US 7,579,842 B2
	Battery management apparatus
Phillip Mark Hunter, Christchurch (New Zealand); Timothy Clarence Johnson, Auckland (New Zealand); Darren Tze Chang Lim, Sarawak (Malaysia); and Adnan Anbuky, Christchurch (New Zealand)
Assigned to Eaton Power Quality Company, Christchurch (New Zealand)
Appl. No. 10/528,897 PCT Filed Sep. 24, 2003, PCT No. PCT/NZ03/00218 § 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Apr. 19, 2006, PCT Pub. No. WO2004/030177, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 08, 2004.
Claims priority of application No. 521651 (NZ), filed on Sep. 26, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2006/0193095 A1, Aug. 31, 2006
Int. Cl. G01N 27/416 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 324—426  [320/103; 320/116; 320/124; 320/134; 320/136]

27 Claims

1. A battery management system for managing a string of cells including a sensing module; a DC/DC converter; a control module coupled to the sensing module and the DC/DC converter; and a common line coupled to both the sensing module and the DC/DC converter and adapted for connection to a battery when in use, wherein the sensing module is configured to receive battery information from the common line and output a sensing signal to the control module in accordance with the battery information, wherein the control module is configured to receive the sensing signal from the sensing module and output a control signal in accordance with the battery information, and wherein the DC/DC converter has a first port configured to be coupled across a plurality of cells of the string and a second port coupled to the common line, the DC/DC converter operative to transfer energy between the first and second ports to feed and/or drain a battery connected to the common line when in use in accordance with the control signal.