IP Library Granted Patent US 11,710,975
Granted Patent B2
US 11,710,975 · App. 16/942,889 · Granted Jul 25, 2023

Battery charging systems and methods

Inventors: Sibu Varughese (Sterling Heights, MI); Martin Nespolo (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI); Gareth Webb (New Hudson, MI); Thomas Krzyzak (Livonia, MI); Wilson Yim (Troy, MI); Matthew Johnson (Royal Oak, MI)
Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
H02J7/007B60L53/62H02J7/0024B60L1/006H02J7/1423Y02T10/7072
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,710,975
App. No.
16/942,889
Granted
Jul 25, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A battery charging system of an electronic device includes: a battery having a first nominal voltage and including: battery cells each having a second nominal voltage that is less than the first nominal voltage; and electrical connectors that electrically connect ones of the battery cells to provide the battery with the first nominal voltage; a first charge port configured to electrically connect to a first type of connector; a charging module configured to: receive power via the first charge port; and when a voltage of the received power is less than the first nominal voltage at least one of: charge ones of the battery cells individually; and charge groups of two or more of the battery cells.

Claims (50)

1. A battery charging system of an electronic device, comprising:

a battery having a first nominal voltage and including:

battery cells each having a second nominal voltage that is less than the first nominal voltage; and

electrical connectors that electrically connect ones of the battery cells to provide the battery with the first nominal voltage;

a first charge port configured to electrically connect to a first type of connector, wherein the first type of connector satisfies a universal serial bus (USB) standard;

a second charge port, configured to electrically connect to a second type of connector,

wherein the second type of connector does not satisfy any universal serial bus (USB) standard; and

a charging module configured to:

receive power via the first charge port and the second charge port; and

when a voltage of the received power from the first charge port is less than the first nominal voltage at least one of:

charge ones of the battery cells individually; and

charge groups of two or more of the battery cells.

2. The battery charging system of claim 1 wherein the charging module is configured to, when the voltage of the received power is less than the first nominal voltage, determine a number of the battery cells to charge at a time based on the voltage of the received power and the second nominal voltage.

3. The battery charging system of claim 2 wherein the charging module is configured to set the number based on the voltage of the received power divided by the second nominal voltage.

4. The battery charging system of claim 3 wherein the charging module is configured to round the number down to a nearest integer when the number is a non-integer.

5. The battery charging system of claim 1 wherein the charging module is further configured to when the voltage of the received power is greater than or equal to the first nominal voltage, charge all of the battery cells concurrently.

6. The battery charging system of claim 1 further comprising a reconfiguration module having outputs connected to the battery cells individually,

wherein the charging module is configured to actuate the reconfiguration module to charge the battery cells.

7. The battery charging system of claim 1 further comprising a reconfiguration module includes:

a transformer per battery cell and a pair of switches per battery cell configured output power to at least one of:

ones of the battery cells individually; and

groups of two or more of the battery cells.

8. The battery charging system of claim 1 wherein:

the first type of connector has a first maximum voltage;

the second type of connector has a second maximum voltage; and

the second maximum voltage is greater than the first maximum voltage.

9. The battery charging system of claim 1 further comprising:

a charger having a plug end configured to receive power via a wall outlet; and

a charge cable connected at a first end to the charger and connected at a second end to the second type of connector.

10. The battery charging system of claim 1 further comprising:

a charger having a plug end configured to receive power via a wall outlet; and

a charge cable connected at a first end to the charger and connected at a second end to a third type of connector that is different than the second type of connector; and

an adaptor having a first end configured to electrically connect to the third type of connector and a second end having the second type of connector.

11. The battery charging system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is one of an electric bicycle and an electric scooter.

12. A battery charging method for a vehicle, comprising:

receiving power from (i) a first charge port configured to electrically connect to a first type of connector and (ii) a second charge port configured to electrically connect to a second type of connector that is different than the first type of connector,

wherein the first type of connector satisfies a universal serial bus (USB) standard, and

wherein the second type of connector does not satisfy any universal serial bus (USB) standard; and

when a voltage of the received power from the first charge port is less than a first nominal voltage of a battery one of:

charging ones of battery cells of the battery individually; and

charging groups of two or more of the battery cells of the battery,

wherein the battery includes:

the battery cells and the battery cells have a second nominal voltage that is less than the first nominal voltage; and

electrical connectors that electrically connect ones of the battery cells to provide the battery with the first nominal voltage.

13. The battery charging method of claim 12 further comprising:

determining a number of the battery cells to charge at a time based on the voltage of the received power and the second nominal voltage; and

when the voltage of the received power is less than the first nominal voltage of the battery, charging the determined number of the battery cells at a time.

14. The battery charging method of claim 13 , wherein the determining includes setting the number based on the voltage of the received power divided by the second nominal voltage.

15. The battery charging method of claim 14 wherein the setting includes rounding the number down to a nearest integer when the number is a non-integer.

16. The battery charging method of claim 12 further comprising, when the voltage of the received power is greater than or equal to the first nominal voltage, charging all of the battery cells concurrently.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2020
From: VARUGHESE, SIBU; NESPOLO, MARTIN; WEBB, GARETH; KRZYZAK, THOMAS; YIM, WILSON; JOHNSON, MATTHEW
To: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 053355/0310 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220032777A1 · Feb 3, 2022