Patents by Inventor Shoichi Toya

Shoichi Toya has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20200373760
    Abstract: A recognition interface recognizes a reverse flow state in which power flows from a customer's site to a power system or a forward flow state in which power flows from the power system to the customer's site. When the recognition interface recognizes a reverse flow state, a controller causes at least one of a first power storage system through a third power storage system to be charged, based on a priority level related to charge defined for the first power storage system through the third power storage system. When the recognition interface recognizes a forward flow state, the controller causes at least one of the first power storage system through the third power storage system 40c to be discharged, based on a priority level related to discharge defined for the first power storage system 40a through the third power storage system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Takayuki Tabuchi, Sen'ichi ONODA, Ko ISHIBASHI, Shoichi TOYA
  • Patent number: 10763680
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a battery, a suspension unit that establishes or breaks an electrical connection between the battery and an external device, and a control unit that controls the suspension unit to break the electrical connection between the battery and the external device when a usage state of the battery pack does not satisfy a usage condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi Toya, Yutaka Iwahori
  • Patent number: 10749362
    Abstract: A server apparatus obtains, via an information terminal wirelessly connected to an electrical-power storage device, a value indicating a state of the electrical-power storage device at an end of use of electric equipment having the electrical-power storage device. The server apparatus further obtains, via the information terminal wirelessly connected with the electrical-power storage device, a value indicating the state of the electrical-power storage device at a start of the use of the electric equipment. The server apparatus then detects an abnormality in the electrical-power storage device by using the value indicating the state of the electrical-power storage device at the end of the use and the value indicating the state of the electrical-power storage device at the start of the use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shoichi Toya
  • Publication number: 20200251700
    Abstract: A storage battery unit includes: a battery module having a plurality of cells, and a module circuit connected to (i) an electric power line and (ii) a communication line; a unit circuit connected to (i) the module circuit by the electric power line and the communication line, and (ii) an electric power conversion device disposed externally; and a casing that accommodates the battery module and the unit circuit. The casing includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and a front plate respectively disposed on a top surface, bottom surface, and front surface of the storage battery unit. The top plate includes a first top plate portion that substantially covers an entirety of the top surface. The front plate includes a first lateral plate portion that substantially covers an entirety of the front surface, and a fixing component. The fixing component is disposed along the first top plate portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Shoichi TOYA, Takeshi NAKASHIMA, Yohei YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20200185790
    Abstract: A battery charging system includes: terminals charging or discharging a secondary battery; a circuit including a power consumer consuming power of the battery; a switch controlling current flow from the battery; a controller; and a memory. The memory includes various instructions instructing the controller to: activate the circuit and cause the power consumer to consume a remaining power of the battery until the battery voltage reaches a first threshold higher than a discharge cutoff voltage; stop, when the battery voltage reaches the first threshold, a first discharge operation; supplying power to an external device; stopping, when the voltage of the battery reaches the discharge cutoff voltage, the power supply operation by controlling the switch; and receiving power, for charging the battery, from an external power supply until the voltage of the battery reaches an upper limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi TOYA, Kazuya OHSHIMA
  • Patent number: 10651666
    Abstract: An electricity-storage system 110a is configured to be able to charge and discharge by connecting a plug to an electrical outlet 140a. Power discharged from the electricity-storage system 110a is monitored by a reverse-power monitoring device 100 and discharge from the electricity-storage system 110a is executed according to instruction from the reverse-power monitoring device 100, in order to avoid reverse power flow to an electrical grid 150.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichi Toya, Satoru Inakagata
  • Publication number: 20200136409
    Abstract: A method of displaying information on a display is provided. The method includes: receiving a request to display, on the display, information indicating whether each of a plurality of battery packs associated with the display, is mounted on a device of a plurality of devices associated with the display; in response to the request, displaying, on a monitor of the display, information indicating whether or not a battery pack of the plurality of battery packs associated with the display is mounted on each device of the plurality of devices associated with the display; receiving a selection of a battery pack from the plurality of battery packs displayed on the display; and in response to the selection of the battery pack, displaying information on the selected battery pack. Each of the plurality of battery packs is mountable on the plurality of devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi TOYA, Kazuki FUNASE
  • Publication number: 20200112182
    Abstract: A distribution board includes: a pack housing unit which houses a battery pack and includes a connecting unit; and a charge control unit. The battery pack includes a connecting terminal unit for charge and discharge of power and can supply power to the distribution board and another device different from the distribution board. The connecting unit is connectable to and disconnectable from the connecting terminal unit. The charge control unit converts AC power supplied from a power system into DC power, and supplies the DC power to the battery pack housed in the pack housing unit to charge the battery pack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Shoichi TOYA, Motoshi ITO
  • Patent number: 10601084
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a secondary battery, a circuit having a consumer consuming power of the battery, terminals charging or discharging the pack, a switch that, when the voltage of the battery reaches the discharge cutoff voltage, is opened to stop discharge of the battery through the terminals, and a controller performing a first discharge operation activating the circuit and causing the consumer to consume a remaining power of the battery until a voltage of the battery reaches a first threshold value, higher than the discharge cutoff voltage, and stopping, when the voltage of the battery reaches the first threshold value, the first discharge operation. The controller also performs a second discharge operation activating the circuit and causing the consumer to consume the remaining power of the battery until the voltage of the battery reaches a third threshold value, lower than the discharge cutoff voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi Toya, Kazuya Ohshima
  • Patent number: 10559966
    Abstract: A method of displaying information on a display is provided. The method includes: receiving a request to display, on the display, information indicating whether each of a plurality of battery packs associated with the display, is mounted on a device of a plurality of devices, and, in response to the request, displaying, on a monitor of the display, information indicating whether or not each of the plurality of battery packs associated with the display is mounted on a device. Each of the plurality of battery packs is mountable on the plurality of devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi Toya, Kazuki Funase
  • Publication number: 20200044208
    Abstract: A battery module includes: a battery stack including cells that are tabular and laminated on one another; and a first module reinforcement plate that is metallic and disposed in at least a position, included in positions that cover a plurality of outer surfaces excluding a pair of first outer surfaces at both outer sides along a lamination direction of the battery stack, that substantially covers an entirety of a second outer surface having a maximum area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Shoichi TOYA, Takeshi NAKASHIMA, Quanzeng GUO
  • Publication number: 20200036055
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a secondary battery, a circuit having a consumer consuming power of the battery, terminals charging or discharging the pack, a switch that, when the voltage of the battery reaches the discharge cutoff voltage, is opened to stop discharge of the battery through the terminals, and a controller performing a first discharge operation activating the circuit and causing the consumer to consume a remaining power of the battery until a voltage of the battery reaches a first threshold value, higher than the discharge cutoff voltage, and stopping, when the voltage of the battery reaches the first threshold value, the first discharge operation. The controller also performs a second discharge operation activating the circuit and causing the consumer to consume the remaining power of the battery until the voltage of the battery reaches a third threshold value, lower than the discharge cutoff voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi TOYA, Kazuya OHSHIMA
  • Patent number: 10536008
    Abstract: A distribution board includes: a pack housing unit which houses a battery pack and includes a connecting unit; and a charge control unit. The battery pack includes a connecting terminal unit for charge and discharge of power and can supply power to the distribution board and another device different from the distribution board. The connecting unit is connectable to and disconnectable from the connecting terminal unit. The charge control unit converts AC power supplied from a power system into DC power, and supplies the DC power to the battery pack housed in the pack housing unit to charge the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi Toya, Motoshi Ito
  • Publication number: 20190372865
    Abstract: A storage battery management method, performed by a communication terminal includes: acquiring, from the first storage battery, storage battery information of the first storage battery; storing, in a memory, the acquired storage battery information when the storage battery information is acquired from the first storage battery; receiving a first request from a management server, the first request requesting the communication terminal to transmit first storage battery information to the management server, the first storage battery information being the storage battery information of the first storage battery; and transmitting, when the communication terminal receives the first request from the management server, the first storage battery information to the management server, based on the storage battery information stored in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi TOYA, Yoshito NAKANISHI
  • Patent number: 10497953
    Abstract: A fuel cell activation apparatus including: a storage battery; a first current sensor detecting a current outputted by the storage battery; a first switch switching between supplying the current outputted by the storage battery and supplying a current provided from the system power supply; a second switch switching between transmitting a result of detecting by the first current sensor and transmitting a result of detecting by a second current sensor which detects the current provided from the system power supply; and a control unit switching between a normal mode for activating, based on the result of detection performed by the second current sensor, the fuel cell using the current provided from the system power supply and a self-sustained mode for activating, based on the result of detection performed by the first current sensor, the fuel cell using the current outputted by the storage battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi Toya, Yasuo Takebe
  • Patent number: 10476113
    Abstract: A storage battery pack includes: a secondary battery; and a circuit that includes a power consumer which consumes power of the secondary battery, and that causes the power consumer to consume a remaining power of the secondary battery until a voltage of the secondary battery reaches a voltage lower than a discharge cutoff voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi Toya, Kazuya Ohshima
  • Patent number: 10432480
    Abstract: A storage battery management method which is performed in a communication terminal, the storage battery management method including: performing communication with a storage battery which is an object to be managed and acquiring storage battery information on the use of the storage battery; storing the acquired storage battery information every time the storage battery information is acquired; and performing communication with a management server managing the storage battery and providing, only when accepting a request for provision of the storage battery information from the management server, storage battery information of the stored storage battery information, the storage battery information in accordance with the request for provision, to the management server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi Toya, Yoshito Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20190296567
    Abstract: A method of displaying information on a display is provided. The method includes: receiving a request to display, on the display, information indicating whether each of a plurality of battery packs associated with the display, is mounted on a device of a plurality of devices, and, in response to the request, displaying, on a monitor of the display, information indicating whether or not each of the plurality of battery packs associated with the display is mounted on a device. Each of the plurality of battery packs is mountable on the plurality of devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi TOYA, Kazuki FUNASE
  • Patent number: 10410486
    Abstract: An electrical-power storage device includes: a storage battery; a movement detector that detects movement of the electrical-power storage device including the storage battery; a reporter that reports that the electrical-power storage device has an abnormality to outside; and a controller that causes the reporter to report that the electrical-power storage device has an abnormality, when the movement detector detects movement of the electrical-power storage device, and the storage battery is not executing discharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shoichi Toya
  • Publication number: 20190267680
    Abstract: A battery pack having a housing and a secondary battery inside the housing, and including a communicator that receives an instruction related to the secondary battery from an external communication terminal device via short-distance wireless communication and a controller that executes an operation in accordance with the instruction by using a status of the secondary battery. The external communication terminal device, by transmitting to the battery pack the instruction, which is related to the status of the secondary battery, acquires a response that is in accordance with the status of the secondary battery from the battery pack, thereby facilitating checking of secondary battery state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventor: Shoichi TOYA