Portable Power Station Current Sharing for Battery Capacity Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current portable power station systems face challenges in efficiently managing battery usage when multiple units are connected in parallel, leading to uneven battery discharge and reduced overall system efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A battery capacity controller (BCC) is implemented to manage the output current of each portable power station unit by transmitting battery capacity measures and control coefficients, allowing for strategies like battery balancing, extension, and balancing and extension combined, to optimize discharge and extend battery life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If multiple PPS units are connected in parallel without centralized battery capacity control, then higher output power and longer battery life are achieved, but uneven battery discharge occurs and overall system efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutput powerVSAvoidsystem efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The BCC implements continuous monitoring of battery capacity measures from each PPS unit and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust control coefficients. This closed-loop control ensures that each unit's battery discharge is optimized in real-time, preventing uneven discharge while maintaining high output power capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The BCC acts as a centralized intermediary controller that coordinates between multiple PPS units. It receives battery capacity information from each unit, processes this data according to control strategies, and distributes control coefficients back to individual units, enabling balanced operation without requiring direct peer-to-peer communication between PPS units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Duration of action of stationary object

If multiple PPS units are connected in parallel without centralized battery capacity control, then higher output power and longer battery life are achieved, but uneven battery discharge occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery lifeVSAvoidbattery capacity balance

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The BCC continuously monitors battery capacity measures from each PPS unit and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust control coefficients. This closed-loop control ensures that each unit's battery discharge is optimized in real-time, preventing uneven discharge while maintaining high output power capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies differentiated control coefficients to each PPS unit based on its individual battery capacity status. Instead of uniform control, each unit receives customized control parameters tailored to its specific battery state, enabling precise local optimization of discharge rates while maintaining overall system coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Duration of action of stationary object

If battery capacity control strategies are implemented to balance discharge, then battery life is extended and capacity relationships are maintained, but control system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery lifeVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements multiple battery capacity control strategies (BBC, BXC, BBXC) that can be selected based on operational requirements. These strategies dynamically adjust control coefficients as parameters, allowing the system to adapt its complexity level and control approach according to the specific operational context and battery states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20240012057A1Battery capacity controller for multiple portable power stations

Publication Date: 2024.01.11 QUEENS UNIV

AI summary

Methods and controllers manage battery capacities of two or more portable power station (PPS) units connected together in a parallel arrangement to produce a total output current, wherein a first PPS unit operates as a voltage source and each of a second or more PPS unit operates as a current source. Each PPS unit communicates with a battery capacity controller (BCC) wherein each PPS transmits a battery capacity measure to the BCC at selected time intervals. The BCC uses the battery capacity measures to implement a battery capacity control strategy that determines the amount of output current each of the second or more PPS units contributes to the total output current at each time interval. The BCC transmits a control coefficient to each of the second or more PPS units corresponding to the determined amount of output current to be produced by each of the second or more PPS units.