Abstract: Monitoring individual cells within large battery stacks used in alternative fuel vehicles is provided using wireless sensor networks. In one embodiment, a battery stack comprised of a plurality of cells includes a plurality of wireless sensor nodes each electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of cells. Each of the wireless sensor nodes includes a sensor circuit for measuring individual performance characteristics for cells to which the wireless sensor nodes are connected. This cell-specific performance data may then be wirelessly transmitted to an external node, which is coupled to a vehicle battery management system configured to determine at least one of a state of charge, state of health and remaining useful life data for the overall battery stack based on the performance characteristics of the battery stack's individual cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a timing apparatus and methods of its use in quantifying the time parameter of being away from a vehicle. The timing apparatus having a menu included with a set of numbers corresponding to user selectable time parameters, a control knob adjustable to designate a selected time parameter from the set of numbers, the selected time parameter representing the time until the vehicle will be turned back on, and a sensor connected to the control knob and a microprocessor, the sensor providing a proximate selected position of the control knob in reference to the set of numbers, the selected position representing the selected time parameter.

Abstract: Monitoring individual cells within large battery stacks used in alternative fuel vehicles is provided using wireless sensor networks. In one embodiment, a battery stack comprised of a plurality of cells includes a plurality of wireless sensor nodes each electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of cells. Each of the wireless sensor nodes includes a sensor circuit for measuring individual performance characteristics for cells to which the wireless sensor nodes are connected. This cell-specific performance data may then be wirelessly transmitted to an external node, which is coupled to a vehicle battery management system configured to determine at least one of a state of charge, state of health and remaining useful life data for the overall battery stack based on the performance characteristics of the battery stack's individual cells.