Patent Application
20150042267
The present teaching relates generally to a field of electricity and power systems, specifically, the present teaching is directed to systems and methods for controlling a battery.
The increasing demand and prevalence of battery-powered devices and technologies has led to the development of smart battery systems, which simplify the design of independent battery systems utilized in such devices. These smart battery systems are embedded not only in laptop computers, but also in a number of other applications, including as vehicles, security systems, anti-counterfeiting devices, medical equipments, and other portable electronic devices.
Due to energy constraints, the wireless charger 104 in a conventional smart battery system 100 can only calculate a rough charging capacity. This rough estimation is not accurate enough for a user to reliably monitor the charging process or to estimate remaining charging time based on the calculated charging capacity. Moreover, if the wireless charger 104 is not in operation or otherwise not functioning, in which case the battery pack is not being charged, a user operating a device powered by a smart battery system is unable to accurately determine the capacity of the battery pack 106 and risks losing important data should the battery fail before the user has had the opportunity to save his or her work.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method that provides an accurate measure of battery capacity, not only when the battery is charging, but also when the battery is not charging.
The embodiments described herein relate to methods, devices, and systems for controlling a battery.
In an embodiment, a system for controlling a battery is disclosed. The system includes a battery pack, a wireless charger, a detecting module, a measuring device and a controller. The wireless charger is configured for charging the battery pack and calculating a first charging capacity of the battery pack. The detecting module coupled to the wireless charger, is configured for detecting information associated with the charging. The measuring device is configured for calculating a second charging capacity of the battery. The controller is coupled to the wireless charger, the detecting module and the measuring device. The controller is configured for determining whether there is a difference between the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity. The controller is also configured for calculating a third charging capacity of the battery pack based on the difference and the information associated with the charging and adjusting the second charging capacity based on the third charging capacity.
In another embodiment, a method for controlling a battery system is disclosed. The method comprises calculating a first charging capacity by a wireless controller in the battery system and calculating a second charging capacity by a measuring device in the battery system when a battery pack in the battery system is during a charging process; calculating a difference between the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity; and adjusting the second charging capacity when the difference is greater than a second threshold.
In yet another embodiment, a controller for controlling a battery system is disclosed. The controller comprises a determining unit and a capacity calculation unit. The determining unit is configured for calculating a difference between a first charging capacity calculated by a wireless charger in the battery system and a second charging capacity calculated by a measuring device coupled to the controller. The determining unit is also configured for determining whether the difference is greater than a second threshold if the wireless charger is charging a battery pack in the battery system. The capacity calculation unit is configured for calculating a third charging capacity based on information associated with the charging. The third charging capacity is used for adjusting the second charging capacity by the capacity calculation unit if the determining unit determines that the difference is greater than the second threshold.
Additional benefits and novel features will be preset forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the disclosed embodiments. The benefits of the present embodiments may be realized and attained by practice or use of various aspects of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations set forth in the detailed description set forth below.
Features and benefits of embodiments of the claimed subject matter will become apparent as the following detailed description proceeds, and upon reference to the drawings, wherein like numerals depict like parts. These exemplary embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawings. These embodiments are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, in which like reference numerals represent similar structures throughout the several views of the drawings.
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present teaching. While the present teaching will be described in conjunction with these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present teaching to these embodiments. On the contrary, the present teaching is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present teaching as defined by the appended claims.
Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present teaching, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present teaching. However, it will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present teaching may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present teaching.
In one embodiment, the coil 202 converts electronic power supplied by a power source (not shown in
In one embodiment, the measuring device 210 detects the status of the wireless charger 204 (e.g., whether the battery pack 214 is being charged by the wireless charger 204). If the wireless charger 204 is not in operation (e.g., the battery pack 214 is not being charged by the wireless charger 204), the measuring device 210 receives power from the battery pack 214 and may calculate a remaining capacity Qremain of the battery pack 214. When the remaining capacity Qremain drops below to a first threshold Q1, the controller 208 generates a warning signal, and the measuring device 210 shuts down the whole battery system 200.
If the measuring device 210 detects that the wireless charger 204 is in operation (e.g., the battery pack 214 is being charged), the measuring device 210 receives power from the wireless charger 204 instead of the battery pack 214. Then each of the measuring device 210 and the wireless charger 204 may calculate a charging capacity of the battery pack 214. A first charging capacity Qcharger calculated by the wireless charger 204 and a second charging capacity Qgauge calculated by the measuring device 210 are both transmitted to the controller 208. The conversion accuracy of an analog/digital (A/D) convertor in the wireless charger 204 may be different from the conversion accuracy of an A/D convertor in the measuring device 210. The difference of the conversion accuracy of A/D convertors in the wireless charger 204 and the measuring device 210 can cause a difference between the first charging capacity Qcharger and the second charging capacity Qgauge. The controller 208 may calculate the difference between the first charging capacity Qcharger and the second charging capacity Qgauge at a predetermined time interval. For example, the predetermined time interval can be 50 ms. Then the controller 208 may compare the difference between the first charging capacity Qcharger and the second charging capacity Qgauge with a second threshold Q2. If the difference is less than the second threshold Q2, the controller 208 determines that there is no need to amend the second charging capacity Qgauge calculated by the measuring device 210. If the difference is greater than the second threshold Q2, the controller 208 determines that the amendment of the second charging capacity Qgauge is necessary.
In one embodiment, the controller 208 receives information from the current detecting unit 218 indicating the charging current I. The controller 208 also receives charging time t recorded by a timer (not shown in
Q
control=∫O0tI(t)∫O0tI(t) (1)
where t represents the charging time, and I represents the charging current.
If the controller 208 determines that it is necessary to adjust or amend the second charging capacity Qgauge, the controller 208 transmits the third charging capacity Qcontrol to the measuring device 210. The measuring device 210 receives the third charging capacity Qcontrol and amends the second charging capacity Qgauge by replacing the second charging capacity Qgauge with the third charging capacity Qcontrol.
In one example, if the battery pack 214 is not in the process of being charged, and the remaining capacity Qremain of the battery pack 214 is less than the first threshold Q1, the charging status control unit 308 generates a warning signal indicating that the whole battery system 200 is about to shut down.
In another example, if the battery pack 214 is in the process of being charged, the capacity calculation unit 306 receives information from the current detecting unit 306 indicating the charging current I and receives charging time t recorded by a timer (not shown in
In addition, the controller 208 according to one embodiment of the present teaching may further include a multiple safety level control unit 304. The multiple safety level control unit 304 of this embodiment is configured for determining whether any abnormality has occurred during the charging process based on the charging information (e.g., the charging voltage, the charging current and the battery temperature) and for performing corresponding operations if any abnormality has occurred. In an embodiment, multiple determining standards can be predetermined and stored in the multiple safety level control unit 304. The multiple safety level control unit 304 can make a determination based on each of the determining standards and perform one or more operations which are related with the determining standards.
In one embodiment, the multiple safety level control unit 304 receives information from the voltage detecting unit 216 indicating the charging voltage U and compares the charging voltage U with a predetermined voltage Uref. If the charging voltage U is greater than the predetermined voltage Uref, the multiple safety level control unit 304 disconnects the wireless charger 204 from the battery pack 214 and turns off the measuring device 210. Then the multiple safety level control unit 304 restarts the voltage detecting unit 216. Moreover, multiple predetermined voltages such as Uref1, Uref2, . . . , UrefN for comparing with the charging voltage U can be predetermined to achieve a safe detection with multiple determining standards of charging voltage.
In addition, the multiple safety level control unit 304 of this embodiment may receive information from the current detecting unit 218 indicating the charging current I and compares the charging current I with a predetermined current Iref. In one embodiment, if the charging current I is greater than the predetermined current Iref, the multiple safety level control unit 304 disconnects the wireless charger 204 from the battery pack 214 and turns off the measuring device 210. Then the multiple safety level control unit 304 restarts the current detecting unit 216. In another embodiment, if the charging current I is greater than the predetermined current Iref, the multiple safety level control unit 304 reduces the charging current to the predetermined current Iref and restarts the current detecting unit 218. Moreover, multiple predetermined currents such as Iref1, Iref2, . . . IrefN for comparing with the charging current I can be predetermined to achieve a safe detection with multiple determining standards of charging current.
Moreover, the multiple safety level control unit 304 of one embodiment calculates the temperatures TEMP1, TEMP2, TEMPn of each battery cell in the battery pack 214 based on temperature information from thermal resistors (not shown in
In accordance with various embodiments of present teaching, during a charging process, a safer charging operation can be achieved by detecting the charging information such as the charging voltage, charging current and temperature and determining whether any abnormality has occurred based on multiple determining standards.
According to one embodiment, if the battery pack 214 is in the charging process (e.g., is being charged), when a sum of the remaining capacity Qremain measured at the beginning of the charging process and the second charging capacity Qgauge calculated by the measuring device 210 during the charging process reaches a rated full capacity Qfull, the charging status control unit 308 disconnects the wireless charger 204 from the battery pack 214 to stop the charging process. The second charging capacity Qgauge calculated by the measuring device 210 can be amended by the controller 208 if the difference between the first charging capacity Qcharger and the second charging capacity Qgauge is greater than the second threshold Q2.
If the capacity calculation unit 410 determines that the battery pack 214 is being charged, meaning that the wireless charger 204 is in operation, the measuring device 210 receives power from the wireless charger 204. The wireless charger 204 calculates the first charging capacity Qcharger. The capacity calculation unit 410 calculates the second charging capacity Qgauge.
If the difference between the first charging capacity Qcharger and the second charging capacity Qgauge is less than the second threshold Q2, the capacity amendment unit 412 receives the signal SIN with the first level, e.g., the logic high, from the charging status control unit 308 in the controller 208. The signal SIN with the first level indicates that there is no need to amend the second charging capacity Qgauge calculated by the measuring device 210. If the difference between the first charging capacity Qcharger and the second charging capacity Qgauge is greater than the second threshold Q2, the capacity amendment unit 412 receives the signal SIN with the second level, e.g., the logic low, from the charging status control unit 308. The signal SIN with the second level indicates that there is a need to amend the second charging capacity Qgauge calculated by the measuring device 210. Then the capacity amendment unit 412 receives the third charging capacity Qcontrol from the capacity calculation unit 306 in the controller 208 and transmits the third charging capacity Qcontrol to the capacity calculation unit 410 in the measuring device 210 to amend the second charging capacity Qgauge. In an embodiment, the capacity calculation unit 410 amends the second charging capacity Qgauge by replacing a value of the second charging capacity Qgauge with a value of the third charging capacity Qcontrol.
At 502, a measuring device 210 calculates a remaining capacity Qremain of a battery pack 214. At 504, the measuring device 210 detects status of a wireless charger 204. Moving to 506, if the wireless charger 204 is not in operation (that is the wireless charger 204 does not charge the battery pack 214), the measuring device 210 determines that whether the remaining capacity Qremain of the battery pack 214 is less than a first threshold. If the remaining capacity Qremain of the battery pack 214 is less than the first threshold, the process goes to 508. Otherwise, if the remaining capacity Qremain of the battery pack 214 is greater than the first threshold, the process goes back to 502.
At 508, a controller 208 generates a warning signal. The measuring device 210 shuts down the battery system 200. At 510, if the wireless charger 204 is in operation (e.g., the wireless charger 204 is charging the battery pack 214), each of the wireless charger 204 and the measuring device 210 calculates a charging capacity of the battery pack 214. The charging capacity calculated by the wireless charger 204 is a first charging capacity Qcharger. The charging capacity calculated by the measuring device 210 is a second charging capacity Qgauge. The controller 208 calculates a third charging capacity Qcontrol based on charging current, charging time acquired by a detecting module 206.
At 512, the controller 208 calculates a difference between the first charging capacity Qcharger and the second charging capacity Qgauge. At 514, the controller 208 compares the difference with a second threshold and determines whether the difference is greater than the second threshold. If the difference between the first charging capacity Qcharger and the second charging capacity Qgauge is less than the second threshold, the process goes to 516. Otherwise, if the difference is greater than the second threshold, the process goes to 518. At 516, the controller 208 determines that there is no need to amend the second charging capacity Qgauge. Then the process goes to 520. At 518, the controller 208 determines that there is a need to amend the second charging capacity Qgauge. The measuring device 210 receives the third charging capacity Qcontrol from the controller 208 and replaces the second charging capacity Qgauge with the third charging capacity Qcontrol to amend the second charging capacity Qgauge. Then the process goes to 520.
At 520, the measuring device 210 checks whether the battery pack 214 is fully charged. If the battery pack is fully charged, the measuring device 210 shuts down the wireless charger 204 to end the charging process. If not, the process goes back to the 510.
In addition, the method 500 may further include detecting charging information which includes at least one of charging voltage, charging current, charging time and charging temperature during the charging process and determining whether any abnormality has occurred based on the charging information. Moreover, multiple determining standards can be predetermined according to requirements of difference users. Then corresponding operations according to each determining standard may be performed.
Accordingly, the present teaching provides a battery system, a controller and method for control a battery system. During the charging process, the battery system compares a first charging capacity calculated by a wireless charger with a second charging capacity calculated by a measuring device and amends the second charging capacity if a difference between the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is greater than a threshold to make sure the charging capacity stored in the measuring device is accurate. Users can manage the charging process and estimate the charging time more precisely. Overcharging or undercharging of the battery pack can also be avoided. Moreover, the measuring device can calculate a remaining capacity of the battery and thus users can still know the remaining capacity of the battery when the battery is not being charged. It is convenient for users to store data and charge or replace battery timely. In addition, with multiple detecting standards, a safer detection of battery abnormality is achieved.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the present teaching are amenable to a variety of modifications an/or enhancements. For example, although the implementation of various components described above may be embodied in a hardware device, it can also be implemented as a software only solution e.g., an installation on an existing server. In addition, the dynamic relation/event detector and its components as disclosed herein can be implemented as firmware, a firmware/software combination, a firmware/hardware combination, or a hardware/firmware/software combination.
While the foregoing description and drawings represent embodiments of the present teaching, it will be understood that various additions, modifications and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the principles of the present teaching as defined in the accompanying claims. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the teaching may be used with many modifications of form, structure, arrangement, proportions, materials, elements, and components and otherwise, used in the practice of the teaching, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from the principles of the present teaching. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the teaching being indicated by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not limited to the foregoing description.
