Abstract: A charging apparatus for wireless earphones includes a rechargeable battery, first and second electrical cables, and first and second charging receptacles. The first charging receptacle is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery by the first electrical cable and includes a cavity for receiving a first one of the wireless earphones. The first charging receptacle further includes first electrical contacts to electrically interface to electrical contacts of the first wireless earphone and a first audio path between an outer surface of the first charging receptacle and an inner surface of the cavity. The second charging receptacle is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery by the second electrical cable and includes a cavity for receiving a second one of the wireless earphones. The second charging receptacle further includes second electrical contacts to electrically interface to electrical contacts of the second wireless earphone. The second charging receptacle also includes an audio path.

Abstract: A battery management system is described that includes a controller configured to control electrical charging and discharging of a plurality of blocks of a battery. The battery management system also includes an inter-block communication network including a master node and a plurality of slave nodes arranged in a ring-type daisy-chain configuration with the master node. The master node is coupled to the controller and configured to initiate all command messages sent through the inter-block communication network and terminate all reply messages sent through the inter-block communication network. The plurality of slave nodes is bounded by an initial node coupled to the master node and a last node coupled to the master node.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring energy using onboard power electronics with high-frequency transformer isolation includes a power electronic drive circuit comprises a dc bus and a first energy storage device coupled to the dc bus. A first bi-directional dc-to-ac voltage inverter is coupled to the first energy storage device and to the dc bus, and a first electromechanical device coupled to the first bi-directional dc-to-ac voltage inverter. A charging system coupled to the dc bus via a charge bus comprises a receptacle configured to mate with a connector coupled to a voltage source external to the power electronic drive circuit and an isolation transformer configured to electrically isolate the charge bus from the receptacle. A controller configured to cause the charging system to supply a charging voltage to the dc bus based on a voltage received from the voltage source external to the power electronic drive circuit.

Abstract: The present disclosure introduces a charger for inductively charging a mobile device inside a motor vehicle. The charger includes a power source configured to supply electrical energy in the form of DC voltage, a transmitter coil for inductively transferring power to the mobile device, a signal generator configured to generate a sinusoidal signal, and an output stage that is coupled to the power source, the transmitter coil and the signal generator. The output stage is configured to receive the sinusoidal signal as a control signal and to supply to the transmitter coil a current flow, corresponding to the control signal, of the energy provided by the power source.

Abstract: A method for detecting a faulty connection of an auxiliary battery (6) incorporated in an auxiliary network (5) of a motor vehicle supplied by the auxiliary battery and by a non-reversible current source (4), such as a DC/DC voltage converter or an alternator, which is voltage controlled to supply an output voltage which is a function of the setpoint voltages. The detection method includes determining at least one minimum and/or maximum voltage value which cannot be reached by the voltage at the terminals of the auxiliary battery (6), then assigning the function of setpoint value to the minimum and/or maximum voltage value, controlling the current source (4) by sending the setpoint value to it, measuring the voltage at the terminals of the auxiliary network (5), and deducing a faulty connection of the auxiliary battery (6) if there is a match between the measured voltage and the setpoint voltage.

Abstract: A charging assembly for wireless power transfer. In embodiments, the charging assembly comprises a housing, a cap structure, a ferrimagnetic sleeve, an inductive coil, a magnet, a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), and a four-pin connector extending from a bottom surface of the PCBA. A ridge of the cap structure can be coupled to a lip of the housing. The housing can include a bottom housing surface having an aperture, and a sidewall extending between the bottom housing surface and the lip that extends outward from the sidewall along a perimeter of the housing parallel to the bottom housing surface. The four-pin connector can extend through the aperture of the housing. Some embodiments are directed to a charging device that incorporates the charging assembly.

Abstract: Several embodiments perform battery backup unit (BBU) degradation testing. For example, a BBU testing system can be coupled to or part of a BBU. The BBU testing system can discharge the BBU by engaging a variable load to the BBU. The BBU testing system can monitor a discharge energy consumption over time as the BBU discharges until the discharge energy consumption reaches a specified amount of energy. The BBU testing system can determine a discharge time for the discharge energy consumption to reach the specified amount of energy. The BBU testing system can then compute a degradation state of the BBU based on the discharge time.

Abstract: A thermal management system for an electromagnetic induction-power transfer system. The system may include a charging apparatus including a housing that defines an interface surface. An accessory or induction-power consuming apparatus may be positioned proximate to the interface surface. The housing of the charging apparatus may include a power source and a power-transferring coil coupled to the power source and positioned below the interface surface. A thermal mass may be positioned within the housing and spaced apart from the interface surface. The housing may include a thermal path that is configured to conduct heat from the interface surface to the thermal mass.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein may generate and transmit power waves that, as result of their physical waveform characteristics (e.g., frequency, amplitude, phase, gain, direction), converge at a predetermined location in a transmission field to generate a pocket of energy. Receivers associated with an electronic device being powered by the wireless charging system, may extract energy from these pockets of energy and then convert that energy into usable electric power for the electronic device associated with a receiver. The pockets of energy may manifest as a three-dimensional field (e.g., transmission field) where energy may be harvested by a receiver positioned within or nearby the pocket of energy.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an energy storage cell comprising at least one capacitive energy storage device and a DC-voltage conversion device. The capacitive energy storage device comprises at least one meta-capacitor. The output voltage of the capacitive energy storage device is the input voltage of the DC-voltage conversion device. The present disclosure also provides a capacitive energy storage module and a capacitive energy storage system.

Abstract: The method is disclosed of controlling a switch circuit which includes a first switching unit configured to switch between energy accumulation and energy release in a coil, and second switching units configured to connect or disconnect a plurality of corresponding storage batteries with the coil. The method comprises a first step of performing an operation to switch on the first switching unit and to switch off the second switching units; and a second step of performing an operation to switch off the first switching unit and to switch on only one of the second switching units.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method for charging silver-zinc rechargeable batteries and an apparatus for practicing the charging method. The recharging apparatus includes recharging management circuitry; and one or more of a silver-zinc cell, a host device or a charging base that includes the recharging management circuitry. The recharging management circuitry provides means for regulating recharging of the silver-zinc cell, diagnostics for evaluating battery function, and safety measures that prevent damage to the apparatus caused by charging batteries composed of materials that are not suited for the charging method (e.g., non-silver-zinc batteries).

Abstract: A system and method for controlling charging of a low-voltage battery are provided. The method includes determining a state of charge of the low-voltage battery of a vehicle based on a voltage of the low-voltage battery and determining a state of charge of the low-voltage battery based on a magnitude of consumed power of a low-voltage direct current (DC) converter (LDC) providing charged power to the low-voltage battery during a period in which vehicle start-up is performed. A charged voltage of the low-voltage battery is then set based on a determination result of the state of charge of the low-voltage battery.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes: a battery body including a cylindrical outer peripheral side surface; and a power receiving coil wound in at most a single layer around the outer peripheral side surface, and electrically connected to the battery body. The power receiving coil is helically wound around the outer peripheral side surface while forming a space from which the outer peripheral side surface is exposed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to reusable medical sensors. According to certain embodiments, the medical sensor may include a sensor housing, an emitter disposed in the sensor housing, the emitter being configured to direct light through the tissue of a patient, and a detector disposed in the sensor housing, the detector being configured to detect light from the emitter after the light has passed through the tissue of the patient and to convert the detected light to an electrical signal. The sensor may also include a dye disposed in the sensor housing, wherein the dye is configured to exit the sensor housing when the sensor housing is damaged and is within a solution.

Abstract: The present invention discloses devices and methods for adaptive fast-charging of mobile devices. Methods include the steps of: firstly determining whether a first connected component is charged; upon firstly determining the first connected component isn't charged, secondly determining whether the first connected component is adapted for rapid charging; and upon secondly determining the first connected component is adapted for rapid charging, firstly charging the first connected component at a high charging rate via a charging device. Preferably, the charging device is selected from the group consisting of: a rapid charger and a slave battery. Preferably, the first connected component is selected from the group consisting of: a mobile device and a slave battery. Preferably, the high charging rate is selected from the group consisting of: greater than about 4 C, greater than about 5 C, greater than about 10 C, greater than about 20 C, greater than about 30 C, and greater than about 60 C.

Abstract: A spacecraft, configured to be operated in a geosynchronous orbit includes a power subsystem, including a battery, and a battery charge controller. The spacecraft is configured to have a power demand, during an eclipse season of the geosynchronous orbit, of ‘P’ kilowatts and the battery is sized to have a nominal capacity, measured in kilowatt-hours, smaller than 1.2*P/0.85. In some implementations, the battery has a rated charge voltage corresponding to the nominal capacity and the battery charge controller is configured to execute a battery charge management strategy that charges the battery to an above-rated charge voltage during selected portions of the eclipse season.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein may generate and transmit power waves that, as result of their physical waveform characteristics (e.g., frequency, amplitude, phase, gain, direction), converge at a predetermined location in a transmission field to generate a pocket of energy. Receivers associated with an electronic device being powered by the wireless charging system, may extract energy from these pockets of energy and then convert that energy into usable electric power for the electronic device associated with a receiver. The pockets of energy may manifest as a three-dimensional field (e.g., transmission field) where energy may be harvested by a receiver positioned within or nearby the pocket of energy.

Abstract: A charging system for an electric vehicle and a method for controlling charging of an electric vehicle are provided. The charging system comprises: a power battery (10); a charge-discharge socket (20); an external power supply device (1002); a charging connection device (1001); and an energy control device (1003), comprising: a three-level bidirectional DC-AC module (30); a charge-discharge control module (50); and a control module (60) configured to control the charge-discharge control module (50) according to a current working mode of the electric vehicle. The energy control device (1003) and the external power supply device (1002) communicate by transmitting a modulated PWM signal to each other via the charging connection device (1001), and the control module (60) controls the three-level bidirectional DC-AC module (30) and the charge-discharge control module (50) to charge the power battery (10) by the external power supply device (1002).

Abstract: A vehicle accumulator connected to a charging device is charged by controlling a configurable charge program executed by a control unit of the charge device. The configurable charge program is obtained from a charge program memory, so that the vehicle accumulator can be charged in an optimal manner with an individual charging characteristic.