Method and circuitry to adaptively charge a battery/cell
The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to applying a charge pulse to the terminals of the battery during a charging operation, measure a plurality of voltages of the battery which are in response to the first charge pulse, determine a charge pulse voltage (CPV) of the battery, wherein the charge pulse voltage is a peak voltage which is in response to the first charge pulse, determine whether the CPV of the battery is within a predetermined range or greater than a predetermined upper limit value and adapt one or more characteristics of a charge packet if the CPV is outside the predetermined range or is greater than a predetermined upper limit value.
1. A method of controlling at least one characteristic of a charging process for a battery having positive and negative terminals, the method comprising:
(a) applying charge to the terminals of the battery at a first current;
(b) measuring a terminal voltage between the terminals of the battery multiple times or continuously over a period of time that includes at least when the first current is applied to the battery;
(c) from the measurements of the terminal voltage in (b), determining whether one or more values of the measured terminal voltage are outside a predetermined range or greater than a predetermined upper limit value; and
(d) based on the determination in (c), controlling at least one characteristic of the charging process for the battery, wherein the at least one characteristic of the charging process is selected from the group consisting of: a charge pulse voltage; a charging time; a charging voltage; a charging current; a shape, spacing; and a programmable number of pulses of a charge and/or discharge signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying charge to the terminals of the battery comprises applying a first charge signal to the terminals of the battery.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first charge signal has a substantially constant current.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein controlling at least one characteristic of a charging process comprises applying a second charge signal to the terminals of the battery.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second charge signal is provided at a second current, which is different from the first current.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first charge signal has a first profile, the second charge signal has a second profile, and the first and second profiles are different.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first charge signal has a first duration, the second charge signal has a second duration, and the first duration is not equal to the second duration.
8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first charge signal comprises one or more first rest periods, the second charge signal comprises one or more second rest periods, and the durations and/or relative locations of the first rest periods within the first charge signal differ from that of the second rest periods within the second charge signal.
9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first charge signal has a first amplitude, the second charge signal has a second amplitude, and the first amplitude differs from the second amplitude.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein applying the second charge signal comprises reducing the current applied to the battery.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether one or more values of the measured terminal voltage are outside a predetermined range or greater than a predetermined upper limit value in (c) comprises determining whether one or more of the values are less than a predetermined lower limit value.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the terminal voltage over the period of time that includes at least when the charge is applied to the battery comprises measuring the terminal voltage intermittently or periodically.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the terminal voltage over the period of time that includes at least when the charge is applied to the battery comprises measuring the terminal voltage continuously.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling at least one characteristic of a charging process for the battery comprises reducing the current according to a predetermined rate and/or a predetermined pattern.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined range or upper limit value is dependent on an external temperature.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined range or upper limit value depends on a temperature of the battery.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined range or upper limit value is dependent on the battery's state of charge.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined range or upper limit value depends on the battery's state of health.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling one characteristic of the charging process for the battery comprises applying a plurality of additional charge signals to the battery, wherein the current applied to the battery is decreased during each consecutive charge signal.
20. A method of controlling at least one characteristic of a packet charging process for a battery having positive and negative terminals, the method comprising:
(a) applying a charge packet to the terminals of the battery at a first current;
(b) measuring a terminal voltage between the terminals of the battery multiple times or continuously over a period of time that includes at least when the first current is applied to the battery;
(c) from the measurements of the terminal voltage in (b), determining whether one or more values of the measured terminal voltage are outside a predetermined range or greater than a predetermined upper limit value; and
(d) based on the determination in (c), controlling at least one characteristic of the packet charging process for the battery.