Serially Connected Batteries Or Cells Patents (Class 320/116)
  • Patent number: 10998586
    Abstract: An electrical combination including a power tool and a battery pack. The power tool includes power tool terminals. The battery pack is configured to be interfaced with the power tool. The battery pack includes a battery pack housing, at least three terminals, and a plurality of battery cells. The battery pack terminals include a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a sense terminal. The at least three terminals are configured to be interfaced with the power tool terminals. The plurality of battery cells are arranged within and supported by the battery pack housing. Each of the battery cells has a lithium-based chemistry and a respective state of charge, and power is transferable between the battery cells and the power tool. A circuit is configured to monitor the battery cells, detect a charge imbalance among the battery cells, and prevent the battery pack from operating when the charge imbalance is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd W. Johnson, Dennis J. Grzybowski, Mark A. Kubale, Jay J. Rosenbecker, Gary D. Meyer, Jeffrey M. Zeiler, Kevin L. Glasgow, Karl F. Scheucher
  • Patent number: 10992164
    Abstract: An electric system is disclosed. The electric system comprises first and second battery subassemblies, an interrupter, and a system controller. The interrupter connects the first battery subassembly in series to the second battery subassembly via a switched current-limiting path in parallel with a switched non-current-limiting path. The first battery subassembly causes closing of the switched current-limiting path when an energizing trigger is applied to the electric system. The system controller causes closing of the switched non-current-limiting path when energized by the first and second battery subassemblies. The electric system may be integrated in an electric vehicle. A method for energizing an electric system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Normand Lebreux
  • Patent number: 10981468
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for managing multi-battery systems, such as those utilized in an electric vehicle. Multi-battery systems comprise batteries providing power in parallel, thereby making each battery available to the vehicle and avoiding the weight of transporting a backup battery. The methods and systems provided allow for a fault in one battery, in a parallel configuration with at least one other battery, to be detected and managed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Austin L. Newman, Alexander J. Smith, Adam H. Ing, Rick Rajaie
  • Patent number: 10971764
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a charging apparatus, which comprises: a first charging interface and a second charging interface, which respectively and detachably connected to a first energy storage apparatus and a second energy storage apparatus; a power supply conversion circuit, converting external power supply into charging energy; a charging circuit, outputting charging energy output by the power supply conversion circuit to the first charging interface and the second charging interface, wherein the charging circuit comprises a first charging mode and a second charging mode. In the first charging mode, the charging circuit outputs charging energy to both the first charging interface and the second charging interface, and in the second charging mode, the charging circuit selectively outputs charging energy to the first charging interface or the second charging interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Positec Power Tools (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Don Zhendong Gao, Guoliang Mu, Mingming Chen, Dongjing Song
  • Patent number: 10960769
    Abstract: In an onboard charging apparatus, a plurality of main electric-power storage apparatuses are connected in series to one another. A main electric-power storage apparatus on a lowest potential side of the main electric-power storage apparatuses is a lowest potential electric-power storage apparatus. The lowest potential electric-power storage apparatus has a nominal voltage that is set to 12 V, and supplies electric power to an electrical component mounted to a vehicle. In the onboard charging apparatus, a connecting unit selectively connects, by switching control, the output terminal and any of high potential side terminals of the main electric-power storage apparatuses. A switching control unit controls switching of the connecting unit to switch the high potential side terminal selected as a connection destination of the output terminal among the high potential side terminals of the main electric-power storage apparatuses, based on an output voltage of the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Kondo, Makoto Taniguchi, Asaka Kimura
  • Patent number: 10958083
    Abstract: In one aspect, there is disclosed a cell stack which can include cell modules connected in series to generate a stack operating voltage. The cell modules can include a battery cell in series with a series switch and include a shunt switch connected in parallel to the battery cell and the series switch. A stack monitor circuit can have a series control coupled to the series switch, a shunt control coupled to the shunt switch, and a battery cell monitor coupled to the battery cell for measuring a cell parameter from each cell module. Based on the measured cell parameter, the stack monitor circuit can select at least one cell module either to contribute to the stack operating voltage by closing the series switch and opening the shunt switch or to bypass the stack operating voltage by the opening the series switch and closing the shunt switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems Limited
    Inventor: Colin John Halsey
  • Patent number: 10957945
    Abstract: A battery state detection method includes: presetting at least one discharge method and at least one discharge condition of a battery set for estimating a battery state, with the discharge condition including a discharge voltage, discharge time or a relative battery impedance variation; executing a partial discharge procedure of the battery set and measuring partial discharge data; and directly calculating battery state data of the partial discharge data under the discharge method and the discharge condition. The battery state data include a SOH (state of health) datum, a SOC (state of charge) datum or a residual discharging time datum. The detection of the battery set is suitable for a manual operation system, a remote control monitoring system or an automatic scheduling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: ABLEREX ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Jung Chiang, Tsung-Hsien Lin, Jhih-Hao Chen, Yu-Hsiu Lin
  • Patent number: 10958100
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply includes a communication interface and an address terminal for setting a communication address for the power supply using the resistance of an external resistor when the external resistor is coupled to the address terminal. The power supply is configured to determine a first resistance value for the external resistor using a first technique, determine a second resistance value for the external resistor using a second technique, set the communication address of the power supply using the first resistance value if the first resistance value is greater than a threshold value, and set the communication address of the power supply using the second resistance value if the first resistance value is less than the threshold value. Other example switched mode power supplies, power systems including one or more power supplies, and methods for setting a communication address of a power supply are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Bing Zhang, Mei Qin, Lian Liang, Wenyong Liu, Zhishuo Li
  • Patent number: 10944089
    Abstract: An electrical energy-storage unit has a plurality of electrically coupled and interchangeable storage modules each with a multiplicity of storage cells connected in series or in parallel. The energy-storage unit has storage modules of a first type, which have a certain energy density. The energy-storage unit has storage modules of a second type which have a higher energy density than the storage modules of the first type. At least two storage modules of the second type fit into the spatial volume of a storage module of the first type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Juergen Hildinger, Sina Block, Frank Moebius, Stefan Juraschek
  • Patent number: 10935576
    Abstract: In a voltage detection apparatus for detecting voltage of battery modules, it is possible to detect that a shut-off element performed operation in a certain one of a plurality of battery modules connected in parallel. The voltage detection apparatus detects voltage of the plurality of battery modules each including a shut-off element and connected in parallel with respect to a load, and decides whether the shut-off elements are operating based on the cell voltage in a state that the plurality of battery modules are disconnected from a power supply line by switching wares.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: KEIHIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shingo Tsuchiya, Seiji Kamata
  • Patent number: 10910833
    Abstract: The present invention includes self-contained, rechargeable power systems for areas having unreliable electrical grids or no electrical grid at all, and methods related thereto. The system may include one or more solar panels of various sizes to provide an off-grid power generation source, battery receivers for receiving batteries of various chemistries, and a control circuitry that is operable to detect the voltage and/or current output of the batteries that are installed in the system to determine their specific battery chemistry and then adjust the charge algorithm of the batteries to optimize both the charge capacity and the cycle life of the batteries. The control circuitry may also be operable to switch configurations of the solar panels and/or the batteries to optimize performance of the system. The system may be operable to power one or more light emitters and/or external electronic devices connected through the system by a charge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventor: John C. Ellenberger
  • Patent number: 10908224
    Abstract: This secondary battery degradation suppression device configured to suppress degradation of each of a plurality of batteries connected in series in a power supply includes a plurality of individual degradation suppression devices. Each individual degradation suppression device includes: a voltage measurement section configured to measure DC voltage between terminals of the battery; a comparison section configured to compare measured voltage with a threshold and determine whether the voltage is higher than the threshold; and a discharge section configured to discharge the battery when the comparison section has determined that the voltage is higher than the threshold. The discharge section includes: a discharging circuit connected in parallel to the battery; and a discharge management section configured to control the discharging circuit. The discharging circuit is implemented as a series circuit of a current limiting resistor and a switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 10910852
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a charging system, a charging method and a power adapter. The system includes a power adapter and a terminal. The power adapter includes a first rectifier, a switch unit, a transformer, a second rectifier, a sampling unit, and a control unit. The control unit outputs a control signal to the switch unit, and adjusts a duty ratio of the control signal according to coupled sampling performed by the sampling unit at an auxiliary winding, such that a third voltage outputted by the second rectifier meets a charging requirement. The terminal includes a battery. When the power adapter is coupled to the terminal, the third voltage is applied to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Jialiang Zhang, Chen Tian, Jun Zhang, Shebiao Chen, Shiming Wan, Jiada Li
  • Patent number: 10910866
    Abstract: A charging system for a terminal, a charge method, and a power adapter are provided. The charging system includes a power adapter and a terminal. The power adapter includes a switch circuit, a second rectifying circuit, a first charging interface, and a control circuit. The control circuit modulates a duty cycle of a control signal based on voltage sampling value or current sampling value sampled by the sampling circuit so that voltage in a third pulsating waveform output by the second rectifying circuit satisfies a charging requirement. The terminal includes a battery and a second charging interface connected to the battery. The second charging interface applies the voltage in the third pulsating waveform to the battery when the second charging interface is connected to the first charging interface, so that the pulsating waveform output by the power adapter is directly applied on the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Jialiang Zhang, Shiming Wan, Jun Zhang, Chen Tian, Shebiao Chen, Jiada Li
  • Patent number: 10910851
    Abstract: A charge/discharge control circuit includes a control circuit which outputs a control signal to a charge control terminal and a discharge control terminal respectively, a charge/discharge monitoring circuit which monitors charge/discharge of a secondary battery, a charger detection circuit connected to a charger detection terminal and configured to detect a charger connection, and a load open detection circuit connected to the charger detection terminal and configured to detect a state of a load. In response to reception of a signal to instruct turning on of a charge control FET from the charger detection circuit, the control circuit turns on the charge control FET even when the control circuit turned off the charge control FET in response to the signal to instruct turning off of the charge control FET from the charge/discharge monitoring circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: ABLIC INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Saito, Akihiko Suzuki, Takahiro Kuratomi
  • Patent number: 10910869
    Abstract: An apparatus for charging one or more capacitors from a battery (18) comprising a DC-DC converter (130) coupleable between the battery (18) and the one or more capacitors (122). The apparatus is arranged to draw a supply current from the battery (18) and supply a charging current to the one or more capacitors (122). The DC-DC converter (130) determines a supply power drawn from the battery (18) and alters the supply current drawn from the battery (18) dependent upon the determined supply power. A corresponding method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Zapgo Ltd
    Inventors: Vincent Anthony Rosso, Michael Cameron Rigg, David William Donkin McTurk
  • Patent number: 10901041
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first and a second receiving sections that receive control signals from outside; a control section that controls monitoring of an object based on the control signals; and a power supply section that supplies power to internal circuits of the semiconductor device, wherein, when the power supply section is in a halted state, and when the first receiving section receives an activation, the first receiving section generates an activation trigger that activates the power supply section based on the activation pulse signal extracted from the activation signal, and wherein the second receiving section receives a supply of power from the power supply section after the power supply section has been activated by the activation trigger, and receives the control signals that follows the activation signal, and sends the control signals to the control section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Makoto Nagasue
  • Patent number: 10886756
    Abstract: A charging system, a charging method, and a mobile terminal based on dual batteries are provided. The charging system based on dual batteries includes a main board and a backup battery; the main board has a main charging chip and a main battery arranged thereon; the backup battery has a secondary charging chip and a secondary battery arranged thereon. The main board further includes a USB connector configured to connect to a charger, and a switch configured to switch to a corresponding charging path based on an inserting state of the backup battery. When the backup battery is inserted, the main charging chip is controlled to charge the main battery, and the secondary charging chip is controlled to charge the secondary battery simultaneously. When the backup battery is pulled out, the main charging chip is controlled to charge the main battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: JRD COMMUNICATION (SHENZHEN) LTD
    Inventors: Zhiming Diao, Hongjie Tong
  • Patent number: 10886772
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a charging system and a charging method and a power adapter. The system includes a battery, a first rectifier, a switch unit, a transformer, a second rectifier, a first charging interface, a sampling unit and a control unit. The control unit outputs a control signal to the switch unit, and adjusts a duty ratio of the control signal according to a current sampling value and/or a voltage sampling value sampled by the sampling unit, such that a third voltage with a third ripple waveform outputted by the second rectifier meets a charging requirement of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Jialiang Zhang, Shebiao Chen, Jun Zhang, Chen Tian, Shiming Wan, Jiada Li
  • Patent number: 10877099
    Abstract: Disclosed are a device and a method for testing a battery equalization circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: BEIJING ELECTRIC VEHICLE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qianhui Zhang, Liguo Yan, Xingquan Qin, Zhongke Yang, Huigen Yu, Donglin Cao, Rui Liang, Dangqing Li, Zhiqiang Guo
  • Patent number: 10879706
    Abstract: A battery balancing method and circuit for balancing the voltages between battery units with a fly capacitor. In a first time period of a switching cycle, the first battery unit is used to charge the fly capacitor or the first battery unit is used to discharge the fly capacitor, depending on which of the first battery unit and the fly capacitor having a larger voltage value; and in a second time period of the switching cycle, the second battery unit is used to charge the fly capacitor or the second battery unit is used to discharge the fly capacitor, depending on which of the second battery unit and the fly capacitor having a larger voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rui Wang, Min Xu, Qiming Zhao
  • Patent number: 10859635
    Abstract: A first voltage detection circuit is connected by first voltage detection lines to each node in a plurality of cells connected in series and detects the voltage of each of the plurality of cells. A second voltage detection circuit is connected, by second voltage detection lines, to each node in the plurality of cells and detects the voltage of each of the plurality of cells. First capacitance elements are each connected between two first voltage detection lines connected to each cell. Second capacitance elements are each connected between two second voltage detection lines connected to each cell. A first charge drawing circuit draws charge from each node in the plurality of cells, via each first voltage detection line. A second charge drawing circuit draws charge from each node in the plurality of cells, via each second voltage detection line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Matsubara, Masaki Yugou
  • Patent number: 10862703
    Abstract: An in-vehicle communication system includes first and second switch devices that perform a relay process of relaying data in an in-vehicle network, the first switch device includes a switch unit and a processing unit that performs the relay process via the switch unit, the switch unit transmits target data to the second switch device instead of outputting the target data to the processing unit when an abnormality in the processing unit is detected, the target data being data which is received from a device other than the second switch device and is to undergo the relay process performed by the processing unit, and the second switch device performs a proxy process of relaying the target data received from the switch unit instead of the processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Ogawa, Hirofumi Urayama, Koichi Takayama, Takeshi Hagihara, Yasuhiro Yabuuchi
  • Patent number: 10855095
    Abstract: A method is disclosed, which includes driving an alternating input current into a battery, measuring a voltage across the battery by a first measurement circuit to obtain a voltage measurement value, measuring a current through the battery by a second measurement circuit to obtain a current measurement value, and measuring a current through the battery using the first measurement circuit to obtain a further current measurement value. Further, the method includes calculating an impedance of the battery based on the current measurement value, the further current measurement value, and the voltage measurement value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Stefano Marsili, Michael Kropfitsch
  • Patent number: 10845181
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus capable of effectively and accurately predicting a deformation characteristic in relation to swelling of a secondary battery. The secondary battery evaluation apparatus includes a fixed jig configured to hold a first secondary battery and restrict swelling of the held first secondary battery, the fixed jig measuring a change in a first reaction force of the first secondary battery according to charging and discharging cycles; a variable jig configured to hold a second secondary battery and allow swelling of the held second secondary battery, the variable jig measuring a second reaction force and a first thickness change amount of the second secondary battery according to charging and discharging cycles; and a deriving unit configured to derive a relationship between the first reaction force measured by the fixed jig and the second reaction force and the first thickness change amount measured by the variable jig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-Yeon Kim, Jin-Hak Kong, Yong-Seok Choi, Sung-Won Seo, Yoon-Koo Lee, Dal-Mo Kang, Jeong-O Mun
  • Patent number: 10833511
    Abstract: A battery cell management and balance circuit comprises multiple battery cell balance circuits, multiple battery cell monitor units, multiple battery module balance circuits and a battery management unit. The battery cell balance circuits connect to battery cells for executing a first charge or discharge command. The battery cell monitor units monitor battery cells for generating battery cell information and the first charge or discharge commands. The battery module balance circuits connect to battery modules for executing second charge or discharge commands. The battery management unit connect to the battery cell monitor units for receiving battery cell information and the battery module balance circuits for direct or indirectly generating the second charge or discharge commands to the battery module balance circuits. A battery system and a battery cell management and balance circuit method is also introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL CHUNG SHAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Chi-Sheng Wu, Gwo-Huei You, Hsuang-Chang Chiang, Tsang-Li Tai
  • Patent number: 10833513
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring individual cell voltages of an energy storage system. The measured cell voltages can be reported back to a central controller. Based on parameters such as the overall health of the system, this controller can be adapted to decide which cells to balance, in which direction and optionally for how long. Balancing can be performed by cell monitoring and balancing units which can be implemented in hardware, i.e. as one or more circuits. The decision information from the controller can be reported to the cell monitoring and balancing units as a command. The cell monitoring and balancing means can execute the command, for example irrespective of the voltage or SoC of the cell connected to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventor: Peter Coenen
  • Patent number: 10833512
    Abstract: A system and method for cell balancing within a battery module includes local sensing and switching at each of the battery cells. A switching circuit is associated with each one of the battery cells to connect or functionally disconnected the battery cell from the battery module. A module controller generates one or more parameter threshold values as maximum operating values for each of the battery cells. Each cell has a cell controller associated therewith to monitor one or more cell parameters, which are communicated to a summing module via a shared monitoring line, averaged, and communicated to the module controller. The cell controllers each receive a parameter threshold value via a shared control line and command the associated switching circuit to functionally disconnect and to bypass the battery cell if the cell parameter exceeds the corresponding parameter threshold value. Methods of checking the battery module are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Neapco Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Remboski, Jacqueline Dedo
  • Patent number: 10826303
    Abstract: A chargeable device and a charging method are proposed. The chargeable device includes a charging interface and a first charging circuit coupled to the charging interface. The first charging circuit receives voltage and current outputted by an adapter through the charging interface and to apply the voltage and current outputted by the adapter onto two terminals of multiple cells coupled in series built in the chargeable device to charge the multiple cells directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Jialiang Zhang, Chen Tian, Jun Zhang, Shebiao Chen, Shiming Wan, Jiada Li
  • Patent number: 10817605
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for protecting a computerized device from a malicious activity resulting from a malicious code, which comprises: (a) a first DC supply monitoring unit which is located within a separate computerized environment, namely an environment which is totally separated and isolated both physically and in terms of connectivity from the hardware and software of the computerized environment of the device; (b) a memory database for storing one or more signatures of known malicious events, each of said signatures describes the temporal effect of a malicious event, respectively, on the power consumption from the DC supply of the device; and (c) a microprocessor within said DC supply monitoring unit for continuously monitoring the power consumption from said DC supply of the device, comparing temporal characteristics of the power consumption with said malicious events signatures in said database, and alerting upon detection of a match, wherein said DC supply monitoring unit is at most physic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: B.G. NEGEV TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS LTD., AT BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Mordechai Guri, Yuval Elovici
  • Patent number: 10819123
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a voltage collection circuit and a circuit control method. The voltage collection circuit includes a battery monitoring chip, n switch units, and a controller. The battery monitoring chip is connected to a battery module including k battery cells, a battery cell CELL(i) is any one of the k battery cells. A switch unit Ji is connected in parallel to the battery cell CELL(i), a switch unit Js is connected in parallel to voltage collection channels Cs and C(s?1). The battery monitoring chip is configured to collect voltages of the k battery cells by using n+1 voltage collection channels. The controller is connected to the battery monitoring chip and control ends of the n switch units and configured to control working statuses of the n switch units according to the voltages collected by using the n+1 voltage collection channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yang Lv, Wencheng Wang, Zhijie Wang
  • Patent number: 10811914
    Abstract: In order to solve a problem that it is not possible to properly detect and output charge insufficiency of a power storage device in a case where it is not charged to a fully charged state, a wireless power supply management apparatus used for a wireless power supply system configured to repeatedly charge and discharge a power storage device includes a detecting portion that acquires, for one or more charge periods, information regarding insufficiency of electric power charged in each charge period, and detects charge insufficiency of the power storage device using the acquired information; and an output portion that performs output according to a result of the detection by the detecting portion. Accordingly, it is possible to properly detect charge insufficiency of a power storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: DAIHEN Corporation
    Inventor: Takumi Idogaki
  • Patent number: 10801460
    Abstract: A connected compact battery charger for charging a battery comprising: a microprocessor; a set of terminals operatively coupled to said microprocessor and configured to electrically couple with an automotive battery; and an internal lithium ion battery, wherein the internal lithium ion battery is a lithium ion battery, wherein a single-ended primary-inductor converter may be configured to receive an input voltage of 5 VDC to 20 VDC and output a predetermined DC charge voltage to said internal lithium ion battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 10804883
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus having multiple output ports includes: a master power supply circuit for supplying a master output power via a master power switch; a slave power supply circuit for supplying a slave output power via a slave power switch; and a shared resistor coupled between a power management node and a reference ground level. The slave sensing circuit outputs the slave sensing current via a slave power management pin, to generate a total power signal at the power management node. The master control circuit senses the total power signal via the master power management pin, to determine an adjustment current. The slave control circuit controls the slave power switch according to a voltage at the slave power management pin, to adjust the slave output power, so that a total power of the master output power and the slave output power does not exceed a predetermined power range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Isaac Y. Chen, Yi-Wei Lee
  • Patent number: 10797611
    Abstract: A system and method for performing diagnostics in a medium voltage drive. The system includes a power cell and a bypass mechanism. The bypass mechanism is operably connected to output terminals of the power cell and configured to create a shunt path between the output terminals. The bypass mechanism includes a communication interface configured to transmit a bypass signal to a communication interface associated with the power cell in response to a state change. The method of performing diagnostics includes a controller transmitting an input voltage to a bypass mechanism of the power supply, thereby causing a state change of the bypass mechanism. The controller receives a signal from the power cell, wherein the signal indicates the power cell has detected the state change of the bypass mechanism. The controller then determines if the power cell is correctly associated with the bypass mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: John Channing Bousfield, III
  • Patent number: 10790683
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a control unit which controls charging/discharging of a secondary battery, a bidirectional coupling unit which is electrically coupled to the control unit and through which a charging/discharging current flows, and a protection diode coupled between the control unit and the bidirectional coupling unit. The bidirectional coupling unit includes a discharging power transistor, a charging power transistor reversely coupled in series with the discharging power transistor, and a common drain pad which functions as a drain of the discharging power transistor and further functions as a drain of the charging power transistor. An anode of the protection diode is electrically coupled to the common drain pad. A cathode of the protection diode is electrically coupled to a power supply terminal of the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keita Mochizuki, Kensuke Nakashima, Takahiro Korenari, Kouji Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10787096
    Abstract: A battery system for a transportation vehicle having at least one battery module with a number of battery cells and a cell controller for monitoring and adjusting the state of charge of the battery cells, and a battery management controller coupled to the cell controller, wherein the cell controller has an analog-to-digital converter, which is led to the battery cells of the battery module by a filter circuit, wherein a frequency circuit for adjusting a cut-off frequency of the filter circuit, wherein the cut-off frequency of the filter circuit is adjusted to a first frequency value during a sampling period in which the cell controller monitors the battery cells and to a second frequency value during a diagnostics period in which the battery management controller monitors the battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jochen Juhl, Stephan Blumenthal
  • Patent number: 10780852
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first interface, a first converter, a high-voltage battery, a second converter and a second interface. The first interface may be configured to receive a first low-voltage signal from first power rail of a vehicle. The first converter may be configured to generate a high-voltage signal by up-converting the first low-voltage signal. The high-voltage battery may be configured to store the high-voltage signal. The second converter may be configured to generate a second low-voltage signal by down-converting the high-voltage signal. The second interface may be configured to present the second low-voltage signal to a second power rail of the vehicle. The first power rail may be electrically separated from the second power rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Ambarella International LP
    Inventors: Omar Pighi, Paolo Grisleri, Alessandro Giacomazzo
  • Patent number: 10778015
    Abstract: A voltage detection apparatus includes a supervisory unit that detects terminal voltage of battery cells that constitute a battery module, a high potential path, a low potential path, a differential amplifier that detects terminal voltage of the battery module. First and third switches are provided on the high potential path and second and fourth switches are provided on the low potential line. The voltage detection apparatus includes a bypass resistor that electrically connects the high potential path and the low potential path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hayato Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 10778031
    Abstract: A charger, including a power conversion circuit, a charging interface, and an overcurrent protection circuit, where the charging interface includes a power cable, a ground cable, a signal cable, a resistor and a switch device, where a first end of the resistor is connected to the power cable, a second end of the resistor is connected to the signal cable, in a process in which the charger charges a terminal device and when a difference between a voltage of a first end of the switch device and a voltage of a second end of the switch device is greater than or equal to a first voltage threshold, the second end and a third end of the switch device are connected such that the power cable and the ground cable are connected to generate an overcurrent, and the overcurrent protection circuit controls the power conversion circuit to stop current output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haizhao Lu, Shuo Li
  • Patent number: 10773594
    Abstract: A traction energy storage system including multiple electrical energy stores and a system controller. Each of the energy stores includes one or more cell modules electrically connected via busbars, an energy store high-voltage interface connectable to the busbars and an energy store controller controlling the cell modules. Each of the cell modules comprises multiple storage cells and a cell module controller. Each of the cell module controllers is configured to output measured values relating to the storage cells in the respective cell module to the energy store controller. Each of the energy store controllers is configured to take the measured values obtained as a basis for generating signals having electrical characteristic quantities of the respective energy store and at least one limit value for a current through the energy store high-voltage interface of the respective energy store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: MAN TRUCK & BUS AG
    Inventor: Sebastian Kratzer
  • Patent number: 10744899
    Abstract: A method for balancing energy in an energy storage system of an electric vehicle includes detecting a first voltage of a first energy storage unit (ESU) and a second voltage of a second energy storage unit of the energy storage system, and determining a discharge time corresponding to the detected second voltage. The method may also include discharging energy from the first energy storage unit, while not discharging energy from the second energy storage unit, for a duration of the determined discharge time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventor: Seneca Schepmann
  • Patent number: 10749358
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery protection integrated circuit that protects a rechargeable battery, by turning off a switching circuit inserted in series in a current path between a negative electrode of the rechargeable battery and a negative terminal that is coupled to ground of a load or a charger, includes a power source terminal that electrically connects to a positive electrode of the rechargeable battery, a ground terminal that electrically connects to the negative electrode of the rechargeable battery, a monitor terminal that electrically connects to the negative terminal via a resistor, to monitor a potential of the negative terminal, and a clamp circuit. The clamp circuit monitors a voltage of the power source terminal and a voltage of the monitor terminal, and limits the voltage of the monitor terminal to a voltage lower than or equal to the voltage of the power source terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kohei Shibata
  • Patent number: 10727687
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a charging method, a power adapter and a charging device. The power adapter includes: a first rectification unit, configured to rectify a first alternating current and output a voltage with a first pulsating waveform; a switch unit, configured to modulate the voltage according to a control signal; a transformer, configured to output a plurality of voltages with pulsating waveforms according to the modulated voltage; a synthesizing unit, configured to synthesis the plurality of voltages to output a second alternating current; a sampling unit, configured to sample voltage and/or current of the second alternating current to obtain a voltage sampling value and/or a current sampling value; and a control unit, configured to output the control signal to the switch unit, and to adjust a duty ratio of the control signal according to the current sampling value and/or the voltage sampling value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Jialiang Zhang, Jun Zhang, Chen Tian, Shebiao Chen, Jiada Li, Shiming Wan
  • Patent number: 10718815
    Abstract: A method of estimating a state of a battery is disclosed. The method includes correcting electrical physical quantity information of the battery at a current time period using a correction value determined based on a voltage error of the battery from a previous time period, and determining state information of the battery based on the corrected electrical physical quantity information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinho Kim, Tae Won Song, Sungick Kim
  • Patent number: 10714971
    Abstract: A battery module is provided including a battery module connector configured to engage with a backplane connector on a backplane board associated with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). When the battery module connector is engaged with the backplane connector a circuit is completed that instantaneously indicates to the UPS that the battery module is connected. When the battery module connector is disengaged from the backplane connector the circuit is opened and instantaneously indicates to the UPS that the battery module is disconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Pradeep Kumar Nandam, David Glenn Miller
  • Patent number: 10700533
    Abstract: A control device and a control method for equally charging and discharging battery units may prolong life of the battery units of the control device. The control method includes steps of: detecting the battery units to generate measuring parameters; calculating determining parameters; calculating an average value of the determining parameters; selecting one of the battery units according to an operating status of the battery units; calculating a setting parameter; setting a pause time; charging or discharging the selected battery unit after stopping charging or discharging the selected battery unit for the pause time. When the battery units are charged or discharged, an overcharged or over-discharged battery unit may be selected. The selected battery unit may be stopped charging or discharging for the pause time. Therefore, life of the battery units may be prolonged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: STONE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chin-Chuan Liu, Li-Ho Yao
  • Patent number: 10693313
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a power apparatus operating method includes receiving a mode switching signal to control an operating of a power apparatus to provide and/or receive a preconfigured load; sensing an enable route current of an enable route, and a bypass route current of a bypass route, wherein the enable route current flowing through a battery module including one or more batteries, and the bypass route current does not flowing through the battery module; and controlling driving a first and a second switches by using a negative feedback control and an open loop control, to perform a current switching between an enable mode and a bypass mode of the power apparatus, based on the mode switching signal, the enable route current and the bypass route current, wherein the enable mode uses the power apparatus and the bypass mode bypasses the power apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chung-Lin Tseng, Horng-Jzer Shih, Kai-Cheung Juang
  • Patent number: 10680429
    Abstract: A battery protective circuit including a resistor connected to a switch between a battery and a load through which a first current flows, a first driver to supply the first current to the switch and the resistor, a negative temperature coefficient element having resistance that varies in response to heat of the resistor, a second driver to supply a second current to the negative temperature coefficient element, a short-circuit device to be mechanically deformed by a current, a mechanical switch including a plurality of terminals connected with the battery, the terminals electrically connected with each other by deformation of the short-circuit device, a fuse connected in series between the battery and the mechanical switch, a circuit-changing switch configured to supply the second current to the short-circuit device or to block supply thereof, and a controller to control operations of the first driver, the second driver, and the circuit-changing switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dukjung Kim
  • Patent number: 10663529
    Abstract: An illustrative battery charging device may identify a battery to be charged, and charge the identified battery using charge settings that are optimized for the identified battery. In some embodiments, the battery charging device may determine the optimized settings based on monitoring charging performance and discharge activities of the battery over time. The battery charging device may exchange data with a battery management service device, such as by exchanging battery health information, battery settings, and/or other data. The battery charging device may determine charge setting and times to charge a battery that is intended to power an unmanned aerial vehicle to complete a flight path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Bolotski, Daniel Buchmueller, Nathan Stuart Friendly, Fabian Hensel, Walker Chamberlain Robb, Joshua White Traube