Charge equalization between series-connected battery cells

• US 8,810,199 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atmel Automotive GmbH (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Automotive GmbH (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Roeper, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US13/247,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20120074907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/112, 320/116, 320/117, 320/118, 320/119
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

In one embodiment, a circuit comprising a first set of one or more semiconductor switches coupled to a first node and a first terminal of an energy store configured to store energy, and a second set of one or more semiconductor switches coupled to a second node and a second terminal of the energy store, each of the first and second sets of semiconductor switches being configured to couple to a terminal of a battery cell.

Claims

1. A circuit comprising:

a first set of one or more semiconductor switches coupled to a first node and a first terminal of an energy store configured to store energy;

a second set of one or more semiconductor switches coupled to a second node and a second terminal of the energy store, the first and second sets of semiconductor switches coupled to a first battery cell; and

the first battery cell coupled in series to a second battery cell, the second battery cell coupled to the first and second sets of semiconductor switches;

wherein the first and second sets of semiconductor switches are configured to;

discharge a first voltage of the first battery cell into the energy store; and

reverse a polarity of the first and second nodes to charge the second battery cell.

2. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to the first and second sets of semiconductor switches, the controller configured to:

control a first switched connection by regulating the first set of one or more semiconductor switches; and

control a second switched connection by regulating the second set of one or more semiconductor switches.

3. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to the first and second sets of semiconductor switches, the controller configured to:

select to discharge the first battery cell based on a first cell voltage of the first battery cell;

select to charge the second battery cell based on a second cell voltage of the second battery cell;

discharge a first voltage of the first battery cell into the energy store by controlling the first and second sets of semiconductor switches; and

reverse a polarity of the first and second nodes to charge the second battery cell by controlling the first and second sets of semiconductor switches.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the energy store comprises a first inductor for storing energy.

5. The circuit of claim 4, the energy store further comprising a second inductor for storing energy, wherein the first and second inductors are coupled in a transformer-like manner.

6. The circuit of claim 4, wherein the controller sets a time for closing the first and second sets of semiconductor switches based on an inductor value of the first inductor.

7. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a first inverter-synchronous rectifier coupled to the first and second nodes;

a third set of one or more semiconductor switches coupled to a third node;

a fourth set of semiconductor switches coupled to a fourth node; and

a second inverter-synchronous rectifier coupled to the third and fourth nodes, wherein the first and second inverter-synchronous rectifiers are each capable of functioning as an inverter and as a synchronous rectifier.

8. The circuit of claim 7, wherein the first inverter-synchronous rectifier is configured as an inverter and the second inverter-synchronous rectifier is configured as a synchronous rectifier.

9. A method comprising:

determining whether a first battery cell should be charged or discharged based on a first cell voltage of the first battery cell;

if the first battery cell should be discharged, then;

discharging a first voltage of the first battery cell into an energy store by;

controlling a first set of one or more semiconductor switches coupled to the energy store at a first node;

controlling a second set of one or more semiconductor switches coupled to the energy store at a second node;

selecting a second battery cell to charge based on a second cell voltage of the second battery cell; and

reversing a polarity of the first and second nodes to charge the second battery cell by controlling the first and second sets of semiconductor switches; and

if the first battery cell should be charged, then;

selecting the second battery cell to discharge based on the second cell voltage of the second battery cell;

discharging a second voltage of the second battery cell into the energy store by controlling the first and second sets of semiconductor switches; and

reversing the polarity of the first and second nodes to charge the first battery cell by controlling the first and second sets of semiconductor switches.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

closing the first and second sets of semiconductor switches after a period of time to stop charging or discharging based on an inductor value of a first inductor of the energy store.

11. A system comprising:

a first set of one or more semiconductor switches coupled to a first node and a first terminal of an energy store configured to store energy;

a second set of one or more semiconductor switches coupled to a second node and a second terminal of the energy store, each of the first and second sets of semiconductor switches being configured to couple to a terminal of a first battery cell and a second battery cell;

the first battery cell coupled in series to the second battery cell; and

a controller coupled to the first and second sets of semiconductor switches, the controller configured to;

control a first switched connection by regulating the first set of semiconductor switches;

control a second switched connection by regulating the second set of semiconductor switches;

discharge a first voltage of the first battery cell into the energy store by controlling the first and second sets of semiconductor switches; and

reverse a polarity of the first and second nodes to charge the second battery cell by controlling the first and second sets of semiconductor switches.

12. The system of claim 11, the controller further configured to:

select to discharge the first battery cell based on a first cell voltage of the first battery cell; and

select to charge the second battery cell based on a second cell voltage of the second battery cell.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the energy store comprises a first inductor for storing energy.

14. The system of claim 13, the energy store further comprising a second inductor for storing energy, wherein the first and second inductors are coupled in a transformer-like manner.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller sets a time for closing the first and second sets of semiconductor switches based on an inductor value of the first inductor.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a first inverter-synchronous rectifier coupled to the first and second nodes;

a third set of semiconductor switches coupled to a third node;

a fourth set of semiconductor switches coupled to a fourth node; and

a second inverter-synchronous rectifier coupled to the third and fourth nodes, wherein the first and second inverter-synchronous rectifiers are each capable of functioning as an inverter and as a synchronous rectifier.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first inverter-synchronous rectifier is configured as an inverter and the second inverter-synchronous rectifier is configured as a synchronous rectifier.