Controllers for battery chargers and battery chargers therefrom
First Claim
1. A controller block for a battery charger including a power converter, comprising:
- a plurality of parametric sensors for providing a plurality of sensed parameters provided by said power converter while said power converter is connected between a power source and at least one battery for charging said battery, said sensed parameters including a sensed Vin signal, a sensed Vout signal and a sensed Iout signal;
a battery current regulator (BCR) coupled to receive said sensed Iout signal and an Iout reference, said BCR outputting a first duty cycle control signal;
an input voltage regulator (IVR) for receiving said sensed Vin signal and a Vin reference, said IVR providing a second duty cycle control signal;
a processor coupled to receive said sensed Iout signal, said processor utilizing a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm for providing said Vin reference to said IVR, anda selection block coupled to receive said first and said second duty cycle control signals, said selection block forwarding one of said first and said second duty cycle control signals as a duty cycle control signal to said power converter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A controller for a battery charger that includes a power converter has parametric sensors for providing a sensed Vin signal, a sensed Vout signal and a sensed Iout signal. A battery current regulator (BCR) is coupled to receive the sensed Iout signal and an Iout reference, and outputs a first duty cycle control signal. An input voltage regulator (IVR) receives the sensed Vin signal and a Vin reference. The IVR provides a second duty cycle control signal. A processor receives the sensed Iout signal and utilizes a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm, and provides the Vin reference to the IVR. A selection block forwards one of the first and second duty cycle control signals as a duty cycle control signal to the power converter. Dynamic switching between the first and second duty cycle control signals maximizes the power delivered to the battery.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A controller block for a battery charger including a power converter, comprising:
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a plurality of parametric sensors for providing a plurality of sensed parameters provided by said power converter while said power converter is connected between a power source and at least one battery for charging said battery, said sensed parameters including a sensed Vin signal, a sensed Vout signal and a sensed Iout signal; a battery current regulator (BCR) coupled to receive said sensed Iout signal and an Iout reference, said BCR outputting a first duty cycle control signal; an input voltage regulator (IVR) for receiving said sensed Vin signal and a Vin reference, said IVR providing a second duty cycle control signal; a processor coupled to receive said sensed Iout signal, said processor utilizing a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm for providing said Vin reference to said IVR, and a selection block coupled to receive said first and said second duty cycle control signals, said selection block forwarding one of said first and said second duty cycle control signals as a duty cycle control signal to said power converter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A battery charger, comprising:
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a power converter coupled to receive an input voltage (Vin) from a power source and provide an output voltage (Vout) and a battery charging current (Iout) to charge one or more batteries; a controller block having an output that provides a duty cycle control signal for said power converter coupled to a control input of said power converter, said controller block comprising; a plurality of parametric sensors for providing a plurality of sensed parameters including a sensed Vin signal, a sensed Vout signal and a sensed Iout signal; a battery current regulator (BCR) coupled to receive said sensed Iout signal and an Iout reference, said BCR outputting a first duty cycle control signal; an input voltage regulator (IVR) for receiving said sensed Vin signal and a Vin reference, said IVR providing a second duty cycle control signal; a processor coupled to receive said sensed Iout signal, said processor utilizing a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm for providing said Vin reference to said IVR, and a selection block coupled to receive said first and said second duty cycle control signals, said selection block forwarding one of said first and said second duty cycle control signals as said duty cycle control signal to said power converter. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of charging batteries using a battery charger that includes a switched power converter disposed between a power source and a battery that provides input power at an input voltage (Vin), said power converter generating an output voltage (Vout) and a battery current (Iout), comprising:
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sensing parameters using a plurality of parametric sensors including a sensed Vin signal, a sensed Vout signal and a sensed Iout signal; generating a first duty cycle control signal from said sensed Iout signal and an Iout reference; generating a second duty cycle control signal from said sensed Vin signal and a Vin reference; selecting between said first and said second duty cycle control signals, and forwarding one of said first and said second duty cycle control signals as a duty cycle control signal to said power converter. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification