A battery management system comprising: at least one battery comprising two or more sets of cells, each set of cells comprising one or more cells; a multiplexing switch apparatus connected to each set of cells; and at least one controller configured to use the multiplexing switch apparatus to selectively discharge the sets of cells based on at least one criterion. A battery pack comprising: at least one battery comprising two or more sets of cells, each set of cells comprising one or more cells; and an integrated switching control system comprising at least one switch connected to each set of cells, wherein the integrated switching control system is configured to control the at least one switch to discharge the sets of cells sequentially or selectively based on at least one criterion. A battery management method or a battery pack control method.

A battery pack in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a communication terminal and a detector, and supplies electric power to an external device. The communication terminal receives a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal. The first signal has a first potential, the second signal has a second potential, and the third signal has a third potential. The first potential, the second potential, and the third potential are different from one another. The detector determines a potential at the communication terminal, to thereby detect the first signal, the second signal, or the third signal in accordance with the determined potential.

A smart pole power system including a distribution board, multiple alternating current (AC) power devices, a power splitter, and at least one wired network device is provided. The distribution board is coupled to an AC power source to provide multiple AC voltages. The AC power devices are coupled to the distribution board and receive the AC voltages. The AC power devices include a network switch. The network switch receives one of the AC voltages to provide at least one network power supply signal. The power splitter is coupled to the network switch. The power splitter receives one of the network power supply signals and separates a supply voltage signal from the received network power supply signal. The at least one wired network device includes a non-network power supply device. The non-network power supply device is powered by the supply voltage upon reception of the supply voltage.

Portable power bank system. In one embodiment, a portable power bank system may include a portable power bank and a software application. The portable power bank may include a power bank housing, one or more batteries internal to the power bank housing, and one or more electrical receptacles that are defined by the power bank housing. Each of the one or more electrical receptacles may be configured to selectively provide electrical power from the one or more batteries. The software application may include one or more computer-readable instructions that are configured, when executed by one or more processors of a portable computing device, to cause the portable computing device to communicate with the portable power bank over a wireless network to receive information regarding a current state of the portable power bank and to present the current state of the portable power bank on the portable computing device.

When providing alternating current (AC) power to operate AC powered devices such as power tools (such as drills, table saws, miter saws), equipment (such as lawn mowers), and consumer products (such as refrigerators, television, lights) without being tied to a fixed utility power supply typically requires a generator (such as an internal combustion engine based generator) or a battery powered inverter. In order to meet power and runtime needs for these devices, a battery powered inverter must be relatively large and expensive. This simple fact prohibits their use in many environments.

Provided is a power supply device which includes a plurality of battery modules and in which the battery modules are connected in series with one another in accordance with a gate driving signal from a controller. The power supply device includes a disconnecting part configured to forcibly isolate the battery module from a series connection regardless of the gate driving signal, and limits, in accordance with a target output voltage value, a number of the battery modules to be forcibly isolated by the disconnecting part.

A server device is provided, the server device comprising a processing circuitry, a memory circuitry, an interface circuitry configured to connect to a communication network. The server device is configured to obtain machine data indicative of one or more features of a machine. The machine is configured to be powered by a battery device. The server device is configured to obtain usage data indicative of a usage of the machine. The server device is configured to obtain, for one or more battery devices, battery data indicative of one or more battery parameters of a battery device. The server device is configured to determine, for the one or more battery devices, a predicted impact on the one or more battery parameters based on the battery data, the usage data, and the machine data.

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed at a method and system for recharging batteries for wireless electronic devices. According to one embodiment, a battery charging and monitoring system is disclosed. The system includes a host machine providing a plurality of charging slots and a plurality of wireless devices coupled to and powered by a plurality of batteries. The host machine is adapted to communicate with the plurality of wireless devices through a plurality of wireless links to monitor the plurality of batteries coupled to the wireless devices. According to another embodiment, an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device is adapted to couple with at least a rechargeable battery and to negotiate with the rechargeable battery for an agreed range of power parameters. The electronic device is further adapted to accept power from and to provide power to the rechargeable battery at the agreed range of power parameters.

A controller, a system including such a controller, and a method for controlling or managing discharge or charge of a plurality of battery packs are provided. The controller includes one or more processor and at least one tangible, non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with one or more programs configured to perform steps to determining a voltage distribution parameter of each battery pack based on its maximum voltage, its minimum voltage for discharge, and a present voltage, assign ranks to the plurality of battery packs based on the voltage distribution parameters, and determine a respective power discharge or charge based on the rank of each battery pack and a total power demand. The controller provides signals with instructions to the plurality of battery packs and/or the one or more power converters for discharging power from or charging power to the plurality of battery packs.

A power supply system includes an alternating current sweep unit and a first power supply circuit, and each of a first U-phase battery string, a first V-phase battery string, a first W-phase battery string, and a first battery string includes a plurality of battery circuit modules connected in series, and each of the battery circuit modules includes a battery, output terminals, a first switch, and a second switch.