| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080218127 | Battery management systems with controllable adapter output - A battery management system comprises a control circuit and an adapter. The control circuit can be used to generate a control signal according to a status of each cell of a plurality of cells in a battery pack. The adapter receives the control signal and charges the battery pack. An output power of the adapter is adjusted according to the control signal. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20080218130 | Battery management systems with adjustable charging current - A battery management system includes a monitoring circuit and a charger. The monitoring circuit is operable for monitoring a battery pack that includes a plurality of cells, and for checking an unbalanced condition of the battery pack in each cycle of a plurality of cycles. The charger is operable for controlling a charging current to the battery pack and for receiving monitoring information from the monitoring circuit, and for adjusting the charging current from a first level in a previous cycle to a second level that is lower than the first level in response to a detection of the unbalanced condition in a current cycle. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20080303486 | Apparatuses and methods for detecting power source - A charger includes a detection pin, a voltage divider, and a comparator. The detection pin can couple the charger to a power source via a first data line. The voltage divider and the comparator are coupled to the detection pin. The voltage divider divides a power voltage provided by the power source and provides a detection voltage at the detection pin. The comparator compares the detection voltage with a predetermined reference voltage and identifies a type of the power source according to the comparing. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080315855 | Low power bandgap voltage reference circuit having multiple reference voltages with high power supply rejection ratio - A voltage generator is used for generating a voltage reference with high power supply rejection. One embodiment of the circuit includes a voltage regulator and a bandgap voltage circuit and an amplifier. The voltage regulator including an input node is coupled to an external power supply for generating a regulated voltage source. A bandgap voltage circuit includes a first and a second resistor and a first and a second transistor to generate a voltage difference between the base-to-emitter voltages of the first and the second transistors. The second resistor is coupled to the first resistor and the first transistor for generating the first predetermined voltage in response to the voltage difference. An amplifier circuit is coupled to the first transistor of the bandgap voltage circuit for receiving a first amplifying signal and generating an amplified signal so as to regulate the regulated voltage source. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090009141 | System and method for battery charging - A charging circuit includes a pulse generator and a controller coupled to the pulse generator. The pulse generator is used to generate a plurality of pulses to control a charging switch. The controller is used to control a pulse density of the plurality of pulses. A charging current flowing through the charging switch can be adjusted according to the pulse density. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090091293 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BALANCING CELLS IN A BATTERY PACK WITH SELECTIVE BYPASS PATHS - A system and method for cell balancing with smart low-voltage control circuit. The cell balancing system comprises a plurality of battery cells, an external bypass path for each cell, an internal bypass path for each cell, an input terminal receiving an enable signal for each cell, an input terminal receiving a selection signal, and a cell balancing unit for generating a configuration signal to conduct the external bypass path or internal bypass path. The enable signal is configured to enable a bypass current of each cell, and the selection signal is configured to select the external bypass path or internal bypass path. The cell balancing unit is employed to receive signals from input terminals, and generate a configuration signal to control the conductance of external bypass paths or internal bypass paths. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090195213 | Conversion systems with balanced cell currents - A conversion system includes a conversion circuit coupled to multiple cells for generating multiple sampling signals indicative of the cell voltages of the cells respectively. Each sampling signal is with respect to the same reference level. In addition, the conversion system includes a compensation circuit coupled to the conversion circuit for generating a compensation current that flows through at least one cell of the multiple cells via the conversion circuit for balancing the currents respectively flowing through the cells. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20100007350 | OVER VOLTAGE TRANSIENT CONTROLLER - An over voltage transient controller to protect a rechargeable battery from an over voltage transient condition. The over voltage transient controller may comprise a comparator to compare a first signal with a second signal representative of a reference voltage level and to provide an output signal representative of an over voltage transient condition to a switch if the first signal is greater than or equal to the second signal. The switch is responsive to the output signal to protect the rechargeable battery from the over voltage transient condition. The over voltage transient controller may further comprise a DAC, wherein the second signal is based, at least in part, on an output of the DAC. An apparatus comprising a charge switch and such an over voltage transient controller is also provided. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100033129 | BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM WITH TRICKLE CHARGING/DISCHARGING CONTROL - A circuit for charging and/or discharging a battery includes a switch coupled to a battery in series, and a driving transistor coupled to the switch and operable for sensing a voltage of the battery. The driving transistor is turned on if the voltage of the battery is less than a predetermined threshold. A driving current flowing through the driving transistor determines an on-resistance of the switch. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100052624 | BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEMS WITH CONTROLLABLE CHARGING CURRENTS - A charging path includes a charging switch for transferring a charging current from an input terminal to an output terminal. The charging path further includes a first enable terminal coupled to the charging switch. The first enable terminal receives a first enable signal to control the charging switch to operate in either a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode, based on a status of the output terminal. More specifically, in the first mode, the charging switch is fully turned off. In the second mode, an equivalent resistance of the charging switch is determined by a control terminal of the charging switch. In the third mode, the charging switch is turned off. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100141219 | BATTERY PROTECTION CIRCUIT - A battery circuit includes a monitoring circuit, an integrator circuit, and a comparator. The monitoring circuit can be used to monitor a cell and generate a monitoring signal indicating a cell voltage of the cell. The integrator circuit accumulates a difference between the monitoring signal and a first predetermined threshold over a time period to generate an integrating output. The comparator compares the integrating output to a second predetermined threshold and generates a control signal. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100173180 | BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A battery management system can include a battery having a plurality of cells, a plurality of devices coupled to the battery, and a control unit coupled to a first device of the devices. The devices can assess the statuses of the cells. The control unit can communicate with a destination device of the devices via a default path and can communicate with the destination device via a backup path if an undesirable condition occurs in the default path. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100188046 | BATTERY CELL MONITORING AND BALANCING CIRCUIT - A monitoring circuit for accurately monitoring a voltage level from each of a plurality of battery cells of a battery pack includes an analog to digital converter (ADC) and a processor. The ADC is configured to accept an analog voltage signal from each of the plurality of battery cells and convert each analog voltage signal to a digital signal representative of an accurate voltage level of each battery cell. The processor receives such signals and provides a safety alert signal based on at least one of the signals. The ADC resolution may be adjustable. A balancing circuit provides a balancing signal if at least two of the digital signals indicate a voltage difference between two cells is greater than a battery cell balance threshold. An electronic device including such monitoring and balancing circuits is also provided. Various methods are also provided. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100188047 | BATTERY CELL MONITORING AND BALANCING CIRCUIT - A monitoring circuit for accurately monitoring a voltage level from each of a plurality of battery cells of a battery pack includes an analog to digital converter (ADC) and a processor. The ADC is configured to accept an analog voltage signal from each of the plurality of battery cells and convert each analog voltage signal to a digital signal representative of an accurate voltage level of each battery cell. The processor receives such signals and provides a safety alert signal based on at least one of the signals. The ADC resolution may be adjustable. A balancing circuit provides a balancing signal if at least two of the digital signals indicate a voltage difference between two cells is greater than a battery cell balance threshold. An electronic device including such monitoring and balancing circuits is also provided. Various methods are also provided. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100244784 | BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEMS - A circuit for charging a battery may include a switch operable for conducting a current flowing through the switch, and a first amplifier coupled to the switch and operable for adjusting the current according to an amount of power dissipation associated with the switch. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100259313 | CIRCUITS AND METHODS FOR TEMPERATURE DETECTION - A temperature detection circuit includes a sensor, an integrated circuit (IC) chip, and a resistor. The sensor is operable for sensing a temperature. The IC chip can compare a sense voltage indicative of the temperature with a threshold voltage indicative of a temperature threshold to determine a temperature condition. The IC chip has a substantially constant parameter. The resistor is externally coupled to the IC chip. The IC chip maintains a current ratio, including a ratio of a first current flowing through the sensor to a second current flowing through the resistor, equal to the substantially constant parameter. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100328122 | ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTERS - In one embodiment, an analog to digital converter (ADC) for converting an analog signal to a digital signal includes an input channel for receiving the analog signal, and includes a first and second sampling-integrating units. The first sampling-integrating unit receives the analog signal, samples the analog signal, integrates a superposition of a first feedback signal and a sampled signal of the analog signal, and generates a first output signal. The second sampling-integrating unit receives the first output signal, samples the first output signal, integrates a superposition of a second feedback signal and a sampled signal of the first output signal, and generates a second output signal. The ADC includes a feedback circuit for generating the digital signal according to the second output signal and for providing the first and second feedback signals indicative of the digital signal to the first and second sampling-integrating units respectively. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110001357 | VERTICAL BUS CIRCUITS - A vertical bus circuit includes multiple devices for transmitting signals between the bus devices. The multiple devices share multiple common voltage levels. Each of the devices includes a bus block and two input/output (I/O) devices powered by a first voltage level and a second voltage level of the common voltage levels, respectively. The bus block enables signal transmission between the two I/O devices, and the common voltage levels enable the signal transmission between the devices. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110074431 | CIRCUITS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING CELL VOLTAGES IN BATTERY PACKS - A circuit used to measure cell voltages in a battery pack can include a cell voltage level shifter, a sense block, and a compensation current generator. The cell voltage level shifter selects a cell and shifts the terminal voltages of the selected cell from a first voltage level to a second voltage level. The sense block monitors the current consumed by the level shifter, and generates a signal indicative of the consumed current. The compensation current generator generates compensation currents to compensate the current consumed by the level shifter. Therefore, unbalance of the cell capacities caused by the current consumed by the level shifter can be reduced or eliminated, and thus the overall capacity of the battery pack can be improved. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110084667 | CIRCUITS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING A CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH A BATTERY - A circuit for controlling a current flowing through a battery includes a driver and a filter coupled to the driver. The driver can generate a pulse signal in a first operating mode and generate a first signal in a second operating mode to control the current through the battery. The filter can filter the pulse signal to provide a filtered DC signal to adjust an on-resistance of a switch in series with the battery based on a duty cycle of the pulse signal in the first operating mode. The filter can receive the first signal and provide a second signal to drive the switch in a linear region in the second operating mode. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110109269 | CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR BALANCING BATTERY CELLS - Embodiments of the invention provided circuits and methods for balancing battery cells. According to a first embodiment, a cell balancing circuit includes an auxiliary current path for controlling a conductance status of a shunt path. According to a second embodiment, a cell balancing circuit utilizes a total voltage of multiple neighboring cells in a battery pack to generate a current. Based on the current, a voltage drop is generated to conduct a shunt path corresponding to one cell of the neighboring cells. According to a third embodiment, a cell balancing circuit utilizes a total voltage of multiple neighboring cells in a battery pack to generate a current. Based on the current, a voltage drop is generated to conduct a shunt path corresponding to one cell of the neighboring cells. The cell balancing circuit can turn on multiple internal switches at the same time to balance multiple neighboring cells simultaneously. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110109376 | CIRCUITS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING A CHARGE PUMP SYSTEM - A circuit includes a charge pump and a feedback circuit. The charge pump coupled to a switch provides a control signal to the switch. The feedback circuit coupled to the charge pump receives the control signal and adjusts an operating frequency of the charge pump based upon the control voltage. The control voltage is adjusted to a predetermined target voltage by adjusting the operating frequency through the feedback circuit. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110121645 | BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A battery management system includes a switch array, a first controller and a second controller. The switch array selects a battery module from multiple battery modules in a battery pack based upon a conduction state of the switch array. The first controller is coupled to the switch array and receives measurement information of cells in the battery pack through the switch array. The second controller is coupled to the switch array and the first controller and provides a control signal to control the conduction state of the switch array. The first controller further controls a balance circuit coupled to the battery pack to balance a selected battery module if the selected battery module is identified as an unbalanced battery module based upon measurement information associated with the selected battery module. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110140533 | ASSIGNING ADDRESSES TO MULTIPLE CASCADE BATTERY MODULES IN ELECTRIC OR ELECTRIC HYBRID VEHICLES - According to one aspect there is disclosed an apparatus. The apparatus may include a first battery module. The first battery module may include a switch configured to open or close a first current path from a first terminal of a battery to a second terminal of the battery when a second battery module is coupled to the first battery module; a current sensor configured to sense a current in a second current path, the second current path different from the first current path; and a local controller configured to control a state of the switch to open or close the switch, wherein closing the switch is configured to close the first current path, the local controller is further configured to detect the sensed current in the second current path, and the local controller is further configured to receive and store an identifier based at least in part on the current detected in the second current path. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110140662 | BALANCING SYSTEM FOR A BATTERY PACK - A balancing system for a battery pack includes a first balancing stage and a second balancing stage. The battery pack includes multiple modules and each of the modules in the battery pack includes a subset of the cells. The first balancing stage can balance an unbalanced module. The second balancing stage coupled to the first balancing stage can balance an unbalanced cell in a module. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110145629 | FLEXIBLE BUS ARCHITECTURE FOR MONITORING AND CONTROL OF BATTERY PACK - The present invention provides a control system which is used for a stacked battery of a plurality of battery packs. Each battery pack has a plurality of battery cells coupled in series. The control system is capable of reconfiguring communication among the battery packs in the stacked battery, and comprises a plurality of processors, a plurality of controllers, and a monitoring unit. The processors are coupled to the battery packs. Two adjacent processors among the processors are able to communicate with each other though a first bus. The controllers are coupled to the battery packs. Two adjacent controllers among the controllers are able to communicate with each other through a second bus. The processors are capable of communicating with the controllers through a third bus. The monitoring unit is used for monitoring communications among the plurality of processors and communications among the plurality of controllers. The monitoring unit is capable of detecting communication problems on the first bus and/or the second bus. The monitoring unit further is capable of reconfiguring communication paths among the plurality of processors and communication path among the plurality of controllers. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110156758 | SIGNAL MONITORING SYSTEMS - In a signal monitoring system, a circuit includes an input terminal and an output terminal. In addition, a processor coupled to the circuit is operable for calculating a parameter indicative of an error factor of the circuit by setting a level difference between an input signal at the input terminal and an output signal at the output terminal to a predetermined level. | 06-30-2011 |
