Smart battery

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to smart batteries for mobile devices, or in other aspects, incorporating more complex charging (and in some cases discharging) techniques to provide integrated intelligence, which may involve processing capabilities and / or memory to facilitate charging techniques that are complex and more efficient than other charging schemes. Advantages of the above charging techniques include faster charge rates, slower battery aging, enhanced capacity, enhanced capacity maintenance, improved temperature operation, and / or others. Very, integrated intelligence may facilitate adaptation of new battery arrangements for mobile devices, generally operating with only batteries designed for them, without retaining any options for upgrading battery technology. In one implementation, the smart battery module is provided with a form of integrated intelligence in which the functional unit of the charging circuit is positioned between the mobile device and the battery cell itself.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 392,398, filed on July 26, 2022, entitled “SMART BATTERY,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to systems and methods for charging or discharging batteries, and more particularly to mobile systems utilizing battery modules having integrated intelligence for operating complex battery charging techniques. Background Art

[0004] Battery powered mobile devices ranging from cell phones to power tools typically have some form of conventional charging arrangement in which the battery in the device is charged by an external power conditioning component. Such charging is typically accomplished by a constant current, constant voltage (CCCV) scheme. According to the CCCV scheme, the battery is charged with a constant DC current and as the battery voltage nears the end of charging, the voltage is then kept constant by reducing the current until a lower current limit is reached to indicate the end of charging. An external device with power conditioning circuitry, typically in a housing having a connection to a wall socket and a power cord with an appropriate power plug for the device, provides power to supply the charging current for the battery in the mobile device. The charging method is typically relatively simple, requiring only monitoring of voltage and controlling of current.

[0005] It is with these observations, among others, that aspects of the present disclosure were conceived. Summary of the invention

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system, comprising a computing device and a battery module in communication with the computing device and providing a power signal to the computing device. The battery module comprises a battery and a processing configuration in accordance with a battery charging control instruction to charge the battery, wherein the battery charging control instruction causes a switching circuit of the computing device comprising at least one switch and at least one inductor operatively coupled to the at least one switch to generate a charging signal for charging the battery, wherein the generated charging signal comprises at least one harmonically tuned aspect.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for charging an electrochemical device. The method includes determining, by a processing device of a battery module, a charging signal for charging a battery of the battery module, the battery module is connected to a computing device separate from the battery module and the battery provides a power signal to power the computing device, and a switching circuit of the computing device is transmitted with a battery charging control instruction, the switching circuit includes at least one switch and at least one inductor that can be coupled to the at least one switch, the battery charging control instruction causes the switching circuit to generate a charging signal for charging a battery of the battery module, wherein the generated charging signal includes at least one harmonic tuning aspect.

[0008] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a battery module comprising a battery housing comprising a battery and a processing configuration for charging the battery in accordance with battery charging control instructions, the battery charging instructions generating a charging signal by controlling a switching circuit comprising at least one switch and at least one inductor that can be coupled to the at least one switch, wherein the generated charging signal includes at least one harmonic tuning aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 is an illustrative diagram of a first example of a mobile device powered by a smart battery module according to some embodiments.

[0010] Figure 2 is an illustrative diagram of a second example of a mobile device powered by a smart battery module according to some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 3 is an illustrative diagram of a third example of a mobile device powered by a smart battery module according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating a circuit for power conversion using a buck switching unit according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating a circuit for power conversion utilizing two FETs connected in a "back-to-back" configuration according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 5A is a signal diagram of a series of shaped charging signals generated by a battery charging circuit according to some embodiments.

[0015] Figure 5B is a signal diagram of a series of shaped charging signals generated by a battery charging circuit according to some embodiments, the shaped charging signals including a shaped leading edge having a linear segment approximating a non-linear shaped leading edge.

[0016] Figure 6 is an illustrative diagram of a first smart battery arrangement with a memory verification module according to some embodiments.

[0017] Figure 7 is an illustrative diagram of a second smart battery arrangement with a memory verification module according to some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a computing system that can be used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to smart batteries for battery-powered devices, such as mobile phones, power tools, and countless other battery-powered devices, where more sophisticated charging (and in some cases discharging) techniques are deployed and would benefit from batteries that include integrated intelligence, which may involve processing power and / or memory to facilitate sophisticated and more efficient charging techniques compared to CCCV schemes. Benefits of such charging techniques include faster charging rates, slower battery aging, enhanced capacity, enhanced capacity maintenance, improved temperature operation, and / or others. Furthermore, the integrated intelligence may facilitate the adaptation of new battery arrangements for battery-powered devices that, conventionally, can only operate with the batteries for which they were designed, leaving no options for upgrading battery technology. These and other advantages will become apparent from the discussion that follows.

[0020] Various possible smart battery configurations are presented. In line with each possible configuration are various functional units. One difference between the various embodiments relates to which functional units are located between a mobile battery-powered device, discussed in some embodiments as a mobile phone, but which could be any number of different types of devices powered by a rechargeable battery, sometimes referred to herein as a smart battery. As noted, aspects of the smart battery modules discussed herein involve batteries with some form of integrated intelligence.

[0021] The term "battery" in this technology and herein may be used in various ways and may refer to individual cells having an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte as well as a large number of such cells connected in various arrangements. Furthermore, the terms "charge" and "recharge" are used synonymously herein. A battery or battery cell is a form of electrochemical device. A battery generally comprises repeating units of opposite charge sources and first electrode layers separated by an ion-conductive barrier, which is often a liquid or polymer film saturated with an electrolyte, but may also be a solid electrolyte. These layers are made thin so that multiple cells can occupy the volume of the battery, increasing the available power of the battery with each stacked cell. Although many examples are discussed herein as applicable to a certain battery, it should be understood that the systems and methods are applicable to many different types of batteries, ranging from individual cells to batteries involving different possible interconnections of cells, such as batteries coupled in parallel, in series, and in parallel and in series. For example, the systems and methods discussed herein may be applied to a battery pack that includes a plurality of cells arranged to provide a defined pack voltage, output current, and / or capacity. Furthermore, the implementations discussed herein may be applied to different types of electrochemical devices, such as various types of lithium batteries, including but not limited to lithium metal and lithium ion batteries, lead acid batteries, various types of nickel batteries, and solid-state batteries, to name a few examples. The various implementations discussed herein may also be applied to battery arrangements of different structures, such as cylindrical cells, pouch cells, and prismatic cells.

[0022] First reference Figure 1 , a device 100 powered by a smart battery module 102 is illustrated in a charge / discharge configuration. In one example, the device is a mobile phone or tablet, but other devices powered by a rechargeable battery are also contemplated. The device 100 includes a power supply unit 104 (e.g., a USB-C power delivery unit) for providing power to the device, a step-down switching unit 106, a system and power management unit 108, and an overcharge / overdischarge protection unit 110. The battery module 102 includes a battery 112 and a processing device and / or a battery measurement unit 114, which in some implementations may be provided on an integrated circuit with a microcontroller and voltage and current sensors. The battery module may be a stand-alone device, which may include some form of housing, as well as the battery 112 and the processing device 114. As noted below, the processing device 114 may include some form of processing unit and / or computer memory.

[0023] As will be understood from the subsequent discussion, the various operating units and various arrangements are consistent. In one example, the power supply 104 of the device 100 can be implemented and coupled to the buck switching circuit 106. Common mobile devices typically include a power supply, which can be any form of standard power supply, such as one that complies with the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, such as USB-C and USB-C PD, and any other possible form of power supply. Other forms of power supplies are also possible, such as wireless Qi type chargers. In some possible implementations, such as where the voltage / current from the power supply is regulated, the power supply 104 can be coupled to a buck converter 106 to reduce the voltage from the power supply and may also adjust the current available for charging.

[0024] Although a buck converter is discussed herein, there may also be boost or buck / boost, or other forms of power conversion. With reference to the example of buck converter 106, the present system may involve a dedicated buck converter or may utilize a common buck converter of device 100, which may also be used for other purposes and for charging as discussed herein.

[0025] Although various possible power conversion topologies are possible, in reference Figure 4A In one example, the buck switching unit 106 includes a switch that can be coupled between the power supply 418 and the inductor 416. In the illustrated example, the buck configuration includes a first, upper transistor 412 and a second, lower transistor 414. In general, the transistors 412, 414 can be any type of transistor, such as: FET or particularly MOSFET, GaN FET, silicon carbide-based FET, or any type of controllable switching element. The first switching element 412 is connected to the power rail and is thus connected to the power supply 418 (e.g., power supply 104) during charging. The drain of the first transistor 412 and the source of the second transistor are coupled at the node 436. The gates of the individual transistors 412, 414 include control lines 430 and 432. In alternative arrangements, the second, lower transistor 414 can be replaced by a diode or a capacitor or other element. Thus, in some embodiments, only the upper first transistor 412 is included in the buck circuit. In other arrangements, the upper first transistor 412 may be replaced by another component so that only the lower transistor 414 is included, such as in a boost converter circuit. The control pulse width modulated (PWM) signal (e.g., Figure 1The system can define a series of pulses at node 436 and apply them to inductor 416, which alone or in combination with other components can be applied to the battery (for example: Figure 1 The charging signal of the battery 112 is formed.

[0026] exist Figure 1-3 In an example, the battery module (102, 202, 302) includes a battery 112 and a processor 114. The processor may be a microcontroller unit (MCU). In one example, the MCU 114 is provided on an integrated circuit (IC). When integrated with the battery module, the MCU 114 is pre-loaded or pre-configured with a specific battery charging algorithm. The IC 114 may also include battery sensing to obtain a battery voltage and / or current for the battery. The charging algorithm of the MCU 114 may exist in computer executable instructions or be configured based on measured battery voltage and current to generate a shaped charging signal for a specific battery type of the module. The charging algorithm may also take into account temperature and battery life.

[0027] In various forms and now refer to Figure 5A , the charging signal 500 defined by the charging algorithm executed on the MCU 114 may include a shaped leading edge 510, a main portion 520, and a rest portion 530. In one implementation, the shape of the leading edge 510 may be a sine wave (or portion thereof) of a frequency selected based on battery characteristics such as relatively low impedance harmonic frequencies, minimal plating, combinations thereof, or other aspects. Furthermore, one or more frequency components of the charging signal may not correspond to the lowest frequency for a variety of reasons. For example, with respect to shaping the leading edge 510, the shaped leading edge may not correspond to the target frequency due to timing, shaping circuitry employed, etc. In some cases, other factors such as energy transfer, temperature, and other issues may play a role in selecting harmonics to include or exclude from the charging signal and may require that harmonics other than the harmonics associated with the lowest impedance be utilized. Furthermore, the frequency components of the charging signal may be set at or near the minimum impedance, above or below, or both, depending on the implementation. Thus, the frequency need not be strictly set at the minimum impedance.

[0028] In other implementations, the leading edge 510 may include a segmented linear approximation to a selected frequency based on battery characteristics such as relatively low impedance harmonic frequencies, minimum plating, combinations thereof, or other aspects. The shaped leading edge 510 is followed by a relatively steady charging current (e.g., body portion 520) that terminates at a falling edge 540. Although not shown, in some embodiments, the falling edge 540 may be followed by a heating portion, which may be part of the rest period 530 or may be incorporated into the rest period. In some instances, the heating portion is a sine wave or an approximation thereof. A sine wave or other non-square wave pulse portion may include a negative portion (negative, reverse polarity voltage) and a positive portion (positive voltage). The sine wave may also be located above a non-zero DC offset so that there is no negative conducting portion. However, in Figure 5A and 5B In the example of , the main portion 520 is followed by a rest period 530. The rest period 530 may be a zero current or may be a non-zero DC current that is less than the substantial DC current of the main portion 520. The peak current of the main portion 520 may be in the range of the maximum rated current of the battery specification to a multiple of the maximum rated current, depending on the battery type and the rest current is in the range of 0A to the maximum rated current. In a specific example, the peak current of the main portion 520 may be in the range of 10A to 60A, depending on the battery type and the rest current is in the range of 0A to 10A. The values ​​for the peak current, rest current, and other values ​​may vary, as noted elsewhere herein, depending on temperature, battery type, circuit capabilities, state of charge, and other battery-related factors. In this example, the rest current, if non-zero, may be a specified charging current that is less than if referenced to commonly used CCCV charging parameters.

[0029] It should be noted that the charging signal may or may not include a rest period. The leading edge may be in the form of approximately the first 90 degrees of a sine wave or may be otherwise approximately shaped like the shape of the sine portion described above. Again, as noted and as shown in Figure 5B As shown, the shaped leading edge can be formed by linear segments that collectively approximate the leading edge of a sine wave 510. In the arrangement shown, the first linear segment 510A increases in voltage relatively slowly, compared to a square wave pulse, for example, where there is an immediate steep increase in voltage of approximately 90 degrees. Subsequent linear segments 510B-510E are linear approximations of the shaped leading edge, which are included / retained during the first charging signal for comparison and are not included during the second charging signal. For comparison purposes, Figure 5B The rest period of 530 is Figure 5A The rest period is relatively short. The overall charging period of the two charging signals including the leading edge 510 period and the main body 520 period is Figure 5B It is also relatively long, compared to Figure 5A , again for comparison. A buck or boost circuit can produce the linear approximation.

[0030] Reference back Figure 1-4A , the charging algorithm of the charger IC / MCU 114 may send a control signal to the buck switching unit 106 to generate a series of pulses at the node 236 to generate the charging signal described above. As can be seen, although the system can generate a charging signal that would appear as a fixed current, fixed voltage type signal, the system is specifically arranged to generate a shaped charging signal, an example of which is shown and discussed with reference to FIG. 5, and which is not a CCCV type signal described above.

[0031] In one example, the charging signal output of the buck unit 106 (e.g., the signal at the inductor 416) is routed through the OCP / ODP protection circuit 110. OCP is overcharge protection and ODP is overdischarge protection. In many cases, overcharge and overdischarge protection can be provided, which essentially prevents the battery from being overcharged or overdischarged. Overcharge is typically defined as a battery voltage that cannot be exceeded during charging, and overdischarge is typically defined as a lower battery voltage that the battery is prevented from discharging below. As long as the battery voltage is between upper and lower thresholds, the battery can be charged or discharged (e.g., to provide power to a mobile device).

[0032] Figure 4B is an example of an OCP / ODP circuit 110 involving two FETs 450, 452 connected "back-to-back", where one FET is controlled to block charging current above an upper voltage limit and the other FET is controlled to block discharging below a lower voltage limit. In operation, both the OCP and ODP transistors 450, 452 are on to allow current to flow to the battery 454 in either direction. When the OCP transistor 450 is OFF and the ODP transistor 452 is ON, the charging current is blocked by a diode 456 connected in parallel to the OCP transistor, preventing charging. In the case where the OCP transistor 450 is ON and the ODP transistor 452 is OFF, the discharging current is blocked by a diode 458 connected in parallel to the ODP transistor, preventing discharging. Finally, when both transistors 450, 452 are off, no current will flow into or out of the battery.

[0033] The mobile device 100 may also include various common system 108 components, which in the case of a mobile phone or tablet may include a radio communication unit, a WiFi communication unit, a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, various forms of memory, system buses, and many other related or unique functional blocks, depending on any given implementation. The mobile device 100 may also include a power management IC (PMIC), which may include DC / DC converters and other components that provide power to the various system components.

[0034] The system unit 108 and in particular the PMIC may communicate with the charger MCU / IC 114 of the battery module 102. In some cases, an enable signal from the system / PMIC 108 or other system components may inform the charger MCU 114 that the mobile device 100 is docked and can accept charging or indicate or initiate some other operation.

[0035] For comparison, Figure 1 The embodiment has a charger MCU 114 and a battery 112 in the battery module 102 and other functional units are provided in the mobile device. Figure 2 , the OCP / ODP protection unit 110 is located in the battery module 202 instead of the mobile device 200. Figure 3 , the battery module 302 also includes a buck converter unit 106. In general, the OCP / ODP protection unit 110 may be implemented or included in the mobile device 100 or the battery module 102. For example, the OCP / ODP protection unit 110 or circuit may be included on a printed circuit board of the mobile device 100, within a charger IC / MCU 114 of the battery module 102, and / or integrated into any of the modules or units discussed herein. Similarly, all or part of the buck switching circuit 106 may be incorporated into the mobile device 100 or the battery module 102 or integrated into any of the functional units discussed herein. In one example, the charger IC / MCU 114 may utilize existing circuits or components of the mobile device 100 as all or part of the buck switching circuit 106. In this example, the battery module 102 may include other portions of the buck switching circuit 106 so that the circuit is distributed between the mobile device 100 and the battery module. Other modules described herein may also be shared between the mobile device 100 and the battery module 102. For example, the OCP / ODP protection unit 110 may also be implemented or included in both devices and / or included in the other modules described above.

[0036] In many cases, the buck converter 106 receives power from the power supply 104, which is converted into a charging signal. The charging signal may be routed through the OCP / ODP 110, which may or may not pass it through, depending on the voltage condition of the battery 112. The charger MCU 114 provides instructions for generating a PWM signal to the buck converter 106 or directly provides a PWM signal to generate the charging signal. In some cases, the charger MCU 114 may directly provide a control signal to the buck converter 106 to generate a shaped charging signal, such as by Figure 4AThe control lines 430 and 432 of the circuit shown are used to provide PWM signals to the gate or individual gates. In other cases, the charger MCU 114 can provide instructions to the computing device system controller 108 to instruct the system controller to generate PWM signals for controlling the buck converter 106. Therefore, the charger MCU 114 can itself control the shaped output of the buck converter 106 for charging the battery 112 or can provide instructions to the system controller 108 of the computing device to control the shaped output of the buck converter. In general, any of the components of the computing device or the battery module can receive instructions from the charging MCU 114 to generate PWM control signals to the buck converter 106 for generating a shaped charging signal.

[0037] To determine instructions for generating PWM control signals to the buck converter 106, the charger IC measures or receives measurements of battery parameters. The battery parameters may be voltage and / or current. In some cases, the charging algorithm for the charger processing unit may adjust the charging signal to suit the instantaneous battery conditions, including voltage, which may be measured discretely or continuously, current, which may be measured discretely or continuously, and temperature, etc. From various measurements, other parameters may be determined or derived and also used by the charging algorithm. For example, impedance may be generated and the system may select a charging signal based at least in part on it.

[0038] Figure 6 and 7 Alternative smart battery arrangements 602, 702 are illustrated coupled to mobile devices 600, 700 powered by batteries 112 of respective smart batteries. Figure 6 and 7 , a charging brain 114 (e.g., MCU) is present on the mobile device. The charging IC 114 may be a dedicated unit or may include other common functions as well as battery charging control instructions. The battery modules 602, 702 include memory elements 604, 704, which include one or more of a battery type identification symbol and / or charging control information. The battery identification symbol includes information about the battery type. The charging control information may include upper and lower battery voltage limits that may be referenced by the OCP / ODP protection unit 110, battery charging parameters, and / or a battery charging algorithm for the battery that may be uploaded to the MCU or referenced by the MCU to control charging. The memory 604, 704 may be a relatively small (e.g., 2K) programmable read-only memory or other type of memory.

[0039] In some instances, the battery charging algorithm may be unique to a particular battery type. In one instance, the MCU 114 is pre-loaded with the battery charging algorithm and acts upon the battery type identification symbol stored in the memory 604, 704 to verify the battery type and enable charging by the charging algorithm. In another instance, the charging algorithm may include one or more variables set by information stored in the battery module memory 604, 704. In this way, the variable element is set with information of a particular battery type and charging can be performed accordingly. In another instance, the mobile device 600, 700 may request an update, such as may typically occur with a software update or an application update, to update the charging algorithm based on the battery type verification of the battery module 602, 702.

[0040] exist Figure 6 and 7 The system shown includes various other functional units described above, except that Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the OCP / ODP protection unit 110 is located in the battery module 602 and Figure 7 Located at mobile device 700 .

[0041] refer to Figure 8 , computer system 800 includes various processing components that may be involved in a battery module or mobile device. System 800 may be a computing system capable of executing a computer program product to perform computer processing. Data and program files may be input to computer system 800, which reads the files and executes the programs therein. Some components of computer system 800 are shown in FIG. Figure 8 , including one or more hardware processors 802, one or more data storage devices 804, one or more memory devices 806, and / or one or more ports 808-812. In addition, other components that will be understood by those skilled in the art may be included in the computer system 800 and are not explicitly depicted. Figure 8 The various components of computer system 800 may be connected via one or more communication buses, point-to-point communication paths, or other communication paths not explicitly described herein. Figure 8 Similarly, in various implementations, various elements disclosed in the system may or may not be included in any given implementation.

[0042] The processor 802 may include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), and / or one or more internal levels of cache memory. There may be one or more processors 802, such that the processor 802 includes a single central processing unit, or multiple processing units that can execute instructions and perform operations in parallel with each other, commonly referred to as a parallel processing environment.

[0043] The presently described techniques of various possible combinations may be implemented at least in part in software stored on the data storage device 804, stored on the memory device 806, and / or connected via one or more of the ports 808-812, and thus will be implemented in the Figure 8 The computer system 800 is transformed into a special purpose machine for performing the operations described herein.

[0044] The one or more data storage devices 804 may include any non-volatile data storage device capable of storing data generated or used by the computing system 800, such as computer-executable instructions used to perform computer processes. The one or more memory devices 806 may include volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), static random-access memory (SRAM), etc.) and / or non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.).

[0045] A computer program product containing mechanisms for implementing systems and methods according to the presently described technology may reside on data storage device 804 and / or memory device 806, which may be referred to as a machine-readable medium. It will be understood that a machine-readable medium may include any tangible, non-transitory medium that is capable of storing or encoding instructions to perform any one or more of the operations of the present disclosure for execution by a machine or that is capable of storing or encoding data structures and / or modules utilized or associated with such instructions. A machine-readable medium may include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) that store one or more executable instructions or data structures.

[0046] In some implementations, the computer system 800 includes one or more ports, such as an input / output (I / O) port 808, a communication port 810, and a subsystem port 812, for communicating with other computing, network, or carrier devices. It will be appreciated that the ports 808-812 may be combined or separated and more or fewer ports may be included in the computer system 800. The I / O port 808 may be connected to an I / O device or other device through which information is input to or output from the computing system 800. The I / O devices may include, without limitation, one or more input devices, output devices, and / or environmental transducer devices.

[0047] In one implementation, the input device converts human-generated signals such as human voice, body movement, body contact or pressure, and / or the like into electrical signals as input data entering the computing system 800 via the I / O port 808. In some instances, the input may be different from the various systems and methods discussed with respect to the aforementioned figures. Similarly, the output device can convert electrical signals received from the computing system 800 via the I / O port 808 into signals that can be sensed or used by the various methods and systems discussed herein. The input device can be an alphanumeric input device that includes alphanumeric and other keys to communicate information and / or command selections to the processor 802 via the I / O port 808.

[0048] The environmental transducer device converts one form of energy or signal into another for input to or output from the computing system 800 via the I / O port 808. For example, an electrical signal generated at the computing system 800 may be converted to another form of signal and / or vice versa. In one implementation, the environmental transducer device senses a characteristic or state of the environment local or remote to the computing system 800, such as battery voltage, open circuit battery voltage, charge current, battery temperature, light, sound, temperature, pressure, magnetic field, electric field, chemical property, and / or the like.

[0049] In one implementation, the communication port 810 can be connected to a network through which the computer system 800 can receive network data used to perform the methods and systems described herein and transmit information and network configuration changes determined thereby. For example, charging protocols can be updated, battery measurement or calculation data can be shared with external systems, and so on. The communication port 810 connects the computer system 800 to one or more communication interface devices that are configured to transmit and / or receive information between the computer system 800 and other devices via one or more wired or wireless communication networks or connections. Examples of such networks or connections include, but are not limited to, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the like. Near Field Communication (NFC), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), etc. One or more of the above communication interface devices can be used to communicate with one or more machines via the communication port 810, directly through a point-to-point communication path, through a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet), through a local area network (LAN), through a cellular (e.g., third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), fifth generation (5G)) network, or through another communication method.

[0050] The computer system 800 may include a subsystem port 812 for communicating with one or more systems related to the device to be charged according to the methods and systems described herein to control its operation and / or exchange information between the computer system 800 and one or more subsystems of the device. Examples of such subsystems of the vehicle include, but are not limited to, motor controllers and systems, battery control systems, and others.

[0051] exist Figure 8 The proposed system is only one possible example of a computer system that can be used or configured according to aspects of the present disclosure. It will be understood that other non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions for implementing the presently disclosed technology on a computer system can be utilized.

[0052] Embodiments of the present disclosure include various steps, which are described in this specification. The steps may be implemented by hardware components or may be implemented with machine executable instructions, which can be used to program a general or special purpose processor programmed with instructions to implement the steps. Alternatively, the steps may be implemented by a combination of hardware, software and / or firmware.

[0053] Various modifications and additions may be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although the above-described embodiments (also referred to as implementations or examples) mention specific features, the scope of the invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the above features. Therefore, the scope of the invention is intended to cover all such alternatives, modifications, and variations and all equivalents thereof.

[0054] Although specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following description and drawings are illustrative in nature and are not to be construed as limiting. Many specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, in some cases, well-known or customary details are not described to avoid confusing the description. References to one embodiment or embodiments in the present disclosure may be references to the same embodiment or any embodiment; and, the above references refer to at least one of the embodiments.

[0055] Reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The appearance of the phrase "in one embodiment," or the like, "in one example," or "in one instance" in various places in this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, nor do individual or alternative embodiments mutually exclude other embodiments. Furthermore, various features are described that may be present in some embodiments but not in others.

[0056] The terms used in this specification are summarized as having their ordinary meaning in this art, in the context of the present disclosure, and in the specific context in which each term is used. Alternative terms and synonyms may be used for any one or more of the terms discussed herein, and whether or not a term is elaborated or discussed herein should not be given special importance. In some cases, synonyms for certain terms are provided. The listing of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification, including examples of any term discussed herein, is merely illustrative and is not intended to further limit the scope or meaning of the present disclosure or any example term. Similarly, the present disclosure is not limited to the various embodiments given in this specification.

[0057] Without intending to limit the scope of the present disclosure, examples of apparatus, devices, methods and their related results according to embodiments of the present disclosure are provided below. Note that titles or subtitles may be used in examples for the convenience of the reader and should in no way limit the scope of the present disclosure. Unless otherwise defined, technical and scientific terms used herein have the meanings commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure relates. In the event of a conflict, this document (including definitions) shall prevail.

[0058] Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the following description, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the principles disclosed herein. The features and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and obtained by the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present disclosure will be more fully apparent from the following description and the appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the principles set forth herein.

Claims

1. A system comprising: computing devices; and A battery module, which is in communication with the computing device and provides a power signal to the computing device, the battery module comprising: Batteries; and A processing configuration that complies with battery charging control instructions to charge the battery, wherein the battery charging control instructions cause a switching circuit of the computing device including at least one switch and at least one inductor that can be coupled to the at least one switch to generate a charging signal for charging the battery, wherein the generated charging signal includes at least one harmonic tuning pattern.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing arrangement comprises a controller configured to execute the battery charging control instructions.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is a microcontroller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing arrangement includes a memory storing information for the battery charging control instructions to generate the charging signal for the battery.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery module further comprises an overcharge / over-discharge protection circuit, which comprises a first switching device and a second switching device connected in series to control a charging signal for the battery.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first switching device and the second switching device further control a discharge signal from the battery.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the overcharge / overdischarge protection circuit is included in a computing device powered by the battery.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the switching circuit is included in the battery housing.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery provides power to a computing device and at least a portion of the switching circuit is included in the computing device powered by the battery.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one harmonic tuning pattern of the charging signal comprises harmonics associated with an impedance value of a computing device powered by the battery.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one harmonic tuning pattern of the charging signal comprises a nonlinear leading edge.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the nonlinear leading edge comprises one or more linear approximations of a portion of a sine wave.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the charging signal further comprises a main portion comprising a first non-sinusoidal charging current following the non-linear leading edge.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the charging signal further comprises a rest portion comprising a second non-sinusoidal charging current following the main portion, the second non-sinusoidal charging current being smaller than the first non-sinusoidal charging current.

15. A method for charging an electrochemical device, comprising: A processing device of the battery module determines a charging signal for charging a battery of the battery module, the battery module is connected to a computing device separate from the battery module, and the battery provides a power signal to power the computing device; and A battery charging control instruction is transmitted to a switching circuit of a computing device, wherein the switching circuit includes at least one switch and at least one inductor that can be coupled to the at least one switch, and the battery charging control instruction causes the switching circuit to generate the charging signal for charging the battery of the battery module, wherein the generated charging signal includes at least one harmonic tuning state pattern.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: A charging signal for the battery is controlled by an overcharge / overdischarge protection circuit including a first switching device and a second switching device connected in series.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first switching device and the second switching device further control a discharge signal from the battery.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the overcharge / overdischarge protection circuit is included in the computing device powered by the battery.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the switching circuit is included in the battery module.

20. A battery module, comprising: A battery housing comprising a battery and a processing configuration for charging the battery in accordance with battery charging control instructions, wherein a charging signal is generated by controlling a switching circuit comprising at least one switch and at least one inductor that can be coupled to the at least one switch, wherein the generated charging signal includes at least one harmonic tuning state pattern.

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