Monitor and control circuitry for charging a battery/cell, and methods of operating same

摘要

Circuitry and techniques to measure, at the battery's terminals, characteristic(s) of the charging signal applied to the battery/cell during the recharging operation and, in response to feedback data which indicates the charging signal is out-of-specification, control or instruct the charging circuitry to adjust characteristic(s) of the recharging signal (e.g., the amplitude of the voltage of and/or current applied to or removed from the battery during the charging operation). For example, a rechargeable battery pack comprising a battery, and controllable switch(es), a current meter and voltmeter, all of which are fixed to the battery. Control circuitry generates control signal(s) to adjust a current and/or voltage of the charging signal using the feedback data from the current meter and/or voltmeter, respectively.

主权项

1. A rechargeable battery system which is rechargeable via a charging signal generated during a single recharging cycle, the rechargeable battery system comprising:
a battery having at least two terminals; charging circuitry including:
a plurality of controllable switches, fixed to the battery and electrically coupled to the at least two terminals of the battery, to generate a plurality of pulses of the charging signal during the single recharging cycle; recharge monitor and control circuitry including:
monitor circuitry fixed to the battery and electrically coupled to the at least two terminals of the battery, including:
a current meter to: (i) measure a current applied to or removed from the battery by the charging signal and (ii) output feedback current data; anda voltmeter to (i): measure a voltage between the at least two terminals of the battery and (ii) output feedback voltage data; andcontrol circuitry, electrically coupled to the monitor circuitry, to: (i) receive the feedback current data and/or feedback voltage data and, in response thereto, (ii) evaluate the feedback current data and/or the feedback voltage data, and (iii) generate one or more control signals to adjust an amplitude of the current and/or voltage of the pulses of the charging signal using the feedback current data and/or the feedback voltage data.