Abstract: A contactless charging apparatus of a portable terminal is provided. The contactless charging apparatus of a portable terminal includes a main circuit board, a rectifying unit, a charging unit, and a secondary coil unit mounted on the main circuit board for generating an electromotive force. The secondary coil unit may be formed on the main circuit board in a patterning process instead of an existing copper line coil. A coil layer formed in the patterning process generates an electromotive force induced by a magnetic induction field created by a contactless charger, and a direct current is applied to a battery to charge the battery using the rectifying unit and the charging unit.

Abstract: An electricity storage system comprising: a plurality of cartridges connected together in parallel, each cartridge comprising a plurality of cells connected together, and a circuit for preventing cross current, which restricts the current in each cartridge so as to cause the current to flow in one direction selected from a discharge direction and a charge direction, wherein said cartridges connected together in parallel are simultaneously charged with a direct current voltage converted from a commercial voltage, or said cartridges connected together in parallel are caused to discharge simultaneously so that said electricity storage system outputs a commercial voltage.

Abstract: A distribution board includes: a pack housing unit which houses a battery pack and includes a connecting unit; and a charge control unit. The battery pack includes a connecting terminal unit for charge and discharge of power and can supply power to the distribution board and another device different from the distribution board. The connecting unit is connectable to and disconnectable from the connecting terminal unit. The charge control unit converts AC power supplied from a power system into DC power, and supplies the DC power to the battery pack housed in the pack housing unit to charge the battery pack.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a parallel electricity-storage system that includes: a plurality of DC buses; a number of sets of battery banks formed by serially connecting one or a plurality of battery cells capable of charging and discharging, the number thereof being larger than number of the DC buses; a switch provided for each of the battery banks and serially connected to the battery bank to switch connection between the battery bank and each of the DC buses; charge/discharge circuits as many as the number of the DC buses that charge the respective battery banks via the DC buses or supply discharged power from the respective battery banks received via the DC buses to a load device; a voltage detector that detects a voltage of the respective battery banks; and a controller that controls the switch based on at least a voltage detected by the voltage detector.

Abstract: A microcomputer finds a variation in respective unit cells based on an output from a voltage detection circuit, and executes equalization by controlling FETs and connecting unit cells having high both-end voltages in the unit cells to discharge resistors to perform discharging when the variation in both-end voltages of the unit cells is greater than or equal to a prescribed value, or executes the equalization by controlling FET pairs and sequentially connecting charging capacitors to the respective unit cells when the variation is smaller than the prescribed value.

Abstract: A portable electronic device chargeable via at least one speaker port is provided. The portable electronic device comprises a housing containing: a processing unit, a least one speaker for playing audio signals; a power pack for powering the portable electronic device, including the processing unit; and a charging circuit electrically connected to the power pack for charging the power pack from an external power source. The portable electronic device further comprises at least one speaker port for enabling sound from the at least one speaker to exit the housing, the at least one speaker port enabled to convey power from the external power source to the charging circuit such that the power pack is chargeable via the at least one speaker port.

Abstract: An equipment system includes a battery unit (10) having a monitoring circuit (14), which detects at least one operating parameter of the battery unit (10) and furnishes a control signal, dependent on the operating parameter, for switching means (25, 31). The switching means control the charging and discharging process of the battery unit (10) and are located in the electrical device (20) and in the charger (30), respectively. From the battery unit (10), the control signal is transmitted to the switching means (25, 31) in the electrical device (20) and in the charger (30), respectively. By this provision of shifting the switching means (25, 31) out of the battery unit (10) into the electrical device (20) and into the charger (30), respectively, the heat development in the battery unit (10) and also its structure size are reduced.

Abstract: An insulation rib is provided above a charging circuit and a plurality of heat radiation ribs are provided on the left side of the charging circuit. A space part is formed by the insulation rib. Little of the heat generated by the charging circuit is transferred to an upper sidewall portion of a case main body portion due to a heat insulation effect of the space part. Further, heat generated by the charging circuit is likely to be transferred to a left sidewall portion of the case main body portion due to a high heat dissipation effect of the heat radiation ribs. In this way, the generation of locally heated areas in the case main body portion can be reduced through balancing of the flow of heat generated by the charging circuit.

Abstract: A battery power transfer system includes control circuitry coupled to a charge/discharge module. The charge/discharge module is configured to apply an electrical stimulus to a battery and to determine, based at least in part on a measured response of the battery to the applied electrical stimulus, a target power transfer frequency of the battery. The power is transferred to or from the battery with a power transfer profile comprising current pulses having a frequency component selected based on the determined target power transfer frequency.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to make the charging power as high as possible in a battery charging control system for selectively charging a plurality of batteries having different voltages with energy generated by an alternator. To achieve the object, the battery charging control system according to the invention includes an alternator having a variable generation voltage and a plurality of batteries having different charging voltages, wherein maximum generation power defined as the highest power that the alternator can generate and maximum charging power defined as the highest power that each battery can accept are obtained, and a battery for which the charging power is highest is selected to be charged based on a comparison of the maximum generation power and the maximum charging power.

Abstract: A battery system for a power tool includes two or more battery packs (12), at least one battery holder (14) adapted to detachably engage two or more of the battery packs and a charger (16, 216, 316, 416) adapted to detachably engage the battery holder and to simultaneously electrically communicate with two or more of the battery packs while the at least one battery holder engages both the charger and the battery packs.

Abstract: A charger system (100) for charging a battery power source for a portable host device (102) is provided. The charger system includes a charger circuit (202). The charger circuit operates to communicate a charge status. The charge status can be selected from a charge status group including a charging status and a charge completed status. Further, the charger system includes a battery (108) coupled between the portable host device and the charger circuit. The battery includes a switch circuit (206) operating to switch communication to the portable host device in response to the charge status communicated from the charge circuit. The charger system also includes the portable host device.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer. A portable wireless power charger includes an antenna configured to generate a magnetic near-field for coupling of wireless power to a wireless powered device including a receiver. The antenna is substantially disposed around the perimeter of the charging pad. The portable wireless power charger further includes a feeder cable for coupling the input power to the charging pad.

Abstract: An energy storage system includes a battery management system that has a plurality of loads connected in electrical series with one another, and a controller operatively connected to the plurality of loads. A first battery pack has battery cells connected in electrical series with respect to one another to establish a system voltage. The first battery pack is connected in electrical parallel to the plurality of loads. The controller is operable to balance charges of the battery cells by activating selected ones of the loads. The battery management system and the first battery pack are configured such that an additional battery pack with additional battery cells connected in electrical series with respect to one another or an additional load pack with additional loads connected in electrical series with respect to one another is connectable to the battery management system. A method of managing battery capacity is also provided.

Abstract: A dry-battery housing includes an electrode terminal member made of a single wire, a dry-battery housing unit, a flange portion arranged so as to project at first side of the electrode terminal member, a first partition plate projecting along outside for first side of the electrode terminal member, a second partition plate projecting along outside for second of the electrode terminal member, a first fixing plate projecting from the first partition plate toward the second partition plate, a second fixing plate projecting from the second partition plate toward the first partition plate, a flange-root portion including a narrow space portion for allowing insertion and removal of a rim at the first side of the electrode terminal member and an engagement portion arranged between the narrow space portion of the flange-root portion and a border of an opening portion of the dry-battery housing.

Abstract: An estimation method for residual discharging time of batteries includes the steps of: providing a set of battery-discharge-current intervals and a set of battery-discharge equations, setting the discharge time of each battery-discharge-current intervals at zero; detecting a discharge current, voltage and time of batteries; judging whether the discharge current exceeds all of the battery-discharge-current intervals; selecting one of the battery-discharge-current intervals and the associated battery-discharge equation according to the detected discharge current; calculating an estimation of residual discharging time; accumulating and recording the discharge time; judging whether the discharge voltage is lower than a predetermined value and calculating an estimation error of the residual discharging time; and adjusting parameters of the battery-discharge equation for reducing the estimation error of the residual discharging time if the estimation error is greater than a predetermined error value.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a charging device electrically connected to an external power supply and a rechargeable battery pack, so as to perform a charging procedure of the rechargeable battery pack. The charging device includes a detecting module, a processing module and a charging module, wherein the processing module is electrically connected to the detecting module and the charging module. The detecting module is used for detecting both the state of charge of the rechargeable battery pack during the charging procedure and a polarization voltage corresponding to the internal resistance of the rechargeable battery pack at different states of charge. The processing module generates a current adjusting parameter according to the polarization voltage and the state of charge. The charging module receives the external power supply and adjusts the charging current outputted to the rechargeable battery pack according to the state of charge and the current adjusting parameter.

Abstract: In a rechargeable battery having a plurality of rechargeable battery cells, wherein at least one rechargeable battery cell is connected to an electronic component, which is associated with the rechargeable battery, via an electrical line, the electrical line has at least one contact element which is electrically conductively connected to the at least one rechargeable battery cell by an electrically conductive adhesive.

Abstract: A fail safe battery pack is disclosed and claimed wherein first and second housings are affixed together. A plurality of battery cells reside within and fixedly engage the first and the second housings. First and second printed circuit boards (PCBs) reside within first and second lattice structures of the first and second housings. A variable bias device resides in the first and/or second lattice structure of the first and second housing and engages the first and/or second PCBs. When the bias of the variable bias device is sufficiently large it overcomes a plurality of fixed mechanically biased devices operating between the PCB and the plurality of battery cells and tending to separate same and causes the PCB to electrically communicate with the plurality of battery cells. When the bias of the variable bias device is sufficiently small, the plurality of fixed mechanically biased devices separates the PCB and the plurality of battery cells rendering the battery cells in an electrically safe condition.

Abstract: A battery pack cooling and charging device includes a charging module for a battery pack, a cooling fan, a power source module and a cooling fan control module. The cooling fan control module is capable of controlling the cooling fan for cooling and is connected with the cooling fan. During the charging operation, a rotational speed of the cooling fan for cooling the battery pack and a charging module is changed by detecting parameters such as fan operation time, a battery pack internal resistance, a charging module temperature, and a battery pack voltage. The rotational speed of the cooling fan is reasonably adjusted, thus noise of the cooling fan is reduced and energy consumption is reduced according to different phases of the charging process by regarding one parameter or combinations of parameters as conditions for changing the rotational speed of the fan.

Abstract: A method and system for programming rechargeable battery characteristics is provided. The system having: a memory component for storing user profiles; a power management integrated circuit; and a processor for retrieving the user profiles and directing power from the battery to the power management integrated circuit in accordance with the user profiles. The method consists of: determining the type of battery; retrieving user profiles stored in a memory component; and adjusting the battery characteristics according to the user profiles.

Abstract: A charging circuit for an electronic device includes a battery pack for providing a battery voltage; an adaptor coupled to an external voltage source, for providing an input voltage; and a charging module coupled to the adaptor, for charging the battery pack. The charging module includes a buck charging unit for performing buck charging on the battery pack according to a comparison result; and a boost charging unit for performing boost charging on the battery pack according to the comparison result.

Abstract: A portable backup charger includes a set of batteries; a charging circuit; a charge-discharge protection circuit; multiple DC-DC voltage adjusting circuits including a DC-DC 19 V-output boost circuit, a 12 V output circuit, and a DC-DC 5 V-output buck circuit; a MCU circuit; a 12 V output circuit outputting a current in the range of 100 A to 400 A; and a 150 A-250 A fuse. The set of batteries is composed of lithium iron phosphate batteries and lithium cobalt oxide batteries. The 12 V output circuit outputting a current in the range of 100 A to 400 A is directly connected to the set of batteries without interference with the charge-discharge protection circuit. The charger is convenient for carrying, and is capable of providing power for different electrical instruments including for an automobile.

Abstract: Failure mechanisms of a battery cell may be detected and prevented by monitoring a voltage of the battery cell, and detecting when the cell voltage falls below a voltage threshold. The length of time that the voltage remains below the voltage threshold may be monitored to detect when the length of time exceeds a time threshold. When the length of time has exceeded the time threshold, the battery pack may be disabled from further charging.

Abstract: A plurality of battery pack accessories are presented. The accessories include a battery power gauge adapted to be applied to a battery pack and provides a visual indication of the state of the charge in the battery pack, a light adapted to the battery pack such that the battery pack can be used as a flashlight when needed, a connector (e.g., a Universal Serial bus (USB) connector) that can be used for charging the battery pack or to allow the battery pack to charge a device.

Abstract: A battery charger for charging a first battery pack and a second battery pack is disclosed. The charger includes a housing, a first and second charging circuit positioned within the housing, a first and second charging port coupled to the housing and electrically coupled the first and second charging circuits, respectively. The first charging port is configured to support the first battery pack and defines a first connection axis along which the first battery pack is movable to connect with the first charging circuit. The second charging port is configured to support the second battery pack and defines a second connection axis along which the second battery pack is movable to connect with the second charging circuit. The second charging port is configured to support the second battery pack while the first charging port supports the first battery pack.

Abstract: A battery charger can include a charger controller configured to determine a total charge time that characterizes a time needed to charge a battery, the total charge time being based on a received state of charge (SOC) of the battery that characterizes a present SOC of the battery. The charger controller can also be configured to determine a charging start time for the battery based on a predetermined full charge time and the total charge time.

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: Embodiments include a rechargeable battery pack, system, and power adapter that allow the rechargeable battery pack to both power a host device though a set of host contacts and provide power, through the power adapter, via a set of charging contacts that interface with the power adapter. The power adapter contains a voltage source which activates a control circuit to disable a discharge protection circuit in the battery pack to allow current to discharge through the charging contacts.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to retrofitting existing electronic devices for wireless power transfer and near-field communication. Retrofitting circuitry includes an antenna for receiving a signal from an external source, and conversion circuitry for converting the signal to be used by an electronic device. The antenna and conversion circuitry are configured to retrofit to the electronic device, where the electronic device did not originally include the antenna or conversion circuitry. The antenna and conversion circuitry may be configured to receive and convert the signal to generate wireless power for the electronic device. The antenna and the conversion circuitry may also be configured to enable the electronic device to send and receive near-field communication data.

Abstract: There are provided a gate driving circuit and a battery management system including the same. The gate driving circuit is coupled to a gate of a charging switch through a charging pin. The gate driving circuit includes a first transistor for performing a switching operation in accordance with a gate control signal to control a connection between a power supply voltage and a charging pin, a second transistor having a switching operation controlled in synchronization with a switching state of the first transistor and coupled between the charging pin and the first transistor, and a diode coupled between the first transistor and the second transistor and positive biased by the power supply voltage.

Abstract: A high-current rapid charging battery module for an electric vehicle including a case, one or more battery cells inside the case, a ventilation system that draws air upward through holes in the bottom of the case from the exterior of the vehicle, massive copper busbars, each busbar electrically connecting a positive lead on one battery cell to a negative lead on a different battery cell, an air flow cartridge between each pair of adjacent battery cells, and one or more fans arranged on top of one or more cells that blow air drawn upward through the holes in the bottom of the case away from the top of the battery module.

Abstract: To provide a secondary battery pack system that controls battery packs which are connected in parallel without requiring a complex system configuration, a secondary battery pack system of the present invention that supplies power to an electronic device includes a plurality of battery packs each having a controller, a main body side connection circuit which is provided on the electronic device side so as to be connected to the plurality of battery packs, and a main body side discharge control signal line which is provided in the main body side connection circuit. The main body side discharge control signal line and controllers of the plurality of battery packs are connected to each other.

Abstract: A rack server system and an operating method applicable thereto are provided. The rack server system includes a battery backup unit (BBU) and at least one server. The operating method includes: communicating the server and the BBU with each other; the BBU providing a status information and a previous self-discharging test information to the server for the server to judge a status of the BBU; and providing power from the BBU to the server and adjusting a loading of the server according to the status information of the BBU when an input power is interrupted.

Abstract: A charging method of a battery and a battery pack thereof are described. A fully charged amount of the battery cell is changed upon comparing the charge amount of the battery to a reference capacity. If the battery cell is fully charged, charging of the battery cell may be interrupted and a counter incremented. The charged amount of the battery cell is compared to a reference capacity, and if the charged amount of the battery cell is equal to the first reference capacity, the fully charged amount of the battery cell may be set to another reference capacity, and the battery discharged the battery cell down to the new reference capacity.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for charging and/or discharging multiple parallel-connected battery packs in portable electronic devices, in which a charging or discharging current of a second battery pack is regulated based at least in part on a charging or discharging current of a first battery pack.

Abstract: Systems and methods that recharge power supply units of portable electronic devices by leveraging energy harvesting or scavenging techniques. A recharge component accumulates energy from a plurality of sources, and supplies an electric current to the portable electronic device for a charge thereof. The sources of energy are based on routine user actions such as muscle movements (e.g., walking, movement of eye lashes, body heat), and can further consider environmental factors such as exposure to sunlight, temperature, as well as availability of external power sources.

Abstract: Female guide portions for slidingly attaching a battery pack are formed by integral molding of a case main body. Exposed step portions are formed on the female guide portions, which includes protruding portions as thin-walled portions by application from the outer side (the upper side) of a mold so as to reduce the thickness of a thick-walled resin portion. An opening communicating with the inner and outer side of the case is not provided, while the protruding portions are formed as thin-walled portions. Bottom surfaces of the exposed step portions are formed so as to be sloped with respect to the horizontal direction when the battery charger is placed on a horizontal base, and water dropped on the bottom surfaces can flow outside of the case due to the slope without remaining thereon.

Abstract: An IC card having a secondary battery, which causes no increase in thickness and also has excellent safety, is provided. The IC card includes an antenna coil for inducing electric power by electromagnetic induction, a thin-film battery for storing electric power induced by the antenna coil, and a control portion for controlling the storage of the electric power from the antenna coil in the thin-film battery. The thin-film battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte layer between the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

Abstract: There is provided a battery pack including a mixed cell and a power device including the same. The mixed cell may include a first cell and a second cell having different electrical characteristics. The electrical characteristics may include at least one of an open circuit voltage characteristic corresponding to a state of charge, an internal resistance, an operation voltage, or a capacity.

Abstract: Electrical systems, power supply apparatuses, and power supply operational methods are described.

Abstract: There is provided a battery system including a battery having a luminescent layer on surfaces of an exterior member, the luminescent layer containing a stress luminescent material that emits light in response to application of mechanical stress, a photodetector device that detects light emission by the stress luminescent material, and abnormality detection means for monitoring the light emission detected by the photodetector device and thus detecting an abnormality in the battery.

Abstract: Used is a battery a battery (100) including: a battery terminal (106); a circuit (108) being electrically connected with the battery terminal (106); and a resonance frequency adjusting section (110) being directly connected or capacitively-coupled with the circuit (108), and being electrically connected with the battery terminal (106) not via the circuit (108). This makes it possible to provide a battery which does not require electrical connection except via a battery terminal for connection with an apparatus on which the battery is mounted, and which battery is unlikely to deteriorate an antenna characteristic.

Abstract: A battery pack has a case for storing a battery can, and a metal plane made of a conductive material and connected to the battery can in high frequency is provided on the outer circumference plane of the case. A mounting recessed part for removably mounting the battery pack is provided, and a printed circuit board is provided inside. In the mounting recessed part, a plurality of grounding terminals are electrically connected to a grounding layer of the printed circuit board, on an inner plane to which the metal plane of the battery pack abuts. When the battery pack is mounted in the mounting recessed part, electricity is carried between the metal plane and the grounding terminals, and the metal plane and the battery can are grounded to the grounding layer of the printed circuit board in high frequency.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that adaptively charges a battery, wherein the battery is a lithium-ion battery which includes a transport-limiting electrode governed by diffusion, an electrolyte separator and a non-transport-limiting electrode. During operation, the system determines a lithium surface concentration at an interface between the transport-limiting electrode and the electrolyte separator based on a diffusion time for lithium in the transport-limiting electrode. Next, the system calculates a charging current or a charging voltage for the battery based on the determined lithium surface concentration. Finally, the system applies the charging current or the charging voltage to the battery.

Abstract: A charger for a hand-held power tool includes a power source interface, a charger base and a charging cradle rotatably supported on the charger base. The rotatable charging cradle includes at least two charging output terminals electrically connected to the power source interface. A power tool system includes the charger and the hand-held power tool. A method of charging the power tool system includes contacting charging input terminals of the power tool with the charging output terminals, rotating the charging cradle and the power tool relative to the charging base and supplying charging current to at least one battery cell while the charging cradle and the power tool are allowed to freely swing relative to the charging base.

Abstract: A method for recharging a battery pack includes attaching a portable charger to a user, which portable charger includes or is attached to a self-contained power supply and wherein a first charging port of the portable charger is disposed, e.g., on a belt worn by the user, hanging the battery pack on the belt while the battery pack is physically engaged and in electrical communication with a power tool, and initiating a transfer of power from the charger to the battery pack when the first charging port is at least proximal to a second charging port that is in electrical communication with at least one battery cell of the battery pack. A portable charging system capable of performing this method, as well as an adapter for use in performing this method, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided is a battery pack producing method and a battery pack capable of suppressing defects such as overcharging or overdischarging in one or more of the used secondary batteries constituting a battery pack, and sufficiently exhibiting the performance of the used secondary batteries of the battery pack. This method includes an obtaining process for obtaining each full charge capacity of the used secondary batteries, a selecting process for selecting one or more used secondary batteries having similar full charge capacities from the used secondary batteries whose full charge capacities have been obtained, and an assembling process for assembling the selected secondary batteries.

Abstract: A battery pack for power tool includes a battery, a monitoring circuit, and a sleep mode switching unit. The battery includes at least one battery cell. The monitoring circuit is operated by receiving power supply from the battery. The sleep mode switching unit switches the battery pack to a sleep mode by stopping at least a part or all of operations of the monitoring circuit when the monitoring circuit detects a discharge end state where a discharge current from the battery is equal to or lower than a predetermined set current value, and the monitoring circuit further detects at least one of a voltage stable state where a voltage change amount in the battery cell is within a predetermined stable range of voltage change amount and a temperature stable state where a temperature change amount in the battery is within a predetermined stable range of temperature change amount.

Abstract: An electric machine tool may include an interface via which the electric machine tool can be mechanically and electrically connected to a battery pack. A coupling apparatus may be provided, which can be mechanically and electrically connected to the electric machine tool via the interface. The coupling apparatus may include a first battery interface for connection to a first battery pack and a second battery interface for connection to a second battery pack.