Solar battery system for low temperature operation

• US 10,742,064 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2018
• Issued: 08/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lithium Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lithium Power, Inc.
• Inventors: Chan, Wilson, Kuo, Chu Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US16/215,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20190140475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 320101, 320108, 320109, 320113, 320115
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A power delivery device includes at least one solar panel, a battery pack comprising at least one battery, and a heater, wherein the device is configured to measure the temperature of the battery pack and power the heater to heat the battery pack if it is too cold for optimal charging.

Claims

1. A method for charging a solar battery using a system having at least one solar panel, a controller, at least one temperature sensor, a battery charger, an over voltage protection circuit, an over current protection circuit, a user interface, and a heater, the method comprising:

receiving temperature of the battery from the temperature sensor;

determining whether or not the temperature of the battery pack is within the optimal range for battery charging;

determining whether the at least one solar panel is producing power;

receive voltage from the battery;

determine whether or not the at least one battery needs to be charged;

if the temperature is within a range for battery charging and the at least one battery needs to be charged, charging the battery pack through the battery charger using the power produced by the solar panel; and

if the temperature is below the range for battery charging and the at least one battery needs to be charged, turning off the battery charger and heating the battery using the heater until the temperature of the battery is within the range for battery charging,

wherein the heater is powered by the at least one solar panel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the voltage indicates the battery is fully charged, turning off the battery charger.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the voltage indicates the battery is not fully charged and the temperature is outside an acceptable range, turning on the heater; and

if the voltage indicates the battery is not fully charged and the temperature is within the acceptable range, turning off the heater.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the voltage is above a predefined level, turning off the voltage charger.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising if a current from the battery is above a predefined level, turning off the voltage charger.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

connecting to a mobile device; and

receiving instruction from the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

connecting to a remote controller center through a cellular network; and

receiving instruction from the remote controller.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving instruction from the user interface.

9. A battery solar power charging system for charging a battery pack comprising:

At least one solar panel for generating electricity;

a controller connected to the solar panel;

at least one temperature sensor connected to the controller and sensing temperature of the battery;

a battery charger connected to the battery for charging the battery; and

a heater connected to the battery for heating up the battery,

wherein

the controller is also connected to a battery charging circuit and the heater,

if the temperature of the battery is within a range for charging the battery and the at least one battery needs to be charged, the battery charger charges the battery using electricity generated by the solar panel; and

if the temperature is below the range for charging the battery and the at least one battery needs to be charged, turning off the battery charger and the heater is turned on to heat up the battery.

10. The battery solar power charging system of claim 9, further comprising:

an over voltage protection circuit connected to the battery and sensing voltage of the battery; and

an over current protection circuit connected to the controller and sensing the current of the battery,

wherein

if the voltage indicates the battery is not fully charged and the temperature is outside an acceptable range for charging, the heater is turned on; and

if the voltage indicates the battery is not fully charged and the temperature is within the acceptable range for charging, the heater is turned off.

11. The battery solar power charging system of claim 9, further comprising a user interface for receiving instructions from a user and sending a status to the user.

12. The battery solar power charging system of claim 9, further comprising a communication unit for receiving instructions from a remote control center and for sending status to the remote control center.

13. The battery solar power charging system of claim 12, wherein the communication unit communicates with a cellular network.

14. The battery solar power charging system of claim 9, wherein the battery pack has a plurality of battery cells, during charging, for each battery cell, if its voltage exceeds the average voltage of all the battery cells by a predefined amount, turning on a switch to activate a bypass circuit for that battery cell.