Abstract: A solar powered device comprising a solar radiation collection portion, wherein the solar radiation collection portion includes: a solar panel to collect solar radiation, a concentrator surrounding the solar panel to concentrate the solar radiation, and a charge controller coupled to the solar panel, a base portion, a plurality of legs, and a connection portion operably connecting the solar radiation collection portion to the base portion, the connection portion including a connection member having a first end and a second end is provided. Furthermore, an associated method is also provided.

Abstract: A method and a device for limiting the current in a temperature-dependent manner of an energy storage device for electrical energy adjusts a maximum permissible charging and/or discharging current of the energy storage device in dependence upon a temperature of the energy storage device, wherein the following steps are performed: determining multiple temperature values of the energy storage device that follow one another chronologically during a prevailing time interval; determining a prevailing mean temperature value of the energy storage device from the determined temperature values of the energy storage device during the prevailing time interval; comparing the determined prevailing mean value with a predetermined desired temperature value; and, if the determined prevailing mean value is greater than the desired temperature value, limiting the maximum permissible charging and/or discharging current of the energy storage device.

Abstract: An electric power reception control unit of a vehicle generates an electric power transmission command for adjusting received electric power to an electric power reception command. The generated electric power transmission command is transmitted from the vehicle to a charging station via radio communication. An electric power transmission control unit of the charging station adjusts transmission electric power, which is transmitted from the charging station to the vehicle, to the electric power transmission command received from the vehicle. Responsiveness of electric power reception control carried out in the electric power reception control unit is lower than responsiveness of electric power transmission control carried out in the electric power transmission control unit.

Abstract: An electrical article with cord-free charging zone provides users in a work area with access to low-voltage charging for portable electronic devices, in which electrical current is conveyed upon placement of an electronic device within the charging zone. The electrical article is configured for use in a work area, and includes a housing, a low voltage charging zone with power unit, and an electrical power input. The charging zone is defined along at least a portion of an upper surface of the housing. The low voltage power unit is operable to cordlessly convey electrical power to a portable electrical or electronic device that is positioned at the low voltage charging zone.

Abstract: An inductive charge system may include an inductive charging circuit having a switchgear configured to swap between a step-up converter and a step-down converter. The inductive vehicle charge station or system may include a controller configured to operate the switchgear to switch between the step-up converter and the step-down converter based on presence or absence of a load. The step-up converter may be a boost converter. The step-down converter may be a buck converter. The buck converter may have a maximum power output of 100 W. An output of the step-down converter may include a forward-biased diode to prevent backfeeding. The controller may be further configured to ramp an output voltage of the step-down converter from a coupling voltage to a charging voltage to prevent hard switching between the step-up converter and the step-down converter.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a plurality of charging ports; a charging portion configured to output charge current to the charging ports; an input portion configured to receive selection of a user among a plurality of charge patterns prepared in advance including a charge-history-dependent charge pattern to determine the charge current based on charge history information regarding a charge history of the electrically-powered vehicle; a selection result storing portion configured to store a result of the selection; a history information storing portion configured to store the charge history information of the electrically-powered vehicles connected to any of the charging ports; and a controller configured to refer to the selection result storing portion, control the charging portion in accordance with a selected charge pattern, the controller configured to determine priorities of the electrically-powered vehicles based on the charge history information when the charge-history-dependent charge pattern is selec

Abstract: A plurality of required DC voltages are outputted. A power supply device includes: a first switch circuit corresponding to the plurality of battery devices, and that includes a switch for connecting a negative pole terminal, by which negative pole terminals of the battery devices are connected, and a first switch for connecting a positive pole terminal, by which positive pole terminals of the battery devices are connected, and a switch for bypassing, by which the battery devices are bypassed; and a second switch circuit corresponding to the plurality of battery devices, and that includes a second switch for connecting a positive pole terminal, by which positive pole terminals of the battery devices are connected, and a switch for connecting, by which the negative pole terminals of the battery devices are connected to a positive pole terminal of the other battery device.

Abstract: An initial charging method for a lithium-ion battery according to this embodiment includes preparing a cell having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte and charging the cell by using voltages based on the amount of change in a capacity of the cell per unit voltage as a specified voltage.

Abstract: A vehicle includes: an inverter; a high-voltage connector and a low-voltage connector that are connected to the inverter; and a wire harness arranged at the rear of the inverter. The high-voltage connector includes fixing members that fix the high-voltage connector to the inverter, and the fixing members have release portions. The low-voltage connector includes an extended section, and the extended section extends toward the wire harness and covers the release portions. An upper surface of the extended section declines rearward, and an upper surface rear end of the extended section is located below a center in a cross section of the wire harness.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique for implementing a bidirectional DC-DC converter applied to an energy storage system. The bidirectional DC-DC converter includes a magnetically coupled inductor and a charging/discharging voltage storage unit between a DC link power supply and a battery power supply, and implements a high gain through a two-step voltage transformation process when a charging process or discharging process is performed. Thus, the bidirectional DC-DC converter can reduce the construction cost of the battery cell, guarantee a high voltage available range, and reduce the influence of leakage inductance.

Abstract: A diagnosis apparatus performing a diagnosis for reuse of an electric storage apparatus including a plurality of electric storage elements connected electrically in series includes a voltage sensor detecting a voltage of each of a plurality of blocks, the plurality of electric storage elements being divided into the blocks; a current sensor detecting a current in the electric storage apparatus; and a controller calculating an internal resistance of each of the blocks based on outputs from the voltage sensor and the current sensor. The controller specifies the highest of the internal resistances of the plurality of blocks as a criterion to perform the diagnosis for the reuse of the electric storage apparatus.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to a) control operation of the power generation mechanism such that a state of charge of the secondary battery is kept at a predetermined control target; b) calculate an estimated actual state of charge of the secondary battery based on an integrated current value and a state of charge decrease amount due to self-discharge of the secondary battery, the integrated current value being obtained by integrating an input current and an output current of the secondary battery; and c) when the estimated actual state of charge has decreased below a predetermined first lower limit state of charge, raise the control target.

Abstract: A device for balancing load of a storage device including plural elements connected in series. The device includes: a DC/AC converter including an inverter and a series resonant circuit connected to the output of the inverter; plural AC/DC converters, each including an input and an output that is connected to one of the respective storage elements and selectively supplies power to the output thereof; a transformer, the main winding of which is connected to the series resonant circuit and the secondary winding of which has outputs connected to an input of a respective AC/DC converter; and a control circuit configured to control the DC/AC converter at the current source when a number of outputs supplied with power is no higher than a threshold and moreover configured to control the DC/AC converter at a constant power when the number of outputs supplied with power is greater than the threshold.

Abstract: A system and method for self-harvesting energy from a wireless device and supplementing the battery power of the wireless device using the self-harvested energy includes the steps of collecting at least a portion of radio frequency signals transmitted by the wireless device; converting the collected radio frequency signals from radio frequency signals to direct current energy; further converting the direct current energy to energy compatible with charging requirements for a battery electrically connected to the wireless device; and transferring the compatible energy to the battery of the wireless device through a wireless device interface in order to add the compatible energy to the battery.

Abstract: A charger system for battery starting current test, comprising: a battery equivalent circuit comprising a battery internal resistance R0 and an electromotive force E connected in series, two ends of the battery equivalent circuit are connected to a first signal and a second signal, respectively; a signal drive circuit, comprising a first DC output signal and a second DC output signal, and a first load circuit and a second load circuit configured between the first DC output signal and the second DC output signal, each load circuit is connected to the battery equivalent circuit and controlled by a first drive signal and a second drive signal; an intermediate resistor R28, configured between the signal drive circuit and the battery equivalent circuit. This invention uses the above technical solution to test the internal resistance of the battery, and find out the CCA value of the battery via the internal resistance correspondingly.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a fuel gauge system is described that comprises two or more battery chargers on different integrated circuits (ICs) coupled in parallel to a battery for charging the battery. Each battery charger IC generates a current signal indicative of current generated by said each battery charger IC into the same battery. A fuel gauge is responsible for accurately reporting the battery state of charge, based on a combination of voltage, current, and temperature information.

Abstract: A method and device for wireless power transfer. The device includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and an electronic controller. The method includes determining, by the electronic controller, whether the first sensor senses a magnetic field. The method further includes determining, by the electronic controller, whether the second sensor senses the magnetic field. The method further includes determining, by the electronic controller, that the portable electronic device is in use when only the first sensor senses the magnetic field. The method further includes determining, by the electronic controller, that the portable electronic device is in storage when both the first and second sensors sense the magnetic field.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for wireless charging and a method for wireless charging by an integrated circuit are provided. The integrated circuit includes a first wireless communication unit configured to support a first wireless communication method; a first route selection unit configured to perform a selection from among a first power input from a battery and a second power input according to wireless charging to be allowed as input; a power block configured to receive the selected power from the first route selection unit, and provide the received power to the first wireless communication unit; and a controller configured to control an operation of the first route selection unit.

Abstract: A voltage monitoring device has a capacitor circuit having capacitors connected in series, first switches connecting end terminals of the capacitor circuit to specific electrode terminals of unit cells in a battery pack, second switches connecting remaining electrode terminals of the unit cells to the connection nodes between the capacitors, first voltage detection sections corresponding to each of the capacitors, a second voltage detection section connected to the end terminals of the capacitor circuit, and a microcomputer which selectively performs a first process of charging each capacitor, and a second process of charging the capacitors simultaneously. The respective specific electrode terminals correspond to the unit cells, and are arranged at an interval corresponding to the number of connection nodes formed between the capacitors.

Abstract: A non-contact type power receiving apparatus, of which a voltage level of output power varies depending on a rated voltage of a battery, includes: a power receiving coil unit receiving a power in a non-contact scheme; a rectifying/multiplying unit rectifying the received power depending on controlling thereof and selectively multiplying a voltage level of the rectified power; and a controller selectively controlling a rectifying operation or a multiplying operation of the rectifying/multiplying unit to be performed depending on a selection signal.