Battery charging method

• US 5,808,443 A
• Filed: 12/19/1996
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John W. Lundstrom
• Original Assignee: John W. Lundstrom
• Inventors: Lundstrom, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Law, Patrick B.
• Application Number:
  US08/770,698
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 320/9, 320/22, 320/32, 320/39, 320/48, 320/21, 320/1, 324/430
• US Class Current: 320/164
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/17 Sensing of "gassing" voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/22 Line impedance, e.g. resistor

Abstract

A backup battery charger measures charging capacitor voltage and charging battery current to calculate battery charging circuit resistance and open circuit float battery voltage. Microcontroller computation of the backup battery float battery voltage and battery charging circuit resistance changes enable efficient charging and monitoring of battery conditions.

Claims

1. A method for determining battery charging circuit resistance R of a charging resistance loop extending through a charger and a storage battery, the method comprising the steps of,

charging the storage battery coupled to a charging capacitor in the charging loop,

measuring a voltage V1 across a charging capacitor at a time t1 when the battery is charged by energy supplied by the charging capacitor,

measuring a current I1 conducting through the battery at the time t1,

measuring a voltage V2 across the charging capacitor at a time t2 when the battery is charged by energy supplied by the charging capacitor at time t2,

measuring a current I2 passing through the battery at time t2, and

calculating the battery charging circuit resistance R across the charging capacitor and through the battery, and

measuring a voltage Vave across the charging capacitor at time td between time t1 and time t2,

measuring a current Iave conducting through the battery at time td, and

determining an open circuit battery voltage Vb using R, Vave and Iave.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step, Vb is calculated by subtracting the product R and Iave from Vave.

3. A method for determining battery charging circuit resistance R of a charging resistance loop extending through a charger and a storage battery, the method comprising the steps of,

charging the storage battery coupled to a charging capacitor in the charging loop,

measuring a voltage V1 across the charging capacitor at a time t1 when the battery is charged by energy supplied by the charging capacitor,

measuring a current I1 conducting through the battery at the time t1,

measuring a voltage V2 across the charging capacitor at a time t2 when the battery is charged by energy supplied by the charging capacitor at time t2,

measuring a current I2 passing through the battery at time t2, and

calculating the battery charging circuit resistance R across the charging capacitor and through the battery, and

detecting changes in the battery charging circuit resistance R, and

terminating charging of the storage battery.

4. A method for determining battery charging circuit resistance R of a charging resistance loop extending through a charger and a storage battery, the method comprising the steps of,

charging the storage battery coupled to a charging capacitor in the charging loop,

measuring a voltage V1 across the charging capacitor at a time t1 when the battery is charged by energy supplied by the charging capacitor,

measuring a current I1 conducting through the battery at the time t1,

measuring a voltage V2 across the charging capacitor at a time t2 when the battery is charged by energy supplied by the charging capacitor at time t2,

measuring a current I2 passing through the battery at time t2, and

calculating the battery charging circuit resistance R across the charging capacitor and through the battery.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the calculating step, the battery charging circuit resistance R is calculated by dividing the difference of V1 and V2 by the difference of I1 and I2.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein V1 and I1 are measured concurrently, and V2 and I2 are measured concurrently.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein there is a time delay between the measurement steps of V1 and V1, and also between measurements steps V2 and I2.