Method and system for managing battery power

• US 20050236901A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Trail Blazer Production Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Energy & Engine Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Wurtele, Roger N., Killian, Daniel J., Brown, Nathaniel D., Pereira, Fernando A.
• Application Number:
  US11/166,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20050236901A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

An exchanger switch for use with a plurality of batteries that extends the useful, life of the batteries. In a generator, a first battery can provide power to an external load while also providing power to recharge a second battery. When the first battery is depleted to a certain voltage level, the exchanger switch is activated and the second battery can begin providing power to the external load. The exchanger switch also directs a portion of the power from the second battery to recharging the first battery. The exchanger switch allows the generator to continue providing power to the external load without interruption. Using the batteries as alternating power sources allows the exchanger switch to increase the useful life of the batteries.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method for managing the use of a battery comprising the steps of:

receiving a first direct current from the battery;

converting the first direct current to an alternating current;

converting a portion of the alternating current to a second direct current; and

supplying the second direct current to the battery.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of

supplying the second direct current to an exchanger switch for delivering the second direct current to a second battery.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of supplying a second portion of the alternating current to an external load.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of supplying the portion of the alternating current to a transformer before converting the portion of the alternating current to a second direct current.

32. A system for managing the use of a first battery and a second battery comprising:

an inverter operable for receiving a first direct current from the first battery and providing an alternating current to a switch, the switch operable for directing a first portion of the alternating current to an external load and directing a second portion of the alternating current to a transformer;

a rectifier operable for converting the second portion of the alternating current received from the transformer to a second direct current; and

an exchanger switch operable for directing the second direct current to the second battery.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the exchanger switch is further operable for altering the direction of the second direct current to the first battery.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the exchanger switch is further operable for altering the direction of the second direct current to the first battery upon the voltage of the first battery reaching a certain level.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the exchanger switch is further operable for receiving the first direct current from the second battery and supplying the first direct current to the inverter.

36. A system for managing the use of a first battery and a second battery comprising:

an inverter operable for receiving a first direct current from the first battery and providing an alternating current to a switch, the switch operable for directing a portion of the alternating current to a transformer;

a rectifier operable for converting the portion of the alternating current received from the transformer to a second direct current; and

an exchanger switch operable for directing the second direct current to the second battery.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the exchanger switch is further operable for altering the direction of the second direct current to the first battery.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the exchanger switch is further operable for altering the direction of the second direct current to the first battery upon the voltage of the first battery reaching a certain level.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the inverter is operable for receiving the fist direct current from the first battery for a period of time and upon completion of the period of time receiving the first direct current from the second battery.