CELL MONITORING AND BALANCING
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack, said method comprising:
- monitoring a voltage potential for each of a plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing a single channel of a battery control unit within the battery pack;
discontinuing current flow from battery pack when the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage during discharge of the battery pack; and
reducing the voltage potential stored in any one or more of the cells when a voltage differential between the respective one or more cells and any other one of the cells having a lesser voltage potential is determined by the battery control unit to exceed a predetermined maximum differential during charging of the battery pack.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack is provided. The method may include monitoring a voltage potential for each of a plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing a single channel of battery control unit within the battery pack. If, during discharge of the battery, e.g., the battery is being used to power a hand tool, the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage, the battery control unit discontinues a current flow from battery pack to the tool. Additionally, during charging of the battery pack, if a voltage differential between any one of the cells and any other one of the cells is determined to be above a predetermined maximum differential, the battery control unit reduces the voltage potential stored in the cell having the higher voltage potential.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack, said method comprising:
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monitoring a voltage potential for each of a plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing a single channel of a battery control unit within the battery pack; discontinuing current flow from battery pack when the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage during discharge of the battery pack; and reducing the voltage potential stored in any one or more of the cells when a voltage differential between the respective one or more cells and any other one of the cells having a lesser voltage potential is determined by the battery control unit to exceed a predetermined maximum differential during charging of the battery pack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A cell monitoring circuit for a battery pack having a plurality of battery cells contained therein, comprising:
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a plurality of cell monitoring circuits, each cell monitoring circuit is configured to measure voltage across a different one of the battery cells and output a voltage measure to a measurement node common to the plurality of cell monitoring circuits; a multiplexer controller coupled to each of the cell monitoring circuits and operable to select a voltage measure from at least one of the cell monitoring circuits to present at the measurement node; and a battery control unit in data communication with the multiplexer controller and having an input coupled to the measurement node to receive a voltage measure therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification