METHOD OF FORMING A BALANCING CIRCUIT FOR A PLURALITY OF BATTERY CELLS AND STRUCTURE THEREFOR

摘要

In one embodiment, a method of forming a balancing circuit for a plurality of battery cells includes configuring the balancing circuit to selectively pre-charge a transfer element from a power source, and to subsequently selectively couple the transfer element to one battery cell of the plurality of battery cells to transfer energy from the transfer element to the one battery cell.

主权项

1. A switch matrix of a balancing circuit for a plurality of battery cells comprising:
a first common node configured for coupling to a first terminal of a transfer element; a second common node configured for coupling to a second terminal of the transfer element a first node for coupling to a first terminal of a first cell of a plurality of series coupled cells wherein the first terminal of the first cell has a first polarity type; a second node for coupling to a first terminal of a second cell that is a last cell of the plurality of series coupled cells wherein the first terminal of the last cell has a second polarity type that is opposite to the first polarity type; a third node for coupling to a first terminal of a third cell of the plurality of series coupled cells wherein the first terminal of the third cell has the first polarity type; a fourth node for coupling to a second terminal of the last cell of the plurality of series coupled cells wherein the second terminal of the last cell has the first polarity type; a first ladder switch having a first terminal coupled to the third node and having a second terminal coupled to the first common node; a first switch pair having a first pair of switches with each switch of the first switch pair having a first terminal coupled to the first node, a first switch of the first switch pair having a second terminal coupled to the first common node, and a second switch of the first switch pair having a second terminal coupled to the second common node; a second switch pair having a second pair of switches with each switch of the second switch pair having a first terminal coupled to the second node, a first switch of the second switch pair having a second terminal coupled to the first common node, and a second switch of the second switch pair having a second terminal coupled to the second common node; and a second ladder switch having a first terminal coupled to the fourth node and having a second terminal coupled to one of the first common node if a total number of cells in the plurality of series coupled cells is an even number or coupled to the second common node if the total number of cells in the plurality of series coupled cells is an odd number.