System, charging device, and method of supplying current to a power storage device
First Claim
1. A system for use in supplying current from an electric power source to a plurality of power storage devices, said system comprising:
- a first charging device of a plurality of charging devices configured to supply current to a first power storage device of the plurality of power storage devices; and
a second charging device of said plurality of charging devices coupled to said first charging device to form a network, said second charging device configured to supply current to a second power storage device of the plurality of power storage devices;
said first charging device comprising a first processor programmed to;
determine an amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the first power storage device as a function of a number of said plurality of charging devices, andenable the determined amount of current to be at least one of received by said first charging device and supplied to the first power storage device;
said second charging device comprising a second processor programmed to;
determine an amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the second power storage device as a function of the number of said plurality of charging devices, andenable the determined amount of current to be at least one of received by said second charging device and supplied to the second power storage device;
wherein said first processor is further programmed to transmit a first request to said second charging device to determine an amount of current that said second charging device is at least one of supplying, receiving, expecting to receive, and expecting to supply; and
wherein said second processor of said second charging device is further programmed to transmit a second request to said first charging device, and wherein said first processor of said first charging device is further programmed to detect an interference that occurs when said first charging device receives the second request while waiting for data to be received in response to the first request.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for use in supplying current from an electric power source to a plurality of power storage devices includes a first of a plurality of charging devices configured to supply current to a first of the plurality of power storage devices. The system also includes at least one other charging device coupled to the first charging device to form a network. The other charging device is configured to supply current to at least one other power storage device. The first charging device includes a processor programmed to determine an amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the first power storage device as a function of a number of charging devices, and enable the amount of current to be at least one of received by the first charging device and supplied to the first power storage device.
26 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for use in supplying current from an electric power source to a plurality of power storage devices, said system comprising:
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a first charging device of a plurality of charging devices configured to supply current to a first power storage device of the plurality of power storage devices; and a second charging device of said plurality of charging devices coupled to said first charging device to form a network, said second charging device configured to supply current to a second power storage device of the plurality of power storage devices; said first charging device comprising a first processor programmed to; determine an amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the first power storage device as a function of a number of said plurality of charging devices, and enable the determined amount of current to be at least one of received by said first charging device and supplied to the first power storage device; said second charging device comprising a second processor programmed to; determine an amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the second power storage device as a function of the number of said plurality of charging devices, and enable the determined amount of current to be at least one of received by said second charging device and supplied to the second power storage device; wherein said first processor is further programmed to transmit a first request to said second charging device to determine an amount of current that said second charging device is at least one of supplying, receiving, expecting to receive, and expecting to supply; and wherein said second processor of said second charging device is further programmed to transmit a second request to said first charging device, and wherein said first processor of said first charging device is further programmed to detect an interference that occurs when said first charging device receives the second request while waiting for data to be received in response to the first request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A charging device comprising:
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a current control device configured to selectively enable current to be received from an electric power source and supplied to a power storage device; a first processor coupled to said current control device; a network interface configured to couple to at least a second charging device having a second processor to form a network; and wherein said first processor is coupled to said current control device and programmed to; transmit a first request to said second charging device to determine an amount of current that said second charging device is at least one of supplying, receiving, expecting to receive, and expecting to supply; determine an amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the power storage device as a function of a number of charging devices within the network; and control said current control device to enable the amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the power storage device; wherein, in response to said first request, said first processor is further programmed to receive data from said second charging device; and wherein said first processor is further programmed to detect an interference that occurs when said first charging device receives a second request while waiting for data to be received in response to the first request. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of supplying current to a plurality of power storage devices, said method comprising:
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determining a number of a plurality of charging devices within a network, wherein a first charging device of the plurality of charging devices includes a first processor, and a first current control device configured to receive current from an electric power source and to supply current to a first power storage device of the power storage devices, and wherein a second charging device of the plurality of charging devices includes a second processor and second current control device configured to receive current from an electric power source and to supply current to a second power storage device of the plurality of power storage devices; determining with the first processor an amount of current to be at least one of received from the first electric power source and supplied to the power storage device by the first charging device as a function of the number of charging devices within the network; and controlling the first current control device to enable the amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the power storage device; determining with the second processor an amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the second power storage device by the second charging device as a function of the number of charging devices within the network; and controlling the second current control device to enable the amount of current to be at least one of received from the electric power source and supplied to the second power storage device; transmitting a first request to the plurality of charging devices to determine an amount of current that each charging device is at least one of supplying, receiving, expecting to receive, and expecting to supply; and transmitting a second request from said second charging device to said first chart charging device; receiving the second request by said first charging device; and detecting with said first processor of said first charging device, an interference that occurs when said first charging device receives the second request while waiting for data to be received in response to the first request. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification