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EP-4718677-A9 - ACCUMULATOR AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN ACCUMULATOR

EP4718677A9EP 4718677 A9EP4718677 A9EP 4718677A9EP-4718677-A9

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery (1), in particular an IoT battery, comprising at least one battery cell (2) for receiving, storing, and discharging energy, an energy interface (3) for connecting the battery (1) to an end device and/or an external energy source, and a controller (4) for controlling the at least one battery cell (2) and/or the energy interface (3). The invention also relates to a method for operating a battery (1). It is proposed that the battery (1) includes an IoT control unit (5), wherein the IoT control unit (5) is configured to generate control commands for the controller (4) and/or status information of the battery (1).

Inventors

  • THANNHUBER, MARKUS
  • Szekacs, Endre
  • Fech, Daniel

Assignees

  • Einhell Germany AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20250912

Claims (15)

  1. Accumulator (1), in particular an IoT accumulator with at least one accumulator cell (2) for receiving, storing and releasing energy, an energy interface (3) for connecting the accumulator (1) to an end device and/or an external power source, and a controller (4) for controlling the at least one accumulator cell (2) and/or the energy interface (3) characterized by the fact that the accumulator (1) includes an IoT control unit (5), wherein the IoT control unit (5) is configured to generate control commands for the control (4) and/or status information of the accumulator (1).
  2. Accumulator (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that the accumulator (1) comprises a detection unit (6) for detecting accumulator parameters.
  3. Accumulator (1) according to the previous claim, characterized in that the IoT control unit (5) is connected to the acquisition unit (6) and is configured to generate the control commands for the control (4) and/or status information of the accumulator (1) depending on at least one accumulator parameter.
  4. Accumulator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the accumulator parameters and/or status information include a number of on and/or off operations, a number and/or type of energy transfer operations, a charge level of the at least one accumulator cell and/or a temperature of the accumulator (1).
  5. Accumulator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control commands that can be generated by the IoT control unit (5) relate to a time of energy transfer, a period of energy transfer, an interval of energy transfer, an amount of a transferred voltage and/or an amount of a transferred current.
  6. Accumulator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the accumulator (1) comprises at least one accumulator data interface (7) for, in particular, bidirectional data exchange.
  7. Accumulator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the IoT control unit (5) comprises a programming interface (8) and is in particular configured to generate the control commands for the control (4) and/or status information of the accumulator (1) depending on the programming interface (8) defined programs.
  8. Accumulator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the IoT control unit (5) is integrated into the controller (4).
  9. Accumulator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the IoT control unit (5) and/or the controller (4) is designed as an integrated circuit, in particular as a microcontroller.
  10. Method for operating an accumulator (1), in particular an IoT accumulator, which is designed in particular according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that control commands for a control (4) of the accumulator (1) and/or Status information of the accumulator (1) is generated by an IoT control unit (5).
  11. Method according to the previous claim, characterized in that the control commands for the control (4) and/or the status information of the accumulator (1) are generated by the IoT control unit (5) depending on detected accumulator parameters.
  12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the accumulator parameters and/or the status information include a number of on and/or off operations, a number and/or type of energy transfer operations, a charge level of the at least one accumulator cell and/or a temperature of the accumulator (1).
  13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control commands generated by the IoT control unit (5) relate to a time of energy transfer, a period of energy transfer, an interval of energy transfer, an amount of transferred voltage and/or an amount of transferred current.
  14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the IoT control unit (5) receives data from external devices and/or sends data to external devices.
  15. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control commands for the control (4) and/or status information of the accumulator (1) are generated depending on predefined programs.

Description

The present invention relates to a battery, in particular an IoT battery, comprising at least one battery cell for receiving, storing and discharging energy, an energy interface for connecting the battery to an end device and/or an external energy source, and a controller for controlling the at least one battery cell and/or the energy interface. The invention also relates to a method for operating a battery. Rechargeable batteries have been around for a long time. They are used, for example, to power power tools. Usually, several batteries are used alternately to avoid interruptions while working with the power tool. The increased capacities of recent decades allow even larger power devices, such as lawnmowers, to be operated with rechargeable batteries. Most power tool manufacturers use battery systems with corresponding chargers and batteries whose energy interfaces are designed in a specific way, so that batteries from one manufacturer are generally not compatible with power tools from another manufacturer. Therefore, purchasing a battery system significantly contributes to customer loyalty to a power tool manufacturer. It is therefore desirable to equip batteries with additional functions as a selling point, thereby giving the batteries themselves, but potentially also the devices they power, a market advantage. It is conceivable that batteries could be given the ability to adapt individually to the connected device or charger. With existing batteries, this happens automatically, without the user being able to influence it. Furthermore, this usually requires an "intelligent" device or charger capable of exchanging complex data with the battery. Therefore, It is desirable that a battery can also be passively adapted to a terminal device or charger, without the terminal device or charger having the capability to exchange complex data. The object of the present invention is therefore to improve known accumulators with regard to the aforementioned disadvantages. The problem is solved by an accumulator and a method for operating an accumulator with the features of the independent patent claims. The accumulator according to the invention, which is particularly designed as an IoT accumulator, preferably comprises at least one accumulator cell for receiving, storing, and discharging energy. The accumulator cell provides, in particular, the basic function of the accumulator, namely the operation of connected end devices. Depending on the required energy capacity, the accumulator can have a varying number of accumulator cells. For example, the accumulator may comprise at least two accumulator cells. The accumulator cells are, in particular, rechargeable by a charger connected to the accumulator. Furthermore, the accumulator preferably includes a power interface for connecting the accumulator to a terminal device and/or an external power source. The power interface provides, in particular, a connection between the at least one accumulator cell and a connected charger or terminal device. The accumulator also includes a controller for controlling the at least one accumulator cell and/or the power interface. The controller manages, for example, the charging and discharging processes and monitors the operating parameters of the accumulator. It is proposed that the accumulator includes an IoT control unit, wherein the IoT control unit is trained to generate control commands for the control and/or status information of the accumulator. The IoT control unit enables, among other things, comprehensive user interaction, significantly expanding the control and monitoring of the battery and potentially the connected device or charger. For example, users can directly influence the battery's control parameters via the IoT control unit. This can include setting charging time windows, prioritizing specific consumers, or adjusting power profiles. The status information generated by the IoT control unit can be made accessible to a user in a variety of ways. For example, the status information could be transmitted to a user's consumer electronics device. On this device, the user could, for instance, retrieve the current charge level, power output, and/or temperature of the battery. Notification systems could inform the user about critical events such as low charge levels or unusual operating conditions. Periodic reports could, for example, reveal long-term trends in battery usage and efficiency. Conversely, a user could, for example, influence the battery's performance parameters via a consumer electronics device and thus, in particular, at least partially control end devices without their own communication capabilities passively through the battery. The generated status information can be additionally or alternatively stored in the accumulator's memory to enable long-term analysis. This would allow trends in accumulator usage to be identified and the control parameters to be adjusted accordingly. For example, the accumulator could