Method and apparatus for charging batteries in a system of batteries
First Claim
1. A method of charging batteries in a system of batteries, the method comprising:
- producing a set of state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in said system;
successively identifying, from the state of charge signals, a most discharged battery in said system; and
applying a charging current to said most discharged battery for a at least part of a first period of time less than a period of time required to fully charge said most discharged battery before identifying a succeeding most discharged battery in said system.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for charging batteries in a system of batteries. The method and apparatus involve producing a set of state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in the system, successively identifying, from the state of charge signals, a most discharged battery in the system and applying a charging current to the most discharged battery for at least part of a first period of time less than a period of time required to fully charge the most discharged battery before identifying a succeeding most discharged battery in said system. The batteries are charged according to a dynamic charging sequence in which batteries are added into the charging sequence in order of increasing state of charge as batteries already in the charging sequence are charged to exceed the state of charge of a battery having the next higher state of charge relative to the state of charge of the batteries already in the charging sequence.
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Citations
78 Claims
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1. A method of charging batteries in a system of batteries, the method comprising:
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producing a set of state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in said system;
successively identifying, from the state of charge signals, a most discharged battery in said system; and
applying a charging current to said most discharged battery for a at least part of a first period of time less than a period of time required to fully charge said most discharged battery before identifying a succeeding most discharged battery in said system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An apparatus for charging batteries in a system of batteries, the apparatus comprising:
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a state of charge signal generator operable to produce state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in said system;
a power supply operable to produce a charging current;
a current distributor operable to selectively connect each battery in said system to said power supply in response to a control signal;
a controller configured to;
communicate with said state of charge signal generator to successively produce a set of said state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in said system;
successively identify, from said set of state of charge signals, a most discharged battery in said system; and
produce said control signal to cause said current distributor to selectively connect said most discharged battery to said power supply such that said most discharged battery receives said charging current from said power supply for at least part of a first period of time less than a period of time required to fully charge said most discharged battery, before identifying a succeeding most discharged battery in said system. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. An apparatus for charging batteries in a system of batteries, the apparatus comprising:
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means for producing a set of state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in said system;
means for successively identifying, from said state of charge signals, a most discharged battery in said system; and
means for applying a charging current to said most discharged battery for at least part of a first period of time less than a period of time required to fully charge said most discharged battery before identifying a succeeding most discharged battery in said system.
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76. In a charger for charging batteries in a system of batteries, where the charger comprises a state of charge signal generator operable to produce state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in said system, a controllable power supply operable to produce a charging current, a current distributor operable to selectively connect each battery in said system to said power supply in response to a control signal, and a controller operable to communicate with said state of charge signal generator, said power supply and said current distributor, a method of operating the controller, the method comprising:
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causing said controller to communicate with said state of charge signal generator to produce a set of said state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in said system;
causing said controller to successively identify, from said state of charge signals, a most discharged battery in said system; and
causing said controller to produce said control signal to cause said current distributor to selectively connect said most discharged battery to said power supply such that said most discharged battery receives said charging current from said power supply for at least part of a period of time less than a period of time required to fully charge said most discharged battery, before causing said controller to identify a succeeding most discharged battery in said system.
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77. A computer readable medium comprising codes for directing a controller in a charger for charging batteries in a system of batteries, where the charger comprises a state of charge signal generator operable to produce state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in said system, a controllable power supply operable to produce a charging current and a current distributor operable to selectively connect each battery in said system to said power supply in response to a control signal, and wherein the controller is operable to communicate with said state of charge signal generator, said power supply and said current distributor, the computer readable medium comprising codes readable by the controller for directing the controller to:
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communicate with said state of charge signal generator to successively produce a set of said state of charge signals indicative of the states of charge of each battery in said system;
successively identify, from said state of charge signals, a most discharged battery in said system; and
produce said control signal to cause said current distributor to selectively connect said most discharged battery to said power supply such that said most discharged battery receives charging current from said power supply for at least part of a period of time less than a period of time required to fully charge said most discharged battery, before causing said controller to identify a succeeding most discharged battery in said system.
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78. A method of charging a plurality of batteries, the method comprising charging said batteries according to a dynamic charging sequence in which batteries are added into the charging sequence in order of increasing state of charge as batteries or battery banks already in the charging sequence are charged to exceed the state of charge of a battery or battery bank having the next higher state of charge relative to the state of charge of the batteries already in the charging sequence.
Specification