SYSTEMS, APPARATUS, AND METHODS FOR BATTERY CHARGE MANAGEMENT
First Claim
1. A method for providing balanced and individualized charging to each battery cell in a plurality of battery cells, the method comprising:
- feeding a total charge current to a first power balancer, wherein the first power balancer regulates an effective charge current applied to a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells;
controlling the first power balancer using a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller monitors a current charge level of the first battery cell; and
using the microcontroller to vary a balancing current in the first power balancer such that a difference of the balancing current and the total charge current is applied to as the effective charge current to the first battery cell, wherein the effective charge current is relative to the current charge level of the first battery cell.
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Abstract
Systems, apparatus, and methods for automobile battery management is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for providing balanced and individualized charging to a battery pack is provided. The apparatus uses microcontrollers to determine a charge level of the batteries, and correspondingly controls a power balancer to apply a charge current to the battery in relation to the charge level, and dissipates the remaining charge current as heat energy. In one embodiment, a system controller controls a balanced charging operation of the battery system, provides an interface for a user to monitor cell-level parameters, and protects the battery cells from undercharging or overcharging during the charging or discharging operations.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for providing balanced and individualized charging to each battery cell in a plurality of battery cells, the method comprising:
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feeding a total charge current to a first power balancer, wherein the first power balancer regulates an effective charge current applied to a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells; controlling the first power balancer using a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller monitors a current charge level of the first battery cell; and using the microcontroller to vary a balancing current in the first power balancer such that a difference of the balancing current and the total charge current is applied to as the effective charge current to the first battery cell, wherein the effective charge current is relative to the current charge level of the first battery cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13)
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7. A system for providing balanced and individualized charging to each battery cell in a plurality of battery cells, the system comprising:
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a first power balancer to receive a total charge current and to regulate an effective charge current applied to a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells; a microcontroller to control the first power balancer, wherein the microcontroller monitors a current charge level of the first battery cell; and wherein the microcontroller varies a balancing current in the first power balancer such that a difference of the balancing current and the total charge current is applied to as the effective charge current to the first battery cell, wherein the effective charge current is relative to the current charge level of the first battery cell. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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14. A system for battery charge management, the system comprising:
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a microcontroller to determine a charge level of each of a plurality of battery cells connected in series and to compute an amount of individual current that needs to be applied to each of the plurality of battery cells to achieve charge balance; a plurality of power balancers each associated with a subset of the plurality of battery cells, wherein each of the plurality of power balancers is configured to receive an amount of total charging current and deliver an effective charge current corresponding to the amount of total charging current; and a charge balancer to control, using the microcontroller, the plurality of power balancers by transmitting the amount total charging current indicative of the amount of individual current corresponding to the subset of the plurality of battery cells associated with each of the power balancers. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification