Abstract: In a power converter, a primary winding receives an input power. In addition, multiple secondary windings transform the input power into multiple charging currents to charge a set of cells via a set of paths. The multiple secondary windings further balance the set of cells based on the charging currents. A ratio between a first turn number of a first secondary winding of the secondary windings and a second turn number of a second secondary winding of the secondary windings is determined by a nominal voltage ratio between two corresponding cells of the set of cells.

Abstract: A battery management chip may include a battery management unit and a vertical bus circuit. The battery management unit can monitor a cell status of multiple cells in a battery module coupled to the battery management chip in response to an instruction from a host processor. The vertical bus circuit may transfer the instruction from the host processor to the battery management unit. The vertical bus circuit may include a first receiver, a command processor and a first transmitter. The first receiver can receive a first pair of differential input data signals. The command processor can process the first pair of differential input data signals. The first transmitter can output a first pair of differential output data signals.

Abstract: In a power converter, a primary winding receives an input power. In addition, multiple secondary windings transform the input power into multiple charging currents to charge a set of cells via a set of paths. The multiple secondary windings further balance the set of cells based on the charging currents. A ratio between a first turn number of a first secondary winding of the secondary windings and a second turn number of a second secondary winding of the secondary windings is determined by a nominal voltage ratio between two corresponding cells of the set of cells.

Abstract: In a power converter, a primary winding receives an input power. In addition, multiple secondary windings transform the input power into multiple charging currents to charge a set of cells via a set of paths. The multiple secondary windings further balance the set of cells based on the charging currents. A ratio between a first turn number of a first secondary winding of the secondary windings and a second turn number of a second secondary winding of the secondary windings is determined by a nominal voltage ratio between two corresponding cells of the set of cells.

Abstract: A state-of-charge (SOC) indicator for a battery pack is provided. The operation of the indicator is changed from a first mode to a second mode if a mechanism is activated, and is changed to a third mode if the mechanism remains activated after a timer expires. The indicator consumes a first amount of power in the second mode, and consumes a second amount of power which is less than the first amount in the third mode. The indicator blinks with a regular frequency when the SOC is less than a threshold. A comparator compares a divided signal and a reference signal during a first time interval, and the indicator displays the SOC based upon the comparison result during a second time interval separated from the first time interval.

Abstract: A cell balancing circuit comprises a first cell having a first voltage, a second cell in series with the first cell and having a second voltage that is greater than the first voltage, and a bypass path in parallel with the second cell for enabling a bypass current for the second cell if a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is greater than a predetermined threshold. The bypass current is enabled for a balancing time period that is proportional to the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage.

Abstract: A capacity detector for detecting capacity of an energy storage unit includes a first and a second buffers and a voltage divider. The first buffer is used for generating a first threshold reference according to a first adjustable reference which is predetermined based upon chemistry of the energy storage unit. The second buffer is used for generating a second threshold reference according to a second adjustable reference which is predetermined based upon chemistry of the energy storage unit. The voltage divider coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer is used for dividing a voltage across the first threshold reference and the second threshold reference and for generating capacity references indicating capacity percentages of the energy storage unit according to a voltage versus capacity characteristic of the energy storage unit.

Abstract: A battery management chip may include a battery management unit and a vertical bus circuit. The battery management unit can monitor a cell status of multiple cells in a battery module coupled to the battery management chip in response to an instruction from a host processor. The vertical bus circuit may transfer the instruction from the host processor to the battery management unit. The vertical bus circuit may include a first receiver, a command processor and a first transmitter. The first receiver can receive a first pair of differential input data signals. The command processor can process the first pair of differential input data signals. The first transmitter can output a first pair of differential output data signals.

Abstract: A protection circuit includes a detection block, a timer and a protection enable block. The detection block is used to compare a monitoring signal with a reference signal and generate an alert signal if a difference between the monitoring signal and the reference signal exceeds a threshold for a first predetermined duration. The timer coupled to the detection block is used to generate an enabling signal for a second predetermined duration in response to the alert signal. The protection enable block coupled to the timer is used to generate a triggering signal for a first time duration determined by the second predetermined duration in response to the enabling signal so as to perform a protection function.

Abstract: A battery monitoring system for a battery including multiple battery cells is disclosed. The battery monitoring system includes multiple first switch sets coupled across the battery cells respectively, an energy storage element, and a comparator coupled to the energy storage element via a second switch set. The energy storage element samples cell voltages of the battery cells via the first switch sets respectively. The comparator compares a respective cell voltage with a first reference signal to determine whether a fault condition occurs on a respective battery cell. The second switch set and one of the first switch sets are turned on alternately.

Abstract: In a power converter, a primary winding receives an input power. In addition, multiple secondary windings transform the input power into multiple charging currents to charge a set of cells via a set of paths. The multiple secondary windings further balance the set of cells based on the charging currents. A ratio between a first turn number of a first secondary winding of the secondary windings and a second turn number of a second secondary winding of the secondary windings is determined by a nominal voltage ratio between two corresponding cells of the set of cells.

Abstract: In a power converter, a primary winding receives an input power. In addition, multiple secondary windings transform the input power into multiple charging currents to charge a set of cells via a set of paths. The multiple secondary windings further balance the set of cells based on the charging currents. A ratio between a first turn number of a first secondary winding of the secondary windings and a second turn number of a second secondary winding of the secondary windings is determined by a nominal voltage ratio between two corresponding cells of the set of cells.

Abstract: In a power converter, a primary winding receives an input power. In addition, multiple secondary windings transform the input power into multiple charging currents to charge a set of cells via a set of paths. The multiple secondary windings further balance the set of cells based on the charging currents. A ratio between a first turn number of a first secondary winding of the secondary windings and a second turn number of a second secondary winding of the secondary windings is determined by a nominal voltage ratio between two corresponding cells of the set of cells.

Abstract: A monitoring and control circuit comprises a sense block, a first and a second comparators, and a control module. The current sense block is coupled to a switch for generating a monitoring signal indicative of a current flowing through the switch. The first comparator coupled to the sense block is operable for comparing the monitoring signal to a first threshold and for providing a first signal according to a first comparison result between the monitoring signal and the first threshold. The second comparator coupled to the sense block is operable for comparing the monitoring signal to a second threshold and for providing a second signal according to a second comparison result between the monitoring signal and the second threshold. The control module coupled to the first comparator and the second comparator provides a control signal for controlling the switch according to the first signal and the second signal so as to adjust the current.

Abstract: A protection circuit includes a detection block, a timer and a protection enable block. The detection block is used to compare a monitoring signal with a reference signal and generate an alert signal if a difference between the monitoring signal and the reference signal exceeds a threshold for a first predetermined duration. The timer coupled to the detection block is used to generate an enabling signal for a second predetermined duration in response to the alert signal. The protection enable block coupled to the timer is used to generate a triggering signal for a first time duration determined by the second predetermined duration in response to the enabling signal so as to perform a protection function.

Abstract: A capacity detector for detecting capacity of an energy storage unit includes a first and a second buffers and a voltage divider. The first buffer is used for generating a first threshold reference according to a first adjustable reference which is predetermined based upon chemistry of the energy storage unit. The second buffer is used for generating a second threshold reference according to a second adjustable reference which is predetermined based upon chemistry of the energy storage unit. The voltage divider coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer is used for dividing a voltage across the first threshold reference and the second threshold reference and for generating capacity references indicating capacity percentages of the energy storage unit according to a voltage versus capacity characteristic of the energy storage unit.

Abstract: A cell balancing circuit comprises a first cell having a first voltage, a second cell in series with the first cell and having a second voltage that is greater than the first voltage, and a bypass path in parallel with the second cell for enabling a bypass current for the second cell if a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is greater than a predetermined threshold. The bypass current is enabled for a balancing time period that is proportional to the difference between the fist voltage and the second voltage.

Abstract: A cell balancing circuit comprises a first cell having a first voltage, a second cell in series with the first cell and having a second voltage that is greater than the first voltage, and a bypass path in parallel with the second cell for enabling a bypass current for the second cell if a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is greater than a predetermined threshold. The bypass current is enabled for a balancing time period that is proportional to the difference between the fist voltage and the second voltage.