Patents by Inventor Chutao Zhang

Chutao Zhang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220173604
    Abstract: A method includes detecting a voltage of the battery, detecting a current of the battery, determining a depth of discharge of the battery based on the voltage and the current of the battery, and controlling terminating charging of the battery responsive to the determined depth of discharge of the battery reaching a depth of discharge threshold. A system includes a battery gauge circuit and a processor coupled to the battery gauge circuit. The battery gauge circuit has a voltage sense input and a current sense input and is configured to determine a depth of discharge of a battery based on a battery voltage at the voltage sense input and a battery current at the current sense input. The processor is configured to control terminating charging of the battery responsive to the determined depth of discharge reaching a depth of discharge threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Chutao Zhang
  • Patent number: 8957625
    Abstract: A method for balancing multiple battery cells which are grouped into multiple battery modules includes: obtaining cell parameters of the battery cells, respectively; calculating an average cell parameter for each of the battery modules according to the cell parameters; identifying a donator module and a receiver module from the battery modules based upon the average cell parameter; and transferring energy from the donator module to the receiver module to balance the battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Guoxing Li, Wei Zhang, Songtao Chen, Chutao Zhang
  • Patent number: 8405358
    Abstract: A charging path includes a charging switch for transferring a charging current from an input terminal to an output terminal. The charging path further includes a first enable terminal coupled to the charging switch. The first enable terminal receives a first enable signal to control the charging switch to operate in either a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode, based on a status of the output terminal. More specifically, in the first mode, the charging switch is fully turned off. In the second mode, an equivalent resistance of the charging switch is determined by a control terminal of the charging switch. In the third mode, the charging switch is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: O2Micro Inc.
    Inventors: Guoxing Li, Ruichao Tang, Chutao Zhang
  • Patent number: 8344694
    Abstract: A battery circuit including a first battery cell with a first parameter having a first value and a second battery cell with a second parameter having a second value. The second battery cell is coupled to the first battery cell in series. The battery circuit further includes a magnetic device operable for storing energy transferred from the first battery cell via a first winding coupled to the first battery cell and for releasing the stored energy to the second battery cell via a second winding coupled to the second battery cell if the first value of the first parameter is greater than the second value of the second parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: O2Micro International, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chutao Zhang, Songtao Chen
  • Patent number: 8339100
    Abstract: A method for balancing multiple battery cells which are grouped into multiple battery modules includes: obtaining cell parameters of the battery cells, respectively; calculating an average cell parameter for each of the battery modules according to the cell parameters; identifying a donator module and a receiver module from the battery modules based upon the average cell parameter; and transferring energy from the donator module to the receiver module to balance the battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: O2Micro Inc
    Inventors: Guoxing Li, Wei Zhang, Songtao Chen, Chutao Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120196159
    Abstract: A battery circuit including a first battery cell with a first parameter having a first value and a second battery cell with a second parameter having a second value. The second battery cell is coupled to the first battery cell in series. The battery circuit further includes a magnetic device operable for storing energy transferred from the first battery cell via a first winding coupled to the first battery cell and for releasing the stored energy to the second battery cell via a second winding coupled to the second battery cell if the first value of the first parameter is greater than the second value of the second parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: O2MICRO INC.
    Inventors: Chutao Zhang, Songtao Chen
  • Publication number: 20120161717
    Abstract: A circuit for charging a battery pack includes a transformer and a charger controller. The transformer is operable for receiving an input power and for providing a charging power according to a driving signal to charge the battery pack. The charger controller is operable for monitoring a status of the battery pack, for selecting a charging mode from multiple charging modes according to the status, and for generating the driving signal according to the charging mode to adjust the charging power. The charger controller further executes a state machine that stores data indicating predetermined battery statuses that cause saturation of the transformer, and that selects a protection mode in which said charging power is restricted if the status of the battery pack matches to one of the predetermined battery statuses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Guo Xing LI, Jiankui GUO, Xin DONG, Songtao CHEN, Ruichao TANG, Chutao ZHANG, Celin HE
  • Patent number: 8164305
    Abstract: The present invention provides a battery circuit including a first battery cell with a first parameter having a first value and a second battery cell with a second parameter having a second value. The second battery cell is coupled to the first battery cell in series. The battery circuit further includes a magnetic device operable for storing energy transferred from the first battery cell via a first winding coupled to the first battery cell and for releasing the stored energy to the second battery cell via a second winding coupled to the second battery cell if the first value of the first parameter is greater than the second value of the second parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: O2Micro International, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chutao Zhang, Songtao Chen
  • Publication number: 20110241622
    Abstract: A method for balancing multiple battery cells which are grouped into multiple battery modules includes: obtaining cell parameters of the battery cells, respectively; calculating an average cell parameter for each of the battery modules according to the cell parameters; identifying a donator module and a receiver module from the battery modules based upon the average cell parameter; and transferring energy from the donator module to the receiver module to balance the battery cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: O2MICRO, INC.
    Inventors: Guoxing LI, Wei ZHANG, Songtao CHEN, Chutao ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20110076525
    Abstract: The present invention provides a battery circuit including a first battery cell with a first parameter having a first value and a second battery cell with a second parameter having a second value. The second battery cell is coupled to the first battery cell in series. The battery circuit further includes a magnetic device operable for storing energy transferred from the first battery cell via a first winding coupled to the first battery cell and for releasing the stored energy to the second battery cell via a second winding coupled to the second battery cell if the first value of the first parameter is greater than the second value of the second parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: O2MICRO INC.
    Inventors: Chutao ZHANG, Songtao CHEN
  • Publication number: 20100231174
    Abstract: A circuit for charging a battery pack includes a power converter and a charger controller. The power converter is operable for receiving an input power, and for providing a charging power for charging the battery pack. The power converter provides galvanic isolation between input circuitry and output circuitry of the circuit. The input circuitry shares a first ground potential with the input power, and the output circuitry shares a second ground potential with the charging power. The charger controller in the input circuitry includes a modulator for generating a driving signal to drive the power converter and control the charging power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Guo Xing LI, Jiankui GUO, Xin DONG, Songtao CHEN, Ruichao TANG, Chutao ZHANG, Celin HE
  • Publication number: 20100052624
    Abstract: A charging path includes a charging switch for transferring a charging current from an input terminal to an output terminal. The charging path further includes a first enable terminal coupled to the charging switch. The first enable terminal receives a first enable signal to control the charging switch to operate in either a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode, based on a status of the output terminal. More specifically, in the first mode, the charging switch is fully turned off. In the second mode, an equivalent resistance of the charging switch is determined by a control terminal of the charging switch. In the third mode, the charging switch is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Guoxing LI, Ruichao TANG, Chutao ZHANG