Abstract: Lithium-ion cells are widely used in various platforms, such as electric vehicles (EVs) and mobile devices. Complete and fast charging of cells has always been the goal for sustainable system operation. However, fast charging is not always the best solution, especially in view of a new finding that cells need to rest/relax after being charged with high current to avoid accelerated capacity fading. A user aware charging algorithm is proposed which maximizes the charged capacity within a user-specified available charging time (i.e., user-awareness) while ensuring enough relaxation (i.e., cell-awareness) and keeping cell temperature below a safe level.

Abstract: [Object] To achieve both prevention of overcharging of the battery and convenience of the user. [Solution] An information processing device includes: a charged capacity detection unit configured to detect a charged capacity of a battery; a charging control unit configured to control a charging circuit; and a specification unit configured to specify when discharge of the battery starts. The charging control unit performs charging suppression control on the charging circuit such that the battery is charged to a preparatorily charged capacity that is lower than a fully charged capacity of the battery, on the basis of the charged capacity detected by the charged capacity detection unit, the charging of the battery stops when the charged capacity of the battery reaches the preparatorily charged capacity, and the charging of the battery restarts from the preparatorily charged capacity before discharge of the battery starts.

Abstract: Provided are a power supply circuit, a power supply device and a control method. The power supply circuit includes a primary rectifier unit, a modulation unit, a transformer, a secondary rectifier and filtering unit, a current feedback unit and a current sampling control unit. The power supply circuit removes a liquid electrolytic capacitor at a primary side, and an output current of the power supply circuit has a periodically changing current value. The power supply circuit may determine when the output current is at a peak value based on a feedback voltage outputted by the current feedback unit, such that the power supply circuit may manage and control a size of the peak value of the output current.

Abstract: With a conventional pulse charging method, a low voltage value for the pulse voltage is set to zero volts. When the low voltage value is low in this manner during charging, there is a problem that the negative pole of a secondary battery deteriorates. Provided is a secondary battery apparatus including a secondary battery and charge/discharge control apparatus that controls charging and discharging of the secondary battery. The charge/discharge control apparatus repeatedly performs, in an alternating manner, high voltage charging of applying a pulsed high voltage to the secondary battery and low voltage charging of applying a low voltage that is higher than 0 V and lower than the high voltage to the secondary battery.

Abstract: A method of charging a battery, wherein the battery comprises a plurality of battery cells, includes charging the battery with a first voltage for a first time period, which charging is first charging, charging the battery with a second voltage for a second time period, which charging is second charging, and charging the battery with a third voltage for a third time period, which charging is third charging, wherein lengths of the first to third time periods are determined in correspondence with a magnitude of charging current of the battery.

Abstract: A bi-directional charger may be provided that includes a logic, at least a portion of which is hardware, to determine an operational mode based at least on a characteristic at a battery port or at a charge port, and to control power flow between the charge port and the battery port based on the determined operational mode.

Abstract: A charging method and a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes setting an initial cut-off voltage and an initial charging current of a battery when the battery is subjected to constant current charging. The initial cut-off voltage is greater than a safe cut-off voltage of the battery. A battery voltage of the battery is detected. Whether a present value of the battery voltage is equal to the initial cut-off voltage is determined. The initial cut-off voltage and the initial charging current are gradually decreased when the present value of the battery voltage is equal to the initial cut-off voltage, until the initial cut-off voltage is less than or equal to the safe cut-off voltage, and then the battery is subjected to a constant voltage charging, where a voltage of the constant voltage charging is the safe cut-off voltage.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensing circuit having a driving apparatus, that is, a current drive circuit and a voltage drive circuit. The current drive circuit drives a sensor in a current drive mode, and the voltage drive circuit drives the sensor in a voltage drive mode. The sensing circuit further has a switch apparatus connected to the driving apparatus for controlling the driving apparatus, to enable the driving apparatus to switch between the current drive mode and the voltage drive mode. A temperature testing circuit with a negative temperature coefficient thermistor is further used to sense ambient temperature of the sensor, and the input voltage of the switch apparatus is changed by means of that the resistance of the thermistor changes as the temperature changes, so as to control on and off of the switch apparatus, to switch the drive mode of the sensor.

Abstract: A charging method and a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes the following. An initial cut-off voltage and an initial charging current of a battery are set when the battery is subjected to constant current charging. The initial cut-off voltage is greater than a safe cut-off voltage of the battery. A battery voltage of the battery is detected. Whether the current battery voltage is equal to the initial cut-off voltage is determined. The initial cut-off voltage and the initial charging current are gradually decreased when the current battery voltage is equal to the initial cut-off voltage, until the initial cut-off voltage is less than or equal to the safe cut-off voltage, and the battery is charged in constant voltage charging when the current battery voltage is equal to the safe cut-off voltage, where a voltage of the constant voltage charging is the safe cut-off voltage.

Abstract: A method for charging a battery includes charging the battery with a constant charging power until a battery voltage reaches a predetermined voltage. After the battery voltage reaches the predetermined voltage, charging the battery with a first charging current at least once to a voltage threshold that exceeds the predetermined voltage. A charging time in the charging process with the first charging current for the first time is a predetermined value. Subsequent charges provided in the charging process with the first charging current is a changing value according to a battery capacity. The voltage threshold exceeding the predetermined voltage is changed according to voltage variations in the charging process with the first charging current.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determining data which is representative of the state of health, or a change therein, of the battery using the data which is representative of (i) the relaxation time of the battery and/or (ii) the overpotential of the battery. In another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adapt one or more characteristics of a charge signal using data which is representative of the state of health, or a change therein, of the battery. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determine a state of charge of the battery using data which is representative of the state of health, or a change therein, of the battery.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a non-aqueous secondary battery includes the following steps. (a) Preparing an electrode body including a positive electrode having a positive electrode active material layer and a negative electrode having a negative electrode active material layer. (b) Constructing a battery assembly using the electrode body and a non-aqueous electrolyte. (c) Initially charging the battery assembly. (d) Aging the battery assembly at a temperature of 60° C. or higher. (e) Forcibly starting to discharge the battery assembly in said temperature region after lowering the temperature of the battery assembly down to a temperature region of 35° C. or higher and 55° C. or lower. (f) Adjusting the SOC of the battery assembly. (g) Measuring a voltage drop amount by self-discharging the battery assembly. And (h) determining whether or not the battery assembly is qualified based on the voltage drop amount.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method to wirelessly charge and/or discharge a battery. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a removable first magnetic core piecepart having a surrounding first metallic coil and configured to be coupled to and aligned with a second magnetic core piecepart having a surrounding second metallic coil to form a transformer. The apparatus also includes a battery metallically coupled to the first metallic coil and configured to be charged and discharged through an electrically isolating path of the transformer.

Abstract: Disclosed are charging control methods for a rechargeable battery and portable computers. The charging control method includes acquiring a control parameter for a charge current of the rechargeable battery; modifying, based on the control parameter, the charge current from a first charge current to a second charge current less than the first charge current; and charging the rechargeable battery with the second charge current. Compared with conventional methods of charging the battery always with the maximal charge current, the present disclosure can improve the battery's lifetime.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention relate to a battery charging system that enhances the charge rate and reduces the charge time for a battery applied in a mobile device. The battery charging system is provided with an adapter output voltage, and generates a battery charging current to drive the battery. This adapter output voltage is controlled to vary within a reference voltage range which is narrowly controlled to include and track a preferred adapter voltage. The battery is therefore driven by the battery charging current that is associated with a preferred charging current under a preferred charging condition. The battery charging process may be completed under a condition that is substantially close to the preferred charging condition, allowing an enhanced battery charge rate and a reduced battery charge time.

Abstract: A serial battery charger has a battery matrix with switches that are configured by a microcontroller that reads voltages between batteries to determine if each battery is fully-charged, charging, or absent. A switch configuration allows charging and discharging currents to flow simultaneously, and allows discharging current but blocks charging current from fully-charged batteries to prevent over-charging. The charging current flows through all charging batteries in series while the discharging current flows from all fully-charged and charging batteries in series. Blocking and bypass switches route the charging current to all charging batteries in series, but bypass all fully-charged and absent batteries. The blocking and bypass switches route the discharging current serially through all fully-charged and charging batteries in the battery matrix while avoiding absent batteries. The switches are controlled by the switch configuration from the microcontroller.

Abstract: A method of testing a secondary battery includes first to fourth steps. At the first step, the secondary battery after manufacture is charged to a first voltage. At the second step, a second voltage lower than the first voltage is set as a target voltage and discharge or charge is performed in a constant-current constant-voltage mode before the secondary battery is left standing. At the third step, the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery is measured before and after the secondary battery is left standing. At the fourth step, it is determined whether the secondary battery is a conforming item or not based on the difference in the open circuit voltage before and after the secondary battery is left standing.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for at least one relay with contacts transitioning from: an OFF state to an ON state in response to an ON-pulse of current through a coil in a first direction; and the ON state to the OFF state in response to an OFF-pulse of current through the coil in a second, opposite direction. A driver circuit operates to produce the ON-pulse through the coil of the relay in response to a control signal commanding the ON-state of the contacts; produce the OFF-pulse of current through the coil of the relay in response to a control signal commanding the OFF-state of the contacts; and produce the OFF-pulse of current through the coil of the relay in response to a loss of operating potential across the pair of operating power nodes.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that adaptively charges a battery, wherein the battery is a lithium-ion battery which includes a transport-limiting electrode governed by diffusion, an electrolyte separator and a non-transport-limiting electrode. During operation, the system determines a lithium surface concentration at an interface between the transport-limiting electrode and the electrolyte separator based on a diffusion time for lithium in the transport-limiting electrode. Next, the system calculates a charging current or a charging voltage for the battery based on the determined lithium surface concentration. Finally, the system applies the charging current or the charging voltage to the battery.

Abstract: A lighting system (10) is provided that includes at least one lighting device (14A,14B,14C), a plurality of external power sources (20,22,24,26,27) and an internal power source (16) applying a first electrical current to illuminate at least one lighting source (18A,18B,18C), wherein the internal power source (16) supplies the first electrical current. Further, a fuel gauging system and method (1230) detects an electrochemical composition of a power source (16,20,22,24,26,27), which can be at least one of the internal power source (16) and the external power source (20,22,24,26,27), and then determines a state of charge of the power source (16,20,22,24,26,27) based upon the determined electrochemical composition of the power source (16,20,22,24,26,27).

Abstract: A common-mode voltage generator for a battery-supplied apparatus is provided with a battery voltage ripple-insensitive sensor comprising a voltage dividing circuit and a number of hysteresis comparators, by means of which a battery voltage, or a fraction thereof is compared with a series of reference voltages. These reference voltages are derived from an on-chip voltage by means of said voltage dividing circuit. The hysteresis of said hysteresis comparators is larger than the ripple on said battery voltage. Further there is an adjustable regulation loop. The sensor detects a battery voltage range and adjusts the regulation loop on the basis of this range. The regulation loop provides an output commonmode voltage, which is equal to a fraction, preferably half the battery voltage.

Abstract: A system and a method for computing an estimated state of charge and an estimated cell resistance of an electrochemical cell are provided. The method includes predicting a first cell resistance value indicating a present resistance of the electrochemical cell utilizing a first nonlinear cell model. The method further includes predicting a first state of charge value indicating a present state of charge of the electrochemical cell utilizing a second nonlinear cell model. The method further includes measuring a voltage and, a current associated with the electrochemical cell to obtain a voltage value and a current value, respectively. The method further includes estimating a second state of charge value indicating the present state of charge of the electrochemical cell utilizing the second nonlinear cell model based on the first state of charge value, the first cell resistance value, the voltage value, and the current value.

Abstract: An IBOC broadcasting receiver that uses two different bit error rates as threshold values in receiving hybrid broadcasting in a simultaneous broadcasting format, and switches between digital broadcasting reception and analog broadcasting reception based on the two threshold values. The IBOC broadcasting receiver counts the number of occurrences of switching between digital broadcasting reception and analog broadcasting reception in a specified period of time, and increases a hysteresis width between the two threshold values when the number of occurrences of switching counted exceeds a specified number.

Abstract: A charging method and device for a rechargeable battery to make more stable and faster full charging possible. One embodiment of a charging method for the rechargeable battery includes charging the battery by applying a constant current, and then charging the battery by applying a constant current pulse having uniform pulse width. The charging method further includes charging the battery by applying or interrupting the constant current and then applying the dynamic constant current pulse based on a voltage across terminals of the battery.

Abstract: A battery pulsation system including a battery having a plurality of cells and a pulsation device connected to the battery to supply a pulsation energy to the plurality of cells, the pulsation energy having a pulsation amplitude and a pulsation frequency, wherein the pulsation device is adapted to control the pulsation amplitude of the pulsation energy.

Abstract: A system and method for battery isolation in a charging system includes an isolation diode connected to a charger input voltage and a PNP pass transistor connected in series between the isolation diode and a battery. The pass device conducts a charging current in response to a drive signal applied to its base; the pass transistor side of the diode is at a voltage Vchg. A first switch couples the pass transistor's base to Vchg when Vchg>Vbat such that the pass transistor's base-collector junction blocks current from Vchg from flowing through the pass transistor when the charger is not in use, and a second switch couples the base to Vbat when Vbat>Vchg such that the pass transistor's base-emitter junction blocks current from the battery from flowing through the pass transistor when the charger is not in use.

Abstract: A multi-stage energy storage system includes two different storage devices having different voltage outputs, the lower voltage storage device being charged first to enable expedited supply of low voltage.

Abstract: A universal battery pack which contains an integral DC-DC switching power converter, with an asymmetric ripple-suppression topology which suppresses ripple at the power output terminals during discharging.

Abstract: A battery protection system (20) controls a process for charging a battery pack (15). A hysteresis comparator (54) senses a charging current flowing through the battery pack (15) and switches off a charging switch (31) to interrupt the charging current when the charging current reaches an upper limit. A transient current is then generated by an inductor (34). The hysteresis comparator (54) senses the transient current flowing through the battery pack (15) and switches on the charging switch (31) to regenerate the charging current when the transient current decreases substantially to zero. Periodically, a battery monitoring circuit (40) switches off the charging switch (31) and measures an open circuit voltage across each battery cell in the battery pack (15). In response to the open circuit voltage of a battery cell reaching a fully charged voltage, the battery monitoring circuit (40) switches off the charging switch (31) to terminate the charging process.

Abstract: A battery charging circuit, particularly useful in a laptop computer system, includes a voltage input terminal coupled to a dc voltage. A first switch couples the voltage input terminal to an output coupled to the battery through a current sense resistor. A first current sink which is on when the charger circuit is on draws current from the input side of the current sense resistor through a first resistor to develop a first voltage. This voltage and a voltage coupled through a second resistor from the battery side of the sense resistor are inputs to a comparator, the output of which controls the first switch. A second current sink, when on, draws current through the second resistor causing the first switch to be held off, turning the charging circuit off. An ON/OFF terminal, to which a variable duty cycle square wave is supplied, controls the turning on and off of the first and second current sinks, with the length of the duty cycle controlling the average current supplied to the battery.

Abstract: The battery apparatus has a circuit to turn off a switching device and suspend charging when rechargeable battery voltage exceeds a specified voltage, and to turn on the switching device and resume charging when rechargeable battery voltage drops below the specified voltage. The switching device is switched on and off to pulse charge the rechargeable battery. When cut-off of charging voltage to the rechargeable battery is detected, an over-ride circuit forces the switching device on, or a forced discharge circuit discharges the rechargeable battery until battery voltage drops below the specified voltage.