Super capacitor and charger for secondary power having longevity features

• US 9,477,250 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: McGee, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Pinping
• Application Number:
  US13/803,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20140265553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/55 Capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/10 using uncontrolled devices with non-linear characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/18 The network being internal to a power source or plant
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• 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 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 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A secondary power source system for a communication device includes a charging unit configured to receive a primary power input and restrict a current used for charging to a predetermined amount. The current is part of a first output of the charging unit. The system further includes a storage unit including a device that stores electrical energy, the storage unit configured to receive the first output from the charging unit with restricted current and generate a second output, a regulating unit configured to receive the second output from the storage unit and generate a third output, a selector unit configured to perform a logical OR operation with the primary power input, the first output from the charging unit and third output from the regulating unit, and to generate a fourth output, and a shutdown unit configured to shutdown operation of the secondary power system when the storage unit has been expended.

Claims

1. A secondary power source system for a communication device, comprising:

a charging unit configured to receive a primary power input and restrict a current used for charging to a predetermined amount, wherein the current is part of a first output of the charging unit;

a storage unit comprising a device that stores electrical energy, the storage unit configured to receive the first output from the charging unit with restricted current and generate a second output;

a regulating unit configured to receive the second output from the storage unit and generate a third output, wherein the regulating unit further comprises a boost converter;

a selector unit configured to perform a logical operation with the primary power input, the first output from the charging unit and the third output from the regulating unit, and to generate a fourth output;

a shutdown unit configured to shutdown operation of the secondary power source system when the storage unit has been expended, and wherein the shutdown unit is configured to isolate the boost converter from the storage unit; and

an isolation circuit, wherein the shutdown unit is configured to isolate the boost converter from the storage unit with the isolation circuit,

wherein the isolation circuit is tied to ground.

2. The secondary power source system of claim 1, wherein the boost converter comprises a shutdown input that is responsive to the shutdown unit.

3. A diagnostic tool comprising a display, a processor, and the secondary power source system of claim 1.

4. A vehicle communication interface comprising the secondary power source system of claim 1.

5. The secondary power source system of claim 1, wherein the device that stores electrical energy includes at least one capacitor.

6. The secondary power source system of claim 1, wherein the device that stores electrical energy includes a plurality of super capacitors in series.

7. The secondary power source system of claim 1, wherein the charging unit comprises a charger that accommodates a restriction of current to the predetermined amount and includes thermal regulation.

8. The secondary power source system of claim 1, wherein a logic circuit of the communication device between a vehicle and a computing device, being any one of a personal computer and a diagnostic tool that provides power with the fourth output.

9. A secondary power source system for a device communicating between a vehicle and a computing device, comprising:

a charger for charging receiving a primary power input and restricting a current used for charging to a predetermined amount, wherein the current is part of a first output of the charger;

at least one capacitor being charged by the first output of the charger and generating a second output;

a voltage regulator generating a third output from the second output from the at least one capacitor and wherein the voltage regulator further comprises a boost converter;

a selector configured to select between the primary power input, the first output from the charger, and the third output from the voltage regulator, and to generate a single fourth output;

a shutdown circuit configured to shut down operation of the secondary power source system when the at least one capacitor has been expended and wherein the shutdown circuit is configured to isolate the boost converter from the at least one capacitor; and

an isolation circuit, wherein the shutdown unit is configured to isolate the boost converter from the storage unit with the isolation circuit,

wherein the isolation circuit is tied to ground.

10. The secondary power source system of claim 9, wherein the boost converter comprises a shutdown input that is responsive to the shutdown circuit.

11. A diagnostic tool comprising a display, a processor, and the secondary power source system of claim 9.

12. A vehicle communication interface comprising the secondary power source system of claim 9.

13. The secondary power source system of claim 9, wherein the at least one capacitor includes a plurality capacitors.

14. A method of providing a secondary power source to a communication device, comprising:

receiving a primary power input and restricting a current used for charging to a predetermined amount by a charging unit, wherein the current is part of a first output of the charging unit;

receiving the first output from the charging unit with restricted current and storing a power in a storage unit including a capacitance unit;

generating a second output by the storage unit;

receiving the second output from the storage unit by a regulating unit;

generating a third output by the regulating unit;

selecting between the primary power input, the first output from the charging unit, and the third output from the regulating unit to generate a fourth output;

shutting down operation of the secondary power source with a shutdown unit when the storage unit has been expended and the shutting down operation further includes isolating the regulating unit from voltage fluctuations of the storage unit with the shutdown unit, wherein the isolating further comprises isolating with an isolation circuit; and

tying the isolation circuit to ground.