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Battery management system for control of lithium power cells

  • US 9,887,560 B2
  • Filed: 08/03/2015
  • Issued: 02/06/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A battery pack for powering a device, comprising:

  • a rechargeable cell having a positive and a negative terminal;

    a battery pack connector for connecting the battery pack to a charger or a device to be powered by the battery pack;

    a main bus connecting the positive terminal of the rechargeable cell with a positive connector of the battery pack connector and also connecting the negative terminal of the rechargeable cell with a negative connector of the battery pack connector; and

    a battery management system in electrical communication with the rechargeable cell, including;

    a processor for monitoring an input related to the state of charge of the cell,a switch disposed in the front-side bus between the positive terminal of the cell and the positive connector of the battery pack, the switch responsive to a signal generated by the processor in response to the input related to the state of charge of the cell to control the charging or discharging of the cell;

    a second rechargeable cell connected in series with the first rechargeable cell;

    a monitoring circuit, in electrical communication with the processor, the monitoring circuit monitoring the voltage of the first and second rechargeable cells and providing a signal for each rechargeable cell to the processor, the signal representative of a level of voltage measured across a negative and positive terminal of each cell, the monitoring circuit including a first switch connecting the first rechargeable cell to a first bleeder circuit, the first switch responsive to an overvoltage signal from the processor to close the first switch to prevent overcharging of the first rechargeable cell, the monitoring circuit also including a second switch connecting the second rechargeable cell to a second bleeder circuit, the second switch responsive to an overvoltage signal from the processor to close the second switch to prevent overcharging of the second rechargeable cell; and

    a state of charge monitoring circuit, including a sensor for determining an amount of current flowing through the main bus, a state of charge processor in electrical communication with the sensor, a state of charge memory in electrical communication with the state of charge processor, the memory for storing information related to the battery cells and also to the amount of current flowing through the main bus, wherein the state of charge processor, based on the information stored in the state of charge memory and input from the sensor determines the amount of current available from the battery.

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