Abstract: A method includes detecting that a battery pack requires charging and is currently operable for recharging. The method can identify a specific cell having a highest voltage in response to the detecting. The method can then recharge each cell of the battery pack to a predetermined voltage that is a sum of (i) a maximum open circuit voltage of the specific cell and (ii) a voltage based on a resistance of and a first current supplied to the specific cell. When a temperature of the specific cell is less than a predetermined temperature or an age of the specific cell is greater than a predetermined age, the method includes recharging each cell to the predetermined voltage at less than the first current when (i) a predetermined period has elapsed or (ii) a voltage of the specific cell is less than a voltage threshold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for multiplexing an electrical contact interface between two electrical devices uses a time differentiated enablement of two or more different circuit elements in a first electrical device that are accessed via the multiplexed contact by a second electrical device. A timing control circuit in the first electrical device enables and disables circuit elements in the first electrical device coupled to a shared information contact over time. The second electrical device interacts with a first circuit element during an initial period upon connection to the first electrical device, and then interacts with a second circuit element after the initial period.

Abstract: An alternating-current power line is wired in a building for supplying alternating-current electricity to an electric load. A bidirectional power converter converts bilaterally between alternating-current electricity and direct-current electricity. A power storage unit is connected to the alternating-current power line through the bidirectional power converter. The power storage unit is charged with electricity from the alternating-current power line and discharges direct-current electricity into the alternating-current power line. A charge-and-discharge unit charges a vehicular power accumulating device with alternating-current electricity supplied from the alternating-current power line through a connecting terminal and discharges electricity outputted as alternating-current electricity from the vehicle to the connecting terminal.

Abstract: A charge transfer apparatus having an input and an output includes: an AC/DC converter coupled to the input of the charge transfer apparatus and configured to receive AC power at a first power level; and a charge storage device coupled to the AC/DC converter, where the charge storage device is configured to receive charge at the first power level and to transfer charge to the output of the charge transfer apparatus at a second power level, and the second power level is greater than the first power level.

Abstract: A dish having a display element installed therein includes a dish main body including a display element including a display portion and a circuit portion, a first side including a transparent material, and a second side, and a battery portion at the second side for supplying power to the display element.

Abstract: A battery charging apparatus includes a plurality of input terminals which are connected to respective phases of a three-phase AC dynamo, and a rectifying circuit including a plurality of rectifying elements and a plurality of switching elements. A switching element control unit and pulse generation unit are provided, for controlling the turning on/off of the switching elements, and for generating a pulse signal, respectively. The switching element control unit is configured to control the plurality of switching elements, and includes a potential difference detection unit configured to detect potential differences between potentials of input terminals, and a specifying unit configured to determine a phase order of AC outputs which are input to the input terminals.

Abstract: A switch-controlled energy cycling apparatus having two or more energy storage units; a control board that controls the status of each of the energy storage units and selectively cycles each between an inactive state, an active-discharging state, providing energy to a load outside of the apparatus, and an active-recharging state; and at least one sensor configured to monitor the apparatus and, at a first time period, sets the first energy storage unit to the active-discharging state and the second energy storage unit to the active-recharging state, where energy is also delivered to and recharges the second energy storage unit. At a second time period, the board automatically and in response to receiving a signal sent from the sensor indicating that one of the sensed values has reached a preprogrammed set point, cycles the charging state of the first and second energy storage units to different charging states according to a looping pattern.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating parameters of a rechargeable energy storage system during a plug-in charge mode include reading a first measured voltage and a measured current from the rechargeable energy storage system while charging the rechargeable energy storage system during a plug-in charge mode, interrupting the charge to stop current flow to the rechargeable energy storage system for a predetermined period of time, reading a second measured voltage during the charge interrupt, calculating a resistance based on the first measured voltage, the second measured voltage and the measured current, calculating an open circuit voltage of the rechargeable energy storage system based on the resistance, the second measured voltage, the measured current and determining the state-of-charge for the rechargeable energy storage system using the open circuit voltage.

Abstract: A battery voltage measuring circuit for an implantable cardiac device is presented. Since the usable battery voltage for the device is limited to an upper range of voltages, the need for measuring lower voltages at which the battery is approaching end of life is of no use. The disclosed invention allows for the measurement of a selectable upper range of battery levels that can be chosen without using a level shifting device such as a zener diode. Multiple voltage ranges with associated measurement resolutions can be achieved without using high current zener diode implementations. This allows for a trade-off between measurement range and resolution while resulting in a lower power and more accurate measurement circuit. Conventional zener diode implementations only allow for a single measurement range and are prone to non-linear error as the voltage measurement range increases.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a power supply unit that wirelessly supplies power to an electronic device including a first unit that wirelessly receives power from the power supply apparatus, and a control unit that execute control, if an external apparatus, including a battery, and the electronic device are connected, to select the first unit to charge the battery by the first unit.

Abstract: The semiconductor device includes the charging system including: electric power generating unit for supplying electric power; electric power storing unit for storing electric power generated by the electric power generating unit; switch unit provided in a charging path for charging the electric power storing unit with the electric power generated by the electric power generating unit; a comparator driven by the electric power generated by the electric power generating unit for comparing a reference voltage and a stored voltage of the electric power storing unit; and a level converter provided between the comparator and the switch unit for, based on a result of a comparison made by the comparator, converting a level of a generated voltage to a level of the stored voltage and outputting a resultant signal to the switch unit.

Abstract: An improved battery charging method is usable by a battery charger to charge a battery. The charging method may include an optional desulfation process, a first constant current process, a constant voltage process, a second constant current process and a float charge process. The charging method preferably improves various charge and usage characteristics of the battery through a single or continued use of the battery charger utilizing the charging method.

Abstract: A charging connector accommodation apparatus for use in a truck-type or pickup-type electric vehicle includes a box body having an opening facing an outside of a vehicle body and an opening facing an inside of the vehicle body, and a lid member. The box body includes a frame body, and a center panel disposed inside the frame body. A bent edge folded toward the outside and joined to the frame body is provided at the center panel. A highly rigid frame section enhanced in rigidity by the bent edge is disposed is provided more outward to the outside than the center panel, and a hollow frame section having rigidity lower than that of the highly rigid frame section is disposed is provided more inward to the inside than the center panel of the box body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a charging stand for an electric vehicle, the charging stand including a main body, a door coupled to the main body in such a way as to be opened or closed, and an alarm device generating an alarm if the door is opened, wherein the alarm device has a door sensing unit causing a change in impedance if the door is opened, a controller receiving a signal transmitted from the door sensing unit, and a switching circuit activated by the controller to generate an alarm or store an alarm history, so that the charging stand is advantageous in that the opening of the door can be precisely detected, and the alarm history can be checked later.

Abstract: A fail signal indicating overcharge/overdischarge of unit cells detected by voltage detecting ICs (21-1) to (21-n) is transmitted as a digital signal and an analog signal to a CPU 32. If the analog fail signal and digital fail signal agree with each other, the CPU 32 determines that overcharge or overdischarge is occurring in the unit cells. If the fail signals disagree with each other, it is determined that an error is occurring in data communication in communication lines L1 to L3 and the error is informed to an operator with an alarm signal or the like. As a result, overcharge or overdischarge is highly accurately detectable.

Abstract: A desktop charger includes a housing having a face panel with multiple insertion slots and an openable front cover plate for closing the face panel, a rack mounted inside the housing and defining multiple insertion slots in communication with the insertion slots of the face panel, and a power supply module including a system circuit board holding multiple electrical connectors in respective connector holes in the face panel for the connection of transmission cables of mobile electronic products being inserted into the insertion slots of the face panel and the insertion slots of the rack, a power adapter connectable to an external power source for power input and a control system for controlling the operation of the system circuit board and the power adapter and for charging the inserted mobile electronic products and for allowing the inserted mobile electronic products to transmit signals and data during charging.

Abstract: An on-board battery charging system for a plug-in electric vehicle has a charging unit for charging a high-voltage battery and a controller for controlling and managing current flow used to support charging related operations for the high-voltage battery. The controller may detect a connection between the on-board battery charging system and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and is configured to enter a sleep mode when a control pilot signal from the EVSE is either absent or indicative of a delayed charge mode. The charging system may include a wake-by-control pilot circuit operable to wake the controller from the sleep mode when the control pilot signal is detected and when the control pilot signal transitions from a non-zero static DC voltage to an active PWM signal.

Abstract: A low-power protective circuit includes a detection unit that intermittently detects a voltage across a secondary battery; a battery management unit that includes a buffer memory device and a processor and determines, based on a value of the voltage, whether the secondary battery needs to be charged; a switch circuit that establishes or breaks electrical continuity between a host system and the secondary battery; a switch control unit that turns on or off the switch circuit in accordance with the judgment made by the battery management unit; a switch that controls supply of power supply voltage from the secondary battery to the battery management unit; and a power controller that intermittently stops supply of the power supply voltage to the battery management unit by turning off the switch.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a first unit that wirelessly receives power from a power supply apparatus, and a control unit that executes control, if an external apparatus, including a second unit that wirelessly receives power from the power supply apparatus, and the electronic device are connected, to select at least one of the first unit and the second unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring a battery stack having a plurality of cells are provided. One system includes a plurality of time delay circuits. Each of the time delay circuits is electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of cells. The time delay circuits are configured to execute a time delay in response to receiving a trigger signal and output a time delay marking signal indicating that the time delay has elapsed. The time delay is based on a voltage of the cell(s) to which the respective time delay circuit is electrically coupled. The system further includes a control circuit configured to receive the time delay marking signal from each of the time delay circuits and, for each received time delay marking signal, to determine the voltage of the at least one of the plurality of cells associated with the respective time delay marking signal.