1837 results about "Charge controller" patented technology

A system, method and apparatus for contact-less charging of battery operated devices, including a host charger with a power converter and resonant tank circuit and a portable device where the battery is located, with a battery charging control IC, wherein the method obviates the need for a voltage controller in each of both the host and the portable stages. The charging of the battery in the portable device is controlled by a charging controller therein, which is in continual electric communication with the host, whose output power the control IC dynamically monitors and controls. In one embodiment, component count is minimized but battery charging is not optimized when the battery voltage is very low. In the other embodiment, charging efficiency is maximized regardless of the output voltage of the battery.

Disclosed is a maximum power point tracking charge controller for double layer capacitors intended for uses with non-ideal power sources such as photovoltaics.

A system, method and apparatus for contact-less charging of battery operated devices is presented. There is a host charger with a power converter and resonant tank circuit and a portable device where the battery is located, with a battery charging control IC. The method obviates the need for a voltage controller in each of both the host and the portable stages, thus decreasing complexity and increasing efficiency. The charging of the battery in the portable device is controlled by a charging controller therein, which is in continual electric communication with the host, whose output power the control IC dynamically monitors and controls. Two embodiments for the charging circuitry in the portable device are presented. In one embodiment component count is minimized but battery charging is not optimized when the battery voltage is very low. In the other embodiment charging efficiency is maximized regardless of the output voltage of the battery, but additional components are utilized.

A system for charging batteries of electric vehicles from public fixtures such as street lights and parking meters includes modifying the fixture to convert it to a vehicle battery charging station using a power interface module having a novel keyed electrical power output receptacle connectable to power mains powering the fixture. The system includes a complementarily coded, keyed plug which must be inserted into the power output receptacle to access electrical power from the receptacle, the plug being located at the input end of vehicle charger cable terminated at output end thereof by a vehicle-mounted charge control system which will actuate a charging current contactor permitting charging current to flow from the receptacle to batteries within the vehicle only if a pre-paid charge authorization payment device, such as a magnetically or electronically encoded charge card is inserted into a charger station access enable device such as card reader mounted in the vehicle.

The present invention relates to a wireless charging system for an electric vehicle and to a charging method for same, in which electric power is wirelessly supplied to the electric vehicle through a plurality of wireless transceiving panels to charge a battery, and only the wireless transceiving panel that is opposite the electric vehicle at an optimum condition in consideration of the type and parked position of the vehicle selectively operates to perform a wireless transceiving operation, thereby maximizing wireless charging efficiency. For this purpose, the present invention provides a wireless charging system for an electric vehicle and a charging method for same, wherein the wireless charging system comprises: a power control device installed in a wireless charging station to control each wireless power-transmitting device; a wireless power-transmitting device and a ground near field wireless communication module, which are installed in a parking area; a plurality of wireless power-transmitting devices installed on the ground of the parking area to select and operate a portion of wireless transmitting panels opposite the vehicle in accordance with electric vehicle charging information; a plurality of wireless receiving panels installed in the lower portion of the electric vehicle such that the panels are movable in the upward and downward directions; and a wireless power receiver, a wireless charging terminal, a near field communication module and a charge controller installed within the electric vehicle, thereby performing optimized wireless charging in accordance with the selection of a driver made via the wireless charging terminal.

A charge controller for charging a battery of a plug-in vehicle with a plurality of electric power sources includes: a driving route estimation element; an estimated electric power consumption amount calculator; a weather information obtaining element; a sunshine information obtaining element; a solar photovoltaic generation electric power amount calculator; an electric power shortage amount calculator for calculating an electric power shortage amount when the solar photovoltaic generation electric power amount is smaller than an estimated electric power consumption amount; a charge schedule preparation element for preparing a charge schedule, which represents a first charge time for charging the battery with a solar photovoltaic generation system and a second charge time for charging the battery by the electric power shortage amount with another electric power source; and a charge control element for controlling to charge the battery according to the charge schedule.

A power management topology for portable electronic devices that includes a feed-enabled AC/DC adapter that receives feedback data from a charge controller associated with the portable device. The feedback data can include battery charging current, battery voltage, or power requirements of the portable device. Using the feedback data, the external AC/DC adapter can adjust the DC output to meet the charging requirement of the battery and/or the power requirements of the portable device.

A charging controller for charging a secondary battery by a dc source has a consumption current detector detecting a consumption current of a load; a charging current detector detecting a charging current to the secondary battery; a charging voltage detector detecting a charging voltage to the secondary battery, a function-processor to which detection outputs from the consumption current detector, the charging current detector, and the charging voltage detector are provided, respectively, anda charging control circuit controlling a charging output to the secondary battery, based on calculation results by the function-processor such that driving the load and charging are simultaneously executed within the ratings of the dc source.

A solar powered sign annunciator comprised of a plurality of high intensity light emitting diodes (LED); a microprocessor controller to regulate power consumption and annunciator characteristics, battery charging and sensor response with an integrated software charge controller; a minimalized solar panel array sized to produce sufficient power for battery charging under normalized solar radiation to latitudes as far north as 45 degrees; a direction sensing Doppler radar to determine the approach of traffic; a low voltage battery to minimize power control losses to the LED array; a temperature sensor to determine proper charging battery status and battery capacity; and a plurality of analog to digital (A/D) converters incorporated in the microprocessor to sense solar power output, temperature input, battery voltage and charging current and Doppler phase shift differential. The system also includes a housing arrangement to incorporate all aforementioned items in a weathertight enclosure providing sufficient horizontal surface for solar cell attachment yet in a package compact enough to easily attach to existing designed signs.

A battery-powered runway-based aircraft identification system includes a frangibly mounted image capture and communication subsystem adjacent to an airport runway. A power supply subsystem adjacent to the frangibly mounted image capture and communication subsystem is operably coupled to the frangibly mounted image capture and communication subsystem and configured to controllably supply electrical power to the frangibly mounted image capture and communication subsystem. The power supply subsystem includes at least one frangibly mounted solar panel operably coupled to a deep cycle battery and charge controller. A remote base station configured for wireless communication with the frangibly mounted image capture and communication subsystem monitors charge status of the battery and determines an aircraft identification from the frangibly mounted image capture and communication subsystem.

A battery charging circuit comprising: a semiconductor switch having an output connected to a rechargeable battery; a battery charge controller for receiving power from an external source, and supplying output power to a portable device and the input of the semiconductor switch, the current output of the battery charge controller being controllable; and a voltage sensing circuit for: measuring the voltage drop across the battery charge controller; and responding to the voltage drop across the battery charge controller by modulating the semiconductor switch to reduce the quantity of current supplied to the rechargeable battery when the voltage drop is too great; whereby the total power dissipated by the battery charge controller is controlled, the portable device receiving the power it needs to operate and the rechargeable battery receiving any additional available power.

An inductive battery charging system for a handheld service tool is provided. The system includes a battery charger and a handheld service tool. The battery charger has a primary coil enclosed within a housing, and which is coupled to a power source. The service tool includes a secondary coil, enclosed within a housing, that provides at least 100 mA of inductively-generated alternating current, a rectifier, a linear voltage regulator, a battery charge controller and a battery.

A charger for a secondary battery including a positive electrode, a negative electrode including lithium-containing silicon represented by the composition formula Li_xSi, and an electrolyte. This charger includes: (1) a voltage detector that detects voltage of the secondary battery that is being charged; and (2) a charge controller that calculates the value x in Li_xSi included in the secondary battery from an output of the voltage detector and stops the charging of the secondary battery when the calculated value x reaches a predetermined threshold value. The charge controller has at least one settable threshold value including a first threshold value, and the first threshold value is 2.33 or less. The use of this charger makes it possible to charge the secondary battery such that it has a high capacity, or a higher capacity if necessary, without accelerating the deterioration of cycle life.

The described method and system allows for the utilization of a telematics unit on a telematics-equipped vehicle to prevent the unauthorized discharge of a vehicle battery. A user may communicate an authorization request for allowing discharge of the vehicle battery through a telematics unit or telematics service provider (TSP) call center. If approved by the TSP call enter or telematics unit, an authorization, which may include an authorization code, is communicated to a charge controller which controls the discharge of the vehicle battery. Alternatively, the user may communicate an authorization code directly to the telematics unit which passes it on to the charge controller for approval.

A lithium oxygen cell system (10) includes a battery cell (15), a containment vessel (106) having an air inlet conduit (114) and an air outlet conduit (112). An access control valve (101), a one way check valve (102), a H₂O scrubber (103) and a CO₂ scrubber (104) are mounted within inlet conduit. A one way check valve (107) and a forced air device (108) are mounted within outlet conduit. A charge controller (109) is coupled to battery and to the air device. The pair of one way check valves insure that the inside of the containment vessel (106) may be sealed. The system further includes a safety controller (111) coupled to an environmental sensor (110), and to control valve (101). When an unsafe temperature or pressure condition is detected, it closes control valve to shut down operation of the battery and thereby prevent a catastrophic event.

A method of controlling electrical energy in a battery-powered vehicle wherein the vehicle includes a battery and a traction motor is provided. The method includes electrically coupling an external source of electrical energy to a unitary, integrated traction motor controller/vehicle battery charge controller positioned on-board the vehicle, controlling electrical energy flow to a vehicle battery with the unitary, integrated traction motor controller/vehicle battery charge controller during a charging period, and controlling electrical energy flow to a vehicle traction motor that is operable to propel the vehicle with the unitary, integrated traction motor controller/vehicle battery charge controller during a transport period.

When the charge level of a fully-charged rechargeable battery decreases due to quiescent power drain, in order to recharge it is necessary for the user to pick up and again place the mobile device in which the rechargeable battery is inserted onto a charging apparatus and issue instructions to start recharging. To address this issue, a charging controller applies control to disconnect a capacitor from a receiver coil with a switch in the case where the charge level of a rechargeable battery is equal to or greater than a given threshold value, and additionally applies control to connect the capacitor to the receiver coil with the switch in the case where the charge level of the rechargeable battery is less than the threshold value.