Universal power interface bus

• US 8,604,754 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dan J. And Denise L. Costa 1997 Family Trust
• Original Assignee: IVUS Energy Innovations Incorporated
• Inventors: Cegnar, Erik J., Jessup, Fred, Maughan, Michael, Alexander, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US12/880,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 320/128
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A circuit and communication method for charging and/or discharging electrical energy storage devices (e.g., one or more cells of ultracapacitors, one or more cells of batteries, one or more cells of ultracapacitors and batteries).

Claims

1. A charging system, said charging system comprising:

at least one energy pack, a charger having a charging device, and a bus;

said at least one energy pack having a negative power connection, a positive power connection, an energizing connection and a management connection, wherein said at least one energy pack comprises a first energy pack and a second energy pack, said first and second energy packs are connected in parallel;

said charger having a negative power connection, a positive power connection, an energizing connection and a management connection;

said bus interconnecting said at least one energy pack and said charger negative power connections to form a ground circuit, said ground circuit for connecting with a common ground;

said bus interconnecting said at least one energy pack and said positive power connections to form a power circuit;

said power circuit for charging/discharging said at least one energy pack via a charging device powered by a power source;

said bus interconnecting said at least one energy pack and said energizing connections to form an energizing circuit;

said energizing circuit for energizing and powering a management circuit;

said bus interconnecting said at least one energy pack and said management connections to form said management circuit;

said management circuit for managing the charging/discharging of said at least one energy pack; and

said management circuit comprising a first microcontroller configured for controlling said charging device, said first microcontroller preventing said charging device from supplying power said charger positive power connection when said charger is not connected to said at least one energy pack via said bus, wherein said first microcontroller provides a signal to said charging device to provide a charging current to said at least one energy pack;

wherein said management circuit comprises a second microcontroller, said second microcontroller configured for measuring data related to said at least one energy pack, wherein said second microcontroller requests identification from said at least one energy pack, and based upon said identification determines the appropriate charging algorithm to use in charging said at least one energy pack;

wherein said power circuit comprises a switch, said switch able to be turned ON by said first microcontroller thereby providing a recharge current to said at least one energy pack, and said switch able to be turned OFF by said first microcontroller; and

wherein said power circuit comprises a first switch and a second switch, said first switch able to be turned ON by said first microcontroller thereby providing a recharge current to said first energy pack, and said first switch able to be turned OFF by said first microcontroller, said second switch able to be turned ON by said first microcontroller thereby providing a recharge current to said second energy pack, and said second switch able to be turned OFF by said first microcontroller.

2. The charging system of claim 1, wherein said second microcontroller is configured measure energy pack cell voltage, energy pack cell current, energy pack state of charge, energy pack cell temperature, and/or energy pack charge profile parameters.

3. The charging system of claim 1, wherein said second microcontroller receives a charge profile data from said at least one energy pack and said charging system charges said at least one energy pack according to said charge profile data.

4. The charging system of claim 3, wherein management circuit further comprises nonvolatile memory and said charge profile data is saved in said nonvolatile memory.

5. The charging system of claim 1, wherein said second microcontroller determines that said at least one energy pack is charged and said management circuit directs the power circuit to stop supplying a charging current to said at least one energy pack.

6. The charging system of claim 1, wherein management circuit further comprises nonvolatile memory, said nonvolatile memory for storing data.

7. The charging system of claim 6, wherein said stored data is data relating to a particular energy pack.

8. The charging system of claim 6, wherein said stored data is data relating to energy pack charge algorithms.