A method and system for AC battery operation. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining, at a battery management unit (BMU) coupled to an AC battery comprising a power converter and a battery that is rechargeable, a bias control voltage that indicates a state of a charge process of the AC battery; and coupling, by a bias control module of the BMU, the bias control voltage to the power converting for communicating the state of the charge process to and from the BMU and the power converter.

A method for managing a battery of a mobile platform includes transmitting first initial battery data from a storage device of the battery to an onboard battery management system (BMS) of the mobile platform that is configured to monitor a first status of the battery and generate first updated battery data, receiving the first updated battery data in a sequential manner or in a parallel manner from the onboard BMS at the storage device, transmitting second initial battery data from the storage device to a charger BMS of a battery charger that is configured to monitor a second status of the battery and generate second updated battery data, and receiving the second updated battery data in a sequential manner or in a parallel manner from the charger BMS at the storage device.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a battery management system (BMS) including: a first controller monitoring a first battery cell array having at least one battery cell and configured to measure an operating parameter of the first battery cell array; and a second controller monitoring a second battery cell array having at least one battery cell and configured to measure an operating parameter of the second battery cell array, and communicatively coupled to the first controller. The first controller is selectable between: an active mode for receiving the measured operating parameter of the second battery cell array from the second controller, and detecting a fault in the first or the second battery cell array based upon the measured operating parameters thereof, and a passive mode for measuring the operating parameter of the first battery cell array, and transmitting the measured operating parameter to the second controller.

A vehicle system is provided with a battery and a controller. The battery includes a first module having a first capacity and a second module. The controller programmed to responsive to indication that the second module has been replaced by a new module with a second capacity that is greater than the first capacity for a corresponding state of charge (SOC), adjust a second SOC of the new module such that a maximum SOC value of the new module aligns with a maximum SOC value of the first module. The controller is further programmed to balance the first module and the new module separately.

Systems and methods for charging and discharging a plurality of batteries are described herein. In some embodiments, a system includes a battery module, an energy storage system electrically coupled to the battery module, a power source, and a controller. The energy storage system is operable in a first operating state in which energy is transferred from the energy storage system to the battery module to charge the battery module, and a second operating state in which energy is transferred from the battery module to the energy storage system to discharge the battery module. The power source electrically coupled to the energy storage system and is configured to transfer energy from the power source to the energy storage system based on an amount of stored energy in the energy storage system. The controller is operably coupled to the battery module and is configured to monitor and control a charging state of the battery module.

A coordinated multiple power management system provides an efficient and unique means of controlling the power usage of devices attached to a personal energy platform. Power control in an abundant power situation (i.e. commercial power is available) saves money. Power control in a constrained power situation (i.e. commercial power is unavailable e.g. “power failure”) provides more availability of needed computing services (for example, emergency activities, enable longer communication periods, longer video streaming, security monitoring, internet access and communications, or critical healthcare device usage etc.). The power supplied to the devices can be determined automatically and is under program control, which allows the complete management and distribution of power to any, and all, devices attached to the personal energy platform.

A battery and battery balancing system comprising a battery pack comprising two or more cells connected in series and a separate balancing cell, which is not series connected in the battery pack. The balancing cell is configured to be selectively switched into connection with one or more cells of the battery pack. A charging input is configured to accept a charging current from a power source to charge the battery pack. Two or more balancing cell switches, responsive to switch control signals, configured to selectively connect the balancing cell to a cell in the battery pack. A cell monitoring and switch control unit configured to monitor cell parameters during charging and generate the switch control signals, such that upon the monitoring determining that a cell in the battery pack is an underperforming cell, switching the balancing cell into connection with the underperforming cell to supplement the underperforming cell.

A charger control apparatus includes a total current acquisition unit and a setting unit to control a plurality of chargers connected in parallel with each other and supplied with a current from a common wiring line. An upper limit value of a current flowing through the wiring line is described as a first upper limit value. The total current acquisition unit acquires a total value of a current flowing through the plurality of chargers. The setting unit sets, for each of the plurality of chargers, a second upper limit value being an upper limit value of a current flowing through the charger by using the first upper limit value. When a difference between the total value and the first upper limit value satisfies a reference, the setting unit updates the second upper limit value for each of the plurality of chargers by distributing the difference according to a first rule.

An electronic device balances power supplied to a system load by a first battery power source and a second battery power source. A battery current sense circuit is electrically coupled to sense a first current supplied by the first battery power source to the system load. A discharge feedback controller is electrically coupled to the battery current sense circuit and configured to adjust a control voltage based on the sensed first current. A voltage converter circuit includes an input electrically coupled to the second battery power source and an output electrically coupled to the system load. The voltage converter circuit is configured to adjust current supplied by the second battery power source through the voltage converter circuit to the system load based on the control voltage.

A cell module is provided for a traction battery of a vehicle. The cell module includes a plurality of cells arranged in a series circuit and also includes at least two cell monitoring circuits for identifying a voltage applied between two poles of each cell of the plurality of cells. Each cell monitoring circuit of the two cell monitoring circuits has first and second voltage supply connections. The first voltage supply connection is coupled to a positive pole of a first cell and the second voltage supply connection is coupled to a negative pole of a second cell. The cell module further includes a switching apparatus that selectively couples the first voltage supply connection of a first cell monitoring circuit and the second voltage supply connection of a second cell monitoring circuit to a respective one of two positive poles or to one of two negative poles of different cells.