Intelligent Adaptive Energy Management System and Method for Using
First Claim
1. A battery cell management system comprising:
- a cell condition monitoring unit for measuring the condition of the cell;
a charging module operatively connected to the cell adapted to selectively charge the cell; and
a control unit adapted to receive data from the cell condition monitoring unit and to control the charge produced by said charging module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intelligent adaptive energy management system and method that manages the charge and discharge process as well as the environmental quality of the energy resource to maximize its safety and its energy output. The system includes multiple features that may be used alone or in combination. One feature includes one or more sensors capable of measuring various characteristics of the battery cells and their environment such as cell temperature, rate of rise in cell temperature, cell voltage, cell density, cell internal resistance and cell shape deformation. The sensors communicate the measured data to a controller which controls activities such as cell charging, cell discharging, cell balancing, and/or cell availability to provide energy to the device served. Another feature includes a charging module in communication with the controller adapted to provide varying types and/or durations and/or amplitudes of the charge to the cells. Another feature includes a discharge system and methodology in communication with the controller that employs at least one first battery cell and at least two second battery cells adapted to work together in a complementary manner. Another feature includes an active cell balance system and methodology for balancing battery cells. Circuitry, firmware, and programmable software may be used to implement and control the above systems and methodologies to push energy resource capacity beyond its normal limits in a safe and predictable manner.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. A battery cell management system comprising:
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a cell condition monitoring unit for measuring the condition of the cell; a charging module operatively connected to the cell adapted to selectively charge the cell; and a control unit adapted to receive data from the cell condition monitoring unit and to control the charge produced by said charging module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A battery cell balancing system for balancing voltages among a first plurality of cells using a second cell, said system comprising:
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a cell condition monitoring unit for measuring the voltage of the first plurality of cells and the second cell; a plurality of switches each having an open position where current is allowed to pass and a closed position where current is not allowed to pass, wherein one switch is located between each of the first plurality of cells and the second cell to selectively allow current to pass between any one of the first plurality of cells and the second cell; a control unit adapted to receive data from the cell condition monitoring unit, use that data to determine whether the cells in the first plurality of cells are balanced, and control the opening and closing of the plurality of switches. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for balancing battery cells comprising:
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a first plurality of cells in series; a second cell selectively in parallel with each cell in said first plurality of cells; a charging module for selectively connecting said second cell in parallel with at least one of said cells in said first plurality of cells; a voltage detector for detecting the voltage in each of said cells; a controller connected to said charging module, wherein the charging module selectively connects said second cell in parallel with one of said first plurality of cells until said first plurality of cells are operatively balanced in response to an imbalance of voltage among each said first plurality of cells. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A system for controlling battery discharge comprising:
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a first battery having a plurality of cells; a second battery having a plurality of cells in parallel with said first battery pack; a third battery having a plurality of cells in parallel with said first and second battery pack; a voltage detector for monitoring the voltage of each of said cells in said batteries; and a controller for selectively rotating discharge among the first and second batteries, wherein the discharging battery is the active battery and the other battery is the idle battery, wherein as one of said first and second batteries is discharging, the idle battery is being charged by said third battery. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for balancing a plurality of series connected battery cells and a selectively connected parallel battery cell comprising the steps of:
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sensing a voltage of said parallel cell; sensing voltages of said series connected cells; recognizing the voltages of the series connected cells are not balanced; determining whether the voltage of the parallel cell is greater than the highest voltage of the series connected cells; and charging the series cells with the parallel cell until voltages of the series cells are substantially balanced. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A method for preventing battery cell failure with an intelligent microcomputer and adaptive control logic adapted to receive cell condition data from safety sensors comprising the steps of:
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storing default limits for the cell; receiving initial data from the safety sensors and associating said data with the cell in new condition; updating the initial data with current data from the safety sensors; comparing said current data with said default limits; isolating the cell before the cell enters an unsafe state. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for charging a battery cell using an intelligent microcomputer and an adaptive controller capable of storing a history of cell health data received from a plurality of sensors comprising the steps of:
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measuring current cell health data with the plurality of sensors; comparing the cell health data with historical cell health data; calculating an optimum charge based on compared data; sending a charge to the cell based on said calculated value; and modifying the charge based on changing conditions of the cell. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A computer enabled method for protecting battery health comprising the steps of:
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recognizing that the battery is connected to a device adapted to produce charges including constant current, pulse and flutter; measuring battery health conditions; predicting based on battery health conditions when the battery is going to enter unsafe conditions; and aborting charging before the battery enters unsafe conditions.
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61. A battery cell management system comprising:
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a cell condition monitoring unit for measuring the condition of the cell; a charging module operatively connected to the cell adapted to selectively charge the cell; and a control unit adapted to receive data from the cell condition monitoring unit and use that data to determine future conditions inside the cell, said control unit also adapted to control the charge produced by said charging module in response to determined future conditions.
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62. A system for controlling battery discharge comprising:
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a first battery; a second battery in parallel with said first battery pack; a controller for selectively rotating discharge among the first and second batteries.
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Specification