Abstract: A charging control device includes a plurality of battery packs including a secondary battery therein, one or two or more power input units configured to input power, a power integration unit configured to integrate the power input by the one or two or more power input units to one power, and a main control unit configured to measure the quantity of power input to the power integration unit and determine the quantity of power supplied from the power integration unit to the battery packs based on the measured quantity of power so as to control simultaneous charging of the plurality of battery packs.

Abstract: Systems and methods may provide for a charger that includes a converter with a battery port, a first bypass switch coupled to a first bus port and the battery port, and a second bypass switch coupled to a second bus port and the battery port. Additionally, a charge controller may use one or more control signals to manage power to be delivered from the first bus port through the first bypass switch to the battery port, and power to be delivered from the second bus port through the second bypass switch to the battery port.

Abstract: A storage status adjusting circuit includes a first switching unit configured to switch between energy accumulation in a first coil and energy release from the first coil to any one of electric storage devices in a first assembled electric storage device having a plurality of the electric storage devices, a second switching unit configured to switch between energy accumulation in a second coil and energy release from the second coil to any one of the electric storage devices in a second assembled electric storage device having a plurality of the electric storage devices, and a changing unit configured to change a potential difference between both ends of the first coil and a potential difference between both ends of the second coil based on storage statuses of the first assembled electric storage device and the second assembled electric storage device, when energy is accumulated in the first coil and the second coil.

Abstract: Provided are a power generation control method for a vehicle configured to perform idling stop at a predetermined vehicle speed or less by a stop/start system, the vehicle including: a power generator configured to be driven by an internal combustion engine to generate power; and a battery to be charged by the power generated by the power generator, the power being generated in the vehicle under control so as to reduce an amount of fuel to be consumed by the internal combustion engine for power generation, the power generation control method including: detecting a charged and discharged state of the battery; and controlling the internal combustion engine to interrupt power generation involving fuel consumption when a charged state of the battery has recovered to a charged state before the idling stop through charging after the idling stop in accordance with the detected charged and discharged state.

Abstract: A method for managing the charge of a metal-air battery comprising at least one cell. The cell comprises a negative electrode, a first positive air electrode and a second positive oxygen-release electrode. For each cell, during the application of a charge current circulating in the cell between the negative electrode and the second positive oxygen-release electrode, the absolute value of a potential of the negative electrode is compared with a critical threshold value, the potential of the negative electrode being determined relative to the first positive air electrode. When the absolute value of the potential of the negative electrode reaches the threshold value, a surplus charging current, depending on the difference between the current applied to the cell and the charging current, is diverted.

Abstract: An electric storage device management apparatus includes a controller that is configured to perform a voltage drop determination process to determine a voltage drop value of a conductive member that connects electric storage devices, and perform a voltage between terminals determination process to determine a voltage value between terminals of one of the electric storage devices after the voltage drop determination process.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for switching an electrical load having at least one capacitive component and one inductive component in a bridge branch of a bridge circuit comprises a charging of the bridge branch to a first voltage (V1) in a forward switching phase (F), a discharging of the capacitive component of the electrical load in a first open switching phase (O1), a charging of the bridge branch to a second voltage (V2) in a reverse switching phase (R), with the second voltage (V2) being polarized inversely from the first voltage (V1), and a negative charging of the capacitive component of the electrical load in a second open switching phase (O2). A bridge circuit is also provided.

Abstract: A mobile terminal is provided with a housing, a circuit substrate, a secondary-side non-contact charging module, and a heat dissipating sheet. The circuit substrate comprises a substrate, an electronic component that is mounted to the substrate, and a shield case that covers the electronic component. The heat dissipation sheet is in contact with the shield case.

Abstract: The energy conversion system comprises a primary and a secondary modules. The primary module includes input terminals, a primary winding, and a primary capacitor connected to the primary winding and the input terminals. The secondary module includes output terminals, a secondary winding and a secondary capacitor connected to the secondary winding and the output terminals. A current is induced in the secondary winding when the primary and secondary windings are magnetically coupled, the current received between the input terminals flowing through the primary winding. The secondary module comprises a secondary switch electrically connected to the secondary capacitor and the secondary winding, and means for controlling the secondary switch, between a first configuration wherein the current induced in the secondary winding flows up to the output terminals, and a second configuration wherein said induced current flows in a closed loop through the secondary winding and the secondary capacitor.

Abstract: A battery system includes a plurality of battery packs connected in parallel each including a switch and a battery connected to the switch in series and a battery state determining unit determining a state of the battery. The battery state determining unit includes a disconnection determining unit controlling disconnection of the switch and a switch controller controlling open and close of the switch in accordance with a result of determining the state. The disconnection determining unit calculates allowable stop and demanded stop periods of the battery packs on the basis of the past data, season data, and allowable currents of the batteries and transmits data to the switch controller when the demanded stop period is smaller than the allowable stop period, and the switch controller makes the switch in an open state.

Abstract: Methods and systems for automatically aligning a power-transmitting inductor with a power-receiving inductor. One embodiment includes a method of applying a direct current pulse to a transmit coil of a power-transmitting inductor to attract the power-receiving inductor into alignment along an alignment axis.

Abstract: Power transmission device that causes a power supply circuit to supply a first voltage to a first active electrode when power transmission is performed, causes the power supply circuit to supply a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage to the first active electrode and causes power reception device detection means to perform frequency sweeping at a first time interval until the power reception device is mounted, or causes the power supply circuit to supply a third voltage that is lower than the first voltage to the first active electrode and causes the power reception device detection means to perform frequency sweeping at a second time interval that is longer than the first time interval until the power reception device is removed.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating internal parameters of a lithium-ion battery to provide a reliable battery state-of-charge estimate. The method uses a two RC-pair equivalent battery circuit model to estimate the battery parameters, including a battery open circuit voltage, an ohmic resistance, a double layer capacitance, a charge transfer resistance, a diffusion resistance and a diffusion capacitance. The method further uses the equivalent circuit model to provide a difference equation from which the battery parameters are adapted, and calculates the battery parameters from the difference equation.

Abstract: A system is presented for harvesting electromagnetic energy propagating in surroundings. The system comprises an antenna unit, a harvesting unit, and an input signal adapting circuit. The antenna unit is configured for receiving external electromagnetic radiation from the surroundings and producing a corresponding electric output. The harvesting unit comprises at least one energy harvesting circuit each configured and operable for receiving signals indicative of the output of the antenna unit and generating and storing corresponding electric charge, the harvesting circuit comprising: a rectifying unit comprising a plurality of rectifiers each configured and operable to receive AC electric signals and generate corresponding DC electric power; and a charge collection unit configured and operable to receive the plurality of DC electric powers from said rectifying unit and converting and accumulating them into the electric charge presenting harvested energy.

Abstract: A method of charging a battery (50). The method comprises the step of supplying (101) an essentially constant charging current (C) of a predetermined first magnitude (C1) from a power source (10) to the battery (50), during a first constant current mode (CC1) of charging. Furthermore the method comprises the step of switching (102) to a second constant current mode (CC2) of charging when a battery voltage (Vb) reaches a predetermined threshold value (Vt1); and the step of supplying (103) an essentially constant charging current (C) of a predetermined second magnitude (C2) to the battery (B), during the second constant current mode (CC2) of charging. The second magnitude (C2) is lower than the first magnitude (C1).

Abstract: Provided are balancing device and method which can achieve a balancing function between energy storage units connected in series using a small number of switch elements, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and size and enabling various balancing modes. The balancing device for balancing between a plurality of energy storage units a battery module, in which the energy storage units are connected in series, includes: a transformer; and a switch network comparing a cell switch unit, a polarity switch unit, and au auxiliary switch unit, wherein the auxiliary switch unit includes: a first auxiliary switch unit for connecting a second common node to one terminal of the secondary winding of the transformer; and a second auxiliary switch unit for connecting a first common node to the other terminal of the secondary winding of the transformer.

Abstract: A motor vehicle having a jump-start device is equipped with an internal combustion engine with a starter motor, and at least two on-board electrical power subsystems which are coupled together via an electric coupling element. Each on-board electrical power subsystem has at least one rechargeable electrical energy storage device. The motor vehicle has a jump-start support terminal, wherein the jump-starting device has a multi-stage jump-start switch. The on-board electrical power subsystems and the jump-starting support terminal are galvanically isolated when a first switching stage of the jump-start switch is selected, and the on-board electrical power subsystems and the jump-starting support terminal are galvanically connected when a second switching stage of the jump-start switch is selected.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for setting a maximum depth of discharge of an energy reservoir for a time period. The method includes: defining a first target aging value of the energy reservoir for a first time period; determining a first aging value that describes an aging of the energy reservoir during the first period; calculating a first difference between the first target aging value of the energy reservoir and the first aging value of the energy reservoir; defining a second target aging value of the energy reservoir for a second time period; calculating a maximum aging value of the energy reservoir for the second time period, based on the second target aging value and at least the first difference; calculating a maximum depth-of-discharge value based on the maximum aging value; setting the maximum depth of discharge of the energy reservoir for the second time period to the maximum depth-of-discharge value.

Abstract: In a contactless power supply system 10 having a secondary coil 13 receiving electric power generated from a primary coil 12 to be connected to a high-frequency power source 11, and a resonance coil 14 arranged in direct contact with the secondary coil 13 in between the primary coil 12 and the secondary coil 13, respective planarly-viewed areas of the secondary and the resonance coils 13, 14 are equal to or smaller than a planarly-viewed area of the primary coil 12, the primary coil 12 is formed by planarly and spirally winding a first litz wire 25, the resonance coil 14 is formed by tandemly winding coils 27, 28 in a double layer, the coils 27, 28 being formed by planarly and spirally winding a second litz wire 26, and the secondary coil 13 is formed by parallelly arranging and planarly and spirally winding third litz wires 29, 29a.

Abstract: A battery charger circuit includes a transistor having a first current electrode for receiving a charging voltage, a control electrode for receiving a control signal, and a second current electrode for providing an output voltage. The battery charger circuit further includes a rectifier having a terminal coupled to the second current electrode of the transistor, and another terminal coupled to a power supply voltage terminal. The battery charger circuit also includes a control and regulation circuit having an input for receiving a feedback signal representative of a temperature, and an output for providing the control signal. The control and regulation circuit operates in either a switching mode or a linear mode in response to the feedback signal.