Hybrid battery pack and methods of charging and discharging the same

• US 7,728,547 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Choi, Hong Seok, Lim, Seong Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US11/832,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 320/126, 320/134, 320/154, 320/106, 320/128, 320/138, 361/79, 361/86, 361/91.5, 361/101, 361/102, 361/104, 307/72, 307/74, 307/75
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0018 using separate charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A hybrid battery pack and methods of charging and discharging the same make it possible to manage at least two power sources by one circuit. The hybrid battery pack includes a first power source having a first switching circuit, a second power source connected to the first power source in parallel and having a second switching circuit, a current sensor serially connected to the first and second power sources to sense the currents of the first and second power sources, and a controller to obtain the voltages of the first and second power sources so that the first and second power sources are not over-charged or over-discharged and to calculate the entire capacity of the first and second power sources using the amount of currents obtained by the current sensor.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising:

a first rechargeable cell to supply power;

a second rechargeable cell to supply power, and which is of a different type from the first rechargeable cell;

a first switching unit to control supply of power to and/or from the first rechargeable cell;

a second switching unit to control supply of power to and/or from the second rechargeable cell, and which is parallel to the first switching unit; and

a controller to control the first and second switching units to supply power from the first and second rechargeable cells without interruption,

wherein the controller transmits information on the shapes, the chemical characteristics, the capacities, and the charging voltages of the first and second rechargeable cells to be charged during charging operations to a charging circuit so that the charging circuit supplies a suitable charging current based on the information of the first and second rechargeable cells to be charged.

2. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller controls to begin supply of power from the second rechargeable cell prior to ending supply of power from the first rechargeable cell.

3. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second rechargeable cells have at least one of different shapes, chemical characteristics, capacities, and charging voltages.

4. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second rechargeable cells are at least one of a fuel cell, a solar cell, a cylinder type lithium ion battery cell, a polygon type lithium ion battery cell, a pouch type lithium polymer battery cell, and a pouch type lithium ion battery cell.

5. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein when one of the first and second rechargeable cells is to be stopped from being discharged and the other of the first and second rechargeable cells is to be discharged, the controller controls discharging paths of the first and second rechargeable cells to be connected to each other for a predetermined time to minimize or prevent the supply of power to an external system from being stopped or interrupted.