With Temperature Compensation Of Measured Condition Patents (Class 324/431)
  • Patent number: 11714137
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a first processor; a load that operates with power supplied by a rechargeable battery; and a first sensor that obtains information on an output voltage of the rechargeable battery. The first processor determines whether the rechargeable battery is in a low usage state with regard to power supply by the rechargeable battery. Based on the information obtained by the first sensor, the first processor determines a degree of decrease in the output voltage over a period of time during which the rechargeable battery is determined to be in the low usage state. Based on the determined degree of decrease, the first processor detects a deterioration of the rechargeable battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Suzuki, Tsuyoshi Minami
  • Patent number: 11374528
    Abstract: An electrical combination, a tool system, an electric motor, a battery pack, and operating and manufacturing methods. The tool may include a tool housing, a motor supported by the tool housing, the motor having a nominal outer diameter of up to about 80 millimeters (mm), the motor being operable to output at least about 2760 watts (W), and a tool terminal electrically connected to the motor; a battery pack including a pack housing defining a volume of the battery pack, the volume being up to about 5.2×106 cubic millimeters (mm3), battery cells supported by the pack housing, the battery cells being electrically connected and having a nominal voltage of up to about 80 volts (V), and a pack terminal electrically connectable to the tool terminal to transfer current between the battery pack and the tool; and a controller operable to control the transfer of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Samuel Sheeks, Jeffrey M. Brozek, Keith Boulanger, Andrew T. Beyerl, Timothy R. Obermann, Alex Huber, Samantha L. Billetdeaux, Lance D. Lamont, Matthew J. Mergener
  • Patent number: 11289723
    Abstract: A control method for a fuel cell system is provided to prevent freezing in an air exhaust system of the fuel cell system. The method prevents freezing in the exhaust system by specifying a vehicle condition in which possibility of freezing is high and operating the fuel cell system based on different vehicle-specific standards. The performs air supercharging control based on an ambient temperature and a temperature of cooling water, air supercharging control by applying weights based on inclinations of a vehicle, and a forced heating logic using a COD heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Kang Sik Jeon, Jae Hun Jang, Sung Ho Yang, Sung Mun Cho
  • Patent number: 11145917
    Abstract: A method for increasing temperature of a battery pack includes determining whether a temperature of a cell in the battery pack is above a lower threshold temperature. The method further includes charging, by a current directly from a charger, a balancing circuit including a resistor in proximity to the cell. The method also includes increasing the temperature of the cell in the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noah Singer, Steven John Ahladas, Xiangfei Yu, Robert K. Mullady
  • Patent number: 11094967
    Abstract: An integrated system for desulfating and communicating a condition of a battery includes a desulfator that can be connected to the battery to sense one or more of a voltage across a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the battery, a current of the battery, and a temperature of the battery; the desulfator further including a source of desulfation energy that can be connected to the battery for delivering pulsation energy at predetermined frequencies and durations; and a system control for actuating the source of desulfation energy, and connected to receive data indicative of a real-time condition of the battery from the sensed one or more of the voltage across the positive and the negative terminals of the battery, the current of the battery, and the temperature of the battery, and transmit the data indicative of the real-time condition of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: CANADUS POWER SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel C. Biggs, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11058422
    Abstract: A surgical instrument has a staple cartridge housing a plurality of staples and an anvil configured to capture tissue therebetween. The surgical instrument also has a firing assembly configured to deploy the plurality of staples into the captured tissue during a firing sequence, and a handle that includes an electric motor operably coupled to the firing assembly, wherein the electric motor is configured to motivate the firing assembly to deploy the plurality of staples into the captured tissue during the firing sequence, and a power pack. The power pack includes rechargeable battery cells configured to power the electric motor, at least one battery-cell health indicator, and an electronic control circuit configured to assess whether a subset of rechargeable battery cells is damaged during the firing sequence based on at least one measurement performed by the at least one battery-cell health indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Jason L. Harris, David C. Yates, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 10476499
    Abstract: A power-on reset (POR) circuit includes: a signal generator circuit for generating a first and a second signal according to an input voltage, and a comparator circuit. The comparator circuit, having a non-zero input offset, includes a first MOS transistor with a first conductive type and having a first conductive type gate and a first threshold voltage, and a second MOS transistor with a first conductive type and having a second conductive type gate and a second threshold voltage. The input offset relates to a difference between the first and the second threshold voltage. The first and the second signal control the first and the second MOS transistors respectively to generate a POR signal. When the input voltage exceeds a POR threshold which relates to a predetermined multiple or ratio of the input offset, the POR signal transits its state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chin-Yuan Wei, Chih-Hsien Wang
  • Patent number: 10382033
    Abstract: A power supply voltage detector circuit monitors a ramping supply voltage and selectively enables a voltage divider for operation to divide the ramping supply voltage in response to the ramping supply voltage exceeding a first threshold. Additionally, a variable resistance of the voltage divider is changed in response to the ramping supply voltage exceeding a second threshold. A voltage output from the voltage divider is used to generate a bandgap voltage used as a reference voltage in comparison operations for controlling enabling of the voltage divider and selection of the variable resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventor: Prashant Singh
  • Patent number: 10320039
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a specific voltage; a first terminal configured to output the specific voltage; a second terminal configured to receive a temperature sensitive voltage; an analog/digital conversion circuit configured to convert the specific voltage and the temperature sensitive voltage to digital values; a storage unit configured to store the specific voltage and the temperature sensitive voltage; and a third terminal configured to transmit the specific voltage and the temperature sensitive voltage to an external semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hidekazu Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10218198
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a battery and a battery manager. The battery includes a plurality of battery cells. The battery manager includes a mode receiver that receives signals from an electronic device through an input terminal. The signals are indicative of respective modes of operation of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Myungsang Lee, Kyongpil Jin
  • Patent number: 9840306
    Abstract: A saddle-riding electric vehicle includes a battery pack mounted to a vehicle body. The vehicle body can run in a state where the battery pack is removed from the vehicle body. The battery pack includes: a casing; removably mounted to the vehicle body; a battery accommodated in the casing; a running-phase power feeding connector provided on the casing and electrically connectable to a vehicle-body-side power feeding connector in a state where the casing is mounted to the vehicle body; an in-storage charging connector provided on the casing, disposed at a position different from that of the running-phase power feeding connector, and electrically connectable to an external power supply; and a battery monitoring unit accommodated in the casing and configured to monitor a state of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9841462
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus, an input apparatus and a method of determining a remaining utility of a battery of the same, the electronic apparatus including: a battery configured to supply power to the electronic apparatus; a first detector configured to receive a voltage value of the battery, to convert the voltage value into a signal, and to output the signal; a second detector configured to detect a decrease in the voltage value of the battery to a reference voltage or lower and to output a detection result; and a controller configured to receive the output values of the first and second detectors, to determine a remaining utility of the battery based on the output values of the first and second detectors, and to determine an abnormal state of the battery based on the output values of the first and second detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-jin Kim, Kun-ho Keum
  • Patent number: 9599519
    Abstract: The described embodiments include a power-management unit that receives and stores a representation of a temperature state of a battery pack from a battery-monitoring mechanism in a battery pack. For example, an interface circuit (such as a single-wire-interface or SWI circuit) may receive the information from the battery-monitoring mechanism via a signal line, and the information may be stored in a memory (such as a non-transitory computer-readable memory). This stored information is then used by a temperature-monitoring mechanism or circuit to determine the temperature state of the battery pack, which may be used to control or gate charging of a battery in the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Parin Patel, Scott P. Mullins
  • Patent number: 9600015
    Abstract: Early effects are intrinsically present in bipolar junction transistors (BJTs). Described are examples of complimentary to absolute temperature (CTAT) and proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) cells that reduce errors associated with the Early effects that would otherwise be present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Analog Devices Global
    Inventor: Stefan Marinca
  • Patent number: 9575131
    Abstract: A microcomputer in a device body operates so as to store every update of a maximum discharge current value (IMAX (A)) of a secondary battery (the whole plurality of cells), and operates so as to indicate the ratio value of the remaining capacity defined in a remaining capacity definition table with respect to a discharge voltage value (V (V)) of the secondary battery while reducing the ratio value in accordance with the maximum discharge current value (IMAX (A)) when obtaining the discharge voltage value (V (V)) from a protection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Masafumi Okumura
  • Patent number: 9568556
    Abstract: A state of charge indicator may include an indicator with a display threshold and an auxiliary cell having an auxiliary cell voltage. The auxiliary cell may be electrically coupled to the indicator such that when a difference between a main cell voltage of a main cell and the auxiliary cell voltage is less than the display threshold, the indicator is inactive and when the difference between the main cell voltage and the auxiliary cell voltage is greater than or about equal to the display threshold, the indicator is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: DURACELL U.S. OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jordan Todorov Bourilkov, Steven Jeffrey Specht, Sergio Coronado Hortal
  • Patent number: 9217776
    Abstract: A battery inspection apparatus includes: a battery inspection table having a plurality of inspection units each for inspecting a rechargeable battery; and a controller that is provided separately from the battery inspection table and configured to control the battery inspection table. Each of the inspection units includes: a contactor for inspection configured to contact a corresponding battery; and a measurement circuit that is connected to the contactor and configured to generate an analog measured signal by measuring at least one of a current, voltage, and temperature, based on an input from the contactor. The battery inspection table has a control board mounted, the control board being configured to convert the analog measured signal generated by each of the inspection units into a digital signal to output to a common communication cable, and the communication cable connects the control board and the controller together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hideaki Yuasa
  • Patent number: 9182449
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for estimating the capacity of a battery element in a vehicle, such as a hybrid electric vehicle. In one embodiment, the method determines if one or more threshold conditions have been met (e.g., conditions pertaining to battery temperature or battery state-of-charge (SOC)) and calculates the internal resistance of the battery element. When the threshold conditions have been met, the method uses the calculated internal resistance to estimate the capacity of the battery element. A corresponding battery system is also provided that includes a battery element, one or more battery sensors, and a control module configured to perform the method described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: James C. Gibbs
  • Patent number: 9007068
    Abstract: A method is provided for current-based detection of an electrical fault in an electrical network of a motor vehicle, the network having at least: one battery, one pulse-controlled inverter, one d.c. voltage converter, and an intermediate circuit associated with the pulse-controlled inverter. The method includes: detecting magnitudes of each a battery current, a d.c. voltage converter current, and an intermediate circuit current; comparing current magnitudes according to provided equations; and checking based on the comparison of whether a specifiable deviation has been exceeded. An alternative method for voltage-based detection of an electrical fault in an electrical network of a motor vehicle includes: detecting magnitudes of each a battery voltage, a d.c. voltage converter voltage, and an intermediate circuit voltage; comparing voltage magnitudes according to provided equations; and checking based on the comparison of whether a specifiable deviation has been exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Beqir Pushkolli, Ulrich Klein
  • Patent number: 9000750
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a temperature sensing loop used in connection with a current sensing component, such as a BATFET, in order to compensate for variations in the BATFET's resistance due to temperature variations. The temperature sensing loop detects a temperature of the BATFET and regulates the gate voltage of the BATFET based on the detected temperature in order to compensate for changes in the BATFET's resistance. The temperature sensing feedback loop maintains the BATFET at a constant resistance for current sensing through negative feedback control. The BATFET and temperature sensing loop can be provided as components of an on-chip fuel gauging application for a UE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Baiying Yu, Nihit Bajaj, Troy Stockstad, Eric I. Mikuteit
  • Patent number: 8981782
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a maximum available capacity of a battery includes providing a number of diverse end-of-discharge-voltage values. A counter is assigned to each of the end-of-discharge-voltage values. The battery is discharged. One of the end-of-discharge-voltage values at which the battery is discharged is determined. A counter reading of the counter assigned to the determined end-of-discharge-voltage value is incremented. The previous steps are repeated. The counter readings are read-off so as to obtain a number of read-off counter readings. Based on the read-off counter readings, a first factor representing a first measure of a decline in the maximum available battery capacity is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hartmut Henkel, Andreas Neuendorf, Michael Heinemann, Mike Wattenberg
  • Publication number: 20150044531
    Abstract: An electric storage device management apparatus includes a controller that is configured to perform a voltage drop determination process to determine a voltage drop value of a conductive member that connects electric storage devices, and perform a voltage between terminals determination process to determine a voltage value between terminals of one of the electric storage devices after the voltage drop determination process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Takeshi Itagaki, Masashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8952702
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a multiphase voltage conversion device with N-phases (N being an integer equal to or larger than two) that is connected to the fuel cell, a control signal generation portion that generates control signals to control each phase of the multiphase voltage conversion device by superimposing a control waveform for measuring impedance on a voltage indicating an output target voltage of the multiphase voltage conversion device and sequentially outputs the control signals corresponding to N phases with a predetermined phase difference to the multiphase voltage conversion device, and an impedance calculation portion that measures a current and a voltage of the fuel cell on cycles corresponding to N predetermined sampling frequencies having a phase difference equal to the predetermined phase difference and calculates an impedance of the fuel cell based on the measured current and the measured voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiko Hasegawa, Nobuyuki Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8922217
    Abstract: A robust battery state-of-charge observer determines a state-of-charge as function of an open circuit voltage by taking into account battery parameter uncertainties, which are due to battery age, variation, and operating conditions, (e.g. temperature and SOC level). Each of the time-varying battery parameter values are bounded. By utilizing the parameter variation bounds in the design process and constantly minimizing the estimation error covariance matrix, the robust observer achieves enhanced robustness to the variations of battery age, variation, and operating conditions such as temperature and SOC level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Xiaofeng Mao, Xidong Tang
  • Patent number: 8866444
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for identifying a presence of a short circuit in a battery pack. A fault-detection apparatus for a charging system that rapidly charges a collection of interconnected lithium ion battery cells, the safety system includes a data-acquisition system for receiving a set of data parameters from the collection while the charging system is actively charging the collection; a monitoring system evaluating the set of data parameters to identify a set of anomalous conditions; and a controller comparing the set of anomalous conditions against a set of predetermined profiles indicative of an internal short in one or more cells of the collection, the controller establishing an internal-short state for the collection when the comparing has a predetermined relationship to the set of predetermined profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah G. Stewart, Christopher Dangler, Clay Hajime Kishiyama, Weston Arthur Hermann, Scott Ira Kohn, Kurt Russell Kelty
  • Publication number: 20140210481
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a target temperature and/or adjusting a temperature associated with a battery, such as a vehicle battery. In some implementations of such methods, a temperature-scaled battery capacity of at least a portion of a battery may be determined at a measured temperature. The temperature-scaled battery capacity may be compared with a capacity threshold and, upon determining that the temperature-scaled battery capacity is below the capacity threshold, a target battery temperature for the at least a portion of the battery may be determined and/or set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: KEITH D. BUFORD
  • Patent number: 8779784
    Abstract: Provided is an insulation resistance measuring circuit including: a source resistor unit including a first source resistor connected between a positive terminal of a battery and a second source resistor and the second source resistor connected between a negative terminal of the battery and the first source resistor; a voltage sensing unit sensing a voltage of the first source resistor as a first voltage and sensing a voltage of the second source resistor as a second voltage; and an insulation resistance measuring unit measuring an insulation resistance of the battery through a value obtained by dividing a difference between the first and second voltages by a sum between the first and second voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: SK Innovation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong Hwan Yang, Ki Seok Choi, Jae Hwan Lim
  • Publication number: 20140111215
    Abstract: An analogue measurement data detection system according to the present invention includes: a reference voltage generation circuit configured to generate and output a reference voltage; an analogue/digital converter configured to compare an analogue signal with the reference voltage outputted from the reference voltage generation circuit, and based on a differential voltage between the analogue signal and the reference voltage, generate and output a digital signal corresponding to the analogue signal. The reference voltage generation circuit is configured to cause the reference voltage to have such a temperature characteristic as to compensate for temperature characteristics of at least the analogue/digital converter and the reference voltage generation circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fumihito INUKAI
  • Patent number: 8648603
    Abstract: A deterioration degree calculating apparatus for a secondary battery of the invention includes: obtaining a voltage value at a stop time of charge and discharge of a target secondary battery; obtaining a voltage value at a first start time of charge and discharge after that; obtaining an SOC of the target secondary battery at the stop time or at the start time; obtaining a length of an unused period from the stop time to the start time (an elapsed time); obtaining a self-discharge slope of the target secondary battery by dividing an absolute value of a difference between the voltage value at the start time and the voltage value at the stop time by the elapsed time; obtaining a temperature during an unused period by use of a self-discharge map in which the SOC and the self-discharge slope is recorded for each temperature; calculating a progress degree of deterioration of the target secondary battery during the unused period based on the obtained temperature and elapsed time; and accumulating the calculated det
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hironori Harada
  • Patent number: 8626679
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for estimating a state of charge (SOC) in a battery, the apparatus including a detector unit; a soft computing unit for calculating and outputting a battery SOC estimation value by processing a current, a voltage and a temperature detected by the detector unit using a computing algorithm, which is a fuzzy algorithm implemented as a neural network, the soft computing unit storing the battery SOC estimation value in a memory, where the fuzzy algorithm has a form expressed as F=?(P,X)W, where ? is one of a fuzzy radial function, a radial basis function, and an activation function in the neural network, P is a learning parameter, X is an input, and W is a weight to be updated during learning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Il Cho, Do Youn Kim, Do Yang Jung
  • Patent number: 8581533
    Abstract: A controller controls switching of IGBT devices of an inverter according to the desired output of the permanent magnet motor. The controller includes: a magnet temperature detection device that detects the magnet temperature of the permanent magnet motor based on the output of a temperature sensor; a setting device that sets a threshold value of the magnet temperature corresponding to the desired output of the permanent magnet motor, based on a predetermined relation between the output from the permanent magnet motor and a critical temperature, up to which demagnetization in the permanent magnet motor is not caused; and a carrier frequency control device that, when the magnet temperature detected by the magnet temperature detection device exceeds the threshold value, changes the carrier frequency, at which the IGBT devices are switched, such that a ripple current superimposed on a motor current that flows through the permanent magnet motor is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhito Hayashi, Masayoshi Suhama
  • Patent number: 8524058
    Abstract: An amperometric probe suitable for monitoring chlorine levels in water is described. The probe has low power consumption and maintenance requirements rendering it particularly suitable for long periods of operation in remote locations with portable power supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Brooks
  • Patent number: 8519717
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detecting ice blocking of a fuel cell stack. In particular, the method includes periodically calculating a minimum cell voltage of a fuel cell stack from cell voltages measured by a cell voltage monitoring system while reactant gases are supplied to the fuel cell stack and then calculating a change in the minimum cell voltage using a currently calculated minimum cell voltage and a previous minimum cell voltage. It is then determined whether the change in the minimum cell voltage is above a predetermined reference value. When the change in the minimum cell voltage is above the reference value, it is determined that the ice blocking has occurred or is occurring in an anode of the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jae Won Jung, Nam Woo Lee, Jae Jun Ko, Sang Uk Kwon, Sun Heum Baek, Sun Soon Park
  • Publication number: 20130214789
    Abstract: A circuit measures a cell voltage of a cell in a battery. The circuit includes a measurement circuit and a current generator. The measurement circuit includes a first terminal coupled to a positive terminal of a cell via a first resistive element and includes a second terminal coupled to a negative terminal of the cell via a second resistive element. The measurement circuit consumes a first current. The current generator generates a first compensation current according to the first current. The first current and the first compensation current flow from the positive terminal through the first resistive element to the first terminal. The measurement circuit calculates the cell voltage according to a first voltage difference between the first and second terminals when the first compensation current is disabled and according to a second voltage difference between the first and second terminals when the first compensation current is enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Xiaohu TANG, Guoxing LI
  • Publication number: 20130038333
    Abstract: A deterioration degree calculating apparatus for a secondary battery of the invention includes: obtaining a voltage value at a stop time of charge and discharge of a target secondary battery; obtaining a voltage value at a first start time of charge and discharge after that; obtaining an SOC of the target secondary battery at the stop time or at the start time; obtaining a length of an unused period from the stop time to the start time (an elapsed time); obtaining a self-discharge slope of the target secondary battery by dividing an absolute value of a difference between the voltage value at the start time and the voltage value at the stop time by the elapsed time; obtaining a temperature during an unused period by use of a self-discharge map in which the SOC and the self-discharge slope is recorded for each temperature; calculating a progress degree of deterioration of the target secondary battery during the unused period based on the obtained temperature and elapsed time; and accumulating the calculated det
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventor: Hironori Harada
  • Patent number: 8314623
    Abstract: A system includes a first module, a second module, and a third module. The first module determines a first temperature and a first power dissipation value of a thermistor based on a resistance of a first resistor connected in series with the thermistor. The second module, after disconnecting the first resistor and connecting a second resistor in series with the thermistor, determines a second temperature and a second power dissipation value of the thermistor based on a resistance of the second resistor. The third module determines a thermal dissipation factor based on the first and second temperatures and the first and second power dissipation values, and corrects temperature sensed by the thermistor based on the thermal dissipation factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Inventors: Brian Carl Nelson, Christian G. Masson, Marilyn L. Kindermann, Brian K. Kowalczyk
  • Patent number: 8305043
    Abstract: In a voltage detecting apparatus, a voltage controlled oscillator, when an input voltage is applied thereto, outputs a signal with a logical value that is periodically inverted. A detector counts a number of logical inversion of the output signal from the voltage controlled oscillator over an interval between edges of pulses of a pulse signal to thereby generate, based on the counted number of logical inversion, digital data as a detected result of the input voltage. A determiner determines whether a reduction of a time required to detect the input voltage is higher in priority than an increase of a resolution of detection of the input voltage. A variably setting unit variably sets a frequency of the pulse signal based on a result of the determination of whether the reduction of the time required to detect the input voltage is higher in priority than the increase of the resolution of detection of the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Yamamoto, Hiroshi Tamura
  • Patent number: 8274260
    Abstract: A battery pack is provided which includes: a state detection section which decides whether secondary batteries are in an electricity-charged state or in an electricity-discharging state; a power decision section which decides whether the secondary batteries are in a power-on state or in a power-off state; and a residual-capacity calculation section which, if the state detection section decides that they are in the electricity-charged state, calculates the residual capacity of the secondary batteries by accumulating a current value detected by a current sensor, and if the state detection section decides that they are in the electricity-discharging state, calculates the residual capacity of the secondary batteries by acquiring the voltage of the secondary batteries when the power decision section decides that they are in the power-off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Tadao Kimura
  • Patent number: 8237408
    Abstract: A battery charging apparatus and method adapted to reduce battery capacity as a function of increased temperature thereby permitting partial charges at temperatures in excess of manufacturer's recommendations. The method includes steps of reducing charging current and charging voltage as a function of battery temperature thereby averting chemical instability within the battery. The apparatus detects battery temperature and includes a controller that will control charger voltage and current as a function of temperature and determine a suitable charging capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Inventors: Steve Carkner, Paul Jan Melichar, Joon Kim
  • Patent number: 8201994
    Abstract: A system and method for performing thermal stress testing of photovoltaic solar cells is presented. The system and method allows rapid testing of photovoltaic solar cells under controllable thermal conditions. The system and method presents a means of rapidly applying thermal stresses to one or more photovoltaic solar cells in a consistent and repeatable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Peter H. Hebert, Randolph J. Brandt
  • Publication number: 20120119746
    Abstract: Systems and methods for intelligent, adaptive management of energy storage packs are disclosed. A method comprises receiving a first current measurement of a first energy storage cell electrically connected to a first converter circuit. The first converter circuit controls the charge and discharge of the first energy storage cell. A first voltage measurement of the first energy storage cell is received. A first temperature measurement of the first energy storage cell is received. The first current measurement, the first voltage measurement, and the first temperature measurement are translated into a state of charge of the first energy storage cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Element Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Macris
  • Patent number: 8179139
    Abstract: The rechargeable battery abnormality detection apparatus is provided with an internal short circuit detection section (20b) that monitors rechargeable battery (1) voltage change when no charging or discharging takes place, and detects internal short circuit abnormality when battery voltage drop during a predetermined time period exceeds a preset threshold voltage; a degradation appraisal section (20d) that judges the degree of rechargeable battery degradation; and a threshold control section (20c) that incrementally increases the threshold voltage according to the degree of degradation determined by the degradation appraisal section (20d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Kawasumi, Toru Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20120086457
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment includes a method of determining a state of charge of a battery system including determining a temperature dependent magnetic property value of a magnetic material proximate a battery cell; determining a temperature compensated value of said determined magnetic property value; and, using said temperature compensated value as an input to a state of charge (SOC) estimator to determine a state of charge (SOC) of said battery system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory P. Meisner, Mark W. Verbrugge
  • Patent number: 8111071
    Abstract: A sensing and control apparatus for a battery management system is provided. The sensing and control apparatus includes: a sensing unit and a main control unit. The sensing unit includes: a cell relay of a plurality of cell relays and a voltage detection unit. The cell relay is configured to be coupled to at least one of a plurality of cells. The voltage detection unit is coupled to a cell relay. The voltage detection unit is configured to: receive a reference voltage when each of the plurality of cell relays is turned off; and generate a second voltage by amplifying by a gain a first voltage that corresponds to the reference voltage. The main control unit is configured to calculate a valid gain corresponding to a ratio of the second voltage to the reference voltage when the temperature of the voltage detection unit is within a threshold temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gye-Jong Lim, Soo-Seok Choi, Young-Jo Lee, Yong-Jun Tae, Han-Seok Yun, Se-Wook Seo, Beom-Gyu Kim, Ho-Young Park
  • Patent number: 8108161
    Abstract: A battery state estimating unit estimates an internal state of a secondary battery according to a battery model equation in every arithmetic cycle, and calculates an SOC based on a result of the estimation. A parameter characteristic map stores a characteristic map based on a result of actual measurement performed in an initial state (in a new state) on a parameter diffusion coefficient and a DC resistance in the battery model equation. The parameter change rate estimating unit estimates a DC resistance change rate represented by a ratio of a present DC resistance with respect to a new-state parameter value by parameter identification based on the battery model equation, using battery data measured by sensors as well as the new-state parameter value of the DC resistance corresponding to the present battery state and read from the parameter characteristic map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuji Tomura, Takaji Umeno, Yasushi Amano, Yuji Nishi, Takeshi Takemoto, Nobuyasu Haga, Tetsuya Fuchimoto
  • Patent number: 8108160
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a state of charge of a battery are provided. A first component of the state of charge is calculated based on a first property of the battery. A second component of the state of charge is calculated based on a second property of the battery. The first component of the state of charge is weighted based on a rate of change of the first property relative to a change of the state of charge. The second component of the state of charge is weighted based on a rate of change of the second property relative to a change of the state of charge. The state of charge is determined based on the first and second weighted components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wei Liu, Michael J. Gielniak, Jian Lin, Brian Koch, Damon R. Frisch, Joseph M. Lograsso
  • Patent number: 8093902
    Abstract: A diffusion estimation unit follows a diffusion equation in an active material that is represented by a polar coordinate to estimate a distribution in concentration of lithium in the active material. An open circuit voltage estimation unit obtains an open circuit voltage in accordance with a local SOC(?) based on a concentration of lithium obtained at an interface of the active material as estimated by the diffusion estimation unit. A current estimation unit uses a battery's voltage measured by a voltage sensor, the estimated open circuit voltage, and a parameter value that is set for the battery by a battery parameter value setting unit, and follows a voltage-current relationship model expression simplified from an electrochemical reaction expression to estimate the battery's current density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Nishi, Takeshi Takemoto, Nobuyasu Haga, Tetsuya Fuchimoto
  • Patent number: 8081000
    Abstract: The invention provides an evaluation method and an evaluation apparatus with which it is possible to know the safety level of batteries when an internal short circuit occurs through a chemical process, and a battery whose safety level has been determined with the evaluation method and the evaluation apparatus. A battery that has been charged to a predetermined voltage and into which conductive foreign matter has been incorporated is immersed in an electrolyte. The time at which the battery started to dissolve in the electrolyte is determined. Occurrence of an internal short circuit in the battery is detected based on a battery voltage. A time required for occurrence of short circuit is computed based on the above-described dissolution start time and the time of occurrence of the internal short circuit, and then output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Kasamatsu, Hajime Nishino, Masato Fujikawa, Mikinari Shimada
  • Patent number: 8059007
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for determining when a battery, or one or more batteries within a battery pack, undergoes an undesired thermal event such as thermal runaway. The system uses a conductive member mounted in close proximity to, or in contact with, an external surface of the battery or batteries to be monitored. A resistance measuring system such as a continuity-tester or an ohmmeter is coupled to the conductive member, the resistance measuring system outputting a first signal when the temperature corresponding to the battery or batteries is within a prescribed temperature range and a second signal when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature that falls outside of the prescribed temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Weston Arthur Hermann, Daniel Nicholas Brncic, Paul Bryan Kreiner, Scott Ira Kohn, Dorian West, Jonathan Louis Hall
  • Patent number: 8004249
    Abstract: A battery management system is provided. A voltage of a first battery cell is charged to a capacitor. Then, the voltage of the capacitor is measured, the measured voltage being the voltage of the first battery cell. Subsequently, a voltage of a second battery cell is again charged to the capacitor while the capacitor holds the voltage of the first battery cell. The voltage of the capacitor is then measured, the measured voltage being the voltage of the second battery cell. With such a scheme, the time for discharging the capacitor may be removed, and accordingly, a period for measuring a voltage of the battery cell may become shorter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gye-Jong Lim, Han-Seok Yun, Se-Wook Seo