US Patent 7199489 Battery communication system

An uninterrupted power supply (“UPS”) system is disclosed which uses a battery communication system to communicate to a UPS processor information concerning the status of a battery pack in an array of parallel coupled battery packs. The battery packs provide back-up power for the UPS system. Information about the battery packs is collected by a monitor associated with each of the battery packs. The monitors measure battery pack voltage, currents and temperature and compile information about the battery pack from the measured values. Each monitor prepares a data word representing information about its battery pack. The data words are transmitted to the UPS in response to commands issued by the UPS processor to the monitors.