Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for a battery. The apparatus may provide a fuel gauge circuit that operates in conjunction with a charger to perform a pre-charging operation of the battery in the event the battery has experienced an over-discharge. The pre-charging operation is defined by a period of time selected according to a measured state of charge and/or an internal resistance of the battery.

Systems and processes are provided to detect a deeply discharged rechargeable battery. A process includes initiating a processor operative to perform a function within a battery-operated device, determining a first output voltage of a battery, charging the battery with a battery charger for a duration of time between three and seven seconds in response to the first output voltage being less than a cutoff voltage, rebooting the battery-operated device, determining a second output voltage of the battery, providing a user prompt indicative of battery fault in response to the second output voltage being less than the cutoff voltage, and shutting down the battery-operated device.

An open contactor bypass system for a battery is disclosed. The battery system has a positive and a negative output terminals, a battery management system, and a latching contactor in series with the positive and negative terminals. The latching contactor is operable between an open state and a closed state, under control of the battery management system. The open contactor bypass circuit may permit charging of the battery when the battery is coupled to a battery charger and the latching contactor is in the open state. The open contactor bypass circuit may comprise a bypass circuit disposed across the latching contactor for permitting charging current from the battery charger to flow through the bypass circuit, to bypass the open state contactor and charge the battery.

Systems and methods are provided for identifying an imminent low state of charge of a battery in an autonomous vehicle, and automatically powering down the vehicle before a zero state of charge event occurs. In particular, the autonomous vehicle automatically powers down while there is enough energy in the batteries to restart the vehicle and drive the vehicle a short distance to a charging station.

A supply-demand control device is configured to: set, for each priority rank defined in advance, an allowable limit within a range of a value set for a higher priority rank than the each priority rank, the allowable limit indicating an upper limit of the power or the energy allowed to be supplied in response to a demand of the each priority rank while the power or the energy supplied in response to a demand of the higher priority rank is secured; detect the demand for the power or the energy, which occurs in the industrial product; and allocate, in order of the priority rank, the power or the energy supplied from a predetermined supply source in response to the detected demand, such that the supplied power or energy is equal to or lower than the upper limit indicated by the allowable limit set for the each priority rank.

A cell balancing device based on a capacitor network, a cascadable balancing battery pack, and a control method thereof, used for battery pack balancing control, and the battery pack being composed of n battery units connected in series; the cell balancing device comprises: n half bridge circuits, each half bridge circuit being connected in parallel to two ends of a battery unit, the midpoint of each half bridge circuit being connected in parallel to a corresponding switch capacitor, and each half bridge circuit comprising two switch transistors connected in series; an energy storage capacitor network, comprising a basic energy storage capacitor network composed of n switch capacitors connected in series; a chain-type driving capacitor network, one end thereof being electrically connected to one of the half bridge circuits or the energy storage capacitor network, and the other end thereof being electrically connected to a drive pulse generator, and the drive pulse generator being electrically connected to the chain drive capacitor network; and a control logic circuit electrically connected to the battery pack, the drive pulse generator, and a master control panel. Using the present solution, the cell balancing device of the present application has excellent balancing effects, reliable performance, strong universality, and strong scalability.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for a charging system. The charging system may be implemented within an independent charging station or within an autonomous vehicle. Boolean charging can be used to obtain the desired charge or discharge voltage for charging an autonomous vehicle at a charging station. By combining a subset of a sequence of batteries arrays that differ in voltage by powers of two in series, where each battery array may include multiple batteries or battery cells, a voltage may be obtained which is equal to the sum of the voltages across each battery array. This voltage may be used in turn to charge additional batteries or battery arrays. The process may be repeated until the desired amount of battery arrays has been charged and the desired voltage has been achieved.

A secondary battery protection circuit for a secondary battery includes: a reference voltage circuit configured to generate a reference voltage by using a depletion-type transistor and a transistor unit of enhancement type connected in series with the depletion-type transistor; a voltage divider configured to output a detection voltage obtained by dividing a power source voltage of the secondary battery; a detection circuit configured to detect an abnormal state of the secondary battery based on the reference voltage and the detection voltage; a first adjustment circuit configured to adjust a size ratio of the depletion-type transistor to the transistor unit based on threshold voltages of the depletion-type transistor and the transistor unit; and a second adjustment circuit configured to adjust the detection voltage based on the reference voltage after adjusting the size ratio.

A switching unit is included, which is arranged between a first electric storage unit of a first electric storage device configured to be connectable in parallel with a second electric storage device and a wire electrically connecting the first electric storage device and the second electric storage device, and which is configured to switch a electrical connection relationship of the wire and the first electric storage unit. A restricting unit is included, which is connected in parallel with the switching unit between the wire and the first electric storage unit, has a higher resistance than the switching unit, and is configured to cause a current to flow in the direction from the wire to the first electric storage unit and suppress current flowing in the direction from the first electric storage unit to the wire.

An inductive charging system for inductive charging of electronic devices is disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes a substantially planar inductive charging coil parallel to the surface of the inductive charger or the electronic device. The system further includes a metallic layer positioned proximate to and substantially parallel to the inductive coil to cover a surface of the inductive coil. The metallic layer comprises multiple substantially concentric rings or polygons, with each of the concentric rings or polygons having multiple sections separated by gaps such that each concentric ring or polygon is discontinuous. Adjacent sections of each concentric ring or polygon are electrically isolated from one another to avoid eddy current generation and heating of the metallic layer during inductive power transfer.