Battery and unmanned aerial vehicle with the battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9592744-B2
Application number	US-201414262478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	Dec 6, 2013
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

The disclosure provides a battery which can include a power supply and power supply circuit, the power supply circuit connected to the power supply. The power supply can discharge through the power supply circuit. An electronic switch can control the power-on or off of the power supply, thereby avoiding the generation of sparks during the power on process and allowing for the normal use of the battery and the safety of the aircraft. The disclosure also provides an aircraft having the battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power supply control assembly, comprising:
a power supply adapted to power an aerial vehicle;
an input device configured to receive at least two types of input from a user of the aerial vehicle; and
a power supply circuit connected to the power supply, wherein the power supply is configured to discharge through the power supply circuit to power the aerial vehicle in response to receipt of a first type of input by the input device, wherein the power supply circuit comprises:
(a) an electronic switch in electrical communication with the power supply for controlling discharge of power from the power supply to the aerial vehicle, wherein the input device is in electrical communication with the electronic switch for controlling a switch-on or a switch-off state of the electronic switch,
(b) a power measurement device in electrical communication with the power supply, and
(c) an indication device in electrical communication with the power measurement device, wherein the indication device is configured to display a level of charge of the power supply in response to receipt of a second type of input by the input device, (1) without requiring the power supply to be connected to the aerial vehicle, and (2) without requiring the power supply to provide power to a propulsion unit of the aerial vehicle to set said propulsion unit in motion.

2. The power supply control assembly of claim wherein the power measurement device further comprises: a current sampling device configured to detect a current signal during charging or discharging of the power supply, and wherein the power measurement device is configured to calculate the level of charge of the power supply by sampling and integrating the current signal over a period of time at a predetermined frequency.

3. The power supply control assembly of claim wherein the current sampling device is configured to collect current during the discharging of the power supply.

4. The power supply control assembly of claim further comprising: an interface configured to provide access to the level of charge of the power supply and voltage of the power supply.

5. The power supply control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the input device is selected from the group consisting of a key switch, mechanical switch, potentiometer, a pressure sensor, and a touch sensor.

6. The power supply control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electronic switch includes one of a power MOSFET, a solid state relay, a power transistor, or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

7. The power supply control assembly of claim wherein the power supply and power supply circuit weigh less than about 400 grams.

8. The power supply control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

9. The power supply control assembly of claim 8 , wherein the propulsion unit includes one or more rotors with rotatable blades, and wherein the power supply causes rotation of the one or more rotors including the rotatable blades, thereby generating a lift for the UAV.

10. The power supply control assembly of claim 8 , wherein the UAV is capable of flying for at least about 25 minutes without recharging.

11. The power supply control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the indication device is configured to be powered on only in response to the receipt of the second type of input by the input device.

12. The power supply control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the indication device is configured to display the level of charge of the power supply in response to the receipt of the second type of input by the input device, when the power supply is detached from the aerial vehicle.

13. The power supply control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the indication device is configured to display the level of charge of the power supply in response to the receipt of the second type of input by the input device, when (a) the power supply is not providing power to the propulsion unit of the aerial vehicle, and (b) the power supply is detached from the aerial vehicle.

14. The power supply control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first type of input is for powering on the aerial vehicle, and the second type of input is for powering on the indication device.

15. A power supply control assembly, comprising:
a power supply adapted to power an aerial vehicle;
a microcontroller unit (MCU) in electrical communication with the power supply and capable of at least one of: (i) controlling discharge of the power supply, (ii) protecting against a short circuit of the power supply, (iii) protecting against over-charge of the power supply, (iv) protecting against over-discharge of the power supply, (v) balancing a level of charge amongst one or more batteries comprising the power supply, (vi) preventing charging of the power supply at temperatures outside of a predefined temperature range, or (vii) communicating information with an external device;
an input device configured to receive at least two types of input from a user of the aerial vehicle; and
a power supply circuit in electrical communication with the power supply, wherein the power supply is configured to discharge through the power supply circuit to power the aerial vehicle in response to receipt of a first type of input by the input device, wherein the power supply circuit comprises:
(a) an electronic switch in electrical communication with the power supply for controlling discharge of power from the power supply to the aerial vehicle, wherein the input device is in electrical communication with the electronic switch for controlling a switch-on or a switch-off state of the electronic switch, and
(b) an indication device configured to display the level of charge of the power supply in response to receipt of a second type of input by the input device, (1) without requiring the power supply to be connected to the aerial vehicle, and (2) without requiring the power supply to provide power to a propulsion unit of the aerial vehicle to set said propulsion unit in motion.

16. The power supply control assembly of claim 15 , wherein the microcontroller unit is capable of communicating with the external device by providing state information associated with the power supply to the external device.

17. The power supply control assembly of claim 15 , wherein the microcontroller unit is capable of communicating with the external device by receiving information from the external device.

18. The power supply control assembly of claim 15 , wherein the electronic switch includes one of a power MOSFET, a solid state relay, a power transistor, or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

19. The power supply control assembly of claim 15 , further comprising: a power supply housing, wherein the power supply housing comprises a bottom member having an opening at a first end and a cover member, the cover member sealing the opening of the bottom member, wherein the power supply is disposed in the bottom member, and wherein the electronic switch, the input device, a power measurement device, and the indication device are all disposed on a circuit board.

20. The power supply control assembly of claim 15 , wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

21. The power supply control assembly of claim 20 , wherein the propulsion unit includes one or more rotors with rotatable blades, and wherein the power supply causes rotation of the one or more rotors including the rotatable blades, thereby generating a lift for the UAV.

22. The p

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhao Tao

Classifications

• B60L58/22

  Balancing the charge of battery modules · CPC title

• B60L2200/10

  Air crafts · CPC title

• B60L2260/32

  Auto pilot mode · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• B60L53/80

  Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries · CPC title