Adaptive remote battery charging

• US 9,365,174 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Inventors: Smithson, Bradley D., Graham, Eric, Beauregard, Chad
• Primary Examiner(s): Memula, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US14/195,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20140247005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

A battery charger device and controller is provided. The battery charger includes a DC/DC converter operative to convert an input current and an input voltage to an output current and an output voltage. The controller is configured to determine whether the input voltage is between a minimum voltage and a maximum voltage and dynamically adjust the output current based on the determination that the input voltage is between the minimum voltage and the maximum voltage.

Claims

1. A battery charger device comprising:

a DC/DC converter operative to convert an input current and an input voltage to an output current and an output voltage;

a countdown timer; and

a controller comprising a low voltage discharge adjustment input, the controller operative to;

determine whether the input voltage is between a minimum voltage and a maximum voltage;

dynamically adjust the output current or an output voltage target based on the determination that the input voltage is between the minimum voltage and the maximum voltage;

initiate the countdown timer to constantly repeat;

when the countdown timer is activated, reduce the output current;

determine whether the input voltage is greater than a minimum threshold value; and

maintain the output current at a reduced state or further reduce the output current down to a specific value based on the determination that the input voltage is less than the minimum threshold value.

2. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

determine whether the input voltage is within a threshold of the minimum voltage; and

prevent any increase or decrease of the output current or the output voltage target based on the determination that input voltage is within the threshold of the minimum voltage.

3. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

determine whether the input voltage is less than the minimum voltage; and

reduce the output current or the output voltage target based on the determination that the input voltage is less than the minimum voltage.

4. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

determine whether the input voltage is greater than the minimum voltage; and

increase the output current or the output voltage target based on the determination that the input voltage is greater than the minimum voltage.

5. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

receive an indication of a battery chemistry; and

dynamically adjust target output voltage or current based at least in part on the battery chemistry.

6. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

receive an indication of an external ambient temperature; and

dynamically adjust the output voltage target or the output current based at least in part on the external ambient temperature.

7. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

receive an indication of an internal temperature; and

adjust the output voltage target or the output current based at least in part on the internal temperature.

8. The battery charger of claim 7, wherein the controller dynamically adjusts the output target voltage or the output current.

9. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

monitor the period of time during charging; and

adjust the output voltage target or the output current based on two or more unique charging modes, wherein the two or more unique charging modes may cause the charger to implement differing output voltage targets, maximum output current limits, or charge mode time durations.

10. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

pause charging operation by periodically reducing the output current;

determine whether the input voltage is greater than a minimum threshold value; and

resume charging operation.

11. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

receive a voltage setting adjustment indication and

change at least one of the minimum voltage and the maximum voltage.

12. The battery charger of claim 1, the controller further operative to:

receive a voltage setting adjustment indication and change an input voltage threshold used determine whether stop or continue charging.

13. A method for controlling an output current or an output voltage target from a battery charger operative to convert an input current and an input voltage to an output voltage and the output current, the method comprising:

determining whether the input voltage is between a minimum voltage and a maximum voltage;

adjusting the output current or the output voltage target based on the determination that the input voltage is between the minimum voltage and the maximum voltage;

reducing the output current or the output voltage target periodically;

determining whether the input voltage is greater than a minimum operation voltage; and

decreasing the output current or the output voltage target based on the determination that the input voltage is less than the minimum operation voltage;

or

resuming normal operation of the battery charger based on the determination that the input voltage is greater than the minimum operation voltage.

14. The method claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether the input voltage is within a threshold value of the minimum voltage; and

preventing any increase or decrease of the output current or the output voltage target based on the determination that input voltage is within the threshold value of the minimum voltage.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether the input voltage is less than the minimum voltage; and

reducing the output current or the output voltage target based on the determination that the input voltage is less than the minimum voltage.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether the input voltage is greater than the minimum voltage; and

increasing the output current or the output voltage target based on the determination that the input voltage is greater than the minimum voltage.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an activation signal on an external low voltage adjustment input;

changing at least one of the minimum voltage and the maximum voltage based on the activation signal.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an activation signal on an external voltage adjustment input; and

changing the minimum operation voltage based on the activation signal.