Battery optimization system and method of use

• US 7,489,106 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Victor Tikhonov
• Original Assignee: Victor Tikhonov
• Inventors: Tikhonov, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Bao Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Nguyen
• Application Number:
  US11/395,825
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/119, 320/120, 320/121, 320/122, 320/125
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0018 using separate charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a microprocessor controlled battery management system that optimizes the total electrical capacity of that battery. It uses localized cell power sources that correct the capacity of the individual connected cells to achieve the maximum capacity of the battery as it acts in a synergistic series connection of cells. The microprocessor retrieves data of battery load current, cell voltage, cell temperature, and battery charger current in timed increments. Through the application of the microprocessor'"'"'s algorithms, after an initial cell profiling of individual cell capacities has been performed, individual cell DC/DC converters are enabled to correct the condition of the individual cells. In this manner the battery capacity is not affected by the capacity of the weakest cell.

Claims

1. A battery optimization system for determining the total electrical charge capacity of individual cells and for maintaining all cells at the same percentage of their individual charge capacity in a battery made of a number of electric cells connected in series so as to optimize the output capacity of the battery, comprising:

one fixed current output DC/DC convertor circuit per individual cell for inputting a charging current to each said cell;

one DC/DC convertor switch per individual DC/DC convertor, that when actuated, enables the input flow of electric current to said DC/DC convertor;

a charging circuit adapted for supplying charge to the battery and to each DC/DC convertor when said DC/DC convertor switch is actuated;

one charging current sensor;

one load current sensor;

one charging disconnect switch that when actuated by a third actuation signal disconnects said charging circuit from said battery;

one cell temperature sensor per individual cell;

one microcontroller unit per individual cell for measuring the voltage of said cell and the temperature from said temperature sensor of each said cell, storing and transmitting data of said cell voltage and temperature to a processing unit, and adapted for actuating said DC/DC convertor switch in response to a first actuation signal from said processing unit;

a battery disconnect switch that when actuated by a second actuation signal disconnects any load from said battery;

a processing unit that receives and analyses simultaneously taken data input from all said microcontroller units, said charging current sensor and said load current sensor, and by the application of algorithmic programs generates and sends any combination of said first actuation signal to any of said microcontroller, said second actuation signal to said battery disconnect switch and said third actuation signal to said charger disconnect switch, and adjusts the current output of said charging circuit so as to maintain all cells at the same percentage of their total electrical charge capacity; and

wherein said processing unit is a microcomputer; and

wherein said first actuation signal sent to any of said microcontrollers by said processing unit is determined by comparison of the present state of charge of a cell to said previously determined total electrical charge capacity of said same cell with respect to the total time and amount of current used by the battery since a last charging.

2. The battery optimization system of claim 1 further comprising a user data display interface connected to said processing unit and adapted for the input of data or algorithmic programs into said processing unit and for the display of data from said processing unit.

3. The battery optimization system of claim 2 wherein said simultaneously taken data input is sampled on a regular basis.

4. The battery optimization system of claim 1 wherein each individual electric cell can be fully charged to it'"'"'s maximum electrical energy storage capacity by profiling each cell individually in said battery to determine the total stored electrical energy capacity of said cell;

periodic instantaneous sampling and transmission of all cell voltages, battery load current, and charging current to said microcomputer,

calculation of the remaining energy in each cell as a percentage of said same cell'"'"'s total electrical energy capacity by the application of algorithmic programs in said microcomputer analyzing the time and amount of current consumed by a load placed across said battery;

calculation of the remaining energy in battery as a percentage of battery'"'"'s total electrical energy capacity by the application of algorithmic programs in said microcomputer analyzing the time and amount of current consumed by a load placed across said battery;

monitoring and comparing said percentage of the stored electrical energy capacity in each cell with said percentage of the stored electrical energy capacity in the battery;

selective connection of a fixed current output DC/DC convertor to an individual cell for inputting a charging current from said battery or from an external charging source to each said cell for a specified time period so as to keep said cell and said battery at an approximately equal percentage of stored electrical energy capacities, said selective connection accomplished by said microcomputer in response to said microcomputer'"'"'s application of algorithmic programs.

5. The battery optimization system of claim 4 wherein said profiling of the individual cells to determine the total stored electrical energy capacity of said cell is accomplished by discharging each cell individually to it'"'"'s fully depleted state and compiling and analyzing data of each individual cell'"'"'s current and voltage with respect to time, to determine the number of ampere hours between the fully charged and fully depleted states of the cell.