System and Method for Controlling a Battery

• US 20150042267A1
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: O2 Micro International Limited (O2 Micro Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: O2 Micro International Limited (O2 Micro Incorporated)
• Inventors: WANG, James, ZHANG, Weihua, PENG, Xinsheng, ZOU, Jinghua
• Application Number:
  US13/964,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042267A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

System and method for controlling a battery are disclosed. The system includes a battery pack, a wireless charger, a detecting module, a measuring device and a controller. The wireless charger is configured for charging the battery pack and calculating a first charging capacity of the battery pack. The detecting module coupled to the wireless charger, is configured for detecting information associated with the charging. The measuring device is configured for calculating a second charging capacity of the battery pack. The controller is coupled to the wireless charger, the detecting module and the measuring device. The controller is configured for determining whether there is a difference between the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity. The controller is also configured for calculating a third charging capacity of the battery pack based on the information associated with the charging and the difference. The controller is also configured for adjusting the second charging capacity based on the third charging capacity.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a battery pack;

a wireless charger configured for

charging the battery pack, and

calculating a first charging capacity of the battery pack;

a detecting module coupled to the wireless charger and configured for detecting information associated with the charging;

a measuring device configured for calculating a second charging capacity of the battery pack; and

a controller coupled to the wireless charger, the detecting module and the measuring device, and configured for

determining whether there is a difference between the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity,

calculating a third charging capacity of the battery pack based on the difference and the information associated with the charging, and

adjusting the second charging capacity based on the third charging capacity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured for

calculating the difference between the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity,

determining whether the difference is greater than a threshold, and

transmitting the third charging capacity to the measuring device to adjust the second charging capacity if the difference is greater than the threshold.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the measuring device is configured for

receiving the third charging capacity from the controller, and

replacing a value of the second charging capacity with a value of the third charging capacity to adjust the second charging capacity.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein

the charging information comprises charging time and charging current, and

the controller is configured for calculating the third charging capacity based on the charging time and the charging current.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein if the measuring device detects that the wireless charger is charging the battery pack, the wireless charger is configured for calculating the first charging capacity, and the measuring device is configured for calculating the second charging capacity.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein if the measuring device detects that the wireless charger is not charging the battery pack and if a remaining capacity of the battery pack is less than a threshold, the measuring device is configured for shutting down the battery system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the charger comprises:

a multiple safety level control unit configured for determining whether any abnormality has occurred based on the charging information and for performing one or more corresponding operations if any abnormality has occurred.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein

multiple determining standards are predetermined and stored in the multiple safety level control unit, and

the multiple safety level control unit is configured for making a determination based on each of the multiple determining standards and for performing one or more corresponding operations.

9. A method for controlling a battery system, comprising:

calculating a first charging capacity;

calculating a second charging capacity when a battery pack in the battery system is being charged;

calculating a difference between the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity; and

adjusting the second charging capacity when the difference is greater than a threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting the second charging capacity comprises:

calculating a third charging capacity for adjusting the second charging capacity based on charging current and charging time by a controller in the battery system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein adjusting the second charging capacity comprises:

receiving the third charging capacity from the controller; and

replacing the second charging capacity with the third charging capacity when the difference is greater than the threshold.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

shutting down the battery system if the battery pack is not being charged and if a remaining capacity of the battery pack is below a second threshold.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting charging information; and

determining whether any abnormality has occurred based on the charging information, wherein the charging information comprises at least one of charging voltage, charging current, charging time and temperature of the battery pack during the charging process.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining multiple determining standards;

determining whether any abnormality has occurred based on each of the multiple determining standards; and

performing one or more corresponding operations if any abnormality has occurred.

15. A controller for controlling a battery system, comprising:

a determining unit configured for

calculating a difference between a first charging capacity calculated by a wireless charger in the battery system and a second charging capacity calculated by a measuring device coupled to the controller, and

determining whether the difference is greater than a threshold, if the wireless charger is charging a battery pack in the battery system; and

a capacity calculation unit configured for

calculating a third charging capacity based on information associated with the charging, and

adjusting the second charging capacity based on the third charging capacity if the determining unit determines that the difference is greater than the threshold.

16. The controller of the claim 15, wherein the measuring device is configured for using the third charging capacity to replace the second charging capacity when the difference between the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is greater than the threshold.

17. The controller of the claim 15, wherein the controller is configured for generating a warning signal indicating that the battery system is about to shut down if the battery pack is not during a charging process and if a remaining capacity of the battery pack is less than a second threshold.

18. The controller of the claim 15, wherein the controller further comprises:

a multiple safety level control unit configured for determining whether any abnormality has occurred and for performing one or more corresponding operations.

19. The controller of the claim 18, wherein

multiple determining standards are predetermined and stored in the multiple safety level control unit, and

the multiple safety level control unit is configured for determining whether any abnormality has occurred based on each of the multiple determining standards and for performing one or more corresponding operations if any abnormality has occurred.