Configurable battery pack for series and parallel charging using switching

A configurable battery system, comprising:

• a first battery module having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
• a second battery module having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
• and
• at least one switch, wherein the at least one switch comprises at least two poles and wherein:
• in a high voltage configuration of the at least one switch, the first battery module and the second battery module are connected in series, and
• in a low voltage configuration of the at least one switch, the first battery module and the second battery module are connected in parallel, wherein:
• the at least one switch comprises two single pole single throw (SPST) switches;
• in the high voltage configuration:
• a first of the two SPST switches is in an off position, and
• a second of the two SPST switches is in an on position, thereby connecting the positive terminal of the first battery module to the negative terminal of the second battery module;
• and
• in the low voltage configuration:
• the first of the two SPST switches is in an on position, thereby connecting the negative terminal of the first battery module to the negative terminal of the second battery module, and
• the second of the two SPST switches is in an off position.

A method for managing battery charging of a first battery module and a second battery module that are coupled in series, comprising:

• using at least one switch in a first switch configuration to couple an electric load in parallel to the first battery module during charging;
• determining, using a battery management module, a first battery characteristic of the first battery module during charging, wherein the first battery characteristic comprises a first voltage across a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the first battery module;
• determining, using a battery management module, a second battery characteristic of the second battery module during charging, wherein the second battery characteristic comprises a second voltage across a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the second battery module;
• determining, using a battery management module, to apply a second switch configuration to the at least one switch based on the first battery characteristic and the second battery characteristic, wherein the second switch configuration couples the electric load in parallel to the second battery module during charging and wherein determining to apply the second switch configuration to the at least one switch based on the first battery characteristic and the second battery characteristic comprises determining a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage;
• and
• applying, using control circuitry, the second switch configuration to the at least one switch.

A method for managing battery charging of a first battery module and a second battery module that are coupled in series, comprising:

• using at least one switch in a first switch configuration to couple an electric load in parallel to the first battery module during charging;
• determining, using a battery management module, a first battery characteristic of the first battery module during charging, wherein the first battery characteristic comprises a first cumulative time of the first battery module being coupled to the electric load;
• determining, using a battery management module, a second battery characteristic of the second battery module during charging, wherein the second battery characteristic comprises a second cumulative time of the second battery module being coupled to the electric load;
• determining, using a battery management module, to apply a second switch configuration to the at least one switch based on the first battery characteristic and the second battery characteristic, wherein the second switch configuration couples the electric load in parallel to the second battery module during charging;
• and
• applying, using control circuitry, the second switch configuration to the at least one switch.

A method for managing battery charging of a first battery module and a second battery module that are coupled in series, comprising:

• using at least one switch in a first switch configuration to couple an electric load in parallel to the first battery module during charging;
• determining, using a battery management module, a first battery characteristic of the first battery module during charging;
• determining, using a battery management module, a second battery characteristic of the second battery module during charging;
• determining, using a battery management module, to apply a second switch configuration to the at least one switch based on the first battery characteristic and the second battery characteristic, wherein the second switch configuration couples the electric load in parallel to the second battery module during charging;
• applying, using control circuitry, the second switch configuration to the at least one switch;
• and
• identifying whether a fault has occurred in the first battery module or the second battery module, wherein determining to apply the second switch configuration to the at least one switch based on the first battery characteristic and the second battery characteristic is further based at least in part on whether the fault has occurred.

A method for managing battery charging of a first battery module and a second battery module that are coupled in series, comprising:

• using at least one switch in a first switch configuration to couple an electric load in parallel to the first battery module during charging;
• determining, using a battery management module, a first battery characteristic of the first battery module during charging;
• determining, using a battery management module, a second battery characteristic of the second battery module during charging;
• determining, using a battery management module, to apply a second switch configuration to the at least one switch based on the first battery characteristic and the second battery characteristic, wherein the second switch configuration couples the electric load in parallel to the second battery module during charging;
• applying, using control circuitry, the second switch configuration to the at least one switch;
• and
• determining an elapsed time since a previous change in a switch configuration, wherein determining to apply the second switch configuration to the at least one switch based on the first battery characteristic and the second battery characteristic is further based at least in part on the elapsed time.