Battery charger with automatic voltage detection
First Claim
1. A method of supplying current to a battery in a battery system having a processor to determine a nominal voltage of the battery, the method comprising:
- measuring, via a sensor, a first voltage of the battery across a pair of battery cables;
comparing, via the processor, the first voltage to a first predetermined value to determine whether the nominal voltage of the battery is a first nominal voltage;
determining, via the processor, the nominal voltage of the battery to be the first nominal voltage if the first voltage is greater than the first predetermined value;
supplying, via the pair of battery cables, a test current to the battery if said first voltage is not greater than the first predetermined value;
measuring, via the sensor, a second voltage across the pair of battery cables in response to the test current;
comparing the second voltage to a second predetermined value to determine, via the processor, whether the nominal voltage of the battery is the first nominal voltage or a second nominal voltage, wherein the first nominal voltage is greater than the second nominal voltage; and
supplying a charge current to the battery as a function of the first nominal voltage or the second nominal voltage as determined by the processor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery charger is disclosed that is configured to be connected to an external battery by way of external battery cables. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the battery charger is configured with automatic voltage detection which automatically determines the nominal voltage of the battery connected to its battery charger terminals and charges the battery as a function of the detected nominal voltage irrespective of the nominal voltage selected by a user. Various safeguards are built into the battery charger to avoid overcharging a battery. For battery chargers with user-selectable nominal battery voltage charging modes, battery charger is configured to over-ride a user-selected battery voltage mode if it detects that the battery connected to the battery charger terminals is different than the user-selected charging mode.
48 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of supplying current to a battery in a battery system having a processor to determine a nominal voltage of the battery, the method comprising:
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measuring, via a sensor, a first voltage of the battery across a pair of battery cables; comparing, via the processor, the first voltage to a first predetermined value to determine whether the nominal voltage of the battery is a first nominal voltage; determining, via the processor, the nominal voltage of the battery to be the first nominal voltage if the first voltage is greater than the first predetermined value; supplying, via the pair of battery cables, a test current to the battery if said first voltage is not greater than the first predetermined value; measuring, via the sensor, a second voltage across the pair of battery cables in response to the test current; comparing the second voltage to a second predetermined value to determine, via the processor, whether the nominal voltage of the battery is the first nominal voltage or a second nominal voltage, wherein the first nominal voltage is greater than the second nominal voltage; and supplying a charge current to the battery as a function of the first nominal voltage or the second nominal voltage as determined by the processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A battery system to supply current to a battery via a pair of battery cables, the battery system comprising:
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an automatic voltage detection system to determine a nominal voltage of the battery, wherein the automatic voltage detection system is configured to (1) measures a first voltage of the battery across the pair of battery cables, (2) compare, the first voltage to a first predetermined value to determine whether the nominal voltage of the battery is a first nominal voltage, (3) determine the nominal voltage of the battery to be the first nominal voltage if the first voltage is greater than the first predetermined value, (4) measure a second voltage across the pair of battery cables if said first voltage is not greater than the first predetermined value, and (5) compare the second voltage to a second predetermined value to determine whether the nominal voltage of the battery is the first nominal voltage or a second nominal voltage, wherein the first nominal voltage is greater than the second nominal voltage; and a system to supply current to the battery as a function of the first nominal voltage or the second nominal voltage as determined by the automatic voltage detection system. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A battery system to supply current to a battery via a pair of battery cables, the battery system comprising:
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a sensor to measure a voltage of the battery across the pair of battery cables; a processor operatively coupled with the sensor to determine a nominal voltage of the battery, wherein the processor is configured to (1) receive, via the sensor, a first voltage of the battery across the pair of battery cables, (2) compare the first voltage to a first predetermined value, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the nominal voltage of the battery is a first nominal voltage when the first voltage is greater than the first predetermined value, (3) receive, via the sensor, a second voltage across the pair of battery cables if said first voltage is not greater than the first predetermined value, wherein the second voltage is measured in response to a test current supplied through said battery, and (4) compare the second voltage to a second predetermined value to determine whether the nominal voltage of the battery is the first nominal voltage or a second nominal voltage, wherein the first nominal voltage is greater than the second nominal voltage; and a charger circuit to supply a charging current to the battery as a function of the first nominal voltage or the second nominal voltage as determined by the processor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification