Hybrid battery

• US 8,384,360 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benton K O'Neil, Erik J. Cegnar, Erin C. Jessup, Fred L. Jessup
• Original Assignee: Erik J. Cegnar
• Inventors: Cegnar, Erik J., Jessup, Erin C., Jessup, Fred L., O'Neil, Benton K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PACHECO, ALEXIS BOATENG
• Application Number:
  US11/912,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20090261787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,497 Days
• Field of Search: 320/167, 320/166, 320/140, 320/128, 320/104, 320/134, 320/135, 320/136, 320/137, 320/138
• US Class Current: 320/166
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/08 Structural combinations, e.g. assembly or connection, of hybrid or EDL capacitors with other electric components, at least one hybrid or EDL capacitor being the main component
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/14 Arrangements or processes for adjusting or protecting hybrid or EDL capacitors emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for capacitors, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions H02H7/16; emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltages without disconnection H02H9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4264 with capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

A hybrid battery includes a converter, a controller, a power source, and an ultracapacitor configured to be discharged. The converter is operable to receive a control signal and to regulate a current level that is allowed to be drawn from the power source to charge the ultracapacitor in accordance with the control signal. The controller is operable to generate and provide the control signal to the converter. The controller is operable to generate the control signal based at least in part on a measure of the voltage level of the ultracapacitor and a measure current being drawn to charge the ultracapacitor.

Claims

1. A hybrid battery, comprising:

a power source;

an ultracapacitor at least indirectly coupled to a starter, said ultracapacitor configured to be discharged to said starter;

a voltage converter operable to receive a control signal and to regulate a current level that is allowed to be drawn from the power source to charge the ultracapacitor in accordance with the control signal; and

a controller operable to generate and provide the control signal to the voltage converter, wherein the controller is operable to generate the control signal based at least in part on a measure of the voltage level of the ultracapacitor and a measure current being drawn to charge the ultracapacitor.

2. The hybrid battery of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to selectively generate the control signal based upon detecting a low threshold voltage for the ultracapacitor and to selectively stop generating the control signal upon detecting a high threshold voltage level for the ultracapacitor, wherein the low threshold voltage is different than the high threshold voltage.

3. The hybrid battery of claim 1 wherein said ultracapacitor is configured to be discharged to said starter upon activation of an ignition switch.

4. The hybrid battery of claim 1, wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulated control signal.

5. The hybrid battery of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to perform closed loop proportional-integral current control creating a pulse width modulated control signal to the voltage converter, and wherein the voltage converter is operable to regulate the level of current that is allowed to be drawn from the power source to charge the ultracapacitor based at least in part on characteristics of the pulse width modulated control signal.

6. The hybrid battery of claim 5, wherein the controller is operable to generate the pulse width modulated control signal to have characteristics determined at least in part according to a measure of the voltage level of the ultracapacitor and a measure of the current being drawn to charge the ultracapacitor.

7. The hybrid battery of claim 1, wherein the voltage converter is a DC-DC buck converter, and wherein the power source is a battery.

16. The hybrid battery of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to selectively generate the control signal based upon detecting a low threshold voltage for the ultracapacitor and to selectively stop generating the control signal upon detecting a high threshold voltage level for the ultracapacitor, and wherein the low threshold voltage is different than the high threshold voltage, and wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulated control signal.

17. The hybrid battery of claim 1, wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulated control signal, wherein the controller is operable to perform closed loop proportional-integral current control creating a pulse width modulated control signal to the converter, wherein the converter is operable to regulate the level of current that is allowed to be drawn from the power source to charge the ultracapacitor based at least in part on characteristics of the pulse width modulated control signal, and wherein the controller is operable to generate the pulse width modulated control signal to have characteristics determined at least in part according to a measure of the voltage level of the ultracapacitor and a measure of the current being drawn to charge the ultracapacitor.

18. The hybrid battery of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to selectively generate the control signal based upon detecting a low threshold voltage for the ultracapacitor and to selectively stop generating the control signal upon detecting a high threshold voltage level for the ultracapacitor, wherein the low threshold voltage is different than the high threshold voltage, wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulated control signal, and wherein the converter is a DC-DC buck converter.

19. The hybrid battery of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to selectively generate the control signal based upon detecting a low threshold voltage for the ultracapacitor and to selectively stop generating the control signal upon detecting a high threshold voltage level for the ultracapacitor, wherein the low threshold voltage is different than the high threshold voltage, wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulated control signal, wherein the converter is a DC-DC buck converter, and wherein the controller is operable to perform closed loop proportional-integral current control creating a pulse width modulated control signal to the converter, and wherein the converter is operable to regulate the level of current that is allowed to be drawn from the power source to charge the ultracapacitor based at least in part on characteristics of the pulse width modulated control signal.

8. A vehicle starting system, comprising:

an ultracapacitor at least indirectly coupled to a starter and configured to discharge to the starter;

a power source for supplying a charging current to the ultracapacitor;

a voltage converter operable to receive a control signal and to regulate the charging current in accordance with the control signal; and

a controller operable to generate and provide the control signal to the voltage converter, wherein the controller is operable to generate the control signal based at least in part on a measure of the voltage level of the ultracapacitor and a measure of the charging current.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to discharge to the starter upon activation of the vehicle'"'"'s a key ignition switch.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is operable to selectively generate the control signal based upon detecting a low threshold voltage for the ultracapacitor and to selectively stop generating the control signal upon detecting a high threshold voltage level for the ultracapacitor, wherein the low threshold voltage is different than the high threshold voltage.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the power source is a battery.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulated control signal.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is operable to perform closed loop proportional-integral current control creating a pulse width modulated control signal to the voltage converter, and wherein the voltage converter is operable to regulate the level of current that is allowed to be drawn from the power source to charge the ultracapacitor based at least in part on characteristics of the pulse width modulated control signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is operable to generate the pulse width modulated control signal to have characteristics determined at least in part according to a measure of the voltage level of the ultracapacitor and a measure of the current being drawn to charge the ultracapacitor.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the voltage converter is a DC-DC buck converter.

20. A hybrid battery for a vehicle having an engine, a starter and a key ignition switch, said hybrid battery comprising:

a power source, wherein the power source is a battery;

an ultracapacitor at least indirectly coupled to said starter, said ultracapacitor configured to be discharged to the starter upon activation of an ignition switch, starting said vehicle'"'"'s engine;

a voltage converter operable to receive a control signal and to regulate a current level that is allowed to be drawn from the power source to charge the ultracapacitor in accordance with the control signal, wherein the converter is a DC-DC buck converter; and

a controller operable to generate and provide the control signal to the voltage converter, wherein the controller is operable to generate the control signal based at least in part on a measure of the voltage level of the ultracapacitor and a measure current being drawn to charge the ultracapacitor, wherein the controller is operable to selectively generate the control signal based upon detecting a low threshold voltage for the ultracapacitor and to selectively stop generating the control signal upon detecting a high threshold voltage level for the ultracapacitor, wherein the low threshold voltage is different than the high threshold voltage, wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulated control signal;

wherein the controller is operable to perform closed loop proportional-integral current control creating a pulse width modulated control signal to the converter, and wherein the converter is operable to regulate the level of current that is allowed to be drawn from the power source to charge the ultracapacitor based at least in part on characteristics of the pulse width modulated control signal; and

wherein the controller is operable to generate the pulse width modulated control signal to have characteristics determined at least in part according to a measure of the voltage level of the ultracapacitor and a measure of the current being drawn to charge the ultracapacitor.