Method and apparatus for identifying types of energy sources used to charge a battery

• US 8,581,550 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fenix International, Inc. (ENGIE SA)
• Original Assignee: Fenix International, Inc. (ENGIE SA)
• Inventors: Lin, Michael, Heinrich, Mitchell, Ketterle, Jonas, Warshawsky, Brian, Jehlen, Paul, Thomas, Jonathan, Pelochino, John, Dhanaliwala, Akbar, Krieger, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERNANDEZ, MANUEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/879,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20110062913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101, 320/123, 320/138, 307/52, 307/56, 307/72, 290/50, 702/57, 702/64, 702/65, 702/66, 702/71, 702/73, 702/79
• US Class Current: 320/123
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1415 with a generator driven by a prime mover other than the motor of a vehicle

Abstract

A method and apparatus for identifying different types of energy sources used to charge a battery by receiving energy from at least one of the different types of energy sources at input terminals, identifying the type of energy source, and selecting a mode for charging the battery based on the type of energy source identified. A method and apparatus for protecting against certain energy sources used to charge a battery is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for identifying different types of energy sources used to charge a battery, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving energy from an energy source of at least one of the different types of energy sources at input terminals;

determining a voltage of the energy source at the input terminals;

identifying a type of the energy source; and

selecting a mode for charging the battery based on the type of the energy source identified;

wherein said identifying the type of the energy source comprises;

determining a transition time for transitioning from substantially zero voltage at the input terminals to when the voltage at the input terminals is substantially constant and/or at or above a voltage threshold; and

comparing the transition time to a transition time threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the transition time is less than the transition time threshold;

incrementing a charging current of the energy source until a first current threshold is reached;

determining a voltage of the energy source at the input terminals after the first current threshold has been reached; and

identifying the type of energy source by comparing a voltage sag threshold to a voltage difference between the voltage of the energy source at the input terminals after the first current threshold has been reached and the voltage of the energy source at the input terminals before said incrementing the charging current.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said identifying the type of energy source further comprises determining that the voltage difference is greater than the voltage sag threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the energy source is a solar panel.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a power output of the solar panel;

incrementing the charging current of the solar panel by a first selected amount;

determining a power output of the solar panel after said incrementing the charging current by the first selected amount; and

either;

a) incrementing the charging current of the solar panel by a second selected amount if the power output of the solar panel after said incrementing the charging current by the first selected amount is greater than the power output of the solar panel before said incrementing the charging current by the first selected amount;

or

b) decrementing the charging current of the solar panel by a third selected amount if the power output of the solar panel after said incrementing the charging current by the first selected amount is less than the power output of the solar panel before said incrementing the charging current by the first selected amount.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said identifying the type of energy source further comprises determining that the voltage difference is less than the voltage sag threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the energy source is a wall outlet adaptor.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining a voltage of the wall outlet adapter at the input terminals;

a first incrementing step of incrementing the charging current of the wall outlet adapter by a first selected amount;

determining a voltage of the wall outlet adapter at the input terminals after the first incrementing step; and

either;

a) incrementing the charging current of the wall outlet adapter by a second selected amount if a voltage difference between the voltage of the wall outlet adapter at the input terminals after the first incrementing step and the voltage of the wall outlet adapter at the input terminals before the first incrementing step is less than the voltage sag threshold;

or

b) decrementing the charging current of the wall outlet adapter by a third selected amount if the voltage difference between the voltage of the wall outlet adapter at the input terminals after the first incrementing step and the voltage of the wall outlet adapter at the input terminals before the first incrementing step is greater than the voltage sag threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a voltage of the battery after the first incrementing step; and

either

a) incrementing the charging current of the wall outlet adapter by a fourth selected amount if the voltage of the battery after the first incrementing step is less than a maximum battery voltage;

or

b) decrementing the charging current of the wall outlet adapter by a fifth selected amount if the voltage of the battery after the first incrementing step is greater than the maximum battery voltage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying the type of energy source further comprises determining that the transition time is greater than the transition time threshold.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the energy source is one of a bicycle generator, a wind turbine, a hydro turbine, a hand crank, or an animal generator.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the energy source is the bicycle, generator, the method further comprising:

incrementing a charging current of the bicycle generator by a first selected amount;

determining a voltage of the battery after said incrementing the charging current by the first selected amount; and

either

a) incrementing the charging current of the bicycle generator by a second selected amount if the voltage of the battery after said incrementing the charging current by the first selected amount is less than a maximum battery voltage;

or

b) decrementing the charging current of the bicycle generator by a third selected amount if the voltage of the battery after said incrementing the charging current by the first selected amount is greater than the maximum battery voltage.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage threshold is a minimum voltage for charging the battery.

14. An apparatus for identifying different types of energy sources used to charge a battery, the apparatus comprising:

input terminals for receiving energy from an energy source of at least one of the different types of energy sources;

a voltage sensor for determining a voltage of the energy source at the input terminals; and

a microcontroller for;

determining a transition time for transitioning from substantially zero voltage at the input terminals to when the voltage at the input terminals is substantially constant and/or at or above a voltage threshold;

identifying the type of energy source by comparing the transition time to a transition time threshold; and

selecting a mode for charging the battery based on the type of energy source identified.

15. A method for identifying a type of an energy source used to charge a battery, the method comprising:

receiving energy from the energy source at input terminals;

determining a voltage of the energy source at the input terminals;

using the determined voltage, determining that the energy source is either of a type that provides substantially varying voltage output or of a type that provides substantially constant voltage output;

said determining that the energy source is either of the type that provides substantially varying voltage output or of the type that provides substantially constant voltage output comprising;

determining a transition time for transitioning from substantially zero voltage at the input terminals to when the voltage at the input terminals is substantially constant and/or at or above a voltage threshold; and

comparing the transition time to a transition time threshold;

if the energy source is of the type that provides substantially constant voltage output, determining that the energy source is either of a type that provides substantially constant voltage output under both load and no load conditions or that the energy source is of a type that provides substantially constant voltage output and experiences voltage sag under load conditions using the determined voltage; and

selecting a mode for charging the battery based on the determined type of the energy source.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said determining that the energy source is either of the type that provides substantially constant voltage output under both load and no load conditions or of the type that provides substantially constant voltage output and experiences voltage sag under load conditions comprises:

incrementing a charging current of the energy source until a first current threshold is reached;

determining a voltage of the energy source at the input terminals after the first current threshold has been reached; and

identifying the type of energy source by comparing a voltage sag threshold to a voltage difference between the voltage of the energy source at the input terminals after the first current threshold has been reached and a voltage of the energy source at the input terminals before said incrementing the charging current.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining that the voltage difference is greater than the voltage sag threshold, wherein the energy source is a solar panel.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining that the voltage difference is less than the voltage sag threshold, wherein the energy source is a wall outlet adaptor.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the voltage threshold is a minimum voltage for charging the battery.