System for Monitoring A Battery Charger

• US 20130030593A1
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Gao, Lijun, Fifield, John M., Roe, George M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,854,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A method and apparatus comprising a switch and a charging management module. The switch is configured to control an electrical connection between a charging device for a battery and a power source. A current flows from the power source through the charging device to the battery to charge the battery when the electrical connection is present between the charging device and the power source. The charging management module is configured to identify a period of time for charging the battery and to control the switch to electrically connect the charging device for the battery to the power source during the period of time identified for charging the battery.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a switch configured to control an electrical connection between a charging device for a battery and a power source, wherein a current flows from the power source through the charging device to the battery to charge the battery when the electrical connection is present between the charging device and the power source; and

a charging management module configured to identify a period of time for charging the battery and to control the switch to electrically connect the charging device for the battery to the power source during the period of time identified for charging the battery.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charging management module is configured to select a number of parameters for charging the battery and to identify the period of time for charging the battery using the number of parameters for charging the battery.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

a user interface configured to receive user input identifying information for use in selecting the number of parameters for charging the battery, wherein the information comprises at least one of an available period of time for charging the battery, a charging profile for the battery, a threshold for a level of charge for the battery, and an energy cost profile.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

a communications unit in communication with the charging management module and configured to receive information from an energy management system for use in selecting the number of parameters for charging the battery, wherein the information comprises at least one of an available period of time for charging the battery, a charging profile for the battery, a threshold for a level of charge for the battery, an energy cost profile, an energy usage profile, and a number of loads connected to the power source.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charging management module is further configured to control the switch to electrically disconnect the charging device from the power source when a level of charge for the battery reaches a threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a data management module configured to store data, wherein the charging management module is configured to use the data to charge the battery.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the period of time is a first period of time and is identified from within a second period of time available for charging the battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor configured to measure the current at a location between the power source and the switch to form current information, wherein the charging management module is configured to use the current information to identify a charging profile for the battery that identifies a voltage at which the charging device reduces a flow of the current to the battery.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first connector configured to be electrically connected to the charging device for the battery; and

a second connector configured to be electrically connected to the power source, wherein the switch controls the electrical connection between the first connector and the second connector to electrically connect the power source to the charging device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

a circuit configured to detect when the charging device is not electrically connected to the first connector, wherein the charging management module is further configured to control the switch to electrically disconnect the first connector and the second connector when the charging device is not electrically connected to the first connector.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery is for a device selected from one of a plug-in electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a cellular phone, a wireless mobile device, and a laptop computer.

12. A charging system comprising:

a switch configured to control an electrical connection between a charging device for a battery and a power source, wherein a current flows from the power source through the charging device to the battery to charge the battery when the electrical connection is present between the charging device and the power source;

a charging management module configured to identify a period of time for charging the battery within the available period of time for charging the battery based on information comprising at least one of an available period of time for charging the battery, a charging profile for the battery, a threshold for a level of charge for the battery, an energy cost profile, an energy usage profile, and a number of loads connected to the power source;

control the switch to electrically connect the charging device for the battery to the power source during the period of time identified for charging the battery; and

control the switch to electrically disconnect the charging device from the power source when the level of charge for the battery reaches the threshold; and

a data management module configured to store data for use by the charging management module.

13. A method for managing charging of a battery, the method comprising:

identifying a period of time for charging the battery; and

controlling a switch to electrically connect a charging device for the battery to a power source during the period of time identified for charging the battery to form an electrical connection between the charging device and the power source, wherein a current flows from the power source through the charging device to the battery to charge the battery when the electrical connection is present.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

selecting a number of parameters for charging the battery; and

identifying the period of time for charging the battery using the number of parameters for charging the battery.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving user input from a user interface, wherein the user input identifies information for use in selecting the number of parameters for charging the battery in which the information comprises at least one of an available period of time for charging the battery, a charging profile for the battery, a threshold for a level of charge for the battery, and an energy cost profile.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving information from an energy management system for use in selecting the number of parameters for charging the battery, wherein the information comprises at least one of an available period of time for charging the battery, a charging profile for the battery, a threshold for a level of charge for the battery, an energy cost profile, an energy usage profile, and a number of loads connected to the power source.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

controlling the switch to electrically disconnect the charging device from the power source when a level of charge for the battery reaches a threshold.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

storing data in a database, wherein the data is used to identify the period of time for charging the battery.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

measuring the current at a location between the power source and the switch to form current information; and

creating a charging profile for the battery that identifies a voltage at which the charging device reduces a flow of the current to the battery using the current information.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the battery is for a device selected from one of a plug-in electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a cellular phone, a wireless mobile device, and a laptop computer.