First battery and second battery charging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11520367-B2
Application number	US-201815982250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2018
Priority date	May 17, 2018
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

Various embodiments are described that relate to charging a battery set. The battery set can comprise a first battery and a second battery. The batteries can be alternately charged so they are balanced. In one example, when the first battery is charged, then the second battery is not charged and vice versa. The alternation of charging can be managed based on different criteria, such as timing or charge level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller configured to be connected to a first battery and a second battery, the controller comprising:
a first control component configured to control the first battery to be charged while the second battery is not charged;
a second control component configured to control the second battery to be charged while the first battery is not charged;
a first decision component configured to make a first decision on when to control the first battery to be charged while the second battery is not charged;
a second decision component configured to make a second decision on when to control the second battery to be charged while the first battery is not charged; and
a timer component configured to track a time on how long a selected battery is charged,
where the first decision component makes the first decision based, at least in part, on the time,
where when the first decision component makes the first decision, the first control component operates,
where the second decision component makes the second decision based, at least in part, on the time, and
where when the second decision component makes the second decision, the second control component operates.

2. The controller of claim 1 , comprising:
a first monitor component configured to monitor a charge level of the first battery; and
a second monitor component configured to monitor a charge level of the second battery,
where the first decision component is configured to make the first decision based, at least in part, on the charge level of the first battery and
where the second decision component is configured to make the second decision based, at least in part, on the charge level of the second battery.

3. The controller of claim 1 ,
where the first control component is configured to control the first battery to be charged by way of a connection to an electrical outlet and
where the second control component is configured to control the second battery to be charged by way of the connection to the electrical outlet.

4. The controller of claim 1 ,
where the first control component is configured to control the first battery to be charged by way of a connection to a gasoline-based energy source and
where the second control component is configured to control the second battery to be charged by way of the connection to the gasoline-based energy source.

5. The controller of claim 1 ,
where the first control component is configured to control the first battery to be charged by way of a solar panel of a vehicle,
where the second control component configured to control the second battery to be charged by way of the solar panel of the vehicle, and
where the vehicle retains the first control component, the second control component, the first decision component, the second decision component, and the timer component.

6. The controller of claim 1 , comprising:
a reception component configured to receive an energy from a solar panel;
a third decision component configured to make a third decision on when to control the first battery to not be charged and the second battery to not be charged; and
a diversion component configured to divert the energy from the solar panel to a non-battery location when the third decision is made,
where the energy from the solar panel charges the first battery when the first decision is made.

Assignees

• Us Gov Sec Army

Inventors

• Luoto Ernest
• Frymiare Brian
• Carrier David

Classifications

• H02J2105/33

  exchanging power with road vehicles · CPC title

• H02J7/933

  the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters · CPC title

• H02J7/56

  Active balancing, e.g. using capacitor-based, inductor-based or DC-DC converters · CPC title

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title

• H01M10/44

  Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) · CPC title