Charger, charging system with the charger, and aerial vehicle with the charger

Abstract

A charger includes a power output interface configured to output a charging signal; a signal interface configured to acquire charging information of a battery, the charging information including whether the battery is a smart battery or a non-smart battery; a balance charging interface configured to perform balance charging control over sets of battery cores of the battery; and a control circuit electrically connected to the power output interface, the signal interface, and the balance charging interface, the control circuit being configured to: in response to the battery being a smart battery, select the signal interface to perform charging control over the battery; and in response to the battery being a non-smart battery, select the balance charging interface to perform charging control over the battery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A charger, comprising:
 a power output interface configured to output a charging signal;   a signal interface configured to acquire charging information of a battery, the charging information including whether the battery is a smart battery or a non-smart battery;   a balance charging interface configured to perform balance charging control over sets of battery cores of the battery; and   a control circuit electrically connected to the power output interface, the signal interface, and the balance charging interface, the control circuit being configured to:
 in response to the battery being a smart battery, select the signal interface to perform charging control over the battery; and 
 in response to the battery being a non-smart battery, select the balance charging interface to perform charging control over the battery. 
   
     
     
         2 . The charger of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the charging information further comprises at least one of design information of the battery or status information of the battery, and   the charging signal comprises at least one of a charging voltage or a charging current.   
     
     
         3 . The charger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power supply conversion unit electrically connected to the power output interface and the control circuit, the power supply conversion unit being configured to process an input alternating current or an input direct current under a control of the control circuit, to convert the input alternating current or the input direct current to a charging signal for the battery.   
     
     
         4 . The charger of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a power input interface electrically connecting an external power supply and the power supply conversion unit, the power input interface being configured to receive the input alternating current or the input direct current from the external power supply and output the input alternating current or the input direct current to the power supply conversion unit.   
     
     
         5 . The charger of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the power supply conversion unit comprises an alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) conversion unit and a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected to the AC-DC conversion unit and the control circuit,   the AC-DC conversion unit is configured to convert the input alternating current to an output direct current and outputs the output direct current to the DC-DC conversion unit, and   the DC-DC conversion unit is configured to process the output direct current under a control of the control circuit to convert the output direct current to the charging signal.   
     
     
         6 . The charger of  claim 3 , wherein the power supply conversion unit comprises a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected to the control circuit, and configured to process the input direct current under a control of the control circuit and convert the input direct current to the charging signal. 
     
     
         7 . The charger of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a voltage and current collection unit electrically connecting the power supply conversion unit and the control circuit, the voltage and current collection unit being configured to collect voltage information and current information of the charging signal, and send the voltage information and the current information to the control circuit.   
     
     
         8 . The charger of  claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 identify the battery in accordance with the charging information of the battery; and   when the charger does not match a model of the battery, control the power supply conversion unit to stop outputting the charging signal.   
     
     
         9 . The charger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a battery core voltage collection unit electrically connecting the control circuit and the balance charging interface, the battery core voltage collection unit being configured to communicate with a non-smart battery through the balance charging interface to acquire charging voltage information of the non-smart battery,   wherein the control circuit is further configured to, in accordance with the charging voltage information of the non-smart battery, perform balance charging control over the non-smart battery through the balance charging interface.   
     
     
         10 . The charger of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a battery core balancing unit electrically connecting the control circuit and the balance charging interface,   wherein the control circuit is further configured to, after the battery core voltage collection unit collects voltage information of respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery, start the battery core balancing unit in accordance with the voltage information, to balance charging voltages of the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery, causing the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery to all have a fullest capacity.   
     
     
         11 . An aerial vehicle, comprising:
 a motor; and   a charging system including:
 a battery; and 
 the charger of  claim 1 , 
   wherein the charger is configured to charge the battery and the battery is configured to provide power to the motor.   
     
     
         12 . A charger, comprising:
 a power input interface configured to access an external power supply;   a power supply conversion unit electrically connected to the power input interface;   a signal interface electrically connected to a battery and configured to acquire charging information of the battery, the charging information including whether the battery is a smart battery or a non-smart battery;   a balance charging interface electrically connected to the battery and configured to perform balance charging control over respective sets of battery cores of the battery;   a control circuit electrically connected to the signal interface and the balance charging interface, the control circuit being configured to:
 control the power supply conversion unit to convert an electrical signal from the external power supply to a charging signal for the battery, and 
 in response to the battery being a smart battery, select the signal interface to perform charging control over the battery, and 
 in response to the battery being a non-smart battery, select the balance charging interface to perform charging control over the battery; and 
   a power output interface electrically connected to the power supply conversion unit, the control circuit, and the battery, and configured to receive and output the charging signal.   
     
     
         13 . The charger of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the charging information comprises at least one of design information of the battery or status information of the battery, and   the charging signal comprises at least one of a charging voltage or a charging current.   
     
     
         14 . The charger of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the external power supply includes an alternating current power supply, and   the power supply conversion unit comprises:
 an alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected with the power input interface, the AC-DC conversion unit being configured to receive an alternating current from the external power supply through the power input interface, convert the alternating current to a direct current, and output the direct current; and 
 a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected to the AC-DC conversion unit and the control circuit, the DC-DC conversion unit being configured to process the direct current output by the AC-DC conversion unit under a control of the control circuit to convert the direct current to the charging signal. 
   
     
     
         15 . The charger of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the external power supply includes a direct current power supply, and   the power supply conversion unit comprises a direct current-direct current (DC-DC) conversion unit electrically connected to the external power supply through the power input interface and connected to the control circuit, the DC-DC conversion unit being configured to, under a control of the control circuit, process a direct current voltage received from the external power supply through the power input interface, convert the direct current voltage to the charging signal.   
     
     
         16 . The charger of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a voltage and current collection unit electrically connecting the power supply conversion unit and the control circuit, the voltage and current collection unit being configured to collect voltage information and current information of the charging signal, and send the voltage information and the current information to the control circuit.   
     
     
         17 . The charger of  claim 12 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 identify the battery in accordance with the charging information of the battery, and   when the charger does not match a model of the battery, control the power supply conversion unit to stop outputting the charging signal.   
     
     
         18 . The charger of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a battery core voltage collection unit electrically connecting the control circuit and the balance charging interface, the battery core voltage collection unit being configured to communicate with a non-smart battery through the balance charging interface to acquire charging voltage information of the non-smart battery,   wherein the control circuit is further configured to, in accordance with the charging voltage information of the non-smart battery, perform balance charging control over the non-smart battery through the balance charging interface.   
     
     
         19 . The charger of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a battery core balancing unit electrically connecting the control circuit and the balance charging interface,   wherein the control circuit is further configured to, after the battery core voltage collection unit collects voltage information of the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery, start the battery core balancing unit in accordance with the voltage information, to balance charging voltages of the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery, causing the respective sets of battery cores in the non-smart battery to all have a fullest capacity.   
     
     
         20 . An aerial vehicle, comprising:
 a motor; and   a charging system including:
 a battery; and 
 the charger of  claim 12 , 
   wherein the charger is configured to charge the battery and the battery is configured to provide power to the motor.