Abstract: The power distribution control element significantly improves the efficiency by which solar energy is distributed and controlled to large phased array antenna assemblies by providing current directly from photovoltaic cells to lithium-ion battery cells through a neural-network based charge controller. The small current required to operate each transmit/receive module is provided from an adjacent battery cell rather than a large centralized battery assembly located in the spacecraft bus. In the preferred embodiment, the charge control is regulated by a back-propagation neural network.

Abstract: A remaining capacity of a battery correcting method outputs the remaining capacity with calculating to an electronic device which change into hibernation when the remaining capacity becomes lower than a hibernation changeover capacity. The method of correcting battery remaining capacity decreases the remaining capacity with a first gradient after corrected to the hibernation changeover capacity, when the remaining capacity at decreasing to 0% detecting voltage is higher than the hibernation changeover capacity. In addition, when the remaining capacity at decreasing to 0% detecting voltage is lower than the hibernation changeover capacity, the remaining capacity is decreased with a second gradient.

Abstract: Described is a method and apparatus for determining the state of battery life of a starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) battery comprising; 1) determining the number of starting engine cranks the battery has performed and comparing that number with a desired number for starting engine cranks to ascertain a state of health of the battery, calculated as a percentage of the desired number; 2) determining the percentage of battery life diminished due to battery exposure to a maximum temperature and the minimum state of charge the battery has been exposed to at that temperature, calculated as a decrease from 100 percent; and 3) calculating the lower of the values of step 1 or step 2 thereby determining the state of the battery life.

Abstract: A power system where energy generated at a deceleration time of a running vehicle such as an automobile can be accepted as regenerative energy sufficiently and safely is provided. In a power system 10, a non-aqueous solution system secondary battery group 1 where 10 to 11 lithium ion secondary battery cells are connected in series and an aqueous solution system secondary battery group 2 where 18 control valve type lead-acid battery cells are connected in series are connected in parallel. The battery capacity of the non-aqueous solution system secondary battery group 1 is smaller than that of the aqueous solution system secondary battery group 2.

Abstract: A charging method of a rechargeable battery includes steps of: charging the rechargeable battery with a constant current; charging the rechargeable battery with a constant voltage or with a current having a pulse waveform; and when a charging current is decreased so as to be equal to or lower than a predetermined current value, or when an average charging current for a single pulse of the current having a pulse waveform is decreased so as to be equal to or lower than a predetermined current value, determining that the rechargeable battery has been fully charged and stopping the charging of the rechargeable battery, wherein a temperature of the rechargeable battery is measured, and the predetermined current value at which the charging of the rechargeable battery is stopped is adjusted according to the measured temperature.

Abstract: A system for automatically charging a battery of a remote keyless entry transmitter includes a voltage monitoring circuit having a first microprocessor which monitors battery voltage and which causes the transmitter to send an RF signal to a receiver in the form of a base station on a motor vehicle. The signal causes a charging circuit of the base station to activate an inductive field to cause the battery to be fully charged. In one embodiment, the first microprocessor also causes the transmitter to send a second signal to the base station to shut down the charging field when the battery voltage reaches a predetermined upper limit. In another embodiment, a second microprocessor of the base station tracks the charging time and shuts down the charging field when the charging time reaches a predetermined amount. Alternatively, charging can be done by direct contact or other means.

Abstract: A battery saving electron flow blocking system for controlling the flow of electrons between a pair of batteries removably installed in a device and from between a battery and a conductor. The battery saving electron flow blocking system includes a blocking member comprising a panel movable into a position adjacent to one of the group of the first positive contacts and the first negative contacts in order to isolate the contacts from electrical communication with the conductor of the device. Additionally a track may be provided for guiding movement of the blocking member in the device.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide an improved strategy for actively controlling battery state of charge (SOC) as a function of the vehicle's kinetic energy. A vehicle system controller (VSC) can vary a target battery SOC as a function of vehicle speed based on either vehicle kinetic energy or the square of vehicle speed. The VSC can set a maximum battery SOC limit using vehicle velocity and actively control a rate of charging the battery and determine a target battery SOC as a balance between the charge time and the charge current. The VSC can determine a target battery SOC based on a predetermined constant and a predetermined offset value. Target battery SOC is increased as vehicle speed increases until the maximum battery SOC limit is reached.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the state of charge and loading capacity of an electrical storage battery by measuring current, voltage and temperature and comparing the measured values with the corresponding values for the response of an equivalent circuit diagram of the storage battery, the parameters of the components in the equivalent circuit diagram and the state variables being varied such that the measured values are matched and that the state of charge and loading capacity are determined from the adjusted parameters and state variables determined.

Abstract: A battery charging apparatus comprising a controller to control on-off controllable switch elements of an AC power source output short circuit and including a first control section to control the on-off controllable switch elements so that they are at an on-state when an instantaneous terminal voltage of a battery exceeds a first set value and a second control section to control the on-off switch elements so that they are at an on-state when an average voltage of the battery exceeds a second set value and serving to control them when a power source switch is closed.

Abstract: The invention provides a cell voltage measuring device for a cell module wherein component cells are theoretically divided into a plurality of (n) cell blocks 111 to 11n. A plurality of potential detecting lines extending from respective potential detecting points of each of the cell blocks are provided with potential holding means 12 having capacitor blocks each for holding the potentials of the potential detecting points of the cell block, and cell voltage measuring means 14 for measuring the voltage of the cells based on the potentials of the potential detecting points held by the potential holding means 12. Flying capacitors are provided for each cell block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the state of charge of a battery including determining a current-based state of charge measurement based on coulomb integration, determining a voltage-based state of charge measurement based on the resistance of said battery and a hysteresis voltage, and combining the current-based state of charge measurement and the voltage-based state of charge measurement to generate the state of charge measurement of the battery.

Abstract: An electronic battery tester for determining a condition of a storage battery includes a forcing function adapted to couple to the battery. Circuitry coupled to the forcing function is adapted to obtain measurements from the battery at multiple levels of the forcing function. In the method according to the present invention, a forcing function is applied to the battery at a first level and a first measurement is obtained. The forcing function is applied at a second level and a second measurement is obtained. The first and second measurements are correlated to condition of the battery.

Abstract: A cell voltage balancer for balancing the voltage of the first cell and the voltage of the second cell. The cell voltage balancer includes the first input terminal, the second input terminal and the third input terminal. The cell voltage balancer includes a transformer, the first switch and the second switch. The transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. The first switch and the primary winding are serially connected between the first input terminal and the second input terminal. The second switch and the secondary winding are serially connected between the second input terminal and the third input terminal. The first switch and the second switch are switched on and off alternatively. While the first switch is on and the second switch is off, the primary winding stores energy of the first cell in the transformer. On the contrary, the secondary winding recovers energy stored in the transformer into the second cell.

Abstract: A discharge control circuit that securely prevents an over discharge of a battery. The control circuit includes a discharge control switch connected to the battery for cutting off a discharge current of the battery in response to a discharge stop signal. A control circuit is connected to the battery and the discharge control switch generates the discharge stop signal for deactivating the discharge control switch when a voltage of at least one cell reaches a lower limit. The control circuit includes a switch holding circuit for continuously supplying the discharge stop signal to the discharge control switch for a predetermined time after the discharge stop signal is generated regardless of the cell voltage.

Abstract: A battery charger that includes a data store that can receive, store, and send data files to other computer devices. The battery charger can specifically receive, send, and store multimedia files such as those in MP3 format. The battery charger has a charger platform with at least a charger main processor, a data store (memory), a charged device interface, and a charge control resident thereupon. The battery charger also includes a power link for selectively providing electricity to the charge control of the charger, and a data link for sending and receiving data from the charger main processor. The charger main processor selectively sends and receives data through the data link and stores and retrieves the data from the data store.

Abstract: A controller predicts a requested state of charge/discharge corresponding to a future run of a hybrid vehicle. If it is predicted that the hybrid vehicle will be stopped and restarted, or will be greatly accelerated and therefore that a request for a great discharge will be outputted in the future, the controller increases a target SOC of an HV battery to increase the value to which the charge of the HV battery will be converged in preparation for the great discharge. If it is predicted that a great regenerative electric power will be generated by a vehicle deceleration and therefore that a request for charging will be outputted, the target SOC is reduced, and the amount of charge in the HV battery is reduced, so that the regenerative power generated can be efficiency recovered.

Abstract: The present invention includes a means for charging the battery of an electronic device by converting acoustic energy to electrical current. In one preferred embodiment, the protective layer of a liquid crystal display screen has a magnetic material disposed thereon. The housing of the liquid crystal display includes a corresponding coil of wire. As the protective layer has freedom of motion given by the liquid crystal panel, when acoustic energy is incident upon the protective layer, the protective layer moves, causing the magnetic material to generate a changing magnetic field in the coil. In an alternate embodiment, the protective layer is connected to piezoelectric transducers. When acoustic energy is incident upon the protective layer, the piezoelectric transducers are actuated. In another embodiment, the electronic device comprises an input for receiving concentrated acoustic energy from various sources including loudspeakers and acoustic waveguides.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery having a user-selected charge capacity whereby a user of the battery can select the voltage at which the battery is charged, and thus can control the capacity of the battery. The battery has a rigid casing with an exterior surface thereof, and a rechargeable electrochemical cell within the casing. A plurality of charge contacts are accessible at the exterior surface of the casing and are in conductive contact with the electrochemical cell to allow charging of the electrochemical cell when a current is placed across the charge contacts. The battery also has a charge control circuit in conductive contact with at least the charge contacts and the electrochemical cell, and the control circuit includes a voltage regulator that regulates the charge voltage from the charge contacts to the electrochemical cell.

Abstract: A battery charging circuit for portable electronic devices including a photovoltaic cell for generating electrical current for charging of batteries. The charging circuit includes a state machine charge control circuit to selectively apply the electrical current generated by the photovoltaic cell to the batteries for charging and/or to the operational circuits of the portable electronic device for operation of the device. The photovoltaic cell, charge control circuit and operational circuits may be packaged in a number of alternative embodiments. In a first embodiment the photovoltaic cell and charge control circuit are integrated in a single circuit package. In a second, the various components are in separate circuit packages to enhance flexibility in design options. In a third embodiment, the charge control circuit is integrated with the operational circuits of the device.