GB2446055A - Connection unit for connecting a secondary battery to a smart charger - Google Patents
Connection unit for connecting a secondary battery to a smart charger Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2446055A GB2446055A GB0801226A GB0801226A GB2446055A GB 2446055 A GB2446055 A GB 2446055A GB 0801226 A GB0801226 A GB 0801226A GB 0801226 A GB0801226 A GB 0801226A GB 2446055 A GB2446055 A GB 2446055A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- battery
- connection unit
- smart
- charging
- charger
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/42—Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells
- H01M10/44—Methods for charging or discharging
-
- H02J7/0004—
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
- H02J7/0042—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries characterised by the mechanical construction
- H02J7/0045—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries characterised by the mechanical construction concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
-
- H02J7/44—
-
- H02J7/485—
-
- H02J7/751—
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02E60/10—Energy storage using batteries
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Electrochemistry (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Secondary Cells (AREA)
- Charge And Discharge Circuits For Batteries Or The Like (AREA)
Abstract
A connection unit 1 connectable between a smart charger 6 and a secondary battery 7, which connection unit comprises a battery recognition and detection unit 4, a control system 2, a charging current measurement circuit 8, a charging voltage measurement circuit 9 and a smart battery interface 3. The secondary battery may not be a smart battery.
Description
Battery connection unit
Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a connection unit which can be used to link a secondary battery to a smart charger.
Background to the Invention
When a secondary battery is recharged it is typically connected to a charger via a connection unit.
The secondary battery may be a smart battery which may be connected to a smart charger for recharging.
US 2004/0160210 discloses an adaptor for use in charging and reconditioning a non-smart battery in an intelligent charger which contains a microprocessor. The adaptor includes a memory device that identifies the adaptor to the charger. When a battery and adaptor are connected to the charger the microprocessor in the charger identifies the battery. Thus, the charger has prior knowledge of the types of battery that may be connected. The adaptor uses a single wire communication protocol to communicate with the charger.
A smart battery is a battery that conforms to Smart Battery Data Specification Revision 1.1, December 11, 1998. A smart battery comprises a fuel gauge and is connectable via a System Management Bus (SM Bus) to a smart charger. The battery is able to communicate with the charger and inform it of the current and voltage required to charge the battery and when to stop charging.
The System Management Bus must comply with System Management Bus Specification Revision 1.1, December 11, 1998.
Similarly, a smart charger is a charger that complies with the Smart Battery Charger Specification Revision 1.1, December 11, 1998. A smart charger is able to accept information from a smart battery and provide the required current and voitage to charge the battery. A smart charger operates in a known way as it understands a limited and published set of commands. A smart charger allows the battery to control the charging process.
However, there are many secondary batteries being used in field situations away from sources of power. All these batteries need to be recharged and some of the batteries are non-smart batteries. In particular, older batteries are often non-smart batteries. These batteries cannot he recharged using a smart charger as they are unable to communicate the necessary information to the smart charger. A non-smart battery is a battery which does not comply with the smart battery data
specification.
The present invention aims to provide a solution to this problem by providing a connection unit for connecting a secondary battery to a smart charger thus reducing the number of types of charger which need to be used to charge batteries in field situations. The present invention aims to provide a connection unit that can be used with a smart charger where the charger does not need to have any prior know'edge of the battery that will be connected to it.
Summary of the Invention
Accordingly, the present invention provides a connection unit connectable between a smart charger and a secondary battery, which connection unit comprises a battery recognition and detection unit, a control system, a charging current measurement circuit, a charging voltage measurement circuit and a smart battery interface.
The connection unit has the connectivity such that it can be connected between a smart charger and a battery. However, in practice, the connection unit may take any form, thus it may resemble a cable, a cable with a block, for example a rectangular block, at some point along the cable, or it may be an object with appropriate connection points. In one particular embodiment the connection unit is of generally rectangular form. In another embodiment, the connection unit is in the form of a cable with a small portion of larger cross-section, for example a portion with the approximate dimensions of a matchbox (say 10 mm by 20 mm in cross-section, and 30 mm long) The battery is typically a non-smart battery, such as a Clansman 430595. For each type of battery there is a different connection unit. In some circumstances it may be possible to use a single connection unit for a family of secondary batteries.
The battery recognition and detection unit typically comprises a battery specific connector so that it is only possible to connect one type of battery to the connection unit. More complicated battery recognition methods may be used, for example additional connection lines from the connection unit may be used to read a resistor value or identifier strinq located within the battery.
The battery detection system may comprise a switch that enables the connection unit to detect that a battery has been connected to the connection unit. For example, if the battery connector to the connection unit comprises a cup into which the battery is placed then a switch in the cup may be so placed such that the switch is depressed when a battery is placed in the cup. This tells the connection unit that a battery has been connected.
Alternatively, the connection unit may detect whether a battery is connected by telling the charger to apply a voltage across the terminals of the battery and then monitoring whether current flows in the connection unit. If a current flows in the connection unit then a battery has been connected.
The control system typically comprises a microcontroller or microprocessor or can access a microcontroller or microprocessor. The control system is typically connected to a store of charging parameters.
Typically the store of charging parameters is located in the microcontroller or microprocessor. When a recognised battery type is connected to the connection unit, its charging parameters are retrieved from the store of charging parameters. These charging parameters are then used to control the smart charger via the smart battery interface.
The smart battery interface comprises a serial communications channel and a defined protocol or language that allows the connection unit to control the charging current and voltage levels. Typically the smart battery interface comprises a serial communications channel, a safety signal channel and positive and negative power lines. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the interface also comprises a low voltage power line, for example a 12 V power line, which provides power to the connection unit. The serial communications channel comprises two communications wires (these are the SM Bus CLK and SM Bus DAT wires (clock and data)) . The two communications wires together make up a System Management bus. The safety signal is an analogue signal that defines actions that can be taken by the smart charger if the serial communications channel is not functioning. The safety signal is transmitted down a third wire.
The charging current measurement circuit measures the current flowing in the charging connection unit.
The charging voltage measurement circuit measures the voltage that is applied across the terminals of the battery.
The connection unit may also be provided with switches to allow, for example, the selection of current or voltage parameters. The connection unit may also be provided with one or more visual displays to display information about the charging process.
Using a connection unit of the present invention has the effect that the combination of battery and connection unit simulates a smart battery to the charger.
For a non-smart battery, the control system is programmed with the charging parameters for each of the non-smart batteries that can be connected to the connection unit. In many cases, owing to the specific connectors on existing batteries, only one type of battery will be connectable to the connection unit and therefore the connection unit will be designed to provide only one set of charging parameters to the smart charger.
The present invention also provides a method of cI-iarging a secondary battery which method comprises connecting a secondary battery to a smart charger using a connection unit connectable between a smart charger and a secondary battery, which connection unit comprises a battery recognition arid detection unit, a control system, a charging current measurement circuit, a charging voltage measurement circuit and a smart battery interface; detecting that a battery is connected; and charging the battery. Typically the connection unit detects that the battery is connected and determines the current and voltage at which charging takes place.
The present invention also provides the use of a connection unit comprising a battery recognition and detection unit, a control system, a charging current measurement circuit, a charging voltage measurement circuit and a smart battery interface to connect a smart charger and a secondary battery.
A specific construction of a connection unit embodying the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the drawing filed herewith.
Brief Description of the Drawing
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a connection unit according to the present invention for charging a non-smart battery.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Figure 1 shows a connection unit 1 which comprises a control system 2. The control system 2 typically comprises a microprocessor (not shown) . The connection unit 1 comprises a simulated smart battery interface 3 which communicates with the battery interface 10 of a smart charger 6 and a battery recognition and detection unit 4 which connects to a charging interface 11 of a battery 7. For exampLe, the battery recognition and detection unit 4 and the charging interface 11 could comprise two mating halves of a custom battery connector.
The unit 1 also comprises conductors 12 and 13 whereby current is supplied from the DC-DC converter 14 in the charger 6 to the battery 7. The connection unit also comprises a current measurement circuit 8 and a voltage measurement circuit 9.
When a battery 7 is connected to the connection unit 1 the battery recognition and detection unit 4 detects that a battery is connected and identifies the type of battery connected. The control system 2 then retrieves the charging parameters for that battery 7. The charging parameters record the current and voltage that can be used to charge that battery 7. The smart battery interface 3 then communicates with the battery interface of the smart charger 6, ensuring that the battery 7 is recharged in accordance with these current and voltage parameters.
Claims (9)
- Claims 1. A connection unit connectable between a smart charger and asecondary battery, which connection unit comprises a battery recognition and detection unit, a control system, a charging current measurement circuit, a charging voltage measurement circuit and a smart battery interface.
- 2. A connection unit according to claim I wherein the battery is a non-smart battery.
- 3. A connection unit according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the battery detection and recognition unit comprises a battery specific connector.
- 4. A connection unit according to any one of the preceding claims which further comprises one or more switches and/or a visual display.
- 5. A connection unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the control system comprises a microcontroller.
- 6. A method of charging a secondary battery which method comprises: connecting a secondary battery to a smart charger using a connection unit connectable between a smart charger and a secondary battery, which connection unit comprises a battery recognition and detection unit, a control system, a charging current measurement circuit, a charging voltage measurement circuit and a smart battery interface; detecting that a battery is connected; and charging the battery.
- 7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the connection unit determines the current and voltage at which charging takes place.
- 8. A method according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the secondary battery is a non-smart battery.
- 9. Use of a connection unit comprising a battery recognition and detection unit, a control system, a charging current measurement circuit, a charging voltage measurement circuit and a smart battery interface to connect a smart charger arid a secondary battery.16038 TpCm
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0701467A GB0701467D0 (en) | 2007-01-26 | 2007-01-26 | Battery connection unit |
| GB0711133A GB0711133D0 (en) | 2007-06-11 | 2007-06-11 | Battery connection unit |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0801226D0 GB0801226D0 (en) | 2008-02-27 |
| GB2446055A true GB2446055A (en) | 2008-07-30 |
Family
ID=39166233
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0801226A Withdrawn GB2446055A (en) | 2007-01-26 | 2008-01-24 | Connection unit for connecting a secondary battery to a smart charger |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2446055A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2008090378A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (13)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8638011B2 (en) | 2009-07-10 | 2014-01-28 | Protonex Technology Corporation | Portable power manager operating methods |
| CA2908309C (en) | 2013-04-01 | 2020-05-05 | Protonex Technology Corporation | Power manager |
| CA2965364C (en) | 2014-11-11 | 2021-06-08 | Protonex Technology Corporation | Control module for dc power network |
| US10848067B2 (en) | 2015-11-20 | 2020-11-24 | Galvion Soldier Power, Llc | Power manager with reconfigurable power converting circuits |
| US11258366B2 (en) | 2015-11-20 | 2022-02-22 | Galvion Soldier Power, Llc | Power manager with reconfigurable power converting circuits |
| EP3377955B1 (en) | 2015-11-20 | 2020-08-19 | Galvion Soldier Power, LLC | Power manager with reconfigurable power converting circuits |
| USD802533S1 (en) | 2016-03-23 | 2017-11-14 | Protonex Technology Corporation | Portable power manager enclosure |
| US10406802B2 (en) | 2016-04-01 | 2019-09-10 | Thomas Alexander Price | Computer-aided manufacturing process for generating modular direct current battery adapter and voltmeter device |
| CN107681730A (en) * | 2017-10-26 | 2018-02-09 | 珠海市魅族科技有限公司 | A kind of battery, terminal device, charging system, the recognition methods of battery and device |
| EP4099861A4 (en) | 2020-02-06 | 2024-04-10 | Galvion Ltd. | ROBUST INTEGRATED HELMET VISION SYSTEM |
| US12155263B2 (en) | 2021-08-06 | 2024-11-26 | Galvion Ltd. | Helmet-mounted power system |
| USD1062615S1 (en) | 2021-12-21 | 2025-02-18 | Galvion Soldier Power, Llc | Power pack |
| US12326707B2 (en) | 2022-05-16 | 2025-06-10 | Galvion Ltd. | Method and system of providing a uniform messaging platform in a heterogeneous environment |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20080090452A1 (en) * | 2006-05-17 | 2008-04-17 | David Rose | Battery adapter |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6005367A (en) * | 1998-07-14 | 1999-12-21 | Centurion International, Inc. | Smart power system |
| US6191552B1 (en) * | 1999-01-25 | 2001-02-20 | Dell Usa, L.P. | External universal battery charging apparatus and method |
| US6914415B2 (en) * | 2003-02-14 | 2005-07-05 | Motorola, Inc. | Battery adaptor to facilitate reconditioning in a smart charger |
-
2008
- 2008-01-22 WO PCT/GB2008/050044 patent/WO2008090378A1/en not_active Ceased
- 2008-01-24 GB GB0801226A patent/GB2446055A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20080090452A1 (en) * | 2006-05-17 | 2008-04-17 | David Rose | Battery adapter |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2008090378A1 (en) | 2008-07-31 |
| GB0801226D0 (en) | 2008-02-27 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |