Charger and charge control method
First Claim
1. A charger, comprising:
- a mounting part configured to mount a rechargeable battery;
an acquisition part configured to acquire a charged quantity of the rechargeable battery mounted on the mounting part;
a port part to which cables transmitting electric power are connectable;
a switcher configured to switch transmission status of the electric power through the cables;
a discharger configured to consume the electric power by discharging; and
a controller configured to control the switcher and the discharger based on the charged quantity acquired by the acquisition part,the charger being configured such that multiple chargers can be connected in series through the cables, the cables including a first cable and a second cable,the port part including an upstream port and a downstream port, the upstream port being connectable with a power source or an upstream charger which is another charger of the multiple chargers arranged on a power source side through the first cable, the downstream port being connectable with a downstream charger which is another charger of the multiple chargers arranged on a side farther from the power source through the second cable,the cables being configured to transmit the electric power, the cables being further configured to transmit information among controllers of respective ones of the multiple chargers,the information including request information for feed/reception of the electric power with respect to the rechargeable battery depending on the charged quantity of the rechargeable battery,wherein the controller is configured to control, depending on the charged quantity of the rechargeable battery and the request information, the switcher and the discharger to execute one of;
at least one of charging the rechargeable battery with the electric power received from one of the power source, the upstream charger and the downstream charger through the corresponding one of the first cable and the second cable, and consuming the electric power as received by the discharger; and
at least one of transmitting the electric power of the rechargeable battery to one of the upstream charger and the downstream charger through the corresponding one of the first cable or the second cable, and consuming the electric power of the rechargeable battery by the discharger.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A charger mounting a rechargeable battery includes a switcher configured to switch transmission status of electric power through cables connected to an upstream port and/or downstream port, and a discharger configured to consume the electric power by discharging. The controller is configured to control, depending on charged quantity of the rechargeable battery and request information for feed/reception of the electric power, the switcher and the discharger to execute one of: at least one of charging the rechargeable battery with the electric power received from one of the power source, the upstream charger and the downstream charger through a cable, and consuming the electric power as received by the discharger; and at least one of transmitting the electric power of the rechargeable battery to one of the upstream charger and the downstream charger through a cable, and consuming the electric power of the rechargeable battery by the discharger.
22 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A charger, comprising:
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a mounting part configured to mount a rechargeable battery; an acquisition part configured to acquire a charged quantity of the rechargeable battery mounted on the mounting part; a port part to which cables transmitting electric power are connectable; a switcher configured to switch transmission status of the electric power through the cables; a discharger configured to consume the electric power by discharging; and a controller configured to control the switcher and the discharger based on the charged quantity acquired by the acquisition part, the charger being configured such that multiple chargers can be connected in series through the cables, the cables including a first cable and a second cable, the port part including an upstream port and a downstream port, the upstream port being connectable with a power source or an upstream charger which is another charger of the multiple chargers arranged on a power source side through the first cable, the downstream port being connectable with a downstream charger which is another charger of the multiple chargers arranged on a side farther from the power source through the second cable, the cables being configured to transmit the electric power, the cables being further configured to transmit information among controllers of respective ones of the multiple chargers, the information including request information for feed/reception of the electric power with respect to the rechargeable battery depending on the charged quantity of the rechargeable battery, wherein the controller is configured to control, depending on the charged quantity of the rechargeable battery and the request information, the switcher and the discharger to execute one of; at least one of charging the rechargeable battery with the electric power received from one of the power source, the upstream charger and the downstream charger through the corresponding one of the first cable and the second cable, and consuming the electric power as received by the discharger; and at least one of transmitting the electric power of the rechargeable battery to one of the upstream charger and the downstream charger through the corresponding one of the first cable or the second cable, and consuming the electric power of the rechargeable battery by the discharger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A charge control method of controlling a charger, the charger having a mounting part configured to mount a rechargeable battery, an acquisition part configured to acquire a charged quantity of the rechargeable battery mounted on the mounting part, a port part to which cables transmitting electric power are connectable, a switcher configured to switch transmission status of the electric power through the cables, a discharger configured to consume the electric power by discharging, and a controller configured to control the switcher and the discharger based on the charged quantity acquired by the acquisition part, the charger being configured such that multiple chargers can be connected in series through the cables which include a first cable and a second cable, the port part including an upstream port and a downstream port, the upstream port being connectable with a power source or an upstream charger which is another charger of the multiple chargers arranged on a power source side through the first cable, the downstream port being connectable with a downstream charger which is another charger of the multiple chargers arranged on a side farther from the power source through the second cable, the cables being configured to transmit the electric power, the cables being further configured to transmit information among controllers of respective ones of the multiple chargers, the information including request information for feed/reception of the electric power with respect to the rechargeable battery depending on the charged quantity of the rechargeable battery,
the method causing the controller to control, depending on the charged quantity of the rechargeable battery and the request information, the switcher and the discharger to execute one of: -
at least one of charging the rechargeable battery with the electric power received from one of the power source, the upstream charger and the downstream charger through the corresponding one of the first cable or the second cable, and consuming the electric power as received by the discharger; and at least one of transmitting the electric power of the rechargeable battery to one of the upstream charger and the downstream charger through the corresponding one of the first cable or the second cable, and consuming the electric power of the rechargeable battery by the discharger. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification