Serially Connected Batteries Or Cells Patents (Class 320/116)
  • Patent number: 12136838
    Abstract: A storage battery control device is configured to control a storage battery system including storage batteries connected in series and a bypass circuit configured to selectively bypass each of the storage batteries. The storage battery control device includes: a processor; and a memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the storage battery control device to perform operations including: performing a first process of causing the bypass circuit to preferentially bypass, among the storage batteries, a storage battery having a smaller remaining charge amount until completion of charging than those of the other storage batteries, and charging at least one of the storage batteries such that a difference in remaining charge amounts of the storage batteries until completion of charging is reduced; and performing, after the first process, a second process of charging the storage batteries until the charging is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Syouda, Chihiro Ono
  • Patent number: 12132183
    Abstract: A method for producing a mechanical and thermal system for a modular battery. The system has a module, which involves a module housing of the module being connected, on a thermally conductive module side, to a cooling apparatus. The module includes an energy storage unit and a power electronics unit, arranged on a circuit board, which are thermally isolated from each other by a first and a second thermally conductive element, which dissipates heat to the module side thermally connected to the cooling apparatus, and are integrated in the module housing, by virtue of the energy storage unit being connected to the first thermally conductive element, which contacts the module side connected to the cooling apparatus, and by virtue of the circuit board and the energy storage unit having the second thermally conductive element arranged between them, which second thermally conductive element contacts the module side connected to the cooling apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Götz, Malte Jaensch, David Kuhn, Patrick Leidig, Tim Schmidt
  • Patent number: 12128787
    Abstract: A battery use system includes a battery removably mounted on an electric power device, a charging device configured to charge the battery, and a server configured to communicate with the charging device. The charging device is configured to transmit the identification information of the battery accommodated in the accommodation unit to the server via a first communicator and control charging of the battery and/or detachment of the battery on the basis of reception information received by the first communicator from the server. The server is configured to determine whether or not the charging of the battery and/or the detachment of the battery accommodated in the accommodation unit are available on the basis of the identification information received by a second communicator from the charging device and provision information provided from an information provider and transmit transmission information on an availability determination result to the charging device via the second communicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuniaki Ikui, Tatsuo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 12123916
    Abstract: A battery management apparatus includes an SOC calculation unit to calculate an SOC of a battery module by using at least one of voltage, current, or temperature measured for the battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are connected in parallel, an SOH calculation unit to calculate an SOH of the battery module based on at least one of the SOC calculated by the SOC calculation unit and the voltage, current, or temperature of the battery module, and a diagnosis unit to calculate a change rate of an SOH using the SOH, and diagnose a state of the battery module using the calculated SOH change rate. The state of the battery module is any one of a normal state, a state including a degenerate battery cell, or a state including a current interrupt device (CID) open battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: LG Energy Solution, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho Byung Yoon, Young Hwan Kim, Hu Jun Lee, Jeong Wan Kim
  • Patent number: 12126203
    Abstract: A charging device is provided. The charging device switches to a (n+1)-th charging rate from a n-th charging rate when constant current charging is performed on a secondary battery at the n-th charging rate, at an SOC smaller than an SOC at which a voltage local minimum value appears when an experimental battery is charged at the n-th charging rate. The (n+1)-th charging rate is lower than the n-th charging rate, and n is a natural number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Miyaki, Sho Takahashi, Takahisa Ishimatsu, Takahiro Shirai, Takamasa Ono
  • Patent number: 12107447
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for mitigating abrupt release of energy due to a short circuit or other fault external to battery modules in a battery pack. Each battery module includes a plurality of weakened fusible links, which may connect an associated cell to a virtual cell busbar or connect dedicated busbars. After the fault has been cleared and faulted battery modules have been bypassed, the battery pack is ready for reconnection to the electrical network to provide power for the load(s). The battery management includes detection and isolation of a fault followed by execution of an algorithm for reconnection of the battery pack to the power distribution system after burnout of the fusible links. In addition, the respective activation times for reconnecting operative (not faulty) modules in a faulty battery string versus reconnecting other operative battery strings in the battery pack are coordinated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Vyacheslav Khozikov, Frederic Lacaux, John A. Trela, Kamiar J. Karimi
  • Patent number: 12100985
    Abstract: A BMS includes cell supervising circuits connected to an alternating current power line via a transformer, and a BMU connected to the alternating current power line via a transformer. The BMU includes a control microcomputer which instructs at least one of the cell supervising circuits to control the state of charge of a secondary battery cell monitored by the at least one of the cell supervising circuits, based on pieces of information in the cell supervising circuits, the pieces of information indicating states of charge of secondary battery cells monitored by the cell supervising circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
    Inventor: Hitoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12087965
    Abstract: This application provides a battery, an electric apparatus, and a method and a device for preparing battery, relating to the field of battery technologies. The battery includes a battery cell having an electrode terminal; a fire prevention pipeline, configured to accommodate a fire prevention medium; and a fastener, configured to fasten the fire prevention pipeline. The fastener is connected to the electrode terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: JIANGSU CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kai Wu, Haiqi Yang, Xiaoteng Huang, Langchao Hu, Jiarong Hong, Wenli Wang
  • Patent number: 12078686
    Abstract: The electric leakage detection method disclosed herein includes: total voltage measurement of measuring a total voltage Vt which is an electrical potential difference between a total positive terminal open to be connectable with an external device and a total negative terminal open to be connectable with the external device; electric leakage voltage measurement of measuring an electric leakage voltage VL which is an electrical potential difference between a reference terminal (the total negative terminal) and the electric leakage occurring position (the third single battery); and an electric leakage occurring position determination of determining the electric leakage occurring position by calculating a ratio (VL/Vt) of the electric leakage voltage VL to the total voltage Vt. This allows the number of single batteries between the reference terminal and the electric leakage occurring position to be estimated, and a detailed electric leakage occurring position to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: PRIME PLANET ENERGY & SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Kimihiko Furukawa, Junya Yano
  • Patent number: 12064855
    Abstract: A system, an electrical combination and a method for powering a load device. The combination may include a burst circuit configured to provide power to the load device to perform a burst operation, the burst circuit including a supercapacitor, a first switch between a power source and the supercapacitor and operable to control whether power is provided from the power source to charge the supercapacitor, and a second switch between the supercapacitor and the load device and operable to control whether power is provided from the supercapacitor to the load device; and an electronic processor configured to control the first switch and the second switch based at least in part on a voltage of the supercapacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Minnickel, Brian Carrillo, Ryan B. Jipp, Samuel Sheeks, Cameron R. Schulz, Aditya Subramanian, Martin Guerrero, Izael Zapata, Jorge Michael Chavez
  • Patent number: 12027679
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed systems and methods for monitoring battery conditions. In one illustrative embodiment, a system in accordance with the present disclosure may include a number of battery sensor units, each battery sensor unit being in operative communication with sensors on each individual cell on a battery, such as a battery used for supplying power to an industrial vehicle. The battery sensor units may track the supply voltage, temperature, and/or electrolyte level for each cell on a battery. One or more site gateways disposed at the location where the batteries are in use are in operative communication with the battery sensor units and through a network connection provide data collected by the battery sensor units to a database that can be accessed by remote users using an internet accessible portal or mobile app. The system may provide real time alerts for out of bound conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: TL3T, LLC
    Inventor: Alan Nickerson
  • Patent number: 11996581
    Abstract: This application provides a battery, an electric apparatus, and a method and a device for preparing battery, relating to the field of battery technologies. The battery includes a battery cell having an electrode terminal; a fire prevention pipeline, configured to accommodate a fire prevention medium; and a fastener, configured to fasten the fire prevention pipeline. The fastener is connected to the electrode terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: JIANGSU CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kai Wu, Haiqi Yang, Xiaoteng Huang, Langchao Hu, Jiarong Hong, Wenli Wang
  • Patent number: 11980335
    Abstract: A rechargeable cleaner includes a body, a rechargeable battery, and a charger. The body is configured to generate suction power capable of sucking dust together with air using a motor. The rechargeable battery is configured to supply electric power to the motor. The charger is configured to charge the battery at a charging rate of 3 C or higher and lower than 10 C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji Mitsui, Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Takuya Umemura, Toru Yamada, Mamoru Sakai
  • Patent number: 11984562
    Abstract: A highly safe power storage system is provided. If n (n is an integer over or equal to three) secondary batteries are used in a vehicle such as an electric vehicle, a circuit configuration is used with which the condition of each secondary battery is monitored using an anomaly detection unit; and if an anomaly such as a micro-short circuit is detected, only the detected anomalous secondary battery is electrically separated from the charging system or the discharging system. At least one microcomputer monitors anomalies in n secondary batteries consecutively, selects the anomalous secondary battery or the detected secondary battery which causes an anomaly, and gives an instruction to bypass the secondary battery with each switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryota Tajima, Toshiyuki Isa, Akihiro Chida
  • Patent number: 11949268
    Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling a battery pack, and a battery pack controlled by the method. A battery pack includes a plurality of slave battery modules, each of the slave battery modules including a battery that includes at least one battery cell and a slave controller that is configured to control charge and discharge of the battery, a master battery module including a master controller that is configured to control the slave controller, and a communication cable having formed thereon a first port to which the master controller is connected and a plurality of second ports to which the slave controller is connected. The first port includes an identification terminal configured to output an identification signal which is an electrical signal corresponding to the number of the second ports. A method of controlling the battery pack is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngjin Lee, Jaeseung Kim, Gilchoun Yeom, Kwanil Oh, Hyeoncheol Jeong, Seunglim Choi
  • Patent number: 11879948
    Abstract: In electrical fault detection device that is mounted on a vehicle and includes: energy storage unit to be mounted in a state of being insulated from a chassis ground of the vehicle; first switch inserted into positive wire; and second switch inserted into negative wire, in order to suppress a total cost by not using an expensive component while securing detection accuracy, electrical fault detection device further includes coupling capacitor, AC output unit, first voltage measurement unit, first determination unit, voltage dividing circuit, second voltage measurement unit, and second determination unit. Voltage dividing circuit is connected between positive wire between first switch and one end of load and negative wire between second switch and the other end of load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Nakayama, Tomonori Kunimitsu, Taisuke Hamada, Yasuharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11876189
    Abstract: A battery module for use in a battery system is operable in a bottom mode, a top mode or a middle mode during an enabled state. The battery module includes a battery unit and a battery control circuit. The battery unit which includes at least one battery generates a battery unit voltage between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the battery unit. The battery control circuit is powered by the battery unit voltage and is configured to control the battery unit. The battery control circuit includes an enable terminal, an upstream input terminal, an upstream output terminal, a downstream input terminal, and a downstream output terminal. When the enable terminal is at an operation enabling level, or when the upstream input terminal is at an upstream enabling level, the battery module enters the enabled state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Hsu Chang, Hao-Wen Chung, Chung-Hui Yeh, Kuo-Chen Tsai
  • Patent number: 11870292
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for controlling power of a parallel multi pack system. The power control apparatus includes first to nth sensor units measuring operation characteristic values of first to nth battery packs connected in parallel; a power management unit controlling a power consumed in a load or a power provided by a charging device; and a multi pack management unit that: determines a pack resistance of each of the battery packs based on the operation characteristic value of each battery pack received from the sensor units, determines a minimum available power among available powers respectively corresponding to the pack resistances of the battery packs, determines a total power of the parallel multi pack system so the pack power of a battery pack having a lowest pack resistance becomes identical to the minimum available power, and transmit the determined total power to the power management unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Young-Jun Ko, Cheol-Taek Kim, Sang-Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 11870281
    Abstract: The invention provides a voltage balancing system for balancing controlling of voltage of battery cells including a first set of battery cells and a second set of battery cells connected in series. The system includes a high-side analog front end (AFE) connected to the first set of battery cells, a low-side analog front end (AFE) connected to the second set of battery cells, a microcontroller communicating with the high-side AFE and the low-side AFE, and a communication isolating module interconnecting between the high-side AFE and the microcontroller. The system further includes a balancing module arranged at a back end of the low-side AFE or the high-side AFE to equalize voltages output by the low-side AFE and the high-side AFE. Compared with the prior arts, the system employs a balancing module to balance the voltages of the two sets of battery cells, which can shorten the voltage difference therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Globe (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ming Luo, Chuanjun Liu, Xian Zhuang
  • Patent number: 11862998
    Abstract: To improve reliability in balancing while suppressing power consumption during balancing. A battery management device 1 includes cell cons 41 and 42 that perform balancing for adjusting voltages of a plurality of battery cells 2 that are secondary batteries, and a control unit 3 that controls the cell cons 41 and 42. The cell con 41 includes the main timer 412 that measures the elapsed time for stopping the cell con 41, and the stop management unit 413 that stops the cell con 41 when the main timer 412 is abnormal. In the battery management device 1, the battery cell 2 that supplies power to the main timer 412 and the stop management unit 413, and the lead storage battery 7 that supplies power to the control unit 3 are power supplies different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonori Kanai, Hikaru Miura, Tomoyuki Arima
  • Patent number: 11857142
    Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus includes a floor cleaning unit and a portable surface cleaning unit. The floor cleaning unit includes a surface cleaning head, an upper section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between an upright storage position and a rearwardly inclined floor cleaning position, a charger having an energy storage member, and an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a floor cleaning unit air outlet. The portable surface cleaning unit is connectable to the floor cleaning unit, and includes a portable surface cleaning unit air inlet connectable in air flow communication with the floor cleaning unit air outlet, a main body, an air treatment member, a suction motor, a handle and a capacitor. When fully charged, the energy storage member stores sufficient stored power to recharge the capacitor at least twice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad
  • Patent number: 11858439
    Abstract: A circuit and method for providing multi-mode power to a vehicle load may include first and second voltage sources, main positive and main negative relays, and first, second, and third relays. The main positive relay may have a second side connected to a first side of the load, and the main negative relay may have a second side connected to a second side of the load. A first side of the second relay may be connected to a positive side of the first voltage source, and a second side of the second relay to a positive side of the second voltage source and a first side of the main positive relay. A first side of the third relay may be connected to a negative side of the second voltage source, and a second side of the third relay to a first side of the main negative relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wang Xie, Xuebei Ren, Diwei Fang
  • Patent number: 11848425
    Abstract: An energy storage system includes a DC bus; a plurality of battery strings, each battery string comprising batteries coupled electrically together; a plurality of DC/DC converters electrically coupling respective battery strings to the DC bus; an enclosure housing the battery strings and the DC/DC converters; and a temperature control system. The temperature control system includes at least one heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Keith Garrette Brown, Honggang Wang, Alistair Martin Waddell
  • Patent number: 11837702
    Abstract: An electric energy storage device, the electric energy storage device configured to be detachably coupled with an electrical device, the electric energy storage device comprises a housing, N sets of battery units received in the housing, N being a composite number, each battery unit comprising at least one battery cell, a plurality of switches, each switch connected to the output end of two different battery units, a control unit electrically connected to the switches and configured to control the switches to switch on or off in order to connect the battery units in parallel or series, wherein the electric energy storage device can output at least three different voltages. The electric energy storage device can be used for different types of power tools with different voltage requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Globe (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Baoan Li, Xi Li, Xinzhong Guo
  • Patent number: 11831186
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and devices for balancing a battery pack that comprises a plurality of battery cells. A first charging protocol to charge the battery pack is employed, and while the battery pack is being charged, a determination is made whether the battery pack is imbalanced. After determining that the battery pack is imbalanced, a determination is made whether a value of the state of charge (SoC) of the battery pack corresponds to a particular range of values. After determining that the value of the SoC of the battery pack corresponds to the particular range of values and that the battery pack is imbalanced, a second charging protocol to charge the battery pack is employed, wherein the second charging protocol is different from the first charging protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Gbatteries Energy Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Mykola Sherstyuk
  • Patent number: 11817727
    Abstract: One or more battery sub-modules are selected by obtaining at least one voltage from each battery sub-module and selecting based at least in part on the obtained voltages. The battery sub-modules are electrically connected in series in order to provide power to a primary load. Each battery sub-module includes a plurality of cells electrically connected in series and each battery sub-module further includes a battery management system that monitors the cells in that battery sub-module. Those battery management systems in the selected sub-modules are turned off so that the battery management systems in the selected sub-modules do not consume power at least temporarily from the cells in the selected sub-modules while (1) the battery sub-modules are not providing power to the primary load and (2) the battery sub-modules are not being charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Wisk Aero LLC
    Inventors: Scott Furman, Lewis Romeo Hom
  • Patent number: 11804722
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a battery pack power supply system and a battery pack power supply method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Globe (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huage Wang, Chuntao Lu, Xian Zhuang, Baoan Li
  • Patent number: 11789086
    Abstract: A battery cell performance monitoring system includes an energy storage system that includes at least one inverter and battery nodes. Each of the battery nodes includes battery racks, and each of the battery racks includes battery cells. The battery cell performance monitoring system also includes a processor, memory, and programming in the memory. The programming causes the battery cell performance monitoring system to determine an extreme rack cell voltage value of each battery rack. Next, to determine an average extreme rack cell voltage value based on the extreme rack cell voltage value of each battery rack. Further, to compare an extreme rack cell voltage value for each battery rack with the average extreme rack cell voltage value. Additionally, to identify one or more outlier battery racks based upon the comparison of the extreme rack cell voltage value for each battery rack with the average extreme rack cell voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Fluence Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Amy Bohinsky, John T. Guerin, Abhishek Malik, Kashish Patel
  • Patent number: 11769935
    Abstract: A wiring harness for a battery and inverter system includes a main cable. It further includes an inverter connector configured to plug the main cable into an inverter module that includes: an inverter-end positive-DC power bus pin, an inverter-end negative DC power bus pin, and an inverter-end neutral power bus pin. It further includes a first spur of the main cable terminating in a first-type battery device connector that includes: a first-type battery module positive-DC power bus pin and a first-type battery device neutral power bus pin. It further includes a second spur of the main cable terminating in a second type battery device connector that includes: a second-type battery module neutral power bus pin and a second-type battery device negative DC power bus pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Lunar Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter H. J. How, Tanner Bruce DeVoe, Mark Holveck, Anthony Sagneri, Christopher Breckenridge Todd, Randol Aikin, Mark Daniel Goldman, Conrad Xavier Murphy, Kevin Richard Fine, Brian M. Neil
  • Patent number: 11764573
    Abstract: A DC power supply system includes: nodes to connect to a DC bus and constitute a DC grid with the bus; a power management apparatus that manages the power demand of the entire grid; and a starter device that makes the nodes start up and connect to the bus one by one in an order in a state where the bus is down to start up the entire grid. The starter device supplies start-up power through a power supply line to start up each node. The starter device diagnoses nodes to be diagnosed selected from among the nodes before supply of the power to determine the abnormality from a response with respect to a diagnostic signal supplied to the nodes through the start-up power supply line. When the node diagnosed is determined to be normal, the starter device supplies the start-up power thereto and connects it to the bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao Ichi
  • Patent number: 11762027
    Abstract: An embodiment of this application provides a charging control method and device and a power management controller. The charging control method includes: determining whether battery status of a battery pack meets preset conditions, where the battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells, and the preset conditions are: the battery pack has been left standing for a preset duration, and an open-circuit voltage of each battery cell in the battery pack falls within a preset range; and charging the battery pack based on a charging policy corresponding to a determining result, so that a capacity of a battery cell with a highest remaining capacity in the battery pack reaches a nominal capacity of the battery cell with the highest remaining capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Guangyu Xu, Shichao Li, Wei Zhao
  • Patent number: 11762029
    Abstract: An insulation resistance detection apparatus includes: a first switch connected to a high potential side of a battery assembly including plural battery cells connected in series; a second switch connected to a low potential side of the battery assembly; a detection resistor; a controller configured to turn on one of the first switch and the second switch and turn off the other of the first switch and the second switch to form a series connection circuit including the battery assembly, an insulation resistor of the battery assembly, and the detection resistor, and calculate insulation resistance based on a voltage applied to the detection resistor, in which the first switch is connected between two battery cells on the high potential side among the plural battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO TEN Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Izutani, Yoshihiro Nakao
  • Patent number: 11755088
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamically switching power supply in a dual battery system to minimize unbalanced wear levels in the primary and secondary batteries. If the operating temperature of the primary battery reaches a reliability temperature threshold but the operating temperature of the secondary battery is less than the reliability temperature threshold, the controller switches a primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery. If the operating temperature of the primary battery reaches a pre-shutdown temperature but the operating temperature of the secondary battery is less than the pre-shutdown temperature, the controller switches a primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery. If a difference between the wear levels of the batteries exceeds a wear level difference threshold, the controller switches a primary battery indicator to designate the secondary battery as the primary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Qinghong He, Yan Ning, John Robert Lerma, Louis Michael Davis
  • Patent number: 11750005
    Abstract: A battery controller includes an auxiliary measurement energy-storing component, a control unit, a measuring unit and a protection unit. The auxiliary measurement energy-storing component is coupled in series to a battery module outside the controller, and configured to provide an open-circuited voltage. The control unit is configured to output a power value of the battery module according to the open-circuited voltage or a value of current flowing through the battery module. The measuring unit is configured to measure the current flowing through the battery module and transmit the measuring result to the control unit. The protection unit is configured to limit the value of current measured by the measuring unit to a predetermined value. A battery level measurement method of the battery controller is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chin-Ming Chen, Cheng-Chien Huang, Mu-Min Lin
  • Patent number: 11733762
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a power supply unit (“PSU”) replacement signal for a power supply chassis that includes plurality of supply enclosures. Each power supply enclosure includes a plurality of power supply units (“PSUs”). Each of the PSUs in the power supply enclosures is connected to a power bus powering computing equipment. PSU redundancy policy has at least one PSU being redundant. In response to the PSU replacement signal, the method calculates a power cap limit equal to a capacity of the plurality of supply enclosures that are not being removed. Power consumption of the computing equipment is limited to the power cap limit. In response to detecting a replacement power supply enclosure, the method recalculates the power cap limit based on all of the PSUs according to the PSU redundancy policy. Power consumption of the computing equipment is limited to the recalculated power cap limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Lenovo Global Technology (United States) Inc.
    Inventors: Robert R Wolford, Paul T. Artman
  • Patent number: 11735782
    Abstract: An apparatus for voltage sharing of series connected battery modules in a DC microgrid includes a battery management system and a battery module controller that generates, for an mth of N converters connected together to a DC microbus, a droop current ?d,m that includes a converter voltage error signal {tilde over (v)}err,m multiplied by a droop multiplier gd(i). Each converter is a DC/DC converter connected between a battery module, with one or more battery cells, and the DC microbus. The mth converter uses the droop current ?d,m, a common current reference ?all of a battery pack that includes the battery modules and an input current ?m to the mth converter to control switching of the mth converter. The common current reference ?all is from the battery management system. The voltage error signal {tilde over (v)}err,m is based on an output voltage {tilde over (v)}o,m of the mth converter and an average converter output voltage {tilde over (v)}avgeodcmastereodcmastereodcmaster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Utah State University
    Inventors: Mohamed Ahmed Kamel Ahmed, Regan Zane, Dragan Maksimovic
  • Patent number: 11721998
    Abstract: A backup battery control module configured to supply electric power from a backup battery to a load when electric power supplied from a main battery to the load is cut off. The backup battery control module is configured to: measure an open circuit voltage of the backup battery in a state in which an ignition switch is off; derive, based on a measured open circuit voltage, an already charged rate of the backup battery; measure an internal resistance of the backup battery in a state in which the ignition switch is off; derive a deterioration degree of the backup battery based on a measured internal resistance; derive a target charging rate based on the deterioration degree; and charge the backup battery until the target charging rate is reached in a case in which it is determined that the already charged rate is smaller than the target charging rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Saki Oonishi
  • Patent number: 11721847
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a technique to estimate and monitor a self-discharge rate for use as a measure of battery health are described herein. In some embodiments, the technique includes a system including a processor and a memory coupled with the processor. The memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions that when executed cause the processor to receive a plurality of snapshots obtained by monitoring a battery system in a quiescent state at a plurality of times. Each snapshot includes a plurality of cell state values at one of the plurality of times. The memory is further configured to provide the processor with instructions that when executed cause the processor to estimate a self-discharge indicator using at least one snapshot in the plurality of snapshots, compare the self-discharge indicator to a threshold, and recommend a remedy for the battery system in response to the self-discharge indicator exceeding the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Wisk Aero LLC
    Inventors: Lewis Romeo Hom, Dhruv Rathi
  • Patent number: 11710972
    Abstract: A method of balanced charging that includes the use of a plurality of charging modules, each of which independently charges a battery unit and is provided with a positive port and a negative port with independent functions; the positive port is connected with the positive port of the battery unit corresponding to the charging module, and the negative port is connected with the negative port of the battery unit corresponding to the charging module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI AUTOFLIGHT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Tian
  • Patent number: 11705573
    Abstract: When a temperature Tedge of a cell at an end of a battery pack is higher than a temperature Tcen of a cell in a pack central portion, a management server generates rebuilding information for rebuilding a battery pack such that a cell less likely to deteriorate than a cell arranged in the pack central portion is arranged at a pack end. When temperature Tcen is higher than temperature Tedge, the management server generates rebuilding information such that a cell less likely to deteriorate than a cell arranged at the pack end is arranged in the pack central portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keita Komiyama
  • Patent number: 11677260
    Abstract: In a portable device, a first battery has a positive terminal coupled to, through a first switch, an interface used to receive input power, and a negative terminal coupled to a reference terminal. A second battery has a positive terminal coupled to the interface, and a negative terminal coupled to the reference terminal through a second switch, and to the first battery's positive terminal through a third switch. A control circuitry controls the switches such that the device has multiple operation modes including at least a one-battery charging mode and a two-battery-in-series charging mode. In the one-battery charging mode, the circuitry turns off the third switch, and controls the other switches such that one battery is charged by the input power. In the two-battery-in-series charging mode, the control circuitry turns on the third switch and turns off the other switches, such that two batteries are charged by the input power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: O2Micro Inc.
    Inventor: Guoxing Li
  • Patent number: 11658504
    Abstract: The present application relates to the technical field of electronic circuits, and provides a charge circuit, a control box and a luminaire. The charge circuit includes a control circuit and at least one constant current charge circuit. The constant current charge circuit is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery. The control circuit is used to obtain the specification information of the rechargeable battery, and configure the corresponding charging parameters to be sent to the corresponding constant current charge circuit, so as to charge the rechargeable battery through the constant current charge circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Aputure Imaging Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi Huang, Xiangjun Zhou, Yi Xie
  • Patent number: 11648844
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an EV charging system includes: a plurality of first converters to receive and convert grid power at a distribution grid voltage to at least one second voltage; a high frequency transformer coupled to the first converters to receive the at least one second voltage and output at least one high frequency AC voltage; and a plurality of port rectifiers coupled to a plurality of secondary windings of the high frequency transformer, each of the port rectifiers comprising a unidirectional AC-DC converter to receive and convert the at least one high frequency AC voltage to a DC voltage. At least some of the port rectifiers may be coupled in series to provide at least one of a charging current or a charging voltage to at least one dispenser to which at least one EV is to couple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Resilient Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh Keister, Lyle T. Keister, Mehdi Abolhassani
  • Patent number: 11601154
    Abstract: A multi-chip integrated circuit and an interactive communication method for the multi-chip integrated circuit are provided. The multi-chip integrated circuit includes multiple low-voltage chips connected in series with each other instead of an ultra-high voltage chip, to reduce requirements on technology for the chip. In addition, the multiple chips communicate with each other through internal communication ports based on a differential signal, to enhance reliability of communication. Two adjacent chips are connected in series and a low-voltage power supply is arranged, so that a voltage difference between communication ports of the two adjacent chips is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SILERGY SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY (HANGZHOU) LTD
    Inventors: Chuanxin Wu, Qinfen Hu
  • Patent number: 11552492
    Abstract: A charging device, a charging method and a terminal, an output end of the main charging circuit and output ends of the at least two secondary charging circuits are connected to a battery of an electronic device, and the output end of the main charging circuit is used for supplying power for an internal chip of the electronic device, disconnecting a connection between the main charging circuit and the battery when a voltage of the output end of the main charging circuit reaches a voltage required by the internal chip, and supplying power for the battery through the output ends of the at least two secondary charging circuits, in this way, charging time is shortened and a purpose of fast charging a battery is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: YULONG COMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATION SCIENTIFIC (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ju-Zhang Wu
  • Patent number: 11527901
    Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling a battery pack, and a battery pack controlled by the method. A battery pack includes a plurality of slave battery modules, each of the slave battery modules including a battery that includes at least one battery cell and a slave controller that is configured to control charge and discharge of the battery, a master battery module including a master controller that is configured to control the slave controller, and a communication cable having formed thereon a first port to which the master controller is connected and a plurality of second ports to which the slave controller is connected. The first port includes an identification terminal configured to output an identification signal which is an electrical signal corresponding to the number of the second ports. A method of controlling the battery pack is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngjin Lee, Jaeseung Kim, Gilchoun Yeom, Kwanil Oh, Hyeoncheol Jeong, Seunglim Choi
  • Patent number: 11509148
    Abstract: A device charging system including a battery module and a central charging station. The battery module is configured to supply a type of power to at least one load device. The central charging station is in communication with the battery module. The central charging station includes an electronic processor configured to define a virtual boundary, determine a location of the battery module, determine, based the location of the battery module, whether the battery module is within the virtual boundary, and transmit a command to the battery module causing the battery module to stop supplying power to the load device when the battery module is not within the virtual boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Nelson Bonilla, John Brower, Jason Walker, Nicole Gay, Matthew Samojeden, Shadi Alex AbuGhazaleh
  • Patent number: 11498453
    Abstract: The invention provides an equalizing device for a vehicle soft-packed battery and an equalizing method for the soft-packed battery. According to the equalizing method for the vehicle soft-packed battery, a battery to be equalized is connected to a parallel equalization circuit by using an equalizing device for a vehicle soft-packed battery, battery cells to be equalized are sequentially equalized by adopting a first-in first-out sequence, and the SOC of each cell equalized is maintained within a preset range; and the number of the cells entering the equalizing device for the vehicle soft-packed battery is N, and the equalizing time of the battery cells is T. The equalizing device for the vehicle soft-packed battery comprises a holder clamping type or a copper sheet compressing type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SHANGHAI FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yuejiu Zheng, Wei Yi, Hang Wu, Long Zhou
  • Patent number: 11477853
    Abstract: An article of clothing includes a garment body and a heater coupled to the garment body. A battery holder defines a cavity. A rechargeable battery pack is configured for use with at least one of a power tool and a sensing device. The rechargeable battery pack is slidably received within the cavity and detachably coupled to the battery holder by a latching arrangement. A controller selectively provides power from the rechargeable battery pack to the heater. A user input member for selecting a mode of the controller is coupled to the garment body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rick Gray, Jonathan A. Zick, Paul Fry
  • Patent number: 11469605
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for managing power supplied to a portable electrical device includes an electrical connector configured to engage a complementary electrical connector of the respective battery. The portable battery-powered device also includes a selector switch configured to couple the electrical connectors of the plurality of power receptacles in at least one of a series configuration, a parallel configuration, and a combination of series and parallel configuration. The portable battery-powered device further includes an electrical load device including one or more electrical leads coupled to the selector switch. The selector switch is selectable during operation of the portable battery-powered device to provide power to the electrical device from a plurality of battery packs coupled in the at least one of a series configuration, a parallel configuration, and a combination of series and parallel configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventor: Jason Hill