Most mobile or stationary smart devices under development contain embedded Internet of Things capability. Whether it is a stationary back-up battery or a mobile handheld device, these smart products typically offer a remote management application that allows the owner/operator to control and monitor the device. This remote management capability is commonly called Internet of Things (IoT).

When a stationary or mobile device has embedded IoT capabilities, battery power plays a significant role in enabling IoT.  First, battery power ensures the smart device continues to operate when the device does not have line power.  This includes not only powering the device’s primary functions, but also powering memory storage (used to store IoT data), the IoT processor, and the wireless transceiver embedded in the device.  This ensures the IoT application has access and control of the device when it is untethered.

Second, and more meaningful, the smart device can collect and transmit battery performance information back to the IoT application.  Not only can the remote operator access and control the device’s performance, but they can monitor and manage the battery performance embedded in the device.  Battery management via IoT is common in mission-critical applications, such as military products, medical products, mobile medical carts, Electric Vehicles (EV), and stationary back-up batteries.

Devices with IoT capabilities can be remotely monitored and controlled

Battery performance information can be transmitted to the stationary or mobile smart device via numerous communications protocols, including SMBus, I2C, HDQ, or CANBus.  The device can then transmit this data via it’s IoT processor and WiFi transceiver.  The range of information available to the IoT application includes State-of-Charge (SoC), State-of-Health (SoH), available capacity and run-time, number of cycles, peak current delivered, total capacity available relative to original capacity, lowest and highest temperatures experienced.  Additionally, IoT battery information can be used to ensure that the operator has not violated any warranty conditions specified for the battery.