Charging management system and charger with the same

• US 8,872,476 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Golden Crown New Energy (HK) Limited, Suzhou Golden Crown New Energy Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Golden Crown New Energy (HK) Limited, Suzhou Golden Crown New Energy Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Huang, Jen-Chin, Liu, Zhijian
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US13/362,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20130141034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The present invention discloses a charging management system and a charger with such charging management system. The charging management system includes a first signal-output port, a second signal-output port, a third signal-output port and a controller electrically connected with the first, second and third signal-output ports. The first and second signal-output ports are adapted for outputting first and second control signals representing first and second charging currents, respectively, to a charging circuit. The third signal-output port is adapted for outputting a third control signal representing a variable third charging current to the charging circuit. The controller controls the charging management system to operate under at least one of two modes. In the first mode, the controller alternately controls the first and second signal-output ports to output the first and second control signals. In the second mode, the controller only controls the third signal-output port to output the third control signal.

Claims

1. A charging management system for receiving a signal from a battery to be charged, and controlling a charging circuit of a charger so as to charge the battery according to the received signal, the charging management system comprising:

a first signal-output port adapted for outputting a first control signal representing a first charging current to the charging circuit;

a second signal-output port adapted for outputting a second control signal representing a second charging current to the charging circuit;

a third signal-output port adapted for outputting a third control signal representing a variable third charging current to the charging circuit; and

a controller electrically connected with the first, second and third signal-output ports so as to control the charging management system to operate in at least one of a first mode and a second mode, wherein

(i) in the first mode, the controller selectively controls outputs of the first signal-output port and the second signal-output port; and

(ii) in the second mode, the controller only controls an output of the third signal-output port.

2. The charging management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the first mode, the controller controls the first signal-output port to output the first control signal, and subsequently, controls the second signal-output port to output the second control signal.

3. The charging management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein in the first mode, the second charging current is far lower than the first charging current so that the first charging current is configured to quickly charge the battery in a quick-charge mode, and the second charging current is configured to slowly charge the battery in a trickle-charge mode when the battery is charged near saturation.

4. The charging management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the battery to be charged is saturated, the controller controls the first and second signal-output ports not to output any control signal.

5. The charging management system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first switch electrically connected between the controller and the first signal-output port, and a second switch electrically connected between the controller and the second signal-output port, through controlling the ON/OFF status of the first or second switch, wherein the controller controls the first and second signal-output ports to output or not to output the first and second control signals, respectively.

6. The charging management system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the first switch and the second switch comprises an optical coupling relay.

7. The charging management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the second mode, the controller controls the third signal-output port by outputting a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal to the third signal-output port.

8. The charging management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein in the second mode, when charging of the battery begins, the third charging current is high for quick charging, and when the battery is charged near saturation, the third charging current is gradually reduced until the battery is saturated.

9. The charging management system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an amplifier electrically connected between the controller and the third signal-output port to amplify the PWM signal.

10. The charging management system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a signal-input port for receiving a communication signal from the battery to be charged, wherein the controller is configured to receive an input signal of the signal-input port and control the first, second and third signal-output ports according to the input signal.

11. The charging management system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a power port adapted for receiving electric power from the battery to be charged, and a voltage conversion circuit electrically connected between the power port and the controller.

12. The charging management system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the power port comprises a positive pole and a negative pole, each of the positive pole and the negative pole comprising two conductive contacts.

13. A charger for charging a battery, comprising:

a charging management system, comprising;

a first signal-output port adapted for outputting a first control signal representing a first charging current;

a second signal-output port adapted for outputting a second control signal representing a second charging current;

a third signal-output port adapted for outputting a third control signal representing a variable third charging current; and

a controller electrically connected with the first, second and third signal-output ports to control the charging management system to operate under at least one of first and second modes, wherein

(i) in the first mode, the controller selectively controls outputs of the first signal-output port and the second signal-output port; and

(ii) in the second mode, the controller only controls an output of the third signal-output port,

wherein the outputs of the first, second and third signal-output ports are used as a control signal; and

a charging circuit for receiving the control signal and outputting the corresponding first, second or third charging current to charge the battery according to the control signal.

14. The charger as claimed in claim 13, wherein in the first mode, the controller controls the first signal-output port to output the first control signal, and subsequently, controls the second signal-output port to output the second control signal.

15. The charger as claimed in claim 14, wherein in the first mode, the second charging current is far lower than the first charging current so that the first charging current is adapted to quickly charge the battery in a quick-charge mode, and the second charging current is adapted to slowly charge the battery in a trickle-charge mode when the battery to be charged is charged near saturation.

16. The charger as claimed in claim 14, wherein when the battery to be charged is saturated, the controller controls the first and second signal-output ports not to output any control signal.

17. The charger as claimed in claim 13, wherein the charging management system further comprises a first switch electrically connected between the controller and the first signal-output port, and a second switch electrically connected between the controller and the second signal-output port, and through controlling the ON/OFF status of the first or second switch, wherein the controller controls the first and second signal-output ports to output or not to output the first and second control signals, respectively.

18. The charger as claimed in claim 13, wherein in the second mode, when charging of the battery begins, the third charging current is high for quick charging, and when the battery is charged near saturation, the third charging current is gradually reduced until the battery is saturated.

19. The charger as claimed in claim 13, wherein in the second mode, the controller controls the third signal-output port by outputting a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal to the third signal-output port, and wherein the charging management system further comprises an amplifier electrically connected between the controller and the third signal-output port to amplify the PWM signal.