Systems and methods for controlling battery charging

• US 9,431,846 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Grid Solutions LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wagoner, Robert Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US13/712,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/130
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling battery charging are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a method can include receiving battery state information; determining, based on the battery state information, whether to adjust battery models; and, if so, adjusting the battery models.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a sensor in communication with a battery, state information related to the battery;

defining, based at least in part on the state information related to the battery, at least one of a charge curve associated with the battery or a discharge curve associated with the battery;

using the at least one of the charge curve associated with the battery or the discharge curve associated with the battery to create a model of the battery, the model of the battery comprising data describing the battery; and

based at least in part on determining that the state information related to the battery is different than the model of the battery, adjusting at least one of the model of the battery or an operation of a charger in communication with the battery.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the state information related to the battery comprises at least one of information related to the charging of the battery or information related to the discharging of the battery.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions configure the processor to perform operations further comprising:

storing information related to the at least one of the charge curve associated with the battery or the discharge curve associated with the battery.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the charger in communication with the battery comprises at least one of a bidirectional DC/DC converter or a DC/AC inverter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions configure the processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on the state information related to the battery, whether a predetermined level has been reached; and

,

responsive to a determination that the predetermined level has been reached, providing a warning related to the predetermined level having been reached.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a sensor in communication with a battery, state information related to the battery;

defining, based at least in part on the state information related to the battery, at least one of a charge curve associated with the battery or a discharge curve associated with the battery;

creating a model of the battery based at least in part on at least one of the charge curve associated with the battery or the discharge curve associated with the battery;

determining, based at least in part on the model of the battery, whether to adjust an operation of a charger in communication with the battery; and

,

responsive to a determination that the operation of the charger in communication with the battery is to be adjusted, adjusting the operation of the charger.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the state information related to the battery comprises at least one of information related to charging of the battery or information related to discharging of the battery.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing information related to the at least one of the charge curve associated with the battery or the discharge curve associated with the battery.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the charger in communication with the battery comprises at least one of a bidirectional DC/DC converter or a DC/AC inverter.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on the state information related to the battery, whether a predetermined level has been reached; and

,

responsive to a determination that the predetermined level has been reached, providing a warning related to the predetermined level having been reached.

18. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on the state information related to the battery, whether to adjust the model of the battery; and

,

responsive to a determination that the model of the battery is to be adjusted, adjusting the model of the battery based at least in part on the state information related to the battery.

11. A system, comprising:

a battery;

a charger in communication with the battery;

a sensor in communication with the battery; and

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from the sensor in communication with the battery, state information related to the battery;

determining, based at least in part on the state information related to the battery, whether to adjust a model of the battery; and

,

responsive to a determination that the model of the battery is to be adjusted, adjusting at least one of the model of the battery or an operation of the charger in communication with the battery.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the state information related to the battery comprises at least one of information related to the charging of the battery or information related to the discharging of the battery.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable instructions configure the processor to perform operations further comprising:

measuring, based at least in part on the state information related to the battery, at least one of a charge curve associated with the battery or a discharge curve associated with the battery.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions configure the processor to perform operations further comprising:

storing information related to the at least one of the charge curve associated with the battery or the discharge curve associated with the battery.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions configure the processor to perform operations further comprising:

creating the model of the battery based at least in part on the at least one of the charge curve associated with the battery or the discharge curve associated with the battery.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the charger in communication with the battery comprises at least one of a bidirectional DC/DC converter or a DC/AC inverter.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable instructions configure the processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on the state information related to the battery, whether a predetermined level has been reached; and

,

responsive to a determination that the predetermined level has been reached, providing a warning related to the predetermined level having been reached.