Method and apparatus for a remote battery charger with a self contained power source

• US 8,188,718 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Global Talent Development Limited
• Original Assignee: Advanced Battery Management, LLC
• Inventors: Fee, John Arthur, Tole, Gary Joseph, Hart, William S., Miles, Robert Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US11/728,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20070170890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,891 Days
• Field of Search: 320/155, 320/145, 320/139, 320/100, 320/103
• US Class Current: 320/155
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process

Abstract

A battery charger with a self-contained power source which provides a current charging signal at or near the resonant frequency of the battery to be charged when no other power supply is readily available. A storage energy device, for example a battery, delivers a current charging signal modulated at or near the resonant frequency of a load, or stores energy from a source.

Claims

1. An apparatus for charging a battery, comprising:

a mobile energy device configured to store energy and deliver the energy to the battery as a function of a modulated current charging pulse without using a readily-available power source; and

a current source configured to generate no voltage and configured to generate the modulated current charging pulse at a resonant frequency of the battery as a function of a charging parameter, the modulated current charging pulse being delivered to the battery and configured to enhance cell mobility of the battery regardless of a voltage of the battery and enhance acceptance of the current charging pulse such that the battery has an improved charging time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store the charging parameter.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the charging parameter is an algorithm.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the algorithm is configured to generate a plurality of waveforms of the modulated current charging pulse.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the memory is configured to store charging current values.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the memory is configured to store charging voltage values.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile energy device is a rechargeable battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile energy device is a non-corded energy source.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile energy device is a fuel cell.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile energy device is an ultra-capacitor.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile energy device is a butane energy generator.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current source contain a PWM.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery of a device.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy device is an ultra-capacitor.

18. The apparatus as specified in claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to provide a control signal to the current source, the current source configured to apply the modulated current charging pulse as a function of the control signal.

19. The apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein the current source is configured to generate the modulated current charging pulse at the resonant frequency of the battery during a first charging interval, generate a constant current charging signal during a subsequent second charging interval, and then modulated current charging pulse at the resonant frequency of the battery during a third charging interval.

20. The apparatus a specified in claim 19 further comprising a controller configured to provide a control signal to the current source, the current source configured to apply the modulated current charging pulse as a function of the control signal during the first charging interval, the second charging interval, and the third charging interval.

21. The apparatus as specified in claim 20 wherein the control signal comprises a pulse train of pulses having a frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of the batter during the first charging interval and the third charging interval.

14. An apparatus for charging a battery, comprising:

a mobile energy device configured to store energy and deliver the energy to the battery as a function of a modulated current charging pulse without using a readily-available power source; and

a current source configured to generate no voltage and the modulated current charging pulse at a harmonic of a resonant frequency of the battery as a function of a charging parameter, the modulated current charging pulse being delivered to the battery and configured to enhance cell mobility of the battery regardless of a voltage of the battery and enhance acceptance of the current charging pulse such that the battery has an improved charging time.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a memory configured to store the charging parameter.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery of a device.