Method and apparatus for smart battery charging

• US 20100253290A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Hammerstrom, Donald J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A method for managing the charging and discharging of batteries wherein at least one battery is connected to a battery charger, the battery charger is connected to a power supply. A plurality of controllers in communication with one and another are provided, each of the controllers monitoring a subset of input variables. A set of charging constraints may then generated for each controller as a function of the subset of input variables. A set of objectives for each controller may also be generated. A preferred charge rate for each controller is generated as a function of either the set of objectives, the charging constraints, or both, using an algorithm that accounts for each of the preferred charge rates for each of the controllers and/or that does not violate any of the charging constraints. A current flow between the battery and the battery charger is then provided at the actual charge rate.

Claims

1. A method for managing the charging and discharging of batteries comprising the steps of:

a. connecting at least one battery to a battery charger,

b. connecting the battery charger to a power supply,

c. providing a plurality of controllers in communication with one and another, each of said controllers monitoring a subset of input variables,

d. generating a set of charging constraints for each controller as a function of the subset of input variables monitored by that controller,

e. defining an actual charge rate falling within all of the sets of charging constraints generated by each of said controllers,

f. providing a current flow between said battery and said battery charger at the actual charge rate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of monitoring includes at least one input variable from the condition of the electrical power received from the power supply selected from the group electrical frequency, variability of the electrical frequency, rate of change of the electrical frequency, electrical voltage potential, variability of the electrical voltage potential, rate of change of the electrical voltage potential, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the communication between the plurality of controllers through a shared electrical signal, the magnitude of the signal capable of being limited by each controller'"'"'s charging constraints, and the magnitude of the signal representing the actual charge rate.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of generating the controller'"'"'s actual charge rate by

a. monitoring the actual charge rate over time,

b. inferring the charging constraints generated by other controllers, and

c. using the inferred information to generate an actual charge rate.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of generating a set of charging constraints for each controller as a function of the subset of input variables, said charging constraints selected from the group of protecting the battery;

protecting the battery charger;

protecting the site'"'"'s electrical power supply;

the interests of the site owner;

the interests of the battery charger system owner;

protecting the equipment that resides electrically upstream of the site;

the operational interests of an electrical service provider, the contractual interests of an electrical service provider, the preferential interests of an electrical service provider; and

combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of controllers are provided as residing at the battery or batteries, at the battery charger, at a battery management module, at a user interface, at the power supply, at a location upstream electrically from the power supply, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 further wherein the battery is provided as residing on a mobile vehicle and the power supply is provided as a stationary power supply.

8. A method for managing the charging and discharging of batteries comprising the steps of:

a. connecting at least one battery to a battery charger,

b. connecting the battery charger to a power supply,

c. providing a plurality of controllers in communication with one and another, each of said controllers monitoring a subset of input variables,

d. identifying a set of objectives for each controller,

e. generating a preferred charge rate for each controller as a function of the set of objectives and the subset of input variables monitored by each controller,

f. defining an actual charge rate using an algorithm that accounts for each of the preferred charge rates,

g. providing a current flow between said battery and said battery charger at the actual charge rate.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of monitoring includes at least one input variable from the condition of the electrical power received from the power supply selected from the group electrical frequency, variability of the electrical frequency, rate of change of the electrical frequency, electrical voltage potential, variability of the electrical voltage potential, rate of change of the electrical voltage potential, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of defining an actual charge rate is by calculating a weighted average of the preferred charge rates that have been generated by the plurality of controllers and assigning said weighted average to the actual charge rate.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing the communication between the plurality of controllers through a shared electrical signal, the magnitude of the signal capable of being influenced by each controller'"'"'s preferred charge rate, and the magnitude of the signal representing the actual charge rate.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of generating a controller'"'"'s preferred charge rate by

a. monitoring the actual charge rate over time,

b. inferring the preferred charge rates generated by other controllers, and

c. using the inferred information to generate a preferred charge rate.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of identifying the set of objectives for each controller as a function of the subset of input variables, said set of objectives selected from the group of protecting the battery;

protecting the battery charger;

protecting the site'"'"'s electrical power supply;

the interests of the site owner;

the interests of the battery charger system owner;

protecting the equipment that resides electrically upstream of the site;

the operational interests of an electrical service provider, the contractual interests of an electrical service provider, the preferential interests of an electrical service provider; and

combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the plurality of controllers are provided as residing at the battery or batteries, at the battery charger, at a battery management module, at a user interface, at the power supply, at a location upstream electrically from the power supply, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 8 further wherein the battery is provided as residing on a mobile vehicle and the power supply is provided as a stationary power supply.

16. A method for managing the charging and discharging of batteries comprising the steps of:

a. connecting at least one battery to a battery charger,

b. connecting the battery charger to a power supply,

c. providing a plurality of controllers in communication with one and another, each of said controllers monitoring a subset of input variables,

d. generating a set of charging constraints for each controller as a function of the subset of input variables,

e. identifying a set of objectives for each controller,

f. generating a preferred charge rate for each controller as a function of the set of objectives and the monitored input variables,

g. defining an actual charge rate using an algorithm that accounts for each of the preferred charge rates for each of the controllers and that does not violate any of the charging constraints,

h. providing a current flow between said battery and said battery charger at the actual charge rate.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of monitoring includes at least one input variable from the condition of the electrical power received from the power supply selected from the group electrical frequency, variability of the electrical frequency, rate of change of the electrical frequency, electrical voltage potential, variability of the electrical voltage potential, rate of change of the electrical voltage potential, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of defining an actual charge rate is by calculating a weighted average of the preferred charge rates that have been generated by the plurality of controllers and assigning said weighted average to the actual charge rate, as further constrained by the charging constraints.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising providing the communication between the plurality of controllers through a shared electrical signal, the magnitude of the signal representing the actual charge rate, and the magnitude of the signal capable of being influenced by each controller'"'"'s preferred charge rate, each controller'"'"'s charging constraints, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of generating the controller'"'"'s preferred charge rate by

a. monitoring the actual charge rate over time,

b. inferring the charging constraints and preferred charge rates generated by other controllers, and

c. using the inferred information to generate a preferred charge rate.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of generating the set of charging constraints for each controller as a function of the subset of input variables, said charging constraints selected from the group of protecting the battery;

protecting the battery charger;

protecting the site'"'"'s electrical power supply;

the interests of the site owner;

the interests of the battery charger system owner;

protecting the equipment that resides electrically upstream of the site;

the operational interests of an electrical service provider, the contractual interests of an electrical service provider, the preferential interests of an electrical service provider; and

combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of controllers are provided as residing at the battery or batteries, at the battery charger, at a battery management module, at a user interface, at the power supply, at a location upstream electrically from the power supply, and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 16 further wherein the battery is provided as residing on a mobile vehicle and the power supply is provided as a stationary power supply.