Bi-directional battery voltage converter

1. A method of balancing current in a vehicle electric system, the vehicle electrical system comprising a system bus, a first battery, a first bi-directional battery voltage converter selectively transferring a first current between the first battery and the system bus, a second battery, a second bi-directional battery voltage converter selectively transferring a second current between the second battery and the system bus, and a controller controlling the first bi-directional battery voltage converter and the second bi-directional battery voltage converter, the method comprising:

sensing the first current;

providing a first signal related to the first current to the controller;

sensing the second current;

providing a second signal related to the second current to the controller; and

controlling the first bi-directional battery voltage converter and the second bi-directional battery voltage converter so that the first current and the second current are equal portions of a load current supplied to an electrical load connected to the system bus, wherein the first bi-directional battery voltage converter includes an inductor, a first switch coupled to the first battery, a second switch coupled to the first battery, a third switch coupled to the system bus, a fourth switch coupled to the system bus, and a routing circuit connected to each of the first, second, third, and fourth switches, and

controlling the routing circuit by the controller to open and close each of the first, second, third and fourth switches in pairs to charge the inductor from one of the vehicle electrical system and the first battery and to discharge the inductor to the other of the vehicle electrical system and the first battery.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sensing a first voltage of the first battery; and

adjusting a duty cycle of the bi-directional battery voltage converter to adjust at least one of the first current and a voltage being delivered by the first battery, so as to provide optimal discharging of the first battery.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adjusting a duty cycle of the first bi-directional battery voltage converter to reduce the first current when the first current is greater than the second current.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

disabling the first battery if a terminal voltage of the first battery traverses a threshold value;

adjusting the duty cycle of the second bi-directional battery voltage converter such that the load current continues to be supplied.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the threshold value is based upon a voltage difference from a starting value.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the threshold value is based upon a voltage difference from a nominal value.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the threshold value is based on a ratio of the voltage of the vehicle electrical system to a starting voltage.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the threshold value is based on a ratio of the voltage of the vehicle electrical system to a nominal voltage.

9. A vehicle electrical system for supplying electrical power to an electrical load, the system comprising:

a system bus,

a first battery;

a first bi-directional battery voltage converter controllably transferring a first current between the first battery and the system bus;

a second battery;

a second bi-directional battery voltage converter controllably transferring a second current between the second battery and the system bus; and

a controller for controlling the first bi-directional battery voltage converter and the second bi-directional battery voltage converter such that the first current and the second current are equal portions of a load current supplied to an electrical load connected to the system bus, wherein the first bi-directional battery voltage converter includes an inductor, a first switch selectively connecting the inductor to the first battery, a second switch selectively connecting the inductor to the first battery, a third switch selectively connecting the inductor to the system bus, a fourth switch selectively connecting the inductor to the system bus, and a routing circuit, controlled by the controller, opening and closing the first, second, third, and fourth switches in pairs to charge the inductor from one of the vehicle electrical system and the battery and to discharge the inductor to the other of the vehicle electrical system and the first battery.

10. The vehicle electrical system of claim 9 , wherein the first switch is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).

11. The vehicle electrical system of claim 9 , wherein the routing circuit includes a pulse-width modulator.

12. The vehicle electrical system of claim 9 , wherein the first battery can charge the second battery by altering a duty cycle of at least one of the first battery voltage converter and the second battery voltage converter.

13. A bi-directional battery voltage converter for use with a vehicle electrical system, comprising:

an inductor;

a first switch selectively coupling the inductor to a first battery;

a second switch selectively coupling the inductor to the first battery;

a third switch selectively coupling the inductor to the vehicle electrical system;

a fourth switch selectively coupling the inductor to the vehicle electrical system;

a routing circuit connected to each of the first, second, third, and fourth switches, the routing circuit controllably opening and closing the switches in pairs such that the inductor is charged from one of the vehicle electrical system and the battery and discharged to the other of the vehicle electrical system and the battery; and

a controller controlling the routing circuit to deliver a portion of a load current supplied to a connected electrical load, the portion based upon the availability of other current sources.

14. The bi-directional battery voltage converter of claim 13 , wherein the first switch is a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transformer (MOSFET).

15. The bi-directional battery voltage converter of claim 13 , wherein the routing circuit includes a pulse-width modulator.

16. The bi-directional battery voltage converter of claim 15 , wherein the controller senses a voltage of the first battery, senses a current provided by the first battery, and adjusts a duty cycle of the pulse-width modulator to adjust at least one of the current and the voltage delivered by the first battery.