Power conversion equipment monitor/controller method and apparatus
First Claim
1. For use with a system including an alternator that supplies a variable alternator-current-output to a connected battery with a multi-cycle battery charger connected thereto, wherein the battery has a battery voltage and receives a charging current, and wherein the alternator is controlled by a regulator, an alternator current-regulation method comprising:
- ramping-up the alternator-current-output until the alternator-current-output reaches an alternator-current-limit, wherein the alternator-current-output is being provided to the battery for charging the battery;
sustaining the alternator-current-output substantially at the alternator-current-limit until the battery voltage is substantially at an acceptance voltage which is indicative of the battery approaching its maximum charge capacity and is greater than a float voltage of the battery;
adjusting the alternator-current-output for maintaining the battery voltage substantially at the acceptance voltage, until the battery'"'"'s charging current is substantially at a fully-charged-indication current;
reducing the alternator-current-output, which lowers the battery voltage, until the battery voltage is substantially at the float voltage; and
further adjusting the alternator-current-output for maintaining the battery voltage substantially at the float voltage to preserve a fully charged condition of the battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Power inverter equipment monitor/controller method and apparatus are described. The invented apparatus provides for the semi-automatic state steering and monitoring of an inverter/charger and alternator system. A flat panel user interface includes an array of switches, displays and indicators for establishing modes of operation of the system, for initializing operating parameters of the system and a connected battery, for establishing rates for the system'"'"'s operation, permit the user to monitor the system'"'"'s operating mode and charging data (including charging efficiency factor or CEF) while it is operating to charge the battery and to supply AC power to connected appliances. By the one of the preferred methods of the invention, ramping-up the alternator'"'"'s output of current, sustaining the output until the voltage of the battery is acceptable, adjusting the output while maintaining the battery voltage at an acceptable level, reducing output until float level voltage is obtained and further adjusting output to maintain float level voltage to preserve the battery charge. By the other of the preferred methods, certain charge data related to the charging of the battery--including a present CEF, maximum amp-hour charge level capacity of the battery (AH CL capacity), and the present status of amp-hour charge level--are given and stored in memory, the battery is discharged, the lowest-recorded (LR) AH CL is recorded with recharge begins, completing the recharge and storing amount of amp-hours used to recharge, determining an intermediate CEF by dividing AH used-to-recharge battery by difference between the AH CL capacity and LR AH CL, averaging the present CEF with the intermediate CEF to produce a result which is stored in memory as the present CEF, and resetting present status to the AH CL capacity.
69 Citations
22 Claims
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1. For use with a system including an alternator that supplies a variable alternator-current-output to a connected battery with a multi-cycle battery charger connected thereto, wherein the battery has a battery voltage and receives a charging current, and wherein the alternator is controlled by a regulator, an alternator current-regulation method comprising:
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ramping-up the alternator-current-output until the alternator-current-output reaches an alternator-current-limit, wherein the alternator-current-output is being provided to the battery for charging the battery; sustaining the alternator-current-output substantially at the alternator-current-limit until the battery voltage is substantially at an acceptance voltage which is indicative of the battery approaching its maximum charge capacity and is greater than a float voltage of the battery; adjusting the alternator-current-output for maintaining the battery voltage substantially at the acceptance voltage, until the battery'"'"'s charging current is substantially at a fully-charged-indication current; reducing the alternator-current-output, which lowers the battery voltage, until the battery voltage is substantially at the float voltage; and further adjusting the alternator-current-output for maintaining the battery voltage substantially at the float voltage to preserve a fully charged condition of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. For use with a system including a battery charger, a battery, and a controller having a processor for storing data into a memory connected thereto, wherein the battery has a present charge efficiency, an adaptive charge efficiency factor determination method comprising:
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a providing of a present charge efficiency factor, a maximum amp-hour charge level capacity of the battery, and a present status of amp-hour charge level; a storing of the present charge efficiency factor, the maximum amp-hour charge level capacity of the battery, and the present status of amp-hour charge level in the memory; a discharging of the battery and while discharging, decrementing the present status of amp-hour charge level; a recharging of the battery and a storing of the present status of amp-hour immediately before recharging in the memory as the lowest-recorded amp-hour charge level; a measuring of amp-hours used to recharge battery and a storing in memory the amp-hours used as amp-hours used-to-recharge the battery; a completing of the recharging of the battery; a determining of an intermediate charge efficiency factor by dividing amp-hours used-to-recharge battery by difference between the maximum amp-hour charge level capacity and the lowest-recorded amp-hour charge level; an averaging of the present charging efficiency factor with the intermediate charge efficiency factor to produce a result, whereby the result more accurately represents the present charge efficiency of the battery than does the present charge efficiency factor; and a storing of the result in memory as the present charge efficiency factor so that the present factor more accurately represents the present charge efficiency of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A battery charge monitoring apparatus for use with a battery charging system which includes a battery charger for storing AC-to-DC converted electric power and a battery connected thereto, wherein the battery has an amp-hour charge level and a present charge efficiency, the apparatus comprising:
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an ammeter connected to the battery, the ammeter for measuring current flow through the battery; a processor for calculating a present charge efficiency factor, wherein during a charging of the battery, the processor calculates a present status of the amp-hour charge level based on the present charge efficiency factor, the processor being connected to the ammeter and the battery charger; a display that indicates the present charge efficiency factor and the present status of the amp-hour charge level of the battery, wherein the display is connected to the processor; and a memory connected to the processor, wherein the memory is for storing the present charge efficiency factor, a lowest-recorded amp-hour charge level and a maximum amp-hour charge level capacity of the battery, and wherein after the battery charger fully charges the battery, the processor calculates an intermediate charge efficiency factor by dividing amp-hours used to charge battery by a difference between the maximum amp-hour charge level capacity and the lowest-recorded amp-hour charge level and averaging the present charging efficiency factor with the intermediate charge efficiency factor to produce a result, whereby the result more accurately represents the present charge efficiency of the battery than does the present charge efficiency factor, and the processor stores the result into the memory as the present charge efficiency factor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification