Abstract: A power control unit of a fuel cell hybrid vehicle includes a first switching unit, a second switching unit, and a control unit. One terminal of the first switching unit is connected to a fuel cell stack and to an anode of a DC/DC converter in parallel, and the other terminal is connected to an inverter. One terminal of the second switching unit is connected to the inverter and to a cathode of the DC/DC converter in parallel, and the other terminal is connected to a cathode of the fuel cell stack. The control unit switches contact points of the first and the second switching units to selectively supply a voltage from one of the fuel cell stack and a battery to a motor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recharging a rechargeable lead acid battery. The apparatus supplies an overcharge current to the battery during and before completion of recharging of the battery to ameliorate stratification of the battery.

Abstract: A safety circuit monitors a charging signal supplied by a charging circuit for charging a battery. Damage to the battery may occur when the voltage at the input terminal of the battery rises above the safe level for the battery. A voltage drop across a coupling circuit is used to generate an activation signal. The activation signal causes a power amplifier to lower the voltage of the charging signal before the charging signal can drive the inductances associated with the battery input terminal and leads to the point where damage to the battery may occur.

Abstract: A universal battery charger for cellular telephones and other battery operated devices. It also may be used to power a battery operated device when there are no batteries in the device. It can charge a battery from power sources having different voltages (e.g., a 12 volt car cigarette lighter, or a 110 or 120 volt wall outlet) and can charge a battery when no external power source is available. It has a built in battery pack, using a no-memory battery, that can be charged from any of the power sources. The battery pack can hold a charge and be discharged only upon demand. The preferred embodiment includes a 110/220 AC plug, and male and female 12 volt cigarette lighter plugs. Optionally, a DC to DC converter or similar device may be incorporated, so that the invention can recharge batteries requiring different voltages (e.g. 6 and 12 volt batteries).

Abstract: Method of determining the state of charge soc of a battery, in particular a starting battery of a motor vehicle; the state of charge being calculated, in a first operating range, on the basis of a model calculation in which a measured and a calculated battery voltage UBatt, UBatt, are balanced, using feedback.

Abstract: A battery charging system comprising: a current source; a battery; and a voltage and current regulator, which regulates voltage applied to the battery and current supplied to the battery. The battery charging system shapes the current supplied to the battery, and may be used to taper the current supplied to the battery. The voltage and current regulator may comprise: an adjustable band-gap voltage reference diode, a potentiometer, a resistor, and a transistor, or an adjustable shunt regulator, and a transistor operating in conjunction with the adjustable shunt regulator, or other suitable voltage and current regulator means. The battery charging system regulates the current flow supplied to the battery, which originates from a constant charging current source. As the battery voltage exceeds a predefined terminal voltage, the battery charging system diverts charging current through a transistor, thus clamping the battery at the terminal voltage and shaping the current supplied to the battery.

Abstract: A battery charging system comprising: a current source; a battery; and a voltage and current regulator, which regulates voltage applied to the battery and current supplied to the battery. The battery charging system shapes the current supplied to the battery, and may be used to taper the current supplied to the battery. The voltage and current regulator may comprise: an adjustable band-gap voltage reference diode, a potentiometer, a resistor, and a transistor, or an adjustable shunt regulator, and a transistor operating in conjunction with the adjustable shunt regulator, or other suitable voltage and current regulator means. The battery charging system regulates the current flow supplied to the battery, which originates from a constant charging current source. As the battery voltage exceeds a predefined terminal voltage, the battery charging system diverts charging current through a transistor, thus clamping the battery at the terminal voltage and shaping the current supplied to the battery.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a charge voltage is coupled between the positive and negative terminals of a rechargeable battery, to charge the battery. The charge voltage is disconnected for a predetermined relax time period. A rechargeable battery voltage is present between the positive and negative terminals of the battery during the relax time. The battery voltage is measured and compared to a predetermined target voltage that is associated with a sample time. The comparison is then used to determine if the battery is charged.

Abstract: A battery unit including a battery (3) is equipped with a monitoring circuit (9) for detecting and evaluating operating variables related to charge state of the battery (3). So that energy is not drawn from the battery (3) by its own monitoring circuit (9) when an external load (2) powered by the battery unit is shut off, the supply of electrical power to the monitoring circuit (9) in the battery unit is disconnected, either immediately or after a certain time delay, when the load (2) is shut off. This slows the discharge of the battery (3) when it is not supplying electrical to the load (2).

Abstract: A load and battery charge device in a vehicle electrical system controllably disconnects a battery or other stored energy source from the electrical system when the battery state causes the system voltage to operate below a desired threshold. The device filters generator ripple voltage during batteryless operation to maintain an acceptable ripple voltage. The load and battery control device operates to recharge the battery that is disconnected from the vehicle electrical system at a controlled voltage independent of the vehicle electrical system voltage. The load and battery control device controls the rate of battery recharge so as to avoid overburdening the vehicle electrical system and then reconnects the battery to the vehicle electrical system once the battery voltage has reached a minimum threshold.

Abstract: A method for controlling and addressing a battery power source device having a plurality of battery pack systems connected in parallel or serially in parallel, each battery pack system having a battery pack block and a battery ECU connected thereto, is provided. The battery ECUs are connected to each other over communication lines, and a plurality of address setting terminals and address lines are connected to each other differently to provide a unique address to each battery ECU. When an abnormal state is detected in one of the battery pack blocks over the communication line, control is provided to the abnormal one of the battery pack blocks, identified by its address, to turn off its open/close relay contact to disconnect it from the parallel or the serial parallel connection, thereby preventing the function of the entire battery power source device from being stopped or degraded.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery pack for a surgical powered instrument. The battery pack is an assembly of individual cylindrical battery cells and has its electrical terminals in the form of sockets recessed within the body of the pack in the interstices between the cells. The terminal sockets are adapted to receive elongated plugs and enable the pack to be handled while minimizing the risk of shorting.

Abstract: A protection circuit for use with a charger and a chargeable element, such as a rechargeable lithium ion battery, comprises a shunt regulator having a threshold ON voltage coupled in parallel across the chargeable element, and a temperature-dependent resistor, e.g., a positive temperature coefficient device, coupled in series between the charger and the chargeable element. The temperature dependent resistor is thermally and electrically coupled to the shunt regulator, wherein the first variable resistor limits current flowing through the shunt regulator if the current reaches a predetermined level less than that which would cause failure of the regulator, due to ohmic heating of the regulator.

Abstract: This invention includes an adaptor that facilitates reconditioning and charging of non-smart batteries in smart chargers. The adaptor includes a mechanical and electrical interface to the host-side of a non-smart battery, thereby bypassing any protection diode. The adaptor further includes at least one memory device that identifies the adaptor to a smart charger as an adaptor. Upon insertion, the smart charger reads the memory device in the adaptor begins the reconditioning process. The reconditioning process includes discharging the non-smart battery to a predetermined voltage stored memory device. The smart charger then waits a predefined period and begins charging the non-smart battery, preferably at a constant current. Charging is terminated at a V-peak inflection. Upon completion of charging, the smart charger may trickle charge for a time, and then indicates charge is completed.

Abstract: When an SOC difference between battery pack blocks exceeds a threshold, or a temperature difference between the battery pack blocks exceeds a threshold, a control section changes cooling modes and cooling control maps for cooling fans of respective battery pack blocks to reduce variation in SOC and in temperature difference, thereby improving charging efficiency, and making degradation rates even, so that the life of the total battery pack system is extended.

Abstract: An electronic battery tester connectable to a battery through any one of multiple cables. The tester includes an input that can couple to any one of the multiple cables. Also included is a memory that contains multiple calibration values, each calibration value corresponds to a different one of the multiple cables. Test circuitry, which is coupled to the input and to the memory, detects which one of the multiple cables is coupled to the input, and tests the battery as a function of one of the multiple calibration values that corresponds to the detected one of the multiple cables.

Abstract: A connection-switched capacitor storage system comprises plural capacitors, parallel monitors connected with the capacitors, respectively, switches for switching the connections of the capacitors from a series combination to a parallel combination or vice versa, and a control portion. The parallel monitors bypass the charging current for the capacitors when the terminal voltages of the capacitors exceed a given voltage, thus limiting increases of the terminal voltages of initializing the terminal voltages of the capacitors to their original level. The control portion controls initialization and switching of the connections of the capacitors. The control portion causes the parallel monitors to initialize the capacitors near the voltage at which the connections of the capacitors are switched by the switches.

Abstract: In a method and system for generating a regulated direct current (DC) voltage output of a voltage regulator module (VRM) to power a device of the information handling system, an activity input, which is indicative of levels of activity of a processor included in the device, is received by the controller module. The controller module selects a first switching frequency from a plurality of switching frequencies of the VRM. The first switching frequency corresponds to a first level of activity. A charge switch is operable to receive a DC voltage input and generate a switched IDC voltage output having the first switching frequency. A discharge switch is operable to provide a discharge path for the switched DC voltage signal while the charge switch is open. A filter module is operable to filter the first switching frequency from the switched DC voltage output and generate the regulated DC voltage output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to calculate capacitance remaining on a power source in a battery powered device. A database is provided to store data associated with past battery performance data and data associated with a battery operating the device. The battery data includes battery drainage factors associated with the battery make and model, and the percent of time the apparatus has historically operated in a particular status. An algorithm is provided utilizing current and past data associated with the power source and the associated device to calculate time remaining for operation of the device with the current power source.

Abstract: A system for charging batteries by applying a high voltage finish charge to a battery with an electronic charging device connected in series between a state-of-the-art charging system or alternator and the to-be-charged battery, without the use of any other external power source.