Power supply apparatus with chargeable battery and charge/discharge method

A method for charging the plurality of batteries in a power supply apparatus with a plurality of chargeable batteries, comprising the steps of:

• (a) charging one battery out of the plurality of batteries;
• (b) judging whether or not the charging of the battery during charging is completed;
• (c) when the charging of the battery is judged to be completed in step (b), charging one battery out of the plurality of remaining batteries other than a battery in which the charging is completed;
• and
• (d) repeating steps (b) and (c).

A method for charging the plurality of batteries in a power supply apparatus with a plurality of chargeable batteries, comprising the steps of:

• (a) charging a battery with the lowest voltage among the plurality of batteries;
• (b) judging whether or not the charging of the battery during charging is completed;
• (c) when the charging of the battery is judged to be completed in step (b), charging a battery with the lowest voltage among the plurality of remaining batteries other than the battery in which the charging is completed;
• and
• (d) repeating steps (b) and (c).

A method for charging the plurality of batteries in a power supply apparatus with a plurality of chargeable batteries, comprising the steps of:

• (a) charging only the batteries out of the plurality of batteries in which the current flows in a charge direction when starting to charge;
• (b) detecting batteries of which the voltages become equal to the voltages of the batteries during charging from the plurality of batteries, except for those during charging;
• (c) charging the batteries detected in step (b);
• and
• (d) repeating steps (b) and (c).

A method for charging the plurality of batteries in a power supply apparatus with a plurality of chargeable batteries, comprising the steps of:

• (a) charging only the batteries out of the plurality of batteries in which the current flows in a charging direction when starting to charge;
• (b) when the predetermined charging times of the batteries during charging elapse, detecting the direction of the current flowing in each of the plurality of batteries;
• (c) charging only the batteries in which the current detected in step (b) flows in a charging direction;
• and
• (d) repeating steps (b) and (c).

A method for charging a plurality of batteries in a power supply apparatus comprising a plurality of chargeable batteries and a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter, provided between the node of an external power source and a load, and the parallel node of the plurality of batteries and controlled by a pulse width modulation (PWM) when charging the plurality of batteries, for composing a direct discharging route from the plurality of batteries to the load when the plurality of batteries discharge current to the load, comprising the steps of:

• (a) when charging said plurality of batteries, the DC-DC converter judges whether the converter is constant-voltage-controlled so that the output voltage may become constant, or constant-current-controlled so that the output current may become constant;
• (b) if it is judged in step (a) that the DC-DC converter is constant-voltage-controlled, executing the following steps:
• (c) charging only the batteries out of the plurality of batteries in which the current flows in a charge direction when starting to charge;
• (d) detecting batteries of which the voltages become equal to the voltages of the batteries during charging from the plurality of batteries, except for those during charging;
• (e) charging the batteries detected in step (d);
• and
• (f) repeating steps (d) and (e), and
• (g) if it is judged in step (a) that the DC-DC converter is constant-current-controlled, executing the following steps:
• (h) charging a battery with the lowest voltage among the plurality of batteries;
• (i) detecting batteries of which the voltages become equal to the voltages of the batteries during charging from the plurality of batteries, except for those during charging;
• (j) charging the batteries detected in step (i);
• and
• (k) repeating steps (i) and (j).

A method for discharging the plurality of batteries in a power supply apparatus with a plurality of chargeable batteries, comprising the steps of:

• (a) when the status of the power supply apparatus charges from a charging state of the batteries to a discharging state, making charged batteries discharge;
• (b) judging whether or not the discharging of the batteries during discharging is completed;
• (c) when in step (b) it is judged that the discharging of the batteries is completed, making one battery out of the plurality of remaining batteries other than a battery in which the discharging is completed, discharge;
• and
• (d) repeating steps (b) and (c).

A method for discharging the plurality of batteries in a power supply apparatus with a plurality of chargeable batteries, comprising the steps of:

• (a) making one battery out of the plurality of batteries discharge;
• (b) judging whether or not the discharging of the battery during discharging is completed;
• (c) when in step (b) it is judged that the discharging of the battery is completed, making one battery out of the plurality of remaining batteries other than a battery in which the discharging is completed, discharge;
• and
• (d) repeating steps (b) and (c).

A method for discharging the plurality of batteries in a power supply apparatus with a plurality of chargeable batteries, comprising the steps of:

• (a) discharging only the batteries out of the plurality of batteries in which the currents flow in a discharging direction when discharging is started;
• (b) when the discharging time during discharging exceeds a predetermined time, detecting the current directions of each of the plurality of batteries;
• (c) making only the batteries in which the current directions detected in step (b) are discharging directions discharge;
• and
• (d) repeating steps (b) and (c).

A method for discharging the plurality of batteries in a power supply apparatus with a plurality of chargeable batteries, comprising the steps of:

• (a) discharging only the batteries out of the plurality of batteries in which the currents flow in a discharging direction when discharging is started;
• (b) detecting batteries of which the voltages become equal to the voltage of the batteries during discharging from the plurality of batteries, except for those during discharging;
• (c) discharging the batteries detected in step (b);
• and
• (d) repeating steps (b) and (c).