Battery charge circuit with multi-charge stage and method thereof

• US 20070139009A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sunjett Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sunjett Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Sheng-Chan
• Application Number:
  US11/304,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20070139009A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/125
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule

Abstract

A charge method for charging a battery is provided. The method involves, in a first charge stage, applying a first charge power having a first charge current in pulse form with a first frequency and a first charge voltage to charge the battery; in a second charge stage following the first charge stage, applying a second power having a second charge current in pulse form with the first frequency and a second charge voltage to charge the battery; in a third charge stage following the second charge stage, applying a third charge power having a third charge current in pulse form with the first frequency and a third charge voltage to charge the battery; in a fourth charge stage following the third charge stage, applying a fourth charge power having a fourth charge current in pulse form with the first frequency and a fourth charge voltage to charge the battery.

Claims

1. A charge method for charging at least one battery, the method comprising steps of:

in a first charge stage, applying a first charge power having a first charge current in pulse form with a first frequency and a first charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the first charge current in the first charge stage remains substantially constant, the first charge voltage remains a fist constant voltage;

in a second charge stage following the first charge stage, applying a second power having a second charge current in pulse form with the first frequency and a second charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the second charge current in the second charge stage decreases gradually, the charge voltage remains the fist constant voltage; and

in a third charge stage following the second charge stage, applying a third charge power having a third charge current in pulse form with the first frequency and a third charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the third current in the third charge stage decreases gradually, the third charge voltage remains a second constant voltage is higher than the first constant voltage in the second charge stage; and

in a fourth charge stage following the third charge stage, applying a fourth charge power having a fourth charge current in pulse form with the first frequency and a fourth charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the fourth current in the fourth charge stage decreases gradually, the fourth charge voltage remains a second constant voltage is higher than the first constant voltage in the second charge stage.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of applying a variant current in pulse form with a second frequency between the second charge stage and the third charge stage, wherein the charge voltage in this stage varies with the second frequency.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second frequency is smaller than the first frequency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the starting current of the second charge current in the second charge stage is lower than the first charge current.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the starting current of the third charge current is higher than the ending current of the second charge stage and lower than the first charge current.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of suspending charge of the at least one battery for a predetermined time between the third charge stage and the fourth charge stage.

7. A charge method for charging at least one battery, the method comprising steps of:

in a first charge stage, applying a first charge power having a first charge current in pulse form with a first frequency and a first charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the first charge current in the first charge stage remains substantially constant, the first charge voltage remains a fist constant voltage;

in a second charge stage following the first charge stage, applying a second power having a second charge current in pulse form with the first frequency and a second charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the second charge current in the second charge stage decreases gradually, the charge voltage remains the fist constant voltage; and

in a third charge stage following the second charge stage, applying a third charge power having a third charge current in pulse form with the first frequency and a third charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the third current in the third charge stage decreases gradually, the third charge voltage remains a second constant voltage is higher than the first constant voltage in the second charge stage;

in a fourth charge stage following the third charge stage, applying a fourth charge power having a fourth charge current in pulse form with the first frequency and a fourth charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the fourth current in the fourth charge stage decreases gradually, the fourth charge voltage remains a second constant voltage is higher than the first constant voltage in the second charge stage; and

in a maintenance stage following the fourth charge stage, applying a fifth current maintain the battery until the battery is substantially full charged.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising a step of suspending charge of the at least one battery for a predetermined time between the fourth charge stage and the maintenance stage.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein in the maintenance stage, when the battery voltage of the battery is lower than a predetermined voltage, applying the fifth current to the battery for remaintain the at least one battery.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein in the maintenance stage, when the battery voltage of the battery is lower than a predetermined voltage, applying a sixth current which is different from the fifth current to recharge the at least one battery.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of applying a variant current in pulse form with a second frequency between the second charge stage and the third charge stage, wherein the charge voltage in this stage varies with the second frequency.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second frequency is smaller than the first frequency.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the starting current of the second charge current in the second charge stage is lower than the first charge current.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the starting current of the third charge current is higher than the ending current of the second charge stage and lower than the first charge current.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising a step of suspending charge of the at least one battery for a predetermined time between the third charge stage and the fourth charge stage.

16. A charge method for charging at least one battery, the method comprising steps of:

in a first charge stage, applying a first charge power having a first charge current with a first frequency and a first charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the first charge current in the first charge stage remains substantially constant, the first charge voltage remains a fist constant voltage;

in a second charge stage following the first charge stage, applying a second power having a second charge current with the first frequency and a second charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the second charge current in the second charge stage decreases gradually, the charge voltage remains the fist constant voltage;

after the second charge stage, applying a variant current with a second frequency, wherein the charge voltage in this stage varies with the second frequency;

in a third charge stage following the second charge stage, applying a third charge power having a third charge current with the first frequency and a third charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the third current in the third charge stage decreases gradually, the third charge voltage remains a second constant voltage is higher than the first constant voltage in the second charge stage; and

in a fourth charge stage following the third charge stage, applying a fourth charge power having a fourth charge current with the first frequency and a fourth charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the fourth current in the fourth charge stage decreases gradually, the fourth charge voltage remains a second constant voltage is higher than the first constant voltage in the second charge stage.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second frequency is smaller than the first frequency.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the starting current of the second charge current in the second charge stage is lower than the first charge current.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the starting current of the third charge current is higher than the ending current of the second charge stage and lower than the first charge current.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising a step of suspending charge of the at least one battery for a predetermined time between the third charge stage and the fourth charge stage.

21. A charge method for charging at least one battery, the method comprising steps of:

in a first charge stage, applying a first charge power having a first charge current with a first frequency and a first charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the first charge current in the first charge stage remains substantially constant, the first charge voltage remains a fist constant voltage;

in a second charge stage following the first charge stage, applying a second power having a second charge current with the first frequency and a second charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the second charge current in the second charge stage decreases gradually, the charge voltage remains the fist constant voltage; and

in a third charge stage following the second charge stage, applying a third charge power having a third charge current with the first frequency and a third charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the third current in the third charge stage decreases gradually, the third charge voltage remains a second constant voltage is higher than the first constant voltage in the second charge stage;

in a fourth charge stage following the third charge stage, applying a fourth charge power having a fourth charge current with the first frequency and a fourth charge voltage to charge the at least one battery, wherein the fourth current in the fourth charge stage decreases gradually, the fourth charge voltage remains a second constant voltage is higher than the first constant voltage in the second charge stage; and

in a maintenance stage following the fourth charge stage, applying a fifth current maintain the battery until the battery is substantially full charged.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising a step of suspending charge of the at least one battery for a predetermined time between the fourth charge stage and the maintenance stage.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein in the maintenance stage, when the battery voltage of the battery is lower than a predetermined voltage, applying the fifth current to the battery for remaintain the at least one battery.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein in the maintenance stage, when the battery voltage of the battery is lower than a predetermined voltage, applying the sixth current which is different from the fifth current to recharge the at least one battery.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising a step of applying a variant current with a second frequency between the second charge stage and the third charge stage, wherein the charge voltage in this stage varies with the second frequency.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second frequency is smaller than the first frequency.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the starting current of the second charge current in the second charge stage is lower than the first charge current.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the starting current of the third charge current is higher than the ending current of the second charge stage and lower than the first charge current.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising a step of suspending charge of the at least one battery for a predetermined time between the third charge stage and the fourth charge stage.