With Battery Or Cell Condition Monitoring (e.g., For Protection From Overcharging, Heating, Etc.) Patents (Class 320/136)
  • Patent number: 11967841
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an electrical energy store, comprising a storage cell for storing electrical energy and a control unit, wherein a safety switch is provided which is designed to interrupt an electrical line of the electrical energy store, wherein a current flowing through the electrical line is detected and an actuation of the safety switch only occurs if the current is below a predefinable threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Gottwald, Rainer Heinrich Hoerlein, Thomas Dufaux
  • Patent number: 11967842
    Abstract: Methods and systems for protection/disconnect of airborne high-power/energy high-voltage modular multi-string battery packs (such as battery packs for airborne electric propulsion systems). The methods and systems are based on a dissimilar/redundant distributed battery pack protection architecture and use a smart mid-point battery disconnect in conjunction with centralized battery management system. The resulting battery disconnect/protection system is configured to detect bus faults, load faults and string faults and then take appropriate action to isolate the detected fault. For example, in response to a short circuit in one battery string, the faulty battery string may be disconnected from the positive and negative busbars while the remaining battery strings continue to provide power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Vyacheslav Khozikov, Frederic Lacaux, Eugene V. Solodovnik, John A. Trela, Kamiar J. Karimi
  • Patent number: 11962179
    Abstract: A controller of a barcode reader is disclosed. The controller may receive, via a user input, a charge threshold associated with presenting a battery level indicator on the display panel. The controller may monitor, during a charging operation, a state of charge of the battery. The controller may determine that the state of charge satisfies the charge threshold. The controller may cause, during the charging operation, the display panel to indicate the battery level indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Lawrence Horner, Pavithra Eswaran, Manjunath Joshi
  • Patent number: 11942807
    Abstract: A riding-type mower includes a power supply device and the power supply device includes a plurality of battery packs and a power management module. The plurality of battery packs are detachably mounted to the riding-type mower and further configured to supply electric energy to a hand-held electric power tool. The plurality of battery packs each are provide with at least one battery cell group, and each battery cell group includes a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to each other. The power management module is configured to determine whether the plurality of battery packs satisfy a discharge condition and control a battery pack satisfying the discharge condition to discharge when the battery pack satisfies the discharge condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Nanjing Chervon Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lei Wang, Dezhong Yang
  • Patent number: 11942607
    Abstract: Examples of the disclosure include a battery system comprising an output configured to provide output power to a load, one or more battery cells configured to store electrical energy to provide to the load, and a battery management system configured to receive one or more operational parameters of the battery system, determine whether the one or more operational parameters are less than at least one operational-parameter threshold, modify a discharge threshold of the one or more battery cells responsive to determining that the one or more operational parameters are less than the at least one operational-parameter threshold, and control the battery system to be in a battery-optimization mode responsive to determining that a discharge level of the one or more battery cells is below the discharge threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nagaraju Ingurthi, Sivanageswararao Uddanti, Chandrasekaran Jayaraman, Pradeep Tolakanahalli Nagabhushanrao
  • Patent number: 11942814
    Abstract: A smart battery device includes a battery unit, a temperature-sensing unit and a processing unit. The temperature-sensing unit senses the ambient temperature to generate a temperature signal. The processing unit is coupled to the battery unit and the temperature-sensing unit. In a charging mode, the processing unit receives the temperature signal and obtains the power capacity of the battery unit. The processing unit sets full capacity according to the temperature signal and generates an indication flag when the power capacity of the battery unit reaches the full capacity, wherein the indication flag is used to indicate that the battery unit is in a fully charged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventor: Wei-Ting Yen
  • Patent number: 11933860
    Abstract: A circuit assembly for forming and testing batteries connected in parallel and in series includes a parallel test management device (PTMD) that connects to each battery and includes a main relay and a current transducer in series and an auxiliary relay in series with a current limiting resistor, which are parallel to the main relay. Parallel battery groups are formed by connecting multiple PTMD-battery combinations and a voltage equalizer in parallel. Multiple parallel battery groups are connected in series. A battery testing system (BTS) connects to the battery groups. The equalizers and the BTS pass current through the batteries simultaneously. The current through batteries and the voltage drop across the current transducer are about zero at the end of charge and discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: Chaojiong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11933851
    Abstract: According to various embodiments of the present invention, an electronic device may comprise a battery, a power management module, and a processor. The processor may be configured to: acquire power for battery charging from a source outside the electronic device through the power management module, charge the battery at a designated current value by using the power, check charging state information based on charging time and battery capacity according to charging in a designated charging state measurement interval after the charging is started, and when the charging state information satisfies a given condition, perform a designated operation associated with the battery. Various other embodiments are also possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yonghwan Hyun, Sengtai Lee, Jinhyuk Choi
  • Patent number: 11931219
    Abstract: A method of charging a battery of a dental light irradiation device has the steps of powering the battery at a first charging current and measuring a first terminal voltage of the battery; powering the battery at a different second charging current and measuring a second terminal voltage of the battery; calculating a battery source voltage; and powering off the battery as soon as the battery source voltage reaches or exceeds the threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Ralf Kelz
  • Patent number: 11923721
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system that includes a plurality of battery cells connected in series; a first connection path from an intermediate battery cell of the plurality to an output bus of the system; a second connection path from a last one of the plurality of battery cells to an output bus; a circuit switch installed along the second connection path, the circuit switch configured to open or close the second connection path; and an undervoltage relay in the output bus, wherein the undervoltage relay is set at a threshold voltage, and wherein the undervoltage relay is configured to control the circuit switch when a voltage on the output bus exceeds the threshold voltage or drops below the threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Faisal A. Al Dubaikel, Hossam Abdullah Aldossary, Yaseen M. Al Saleh
  • Patent number: 11909236
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus includes first and second battery interfaces disposed on a housing for electrically and mechanically connecting first and second battery packs in series. A controller is disposed within the housing and includes an apparatus microprocessor that receives first and second communication signals respectively outputted from respective microprocessors of the first and second battery packs. A first signal communication path communicates the first communication signal from the first battery pack microprocessor to the apparatus microprocessor by shifting a first voltage range of the first communication signal to a second voltage range that is suitable for inputting into the apparatus microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ota, Kiyoshi Nishibe, Hitoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11888339
    Abstract: During an operation of the energy accumulator, a control unit is designed to detect event data relating to different charging/discharging events of the energy accumulator. The event data for a charging/discharging event indicates an event discharge depth of the energy accumulator within the scope of the charging discharging event. In addition, the control unit is designed to determine a discharge depth distribution based on the discharge data, which indicates a number of charging/discharging events with a corresponding event discharge depth for different discharge depths during the operation of the energy accumulator. The control unit is designed to determine status data relating to a cumulative charging of the energy accumulator based on the discharge depth distribution and based on a discharge depth characteristic curve of the energy accumulator, and/or to adjust an operating strategy for the energy accumulator depending on the discharge depth distribution and the discharge depth characteristic curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hartmut Proebstle
  • Patent number: 11876236
    Abstract: A vehicle with a hybrid drivetrain including a fuel-fed engine coupled to a first drive axle, an electric motor coupled to a second drive axle and an APU for providing electrical power at stopover locations, and further including a controller for determining a location of the vehicle, a location of a stopover location, determining a target SOC of a battery for operating the APU at the stopover location and operating a hybrid control system to provide the target SOC for the vehicle at the stopover location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Hyliion Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Richter, Morgan Culbertson
  • Patent number: 11858378
    Abstract: A battery discharge control system and method for a motor-driven vehicle may monitor a SOC of an auxiliary battery in real time and control electric power supply to a first electric component, a wireless communication module, a vehicle controller, and a second electric component which is an always-on component, based on a predetermined order according to the SOC of the auxiliary battery, thereby inhibiting the complete discharge of the auxiliary battery and eliminating driver's discomfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jee Wook Huh
  • Patent number: 11837914
    Abstract: An electric drive system includes at least one electric drive unit. The at least one electric drive unit includes an electric motor and inverters that are each supplied with DC voltage via a high-voltage bus. The electric drive system includes a main battery system that has a plurality of battery modules that supply DC voltage to each of the high-voltage buses. The electric device system includes a plurality of reserve batteries. A separate reserve battery is provided for each high-voltage bus. The drive system is configured to make a change to the supply of DC voltage when a corresponding control signal is present for each of the high-voltage buses. A change is made from a supply of DC voltage of the battery module of the main battery system that is assigned to the high-voltage bus to a supply of DC voltage of the reserve battery assigned to the high-voltage bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Philipp Schildt, Markus Sons
  • Patent number: 11830991
    Abstract: The prevent invention relates a method and apparatus based on neural network for pre-diagnosing defect and fire in battery cell. A method based on neural network for pre-diagnosing defect and fire in battery cell in an apparatus for pre-diagnosing defect and fire in battery cell is proposed, the method including collecting, by the battery cell defect and fire pre-diagnosis apparatus, data including at least one of chemical composition, current, voltage, and temperature data measured for each predetermined time interval within each charge and discharge cycle while charging and discharging a plurality of batteries; training, by the battery to cell defect and fire pre-diagnosis apparatus, the neural network by inputting the collected data to the neural network; and predicting, by the battery cell defect and fire pre-diagnosis apparatus, a battery deviated from a main cluster of the neural network as defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventors: Jin Geun Kwon, Jun Ki Hong, Dong Heon Lee
  • Patent number: 11802918
    Abstract: A thermal runaway detecting device for a battery system including a plurality of cells, including: a first measuring module for measuring temperature values of the plurality of cells via at least one temperature sensor; a second measuring module for measuring an output voltage value of the battery system; and a controller for determining validity of a temperature-based detection of thermal runaway by monitoring data received from the first measuring module, and detecting a thermal runaway of the battery system by selectively monitoring the temperature values or the output voltage value according to a result of the determining of validity of the temperature-based detection of thermal runaway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daesung Lee, Hyunah Park
  • Patent number: 11784359
    Abstract: A method for detecting thermal runaway of a cell includes: positioning a battery pack having multiple cells in an automobile vehicle; measuring a cell voltage of the multiple cells at a predetermined sample rate; and identifying if the cell voltage decreases and modulates coincident with a cell surface temperature increase indicating initiation of a cell short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Yue-Yun Wang, Jian Gao, Jeremie Dernotte, Scott E. Parrish
  • Patent number: 11782096
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and a system for improving the state of health (SoH) of rechargeable batteries. The method comprises receiving a plurality of battery parameters during charging of a battery and estimating model parameters of the battery using a mathematical model. The method also comprises comparing the estimated model parameters of the battery and the received battery parameters to determine degradation parameters of the battery in real-time, determining new charging current profile of the battery based on the degradation parameters of the battery, and applying the determined new charging current profile to the battery for improving the SoH of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Arijit Guha, Subramanian Swernath Brahmadathan, Krishnan S Hariharan, Piyush Tagade, Rajkumar Subhash Patil, Jeonghoon Jo
  • Patent number: 11777407
    Abstract: A method for converting voltage is disclosed, including implementing a first DC-DC converter in a power management unit; implementing a second DC-DC converter in the power management unit; implementing a controller communicatively coupled to a first output line of the first DC-DC converter and communicatively coupled to a second output line of the second DC-DC converter; coupling the power management unit to a supply voltage; and providing one or more output voltages on the first output line and the second output line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: David Steven Ripley
  • Patent number: 11755092
    Abstract: A power saving system of a battery charger is provided. A control terminal of a first transistor receives a wake-up signal. A counter is connected to a first terminal of the first transistor. The counter determines whether or not a working period of the wake-up signal from the first transistor is larger than a time threshold to output a counting signal. When the counting signal indicates that the working period of the wake-up signal is not larger than the time threshold, the counter and electronic components of an electronic device are turned off, thereby saving power of a battery. When the counting signal indicates that the working period of the wake-up signal is larger than the time threshold, the electronic device is switched from a power saving mode to a normal operation mode. In the normal operation mode, the battery can supply power to the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: ANPEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chih-Ning Chen, Chih-Heng Su
  • Patent number: 11749871
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a battery module having more improved safety than the conventional battery pack and capable of protecting the battery cells more reliably. The current value at which a cell blocking portion CB inside each of a plurality of battery cells BC interrupts a current path inside the battery cell BC is larger than the current value at which the module fuse MF connected in series to the module terminals MT and the plurality of battery cells BC blows out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: VEHICLE ENERGY JAPAN INC.
    Inventors: Kazunori Ojima, Sadayuki Aoki, Osamu Kubota, Yoshitaka Watahiki
  • Patent number: 11742533
    Abstract: A fluid-cooled battery system includes at least one battery module which includes a plurality of rows of battery cells, an outer casing, and at least one cell fixture. The outer casing defines therein an accommodation space. The cell fixture includes a holding web fitted inside the accommodation space, and formed with a plurality of rows of retaining holes. The retaining holes of each row are configured to retain cell bodies of a respective row of the battery cells so as to permit the battery cells to be held in the accommodation space by the holding web, to thereby keep the battery cells in stable position against undesired vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: XING POWER INC.
    Inventors: Kareem Azizi Tucker, Yu-Chung Lin
  • Patent number: 11731528
    Abstract: To prevent a driver from being given incorrect information regarding the estimation of a degradation state of a secondary battery. An electric vehicle (1) running by driving a motor by electric power of a secondary battery (2), includes a first estimation unit (10A) that estimates a degradation state of the secondary battery (2), a second estimation unit (10B) that estimates the degradation state of the secondary battery (2) by a method different from that of the first estimation unit (10A), a display unit (7) that displays estimation results by the first and second estimation units (10A, 10B), and a display control unit (8) that controls display of the display unit (7). The display control unit (8) switches between and displays the estimation result by the first estimation unit (10A) and the estimation result by the second estimation unit (10B) on the display unit (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shuichi Kazuno
  • Patent number: 11721995
    Abstract: A method of discharging a battery assembly used to power at least part of an object includes detecting when power to the object is turned off, detecting, with aid of a timer, an amount of time elapsed since the power to the object is turned off, and initiating a controlled self-discharge of the battery assembly when the amount of time exceeds a threshold length of time. The controlled self-discharge of the battery assembly is performed by a self-discharging circuit electrically coupled to the battery assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tao Zhao, Juncheng Zhan, Yuancai Liu, Lei Wang, Wentao Wang
  • Patent number: 11721986
    Abstract: A battery pack charging and discharging protection system comprises a battery pack and a power input controlling circuit connected with the battery pack. The system has a voltage regulator unit and a charging and discharging protection unit. The protection unit includes a coupling wake-up circuit, a power-off acceleration circuit, an MCU self-locking circuit and a button detection circuit. The coupling wake-up circuit is connected with the power input controlling circuit. The power-off acceleration circuit is connected with the coupling wake-up circuit. Compared to the conventional technology, the present invention adopts single-wire compatible communication and coupled wake-up mode to achieve the autonomous power-off of the battery pack in time, avoiding over-discharge of the battery caused by the long-term self-consumption of the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Globe (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Baoan Li, Yanliang Zhu, Xian Zhuang, Huage Wang
  • Patent number: 11709209
    Abstract: A method includes processes of (a processing part 8) calculating an estimated heat generation temperature by using drive conditions (22, a storage part 6) at least including drive timing information (18) and drive current value information (20), and temperature change characteristic information (24) of a capacitor, calculating state change information (28) of the capacitor after elapse of a reference time by using the estimated heat generation temperature, and calculating a lifespan estimation value (lifespan estimation result 30) of the capacitor by using the state change information. This enables capacitor lifespan estimation corresponding to fluctuations of a drive current value flowing through the capacitor, the applicability of the capacitor is confirmed, and the safety of equipment using the capacitor is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON CHEMI-CON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daizou Senzai, Toshihiko Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11710863
    Abstract: In a recovery control method for a secondary battery that includes a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material, a solid electrolyte, and a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material containing at least a lithium metal or a lithium alloy, and is fastened from an outside, the recovery control method includes: measuring cell resistance of the secondary battery; calculating a recovery limit resistance value indicating an upper limit value of resistance that ensures recovering the secondary battery from a depth of charge/discharge of the secondary battery, a cell temperature of the secondary battery, and a pressure applied to the secondary battery; and inhibiting charging/discharging the secondary battery and executing recovery control that recovers the secondary battery when a resistance value of the cell resistance is equal to or less than the recovery limit resistance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Anna Hirowatari, Toshikazu Kotaka, Koichiro Aotani
  • Patent number: 11699913
    Abstract: An apparatus including a monitoring unit including a voltage detection circuit which detects a voltage of the plurality of battery cells, a balancing unit including a first common resistor element and a switching module, the first common resistor element connected between a first common node and a second common node, and a control unit operably coupled to the monitoring unit and the switching module, the control unit determining a balancing target including at least one of the plurality of battery cells based on the voltage of each of the plurality of battery cells, controlling the switching module to form a current channel between the first common resistor element and the balancing target and determining a maximum number of battery cells that can be included in the balancing target based on resistance of the first common resistor element and the voltage of each of the plurality of battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Ho-Byung Yoon
  • Patent number: 11682868
    Abstract: A connector with overvoltage protection, and methods of use, for charging an electric aircraft. The connector includes a housing, at least a current conductor, a protection circuit, at least a sensor and a controller. The housing is configured to mate with an electric aircraft port of the electric aircraft. The at least a current conductor is configured to conduct a current. The protection circuit is configured to control transmission of electrical power through the connector. The at least a sensor is configured to detect an output voltage of the connector. The controller is communicatively connected to the at least a sensor. The controller is configured to determine an overvoltage output as a function of the output voltage, and activate the protection circuit based on detection of the overvoltage output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventor: Herman Wiegman
  • Patent number: 11675019
    Abstract: Predicting battery life including wirelessly receiving an initial state of a battery and a tracked event associated with the battery at a cloud-based server, and updating an estimate of the battery life using the tracked event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Appareo IoT, LLC
    Inventors: Keith Alsleben, Bradley Schleusner
  • Patent number: 11664798
    Abstract: A power gating circuit includes inverters and a voltage divider sub-circuit, a latch comparator, and a gated switch sub-circuit connected to an external power supply circuit of 5V, respectively. The voltage divider sub-circuit is configured to divide a voltage of 5V and output a first voltage and a second voltage to the latch comparator and the gated switch sub-circuit, both voltage values of the first voltage and the second voltage are smaller than a withstand voltage value of a field effect transistor, and the voltage value of the first voltage is greater than that of the second voltage; the latch comparator is configured to compare two signals output by the inverters and latch a comparison result; and the gated switch sub-circuit is further connected with the latch comparator to control an output voltage, thereby improving the stability of the circuit, and extending the using life of the entire circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: IPGOAL MICROELECTRONICS (SICHUAN) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Baoding Yang
  • Patent number: 11664673
    Abstract: For indicating that a battery is fully discharged to a decommissioned state, methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed. One apparatus includes a battery that powers an electronic device, a battery state module that comprises a non-reversible indicator, a control module coupled to the battery, and a decommission module. The decommission module receives a discharge signal from the control module and discharges the battery to a fully discharged state, where discharging the battery causes the non-reversible indicator to indicate the fully discharged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Philip Jakes, Jeremy R. Carlson
  • Patent number: 11662389
    Abstract: Sensors and methods for determining the state of charge of a battery are described. The state of charge is determined in some instances by applying a current perturbation having a frequency to the battery terminals, monitoring the response signal, and determining the phase of the response signal. The phase may be correlated to the state of charge of the battery, so that once the phase is determined, a determination of the state of charge of the battery may be made. In some situations, the state of charge may be used to determine the operating condition of a load connected to the battery. In some embodiments, the state of charge may be used to determine whether the battery is defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Hemtej Gullapalli, Erfan Soltanmohammadi, Han Zhang, Michael W. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11644513
    Abstract: A Battery Management System (BMS) inspects a battery pack using AC impedance. A controller on the BMS drives a Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) output signal to an on-board excitation regulator such as a synchronous buck converter that modulates a limited energy unit such as a capacitor with a swept frequency of a PWM input signal. The capacitor modulations are applied to a terminal of the battery pack as an AC excitation signal. Synchronous sampling of the battery pack provides responses to the AC excitation signal. An AC excitation signal current and a battery response voltage are processed and Fourier-transformed to generate a Nyquist plot of the excitation-response data. Curve shifts can indicate worn battery cells. The capacitor generating the AC excitation signal draws little energy from the battery pack so AC impedance inspection can occur during all modes: charging, discharging, and idle modes without an external power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Wenlong Ding, Meng Chen, Yaofeng Sun, Manxin Chen
  • Patent number: 11646590
    Abstract: An electrical device, such as a power tool, includes a first battery pack receptacle configured to receive a first battery pack and a second battery pack receptacle configured to receive a second battery pack. The second battery pack is electrically connected in a series-type configuration with the first battery pack. The electrical device also includes circuitry with an electronic processor. The circuitry is configured to alter a first signal output from the electronic processor to at least one selected from a group consisting of the first battery pack and the second battery pack, and to alter a second signal received by the electronic processor from at least one selected from the group consisting of the first battery pack and the second battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ota, Kiyoshi Nishibe, Hitoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11646569
    Abstract: A secondary battery protection circuit for protecting a secondary battery, including: a low-voltage detecting circuit configured to detect a voltage across the secondary battery that is lower than a second voltage for low voltage detection, the second voltage being set to be lower than a first voltage for overdischarge detection; and a switching circuit configured to cause a gate of a charge control NMOS transistor to be fixed at a potential at a high side power supply terminal, upon detecting, by the low-voltage detecting circuit, that the voltage across the secondary battery is lower than the second voltage for low voltage detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Takeda
  • Patent number: 11632034
    Abstract: A method for switching control of a multi-level converter. The multi-level converter has a plurality of modules. A total switching state is formed from respective module switching states of the plurality of modules by the switching control. A current state of charge of all energy stores of the multi-level converter is provided continuously to the switching control. The switching control is divided into an offline part and an online part, wherein, in the offline part, a plurality of offline switching tables is calculated by way of optimizers in a continuous sequence and, for calculation of a respective offline switching table of the plurality of offline switching tables, a respective cost function is minimized according to at least one predefined offline optimization criterion for evaluating the total switching state. In the online part, an online switching table is selected from the plurality of offline switching tables in a continuous sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventors: Tomas Kacetl, Stefan Götz, Jan Kacetl, Daniel Simon, Malte Jaensch, Eduard Specht, Hermann Helmut Dibos, Axel Weyland
  • Patent number: 11613215
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a battery discharge cause for a vehicle includes a communicator connected to and configured to communicate with a plurality of controllers, and a monitor configured to monitor a communication state of the controllers to detect a battery discharge cause through the communicator. The monitor monitors the communication state of the controllers to check whether a controller in a communication-enabled state is present when the plurality of controllers is in a state of always-on power (power B+). The monitor checks whether the controller is maintained in the communication-enabled state until a preset amount of time elapses when a controller in a communication-enabled state is present. The monitor detects a communication non-sleep controller based on the controller maintained in the communication-enabled state until the preset amount of time elapses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kwang Hae Ye, Seok Min Kim, Hyun Wook Kim
  • Patent number: 11594900
    Abstract: A battery pack in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, which is booted when coupled to an external apparatus, includes: a connector which is a member configured to connect the external apparatus and the battery pack; and a booting circuit configured to start operation of the battery pack when the battery pack and the external apparatus are coupled. The connector includes: a (+) output terminal connected to a (+) output terminal of the battery pack; a coupling check terminal configured to check whether the external apparatus and the battery pack are coupled; a data transceiving terminal configured to tranceive data between the external apparatus and the battery pack; and a (?) output terminal connected to a (?) output terminal of the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: LG Energy Solution, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho Chol Nam, Dong Hyun Kim, Hak In Kim
  • Patent number: 11585860
    Abstract: A semiconductor device that is of a face-down mounted chip-size package type, discharges electric charges stored in an electric storage device (battery), and has a power loss area ratio of at least 0.4 (W/mm2) obtained by dividing a power loss (W) in the semiconductor device at time of the discharge by an area (mm2) of the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device comprising: a field-effect transistor of a horizontal type and a resistor that are connected in series in stated order between an inflow terminal and an outflow terminal; and a control circuit that causes a discharge current to be constant without depending on an applied voltage between the inflow terminal and the outflow terminal. A difference between a maximum temperature of a field-effect transistor portion and a temperature of a resistor portion is within five degrees Celsius in a discharge period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
    Inventors: Kensuke Takahashi, Toshifumi Ishida
  • Patent number: 11588340
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus and method is a closed loop system that obtains, stores and transfers motive energy. Preferably, the majority of the electricity generated is utilized to service a load or supplied to the grid. A portion of the electric power produced is used to recharge the batteries for subsequent use of the electric motor. The system controls and manages the battery power by controlling the charging and discharging of the battery reservoir via a series of electrical and mechanical innovations controlled by electronic instruction using a series of devices to analyze, optimize and perform power production and charging functions in sequence to achieve its purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Klepfer Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: George Mitri, Don Klepfer
  • Patent number: 11575146
    Abstract: Systems and methods for charging and discharging a plurality of batteries are described herein. In some embodiments, a system includes a battery module, an energy storage system electrically coupled to the battery module, a power source, and a controller. The energy storage system is operable in a first operating state in which energy is transferred from the energy storage system to the battery module to charge the battery module, and a second operating state in which energy is transferred from the battery module to the energy storage system to discharge the battery module. The power source electrically coupled to the energy storage system and is configured to transfer energy from the power source to the energy storage system based on an amount of stored energy in the energy storage system. The controller is operably coupled to the battery module and is configured to monitor and control a charging state of the battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: 24M Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tony L. Taylor, Naoki Ota, Taison Tan
  • Patent number: 11569674
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an electronic device may include: a battery and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to charge the battery up to a full-charge voltage of the battery when the full-charge voltage of the battery is a first full-charge voltage and the battery is charged repeated by a specified count with a second current value, set the full-charge voltage of the battery to a second full-charge voltage lower than the first voltage and when the full-charge voltage of the battery is the first full-charge voltage and the battery is charged repeatedly by the specified count with a first current value lower than the second current value, maintain the full-charge voltage of the battery to the first full-charge voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woongeun Kwak, Jungsik Park
  • Patent number: 11557797
    Abstract: A method of controlling the charge current during charging of a lithium-ion battery. A battery charging controller is based on a Kalman filter, which uses estimated battery states to generate a feedback metric to continually adjust a battery cell model. The battery cell model then delivers data to an optimization process that generates the charge current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Bapiraju Surampudi, Kevin Jones
  • Patent number: 11552362
    Abstract: Battery charging systems having battery charging circuits are described. The battery charging circuit can be located within a battery housing. Alternatively, the battery charging circuit can be located within a charging shoe housing. Also described are power source modules. In addition, various methods of charging and discharging are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Ridge Tool Company
    Inventors: Naga Penmetsa, Harald Krondorfer
  • Patent number: 11536772
    Abstract: The present application provides a method and apparatus for correcting a state of charge. The method for correcting a state of charge comprises: determining an operating state of a battery cell, wherein the operating state comprises a discharging state or a charging state; and determining a corrected state of charge of the battery cell according to an acquired current open circuit voltage of the battery cell, an acquired current accumulative capacity of the battery cell, an accumulative capacity correspondence relationship corresponding to the operating state of the battery cell, and an open circuit voltage curve corresponding to a limit initial state of charge, wherein the accumulative capacity correspondence relationship comprises a correspondence relationship between a pre-measured open circuit voltage and an accumulative capacity threshold. A technical solution of the present application can be used to improve the accuracy of calculation of a state of charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Mingshu Du, Shichao Li, Shenzhi Tang, Li Tan, Yanhua Lu, Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 11539221
    Abstract: A charge-discharge control circuit includes a first cell balancing circuit having a first switch; a second cell balancing circuit having a second switch; a first cell balance detection circuit having a third switch; a second cell balance detection circuit having a fourth switch; and a control circuit which outputs a control signal to turn on the first switch in a prescribed cycle according to the voltage of a first battery which is higher than or equal to a cell balance detection voltage, or outputs a control signal to turn on the second switch in the prescribed cycle according to the voltage of a second battery which is higher than or equal to the cell balance detection voltage, and outputs a control signal to turn off the third switch and the fourth switch in the prescribed cycle during output of the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ABLIC INC.
    Inventor: Shinya Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 11539085
    Abstract: A battery connector, including a flexible circuit including a first set of electrical circuitry connecting to a plurality of energy storage cells, where the first set of electrical circuitry terminates at a first connection point at the battery connector; a controller including components to control the energy storage cells connected to a second set of electrical circuitry terminating at a second connection point at the battery connector; where the first connection point and the second connection point are electrically connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: NIO Technology (Anhui) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Adam H. Ing, Yadunandana Yellambalase
  • Patent number: 11524592
    Abstract: A mobile discharging device for an energy storage device of an electric vehicle and to a method for operating the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert