CHARGER, CHARGING SYSTEM WITH THE CHARGER, AND AERIAL VEHICLE WITH THE CHARGER

• US 20180065493A1
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Published: 03/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: LIU, Yuancai, WANG, Lei, WANG, Wentao
• Granted Patent: US 10,618,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A charger includes a power output interface configured to output a charging signal, a signal interface configured to acquire charging information of a battery, a balance charging interface configured to perform balance charging control over sets of battery cores of the battery, and a control circuit electrically connected to the power output interface, the signal interface, and the balance charging interface. The control circuit is configured to select the signal interface and/or the balance charging interface to perform charging control over the battery.

Claims

1. A charger, comprising:

a power output interface configured to output a charging signal;

a signal interface configured to acquire charging information of a battery;

a balance charging interface configured to perform balance charging control over sets of battery cores of the battery; and

a control circuit electrically connected to the power output interface, the signal interface, and the balance charging interface, the control circuit being configured to select the signal interface and/or the balance charging interface to perform charging control over the battery.

2. The charger of claim 1, wherein:

the charging information comprises at least one of design information of the battery or status information of the battery, and

the charging signal comprises at least one of a charging voltage or a charging current.

3. The charger of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply conversion unit electrically connected to the power output interface and the control circuit, the power supply conversion unit being configured to process an input alternating current or an input direct current under a control of the control circuit, to convert the input alternating current or the input direct current to a charging signal for the battery.

4. The charger of claim 3, further comprising:

a power input interface electrically connecting an external power supply and the power supply conversion unit, the power input interface being configured to receive the input alternating current or the input direct current from the external power supply and output the input alternating current or the input direct current to the power supply conversion unit.

5. The charger of claim 3, wherein:

the power supply conversion unit comprises an alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) conversion unit and a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected to the AC-DC conversion unit and the control circuit,

the AC-DC conversion unit is configured to convert the input alternating current to an output direct current and outputs the output direct current to the DC-DC conversion unit, and

the DC-DC conversion unit is configured to process the output direct current under a control of the control circuit to convert the output direct current to the charging signal.

6. The charger of claim 3, wherein the power supply conversion unit comprises a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected to the control circuit, and configured to process the input direct current under a control of the control circuit and convert the input direct current to the charging signal.

7. The charger of claim 3, further comprising:

a voltage and current collection unit electrically connecting the power supply conversion unit and the control circuit, the voltage and current collection unit being configured to collect voltage information and current information of the charging signal, and send the voltage information and the current information to the control circuit.

8. The charger of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

identify the battery in accordance with the charging information of the battery; and

when the charger does not match a model of the battery, control the power supply conversion unit to stop outputting the charging signal.

9. The charger of claim 1,

wherein the battery is a non-smart battery,

the charger further comprising:

a battery core voltage collection unit electrically connecting the control circuit and the balance charging interface, the battery core voltage collection unit being configured to communicate with the non-smart battery through the balance charging interface to acquire charging voltage information of the non-smart battery,

wherein the control circuit is further configured to, in accordance with the charging voltage information of the non-smart battery, perform balance charging control over the non-smart battery through the balance charging interface.

10. The charger of claim 9, further comprising:

a battery core balancing unit electrically connecting the control circuit and the balance charging interface,

wherein the control circuit is further configured to, after the battery core voltage collection unit collects voltage information of respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery, start the battery core balancing unit in accordance with the voltage information, to balance charging voltages of the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery, causing the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery to all have a fullest capacity.

11. An aerial vehicle, comprising:

a motor; and

a charging system including;

a battery; and

the charger of claim 1,

wherein the charger is configured to charge the battery and the battery is configured to provide power to the motor.

12. A charger, comprising:

a power input interface configured to access an external power supply;

a power supply conversion unit electrically connected to the power input interface;

a signal interface electrically connected to a battery and configured to acquire charging information of the battery;

a balance charging interface electrically connected to the battery and configured to perform balance charging control over respective sets of battery cores of the battery;

a control circuit electrically connected to the signal interface and the balance charging interface, the control circuit being configured to;

control the power supply conversion unit to convert an electrical signal from the external power supply to a charging signal for the battery, and

in accordance with a type of the battery, select the signal interface and/or the balance charging interface to perform charging control over the battery; and

a power output interface electrically connected to the power supply conversion unit, the control circuit, and the battery, and configured to receive and output the charging signal.

13. The charger of claim 12, wherein:

the charging information comprises at least one of design information of the battery or status information of the battery, and

the charging signal comprises at least one of a charging voltage or a charging current.

14. The charger of claim 12, wherein:

the external power supply includes an alternating current power supply, and

the power supply conversion unit comprises;

an alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected with the power input interface, the AC-DC conversion unit being configured to receive an alternating current from the external power supply through the power input interface, convert the alternating current to a direct current, and output the direct current; and

a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected to the AC-DC conversion unit and the control circuit, the DC-DC conversion unit being configured to process the direct current output by the AC-DC conversion unit under a control of the control circuit to convert the direct current to the charging signal.

15. The charger of claim 12, wherein:

the external power supply includes a direct current power supply, and

the power supply conversion unit comprises a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected to the external power supply through the power input interface and connected to the control circuit, the DC-DC conversion unit being configured to, under a control of the control circuit, process a direct current voltage received from the external power supply through the power input interface, convert the direct current voltage to the charging signal.

16. The charger of claim 12, further comprising:

a voltage and current collection unit electrically connecting the power supply conversion unit and the control circuit, the voltage and current collection unit being configured to collect voltage information and current information of the charging signal, and send the voltage information and the current information to the control circuit.

17. The charger of claim 12, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

identify the battery in accordance with the charging information of the battery, and

when the charger does not match a model of the battery, control the power supply conversion unit to stop outputting the charging signal.

18. The charger of claim 12,

wherein the battery is a non-smart battery and the balance charging interface is electrically connected to the non-smart battery,

the charger further comprising:

a battery core voltage collection unit electrically connecting the control circuit and the balance charging interface, the battery core voltage collection unit being configured to communicate with the non-smart battery through the balance charging interface to acquire charging voltage information of the non-smart battery,

wherein the control circuit is further configured to, in accordance with the charging voltage information of the non-smart battery, perform balance charging control over the non-smart battery through the balance charging interface.

19. The charger of claim 18, further comprising:

a battery core balancing unit electrically connecting the control circuit and the balance charging interface,

wherein the control circuit is further configured to, after the battery core voltage collection unit collects voltage information of the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery, start the battery core balancing unit in accordance with the voltage information, to balance charging voltages of the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery, causing the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery to all have a fullest capacity.

20. An aerial vehicle, comprising:

a motor; and

a charging system including;

a battery; and

the charger of claim 12,

wherein the charger is configured to charge the battery and the battery is configured to provide power to the motor.