A charging cable has a current sensor, a charging state indicator and logic circuitry to operate the indicator based on detected levels of current flow to a chargeable device. If the sensor detects current is below a low threshold, the logic circuitry operates the indicator to indicate that the cable is not connected to any chargeable device. If the sensor detects current at or above a higher threshold, the logic circuitry operates the indicator to provide a perceptible output indicating that the cable is connected to the chargeable device and the current is charging the battery. If the sensor detects current at or above the low threshold but below the high threshold, the logic circuitry operates the indicator to provide a perceptible output indicating that the cable is connected to a chargeable device but is not charging the battery of the device, e.g. when the battery is, or is nearly, fully charged.

A method for operating a medical device includes activating a processor in the medical device in a low-power operating mode, measuring a first voltage level of the battery, applying at least one discharge pulse to the battery in response to the first voltage level of the battery being greater than a predetermined passivation minimum voltage threshold and less than a predetermined passivation maximum voltage threshold, measuring a second voltage level of the battery after the at least one discharge pulse, and operating the processor in the medical device in an increased-power operating mode to continue operation of the medical device only in response to the second voltage level being greater than or equal to a predetermined operating voltage threshold, the predetermined operating voltage threshold being greater than the predetermined passivation minimum voltage threshold and less than or equal to the predetermined passivation maximum voltage threshold.

A charging management system is provided based on communications between a charging device and a reporting device. The charging device may interface with the reporting device via a multi-contact surface, a conventional plug, or otherwise, the reporting device may typically comprise a portable, rechargeable device such as a smartphone, smart watch, camera, etc. Communications between the between the charging device and the reporting device take place via the same pair of power lines as are used for providing power from the charging device and the reporting device, by means of a non-volatile memory in the reporting device, which is accessed sequentially by one device or the other, and used to store information to be retrieved by the other to retrieve when activated. This exchange of information may implement a negotiation of a mutually acceptable power supply configuration, an authentication of a particular reporting device, etc.

Battery charging in a battery charging system (BCS) involves measuring an output voltage of a battery connected to the BCS and determining an output voltage type of the battery. The battery is also evaluated to determine a condition of the battery for accepting a charge. Based upon the evaluation the BCS performs can automatically initiate a charge cycle for the battery in accordance with the battery output voltage type which has been determined. The BCS can also trigger an indication that the battery is not in condition for accepting a charge. A range of output charging voltages is produced using a transformer, and a switch network.

The present disclosure relates to a lighting device (100) comprising a lighting unit (102), at least one application unit (104), and a battery housing (106) comprising a first battery compartment (108) with a first electrical contact set (110) for accommodating and connecting a first battery and with a second battery compartment (112) with a second electrical contact set (114) for accommodating and connecting a second battery, wherein the first and second battery compartments are configured to force an exclusive spatial accommodation of only one of the first and second batteries in the battery housing at a given point in time. The lighting unit is electrically connected to the first electrical contact set for being powered by the first battery in a first operational mode and the application unit is electrically connected to the second electrical contact set for being powered by the second battery in a second operational mode.

A battery module includes a first load terminal, a second load terminal, a first charger terminal, a charger enable terminal, and a battery having a first battery terminal coupled to the first load terminal and a second terminal coupled to the second load terminal. A first isolation device is coupled between the first load terminal and the first charger terminal and has an enable terminal coupled to the charger enable terminal. A first protection circuit includes a second isolation device coupled between the second battery terminal and the second load terminal and a first sensing circuit configured to enable the second isolation device responsive to detecting a failure of the first isolation device.

An electrical system for a vehicle includes a main battery system configured to provide power for starting/cranking an engine of the vehicle, an auxiliary battery system configured to provide power for powering a set of accessory loads of the vehicle during starting/cranking of the engine, and a solid-state device disposed therebetween and including a solid-state switch configured to close/open to connect/disconnect the main and auxiliary battery systems to/from each other and intelligence circuity configured to monitor voltages in the main and auxiliary battery systems or current flowing therethrough and, based on the monitoring, commanding the solid-state switch to open to isolate the other of the main and auxiliary battery systems, wherein the isolated one of the main and auxiliary battery systems is configured to provide a degraded but operational operation of an L2+ autonomous driving feature of the vehicle.

A rechargeable energy storage system includes a battery pack and a battery controller. The battery pack has a voltage current temperature module and multiple battery modules. Respective battery modules have multiple battery cells and are operable to store a module identifier that encodes at least one parameter of the battery cells, receive a configuration request from the voltage current temperature module, and transfer the module identifier to the voltage current temperature module in response to the configuration request. The battery controller is in communication with the voltage current temperature module and is operable to send a status request to the voltage current temperature module, receive the plurality of module identifiers from the voltage current temperature module in response to the status request, and compare the module identifiers to determine either a match or at least one mismatch among the module identifiers of the battery modules.

This decision method: determines whether measurement data pertaining to a plurality of power storage elements included in a system is periodically stored in a storage device; when the measurement data is determined as stored, determines, on the basis of the acquired measurement data, whether each of the plurality of power storage elements reaches the end of life within a period corresponding to a standard use period at a prescribed temperature; and decides that a power storage element determined as reaching the end of life is required to be replaced.

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.