to communicate with the one or more module processors of the first battery module and the second battery module via respective ones of the wireless transceiver to set the first battery module to the first output power profile and the second battery module to the second output power profile.

10. The home battery backup system of claim 8, wherein the first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge-only while the second output power profile corresponds to the second battery module being set to charge and discharge.

11. The home battery backup system of claim 8, wherein power from a utility grid is operably connected to the common bus via a rectifier/inverter, wherein the first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge-only while the second output power profile corresponds to the second battery module being set to charge and discharge based on status of the utility grid.

12. The home battery backup system of claim 8, wherein the first output power profile is a vehicle only power profile that corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge-only while not in used in a vehicle and to charge or discharge while in use in the vehicle.

13. The home battery backup system of claim 8, wherein each battery module from the plurality includes a GPS receiver configured to communicate location of a respective battery module, wherein the first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge or discharge while a corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is a first distance from the first battery module and to charge-only when the corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is a second distance, different from the first distance, from the first battery module, orthe first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge or discharge while a corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is moving away from the first battery module and to charge-only when the corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is moving towards the first battery module.

14. The home battery backup system of claim 8, comprising: a user interface configured for a user to set the first battery module to the first output power profile and the second battery module to the second output power profile different from the first output power profile.

15. A home battery backup system, comprising: a plurality of battery modules, each battery module from the plurality including: one or more battery cells,a power output operably connected to the one or more battery cells, the power output operably connected to a power buss common to the plurality of battery modules;one or more module processors operably connected to the one or more battery cells or the power output,a wireless transceiver operably connected to the one or more module processors and configured to remotely transmit and receive data, andan enclosure at least partially enclosing the one or more battery cells, the one or more module processors;a remote server configured to communicate with the one or more module processors of the first battery module and the second battery module via respective ones of the wireless transceiver to set the first battery module to the first output power profile and the second battery module to the second output power profile.

16. The home battery backup system of claim 15, wherein the first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge-only while the second output power profile corresponds to the second battery module being set to charge and discharge.

17. The home battery backup system of claim 15, wherein power from a utility grid is operably connected to the common bus via a rectifier and/or inverter, wherein the first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge-only while the second output power profile corresponds to the second battery module being set to charge and discharge based on status of the utility grid.

18. The home battery backup system of claim 15, wherein the first output power profile is a vehicle only power profile that corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge-only while not in used in a vehicle and to charge or discharge while in use in the vehicle.

19. The home battery backup system of claim 15, wherein each battery module from the plurality includes a GPS receiver configured to communicate location of a respective battery module, wherein the first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge or discharge while a corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is a first distance from the first battery module and to charge-only when the corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is a second distance, different from the first distance, from the first battery module, orthe first output power profile corresponds to the first battery module being set to charge or discharge while a corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is moving away from the first battery module and to charge-only when the corresponding vehicle powered by the second battery module is moving towards the first battery module.

20. The home battery backup system of claim 15, comprising: a user interface configured to communicate with the remote server or to respective ones of the one or more processors via respective ones of the wireless transmitters for a user to set the first battery module to the first output power profile and the second battery module to the second output power profile different from the first output power profile.