Optimized Battery Charging Circuit with Power Factor Correction

Abstract

An optimized charging signal shaping circuit is presented such that components of the charging signal circuitry may be operable with fewer components and / or processing overhead than other approaches, thereby reducing cost, using less area on a printed circuit board (PCB), and computational complexity, among other benefits. In one particular implementation, a portion of a power supply circuit may be combined with a portion of the charging signal shaping circuit to leverage common functions and component characteristics of that portion, including a direct current-to-direct current (DC / DC) converter circuit. A scaled-down charging circuit may utilize components with similar functions and / or circuit devices, reducing the total number of components used in the charging circuit, thereby reducing the overall footprint, saving charging energy loss for redundant components, and reducing overall cost.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application is related to and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 403,182, entitled "Optimized Battery Charging Circuit with Power Factor Correction," filed Sep. 1, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0002] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to systems and methods for charging or discharging batteries, and more particularly, to circuits optimized for generating an adjustable and / or highly efficient charging signal for charging batteries. [Background technology]

[0003] Countless different types of electric devices, such as power tools, mobile computing and communication devices, portable electronic devices, and electric vehicles, use rechargeable batteries as a power source. Rechargeable batteries are limited by a finite battery capacity and must be recharged when depleted. Recharging batteries can be inconvenient because the electric device often must be stationary during the time required to recharge the battery, which can take several hours depending on the battery size. Furthermore, battery charging is often accompanied by a degradation of battery performance. Accordingly, considerable effort has been invested in developing battery charging technologies to reduce the time required to recharge batteries, improve battery performance, and, among other things, reduce battery degradation from charging.

[0004] Fast charging systems typically require expensive, high-power electronics for delivery of high levels of charging current along with current limiting, and overvoltage circuitry to prevent overcharging and resulting damage to a functioning battery. Therefore, reducing the number of components in the charging circuit can significantly reduce the cost to produce and operate a charger. Additionally, and importantly, higher current fast charging solutions can potentially damage the battery, especially as the percentage of battery charge increases, and high current fast charging often must be limited when the percentage exceeds approximately 50%. While slower recharging systems are less expensive, they prolong the recharging operation, frustrating the ultimate goal of a rapid return to duty.

[0005] It is with particular regard to this information in mind that the aspects of the present disclosure have been conceived and developed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system for charging a battery, the system including a power supply circuit having a converter portion and a voltage booster portion that receives a power signal, a storage capacitor in operative communication with an output of the booster portion of the power supply circuit, where the storage capacitor and power supply circuit correct power factor losses in the power signal during charging of an electrochemical device, and an integrated direct current-to-direct current (DC / DC) converter and charge waveform shaping circuit for modifying the DC signal from the booster portion into a shaped charge waveform for charging the electrochemical device.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for charging a battery, the method including: correcting a power factor of an alternating current (AC) component of an input power signal in a power supply circuit; converting the AC component of the input power signal to a direct current (DC) power signal in the power supply circuit; and controlling a switch in communication with a processor that executes instructions to generate control signals, the switch operatively connected to a transformer to receive and modify the DC power signal to create a shaped charging waveform to charge an electrochemical device.

[0008] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a charging circuit. The charging circuit may include a power source that converts an alternating current (AC) power signal into a direct current (DC) input signal, a transformer having a first end in electrical communication with the power source and receiving the DC input signal, and a switch in electrical communication with a second end of the transformer. The charging circuit may further include a processor that executes instructions to control the switch to draw the DC input signal through the transformer, and an output of the transformer provides a shaped charging waveform for charging an electrochemical device based on control of the switch.

[0009] Various objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure set forth herein will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of those inventive concepts, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and may depict various features of the embodiments, but emphasis is placed on illustrating the principles and other aspects of the inventive concepts. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference characters may refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein should be considered illustrative and not restrictive. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a first schematic diagram of a charging circuit for charging or discharging a battery; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a second schematic diagram of a charging circuit showing the components and system of the power supply. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a charging circuit including a signal shaping generator and a circuit model. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a first schematic diagram of a charging circuit including an integrated converter and charging signal circuit. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a second schematic diagram of a charging circuit including an integrated converter and charging signal circuit. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a computing system that may be used in implementing embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for charging batteries or battery systems. In the art and herein, the term "battery" can be used in various ways to refer not only to individual cells having an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte, solid, or liquid, but also to collections of such cells connected in various configurations. A battery or battery cell is a form of electrochemical device. Batteries generally include repeating units of electrode layers and sources of opposing charges separated by an ionically conductive barrier, which is often a liquid or polymer membrane saturated with an electrolyte. These layers are made thin so that multiple units occupy the volume of the battery, thereby increasing the available power of the battery containing each stacked unit. While many examples are discussed herein as applicable to batteries, it should be understood that the described systems and methods can be applied to many different types of batteries, ranging from individual cells to batteries with different possible cell interconnections, such as parallel, series, and parallel-and-series coupled cells. For example, the systems and methods discussed herein can be applied to battery packs including a large number of cells configured to provide a specified pack voltage, output current, and / or capacity. Additionally, the implementations discussed herein may be applied to different types of electrochemical devices, such as various different 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 of various possible chemistries, to name a few. The various implementations discussed herein may also be applied to differently structured battery configurations, such as button or "coin" type batteries, cylindrical battery cells, pouch battery cells, and prismatic battery cells.

[0012] In one example, various embodiments discussed herein charge a battery by generating a charging signal that is controllably shaped by a charging signal shaping circuit. Traditional charging techniques, such as constant current constant voltage (CCCV), do not involve charging signal shaping and may contain frequencies or harmonics that are inefficient at charging a battery and degrade battery performance over time. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may include a shaped charging signal that corresponds to a harmonic (or multiple harmonics) associated with optimal transfer of energy to the battery; nevertheless, the objective of the system is to be able to efficiently generate any arbitrarily shaped charging signal and apply that shaped charging signal to the battery, among other objectives. In some cases, the charging signal shaping circuit may include a controller that generates control signals to components of the charging signal shaping circuit to shape or otherwise modify the charging signal. The controller, in some implementations, may include a model of one or more components of the charging signal shaping circuit. The model may be used to verify and / or adjust controls to generate a signal based on an expected or intended charging signal for charging the battery.

[0013] Furthermore, aspects of the charging signal shaping circuit discussed herein may be optimized so that components of the charging signal circuitry may be operable with fewer components and / or processing overhead than other approaches, thereby reducing cost, using less real estate on a printed circuit board (PCB), and computational complexity, among other benefits. In one particular implementation, a portion of a power supply circuit may be combined with a portion of the charging signal shaping circuit to leverage common functions and component characteristics of that portion. For example, a charging circuit may include a typical power supply and a charging signal shaping circuit, both of which may include direct current-to-direct current (DC / DC) converter circuitry. Thus, a scaled-down charging circuit may utilize components with similar functions and / or circuit devices, reducing the total number of components used in the charging circuit. By separating the DC / DC converter from the power supply and combining similar components and functionality with a portion of the charging signal shaping circuit, a significant reduction in the number of components in the charging circuit may be achieved. This reduction in circuit design and / or components can reduce the overall footprint, save charging energy loss on extra components, and reduce the cost of the charging circuit while providing the same charging benefits and functionality of previous circuits.

[0014] Generally, power factor (PF) is the ratio of real power (i.e., working power) to apparent power (i.e., demand), and is a number between 0 and 1, with higher numbers indicating better energy efficiency. A power factor value of 1 indicates that the current and voltage are perfectly in phase, while values ​​less than 1 indicate some phase shift and reduced energy efficiency in the system. Power factor correction circuits, including capacitors, inductors, and / or other components, may be designed to correct systems with poor power factors (e.g., PF<0.95 or PF<0.85). These circuits aim to bring the current and voltage into phase alignment so that the PF approaches 1.

[0015] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example charging signal generator configuration 100 for recharging a battery 104. Generally, a charging signal generation system 106 is operably coupled between a power source 116 / power supply circuit 102 and a battery 104 to shape input power from the power source into a charging signal for the battery. In some implementations, the charging signal generation system 106 may include a controller 108, such as a microcontroller, FPGA (field programmable gate array), ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), microprocessor, state machine, combinations thereof, or other processing configuration, that provides control to a charging signal shaping unit 110 to generate the charging signal. The charging signal shaping unit 110 may be included in the controller 108. In some instances, the controller 108 may further include or communicate with a model or modeler 112 of components of the charging signal shaping unit or other components of the configuration 100 to provide control instructions to the charging signal shaping unit 110, although a modeler is not required. The charging signal generation system 106 may be an integrated unit that includes the controller 108 and / or the modeler 112. In some implementations, the charging signal generation system 106 may receive battery measurements, such as current and / or voltage measurements at the battery terminals of the battery 104 in the presence of a charging signal, calibration signal, or otherwise, from the battery measurement circuit 114. These battery measurements may be used by the charging signal generation system 106 to calibrate or adjust a model in the modeler 112 or otherwise affect charging signal generation and / or control.

[0016] The power source 116 of the charging arrangement 100 may be a voltage source or a current source, and in some embodiments, may be an alternating current (AC) source. Generally, the power source 116 supplies energy to the power supply circuit 102. As described in more detail below, the power supply circuit 102 can convert an AC source signal to a DC signal that is transmitted to the charging signal generation system 106 via an energy bus 120. Generally, the power supply 102 supplies charging energy, e.g., a current, that can be shaped by the charging signal generation system 106 to create a controllably shaped charging signal for charging the battery 104. A capacitor 118 or other energy storage device may also be connected to the energy bus 120. The capacitor 118 can store energy from the power supply 102 and provide the stored energy to the charging signal generation system 106 to maintain a DC energy signal during times when power is not being supplied by the power supply.

[0017] In some cases, the charging signal shaping circuit 110 can modify energy from the power source 102 to generate a charging signal that is shaped based on the state of charge in the battery 104. For example, the charging signal shaping circuit 110 can generate a charging signal that, when applied to the battery, corresponds at least in part to one or more harmonics associated with the battery's impedance. In the example of FIG. 1 and other situations, the circuit 100 can include a battery measurement circuit 114 connected to the battery 104 to measure battery cell voltage and / or charging current, as well as other battery characteristics such as temperature. The battery measurement circuit 114 can further measure or calculate the impedance of the battery 104. In one example, the battery characteristics may be measured based on the applied charging signal provided by the charging signal generation system 106. In another example, the battery cell characteristics may be measured as part of a routine that applies test signals having various frequency characteristics to the battery cells to generate a range of battery characteristic values ​​(e.g., measured battery characteristic values ​​such as temperature, current, voltage, etc., or generated battery characteristic values ​​such as impedance) associated with the various frequency characteristics that characterize the battery. Signal frequencies associated with minimum and / or low battery impedance values ​​can be identified and used to generate or modify the shape of the charging signal. This characterization routine may be performed in response to a predetermined trigger, before charging, during charging, periodically during charging, and / or may be used in combination with search techniques and other techniques for selecting or modifying a desired charging signal. The battery characteristics obtained by the battery measurement circuit 114 may vary based on many physical or chemical characteristics of the battery, including the state of charge and / or the temperature of the battery.Thus, the battery measurement circuit 114 may be controlled by the charging signal generation system 106 to determine various battery characteristics of the battery 104 over time, among other things, while the battery is being recharged, and may provide the battery characteristic measurements to the circuit controller 108 or other portions of the charging signal generation system 106 for use in generating a shaped charging signal for charging the battery cells 104.

[0018] As mentioned above, the power supply 102 circuitry can receive energy from the power source 116 and output a DC power signal, among other possible output power signals, to the energy bus 120. FIG. 2 is a second schematic diagram 150 of the charging circuit discussed above, illustrating components, circuits, portions, and / or systems of the power supply 102. As mentioned above, the charging circuit 150 may include a power source 116 connected to the power supply circuit 102 configured to provide an energy signal to the energy bus 120. The charging signal generation system 106, also as discussed above, can be in operative communication with the energy bus 120 to modify energy from the bus and generate a charging signal shaped based on one or more states of charge in the battery 104. As mentioned above, a storage capacitor 118 can also be connected to the energy bus 120 to store energy from the power supply 102 and provide the energy to the charging signal generation system 106 during power supply downtime.

[0019] Circuit 150 in FIG. 2 illustrates various components of the power supply 102 circuit. In particular, the power supply 102 may include a power factor correction (PFC) circuit (shown as dashed box 152) and a DC / DC converter circuit (shown as dashed box 158). The PFC circuit 152 is in electrical communication with the power source 116 and may be configured to minimize power factor losses caused by charging the battery. Broadly speaking, the PFC circuit 152 may generally include an AC / DC converter circuit 154 for converting an input AC signal to a DC signal and a boost converter circuit 156 connected in series with the AC / DC converter for boosting the voltage of the input DC signal to a higher voltage while gradually reducing the current. In one implementation, the AC / DC converter circuit 154 may be a bridge rectifier circuit, although other converter configurations or circuits may be used. A PFC capacitor 159 may be in electrical communication between the output of the boost converter 156 and ground or common. Although the PFC circuit 152 may include more components than the AC / DC converter 154, the boost converter 156, and the PFC capacitor 159, such components will not be discussed herein.

[0020] In addition to the PFC circuit 152, the power supply 102 may include a DC / DC converter circuit 158. The DC / DC converter circuit 158 ​​is configured to modify the voltage of the DC input signal to a higher or lower output DC voltage to match the requirements of the charging signal generation system 106 for charging the battery 104. Such DC / DC converter circuits may include boost converters, buck converters, buck-boost converters, flyback converters, and the like. In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the DC / DC converter 158 comprises a flyback converter, although other configurations are contemplated. The DC / DC converter 158 may include a first inductor 162 that receives the output of the PFC circuit 152 on a first end. A switching device 160, such as a transistor or other controllable switch, may connect a second end of the first inductor 162 to a ground or common connection and is controllable via a switching mechanism to generate a current through the first inductor and regulate the voltage on the bus 120. For example, when the transistor 160 is open, no current can flow through the first inductor 162. However, when transistor 160 is closed, current can flow through first inductor 162. A second inductor 164 may be placed near first inductor 162, and in some cases, they may form a transformer. A first end of second inductor 164 may be connected to diode 166 to ensure that the output of DC / DC converter 158 remains a DC signal. A DC / DC converter capacitor 168 may be connected between diode 166 and the second end of second inductor 164 to form a flyback converter circuit.

[0021] The output of the DC / DC converter 158 may provide a DC power signal to the energy bus 120 for use by the charging signal generation system 106 to shape the charging signal used in charging the battery 104. As described above with respect to FIG. 1 , a storage capacitor 118 may be connected between the energy bus 120 and a common connection. The PFC 152 and the DC / DC converter 158 comprise a portion of the power supply 102. In some implementations, the power supply 102 may include more or less components, circuits, and systems. The circuit 150 may further include additional components not specifically shown. For example, although not shown, the circuit 150 may further include a battery measurement circuit, as described above with respect to FIG. 1 , to obtain information about the battery 104.

[0022] Turning now to FIG. 3 , an alternative schematic diagram of a charging signal circuit 300 illustrating components, circuits, and systems of the charging signal generation system 106 is shown. The circuit 300 includes the elements described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , including the power source 116, the power supply 102, the storage capacitor 118, and the battery 104. However, the circuit 300 of FIG. 3 expands on the charging signal generation system 106 discussed above to illustrate the system's components and operation. Accordingly, the power source 116 can provide energy to the power supply 102. The controller 108 can receive the energy and, together with other components of the circuit 300, generate a shaped charging signal. Additionally, although not shown, the charging signal generated by the charging signal generation system 106 for the battery 104 can be based on battery feedback measurements obtained by the battery measurement circuit 114. Accordingly, the circuit 300 can include the battery measurement circuit 114, as described above with reference to FIG. 1 .

[0023] 3, the charging signal generation system 106 may include a first switching element, e.g., transistor 212, and a second switching element, e.g., transistor 214, connected in series to the energy bus 120. The first transistor 212 may receive an input signal, such as a pulse-width modulation (PWM) control signal 230, from the controller 108 to operate the first transistor 212 as a switching device or component. In general, the first transistor 212 may be any type of transistor, e.g., a FET, or any type of controllable switching element, for controllably connecting the first inductor 216 to the bus 120. For example, the first transistor 212 may be a FET having a drain node connected to the inductor 216 at node 236, a source connected to the energy bus 120, and a gate receiving the control signal 230 from the circuit controller 108. A control signal 230 is provided by the circuit controller 108 to control the operation of the first transistor 212 as a switch that, when closed, connects the first inductor 216 to the energy bus 120 and allows an input charging signal from the power source to flow through the inductor 216. More specifically, the operation of the switch 212 creates a controlled series of pulses at the node 216, which are shaped by the inductor 216 and one or more of the filter 240 to create a shaped charging signal for the battery 104. In various configurations, the second transistor 214 may be replaced by a diode. Thus, a controlled pulse train for the shaping component 216, etc., may be created by one or more switches (e.g., transistors). The second transistor 214 may further include a gate configured to receive a second input signal 232 from the controller 108 (e.g., via the signal shaping unit 110) and may have a source connected to the drain of the first transistor 212 at a node 236. In some cases, the second input signal 232 may be a PWM signal that is an inverse of the first control signal 230 to the first transistor 212 .Thus, when the first transistor 212 is closed, connecting the inductor 216 to the power source 102, the second transistor 214 is open. Conversely, when the first transistor 212 is open, the second transistor 214 is closed, connecting the node 236 and the inductor 216 to ground. The first control signal 230 and the second control signal 232 are described herein as opposite signals for controlling the transistors to opposite states; however, other techniques for controlling the switching elements 212, 214 may also be implemented with the circuit 300. The values ​​of the inductors, the times and frequencies at which the transistors are activated, and other factors may be adjusted to generate waveforms, particularly waveforms with controlled harmonics for the battery 104, for charging the battery 104. In some instances, the controller 108 may utilize models (described in further detail below) of some or all of the circuit 300 to generate the control signals 230, 232, although the use of models is not required to generate shaped charging signals for charging or discharging the battery 104.

[0024] In addition to the first inductor 216, other components collectively referred to as the “filter” 240 portion of the circuit may be included in the circuit 300. For example, the filter 240 may include a second capacitor connected between the inductor 216 and ground. A second inductor may be connected between the second capacitor and the anode of the battery cell 104. Other combinations and configurations of capacitors, inductors, or other circuit components may be included in the filter 240 portion of the charging circuit 300. The filter 240 of the circuit 300 generally operates to prevent rapid changes to the charging signal applied to the battery cell 104. For example, when the first transistor 212 is closed based on the control signal 230, the inductor 216 and the filter 240 may prevent a rapid increase in current transmitted to the battery cell 104. Such a rapid increase in current could damage the battery cell 104 or otherwise be detrimental to the battery cell's lifespan. Additionally, the inductor 216 may shape the waveform applied to the battery, and control of the signal applied to the inductor may result in controlled shaping of the waveform. Other benefits regarding charging of the battery cells 104 are also realized through the filter circuit 240, but will not be discussed here for the sake of brevity.

[0025] It should be understood that more or less components may be included in the charging circuit 300. However, in particular, the circuit 300 of FIG. 3 is one example of a battery cell charging circuit 300, and the techniques described herein for utilizing a circuit model to generate or otherwise determine the control signals 230, 232 for shaping a charging signal may be applied to any number of battery cell charging circuits. Furthermore, the circuit 300 includes components arranged similarly to a buck converter circuit. However, it should be understood that other converter circuits, such as boost circuits, may also be used. Some examples of charging signal shaping circuits, and the operation of such, are described in more detail in commonly filed U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 17 / 232,975, entitled "Systems And Methods For Battery Charging," filed April 16, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0026] Through control of the first transistor 212 and the second transistor 214, the circuit controller 108 can generate a shaped charging signal for efficient charging of the battery 104. In one example, a measured or calculated impedance of the battery 104, or a signal definition characterized by an understanding of the impedance behavior of the signal on the battery, can be used by the circuit controller 108 to generate a charging signal having characteristics corresponding to harmonics associated with a minimum impedance value of the battery 104. Thus, the circuit controller 108 can execute a charging signal algorithm that outputs a charging signal shape based on the measured, characterized, and / or estimated state of charge of the battery 104. The circuit controller 108 can then generate one or more control signals 230, 232 based on the charging signal algorithm and provide those control signals to one or more switching elements (e.g., the first transistor 212 and the second transistor 214). The control signals 230, 232 can, among other functions, cause the operation of the switching elements to be shaped such that the charging signal received from the power source 102 approximates a shaped charging signal determined by the algorithm.

[0027] In various embodiments, the charging signal defined by the charging algorithm running on the controller 108 can include a shaped rising edge, a body portion, and a rest portion. In one implementation, the shape of the rising edge can be in the shape of a sinusoid (a portion thereof) at a frequency selected based on battery characteristics such as relatively low impedance harmonic frequencies, minimal plating, a combination thereof, or otherwise. In other implementations, the rising edge can include a piecewise linear approximation to a frequency selected based on battery characteristics such as relatively low impedance harmonic frequencies, minimal plating, a combination thereof, or otherwise. The shaped rising edge is followed by a relatively steady charging current (e.g., body portion) and terminates with a falling edge. The body portion is then followed by a rest period. The rest period may be zero current or some non-zero DC current less than the substantial DC current of the body portion. The peak current of the body portion can range from the maximum rated current of the battery specification to a multiple of that maximum rated current, depending on the cell type, where the rest current ranges from 0 A to the maximum rated current. In a specific example, the peak current of the body portion may be in the range of 10 A to 60 A depending on the cell type, with the rest current ranging from 0 A to 10 A. The peak current value, rest current value, and other values ​​may vary depending on temperature, cell type, circuit capability, state of charge, and other battery-related factors, as described elsewhere herein. Furthermore, the shaped rising edge may be formed with linear sections whose ensemble approximates a sinusoidal curve. In such a configuration, the first linear section increases the voltage relatively slowly compared to, for example, a square pulse with an immediate, sharp voltage increase of approximately 90 degrees. The following linear section is a linear approximation of the shaped rising edge, and the shaped rising edge is included / held in the first charging signal period for comparison, but not in the second charging signal period:

[0028] In some cases, the circuit 300 can utilize the circuit modeler 112 of the circuit 300 to model a circuit or a portion of a circuit to estimate a charging signal at the output of the inductor 216 or the filter 240 for application to the conductors of the battery cell 104. In some cases, the circuit modeler 112 can model components external to the circuit controller 108, such as the power supply 102, the first transistor 212, the second transistor 214, the inductor 216, and the filter circuit 240, to estimate a current waveform in the battery cell 104. The components included in the circuit model may have characteristics that vary based on the component's effect on the applied charging signal. For example, the model may include an inductance and equivalent series resistance value associated with the inductor 216. Other modeled components, such as the switches 212, 214 and / or the battery cell 104, can also include various characteristics to improve the accuracy of simulations performed on the modeled components. Additionally, the characteristics of the modeled components may be adjusted over time based on performance or feedback data from the circuit components. In some embodiments, the feedback data may be provided to the controller 108 and / or the model 112. Some examples of charging signal shaping circuits that utilize circuit models are described in more detail in commonly filed U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 17 / 566,535, entitled "Systems And Methods For Battery Charging Using Circuit Modeling," filed December 30, 2021, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0029] Circuits configured for rapid recharging of the battery 104 typically include expensive, high-power electronics for delivering high levels of charging current and / or voltage. Therefore, by reducing the number of components in a charging circuit or otherwise optimizing such a circuit, the cost of producing and operating the charger can be significantly reduced. FIG. 4 shows a first schematic diagram of a charging circuit 400 including an integrated DC / DC converter and charging signal circuit 404 that reduces the number of electronic components included in the charging circuit 400 while providing the same molded signal charging functionality as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-3. The integrated DC / DC converter and charging signal circuit 404 leverages common components of the power source 102 and charging signal generation system 106 discussed above to reduce the overall number of circuit components and otherwise optimize the configuration of the charging circuit. In particular, the DC / DC converter portion 158 of the power source 102 (FIG. 2) may be combined with one or more components of the charging signal generation system 106 (FIG. 3). In some embodiments, capacitor 168 of DC / DC converter 158 (FIG. 2) may be combined with reservoir capacitor 118. Additionally or alternatively, PFC capacitor 159 (FIG. 2) and reservoir capacitor 118 (FIGS. 1-3) of the previous circuit may be combined into integrated capacitor 402, further reducing the number of components in the charging circuit. Thus, in this implementation, power factor correction of the energy signal provided by power source 116 may still be performed by circuit 400, but the DC / DC converter portion of the power supply is combined with components of charging signal generation system 106, reducing the overall components used in the circuit. As discussed above with respect to use when charging or discharging battery 104, the output of integrated DC / DC converter and charging signal circuit 404 may or may not be provided to filter 240. In this manner, circuit 400 optimized for charging or discharging battery 104 can utilize various features and / or components of power source 102 to reduce the overall number of components in the circuit.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a second, more detailed schematic diagram of a charging circuit 500 including an integrated converter and charging signal circuit 404. In particular, the charging circuit 500 of FIG. 5 illustrates the components of the integrated DC / DC converter and charging signal generation circuit 404 discussed above with reference to FIG. 4 and includes many of those components discussed above. In particular, the optimized circuit 500 may include a power source 116 that provides an AC power signal to an AC / DC converter 154. The AC / DC converter 154 converts the AC power signal to a DC power signal and provides the DC power signal to a boost converter 156. The boost converter 156 can boost the input DC power signal and provide the boosted DC signal to an integrated PFC / storage capacitor 402. As mentioned above, the integrated PFC / storage capacitor 402 can perform the energy storage and delivery functions of the PFC capacitor 159 and storage capacitor 118 of the circuit 150 of FIG. 2 described above. Through these components, the optimized circuit 500 is able to reduce the number of components required in the charging circuit while maintaining the power factor correction functionality of the charging circuit.

[0031] The optimized circuit 500 may further include an integrated DC / DC converter and charging signal generation circuit 404 (similar to that shown in FIG. 4 ) that reduces the number of components used in the circuit by combining the functionality of the DC / DC converter 158 of the power supply 102 and the charging signal generation system 106. In particular, the charging signal generation system 106 discussed above with respect to FIG. 3 comprises a buck converter circuit, in which the first transistor 212 and the second transistor 214 are controlled by control signals 230, 232 generated by the controller 108 to shape the charging signal. In other implementations of the charging circuit, the charging signal generation system 106 may comprise a boost converter circuit, a flyback converter circuit, or any other DC / DC converter circuit. Similarly, the DC / DC converter 158 of the power supply 102 discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 may further comprise a boost converter circuit, a buck converter circuit, a flyback converter circuit, or a combination of such circuits. Thus, both the DC / DC converter 158 and the charging signal generation system 106 may include similar components, configurations, and functionality associated with converter circuits. The similar operations and functions of the DC / DC converter 158 and the charging signal generation system 106 may be combined to, in some cases, reduce component count and optimize the overall charging circuit design, minimizing the cost and complexity of the charging circuit.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 5, the integrated DC / DC converter and charging signal generation system can include a transistor 508 or other switching-type device. As discussed above with reference to the circuit 300 of FIG. 3, the transistor 508 can receive a control signal 510 from the circuit controller 108. The circuit controller 108 can include a signal shaping unit 110 and, depending on the implementation, a circuit modeler 112 for maintaining a model of one or more of the components of the charging circuit. The operation of the controller 108 can be similar to that described above in that the controller can utilize the signal shaping unit 110 and / or the modeler 112 to generate the control signal 510 for the transistor 508 or other switching device for charging or discharging the battery 104. In some embodiments, the circuit controller 108 can generate the pulse-width modulation (PWM) control signal discussed above. Such control signal 510 can control the flow of current through the first inductor 502, which receives the output of the boost converter 156. Operation of the transistor 508 by the controller 108 to alternate between an open state and a closed state can generate or modulate a current through the first inductor 502. The current through the first inductor 502 can then generate a corresponding fluctuating current in a second inductor 504, which is positioned near the first inductor so that the first and second inductors can form a transformer device. A first end of the second inductor 504 can be connected to a diode 506, and an output of the diode 506 can be connected to a filter circuit 512 comprising several components to filter out certain frequencies from the charging signal generated by the second inductor. In some cases, the diode 506 can be a bridge rectifier circuit or other type of rectifier, for example, the circuit used to discharge the battery 104. However, in general, the filtered charging signal shaped by the controller 108 and optional filter 512 can be used to charge the battery 104.

[0033] In some cases, the first inductor 502 and the second inductor 504 may not be separate inductor devices, but may be transformer devices with a turns ratio between the first inductor and the second inductor. The turns ratio of the transformer may configure the charging circuit as a boost circuit or a buck circuit. For example, by increasing the turns ratio of the first inductor 502 to the second inductor 504, the DC signal output by the second inductor may be gradually decreased, thereby configuring the circuit 500 as a buck charging circuit for charging the battery cell 104. Alternatively, by decreasing the turns ratio of the first inductor 502 to the second inductor 504, the DC signal output by the second inductor may be gradually increased, thereby configuring the circuit 500 as a boost charging circuit for charging the battery cell 104. In this manner, the first inductor 502 and the second inductor 504 may be selected with a particular turns ratio to configure the charging circuit 500 as a buck or boost circuit, or any combination thereof.

[0034] Charging circuit 500 of FIG. 5 is an optimized circuit compared to previously discussed charging circuits, such as charging circuit 150 of FIG. 2, due to a combination of similar circuits, components, and functions. For example, in some embodiments, capacitor 168 and reservoir capacitor 118 can be integrated into a single combined capacitor. In some embodiments, PFC capacitor 159 and reservoir capacitor 118 discussed above with respect to FIG. 2 can be combined into integrated capacitor 402 of FIGS. 4 and 5, reducing the total number of capacitors in the reduced charging circuit. As mentioned above, one or more components of the charging circuit may be rated as high-power electronic circuitry, which can be expensive for delivering high levels of charging current. Therefore, reducing the number of high-power capacitors or other very expensive components in charging circuit 500 can reduce both the footprint and overall cost of the circuit. Additionally, the functionality of the DC / DC converter 158 of the power supply 102 of FIG. 2 and portions of the charging signal generation system 106 can both operate to increase a DC input signal relative to an output DC signal while gradually decreasing the current through a boost converter, a buck converter, a buck-boost converter, a flyback converter, and the like. Accordingly, components of the charging signal generation system 106 can be repurposed as an integrated DC / DC converter to further reduce the number of components included in the charging circuit 500. Specifically, and as shown in FIG. 5 , a flyback converter circuit configuration connected to the circuit controller 108 of the charging circuit 500 can provide both the DC / DC conversion functionality and the charging signal shaping functionality of the charging circuit 500 through fewer components than in previous circuit configurations. In this manner, several circuit components can be eliminated, and similar or redundant functionality of the components can be utilized to provide both the DC / DC conversion functionality and the charging signal shaping functionality of the charging circuit 500 with a reduced total number of devices included in the circuit. Such reduction in components and complexity reduces the overall footprint, saves charging energy loss for extra components, and can reduce the cost of the charging circuit 500.

[0035] Referring now to FIG. 6 , a detailed description of an exemplary computing system 600 having one or more computing units capable of implementing the various systems and methods discussed herein is provided. The computing system 600 may be part of a controller, may be in operative communication with the various implementations discussed herein, may perform various operations related to the methods discussed herein, may operate offline to process various data for characterizing a battery, and may be part of an overall system discussed herein. The computing system 600 may process and / or provide various signals discussed herein. For example, battery measurement information may be provided to such a computing system 600. The computing system 600 may further be applicable to, for example, the controller 108, modeler 112, and conditioning / shaping circuitry discussed with respect to the various figures and may be used to implement the various methods described herein. It will be understood that specific implementations of these devices are of various possible specific computing architectures, not all of which are specifically discussed herein but which will be understood by those skilled in the art. It will be further understood that a computer system may be considered to be and / or include an ASIC, FPGA, microcontroller, or other computing construct. Various such possible implementations may include more or less of the components discussed below, with interconnections and other modifications as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0036] Computer system 600 may be a computing system capable of executing a computer program product to execute a computer process. Data and program files may be input to computer system 600, causing computer system 600 to read the files and execute the programs therein. Some of the elements of computer system 600 are shown in FIG. 6 , including one or more hardware processors 602, one or more data storage devices 604, one or more memory devices 606, and / or one or more ports 608-612. Additionally, other elements, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art, may be included in computing system 600 but are not explicitly shown in FIG. 6 or further discussed herein. The various elements of computer system 600 may communicate with one another via one or more communication buses, point-to-point communication paths, or other communication means not explicitly shown in FIG. 6 . Similarly, in various implementations, the various elements disclosed in the present system may or may not be included in any given implementation.

[0037] Processor 602 may include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), and / or one or more internal level caches. Processor 602 may be a single central processing unit or one or more processors 602 including multiple processing units capable of executing instructions and performing operations in parallel with each other, typically referred to as a parallel processing environment.

[0038] The presently described techniques in various possible combinations are implemented at least in part in software stored on data storage device 604, stored on memory device 606, and / or communicated via one or more of ports 608-612, thereby transforming computer system 600 in FIG. 6 into a special-purpose machine to perform the operations described herein.

[0039] The one or more data storage devices 604 may include any non-volatile data storage device capable of storing data, such as computer-executable instructions for executing computer processes created or utilized within computing system 600 (which may include instructions for both application programs and an operating system (OS) that manages various components of computing system 600 for executing the computer processes). Data storage device 604 may include removable data storage media, non-removable data storage media, and / or external storage devices made available via wired or wireless network architectures, including, but not limited to, one or more database management products, web server products, application server products, and / or such computer program products, including other additional software components. The one or more memory devices 606 may include volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), etc.) and / or non-non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.).

[0040] A computer program product including mechanisms for implementing systems and methods according to the presently described technology can reside in data storage device 604 and / or memory device 606, which may be referred to as a machine-readable medium. It will be understood that a machine-readable medium can include any tangible, non-volatile medium that can store or encode instructions for performing any one or more of the operations of the present disclosure for execution by a machine, or that can store or encode data structures and / or modules utilized by or associated with such instructions. A machine-readable medium can 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.

[0041] In some implementations, computer system 600 includes one or more ports, such as input / output (I / O) port 608, communication port 610, and subsystem port 612, for communicating with other computing devices, network devices, or vehicle devices. It will be understood that ports 608-612 may be combined or independent, and that more or less ports may be included in computer system 600. I / O port 608 may be connected to I / O devices or other devices by which information is input to or output from computing system 600. Such I / O devices may include, but are not limited to, one or more input devices, output devices, and / or environmental transducer devices.

[0042] In one implementation, the input device converts human-generated signals, such as human voice, physical movement, physical touch or pressure, and / or the like, into electrical signals as input data to the computing system 600 via the I / O port 608. In some examples, such input may differ from the various systems and methods discussed with respect to the preceding figures. Similarly, the output device may convert electrical signals received from the computing system 600 via the I / O port 608 into signals that may be sensed or used by the various methods and systems discussed herein. The input device may be an alphanumeric input device including alphanumeric and other keys for communicating information and / or command selections to the processor 602 via the I / O port 608.

[0043] The environmental transducer devices convert one form of energy or signals into another form of energy or signals for input to or output from the computing system 600 via the I / O ports 608. For example, an electrical signal generated within the computing system 600 may be converted into another type of signal, and / or vice versa. In one implementation, the environmental transducer devices sense features or aspects of an environment local to or remote from the computing device 600, such as battery voltage, open circuit battery voltage, charging current, battery temperature, light, sound, temperature, pressure, magnetic field, electric field, and / or chemical properties.

[0044] In one implementation, communication port 610 may be connected to a network over which computer system 600 can receive data useful in performing the methods and systems detailed herein and transmitting information. For example, charging protocols may be updated, battery measurements or calculated data may be shared with external systems, and the like may be communicated via communication port 610. Communication port 610 connects computer system 600 to one or more communication interface devices configured to transmit and / or receive information between computing system 600 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, WiFi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), and Long Term Evolution (LTE). One or more such communication interface devices may be utilized via communication port 610 to communicate with one or more other machines directly over a point-to-point communication path, over a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet), over a local area network (LAN), over a cellular (e.g., third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), fifth generation (5G)) network, or over another communication means.

[0045] Computer system 600 may include a subsystem port 612 for communicating with one or more systems associated with a device being charged by the methods and systems described herein to control its operation and / or exchange information between computer system 600 and one or more subsystems of the device. Examples of such subsystems of a vehicle include, but are not limited to, motor controllers and systems, battery control systems, and others.

[0046] However, the system illustrated in Figure 6 is one possible example of a computer system that may utilize or be configured in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. It will be understood that other non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable storage media that store computer-executable instructions for implementing the presently disclosed techniques for a computing system may be utilized.

[0047] Embodiments of the present disclosure include various steps described herein. The steps may be performed by hardware components or embodied in machine-executable instructions that can be used to cause a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor programmed with the instructions to perform the steps. Alternatively, the steps may be performed by a combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware.

[0048] Various modifications and additions may be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, while the embodiments referred to as implementations or examples described above relate to particular features, the scope of the present invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to encompass all such alternatives, modifications, and variations, together with all equivalents thereof.

[0049] While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other components and configurations can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the following description and drawings are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described to avoid obscuring the description. Reference to one embodiment or embodiments of the present disclosure may be a reference to the same embodiment or any embodiment, and such reference means at least one of the embodiments.

[0050] Reference to "one embodiment" or "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 appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment," or similarly "in one example" or "in one instance," in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, nor do they refer to separate or alternative embodiments that are mutually exclusive from other embodiments. Furthermore, various features are described that may be exhibited by some embodiments but not by other embodiments.

[0051] Terms used herein generally have their ordinary meaning in the art, within the context of this disclosure and in the specific context in which each term is used. Alternative phrases and synonyms may be used for any one or more of the terms discussed herein, and no special significance should be implied as to whether a term is elaborated or discussed herein. In some cases, synonyms are provided for a particular term. The description of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. Wherever this specification includes examples of any term discussed herein, the use of the examples is illustrative only and does not further limit the scope and meaning of the disclosure or of any exemplified term. Furthermore, this disclosure is not limited to the various embodiments provided herein.

[0052] Without intending to limit the scope of the present disclosure, examples of instruments, devices, methods, and related results according to embodiments of the present disclosure are provided below. Note that headings or subheadings may be used in the examples for the convenience of the reader, but should in no way limit the scope of the present disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, technical and scientific terms used herein have the meanings commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this specification pertains. In the case of conflict, including definitions, the present document will control.

[0053] Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the principles disclosed herein. The features and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and the appended claims, or may be learned by practice of the principles described herein.

Claims

1. 1. A system for charging a battery, comprising: a power supply circuit including a converter portion for receiving a power signal, the power supply circuit further including a voltage booster portion; a reservoir capacitor in operative communication with the output of the booster portion of the power supply circuit, the reservoir capacitor and power supply circuit correcting power factor losses in the power signal during charging of an electrochemical device; an integrated direct current / direct current (DC / DC) converter and charge waveform shaping circuit for modifying the DC signal from the booster section into a shaped charge waveform for charging the electrochemical device; A system comprising:

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power signal is an alternating current (AC) power signal, the converter portion of the power supply circuit converts the power signal from the AC power signal to a direct current (DC) power signal, and the voltage booster portion increases the magnitude of the DC power signal.

3. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the shaped charging waveform comprises a body portion including a non-linear rising edge and a first non-sinusoidal charging current following the non-linear rising edge.

4. the integrated DC / DC converter and charge waveform shaping circuit a transformer in operative communication with the power supply circuit to receive the power signal; a switch in operative communication with the transformer; a processor in communication with the switch configured to execute instructions to control the switch to generate a series of pulses in the transformer to produce the shaped charging waveform; The system of claim 1 , comprising:

5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the storage capacitor, in addition to correcting the power factor loss, provides stored energy to the integrated DC / DC converter and charge waveform shaping circuit.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is in communication with a model of the transformer and is further configured to control the switch in response to activating the model.

7. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the integrated DC / DC converter and charge waveform shaping circuit comprises a buck circuit, and wherein converting the DC signal to the shaped charge waveform comprises reducing a voltage of the DC signal.

8. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the integrated DC / DC converter and charge waveform shaping circuit comprises a flyback circuit.

9. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a filter in operative communication with an output of the integrated DC / DC converter and charge waveform shaping circuit, the filter filtering out noise components of the shaped charge waveform.

10. 5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a diode in operative communication with an output of the transformer to provide the shaped charging waveform as a DC signal.

11. 1. A method for charging a battery, comprising: correcting a power factor of an alternating current (AC) component of an input power signal in a power supply circuit; converting the AC component of the input power signal into a direct current (DC) power signal in the power supply circuit; controlling a switch in communication with a processor executing instructions to generate a control signal, the switch operably connected to a transformer to receive and modify the DC power signal to create a shaped charging waveform to charge an electrochemical device; A method comprising:

12. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising filtering the shaped charging waveform from the transformer to remove noise components of the shaped charging waveform.

13. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the control signal comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for alternately opening and closing the switch to transmit the DC power signal to the transformer to create the shaped charging waveform.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the instructions for controlling the switch to produce the shaped charging waveform for charging an electrochemical device are further based on a model of the transformer.

15. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising increasing the voltage of the DC power signal via a boost circuit in communication with the power supply circuit, the transformer and the switch comprising a portion of the boost circuit.

16. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: reducing a voltage of the DC power signal through a buck circuit in communication with the power supply circuit, the transformer and the switch comprising a portion of the buck circuit.

17. a power supply that converts an alternating current (AC) power signal into a direct current (DC) input signal; a transformer including a first end in electrical communication with the power source and configured to receive the DC input signal; a switch in electrical communication with a second end of the transformer; a processor that executes instructions to control the switch to pull the DC input signal through the transformer, an output of the transformer providing a shaped charging waveform for charging an electrochemical device based on the control of the switch.

18. 20. The charging circuit of claim 17, wherein executing the instructions causes the processor to transmit a series of pulse width modulated signals to the switch to alternately open and close the switch and transmit the DC input signal to the transformer to produce the shaped charging waveform output from the transformer.

19. 18. The charging circuit of claim 17, wherein the power supply further comprises a power factor correction circuit including a reservoir capacitor and a boost converter circuit for increasing the voltage of the DC input signal.

20. 18. The charging circuit of claim 17, wherein the switch comprises a transistor including a first interface connected to the processor for receiving a control signal from the processor and a second interface connected to the transformer, the control signal comprising a pulse width modulated signal that generates a series of pulses in the transformer via the transistor.

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