System and method for balancing electrical energy storage devices via differential power bus and capacitive load switched-mode power supply

• US 9,048,670 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2011
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Jang Dae
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US13/180,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20130015820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/128, 320/134, 320/136, 320/163
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits

Abstract

System and method are provided for transferring electrical energy among multiple electrical energy storage devices via a differential power bus and a capacitive load switched-mode power supply. The switched-mode power supply transfers the electrical energy between the load capacitor and the differential power bus to which the electrical energy storage devices (e.g., rechargeable batteries and/or capacitors connected in parallel or series or combinations of both) are electrically connected via bus switches. As a result, electrical energy is efficiently transferred and distributed among the electrical energy storage devices.

Claims

1. An apparatus including circuitry for transferring electrical energy among multiple electrical energy storage devices, comprising:

a first differential power bus;

a first plurality of electrical energy storage devices;

a first plurality of switches responsive to a first plurality of multiplexing control signals to multiplex said first plurality of electrical energy storage devices to said first differential power bus;

a first shuttle capacitor; and

a first bidirectional switched-mode power supply coupled between said first differential power bus and said shuttle capacitor and responsive to at least a first portion of one or more duty cycle control signals by transferring a first polarity of said first electrical energy between a multiplexed electrical energy storage device and said first shuttle capacitor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first bidirectional switched-mode power supply is responsive to said at least a first portion of one or more duty cycle control signals by transferring said at least a first polarity of said first electrical energy between said multiplexed electrical energy storage device and said first shuttle capacitor in a substantially constant current.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second shuttle capacitor;

a second bi-directional switched-mode power supply coupled between said first differential power bus and said second shuttle capacitor and responsive to at least a second portion of said one or more duty cycle control signals by transferring a second polarity of said first electrical energy between said multiplexed electrical energy storage device and said second shuttle capacitor; and

a bridging circuit including at least one shared bridging capacitor, and a third plurality of switches responsive to a third plurality of bridging control signals to connect said differential power bus, and thereby connect said first and second bidirectional switched-mode power supplies, to said first plurality of electrical energy storage devices with selectively said first or second polarity.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second differential power bus including a second plurality of switches responsive to a second plurality of multiplex switch control signals to connect a selected one of a second plurality of electrical energy storage devices to said second differential power bus;

a second shuttle capacitor to store and provide at least a portion of said second electrical energy;

a second bidirectional switched-mode power supply coupled between said second differential power bus and said second shuttle capacitor and responsive to at least a second portion of said one or more duty cycle control signals by transferring a second polarity of said second electrical energy between said multiplexed electrical energy storage device and said second shuttle capacitor; and

a bridging circuit including at least one shared bridging capacitor, and a third plurality of switches responsive to a third plurality of bridging control signals to connect said differential power bus, and thereby connect said first and second bidirectional switched-mode power supplies, to said first plurality of electrical energy storage devices with selectively said first or second polarity.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first bi-directional switched-mode power supply comprises an isolated bi-directional switched-mode power supply.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said bidirectional isolated switched-mode power supply comprises one of a synchronous flyback converter, a synchronous forward converter and a synchronous push-pull converter.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bidirectional non isolated switched-mode power supply comprises one of a synchronous buck converter, a synchronous boost converter and a synchronous buck-boost converter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first plurality of electrical energy storage devices each comprises an electrical battery.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a buffer capacitor coupled across each of said first plurality of electrical energy storage devices.