DC POWER CONTROL TO MAXIMIZE BATTERY CHARGING TIME

• US 20090295330A1
• Filed: 05/28/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Reliance Incorporated (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Reliance Incorporated (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Li, Fu Yu, Chen, Kalvin
• Granted Patent: US 9,007,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/124
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for managing the batteries and the power source as a single combined output to power the load, allowing the system to use power source with reduced maximum power output, reducing system cost and complexity. Furthermore, the switch matrix controller efficiently and dynamically manages the internal power transfer to minimize the charging/discharging cycle of the batteries while ensuring that the power source and the batteries meet changing load power demand. Finally, maximizing charging time and having independent control of each battery increase power efficiency, prolong the operational life of the battery, and increase overall system life.

Claims

1. A switch matrix power control system comprising:

a charge switch between a power source and a battery;

a charge control circuit coupled to the charge switch to selectively transfer power from the power source to the battery;

a discharge switch between the battery and a load;

a discharge control circuit coupled to the discharge switch to selectively transfer power from the battery to the load;

a direct output switch between the power source and the load; and

an output control circuit coupled to the direct output switch to selectively transfer power from the power source to the load.

2. The switch matrix power control system of claim 1, wherein the transfer of power from the battery to the load is combinable with the transfer of power from the power source to the load.

3. The switch matrix power control system of claim 1, further comprising a voltage comparator and a voltage reference coupled to the discharge control circuit to compare a voltage at the load against the voltage reference for starting the transfer of power from the battery to the load.

4. The switch matrix power control system of claim 1, wherein the charge switch is in the opposite state from the discharge switch.

5. The switch matrix power control system of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a plurality of batteries.

6. The switch matrix power control system of claim 5, wherein the charge switch and the discharge switch each comprises a plurality of switches corresponding to the plurality of batteries.

7. The switch matrix power control system of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of voltage comparators and a plurality of voltage references coupled to the discharge control circuit to compare a voltage at the load against the plurality of voltage references for starting the transfer of power from the corresponding batteries to the load.

8. The switch matrix power control system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of charge switches is in the opposite state from the corresponding plurality of discharge switches for the plurality of batteries.

9. The switch matrix power control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage comparator and a first voltage reference coupled to the discharge control circuit to compare a voltage at the load against the first voltage reference for terminating the transfer of power from the battery to the load;

a voltage comparator and a second voltage reference coupled to the charge control circuit to compare a voltage at the power source against the second voltage reference for protecting the battery against excessively high power source voltage; and

a voltage comparator and a third voltage reference coupled to the output control circuit to compare a voltage at the power source against the third voltage reference for protecting the load against excessively high power source voltage.

10. The switch matrix power control system of claim 1, further comprising a reset circuit coupled to the discharge control circuit to generate a periodic signal to terminate the transfer of power from the battery to the load.

11. A power control system comprising:

a first switch coupled between a power source and a load;

a second switch coupled between the power source and a battery source;

a third switch coupled between the load and the battery source; and

a first detector coupled to the load to determine whether power supplied to the load is from the power source, the battery source, or a combination of the power and battery source.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a second detector coupled to the power source to determine whether power from the power source is supplied to the battery source, the load, or both.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a charge control circuit coupled between the second switch and the power source;

a discharge control circuit coupled between the third switch and the load; and

an output control circuit coupled between the first switch and the power source.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a reset circuit coupled between the charge and discharge control circuits.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the second and third switches are complementary.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the battery source comprises a plurality of batteries.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second and third switches each comprise a plurality of switches corresponding to the plurality of batteries.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a charge control circuit coupled between the second switch and the power source to independently control the plurality of second switches;

a discharge control circuit coupled between the third switch and the load to independently control the plurality of third switches; and

an output control circuit coupled between the first switch and the power source to control the first switch.

19. A method of managing power to a load comprising:

determining a voltage required by the load;

supplying the voltage from a power source if the power source is sufficient to supply the voltage; and

supplying the voltage from the power source and a battery source if the power source is insufficient to supply the voltage.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a voltage from the power source; and

pulse charging the battery source from the power source if the voltage from the power source is higher than a reference voltage for the battery source.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a voltage from the load; and

terminating the supplying of voltage from the battery source if the voltage from the load is below a reference voltage for the battery source.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a voltage from the power source; and

pulsing the voltage from the power source to the load if the voltage from the power source is higher than a reference voltage.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising charging the battery source from the power source unless voltage from the battery source is needed for the load.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the battery source comprises a plurality of batteries.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising selectively discharging one or more of the plurality of batteries based on the voltage required by the load.