Modular and reconfigurable rapid battery charger
First Claim
1. A battery charger that is modular and reconfigurable and provides flexible, multi-port rapid charging, and selectable output capabilities, the battery charger comprising:
- a base module providing DC power charging voltage, the base module including a power converter and providing output voltage for charging a battery, wherein each base module includes a transformer, an inverter, and a rectifier; and
a master controller that interfaces with a plurality of the base modules to regulate power delivered by each base module to charge a battery, wherein at least two of the plurality of base modules can be connected in parallel and regulated to charge the same battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The battery charger is modular and reconfigurable. It includes charging modular power stages that are configured to receive an alternating current (AC) input and provide a direct current (DC) output for charging a battery. These modular power stages include an inverter coupled to a rectifier circuit that outputs a battery charging current. The modular power stages can also each include a current mode controller coupled to the output of the rectifier circuit and configured to provide a current control signal for the modular power stage, a voltage mode controller coupled to the output of the rectifier circuit and configured to provide a voltage control signal for the modular power stage, and a droop sharing control and configured to ensure current sharing between a plurality of modular power stages under constant voltage operation. A system controller is configured to interface with the modular power stages.
72 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A battery charger that is modular and reconfigurable and provides flexible, multi-port rapid charging, and selectable output capabilities, the battery charger comprising:
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a base module providing DC power charging voltage, the base module including a power converter and providing output voltage for charging a battery, wherein each base module includes a transformer, an inverter, and a rectifier; and a master controller that interfaces with a plurality of the base modules to regulate power delivered by each base module to charge a battery, wherein at least two of the plurality of base modules can be connected in parallel and regulated to charge the same battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20)
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14. A battery charging system comprising:
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a modular power stage configured to receive an alternating current (AC) input and provide a direct current (DC) output for charging a battery, the modular power stage comprising; an inverter coupled to a rectifier circuit, the inverter having as its input an input voltage, the rectifier circuit having as its output a battery charging voltage; an intermediate high frequency transformer intermediate the inverter and the rectifier to convert alternating current (AC) voltage from the inverter to a lower voltage input to the rectifier; a current mode controller coupled to the output of the rectifier circuit and provides a current control signal for the modular power stage; a voltage mode controller coupled to the output of the rectifier circuit and provides a voltage control signal for the modular power stage; and a droop sharing control that ensures current sharing between a plurality of modular power stages under constant voltage operation; and a system controller that interfaces with a plurality of the modular power stages and regulates power delivered by the plurality of modular power stages, wherein at least two of the plurality of modular power stages can be connected in parallel and regulated to charge the same battery. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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21. A method for charging batteries using a plurality of modular battery chargers, the method comprising:
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receiving an indication that a first battery is connected to a first base module; if one or more batteries other than the first battery are connected to one or more base modules other than the first base module, performing the operations of; (a) closing output relays of all base modules with batteries connected; (b) identifying a base module with lowest discharged battery; (c) closing the parallel relay of the base module with the lowest discharged battery; (d) closing parallel relays of all base modules with no batteries connected; (e) configuring base modules with closed parallel relays for parallel operation; (f) setting up remaining base modules as stand alone chargers; and (g) loading charging parameters into the base modules; if no other batteries other than the first battery are detected as connected to one or more base modules, performing the operations of; (a) closing an output relay of a base module with lowest discharged battery; (b) closing all parallel relays to the base modules; (c) configuring the base modules for parallel operation; and (d) loading charging operations into the base modules; starting a charging cycle. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification