Charger device for battery supported power supplies

• US 10,312,698 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2018
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Wagner, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Pacheco, Alexis B
• Application Number:
  US15/897,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20180191174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 320116, 320118, 320119, 320117, 320122, 320125, 320126, 320127, 320128
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0018 using separate charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A charger device comprises a sensor which is configured to measure a differential current as a difference between a first current through a first battery portion of a battery and a second current through a second battery portion of the battery. The sensor is configured to provide a current difference signal based on the measured differential current. The charger device further comprises a compensator configured to calculate a first current setpoint used for the first battery portion and a second current setpoint used for the second battery portion based on the current difference signal and a battery current setpoint. The charger device also comprises a controller configured to control charging and/or discharging of the first battery portion based on the first current setpoint and of the second battery portion based on the second current setpoint.

Claims

1. A power supply system, comprising:

a battery comprising a first battery portion and a second battery portion; and

a charger device comprising a sensor configured to measure a differential current as a difference between a first current through the first battery portion and a second current through the second battery portion and to provide a current difference signal based on the measured differential current, wherein the first battery portion and the second battery portion are centrally earthed;

the charger device further comprising a compensator configured to calculate a first current setpoint used for the first battery portion and a second current setpoint used for the second battery portion based on the current difference signal and a battery current setpoint;

the charger device further comprising a controller configured to control charging and/or discharging of the first battery portion based on the first current setpoint and of the second battery portion based on the second current setpoint, wherein the controller comprises a first portion charging device configured to control charging and/or discharging of the first battery portion based on the first current setpoint, and a second portion charging device configured to control charging and/or discharging of the second battery portion based on the second current setpoint;

wherein the charger device is configured to control charging and/or discharging of the battery.

2. A method for controlling charging and discharging of a battery, comprising:

measuring a differential current as a difference between a first current through a first battery portion of the battery and a second current through a second battery portion of the battery;

providing a current difference signal based on the differential current, wherein the first battery portion and the second battery portion are centrally earthed;

calculating a first current setpoint used for the first battery portion and a second current setpoint used for the second battery portion based on the current difference signal and a battery current setpoint;

controlling charging and/or discharging of the first battery portion based on the first current setpoint; and

controlling charging and/or discharging of the second battery portion based on the second current setpoint.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein calculating the first current setpoint and/or the second current setpoint is performed by a calculation selected from a proportional calculation, a proportional-integral calculation, a proportional-derivative calculation, and a proportional-integral-derivative calculation.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein calculating the first current setpoint and/or the second current setpoint is performed by integrating the current difference signal.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein calculating the first current setpoint and/or the second current setpoint is performed by a minimization control loop of the current difference signal.