A system for suppressing inrush currents is described. The system may include a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor and a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor arranged in series between a power source and a battery system to be charged. At a low temperature, while the PTC thermistor provides only minimal resistance to minimize an inrush current, the NTC thermistor provides increased resistance. As the temperature increases, the resistance provided by the PTC thermistor increases as the resistance from the NTC thermistor decreases. The system may be used in conjunction with a battery charging system has at least one current pathway from the power source to the battery system.

One or more circuits and/or methods are provided. In an example, a circuit includes a first sampling capacitor connected to a first battery terminal for connecting to a battery, an excitation circuit connected to the first battery terminal and configured to generate a first excitation signal, and a measurement circuit connected to the first sampling capacitor and configured to measure charge transferred to the first sampling capacitor by the first excitation signal to generate a charge transfer measurement and to determine a first impedance measurement across the first battery terminal and a second battery terminal for connecting to the battery based on the charge transfer measurement.

An electric power source includes: a battery defining a state of charge; a converter in electrical communication with the battery; and a controller in operable communication with the converter, the controller including a compensation toggle circuit configured to provide a compensation toggle value based on a power output of the battery; a dynamic droop control circuit configured to receive the compensation toggle value and switch an output droop value of the dynamic droop control circuit from an upper output droop measurement to a lower output droop measurement, wherein the lower output droop measurement is based on the state of charge of the battery.

a capacitor charger using capacitors is provided in which a plurality of capacitors is configured in series and parallel to enable rapid charging in a portable mobile device, for example, a portable fast charger using capacitors is provided, which can charge and discharge automatically in a capacitor module depending on whether a USB PD charger or a mobile device is connected to a USB C type port.

A storage system configured for use with an energy management system is provided and includes a plurality of single-phase AC coupled batteries or three-phase AC coupled batteries and a controller configured to determine a time remaining before each battery of the plurality of single-phase AC coupled batteries or the three-phase AC coupled batteries is depleted for power balancing the plurality of single-phase AC coupled batteries or the three-phase AC coupled batteries.

This invention provides an energy storage device manager, a system comprising the energy storage device manager, computer-readable media configured for providing the energy storage device manager, and methods of using the energy storage device manager. The energy storage device manager can optionally control charge buses and/or load buses to modulate the state of charge of an energy storage device. The energy storage device manager can optionally be configured with a plurality of modes that target different states of charge. The plurality of modes can optionally comprise a maintain mode which targets a nominal (e.g. 50%) charge state and a high-charge mode that targets a state of charge greater than the maintain mode. The plurality of modes can optionally further include an in-use mode which targets a state of charge greater than the maintain mode, and turns on a load bus that is turned off in the preparation mode. The energy storage device manager can optionally be configured to determine a charge start time to execute the preparation mode. The energy storage device manager can optionally be configured to determine the charge start time based on forecast data (e.g. power prediction forecast determined based on weather forecast).

An electrical architecture includes multiple nodal controllers, at least two power sources, and a power supply network. Each nodal controller includes at least one output port configured to be connected to an electrical load operating with a voltage of multiple different voltages. The at least two power sources are associated with the multiple different voltages and configured to supply the multiple nodal controllers through the power supply network. The power supply network includes a power line connecting the multiple nodal controllers to each other in a ring and is configured to supply the multiple nodal controllers with electrical power from the at least two power sources. Each nodal controller of the multiple nodal controllers is linked to the power line via a bidirectional DC/DC converter and is configured to control a sleep or a wake-up mode responsive to detection of a corresponding voltage transition within the power supply network.

A power management device includes: a first determination unit that determines whether or not an execution condition for executing cell balancing for equalizing states of charge of a plurality of battery cells included in a storage battery connected to a direct current (DC) bus via a converter is satisfied; and a control unit that performs cell balancing execution control for causing a battery management device managing the storage battery to execute the cell balancing when the execution condition is satisfied. The control unit changes a target voltage of the converter so that a state of charge of the storage battery becomes a state in which the battery management device starts the cell balancing in the cell balancing execution control.

An energy storage system stores potential energy and providing a regulated output of electrical energy for powering an electrical load. The system includes an array of storage capacitors including a plurality of storage capacitors coupled in series. A balance control device balances the voltage on each of the storage capacitors in the array. An input control device manages the input for charging the storage capacitor array. An output power supply has an input coupled to the storage capacitor array and provides regulated power to an electrical load. A power monitor device electrically decouples the storage capacitor array from the electrical load when the total voltage of the storage capacitor array falls below a preset minimum level.

A battery for storing electrical energy includes: a plurality of battery modules that are electrically connected by an electrical circuit, and a switching unit that includes a plurality of switches arranged on the electrical circuit and designed to connect the battery modules in series in the electrical circuit during a phase of the battery being charged by a charger. The switching unit also includes a system for balancing the charging of the battery modules, which is arranged on the electrical circuit and modifies the electrical circuit to divert a portion of the current being delivered to one of the battery modules which is being overcharged to another of the battery modules which is being undercharged, in a mixed phase during which the battery is simultaneously being charged by the charger and discharged into a consumer circuit that the battery is supplying with electrical power.