Adaptable recharging and lighting station and methods of using the same
First Claim
1. A method of operating a charging system, comprising:
- a. identifying a chemical class of a plurality of batteries connected to battery receivers in said system, wherein said system includes a plurality of sensors in electronic communication with said battery receivers for measuring electrical characteristics of said plurality of batteries and a microprocessor operable to analyze said electrical characteristics of said plurality of batteries to determine (1) whether said plurality of batteries are of a same chemical class and (2) a particular chemical class of said same chemical class;
b. monitoring at least one electrical characteristic of at least one power generation device in electronic communication with said charging system;
c. monitoring voltages of said plurality of batteries; and
d. altering the configuration of said plurality of batteries between series and parallel configurations based on at least one of said at least one electrical characteristic of said at least one power generation device, said voltages of said plurality of batteries, and said particular chemical class of said plurality of batteries during charging of said batteries.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention includes self-contained, rechargeable power systems for areas having unreliable electrical grids or no electrical grid at all, and methods related thereto. The system may include one or more solar panels of various sizes to provide an off-grid power generation source, battery receivers for receiving batteries of various chemistries, and a control circuitry that is operable to detect the voltage and/or current output of the batteries that are installed in the system to determine their specific battery chemistry and then adjust the charge algorithm of the batteries to optimize both the charge capacity and the cycle life of the batteries. The control circuitry may also be operable to switch configurations of the solar panels and/or the batteries to optimize performance of the system. The system may be operable to power one or more light emitters and/or external electronic devices connected through the system by a charge port.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of operating a charging system, comprising:
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a. identifying a chemical class of a plurality of batteries connected to battery receivers in said system, wherein said system includes a plurality of sensors in electronic communication with said battery receivers for measuring electrical characteristics of said plurality of batteries and a microprocessor operable to analyze said electrical characteristics of said plurality of batteries to determine (1) whether said plurality of batteries are of a same chemical class and (2) a particular chemical class of said same chemical class; b. monitoring at least one electrical characteristic of at least one power generation device in electronic communication with said charging system; c. monitoring voltages of said plurality of batteries; and d. altering the configuration of said plurality of batteries between series and parallel configurations based on at least one of said at least one electrical characteristic of said at least one power generation device, said voltages of said plurality of batteries, and said particular chemical class of said plurality of batteries during charging of said batteries. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification