Balancing charge between battery pack system modules in a battery
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- detecting that a first battery pack system module comprising a plurality of battery cells has reached a first state of charge by the first battery pack system module;
activating, by the first battery pack system module, a first charge switch in the first battery pack system module to physically disconnect and to prevent further charging of the first battery pack system module after detecting the first state of charge;
discharging the plurality of battery cells after activating the first charge switch to balance the first battery pack system module with a second battery pack system module connected in series with the first battery pack system module;
de-activating, by the first battery pack system module, the first charge switch after discharging the plurality of battery cells to a lower state of charge; and
charging the first battery pack system module and charging the second battery pack system module after de-activating the first charge switch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for balancing a plurality of battery pack system modules connected in series comprising: a plurality of battery pack system modules, wherein a high charge module of the plurality of battery pack system modules has a charge greater than a that of other modules. At least one zener diode connected in series with a current limiting resistor is connected in parallel to the plurality of battery pack system modules. A power source is in communication with a disconnect circuit of at least one of the battery pack system modules. The disconnect circuit is actuated when the battery pack system module reaches a predetermined state of charge. The zener diode enables current from the power source to bypass charged battery pack system modules to charge other battery pack system modules.
32 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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detecting that a first battery pack system module comprising a plurality of battery cells has reached a first state of charge by the first battery pack system module; activating, by the first battery pack system module, a first charge switch in the first battery pack system module to physically disconnect and to prevent further charging of the first battery pack system module after detecting the first state of charge; discharging the plurality of battery cells after activating the first charge switch to balance the first battery pack system module with a second battery pack system module connected in series with the first battery pack system module; de-activating, by the first battery pack system module, the first charge switch after discharging the plurality of battery cells to a lower state of charge; and charging the first battery pack system module and charging the second battery pack system module after de-activating the first charge switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer program product, comprising:
a computer-readable medium comprising; code to detect that a first battery pack system module comprising a plurality of battery cells is at a first state of charge and a second battery pack system module, connected in series with the first battery pack system module, is at a second state of charge lower than the first state of charge; code to activate, by the first battery pack system module, a first charge switch in the first battery pack system module to physically disconnect and to prevent further charging of the first battery pack system module after detecting that the first battery pack system module is at a first state of charge higher than a second state of charge of the second battery pack system module; code to activate at least one shunting resistor in communication with at least one battery cell in the first battery pack system module to discharge the plurality of battery cells of the first battery pack system module; and code to deactivate the at least one shunting resistor in communication with the at least one battery cell when the first state of charge of the first battery pack system module becomes approximately equal with the second state of charge of the second battery pack system module. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
Specification