PEAK-EQUALIZED BATTERY CHARGE BALANCING
First Claim
1. A method of operation within a battery system, the method comprising:
- charging a plurality of battery blocks during a first interval;
measuring respective charging voltages of the battery blocks during the first interval;
identifying a first battery block of the plurality of battery blocks that has a charging voltage higher than a charging voltage of another of the battery blocks; and
discharging the first battery block without discharging others of the plurality of battery blocks to reduce the difference between the charging voltage of the first battery block and the charging voltages of the other of the battery blocks.
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Abstract
A battery pack management system adjusts the relative state-of-charge of respective battery blocks in a battery pack to equalize (i.e., align, balance or otherwise make similar) the peak battery block voltages (i.e., maximum or “upper peak” battery block voltages when the battery pack is being charged and/or minimum or “lower peak” battery block voltages when the battery is being discharged). Upon detecting an anomalous battery block that exhibits outlier upper and lower peak voltages, the battery pack management system adjusts the relative state of charge of respective battery blocks to center their respective upper and lower peak voltages between operating limits, thus maximizing the operating margin of the battery pack as a whole.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operation within a battery system, the method comprising:
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charging a plurality of battery blocks during a first interval; measuring respective charging voltages of the battery blocks during the first interval; identifying a first battery block of the plurality of battery blocks that has a charging voltage higher than a charging voltage of another of the battery blocks; and discharging the first battery block without discharging others of the plurality of battery blocks to reduce the difference between the charging voltage of the first battery block and the charging voltages of the other of the battery blocks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operation within a battery system, the method comprising:
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discharging a plurality of battery blocks during a first interval; measuring respective discharging voltages of the battery blocks during the first interval; identifying a first battery block of the plurality of battery blocks that has a discharging voltage lower than a discharging voltage of another of the battery blocks; and discharging the other of the battery blocks to reduce the difference between the discharging voltage of the first battery block and the discharging voltage of the other of the battery blocks.
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11. A battery system apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of voltage measurement inputs to receive charging voltage measurements corresponding to respective battery blocks during a first interval in which the respective battery blocks are being charged; voltage measurement logic to identify a first battery block of the plurality of battery blocks that yields a charging voltage measurement higher than a charging voltage measurement of another of the battery blocks during the first interval; and discharge logic to discharge the first battery block to reduce the difference between the charging voltage measurement of the first battery block and the charging voltage measurement of the other of the battery blocks. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A battery system comprising:
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means for receiving charging voltage measurements corresponding to respective battery blocks during a first interval in which the respective battery blocks are being charged; means for identifying a first battery block of the plurality of battery blocks that yields a charging voltage measurement higher than a charging voltage measurement of another of the battery blocks during the first interval; and means for discharging the first battery block to reduce the difference between the charging voltage measurement of the first battery block and the charging voltage measurement of the other of the battery blocks.
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Specification