The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 10, 2012
Filed:
Jun. 13, 2007
Jeon Keun OH, Daejeon, KR;
Joong Hui Lee, Daejeon, KR;
Soo Yeup Jang, Daejeon, KR;
Gun Woo Moon, Daejeon, KR;
Chong Eun Kim, Daejeon, KR;
Hong Sun Park, Daejeon, KR;
Jeon Keun Oh, Daejeon, KR;
Joong Hui Lee, Daejeon, KR;
Soo Yeup Jang, Daejeon, KR;
Gun Woo Moon, Daejeon, KR;
Chong Eun Kim, Daejeon, KR;
Hong Sun Park, Daejeon, KR;
SK Energy Co. Ltd., Seoul, KR;
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejon, KR;
Abstract
The present invention relates, in general, to a battery voltage equalization apparatus and method, and, more particularly, to a charge equalization apparatus and method, which decrease the withstand voltages of semiconductor switching elements while maintaining charge equalization performance, thus making it easy to implement the secondary windings of transformers while reducing the costs of the charge equalization apparatus. The charge equalization apparatus includes N first transformers (Tto Tn) connected in series with N series-connected batteries (Bto Bn) and adapted to decrease voltages of overcharged batteries among the N batteries. A charge storage device (Cdump) stores energy supplied from the first transformers. A second transformer (TS) redistributes energy stored in the charge storage device to the N series-connected batteries. A voltage detection and drive signal generation unit () detects voltages of N respective series-connected batteries, and generates a first drive signal and a second drive signal.