Abstract: A battery pack monitoring system is provided that continually monitors the current at the fuse and, when the system determines that the fuse is close to its operating limit, limits battery pack current by limiting traction motor torque.

Abstract: A battery pack monitoring system is provided that continually monitors the current at the fuse and, when the system determines that the fuse is close to its operating limit, limits battery pack current by limiting traction motor torque.

Abstract: A bidirectional bus system is provided. The bidirectional bus system includes a plurality of bus slaves configured to couple to a bidirectional bus. Each bus slave of the plurality of bus slaves has a switch operated by a switch control to selectably couple and decouple an upstream portion and a downstream portion of the bidirectional bus relative to the bus slave, with the switch control being powered by activity on the bidirectional bus. A method of operating a bus is also provided.

Abstract: A battery pack with a compact and robust bus bar assembly is provided. The batteries within the pack are divided into groups, where the batteries within each battery group are connected in parallel and the groups are connected in series. A repetitive sequence of overlapping bus bars is used, with each bus bar comprised of upper and lower segments coupled together via a step segment. The overlapping design allows the upper surface of the upper segment of each of the repetitive bus bars to be aligned within an upper plane, and the lower surface of the lower segment of each of the repetitive bus bars to be aligned within a lower plane.

Abstract: A fusible battery interconnect is provided that is integral to a bus bar, thereby allowing rapid, cost effective, and highly reliable connections to be made between the bus bar and the batteries within a battery pack.

Abstract: A battery pack is provided that is configured to minimize the risk of battery shorts during a thermal runaway event. The battery pack uses a layer of a thermally conductive, electrically non-conducting epoxy to transfer heat from each of the pack's batteries to an underlying heat sink/heat spreader. A plurality of electrically non-conductive granules, for example fabricated from alumina or silica, is dispersed throughout at least a region of the epoxy layer. As a result of the granules, even if the epoxy layer softens sufficiently during a thermal runaway event to allow movement of the batteries, the granules will prevent the batteries from contacting the underlying heat sink/heat spreaders and shorting out, one benefit of which is decreasing the likelihood of an initial thermal runaway event propagating throughout the entire battery pack.

Abstract: A two wire bidirectional bus system is provided in which at least one of the slave nodes is configured to enter into a sleep mode, thereby minimizing power drainage, whenever the bus master stops transferring data over the bidirectional bus, and to wake up whenever the bus master begins to transfer data over the bidirectional bus.

Abstract: A battery pack is provided that is configured to minimize the risk of battery shorts during a thermal runaway event. The battery pack uses a layer of a thermally conductive, electrically non-conducting epoxy to transfer heat from each of the pack's batteries to an underlying heat sink/heat spreader. A plurality of electrically non-conductive granules, for example fabricated from alumina or silica, is dispersed throughout at least a region of the epoxy layer. As a result of the granules, even if the epoxy layer softens sufficiently during a thermal runaway event to allow movement of the batteries, the granules will prevent the batteries from contacting the underlying heat sink/heat spreaders and shorting out, one benefit of which is decreasing the likelihood of an initial thermal runaway event propagating throughout the entire battery pack.

Abstract: A bidirectional bus system that includes a bus master having a first transmitter coupled to a bidirectional bus. The first transmitter transmits a signal in a first voltage range onto the bus. The bus master has a first receiver coupled to the bus. A bus slave having a second transmitter coupled to the bus is included. The second transmitter transmits a signal in a second voltage range onto the bus, where the bus slave having a second receiver is coupled to the bus. The first receiver is configured to interpret the signal in the first voltage range to indicate an idle state while the second receiver interprets the signal in the first voltage range as indicating data. The second receiver interprets the signal in the second voltage range as indicative of an idle state while the first receiver interprets the signal in the second voltage range as indicating data.

Abstract: A power distribution module for use in a vehicle's power control system is provided. The power distribution module includes a plurality of control circuits, each of which is under the control of its own circuit switch, and each of which is coupled to one or more electronic control modules. The power distribution module also includes a processor that is configured to close each of the circuit switches, thereby providing power to the corresponding control circuits, in response to current vehicle conditions and in accordance with a preset set of conditions. An extended storage switch, when closed, prevents the power distribution module from electrically connecting any of the control circuits to the power source, thereby allowing parasitic power loss to be reduced to the point where the only loss is due to internal self-discharge.

Abstract: A power distribution module for use in a vehicle's power control system is provided, the use of which helps to minimize parasitic battery losses while providing additional control over the vehicle's electrical components and subsystems. The power distribution module includes a plurality of control circuits, each of which is under the control of its own circuit switch, and each of which is coupled to one or more electronic control modules. The power distribution module also includes a processor that is configured to close each of the circuit switches, thereby providing power to the corresponding control circuits, in response to current vehicle conditions and in accordance with a preset set of conditions.

Abstract: A two wire bidirectional bus system is provided in which at least one of the slave nodes is configured to enter into a sleep mode, thereby minimizing power drainage, whenever the bus master stops transferring data over the bidirectional bus, and to wake up whenever the bus master begins to transfer data over the bidirectional bus.

Abstract: A noise resistant switch control circuit is provided. The circuit includes a low pass filter configured to couple to a first terminal of a switch and a first voltage clamp coupled to the low pass filter. The first voltage clamp is configured to couple to a control terminal of the switch and limit a voltage of the control terminal relative to the first terminal to within a first clamping range. The circuit includes a second voltage clamp coupled to an input terminal of the switch control circuit. The second voltage clamp is configured to couple to the control terminal of the switch. The second voltage clamp is further configured to reduce a level of a control voltage coupled to the second voltage clamp. The circuit includes a bias device configured to couple to the control terminal of the switch and to impress a biasing voltage to the control terminal.

Abstract: A noise resistant switch control circuit is provided. The circuit includes a low pass filter configured to couple to a first terminal of a switch and a first voltage clamp coupled to the low pass filter. The first voltage clamp is configured to couple to a control terminal of the switch and limit a voltage of the control terminal relative to the first terminal to within a first clamping range. The circuit includes a second voltage clamp coupled to an input terminal of the switch control circuit. The second voltage clamp is configured to couple to the control terminal of the switch. The second voltage clamp is further configured to reduce a level of a control voltage coupled to the second voltage clamp. The circuit includes a bias device configured to couple to the control terminal of the switch and to impress a biasing voltage to the control terminal.

Abstract: A battery based power supply assembly is disclosed. The system comprises a discharge initiating device and a plurality of battery modules electrically connected with one another. Each of the battery modules comprises a plurality of battery cells, a discharge load connected in series with the battery cells, a switch coupled between the battery cells and the discharge load, a temperature sensor, and a controller adapted for placing the switch in its electrically connected state upon being driven by the discharge initiating device. The invention further provides a safe method of draining the energy from the power supply assembly disclosed herein.

Abstract: A battery system is provided. The battery system includes a base battery pack and a container having the base battery pack therein. The container is configured to receive a boost battery pack, wherein the container can hold the base battery pack and the boost battery pack. The battery system includes a coupling operable to provide electric power from the base battery pack alone or from the base battery pack in combination with the boost battery pack. A method of cooperating a battery pack is included.

Abstract: A battery pack with a compact and robust bus bar assembly is provided. The batteries within the pack are divided into groups, where the batteries within each battery group are connected in parallel and the groups are connected in series. A repetitive sequence of overlapping bus bars is used, with each bus bar comprised of upper and lower segments coupled together via a step segment. The overlapping design allows the upper surface of the upper segment of each of the repetitive bus bars to be aligned within an upper plane, and the lower surface of the lower segment of each of the repetitive bus bars to be aligned within a lower plane.

Abstract: A battery based power supply assembly is disclosed. The system comprises a discharge initiating device and a plurality of battery modules electrically connected with one another. Each of the battery modules comprises a plurality of battery cells, a discharge load connected in series with the battery cells, a switch coupled between the battery cells and the discharge load, a temperature sensor, and a controller adapted for placing the switch in its electrically connected state upon being driven by the discharge initiating device. The invention further provides a safe method of draining the energy from the power supply assembly disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present invention is related to methods and apparatus that can enhance the reliability of a hard drive by providing a built-in error check in the drive. Conventional hard drives can erroneously seek to an incorrect location on a platter of the hard drive. The erroneous seek corrupts the data stream and is difficult to detect and correct. Embodiments of the present invention can detect a logical block address assigned to a portion of the platter of the hard drive and thereby detect when an erroneous seek has occurred. Upon detection of an error, one embodiment of the present invention can further take corrective action to read from the correct portion of the platter.

Abstract: The present invention is related to methods and apparatus that can enhance the reliability of a hard drive by providing a built-in error check in the drive. Conventional hard drives can erroneously seek to an incorrect location on a platter of the hard drive. The erroneous seek corrupts the data stream and is difficult to detect and correct. Embodiments of the present invention can detect a logical block address assigned to a portion of the platter of the hard drive and thereby detect when an erroneous seek has occurred. Upon detection of an error, one embodiment of the present invention can further take corrective action to read from the correct portion of the platter.