Battery charge management system for charging a battery bank that includes a plurality of batteries
First Claim
1. A battery charge management system for charging a battery bank, the battery bank including a plurality of batteries connected in series, the battery charge management system comprising:
- a first power source having a charging port, the first power source capable of providing power individually to each battery in the battery bank;
a second power source capable of providing power to the batteries in the battery bank simultaneously in series;
a multiplexer connected to the battery bank, the multiplexer capable of connecting the charging port to a single battery at a time and capable of switching the connection of the charging port to each battery in the battery bank; and
a microcontroller connected to the multiplexer and operatively coupled to each battery in the battery bank, the microcontroller capable of;
receiving discharge data and charge data for each battery in the battery bank;
in dependence upon the discharge data and charge data, determining whether to charge the batteries individually using the first power source or to simultaneously charge all of the batteries in series using the second power source; and
instructing the multiplexer to switch the connections of the batteries in the battery bank in dependence upon the determination;
wherein the microcontroller is capable of determining whether the charge data and discharge data received from each battery in the battery bank satisfies series charging termination criteria, capable of connecting the second power source to the battery bank in series when the charge data and discharge data received from each battery in the battery bank does not satisfy series charging termination criteria, and capable of connecting the plurality of batteries in the battery bank to the first power source when the charge data and discharge data received from each battery in the battery bank satisfies series charging termination criteria.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Battery charge management systems for charging a battery bank including a plurality of batteries connected in series are disclosed that include: a power source having a charging port, the power source capable of providing power to each battery in the battery bank; a multiplexer connected to the battery bank, the multiplexer capable of connecting the charging port to a single battery at a time and capable of switching the connection of the charging port to each battery in the battery bank; and a microcontroller connected to the multiplexer and operatively coupled to each battery in the battery bank, the microcontroller capable of receiving discharge data and charge data for each battery in the battery bank, the microcontroller capable of instructing the multiplexer to switch the connection of the charging port with each battery in dependence upon the discharge data and the charge data for that battery.
16 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A battery charge management system for charging a battery bank, the battery bank including a plurality of batteries connected in series, the battery charge management system comprising:
-
a first power source having a charging port, the first power source capable of providing power individually to each battery in the battery bank; a second power source capable of providing power to the batteries in the battery bank simultaneously in series; a multiplexer connected to the battery bank, the multiplexer capable of connecting the charging port to a single battery at a time and capable of switching the connection of the charging port to each battery in the battery bank; and a microcontroller connected to the multiplexer and operatively coupled to each battery in the battery bank, the microcontroller capable of; receiving discharge data and charge data for each battery in the battery bank; in dependence upon the discharge data and charge data, determining whether to charge the batteries individually using the first power source or to simultaneously charge all of the batteries in series using the second power source; and instructing the multiplexer to switch the connections of the batteries in the battery bank in dependence upon the determination; wherein the microcontroller is capable of determining whether the charge data and discharge data received from each battery in the battery bank satisfies series charging termination criteria, capable of connecting the second power source to the battery bank in series when the charge data and discharge data received from each battery in the battery bank does not satisfy series charging termination criteria, and capable of connecting the plurality of batteries in the battery bank to the first power source when the charge data and discharge data received from each battery in the battery bank satisfies series charging termination criteria. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method of charging a battery bank that includes a plurality of batteries connected in series, the method comprising:
-
receiving, by a microcontroller, discharge data from each battery in the battery bank; in dependence upon the discharge data and charge data, determining, by the microcontroller, whether to charge the batteries in the battery bank individually using a first power source or to simultaneously charge all of the batteries in the battery bank in series using a second power source; instructing the multiplexer to switch the connections of the batteries in the battery bank in dependence upon the determination; providing, by the second power source, second source power to the battery bank in series; receiving, by the microcontroller, series charge data from each battery in the battery bank; determining, by the microcontroller, whether the series charge data received from each battery in the battery bank satisfies series charging termination criteria; connecting, by the microcontroller, the second power source to the battery bank in series when the series charge data received from each battery in the battery bank does not satisfy series charging termination criteria; and connecting, by the microcontroller, the plurality of batteries in the battery bank to the first power source when the series charge data received from each battery in the battery bank satisfies series charging termination criteria. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. Apparatus for charging a battery bank that includes a plurality of batteries connected in series, the apparatus comprising:
-
means for receiving discharge data from each battery in the battery bank; in dependence upon the discharge data and charge data, means for determining whether to charge the batteries in the battery bank individually using a first power source or to simultaneously charge all of the batteries in the battery bank in series using a second power source; means for instructing a multiplexer to switch the connections of the batteries in the battery bank in dependence upon the determination; means for providing second source power to the battery bank in series; means for determining whether the charge data received from each battery in the battery bank satisfies series charging termination criteria; means for connecting the second power source to the battery bank in series when the charge data received from each battery in the battery bank does not satisfy series charging termination criteria; and means for connecting the plurality of batteries in the battery bank to the first power source when the charge data received from each battery in the battery bank satisfies series charging termination criteria. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification