Integrated cell balancing system, method, and computer program for multi-cell batteries
First Claim
1. A non-transitory computer software program comprising:
- means for configuring a computer system embedded inside a multi-cell battery for the purpose of executing cell balancing algorithms;
means for communicating with an external battery charging system using said computer system;
means for controlling the charge applied to said multi-cell battery using said communication means to said external battery charging system;
means for detecting a charge imbalance in one or more cells of said multi-cell battery; and
means for determining a safe and appropriate charge to be applied to said multi-cell battery by said external battery charging system in order to minimize a cell charge imbalance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cell balancing software program that executes on a computer system embedded inside a multi-cell battery and includes a means to control an external charging system. When a charge imbalance is detected between the cells, a cell balancing algorithm is selected from a plurality of cell-balancing algorithms and is executed. The executed algorithm causes a charge request, which specifies desired charging parameter(s), to be generated, and the charge request is transmitted to the external charging system. After the external charging system charges the battery according to the charge request, the effectiveness of the cell-balancing algorithm can be evaluated and stored in a history. The history can be used to select cell balancing algorithm(s) for future cell balancing.
87 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A non-transitory computer software program comprising:
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means for configuring a computer system embedded inside a multi-cell battery for the purpose of executing cell balancing algorithms; means for communicating with an external battery charging system using said computer system; means for controlling the charge applied to said multi-cell battery using said communication means to said external battery charging system; means for detecting a charge imbalance in one or more cells of said multi-cell battery; and means for determining a safe and appropriate charge to be applied to said multi-cell battery by said external battery charging system in order to minimize a cell charge imbalance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A non-transitory, computer software program comprising:
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means for configuring a computer system embedded inside a lead-acid multi-cell battery for the purpose of executing cell balancing algorithms; means for communicating with an external battery charging system using said computer system; means for controlling the charge applied to said lead-acid multi-cell battery using said communication means to said external battery charging system; means for detecting a charge imbalance in one or more cells of said lead-acid multi-cell battery; and means for determining a safe and appropriate charge to be applied to said lead-acid multi-cell battery by said external battery charging system in order to minimize a cell charge imbalance. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a battery including a case, a plurality of cells enclosed in said case, and a terminal electrically coupled to said plurality of cells, a method for balancing the charge of each of said plurality of cells, said method comprising:
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generating sensor data using a sensor set disposed within said case, said sensor data including data indicative of a state of charge of each cell of said plurality of cells; analyzing said sensor data using a processing unit disposed within said case to detect a charge imbalance between one or more of said cells; executing a cell-balancing algorithm using said processing unit, said cell-balancing algorithm defining at least one battery charging parameter to be applied to said terminal of said battery to minimize said charge imbalance; and transmitting a charge request to an external device disposed outside said case, said charge request requesting that said battery be charged according to said at least one battery charging parameter. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A battery comprising:
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a case; a plurality of cells enclosed in said case; a terminal electrically coupled to said plurality of cells; a sensor set disposed within said case, said sensor set being operative to generate sensor data including data indicative of a state of charge of each cell of said plurality of cells; a processing unit coupled to receive said sensor data, said processing unit being operative to analyze said sensor data to detect a charge imbalance between one or more of said cells, and execute a cell-balancing algorithm to define at least one battery charging parameter to be applied to said terminal of said battery to minimize said charge imbalance; and an external interface coupled to said processing unit, said external interface being operative to transmit a charge request to an external device disposed outside said case, said charge request requesting that said battery be charged according to said at least one battery charging parameter. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A battery comprising:
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a case; a plurality of cells enclosed in said case; a terminal electrically coupled to said plurality of cells; a sensor set disposed within said case, said sensor set being operative to generate sensor data including data indicative of a state of charge of each cell of said plurality of cells; means for analyzing said sensor data to detect a charge imbalance between one or more of said cells; means for defining at least one battery charging parameter to be applied to said terminal of said battery to minimize said charge imbalance; and means for transmitting a charge request to an external device, said charge request requesting that said battery be charged according to said at least one battery charging parameter.
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64. A non-transitory, electronically-readable storage medium having code embodied therein for causing an electronic device to:
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generate sensor data indicative of a state of charge of each cell of a plurality of cells located within a case of a battery; analyze said sensor data to detect a charge imbalance between one or more of said cells; perform a cell-balancing algorithm to define at least one battery charging parameter to be applied to a terminal of said battery to minimize said charge imbalance, said terminal being electrically coupled to each of said plurality of cells; and transmit a charge request to an external device disposed outside said case, said charge request requesting that said battery be charged according to said at least one battery charging parameter.
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Specification