# US 12,015,289 B2 · Systems and methods for configurable battery charging

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- Number: US 12,015,289 B2
- Document ID: US12015289B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/972,121
- Filed: 2022-10-24
- Published: 2023-02-09
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-14
- Assignees: Hadal, Inc.
- Applicants: Hadal, Inc.
- Inventors: Richard J. Rikoski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015289B2

## CPC

- H02J 7/575: {Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit}
- B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries}
- B60L 53/305: {Communication interfaces}
- B60L 53/68: Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
- B60L 58/19: Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
- B63G 8/08: Propulsion ({schnorkels B63G8/36;} nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12)
- G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00)
- G05D 1/81: Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control
- H02J 7/342: {The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging (with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/68)}
- H02J 7/44: between battery management systems and power sources
- H02J 7/485: {with provisions for charging different types of batteries}
- H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially
- H02J 7/60: including safety or protection arrangements
- H02J 7/64: against overvoltage
- H02J 7/65: against overtemperature
- H02J 7/663: {using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence)}
- H02J 7/70: characterised by the mechanical construction
- B60L 2200/10: Air crafts
- B60L 2200/32: Waterborne vessels
- B60L 2240/547: Voltage
- B63G 2008/008: {Docking stations for unmanned underwater vessels, or the like}
- H02J 7/42: with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones
- H02J 7/62: against overcurrent
- H02J 7/63: against overdischarge
- H02J 2105/31: {for ships or vessels}
- H02J 2207/40: adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method for charging a battery set of an autonomous vehicle including: determining charging requirements of the battery set of the autonomous vehicle via a communication from the autonomous vehicle to a charging station, in response to the communication from the autonomous vehicle, connecting a plurality of batteries of the charging station in a first combination to match the charging requirements of the battery set of the autonomous vehicle; and charging the battery set of the autonomous vehicle using the plurality of batteries of the charging station in the first combination.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for charging a battery set of an autonomous vehicle comprising:
determining charging requirements of the battery set of the autonomous vehicle, wherein determining the charging requirements of the battery set further comprises:
determining a temperature of at least one of a volume of water surrounding the battery set, a battery of the battery set, and a battery cell; and
determining the charging requirements of the battery set based on the temperature;
connecting a plurality of batteries of the charging station in a first combination to match the charging requirements of the battery set of the autonomous vehicle; and
charging the battery set of the autonomous vehicle using the plurality of batteries of the charging station in the first combination.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
charging a first plurality of batteries of the battery set in parallel, wherein the first plurality of batteries of the battery set can be combined in series to charge a second plurality of batteries of the battery set.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining second charging requirements associated with a second battery set, connecting the plurality of batteries in a second combination to match the second charging requirements; and
charging the second autonomous vehicle using the plurality of batteries in the second combination.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the charging requirements of the autonomous vehicle further comprises:
determining the charging requirements of the autonomous vehicle based on information from the battery set.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving, at the charging station, the information from the battery set.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising establishing a connection between the battery set and the charging station.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the information comprises a charging voltage.

### Claim 8

A system for charging a battery set of an autonomous underwater vehicle comprising:
a docking station including a charging station with a first plurality of batteries, each battery of the first plurality of batteries including a first plurality of battery cells, wherein one or more electrical connections between batteries of the first plurality of batteries are configurable;
a controller arranged to configure the one or more electrical connections between the batteries of the first plurality of batteries to generate a first charging voltage; and
an interface arranged to enable charging of the battery set of the autonomous underwater vehicle having a second one or more batteries, each battery of the second one or more batteries including a second plurality of battery cells;
wherein the first charging voltage meets a charging requirement of charging requirements of the battery set of the autonomous underwater vehicle; and
the controller being further arranged to determine the charging requirements of the battery set of the autonomous vehicle, wherein determining the charging requirements of the battery set further comprises:
determining a temperature of at least one of a volume of water surrounding the battery set, a battery of the battery set, and a battery cell; and
determining the charging requirements of the battery set based on the temperature.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the system is included in an underwater station.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the docking station includes a temperature detection module configured to determine the temperature of the volume of water surrounding the battery set.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the autonomous underwater vehicle includes a temperature detection module configured to determine the temperature of the at least one of a volume of water surrounding the battery set, a battery of the battery set, and a battery cell.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the interface is further configured to enable communications between the docking station and the autonomous underwater vehicle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the controller includes management circuitry having a pressure tolerant circuit board.