2171results about "Indicating/monitoring circuits" patented technology

An intelligent rechargeable battery pack having a battery management system for monitoring and controlling the charging and discharging of the battery pack is described. The battery management system includes primary and secondary protection circuits for monitoring the charging and discharging of the battery. Individual battery cells forming the battery pack are connected by a main bus to a connector for connection to a battery charger or a device to be powered, and the main bus may be interrupted by a switch controlled by the battery management system to prevent damage to the battery during charging or discharging of the battery.

The present application relates to a charging station operable in a charging cycle for charging an electric vehicle. The charging station has a key-activated controller for controlling the charging cycle. The application also relates to a key for operating the charging station. Furthermore, the application relates to a charging station having an interface for connecting the charging station to a data network. The application also relates to a charging station having a socket for receiving a plug and a key-operated locking mechanism for locking a plug in said socket. A frangible panel movable between an open position and a closed position may be provided. A processor may be provided for generating data to impose a financial charge on an individual for using the charging station. The application also relates to methods of operating a charging station including the steps of obtaining user identification data; supplying electricity to a charging socket; and generating data for levying a financial charge on the user.

A charging device (200) is provided for communicating with one or more consumer devices (300) for remotely charging at least one of them upon demand of the consumer. The charging device (200) comprises a transmitter unit associated with an antenna unit comprising a power antenna configured to define at least one charging zone for transmitting charging power to the at least one charging zone; a receiver for receiving signals from consumers (300) located within the charging zone; and a controller unit. The controller is configured and operable to be responsive to a request signal from a consumer (300) indicative of demand for charging, to initiate a charging process of the consumer by radiation from the power antenna toward said consumer (300) to supply power required for operating a functional unit of said consumer (300). The power antenna may comprise an array of directional antenna elements, each defining the charging zone within a different angular segment of entire charging space defined by a radiation pattern of the antenna array.

A battery management system is disclosed for control of individual cells in a battery string. The battery management system includes a charger, a voltmeter, a selection circuit and a microprocessor. Under control of the microprocessor, the selection circuit connects each cell of the battery string to the charger and voltmeter. Information relating to battery performance is recorded and analyzed. The analysis depends upon the conditions under which the battery is operating. By monitoring the battery performance under different conditions, problems with individual cells can be determined and corrected.

A battery pack is provided including universal battery modules and a master control module. By selecting proper rated universal battery modules and connecting them either in series and / or parallel, a high performance and long life battery pack is assembled that is suitable for high power applications such as electrical vehicles whereby the master control module acts as the battery pack control and interface module.

An electric power tool is powered by a plurality of battery packs connected in series. The electric power tool comprises a controller configured to receive signals outputted from the integrated circuits located in each of the battery packs. A first voltage level-shifter is disposed between the controller of the electric power tool and one of the integrated circuits of the battery packs. The first voltage level-shifter is configured to shift the voltage level of the signal outputted from the respective integrated circuit to the tool controller to an acceptable level for the controller.

Techniques for electric vehicle systems, and in particular to an electric vehicle charging system and method of use. In one embodiment, a system for charging an electric vehicle is provided, the system comprising: an electrical storage unit disposed on the electric vehicle; a charging panel in electrical communication with the electrical storage unit; a robotic unit comprising an external power source, a charging plate and a robotic arm, the charging plate interconnected to the robotic arm and configured to provide a charge to the charging panel; and a vehicle controller configured to communicate with the robotic unit and position the charging plate with respect to the charging panel; wherein the charging panel receives the charge from the external power source and charges the electrical storage unit.

A battery management system is provided for managing a battery that supplies power to a vehicle. The battery includes a plurality of cells. The battery management system includes a sensing unit for measuring a voltage of each of the plurality of cells. The battery management system detects at least one first cell among the plurality of cells that needs to be balanced according to the measured voltage of each of the plurality of cells. In addition, the battery management system performs a cell balancing operation on said at least one first cell by using different methods according to a driving state of the vehicle.

A battery pack which includes a battery pack electronic control circuit adapted to control an attached power tool and / or an attached charger. The battery pack includes additional protection circuits, methodologies and devices to protect against fault conditions within the pack, as the pack is operatively attached to and providing power to the power tool, and / or as the pack is operatively attached to and being charged by the charger.

An autonomous lithium-ion cell balancing system with integrated voltage monitoring includes a lithium-ion battery having a plurality of cells, a cell balancing circuit and a cell balancing control circuit. The heart of the cell balancing circuit is a plurality of gated cell balancing converters that are connected with the battery cells and a common share bus. Each gated lithium-ion cell balancing converter receives and input drive voltage and an input sample voltage and transfers energy from highly charged lithium-ion cells to the less charged lithium-ion cells, forcing all cells to have the same energy level. Further, the gated cell balancing converter provides a telemetry output voltage analog to an input cell voltage, eliminating the need for a separate cell voltage monitor.

The invention relates to a device for managing battery packs by measuring and monitoring the operating capacity of individual battery modules in a battery pack. A programmable logic controller directs the selective closing of relays to allow individual battery modules to be load-tested using a variable discharge load unit, without compromising useful battery pack capacity. A battery module whose useful capacity falls below a predefined threshold may be connected to a battery charger for replenishment and then electrically realigned with the remaining modules in the pack for continued operation. Alternatively, an alarm may be triggered which alerts the user that the module is due for replacement. This sequence of events is performed on all cells in the pack at a predetermined interval.

A method and apparatus of creating a dynamically reconfigurable energy source comprised of individual, isolated, controllable energy modules, supported by software to measure and manage the energy modules and facilitate the reconfiguration, where the platform consisting of hardware, based upon an inverted H-Bridge circuitry, in combination with software which allows for real-time management, control, and configuration of the modules and uses a combination of software algorithms and localized electronic switches, to achieve a performance and functionality of the invention matching, or exceeding, traditional large, heavy, and expensive power electronics-based products used for charging, energy storage management, power inverting, and motor or load control.

A non-contact power transmission system comprises: a primary coil including a power supply coil and a magnetic resonance coil; and a secondary coil including a load coil, thereby transmitting an electric power from the power supply coil at a self-resonating frequency of the magnetic resonance coil, which is determined by a parasitic capacitance between wound wires of the coil and a self inductance of the coil, and taking out the electric power supplied, from the load coil of the secondary coil through magnetic coupling, with non-contact, wherein the electric power is transmitted, with non-contact, with applying magnetic coupling in coupling between the power supply coil and the magnetic resonance coil and coupling between the magnetic resonance coil and the load coil.

A remote battery monitoring system and sensors are disclosed in which a plurality of telesensors are connected to batteries in a battery string. The telesensor measure battery data such as voltage, current, and temperature and wirelessly transmit the battery data to a control and collection unit. The control and collection unit receives, processes, analyzes, and stores the battery data. Remote monitoring software running on the control and collection unit can be configured to provide warning alarms when the battery data is outside present limits.

A battery monitoring system, comprises a battery state detection circuit that detects battery states of a plurality of battery cells that are connected in series, based on respective cell voltages of the plurality of battery cells, and a control circuit that monitors state of a battery cell, based on each cell voltage of the plurality of battery cells. The control circuit inputs pseudo voltage information to the battery state detection circuit, and thereby diagnoses whether or not the battery state detection circuit is operating normally.

A battery pack for a battery-powered vehicle is provided in accordance with the present invention. The battery pack for the battery-powered vehicle comprises battery modules coupled in series. The battery modules are configured to provide power to the battery-powered vehicle and each of the battery modules has a state-of-charge. The battery pack also comprises battery control modules (BCMs) that are coupled to the battery modules. Each of the battery modules is coupled to one of the BCMs and each of BCMs is configured to monitor a battery module parameter. Furthermore, the battery pack comprises a battery control interface module (BCIM) coupled to each of the BCMs. The BCIM is configured to receive the battery module parameter from each of the BCMs and independently adjust the state-of-charge of each of the battery modules based on the battery module parameter.

A leakage detection circuit for an electric vehicle includes a battery pack, first and second leakage detection switches, a controller, a leakage detection resistor, a voltage detector, and a calculator. The first and second leakage detection switches are connected to the high and low voltage sides of the battery pack, respectively. The battery pack includes a plurality of batteries that are connected in series. The midpoint of the leakage detection resistor is connected to the ground via the first and second leakage detection switches. The controller alternately turns the first and second leakage detection switches ON. Thus, the voltage detector detects leakage voltage values that are generated in the leakage detection resistor. The controller turns the first and second leakage detection switches ON and OFF, respectively, to detect a first leakage voltage value of the leakage voltage values. On the other hand, the controller turning the first and second leakage detection switches OFF and ON, respectively, to detect a second leakage voltage value of the leakage voltage values. Consequently, the calculator detects leakage based on the first and second leakage voltage values.

A battery system according to the present invention includes: a battery module comprising a plurality of cell groups connected in series, each comprising a plurality of cells connected in series; a plurality of integrated circuits provided to corresponding each cell group of the battery module, that perform detection of terminal voltages of the cells in the corresponding each cell group, and that also perform diagnosis; and a battery controller that, along with issuing commands to the plurality of integrated circuits, also receives results of detection and results of diagnosis by the plurality of integrated circuits; wherein the battery system comprises a writable non-volatile memory, and data is stored in the writable non-volatile memory specifying usage environment of the battery module, including a maximum voltage or a maximum current of the battery module and history data based upon operation history of the battery module.

An abnormal voltage detector apparatus is provided for an assembled battery including a plurality of battery blocks connected in series to each other. In the abnormal voltage detector apparatus, a detecting part detects whether or not each of the battery blocks is in a voltage abnormality state by comparing either one of a voltage of each battery block and each battery measuring voltage, that is a voltage lowered from the voltage of each battery block, with a predetermined reference voltage, generates each of abnormality detecting signals containing information about a detected result, calculates a time ratio of a time interval, for which the assembled battery is in a voltage abnormality state, to a predetermined time interval, based on the abnormality detecting signals, and detects a voltage abnormality of the assembled battery based on a calculated time ratio.

Disclosed is an electric double layer capacitor, having a multiplicity of cells occupying a single package, wherein the individual cells are managed and balanced by networkable embedded circuitry also contained within the same package.

The invention relates to systems and methods for charging a vehicle. A vehicle and charging station can be designed such that an electric or hybrid vehicle can operate in a fashion similar to a conventional vehicle by being opportunity charged throughout a known route.

Lower order control devices control plural battery cells configuring plural battery modules. An input terminal of the low order control device in the highest potential, an output terminal of the low order control device in the lowest potential, and a high order control device are connected by isolating units, photocouplers. Diodes which prevent a discharge current of the battery cells in the battery modules are disposed between the output terminal of the low order control device and the battery cells in the battery module on the low potential side. Terminals related to input / output of a signal are electrically connected without isolating among the plural low order control devices.

A system for managing energy stored in a plurality of series connected energy storage units has a plurality of energy storage unit controllers, each controller being associated with one of the plurality of energy storage units, a balancing circuit between two of the energy storage units, the balancing circuit being controlled by at least one of the energy storage unit controllers, a serial electrical interface between the energy storage unit controllers for providing voltage isolated bi-directional communication, and a central controller in electrical communication with the energy storage unit controllers. A method for managing charge in a plurality of series connected energy storage units forming an energy storage device includes monitoring a current supplied to the energy storage device, determining at least one of a charging rate and a capacity of a first energy storage unit and a second energy storage unit in the energy storage device, and diverting current from the first energy storage unit to the second energy storage unit in response to the steps of monitoring and determining.