Serially Connected Batteries Or Cells Patents (Class 320/116)
  • Patent number: 11949268
    Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling a battery pack, and a battery pack controlled by the method. A battery pack includes a plurality of slave battery modules, each of the slave battery modules including a battery that includes at least one battery cell and a slave controller that is configured to control charge and discharge of the battery, a master battery module including a master controller that is configured to control the slave controller, and a communication cable having formed thereon a first port to which the master controller is connected and a plurality of second ports to which the slave controller is connected. The first port includes an identification terminal configured to output an identification signal which is an electrical signal corresponding to the number of the second ports. A method of controlling the battery pack is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngjin Lee, Jaeseung Kim, Gilchoun Yeom, Kwanil Oh, Hyeoncheol Jeong, Seunglim Choi
  • Patent number: 11879948
    Abstract: In electrical fault detection device that is mounted on a vehicle and includes: energy storage unit to be mounted in a state of being insulated from a chassis ground of the vehicle; first switch inserted into positive wire; and second switch inserted into negative wire, in order to suppress a total cost by not using an expensive component while securing detection accuracy, electrical fault detection device further includes coupling capacitor, AC output unit, first voltage measurement unit, first determination unit, voltage dividing circuit, second voltage measurement unit, and second determination unit. Voltage dividing circuit is connected between positive wire between first switch and one end of load and negative wire between second switch and the other end of load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Nakayama, Tomonori Kunimitsu, Taisuke Hamada, Yasuharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11876189
    Abstract: A battery module for use in a battery system is operable in a bottom mode, a top mode or a middle mode during an enabled state. The battery module includes a battery unit and a battery control circuit. The battery unit which includes at least one battery generates a battery unit voltage between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the battery unit. The battery control circuit is powered by the battery unit voltage and is configured to control the battery unit. The battery control circuit includes an enable terminal, an upstream input terminal, an upstream output terminal, a downstream input terminal, and a downstream output terminal. When the enable terminal is at an operation enabling level, or when the upstream input terminal is at an upstream enabling level, the battery module enters the enabled state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Hsu Chang, Hao-Wen Chung, Chung-Hui Yeh, Kuo-Chen Tsai
  • Patent number: 11870281
    Abstract: The invention provides a voltage balancing system for balancing controlling of voltage of battery cells including a first set of battery cells and a second set of battery cells connected in series. The system includes a high-side analog front end (AFE) connected to the first set of battery cells, a low-side analog front end (AFE) connected to the second set of battery cells, a microcontroller communicating with the high-side AFE and the low-side AFE, and a communication isolating module interconnecting between the high-side AFE and the microcontroller. The system further includes a balancing module arranged at a back end of the low-side AFE or the high-side AFE to equalize voltages output by the low-side AFE and the high-side AFE. Compared with the prior arts, the system employs a balancing module to balance the voltages of the two sets of battery cells, which can shorten the voltage difference therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Globe (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ming Luo, Chuanjun Liu, Xian Zhuang
  • Patent number: 11870292
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for controlling power of a parallel multi pack system. The power control apparatus includes first to nth sensor units measuring operation characteristic values of first to nth battery packs connected in parallel; a power management unit controlling a power consumed in a load or a power provided by a charging device; and a multi pack management unit that: determines a pack resistance of each of the battery packs based on the operation characteristic value of each battery pack received from the sensor units, determines a minimum available power among available powers respectively corresponding to the pack resistances of the battery packs, determines a total power of the parallel multi pack system so the pack power of a battery pack having a lowest pack resistance becomes identical to the minimum available power, and transmit the determined total power to the power management unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Young-Jun Ko, Cheol-Taek Kim, Sang-Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 11862998
    Abstract: To improve reliability in balancing while suppressing power consumption during balancing. A battery management device 1 includes cell cons 41 and 42 that perform balancing for adjusting voltages of a plurality of battery cells 2 that are secondary batteries, and a control unit 3 that controls the cell cons 41 and 42. The cell con 41 includes the main timer 412 that measures the elapsed time for stopping the cell con 41, and the stop management unit 413 that stops the cell con 41 when the main timer 412 is abnormal. In the battery management device 1, the battery cell 2 that supplies power to the main timer 412 and the stop management unit 413, and the lead storage battery 7 that supplies power to the control unit 3 are power supplies different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonori Kanai, Hikaru Miura, Tomoyuki Arima
  • Patent number: 11858439
    Abstract: A circuit and method for providing multi-mode power to a vehicle load may include first and second voltage sources, main positive and main negative relays, and first, second, and third relays. The main positive relay may have a second side connected to a first side of the load, and the main negative relay may have a second side connected to a second side of the load. A first side of the second relay may be connected to a positive side of the first voltage source, and a second side of the second relay to a positive side of the second voltage source and a first side of the main positive relay. A first side of the third relay may be connected to a negative side of the second voltage source, and a second side of the third relay to a first side of the main negative relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wang Xie, Xuebei Ren, Diwei Fang
  • Patent number: 11857142
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus includes a floor cleaning unit and a portable surface cleaning unit. The floor cleaning unit includes a surface cleaning head, an upper section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between an upright storage position and a rearwardly inclined floor cleaning position, a charger having an energy storage member, and an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a floor cleaning unit air outlet. The portable surface cleaning unit is connectable to the floor cleaning unit, and includes a portable surface cleaning unit air inlet connectable in air flow communication with the floor cleaning unit air outlet, a main body, an air treatment member, a suction motor, a handle and a capacitor. When fully charged, the energy storage member stores sufficient stored power to recharge the capacitor at least twice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad
  • Patent number: 11848425
    Abstract: An energy storage system includes a DC bus; a plurality of battery strings, each battery string comprising batteries coupled electrically together; a plurality of DC/DC converters electrically coupling respective battery strings to the DC bus; an enclosure housing the battery strings and the DC/DC converters; and a temperature control system. The temperature control system includes at least one heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Keith Garrette Brown, Honggang Wang, Alistair Martin Waddell
  • Patent number: 11837702
    Abstract: An electric energy storage device, the electric energy storage device configured to be detachably coupled with an electrical device, the electric energy storage device comprises a housing, N sets of battery units received in the housing, N being a composite number, each battery unit comprising at least one battery cell, a plurality of switches, each switch connected to the output end of two different battery units, a control unit electrically connected to the switches and configured to control the switches to switch on or off in order to connect the battery units in parallel or series, wherein the electric energy storage device can output at least three different voltages. The electric energy storage device can be used for different types of power tools with different voltage requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Globe (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Baoan Li, Xi Li, Xinzhong Guo
  • Patent number: 11831186
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and devices for balancing a battery pack that comprises a plurality of battery cells. A first charging protocol to charge the battery pack is employed, and while the battery pack is being charged, a determination is made whether the battery pack is imbalanced. After determining that the battery pack is imbalanced, a determination is made whether a value of the state of charge (SoC) of the battery pack corresponds to a particular range of values. After determining that the value of the SoC of the battery pack corresponds to the particular range of values and that the battery pack is imbalanced, a second charging protocol to charge the battery pack is employed, wherein the second charging protocol is different from the first charging protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Gbatteries Energy Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Mykola Sherstyuk
  • Patent number: 11817727
    Abstract: One or more battery sub-modules are selected by obtaining at least one voltage from each battery sub-module and selecting based at least in part on the obtained voltages. The battery sub-modules are electrically connected in series in order to provide power to a primary load. Each battery sub-module includes a plurality of cells electrically connected in series and each battery sub-module further includes a battery management system that monitors the cells in that battery sub-module. Those battery management systems in the selected sub-modules are turned off so that the battery management systems in the selected sub-modules do not consume power at least temporarily from the cells in the selected sub-modules while (1) the battery sub-modules are not providing power to the primary load and (2) the battery sub-modules are not being charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Wisk Aero LLC
    Inventors: Scott Furman, Lewis Romeo Hom
  • Patent number: 11804722
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a battery pack power supply system and a battery pack power supply method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Globe (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huage Wang, Chuntao Lu, Xian Zhuang, Baoan Li
  • Patent number: 11789086
    Abstract: A battery cell performance monitoring system includes an energy storage system that includes at least one inverter and battery nodes. Each of the battery nodes includes battery racks, and each of the battery racks includes battery cells. The battery cell performance monitoring system also includes a processor, memory, and programming in the memory. The programming causes the battery cell performance monitoring system to determine an extreme rack cell voltage value of each battery rack. Next, to determine an average extreme rack cell voltage value based on the extreme rack cell voltage value of each battery rack. Further, to compare an extreme rack cell voltage value for each battery rack with the average extreme rack cell voltage value. Additionally, to identify one or more outlier battery racks based upon the comparison of the extreme rack cell voltage value for each battery rack with the average extreme rack cell voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Fluence Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Amy Bohinsky, John T. Guerin, Abhishek Malik, Kashish Patel
  • Patent number: 11769935
    Abstract: A wiring harness for a battery and inverter system includes a main cable. It further includes an inverter connector configured to plug the main cable into an inverter module that includes: an inverter-end positive-DC power bus pin, an inverter-end negative DC power bus pin, and an inverter-end neutral power bus pin. It further includes a first spur of the main cable terminating in a first-type battery device connector that includes: a first-type battery module positive-DC power bus pin and a first-type battery device neutral power bus pin. It further includes a second spur of the main cable terminating in a second type battery device connector that includes: a second-type battery module neutral power bus pin and a second-type battery device negative DC power bus pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Lunar Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter H. J. How, Tanner Bruce DeVoe, Mark Holveck, Anthony Sagneri, Christopher Breckenridge Todd, Randol Aikin, Mark Daniel Goldman, Conrad Xavier Murphy, Kevin Richard Fine, Brian M. Neil
  • Patent number: 11764573
    Abstract: A DC power supply system includes: nodes to connect to a DC bus and constitute a DC grid with the bus; a power management apparatus that manages the power demand of the entire grid; and a starter device that makes the nodes start up and connect to the bus one by one in an order in a state where the bus is down to start up the entire grid. The starter device supplies start-up power through a power supply line to start up each node. The starter device diagnoses nodes to be diagnosed selected from among the nodes before supply of the power to determine the abnormality from a response with respect to a diagnostic signal supplied to the nodes through the start-up power supply line. When the node diagnosed is determined to be normal, the starter device supplies the start-up power thereto and connects it to the bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao Ichi
  • Patent number: 11762027
    Abstract: An embodiment of this application provides a charging control method and device and a power management controller. The charging control method includes: determining whether battery status of a battery pack meets preset conditions, where the battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells, and the preset conditions are: the battery pack has been left standing for a preset duration, and an open-circuit voltage of each battery cell in the battery pack falls within a preset range; and charging the battery pack based on a charging policy corresponding to a determining result, so that a capacity of a battery cell with a highest remaining capacity in the battery pack reaches a nominal capacity of the battery cell with the highest remaining capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Guangyu Xu, Shichao Li, Wei Zhao
  • Patent number: 11762029
    Abstract: An insulation resistance detection apparatus includes: a first switch connected to a high potential side of a battery assembly including plural battery cells connected in series; a second switch connected to a low potential side of the battery assembly; a detection resistor; a controller configured to turn on one of the first switch and the second switch and turn off the other of the first switch and the second switch to form a series connection circuit including the battery assembly, an insulation resistor of the battery assembly, and the detection resistor, and calculate insulation resistance based on a voltage applied to the detection resistor, in which the first switch is connected between two battery cells on the high potential side among the plural battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO TEN Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Izutani, Yoshihiro Nakao
  • Patent number: 11755088
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamically switching power supply in a dual battery system to minimize unbalanced wear levels in the primary and secondary batteries. If the operating temperature of the primary battery reaches a reliability temperature threshold but the operating temperature of the secondary battery is less than the reliability temperature threshold, the controller switches a primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery. If the operating temperature of the primary battery reaches a pre-shutdown temperature but the operating temperature of the secondary battery is less than the pre-shutdown temperature, the controller switches a primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery. If a difference between the wear levels of the batteries exceeds a wear level difference threshold, the controller switches a primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Qinghong He, Yan Ning, John Robert Lerma, Louis Michael Davis
  • Patent number: 11750005
    Abstract: A battery controller includes an auxiliary measurement energy-storing component, a control unit, a measuring unit and a protection unit. The auxiliary measurement energy-storing component is coupled in series to a battery module outside the controller, and configured to provide an open-circuited voltage. The control unit is configured to output a power value of the battery module according to the open-circuited voltage or a value of current flowing through the battery module. The measuring unit is configured to measure the current flowing through the battery module and transmit the measuring result to the control unit. The protection unit is configured to limit the value of current measured by the measuring unit to a predetermined value. A battery level measurement method of the battery controller is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chin-Ming Chen, Cheng-Chien Huang, Mu-Min Lin
  • Patent number: 11733762
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a power supply unit (“PSU”) replacement signal for a power supply chassis that includes plurality of supply enclosures. Each power supply enclosure includes a plurality of power supply units (“PSUs”). Each of the PSUs in the power supply enclosures is connected to a power bus powering computing equipment. PSU redundancy policy has at least one PSU being redundant. In response to the PSU replacement signal, the method calculates a power cap limit equal to a capacity of the plurality of supply enclosures that are not being removed. Power consumption of the computing equipment is limited to the power cap limit. In response to detecting a replacement power supply enclosure, the method recalculates the power cap limit based on all of the PSUs according to the PSU redundancy policy. Power consumption of the computing equipment is limited to the recalculated power cap limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Lenovo Global Technology (United States) Inc.
    Inventors: Robert R Wolford, Paul T. Artman
  • Patent number: 11735782
    Abstract: An apparatus for voltage sharing of series connected battery modules in a DC microgrid includes a battery management system and a battery module controller that generates, for an mth of N converters connected together to a DC microbus, a droop current ?d,m that includes a converter voltage error signal {tilde over (v)}err,m multiplied by a droop multiplier gd(i). Each converter is a DC/DC converter connected between a battery module, with one or more battery cells, and the DC microbus. The mth converter uses the droop current ?d,m, a common current reference ?all of a battery pack that includes the battery modules and an input current ?m to the mth converter to control switching of the mth converter. The common current reference ?all is from the battery management system. The voltage error signal {tilde over (v)}err,m is based on an output voltage {tilde over (v)}o,m of the mth converter and an average converter output voltage {tilde over (v)}avgeodcmastereodcmastereodcmaster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Utah State University
    Inventors: Mohamed Ahmed Kamel Ahmed, Regan Zane, Dragan Maksimovic
  • Patent number: 11721847
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a technique to estimate and monitor a self-discharge rate for use as a measure of battery health are described herein. In some embodiments, the technique includes a system including a processor and a memory coupled with the processor. The memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions that when executed cause the processor to receive a plurality of snapshots obtained by monitoring a battery system in a quiescent state at a plurality of times. Each snapshot includes a plurality of cell state values at one of the plurality of times. The memory is further configured to provide the processor with instructions that when executed cause the processor to estimate a self-discharge indicator using at least one snapshot in the plurality of snapshots, compare the self-discharge indicator to a threshold, and recommend a remedy for the battery system in response to the self-discharge indicator exceeding the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Wisk Aero LLC
    Inventors: Lewis Romeo Hom, Dhruv Rathi
  • Patent number: 11721998
    Abstract: A backup battery control module configured to supply electric power from a backup battery to a load when electric power supplied from a main battery to the load is cut off. The backup battery control module is configured to: measure an open circuit voltage of the backup battery in a state in which an ignition switch is off; derive, based on a measured open circuit voltage, an already charged rate of the backup battery; measure an internal resistance of the backup battery in a state in which the ignition switch is off; derive a deterioration degree of the backup battery based on a measured internal resistance; derive a target charging rate based on the deterioration degree; and charge the backup battery until the target charging rate is reached in a case in which it is determined that the already charged rate is smaller than the target charging rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Saki Oonishi
  • Patent number: 11710972
    Abstract: A method of balanced charging that includes the use of a plurality of charging modules, each of which independently charges a battery unit and is provided with a positive port and a negative port with independent functions; the positive port is connected with the positive port of the battery unit corresponding to the charging module, and the negative port is connected with the negative port of the battery unit corresponding to the charging module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI AUTOFLIGHT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Tian
  • Patent number: 11705573
    Abstract: When a temperature Tedge of a cell at an end of a battery pack is higher than a temperature Tcen of a cell in a pack central portion, a management server generates rebuilding information for rebuilding a battery pack such that a cell less likely to deteriorate than a cell arranged in the pack central portion is arranged at a pack end. When temperature Tcen is higher than temperature Tedge, the management server generates rebuilding information such that a cell less likely to deteriorate than a cell arranged at the pack end is arranged in the pack central portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keita Komiyama
  • Patent number: 11677260
    Abstract: In a portable device, a first battery has a positive terminal coupled to, through a first switch, an interface used to receive input power, and a negative terminal coupled to a reference terminal. A second battery has a positive terminal coupled to the interface, and a negative terminal coupled to the reference terminal through a second switch, and to the first battery's positive terminal through a third switch. A control circuitry controls the switches such that the device has multiple operation modes including at least a one-battery charging mode and a two-battery-in-series charging mode. In the one-battery charging mode, the circuitry turns off the third switch, and controls the other switches such that one battery is charged by the input power. In the two-battery-in-series charging mode, the control circuitry turns on the third switch and turns off the other switches, such that two batteries are charged by the input power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: O2Micro Inc.
    Inventor: Guoxing Li
  • Patent number: 11658504
    Abstract: The present application relates to the technical field of electronic circuits, and provides a charge circuit, a control box and a luminaire. The charge circuit includes a control circuit and at least one constant current charge circuit. The constant current charge circuit is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery. The control circuit is used to obtain the specification information of the rechargeable battery, and configure the corresponding charging parameters to be sent to the corresponding constant current charge circuit, so as to charge the rechargeable battery through the constant current charge circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Aputure Imaging Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi Huang, Xiangjun Zhou, Yi Xie
  • Patent number: 11648844
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an EV charging system includes: a plurality of first converters to receive and convert grid power at a distribution grid voltage to at least one second voltage; a high frequency transformer coupled to the first converters to receive the at least one second voltage and output at least one high frequency AC voltage; and a plurality of port rectifiers coupled to a plurality of secondary windings of the high frequency transformer, each of the port rectifiers comprising a unidirectional AC-DC converter to receive and convert the at least one high frequency AC voltage to a DC voltage. At least some of the port rectifiers may be coupled in series to provide at least one of a charging current or a charging voltage to at least one dispenser to which at least one EV is to couple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Resilient Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh Keister, Lyle T. Keister, Mehdi Abolhassani
  • Patent number: 11601154
    Abstract: A multi-chip integrated circuit and an interactive communication method for the multi-chip integrated circuit are provided. The multi-chip integrated circuit includes multiple low-voltage chips connected in series with each other instead of an ultra-high voltage chip, to reduce requirements on technology for the chip. In addition, the multiple chips communicate with each other through internal communication ports based on a differential signal, to enhance reliability of communication. Two adjacent chips are connected in series and a low-voltage power supply is arranged, so that a voltage difference between communication ports of the two adjacent chips is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SILERGY SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY (HANGZHOU) LTD
    Inventors: Chuanxin Wu, Qinfen Hu
  • Patent number: 11552492
    Abstract: A charging device, a charging method and a terminal, an output end of the main charging circuit and output ends of the at least two secondary charging circuits are connected to a battery of an electronic device, and the output end of the main charging circuit is used for supplying power for an internal chip of the electronic device, disconnecting a connection between the main charging circuit and the battery when a voltage of the output end of the main charging circuit reaches a voltage required by the internal chip, and supplying power for the battery through the output ends of the at least two secondary charging circuits, in this way, charging time is shortened and a purpose of fast charging a battery is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: YULONG COMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENTIFIC (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ju-Zhang Wu
  • Patent number: 11527901
    Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling a battery pack, and a battery pack controlled by the method. A battery pack includes a plurality of slave battery modules, each of the slave battery modules including a battery that includes at least one battery cell and a slave controller that is configured to control charge and discharge of the battery, a master battery module including a master controller that is configured to control the slave controller, and a communication cable having formed thereon a first port to which the master controller is connected and a plurality of second ports to which the slave controller is connected. The first port includes an identification terminal configured to output an identification signal which is an electrical signal corresponding to the number of the second ports. A method of controlling the battery pack is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngjin Lee, Jaeseung Kim, Gilchoun Yeom, Kwanil Oh, Hyeoncheol Jeong, Seunglim Choi
  • Patent number: 11509148
    Abstract: A device charging system including a battery module and a central charging station. The battery module is configured to supply a type of power to at least one load device. The central charging station is in communication with the battery module. The central charging station includes an electronic processor configured to define a virtual boundary, determine a location of the battery module, determine, based the location of the battery module, whether the battery module is within the virtual boundary, and transmit a command to the battery module causing the battery module to stop supplying power to the load device when the battery module is not within the virtual boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Nelson Bonilla, John Brower, Jason Walker, Nicole Gay, Matthew Samojeden, Shadi Alex AbuGhazaleh
  • Patent number: 11498453
    Abstract: The invention provides an equalizing device for a vehicle soft-packed battery and an equalizing method for the soft-packed battery. According to the equalizing method for the vehicle soft-packed battery, a battery to be equalized is connected to a parallel equalization circuit by using an equalizing device for a vehicle soft-packed battery, battery cells to be equalized are sequentially equalized by adopting a first-in first-out sequence, and the SOC of each cell equalized is maintained within a preset range; and the number of the cells entering the equalizing device for the vehicle soft-packed battery is N, and the equalizing time of the battery cells is T. The equalizing device for the vehicle soft-packed battery comprises a holder clamping type or a copper sheet compressing type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SHANGHAI FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yuejiu Zheng, Wei Yi, Hang Wu, Long Zhou
  • Patent number: 11477853
    Abstract: An article of clothing includes a garment body and a heater coupled to the garment body. A battery holder defines a cavity. A rechargeable battery pack is configured for use with at least one of a power tool and a sensing device. The rechargeable battery pack is slidably received within the cavity and detachably coupled to the battery holder by a latching arrangement. A controller selectively provides power from the rechargeable battery pack to the heater. A user input member for selecting a mode of the controller is coupled to the garment body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rick Gray, Jonathan A. Zick, Paul Fry
  • Patent number: 11469438
    Abstract: An apparatus for holding a circuit against a battery module includes a set of first fixtures for holding a set of first conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of positive terminals of the battery module, a set of second fixtures for holding a set of second conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of negative terminals of the battery module, and a rigid plate having a set of first structures therein for receiving the set of first fixtures and having a set of second structures therein for receiving the set of second fixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
    Inventor: Hrayr Torosyan
  • Patent number: 11469605
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for managing power supplied to a portable electrical device includes an electrical connector configured to engage a complementary electrical connector of the respective battery. The portable battery-powered device also includes a selector switch configured to couple the electrical connectors of the plurality of power receptacles in at least one of a series configuration, a parallel configuration, and a combination of series and parallel configuration. The portable battery-powered device further includes an electrical load device including one or more electrical leads coupled to the selector switch. The selector switch is selectable during operation of the portable battery-powered device to provide power to the electrical device from a plurality of battery packs coupled in the at least one of a series configuration, a parallel configuration, and a combination of series and parallel configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventor: Jason Hill
  • Patent number: 11456507
    Abstract: Described are mechanically robust, thermally managed battery module constructions including a battery case, a reinforcing divider in the case, and battery cells housed by the reinforcing divider. The reinforcing divider defines a plurality of thermal transfer elements externalized of the battery case. A shock dampening material can be provided between the reinforcing divider and the battery case to facilitate a mechanical, shock-dampened, reinforcing integration of the divider and case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventor: John E. Waters
  • Patent number: 11448702
    Abstract: A method for charging a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a first charging step of charging a first capacity Q1st at a first constant current value I1st, the first capacity Q1st including a capacity range in which dQSi/dQ is more than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, a second charging step of charging a second capacity at a second constant current value more than the first constant current value, a detection step of acquiring at least one of dV/dQ and dQSi/dQ, and a changing step of changing at least one of the timing of switching between the first charging step and the second charging step and the first constant current value I1st on the basis of a change in time of dV/dQ or dQSi/dQ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuto Horiuchi, Taisuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11452224
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a battery box lamp wire installation structure, which relates to the technical field of power supply devices and it comprises a case, provided with an accommodating cavity inside; a printed circuit board, horizontally located in the accommodating cavity and fixedly connected with the case; an end cap, movably mounted on one end of the case, and the end cap is provided with a wire hole A; a lamp wire, of which one end penetrating through the wire hole A and restrained within the end cap; a connector, detachably mounted at the inner side of the end cap and fixing the positive and negative ends of the lamp wire; the positive and negative ends of the lamp wire are in electrical connection with the printed circuit board respectively when the end cap is mounted onto the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: ACE SMART & TECH (NINGBO) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yanbei Qin
  • Patent number: 11451070
    Abstract: A charging circuit includes: an interface, a plurality of batteries connected in series, a first charging portion which is connected to the interface and is connected in series with the plurality of batteries, a second charging portion which is connected to the interface and is connected in series with at least one battery, and a first switching circuit which is connected with the second charging portion and is configured to switch a conducting state between the second charging portion and the at least one battery connected in series with the second charging portion, wherein when the first charging portion is in a charging state and the second charging portion is connected with the at least one battery, the charging circuit is switched to an asynchronous charging mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Changyu Sun, Jie Fan
  • Patent number: 11444467
    Abstract: Disclosed is a smart balancing energy charging control system including a multi-power input unit connected to each of different power sources and receiving power for charging a battery pack from the different power sources, a micro-controller unit performing charging within rated power of the battery pack using charge power applied from the different power sources applied from the multi-power input unit and performing smart charging balancing control by determining whether a predetermined condition is met, and a battery pack charge connection unit coupled to the battery pack and charging the battery pack with the charge power applied through the smart charging balancing control under the control of the micro-control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventors: Jung Sub Choi, Jun Nam Park
  • Patent number: 11444468
    Abstract: A balanced charging device and a charging system used to solve the technical problem of too long charging time of the balanced charging device. The balanced charging device comprises a plurality of charging modules, each of which independently charges a battery unit and is provided with a positive port and a negative port with independent functions; the positive port is connected with the positive port of the battery unit corresponding to the charging module, and the negative port is connected with the negative port of the battery unit corresponding to the charging module. The charging system includes the balanced charging device. The balanced charging device and charging system provided by the disclosure are used for charging a plurality of battery units in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventor: Yu Tian
  • Patent number: 11420283
    Abstract: Embodiments of a welding power supply include an engine adapted to drive a generator to produce a first power and a energy storage device adapted to discharge energy to produce a second power. The welding power supply also includes control circuitry adapted to detect a commanded output. The control circuitry is adapted to meet the commanded output by controlling access to power from the energy storage device to produce the second power when the commanded output is below a first predetermined load level. The control circuitry is further adapted to meet the commanded output by controlling access to power from the engine and the energy storage device to produce the first power and the second power when the commanded output is above a second predetermined load level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, Allen Raymond Sykes
  • Patent number: 11415632
    Abstract: This cell balance control device comprises an execution unit that executes cell balance control of a battery having a plurality of battery cells, and an execution condition setting unit that variably sets execution conditions for the cell balance control so that the execution frequency of the cell balance control is increased as the battery deteriorates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventor: Yuusuke Horii
  • Patent number: 11404896
    Abstract: A method for charging a lithium ion battery includes: acquiring a polarization attribute of the lithium ion battery, the polarization attribute including a maximum charging current under which no lithium plating occurs at an anode of the lithium ion battery; determining, according to the polarization attribute, multiple sections of constant charging currents which have current values decreasing sequentially in a sectional charging sequence; charging the lithium ion battery in sections with the multiple sections of constant charging currents respectively, and after charging in each section, leaving the lithium ion battery standing or discharging the lithium ion battery with a preset discharging current less than the maximum charging current; and performing constant-voltage charging with taking a constant-current cut-off voltage as a constant voltage when a voltage of the lithium ion battery reaches the constant-current cut-off voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sihong Du
  • Patent number: 11394060
    Abstract: Provided is a battery pack charge/discharge control device in which two or more secondary battery units are connected in parallel as a battery pack. The battery pack charge/discharge control device includes an output power maximization circuit configured to maximize an output power based on an input power, and a voltage adjustment converter configured to adjust an output voltage from the output power maximization circuit, and an output power of a secondary battery unit is maximized when the secondary battery unit is in a short circuit state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jusuke Shimura, Natsuko Katase
  • Patent number: 11394195
    Abstract: A power supply interface includes a first switch that couples an input terminal to an output terminal. A voltage dividing bridge is coupled to receive a supply potential. A comparator has a first input connected to a first node of the bridge and a second input configured to receive a constant potential. A digital-to-analog converter generates a control voltage that is selectively coupled by a second switch to a second node of the bridge. A circuit control controls actuation of the second switch based on operating mode and generates a digital value input to the converter based on a negotiated set point of the supply potential applied to the input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Tours) SAS, STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Mathieu Rouviere, Jeffrey Blauser, Jr., Karl Grange, Mohamed Saadna
  • Patent number: 11374414
    Abstract: A method for controlling an uninterruptible power supply system and the uninterruptible power supply system for implementing the method includes a base unit and an accumulator module with a supervision unit, where the base unit includes a charging unit and a control unit for controlling the charging unit and can be accommodated spatially separated from the accumulator module, where a respective current charge-specific state of the accumulator module is established at regular intervals during charging and/or discharging by the supervision unit of the accumulator module and transmitted to the base unit in which the currently transmitted charge-specific state of the accumulator module is evaluated by the control unit and the charging unit of the base unit is controlled accordingly, such that the volume of data transmitted between the base unit and the accumulator module of the uninterruptible power supply unit is significantly reduced and the security of transmission is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Paul Wolfgang
  • Patent number: 11367920
    Abstract: Provided is a battery pack that, even in a case in which a metal plate and an electrode terminal are made of different metals, can increase reliability of the connection strength by welding them and can be configured at a low cost. A battery pack 1 includes adjacent battery cells 2 having positive and negative electrode terminals connected each other by a metal plate 3, and a dissimilar material bonding plate 4 having a terminal insertion hole 43 is disposed above a terminal connection hole 32, which is a long hole or a loose hole, into which an electrode terminal 24 composed of a different kind of metal from the metal plate 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Sakurai