According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, a first metal portion, a third semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, a first electrode, a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, and a second electrode. The first semiconductor region includes a first portion and a second portion. The second semiconductor region is provided on the first semiconductor region. The third semiconductor region is provided on part of the second semiconductor region. The first metal portion is provided in the first semiconductor region. The third semiconductor region is positioned on the first portion. The fourth semiconductor region is provided on another part of the second semiconductor region. The fourth semiconductor region is separated from the third semiconductor region. The fourth semiconductor region is positioned on the second portion.

Exemplary protection circuitry for wireless power systems can include a battery disconnect circuit, a load dump protection circuit, and/or a coil disconnect circuit. One or more of these protection circuits may be employed by a wireless power receiver. Further, one or more of these protection circuits may enable a wireless power receiver to be able to protect itself independently from a wireless power transmitter, thereby increasing safety of the wireless power system.

The present disclosure provides a battery charging apparatus and a battery charging protection control method. A power adapter in the battery charging apparatus performs data communication with a charging control circuit; when the power adapter determines that overvoltage and/or overcurrent occurs in the direct current output by a communication interface of the power adapter, the power adapter notifies the charging control circuit to drive a controller in the electronic device to switch off a communication interface of the electronic device and switches off the direct current output automatically; when the charging control circuit determines that overvoltage and/or overcurrent occurs upon receiving output voltage and output current of the power adapter, the charging control circuit notifies the power adapter to switch off the direct current output and drives the controller in the electronic device to switch off the communication interface of the electronic device.

A charge-discharge control circuit includes a first cell balancing circuit having a first switch; a second cell balancing circuit having a second switch; a first cell balance detection circuit having a third switch; a second cell balance detection circuit having a fourth switch; and a control circuit which outputs a control signal to turn on the first switch in a prescribed cycle according to the voltage of a first battery which is higher than or equal to a cell balance detection voltage, or outputs a control signal to turn on the second switch in the prescribed cycle according to the voltage of a second battery which is higher than or equal to the cell balance detection voltage, and outputs a control signal to turn off the third switch and the fourth switch in the prescribed cycle during output of the control signal.

A first electric storage device includes a first switching unit disposed between a wiring and the first electric storage unit and configured to switch an electrical connection relationship between the wiring and the first electric storage unit based on a voltage difference between the wiring and the first electric storage unit. A second electric storage device includes a second switching unit disposed between the wiring and the second electric storage unit and configured to switch an electrical connection relationship between the wiring and the second electric storage unit based on a voltage difference between the wiring and the second electric storage unit. A charge end voltage of the first electric storage unit is equal to or less than a full charging voltage of the first electric storage unit, and is greater than a charge end voltage of the second electric storage unit.

A system and method for distributed charging of mobile devices. In accordance with an embodiment, the system comprises a secondary coil or receiver associated with a mobile device. When the mobile device is placed in proximity to a base unit having one or more primary coils, each primary coil having a generally planar shape so that when a current is passed through the primary coil a magnetic field is generated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the primary coil, the perpendicular magnetic field is used to inductively generate a current in the secondary coil or receiver associated with the mobile device, to charge or power the mobile device. In accordance with various embodiments the system can incorporate efficiency measures that improve the efficiency of power transfer between the charger and receiver.

The general field of the disclosure herein relates to the design of one or more health related monitoring or maintenance devices. These devices may include but are not limited to devices that monitor and/or maintain the health of users or devices that monitor and/or maintain the health of assets. The devices include oral cleaning devices for maintaining and monitoring the oral health of users, clothing for monitoring the health and fitness of users and charging pads which may monitor the health or assets being charged. Sensors may be integrated in these devices including but not limited to IMUs, thermocouples or oral cleaning devices, IMUs in clothing like shoes or wrist bands, or timers or charging sensors in magnetic surfaces which may cause one or more objects and/or other magnetic surfaces to float when a desired function is achieved.

A battery saving system (1) for an electrically powered mobility device (13) comprising a battery (15) and a drive control system (16) configured to be powered by the battery, wherein the battery saving system (1) comprises: a current monitoring circuit (3) configured to monitor a load current provided by the battery (15), wherein the current monitoring circuit (3) is configured to determine whether a load current magnitude is below a load current threshold level, a timer circuit (7) having a counter configured to successively count as long as the load current magnitude level is below the load current threshold level, and to reset the counter in the event that the load current level magnitude exceeds the current threshold level, and a disconnecting switch (9) configured to be operated between an open state and a closed state, wherein the timer circuit (7) is configured to trigger the disconnecting switch (9) to obtain the open state when the counter has reached a predetermined number to thereby disconnect the battery (15) from the drive control system (16).

A semiconductor device capable of monitoring the state of a battery or the like is provided. The states of a plurality of batteries in a battery module is easily acquired. The semiconductor device that can be attached to an electrode of a battery or the like includes a first substrate, an element layer, and first to third conductive layers. The element layer includes a first circuit and a second circuit and is provided on a side of a first surface of the first substrate. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are provided on a side of a second surface positioned opposite to the first surface of the first substrate. The first circuit is electrically connected to each of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer through an opening provided in the first substrate. The third conductive layer is provided to be stacked on a side opposite to the first substrate side of the element layer and electrically connected to the second circuit. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer each function as a terminal, and the third conductive layer functions as an antenna.

A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a battery charged with electric power generated by the engine, and a motor as a drive source and having multiple running modes that can be selected through a mode operation. As the running mode, the method for controlling a hybrid vehicle includes a normal mode configured to perform charging of the battery according to a running state; and a charge mode configured to electric power generation by the engine according to a mode operation, the method comprising setting an upper limit of charging electric power based on the generated electric power in the charge mode to be lower than an upper limit of charging electric power based on the generated electric power in the normal mode.