Application US20190222037

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BATTERY PACK
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US20190222037

1. A system, comprising: (6) (3)

one or more battery units, wherein each battery unit comprises one or more battery cells;

one or more switches that are operatively coupled to one or more battery units; and

a controller configured to: generate a plurality of pulsed switch signals to control the one or more switches, wherein:

each battery unit gets pulse charged, via a corresponding switch, based on a corresponding switch signal,

each pulsed switch signal corresponds to at least one of the one or more switches,

each pulsed switch signal comprises a series of pulses, each pulse having an ON time and an OFF time, which are dynamically determined based on one or more characteristics of a battery unit associated with the corresponding switch, and

the one or more characteristics are measured during the ON time of the pulse.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to measure one or more characteristics of the one or more battery units and the one or more battery cells. (0)

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more battery units comprise a plurality of series-connected battery groups, and wherein each battery group, of the plurality of series-connected battery groups, comprises a plurality of parallel-connected switched battery units. (1) (0)

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising: (0) (2)

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lookup table that is configured to store previously measured characteristics of the one or more battery units, wherein at least some of the one or more characteristics are accessed from the lookup table. (0)

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control an ON/OFF state of the one or more switches to provide a path for an uninterrupted flow of charging current through the one or more battery units. (0)

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics measured during the ON time of the pulse includes at least a respective rate of change of charging current through the one or more battery units. (0)

9. A method to charge a battery pack comprising one or more battery units and one or more switches, wherein each battery unit comprises one or more battery cells, and one or more switches are operatively coupled to the one or more battery units, the method comprising: (4) (5)

generate a plurality of pulsed switch signals to control the one or more switches, wherein:

each battery unit gets pulse charged, via a corresponding switch, based on a corresponding switch signal,

each pulsed switch signal corresponds to at least one of the one or more switches,

the one or more characteristics are measured during the ON time of the pulse.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more battery units comprise a plurality of series-connected battery groups, wherein each battery group, of the plurality of series-connected battery groups, comprises a plurality of parallel-connected switched battery units, and wherein each switched battery unit, of the plurality of parallel-connected switched battery units, comprises one or more series-connected battery cells connected to a corresponding switch of the one or more switches. (0)

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising accessing a lookup table, which stores previously measured characteristics of the one or more battery cells, to obtain at least some characteristics of the one or more battery cells. (0)

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a path for an uninterrupted flow of charging current through the one or more battery units. (1) (0)

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more characteristics measured during the ON time of the pulse includes at least a respective rate of change of charging current through the one or more battery units. (0)

15. A controller to control a battery pack comprising one or more battery units and one or more switches, wherein each battery unit comprises one or more battery cells, wherein one or more switches are operatively coupled to the one or more battery units, and wherein the controller is configured to: (5) (5)

generate a plurality of pulsed switch signals to control the one or more switches, wherein:

each battery unit gets pulse charged, via a corresponding switch, based on a corresponding switch signal,

each pulsed switch signal corresponds to at least one of the one or more switches,

each pulsed switch signal comprises a series of pulses, each pulse having ON time and OFF time, which are dynamically determined based on one or more characteristics of a battery unit associated with the corresponding switch, and

the one or more characteristics are measured during the ON time of the pulse.

16. The controller of claim 15, wherein the controller comprises a first circuitry to make one or more measurements for the one or more battery units, and a second circuitry to generate the plurality of pulsed switch signals. (0)

17. The controller of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to access a lookup table that stores previously measured characteristics of the one or more battery units, and wherein at least some of the one or more characteristics are accessible from the lookup table. (0)

18. The controller of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to control an ON/OFF state of the one or more switches to provide a path for an uninterrupted flow of charging current through the one or more battery units. (0)

19. The controller of claim 15, wherein the one or more characteristics measured during the ON time of the pulse includes at least a respective rate of change of charging current through the one or more battery units. (0)

20. The controller of claim 15, wherein the controller comprises: (0) (2)

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Application US20190222037

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BATTERY PACK

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