Multiple battery management system with charge balancing mechanism

Abstract

The instant invention is directed to a multiple battery system and network controlled multiple battery system. A main battery having a main positive output and a main negative output is also provided, together with an at least one auxiliary battery having an at least one auxiliary positive output and an at least one auxiliary negative output. A main electrical circuit having an at least one switching device is provided with at least two operating positions. The two operating positions selectively couple the main and at least one auxiliary battery to the common positive terminal. In the first of the at least two operating positions electrical charge is provided to both the main battery and the at least one auxiliary battery. A controller is also provided and coupled to the main electrical circuit and switches the at least one switching device based on input from an at least one sensor.

1 . A multiple battery management system comprising:
 a common positive and common negative terminal;   an at least one main battery having a main positive output and a main negative output;   an at least one auxiliary battery having an auxiliary positive output and an auxiliary negative output; and   a battery management system comprising an at least one controller, an at least one switching device, an at least one recharging selection mechanism, and an at least one sensor, wherein the battery management system selectively couples the common positive terminal with at least one of the at least one main positive battery output or the at least one auxiliary battery positive output and the at least one recharging selection mechanism selectively couples to at least one of the at least one main or at least one auxiliary battery by coupling, through the at least one one-way charging circuit that proceeds the recharging selection mechanism, the common positive terminal with the respective at least on battery.   
     
     
         2 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one recharging selection mechanism is one of an at least one relay or an at least one MOSFET or similar solid state electrical component. 
     
     
         3 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one switching device has at least two operating positions and a first operating position of the at least two operating positions couples the common positive terminal to the main positive output of the at least one main battery. 
     
     
         4 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 3 , wherein second of the two operating positions couples the common positive terminal through the at least one switching device to the auxiliary positive output of the at least one auxiliary battery. 
     
     
         5 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one recharging selection mechanism has at least two settings, a first setting wherein recharging is provided through the one-way charging circuit to the auxiliary battery and a second setting wherein charge is provided through the one-way charging circuit to the main positive output of the main battery. 
     
     
         6 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 5 , wherein the battery management system senses the condition of the at least one of the at least one main and at least one auxiliary batteries and selectively engages the at least one switching device in said first position and said at least one recharge selection mechanism in said first position, coupling the main output of the at least one main battery to the common positive output and recharging the at least one auxiliary battery through the at least one one-way charging circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 5 , wherein the battery management system senses the condition of the at least one of the at least one main and at least one auxiliary batteries and selectively engages the at least one switching device in said first position and said at least one recharge selection mechanism in said second position, coupling the main output of the at least one main battery to the common positive output and recharging the at least one main battery through the at least one one-way charging circuit, whereby the at least one auxiliary battery is electrically isolated. 
     
     
         8 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 5 , wherein the battery management system senses the condition of the at least one of the at least one main and at least one auxiliary batteries and selectively engages the at least one switching device in said second position and said at least one recharge selection mechanism in a first position, coupling the auxiliary positive output of the at least one auxiliary battery to the common positive output and recharging the at least one auxiliary battery through the at least one one-way charging circuit, whereby the at least one main battery is electrically isolated. 
     
     
         9 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 5 , wherein the battery management system senses the condition of the at least one main and at least one auxiliary batteries and selectively engages the at least one switching device in said second position and said at least one recharge selection mechanism in a second position, coupling the auxiliary positive output of the at least one auxiliary battery to the common positive output and recharging the at least one main battery through the at least one one-way charging circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one one-way charging circuit comprises an at least one one-way charging diode. 
     
     
         11 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one one-way charging diode further comprises an at least one silicon rectifier. 
     
     
         12 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one one-way charging diode further comprises an at least one silicon controlled rectifier (SCR). 
     
     
         13 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 5 , wherein the controller couples to and communicates with a position sensor to detect the position of the switching device and selectively engages the switching device based on the input of at least one of an at least one main battery voltage sensor, an at least one main battery amperage sensor, an at least one auxiliary battery voltage sensor, and an at least one auxiliary battery amperage sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The multiple battery management system of  claim 3 , wherein the battery management system further comprises an at least one of: an at least one microprocessor, an at least one signal processor, an at least one set of lookup tables, an at least one memory device, an at least one security protocol/encryption element and an at least one indicator element. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle multiple battery system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one indicator element is at least one of a klaxon, a horn, a light, a plurality of lights, an LCD panel, a simulated human voice, a human voice, a light emitting diode, a plurality of light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle multiple battery system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one indicator element is a plurality of indicator elements having at least one of a red, orange, green, or amber color. 
     
     
         17 . A method of battery management detecting the condition of an at least one main battery and an at least one auxiliary battery; selectively switching a multiple battery system having a main and an auxiliary battery between an at least two positions to selectively engage at least one of the main or auxiliary batteries based on charge balancing parameters set within a controller; while simultaneously selectively recharging a battery system through selectively engaging a first of an at least two positions in a recharging mechanism; and maintaining a charge level in each battery through the selective switching and selective recharge of the batteries in the system.