CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR VOLTAGE EQUALIZATION IN LARGE BATTERIES
First Claim
1. A battery equalization circuit, comprising:
- a first positive battery node configured to connect to a positive terminal of a first battery cell contained in a battery circuit that includes a plurality of other battery cells connected in series with the first monitored battery cell;
a first negative battery node configured to connect to a negative terminal of the first battery cell;
a first transformer coil configured to receive an output voltage of an AC generator, the first transformer coil having a first upper transformer node and a first lower transformer node;
a first upper switch connected between the first positive battery node and the first upper transformer node;
a first lower switch connected between the first negative battery node and the first lower transformer control node; and
a control circuit configured to control the operation of the first upper switch and the first lower switch based on a first measured cell voltage between the first positive battery node and the first negative battery node, and a total battery voltage of the battery circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery equalization circuit is provided, comprising: a positive battery node connected to a positive terminal of a monitored battery cell contained in a battery circuit that includes a plurality of other battery cells connected in series with the monitored battery cell; a negative battery node connected to a negative terminal of the monitored battery cell; a secondary transformer coil configured to receive a square wave, the secondary transformer coil having an upper transformer node and a lower transformer node; an upper switch connected between the positive battery node and the upper transformer node; a lower switch connected between the negative battery node and the lower transformer control node; and a control circuit configured to control operation of the upper and lower switches based on a measured cell voltage between the positive battery node and the negative battery node, and a total battery voltage of the battery circuit.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A battery equalization circuit, comprising:
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a first positive battery node configured to connect to a positive terminal of a first battery cell contained in a battery circuit that includes a plurality of other battery cells connected in series with the first monitored battery cell; a first negative battery node configured to connect to a negative terminal of the first battery cell; a first transformer coil configured to receive an output voltage of an AC generator, the first transformer coil having a first upper transformer node and a first lower transformer node; a first upper switch connected between the first positive battery node and the first upper transformer node; a first lower switch connected between the first negative battery node and the first lower transformer control node; and a control circuit configured to control the operation of the first upper switch and the first lower switch based on a first measured cell voltage between the first positive battery node and the first negative battery node, and a total battery voltage of the battery circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A battery equalization circuit, comprising:
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a first battery node configured to connect to a positive node of a first battery cell contained in a battery circuit; a second battery node configured to connect to a negative node of the first battery cell and a positive node of a second battery cell; a third battery node configured to connect to a negative node of the second battery cell; a fourth battery node configured to connect to a negative node of the third battery cell; a first transformer coil configured to receive an output voltage of an AC generator, the first transformer coil being connected between a first transformer node and a second transformer node; a second transformer coil configured to receive the output voltage of an AC generator, the second transformer coil being connected between the second transformer node and a third transformer node; a third transformer coil configured to receive the output voltage of an AC generator, the third transformer coil being connected between the third transformer node and a fourth transformer node; a first switch connected between the first battery node and the first transformer node; a second switch connected between the second battery node and the second transformer node; a third switch connected between the third battery node and the third transformer node; a fourth switch connected between the fourth battery node and the fourth transformer node; a first control circuit configured to control the operation of the first switch based on a first measured cell voltage between the first battery node and the second battery node, and the total battery voltage; a second control circuit configured to control the operation of the second switch based on the first measured cell voltage, a second measured cell voltage between the second battery node and the third battery node, and the total battery voltage; a third control circuit configured to control the operation of the third switch based on the second measured cell voltage, a third measured cell voltage between the third battery node and the fourth battery node, and the total battery voltage of the battery circuit; and a fourth control circuit configured to control the operation of the fourth switch based on the third measured cell voltage and the total battery voltage; wherein the first, second, and third battery cells are arranged in series with each other. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method of equalizing a battery, including:
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measuring a total voltage of a battery containing N battery cells arranged in series with each other; determining an optimum cell voltage based on the measured total voltage and the value of N; measuring a selected cell voltage of a selected battery cell from the N battery cells; determining whether the measured cell voltage is less than the optimum cell voltage; connecting the selected battery cell to a voltage output of a generator during a portion of a positive cycle of the voltage output of the AC generator, when it is determined that the measured cell voltage is less than the optimum cell voltage; determining whether the measured cell voltage is greater than the optimum cell voltage; and connecting the selected battery cell to the voltage output of the generator during a portion of the negative cycle of the voltage output of the AC generator, when it is determined that the measured cell voltage is greater than the optimum cell voltage, where N is an integer greater than 1. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification