Adaptive charging technique and circuitry for a battery/cell using multiple charge circuits and temperature data

• US 8,907,631 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qnovo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qnovo, Inc.
• Inventors: Berkowitz, Fred, Maluf, Nadim, Zmrzli, Miroslav, Gurries, Mark Nathan, Koons, David Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torres Ruiz, Johali
• Application Number:
  US14/075,667
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 320/138
• US Class Current: 320/138
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature

Abstract

A system to recharge a battery including a first current-voltage source to generate a first signal, a second current-voltage source to generate a second signal, a first inductor-capacitor circuit to generate the first DC current-voltage signal using the first signal, a second inductor-capacitor circuit to generate the second DC current-voltage signal using the second signal, wherein the first and second inductor-capacitor circuits are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The system also includes a temperature sensor adapted to generate temperature data during the charging operation, and control circuitry configured to: (i) determine whether the first temperature data is out-of-specification, and (ii) generate one or more control signals to adjust the first and second DC current-voltage signals, in response to the first temperature data being out-of-specification.

Claims

1. A system to recharge a battery, the battery including at least two terminals, the system comprising:

charging circuitry to (i) generate a battery charge signal using a first charge signal and a second charge signal and (ii) apply the battery charge signal to the battery to charge the battery, the charging circuitry including;

a first charge circuit to generate the first charge signal, the first charge circuit including;

a first current-voltage source to generate a first signal, and

a first inductor-capacitor circuit, associated with and coupled to the first current-voltage source, to generate a first DC current-voltage signal using the first signal;

a second charge circuit, spaced apart from the first charge circuit, to generate the second charge signal, the second charge circuit including;

a second current-voltage source to generate a second signal, and

a second inductor-capacitor circuit, associated with and coupled to the second current-voltage source, to generate a second DC current-voltage signal using the second signal;

a first temperature sensor, in thermal communication with the first charge circuit, adapted to generate first temperature data which is representative of an operating temperature of the first charge circuit;

control circuitry, electrically coupled to the first and/or second charge circuits, configured to;

determine whether the first temperature data is out-of-specification, and

generate one or more control signals, in response to the first temperature data being out-of-specification, using (i) the first temperature data and (ii) data which is representative of an operating efficiency of the first current-voltage source and/or the second current-voltage source, to adjust the first and/or second charge signal; and

a housing, wherein the battery, the charging circuitry and the first temperature are disposed in the housing.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second charge circuits include one or more switches and wherein the system further includes:

a node, electrically coupled to the first and second inductor-capacitor circuits; and

wherein the one or more switches are electrically coupled to the node to generate the battery charge signal, having a plurality of charge pulses, using the first DC current-voltage signal and second DC current-voltage signal.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the node is disposed between (i) the first and second charge circuits and (ii) the one or more switches.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the output of the node is the sum of the first and second DC current-voltage signals.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more switches responsively generate a plurality of charge packets, each charge packet including at least one charge pulse and at least one rest period, and wherein the battery charge signal includes the charge packets.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein:

the node is disposed between (i) the first and second charge circuits and (ii) the one or more switches and inputs the first DC current-voltage signal and second DC current-voltage signal and outputs the sum of the first and second DC current-voltage signals, and

the first and second current-voltage sources are programmable and responsive to the one or more control signals from the control circuitry.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the system further includes a node, electrically coupled to the first and second inductor-capacitor circuits and wherein an output of the node is the sum of the first and second DC current-voltage signals and wherein the battery charge signal is substantially equal to the sum of the first and second DC current-voltage signals.

8. The system of claim 1 further including a second temperature sensor adapted to generate second temperature data which is representative of an operating temperature of the second charge circuit, and

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

(i) determine whether the second temperature data is out-of-specification, and (ii) generate one or more control signals in response to the second temperature data being out-of-specification to adjust the first and/or second charge signal.

9. The system of claim 1 further including a second temperature sensor adapted to generate second temperature data which is representative of the temperature of the housing, and

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

(i) determine whether the second temperature data is out-of-specification, and (ii) generate one or more control signals to adjust the first and/or second charge signal.

10. The system of claim 1 further including:

a second temperature sensor adapted to generate second temperature data which is representative of an operating temperature of the second charge circuit;

a third temperature sensor adapted to generate third temperature data which is representative of the temperature of the housing; and

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to;

(i) determine whether the second temperature data is out-of-specification and the third temperature data is out-of-specification, and (ii) generate one or more control signals in response to the first, second or third temperature data being out-of-specification to adjust the first and/or second charge signal.

11. A method to adaptively charge a battery using charging circuitry, wherein the battery includes at least two terminals and the charging circuitry includes a first charge circuit and a second charge circuit wherein the first and second charge circuits are spaced apart by at least a predetermined distance, the method comprising:

generating a first adjustable charge signal using the first charge circuit;

generating a second adjustable charge signal using the second charge circuit;

generating a battery charge signal using the first adjustable charge signal and the second adjustable charge signal;

applying the battery charge signal to the battery to recharge the battery;

generating first temperature data which is representative of the temperature of the first charge circuit and/or second charge circuit;

determining whether the first temperature data is out-of specification; and

in response to the first temperature data being out-of specification, generating one or more control signals to adjust the first adjustable charge signal and/or second adjustable charge signal using (i) the first temperature data and (ii) data which is representative of an operating efficiency of the first charge circuit and/or the second charge circuit.

12. The method of claim 11 further including:

combining the first and second adjustable charge signals; and

generating a plurality of pulses using the combined first and second adjustable charge signals, and wherein the battery charge signal includes the plurality of pulses to the battery.

13. The method of claim 11 further including generating a plurality of pulses using the first and second adjustable charge signals, and wherein the battery charge signal includes the plurality of pulses to the battery.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the battery, the charging circuitry, one or more temperature sensors and control circuitry are disposed in a housing, the method further including:

generating second temperature data which is representative of the temperature of the housing; and

in response to the first temperature data or the second temperature data being out-of specification, generating the one or more control signals to adjust the first adjustable charge signal and/or the second adjustable charge signal using (i) the first temperature data and the second temperature data and (ii) data which is representative of an operating efficiency of the first charge circuit and/or the second charge circuit.

15. The method of claim 11 further including:

generating second temperature data which is representative of the temperature of the second charge circuit, wherein the first temperature data is representative of the temperature of the first charge circuit; and

in response to the first temperature data or the second temperature data being out-of specification, generating the one or more control signals to adjust the first adjustable charge signal and/or the second adjustable charge signal using (i) the first temperature data and the second temperature data and (ii) data which is representative of an operating efficiency of the first charge circuit and/or the second charge circuit.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the battery, at least a portion of the charging circuitry, and one or more temperature sensors are disposed in a housing, the method further including:

generating second temperature data which is representative of the temperature of the second charge circuit, wherein the first temperature data is representative of the temperature of the first charge circuit;

generating third temperature data which is representative of the temperature of the housing, and

in response to the first temperature data, the second temperature data or third temperature data being out-of specification, generating one or more control signals to adjust the first adjustable charge signal and/or second adjustable charge signal using (i) the first temperature data, the second temperature data and/or the third temperature data and (ii) data which is representative of an operating efficiency of the first charge circuit and/or the second charge circuit.

17. A system to recharge a battery, the battery including at least two terminals, the system comprising:

charging circuitry to (i) generate a programmable battery charge signal using first and second DC current-voltage signals and (ii) apply the programmable battery charge signal to the battery to charge the battery during a charging operation, the charging circuitry includes;

a first current-voltage source to generate a first signal,

a second current-voltage source to generate a second signal,

a first inductor-capacitor circuit, associated with and electrically coupled to the first current-voltage source, to generate the first DC current-voltage signal using the first signal, and

a second inductor-capacitor circuit, associated with and electrically coupled to the second current-voltage source, to generate the second DC current-voltage signal using the second signal, wherein the second inductor-capacitor circuit is spaced apart from the first inductor-capacitor circuit by a predetermined distance;

a first temperature sensor to generate first temperature data during the charging operation;

control circuitry electrically coupled to the first and second current-voltage sources and configured to;

determine whether the first temperature data is out-of-specification, and

generate one or more control signals to adjust the programmable battery charge signal in response to the first temperature data being out-of-specification; and

a housing, wherein the battery, the charging circuitry, and the first temperature sensor are disposed in the housing.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the charging circuitry further includes:

a node; and

one or more switches, electrically coupled to the node to generate the battery charge signal using the first DC current-voltage signal and second DC current-voltage signal, wherein the battery charge signal includes a plurality of charge pulses.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the node is disposed between (i) the one or more switches and (ii) the first and second inductor-capacitor circuits.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the one or more switches responsively generate a plurality of charge packets, each charge packet including at least one charge pulse and at least one rest period, and wherein the battery charge signal includes the charge packets.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the system further includes a node, electrically coupled to the first and second inductor-capacitor circuits and wherein an output of the node is the sum of the first and second DC current-voltage signals.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the output of the node is electrically coupled to the battery and the battery charge signal is substantially equal to the sum of the first and second DC current-voltage signals.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein the first temperature data is representative of the temperature of the housing.

24. The system of claim 17 further including a second temperature sensor adapted to generate second temperature data during the charging operation wherein the first and second temperature sensors are fixed to a different one of the (i) first current-voltage source, (ii) second current-voltage source, (iii) first inductor-capacitor circuit, (iv) second inductor-capacitor circuit and (v) housing.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry applies the one or more control signals to the first and second current-voltage sources to adjust the first and second DC current-voltage signals by adjusting the first and second signals.

26. The system of claim 17 further including:

a second temperature sensor adapted to generate second temperature data which is representative of a temperature of the housing, wherein the first temperature data is representative of the temperature of at least one of the (i) first current-voltage source, (ii) second current-voltage source, (iii) first inductor-capacitor circuit, and (iv) second inductor-capacitor circuit;

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to;

(i) determine whether the first and second temperature data is out-of-specification, and (ii) generate one or more control signals in response to the first and/or second temperature data being out-of-specification to adjust the first and second DC current-voltage signals.

27. The system of claim 17 further including:

a second temperature sensor adapted to generate second temperature data which is representative of an operating temperature of the second current-voltage source or second inductor-capacitor circuit, wherein the first temperature data is representative of the temperature of the first current-voltage source or first inductor-capacitor circuit;

a third temperature sensor adapted to generate third temperature data which is representative of a temperature of the housing;

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to;

(i) determine whether the first temperature data is out-of-specification and the second and/or third temperature data is out-of-specification, and (ii) generate one or more control signals in response to the first, second and/or second temperature data being out-of-specification to adjust the first and second DC current-voltage signals.

28. The system of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate one or more control signals to adjust the programmable battery charge signal, in response to the first temperature data being out-of-specification, using (i) the first temperature data and (ii) data which is representative of an operating efficiency of the charging circuitry.

29. The system of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate one or more control signals to adjust the programmable battery charge signal, in response to the first temperature data being out-of-specification, using (i) the first temperature data and (ii) data which is representative of an operating efficiency of the first current-voltage source or the second current-voltage source.

30. The system of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate one or more control signals to adjust the programmable battery charge signal, in response to the first temperature data being out-of-specification, using (i) the first temperature data and (ii) data which is representative of an operating efficiency of the first current-voltage source and an operating efficiency of the second current-voltage source.