With Detection Of Current Or Voltage Differential (e.g., Slope, Etc.) Patents (Class 320/161)
  • Patent number: 11837906
    Abstract: A device includes a charge controller to regulate a battery output voltage based on an input voltage and an input current received from a charging circuit. A loop controller monitors the input voltage and the input current to generate a feedback signal to adjust the input voltage to the charge controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stephen C. Terry, Paul Brohlin
  • Patent number: 11747403
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining the state of charge of an electrical energy storage unit is described. In one example, the method includes ascertaining a voltage gradient at least based on a detected first voltage value of the electrical energy storage unit; comparing the ascertained voltage gradient with a predefined voltage gradient threshold value; and ascertaining the state of charge of the electrical energy storage unit depending on the comparison. A corresponding computer program, a corresponding machine-readable storage medium, a corresponding apparatus and a corresponding electrical energy storage system are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christel Sarfert, Ganesh Susmitha, Shashank Holavanahalli
  • Patent number: 11695280
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a voltage divider circuit, a first battery electrically connected to a first point of the voltage divider circuit, and a second battery connected in series to the first battery. A second point different from the first point of the voltage divider circuit is electrically connected from a first node on an electric path through which the first battery and the second battery are electrically connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventors: Dongyoung Lee, Kisun Lee, Wooin Choi, Byunghwa Park
  • Patent number: 11502530
    Abstract: A state estimator estimates, based on at least one of a voltage, a current, and a temperature of a secondary battery, a state of the secondary battery including a state of charge (SOC) of the secondary battery. A discharge controller discharges, when a state of non-use of the secondary battery lasts for a predetermined period of time, the secondary battery such that an indicator indicating easiness of storage deterioration of the secondary battery to progress decreases in stages. The indicator includes a parameter that depends on an SOC of the secondary battery. A value of the indicator and a duration of stay in each stage are set such that a predetermined relationship holds between products in a plurality of stages, each of the products being derived from multiplying the value of the indicator and the duration of stay in each stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Hayayama, Tomokazu Sada, Yukikazu Ohchi, Masatoshi Nagayama
  • Patent number: 11480615
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a state of charge (SOC) of a battery includes: a sensing unit configured to measure voltage, current and temperature of a battery; and a processor operably coupled to the sensing unit, and the processor performs: setting a first reference voltage based on a first SOC according to a voltage of the battery, which is calculated in advance using the current of the battery measured at every charge/discharge cycle of the battery; calculating a second SOC according to the voltage of the battery using an equivalent circuit model corresponding to the battery; setting a voltage region of the battery as a first voltage region and a second voltage region based on the first reference voltage; and estimating a SOC of the battery in each of the first voltage region and the second voltage region as any one of the first SOC and the second SOC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Bom-Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 11351940
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a connection switching unit configured to switch the connection state to a state in which a second battery is solely connected to a first load when a voltage of a first battery is determined to be equal to or smaller than a first threshold value in a state in which the first and second batteries are connected to the first load, and after a first time has elapsed from switching to the second state, continue the state while the state of charge of the second battery is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, and switch the connection state to a state in which neither the first battery nor the second battery is connected to the first load when the state of charge of the second battery is smaller than the second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Takahara
  • Patent number: 11081735
    Abstract: A method of charging a battery including a plurality of cells, the method including charging the plurality of cells at a plurality of C-rates, respectively; calculating a voltage change of each of the plurality of cells and a slope of the voltage change of each of the plurality of cells; and performing discharging multiple times in a section where a deviation between the slopes of the voltage changes of the plurality of cells is equal to or larger than a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jiyoung Park, Pil Kyu Park, Kwi Sub Yun, So Ra Lee
  • Patent number: 10992177
    Abstract: A device includes a charge controller to regulate a battery output voltage based on an input voltage and an input current received from a charging circuit. A loop controller monitors the input voltage and the input current to generate a feedback signal to adjust the input voltage to the charge controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stephen C. Terry, Paul Brohlin
  • Patent number: 10840720
    Abstract: For selectively restricting the charge level of a battery, methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed. One apparatus includes a battery, a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the battery, a processor, and a memory that stores code executable by the processor. Here, the processor selects a maximum charge level using the temperature of the battery, where the maximum charge becomes less than a full charge level of the battery in response to the battery temperature being above a threshold temperature. Moreover, the processor restricts charging of the battery to the maximum charge level in response to the temperature of the battery being above the threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Bouziane Yebka, Larry Glenn Estes, Jeremy Robert Carlson, Philip John Jakes
  • Patent number: 10840725
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media may charge a battery. A value of at least one battery parameter is determined, and a range of values to which the value of the at least one battery parameter corresponds to is identified. Based on the identified range of values, a set of values for at least one charging parameter is determined, and a battery is charged while a value of the at least one charging parameter is swept among the set of values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: GBatteries Energy Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Oleksandr Tkachenko, Mykola Sherstyuk
  • Patent number: 10820398
    Abstract: A mobile X-ray apparatus and a method of controlling power in the mobile X-ray apparatus. According to the mobile X-ray apparatus and the method, the mobile X-ray apparatus includes a battery management system that determines whether a battery is shut down when in a forced charge mode, subsequently determines whether the battery exits an over-discharged state, and then controls a power supply to enter a shutdown mode or a normal charge mode according to results of the determining. Thus, it is possible to safely charge the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Myeong-je Kim
  • Patent number: 10793108
    Abstract: A system includes a mobile device and a fob, each having a short-range wireless transceiver. The mobile device is programmed to transmit a message to the fob indicating a fob action using the mobile device transceiver. The fob is programmed to, using the fob transceiver, receive the message and transmit a second message to a vehicle requesting the vehicle to perform the fob action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Marvin Gersabeck, Ziad Alhihi
  • Patent number: 10666075
    Abstract: Disclosed are a non-narrow voltage direct current (NON-NVDC) charger and a control method thereof. In the present disclosure, a proper target voltage, related to a turn-on voltage of a switch circuit, is determined according to an output voltage of a load, a storage voltage of an energy storage device and a turn-on resistance value of the switch circuit. Then, according to the determined target voltage, the NON-NVDC charger can enter a supplement mode at an appropriate time. The NON-NVDC charger can be operated stably and has excellent operation efficiency even when a current flowing through a transformer close to a maximum safe current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chun-Kai Hsu, Chih-Heng Su
  • Patent number: 10635147
    Abstract: The invention provides a detection system and detection circuit for detecting health status of backup power supply module. The detection circuit comprises a boost converter, a controller, and at least one backup power supply module. The boost converter receives an input voltage to generate a first high voltage. When the detection circuit is operated in a detection state, the boost converter is inhibited to output the first high voltage, the backup power supply module can execute a discharging process to provide a discharged energy to a load device, the controller detects a time at which a discharged potential of the backup power supply module is dropped from a first voltage to a second voltage to obtain a discharged time detection value. The controller can know a health status of the backup power supply module by a comparison between the discharged time detection value and a discharged time threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: INNODISK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chih-Chieh Kao, Yueh-Feng Tsai
  • Patent number: 10627451
    Abstract: Described herein are method and systems for detecting an unauthorized removal of a battery. The system comprising: a battery monitor circuit attached to or embedded in the battery; a remote device, wherein the remote device stores instructions that when executed on the remote device cause the remote device to perform operations comprising: receiving, at the remote device, a wireless signal from the battery monitor circuit comprising voltage and temperature data; evaluating, by the remote device, whether the battery is in its expected location by confirming for each battery, which is expected to be present, whether there has been an unexpected interruption in the wireless signal from the battery; providing an alert notification when there has been an unexpected interruption in the wireless signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHSTAR BATTERY COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Don Karner, Frank Fleming, Ulf Krohn, Christer Lindkvist
  • Patent number: 10596914
    Abstract: A proximity detection apparatus including a detection circuit is provided. The detection circuit is configured to receive a proximity signal indicative of a first voltage level and a reference signal indicative of a second voltage level and to receive a wake up signal at predetermined intervals. The detection circuit is further configured to compare the first voltage level to the second voltage level in response to the wake up signal and to generate a first output indicative of an external power source being electrically coupled to a vehicle to charge one or more batteries in the vehicle based on the comparison of the first voltage level to the second voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Krzysztof Klesyk
  • Patent number: 10459038
    Abstract: A method for estimating a current open-circuit voltage characteristic of a battery, comprising acquiring a portion of an actual open-circuit voltage characteristic of the battery, detecting or defining a significant point in the acquired portion of the actual open-circuit voltage characteristic, identifying a point, in a characteristic curve of an anode potential of the battery and/or in a characteristic curve of a cathode potential of the battery, that is associated with the significant point, shifting and/or scaling the characteristic curve of the anode potential and the characteristic curve of the cathode potential on the basis of the position of the significant point with respect of the associated point, until the acquired portion is simulated by combination of the shifted and/or scaled characteristic curves, and calculating the current open-circuit voltage characteristic on the basis of the shifted and/or scaled characteristic curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Becker, Michael Erden, Olivier Cois, Triantafyllos Zafiridis
  • Patent number: 10424957
    Abstract: A fob for a passive entry passive start (PEPS) system includes a LF receiver, an UHF transmitter, an UWB transceiver, a primary battery to power the receiver and the transmitter, a rechargeable secondary battery to power the transceiver, and a controller. The controller may cause the primary battery to recharge the secondary battery when the secondary battery has a low charge. The controller may cause the transmitter to transmit an indication to a base station of the PEPS system that the primary battery has a low charge. This indication is to alert a user to replace the primary battery. The controller may cause the transmitter to transmit an indication that the secondary battery is dead when the secondary battery is detected to be dead. This indication is to alert the base station that PEPS communications of the fob will not involve the transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Riad Ghabra, Chadi Shaya, Robert Mariani, Osman Ahmed
  • Patent number: 10340514
    Abstract: A negative electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery, including a negative electrode active material layer containing a negative electrode active material including silicon (Si) as a constituent element, in which a coating including iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and oxygen (O) as constituent elements is formed on a surface of the negative electrode active material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyuki Tamura, Ryota Yuge, Qian Cheng, Kentaro Nakahara
  • Patent number: 10338152
    Abstract: A method of estimating, as the charging rate of an electricity storage system, the internal condition of the electricity storage system including plural batteries, and an internal condition estimating system utilizing that method are provided. A voltage measuring unit 3 measures voltages of all batteries 1 configuring an electricity storage system block 2. A system cell voltage determining unit 5 determines a system cell voltage that will be a reference for an estimation of the SOC value of the electricity storage system block 2 based on the voltage value of the plural batteries 1 measured by the voltage measuring unit 3. The system cell voltage determining unit 5 obtains the system cell voltage by giving a weighting to the voltage value in accordance with the pre-calculated SOC value of the electricity storage system block 2. The system SOC estimating unit 6 estimates the SOC value of the electricity storage system block 2 based on the current flowing through the battery 1 and the system cell voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Makoto Ide, Masahiro Tohara, Mami Mizutani, Takenori Kobayashi, Tsutomu Tanno
  • Patent number: 10209312
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating CEW performance, in particular by evaluating a battery pack condition state via direct or indirect means. A two-tier load test for a CEW battery pack and an indirect wireless spark analysis tool are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Inventor: Ivo Foldyna
  • Patent number: 10164252
    Abstract: A composite anode active material includes a metal silicide core, a silicon shell, and a metal nitride and a carbon material that are dispersed in at least one surface of the silicon shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeeeun Yang, Heechul Jung, Jinsoo Mun
  • Patent number: 10099308
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provides welding-type power and preferably includes a removable battery or other energy storage device, a converter connected to the battery, and a controller. The controller may have a CV and/or a CSC and/or an AC weld control module, and/or an ac auxiliary control module. The converter is a boost converter, a buck converter, a cuk converter, a forward converter, an inverter, a bridge converter, and/or a resonant converter. The controller may include a battery charging control module, and may have one or more charging schedules, and/or data for stored charge, thermal information, expected life of the battery, maximum amp-hour charge for the battery, maximum charging current and/or feedback. The battery charging schedules may include at least 3 phases, such as a phase of increasing voltage and a phase of decreasing current, a substantially constant power phase. The controller can wirelessly provide data to a display or pda.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard J. Vogel, Richard W. Beeson
  • Patent number: 9979208
    Abstract: A tool discharges one battery pack and a charger simultaneously charges another battery pack to provide for continuous and circular operation of the tool. Tool system includes a tool and a lithium based battery pack having a nominal voltage of at least 56 volts for supplying power to the tool. A heat absorbing device is associated with the battery pack and includes a phase-change material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Chevron (HK) Limited
    Inventors: Dezhong Yang, Qichun Zhang, Haishen Xu, Junya Duan, Hao Du
  • Patent number: 9796291
    Abstract: A controller may include input channels configured to receive charge acceptance values of an auxiliary battery and an SOC of a traction battery. The controller may also include output channels configured to provide threshold signals to set a voltage threshold of an auxiliary bus coupled with the auxiliary battery and deriving power from the traction battery. The controller may include control logic configured to generate the threshold signals such that during a next charging event, a voltage of the auxiliary battery achieves a desulfation value. The controller logic may generate the threshold signals in response to the acceptance falling below a predetermined sulfation value and the SOC being above an SOC threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: David Anthony Symanow
  • Patent number: 9672988
    Abstract: A high-voltage pulse discharge capacitor of an elongated structure comprises a capacitor body. The capacitor body comprises several high-voltage capacitor parallel units and a high-voltage capacitor core pack. The several high-voltage capacitor parallel units are mutually connected in parallel. The high-voltage capacitor parallel units connected in parallel are then connected as a whole with the high-voltage capacitor core pack in parallel. The high-voltage capacitor parallel unit comprises two capacitor core packs. The two capacitor core packs are mutually connected in parallel. The capacitor core packs connected in parallel are wrapped with a PP film and purple copper foil at an outer side integrally. The purple copper foil is connected to axial faces located at a head and a tail of a combination integral of the two capacitor core packs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Gyrk International Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hai Wang
  • Patent number: 9612291
    Abstract: A system and method for more accurately measuring an internal resistance of a battery for a vehicle are provided. The method includes measuring, by a controller, current-voltage pairs for the battery and calculating a correlation between current and voltage in the measured current-voltage pairs. In addition, the internal resistance of the battery is measured using the current-voltage pairs having the correlation equal to or greater than a preset threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Woo Suk Sung, Do Sung Hwang
  • Patent number: 9499066
    Abstract: In the case of a method for determining a charge acceptance ICA of a rechargeable battery, the battery is computationally split up into a predetermined number n of compartments i having a respective maximum charge capacitance Ci, which are connected in parallel via resistances Ri, and the charge acceptance ICA of the battery is determined on the basis of the charge capacitance C1 and the resistance R1 of the compartment adjacent to the battery terminals. The invention also relates to a method for charging a rechargeable battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Urs Christen, Paolo Romano, Eckhard Karden
  • Patent number: 9490723
    Abstract: A power adaptor system and method is provided. The adaptor system includes a system side and a power adaptor. The power adaptor method includes steps of: transforming an AC voltage to a DC voltage; the power adaptor generating a periodic signal and outputting a combined signal according to the DC voltage and the periodic signal; the system side retrieving a determination signal corresponding to the periodic signal according to the combined signal; and the system side selecting an operating mode according to the determination signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Tai-Hsin Chu, Yu-An Huang, Wei-Ting Lu, Tsung-Lin Chan, Hsin-Wei Chen, Chih-Kuo Hung, Zih-Chiang Wang, Hung-Chang Tsai
  • Patent number: 9407104
    Abstract: A charger for recharging the batteries of a portable electronic device even when no external power source is available. A battery or cell is installed within the charger, and when no access is available to a fixed power source into which the charger can be plugged, the internal battery or cell can be used to recharge the electronic device. The internal battery can be a primary battery or a secondary battery. In the latter case, the internal battery can be maintained in a charged state by means of circuitry which, when the charger is plugged into the external power source, charges the internal battery as well as the battery of the electronic device. The external power source can be either an AC power wall socket, in which case the charger includes AC/DC voltage conversion circuits, or a car lighter socket, or the DC output of a conventional wall charger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Tower Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Dror Manor, Amnon Saar, Guy Weinstein, Daniel Breiting
  • Patent number: 9379568
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling charge of a low-voltage battery are provided. The method includes assigning, by a controller, a preset voltage for the low-voltage battery based on an operating mode of a vehicle and a charge state of a high-voltage battery. In addition, the controller compares the preset voltage with a present charge voltage of the low-voltage battery and increases the present charge voltage with a first slope until the present charge voltage becomes equal to the preset voltage when the preset voltage is greater than the present charge voltage. The operating mode comprises drive modes that include a first drive mode and a second drive mode, a fuel cell stop mode, and an emergency mode. The first drive mode is divided into a plurality of stages based on the charge state of the high-voltage battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Kyu Il Lee, Kyung Won Suh, Seon Hak Kim
  • Patent number: 9371005
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric vehicle, and to a method for managing the charging of an auxiliary battery for an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle according to the present invention comprises: a high voltage battery for driving the electric vehicle; an auxiliary battery for supplying a plurality of electronic loads with driving power; a converter converting the voltage of the high voltage battery to a voltage required by the electronic loads via PWM switching; and a current detection unit for detecting the output current of the converter wherein the converter includes a converter control unit for reducing the output voltage of the converter when the energy required by the loads, based on the current detected by the current detection unit, is greater than the rated capacity of the converter. Accordingly, energy supplied to the loads can be handled by the converter and the auxiliary battery so as to enable the safe operation of an electric vehicle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Won Jin Oh, Sun Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 9174545
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle charging device (170) that uses a power source (101) outside of a vehicle (160) to charge a battery (115) installed in the vehicle (160). A charger (114) charges the battery (115). A voltage measurement unit (111) measures the input voltage corresponding to the input current in the charger (114). A current measurement unit (112) measures the input current (Ic) in the charger (114). A control unit (113) changes the input currents (Ic) of the charger (114) into a plurality of values, and controls the input current (Ic) when the input voltage (Vc) has changed, according to the corresponding relationship between the input currents (Ic), when each has been changed, and the measured input voltages (Vc).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Nishio
  • Patent number: 9059593
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a charge controlling system, including: a control apparatus; and a plurality of battery units connected to the control apparatus, wherein the control apparatus includes an acquisition section configured to acquire sensor information from at least one of the battery units, and a control section configured to set a magnitude of charge current for each of the battery units in response to the sensor information, and the battery units individually include a battery, a charge controlling section configured to charge the battery with the charge current of the magnitude set by the control section, and a sensor for acquiring the sensor information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihito Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 9030151
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a solar cell pack and a method for balancing currents of solar cell modules. The solar cell pack includes a first solar cell module, a second solar cell module, a first balancer, a sampler and a controller. A negative pole of the first solar cell module is electrically connected to a positive pole of the second solar cell module. The first balancer is electrically connected to the first and the second solar cell modules in order to balance the current flowing through the both solar cell modules. An input terminal of the sampler is electrically connected to the first and the second solar cell modules. An output terminal of the sampler is electrically connected to an input terminal of the control unit. An output terminal of the control unit is electrically connected to an input terminal of the first balancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Guisong Huang, Jie Huang
  • Patent number: 9030168
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes: a DC/DC convertor (5) that performs DC/DC conversion on an output voltage of a direct-current power supply (for example, a solar battery module (1)); and a DC/AC invertor (6) that performs DC/AC conversion on an output voltage of the DC/DC convertor (5). The output power of the DC/AC invertor (6) is controlled such that the charge and discharge of a storage device (for example, a storage battery (3)) connected to a connection point between an output end of the DC/DC convertor (5) and an input end of the DC/AC invertor (6) are controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Iwai, Yukihiro Shimizu, Shunsuke Nishi, Masaki Eguchi
  • Patent number: 9007035
    Abstract: A charge control circuit supplies power from an external power source to a first common node and charges a second common node. A regulator circuit is coupled between the external power source and the first common node, and a transistor is coupled between the first common node and the second common node. A current sensing and control device senses the current from the first common node to the second common node and generates a first control signal. A first voltage sensing and control device senses a voltage at the first common node, and generates a conduction control signal to control the transistor. A second voltage sensing and control device senses a voltage at the second common node, and generates a second control signal. The regulator circuit provides system power to the first common node according to the first control signal and the second control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Nien-Hui Kung
  • Patent number: 8994323
    Abstract: A charging circuit includes a power path control unit which switches a first switch connected between a system connection terminal and a battery connection terminal on while not charging, and switches the first switch on and a second switch connected between an external power supply input terminal and the system connection terminal on while charging so as to supply power to a system and charge a battery. A voltage difference between the external power supply input terminal and the battery connection terminal is detected, a current flowing between the external power supply input terminal and the system connection terminal is detected, and it is determined that an external power supply is disconnected based on the detection results of the voltage differences and the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Junji Nishida
  • Patent number: 8988045
    Abstract: The method for charging or discharging a battery comprises measurement of the voltage at the terminals of the battery and comparison of the measured voltage with an end of charging or discharging voltage threshold. The method also comprises measurement of a temperature representative of the temperature of the battery and measurement of the current flowing in the battery to form a pair of measurements. The voltage threshold is then determined according to the pair of measurements. Charging or discharging of the battery is stopped when the voltage threshold is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Jean-Marie Klein, Arnaud Delaille, Sylvie Genies
  • Patent number: 8972765
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system including a power source connected to at least two electrical buses, and a battery connected to each one of the electrical buses. Each battery is charged by the power source and is connected to a load via one of the electrical buses. A battery error signal generator generates a battery error signal for each battery by finding a difference between a sensed battery voltage and a reference voltage. A reference control signal generator generates a reference control signal for each battery based on the battery error signals for each battery. A power sensor produces a sensed power signal between the power source and each battery connected to each of the two electrical buses. The reference control signal and the sensed power signal for each battery controls a power output value from the power source to each battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew Joseph Krolak, Shengyi Liu
  • Patent number: 8917062
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a charge control circuit for supplying power from an external power source to a first common node and charging a second common node from the first common node. A regulator circuit is coupled between the external power source and the first common node, and a transistor is coupled between the first common node and the second common node. The present invention detects an operation parameter of the transistor and controls an internal voltage source to generate a non-predetermined voltage difference accordingly. When the sum of the voltage at the second common node and the non-predetermined voltage is equal to or higher than the reference voltage, the voltage at the first common node is regulated to a level higher than the voltage at the second common node, and the transistor is in an optimum conductive state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Chien-Ping Lu, Nien-Hui Kung, Li-Wei Lee, Chia-Hsiang Lin, Chen-Hsiang Hsiao, Ko-Ching Su
  • Publication number: 20140361752
    Abstract: Methods for charging batteries comprises applying a charging current to the battery, monitoring the voltages of the positive and negative electrodes during the step of applying the charging current, and determining a point during the process of applying the charging current where the negative electrode is fully charged. Monitoring comprises determining the total battery voltage from the combined voltages of the battery positive and negative electrodes. The slopes along the total battery voltage are measured to obtain a trend line of the change in the slope of the total battery voltage during charging. The trend line is monitored against a logarithm of the applied charging current to determine a point where the negative electrodes are in a state of full charge, at which point the positive electrodes are also fully charged. The charging operation is terminated once such state of fully charge has been determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: International Battery Corporation
    Inventor: Bill William Brecht
  • Patent number: 8796996
    Abstract: A charge control circuit includes a charge control unit that controls an operation of a charging unit that charges a rechargeable battery; and a voltage detection unit that detects a terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery, wherein when a terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery as detected by the voltage detection unit is lower than a predetermined first threshold-value voltage, being lower than a full-charge voltage which is a terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery in full charge, the charge control unit causes a constant current charging to the rechargeable battery by requesting the charging unit to supply a charging current of a predetermined first current value, causing the charging unit to supply a charging current of the first current value to the rechargeable battery, when the terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery as detected by the voltage detection unit exceeds the first threshold-value voltage but is less than the full charge voltage, the charge control unit causes the constan
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Nakatsuji, Tsuyoshi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8698458
    Abstract: A method of charging a battery pack, the battery pack including at least one battery cell. The method includes comparing a battery cell voltage to a first voltage; comparing the battery cell voltage to a second voltage that is greater than the first voltage; and controlling a current amplifying unit coupled to the at least one battery cell to amplify a current from a charger to the at least one battery cell if the battery cell voltage is between the first voltage and the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Youngu Kim
  • Patent number: 8674654
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of monitoring a battery in an automotive vehicle are provided. An output is provided which can be a relative output as a function of minimum and maximum parameters of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Midtronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin I. Bertness
  • Patent number: 8598849
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system that monitors a battery in a portable electronic device. During operation, the system applies a pulse load to the battery and determines an impedance of the battery by measuring a voltage of the battery during the pulse load. Next, the system assesses a health of the battery based on the impedance. Finally, the system uses the assessed health to manage use of the battery in the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh C. Bhardwaj, Taisup Hwang, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20130307488
    Abstract: A battery management system is provided. In one embodiment, the battery management system includes a microcomputer unit that sets a charge amount of a battery to less than the total designed capacity of the battery and controls charging of the battery based on a constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) charging method, and a current controller that controls an initial charge current applied to the battery according to the set charge amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Doosun Hwang
  • Patent number: 8519675
    Abstract: A system, a method, and an article of manufacture for determining an estimated battery cell module state indicative of a state of a battery cell module of a battery pack are provided. The method includes measuring at least one of a battery cell module voltage, a battery cell module current, and a battery cell module temperature. The method further includes determining the estimated battery cell module state of the battery cell module at a predetermined time based on an estimated battery pack state and at least one of the battery cell module voltage, the battery cell module current, and the battery cell module temperature. The method further includes storing a vector corresponding to the estimated battery cell module state in a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventor: Gregory L. Plett
  • Patent number: 8509975
    Abstract: A vehicle comprising a chargeable/dischargeable battery, a current sensor for detecting the current from the battery, and a control unit for estimating the charged state of the battery and controlling the charging/discharging of the battery according to the charged state. In a first operation mode in which charging and discharging cycles are repeated, the control unit estimates the open-circuit voltage of the battery, and determines the charged state on the basis of the value which is obtained by correcting the open-circuit voltage according to the polarization. In a second operation mode in which either one of charging and discharging is continued, the control unit determines the charged state on the basis of the result of integration of the current detected by the current sensor. Hence, the charged and discharged amperehours are large, thereby providing a vehicle which can effectively utilize the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junta Izumi
  • Patent number: 8502541
    Abstract: A method of evaluating battery packs is described. The method includes measuring a cell open voltage for each battery cell group in a section of battery cells; measuring a voltage under charge, or a voltage under load, or both, at a predetermined time interval for each battery cell group in the section of battery cells; determining the magnitude of the difference between the open cell voltage and the voltage under charge, or the voltage under load, or both, for each battery cell group in the section of battery cells by subtracting the voltage under charge from the cell open voltage, or subtracting the voltage under load from the cell open voltage, or both; and determining if the magnitude of the difference between the open cell voltage and the voltage under charge, or the voltage under load, or both, for each battery cell group in the section of battery cells exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Chalfant, Jason A. Lupienski, John D. Tompkins