Abstract: A capacitance charge device with adjustable clamping voltage is disclosed in the invention, which includes a high-farad capacitance and a power supply device for charging to the high-farad capacitance. In addition, a switch device is connected between the power supply device and the capacitance, and through the on/off operations of the switch device, the on/off conductions between the power supply device and the capacitance can be controlled. Besides, a clamping circuit is connected between the switch device and the capacitance and also connected to the output terminal of the power supply device. In addition, the clamping circuit has a clamping voltage, which can be compared with the actual voltage so as to control the on/off operations of the switch device and in turn control the on/off conductions between the power supply device and the capacitance. In addition, the invention can constrain the battery voltage in the clamping voltage of the clamping circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of monitoring a battery in an automotive vehicle are provided. An output is provided which can be a relative output as a function of minimum and maximum parameters of the battery.

Abstract: A circuit and method for charging a rechargeable cell is provided. The circuit includes a voltage regulator coupled serially between a power source and a rechargeable cell. The circuit further comprises a controller capable of both monitoring the power dissipation across the voltage regulator and altering the current flowing through the voltage regulator. When the power dissipation in the voltage regulator exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller increases the current. Where the power source is a linear transformer, this increase of current will cause the transformer to become loaded. The loading causes the transformer output voltage to fall, thereby reducing the power dissipation in the voltage regulator below the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method of checking power status of the batteries is disclosed. New batteries are first prepared for discharge tests with different discharge rates, and the standard discharge data for different types of batteries are recorded in a data base for use in power estimation. Afterwards, the battery set installed in an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system is connected to a monitoring device for continuous monitoring of the test discharge data and discharging time in repeated random discharge tests. The characteristic data including current output, operating temperature, and terminal voltage of the tested battery are then collected and compared with the relevant standard discharge data retrieved from the data base to produce a true estimation of the remaining power of the tested battery.

Abstract: A BCU control system (10) includes a BCU (14) that calculates various kinds of measured data based on battery states such as a temperature, voltage, current, etc., of an automobile battery (12) so as to control actuators such as fans (18A, 18B), a relay (12C), etc., and a computer (16) connected to the BCU by a communication line, thereby enabling to carry out a data communication. A data collection command and an actuator control command are transmitted from the computer (16) to the BCU (14), and the computer collects various kinds of data from the battery and the BCU so as to carry out processes such as a data display, a data analysis, etc., and control the BCU.

Abstract: A circuit configuration for monitoring the state of charge of an accumulator battery, which is installed in particular in a motor vehicle, has a control unit that records and evaluates the flow of current out of or into the accumulator battery. The control unit is able to be shifted into a state with low current consumption (sleep mode), out of which it may be brought again by an activation signal. Moreover, a sensor is provided that emits a signal in response to a flow of current out of or into the accumulator battery.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a simple circuitry that improves the life cycle characteristic of the battery. The battery pack includes a plurality of cells connected in series. One of the cells is a lower rated capacity cell having a smaller capacity than the other cells. The lower rated capacity cell is disposed in a first tier of the plurality of cells from a negative terminal of the battery. Temperature and voltage of the lower rated capacity cell are detected to determine whether the lower rated capacity cell has reached the fully charged condition. When the fully charged condition is detected, charging of the battery is stopped. Similarly, based on the temperature and voltage detected, whether the lower rated capacity cell will soon be over-discharged is determined. If so, the use of the battery is stopped.

Abstract: A method of estimating a state of charge of a battery, a method of estimating an open circuit voltage of a battery, and a method and device for computing a degradation degree of a battery are provided. As a degradation degree, a ratio of a total electrical quantity chargeable or dischargeable of a battery at any time point to an initial electrical quantity that is a total electrical quantity chargeable or dischargeable of the battery upon non-degradation is computed, and by using the degradation degree, a state of charge or an open circuit voltage of the battery is accurately estimated.

Abstract: A control method for operating internal combustion engine electric hybrid vehicles with smaller battery packs, particularly in configurations where an electric motor (E/M) or electric motor/generator (E/MG), a battery, and associated controls are inserted between the engine and a continuously variable or automatic transmission. The interaction between the combustion engine and battery operated electric motor is controlled by taking energy into the batteries only if it is more efficient than throttling the engine and operating the engine at a lower efficiency. Additionally, the batteries are charged to a certain state or the batteries are maintained at a particular state of charge. A goal of the invention is to obtain the best possible fuel economy while maintaining good driveability.

Abstract: A control method for monitoring a fuel cell stack in a fuel cell system in which the actual voltage and actual current from the fuel cell stack are monitored. A preestablished relationship between voltage and current over the operating range of the fuel cell is established. A variance value between the actual measured voltage and the expected voltage magnitude for a given actual measured current is calculated and compared with a predetermined allowable variance. An output is generated if the calculated variance value exceeds the predetermined variance. The predetermined voltage-current for the fuel cell is symbolized as a polarization curve at given operating conditions of the fuel cell. Other polarization curves may be generated and used for fuel cell stack monitoring based on different operating pressures, temperatures, hydrogen quantities.

Abstract: A power control device and the operating method thereof are provided. The present invention obtains the battery inner resistance by using the battery inner resistor detecting loading circuit. The voltage drop occurred in between the positive pole end and the negative pole end is calculated with such method when the power consuming device in the portable electronic device is operating. Thus, the power storage of the battery can be accurately detected.

Abstract: A battery cell balancing system (12) for a battery (30) having a plurality of cells (32) is provided. The system (12) includes a power supply (38) and a plurality of transformer/rectifier circuits (34) electrically coupled to the cells (32). Preferential charging occurs for a cell with the lowest state of charge. At least one current limiting device (36) is electrically coupled to the transformer/rectifier circuits (34) and the power supply (38). The current limiting device (36) buffers a source voltage from a reflected voltage of at least one of the plurality of cells (32). A method of performing the same is also provided.

Abstract: An active voltage limiting and failure detection system for an energy storage cell of a multiple energy storage cell pack includes a first electrical circuit and a second electrical circuit connected to the energy storage cell. The first electrical circuit is powered by the energy storage cell and includes means for drawing a significant amount of power from the energy storage cell when a cell voltage Vcell reaches a maximum voltage Vmax to reduce the cell voltage Vcell, means for stopping the drawing of the significant amount of power to reduce the cell voltage Vcell when the cell voltage Vcell reaches a minimum voltage Vmin, and means for drawing no power when the cell voltage Vcell reaches a shutdown voltage Vshutdown. The second electrical circuit includes means for indicating a cell active condition when the cell voltage Vcell is above a threshold active voltage Vactive, and means for indicating a cell inactive condition when the cell voltage Vcell drops below the threshold active voltage Vactive.

Abstract: A battery charger controller is coupled to DC output terminals of an AC-DC (or DC-DC) adapter containing an AC-DC (or DC-DC) converter. A controlled current flow path between input and output terminals of the battery charger controller circuit is controlled to provide a substantially constant current to charge the battery to a nominal battery voltage. When a constant voltage output of the said adapter transitions to a value that limits available charging current to a value less than programmed constant charging current, current flow drive for the controlled current flow path is increased for a limited time interval. Thereafter, the controlled current flow path gradually reduces charging current as the battery voltage remains at its nominal battery voltage until the charge is complete or otherwise terminated.

Abstract: A battery charger that adjusts and applies charging pulses to a battery such that one or more battery parameter is regulated. Terminal voltage of the battery, relative to the battery's quiescent voltage, during the charge application is one such battery parameter indicative of the battery's charge absorption rate. Maintaining the charging voltage at a predetermined value during the charging process is achieved by adjusting the charging pulse both amplitude-wise and temporally. The adjustment of the charging pulse is performed such that a high rate of charge input into the battery is maintained during the charging process.

Abstract: In order to monitor a state of a battery, a threshold value of an internal impedance of the battery is first determined. It is prepared an approximate expression indicating a correlation between a residual capacity of the battery and an internal impedance of the battery which is greater than the threshold value. The internal impedance of the battery is then measured. When the measured internal impedance is the threshold value or less, the residual capacity is determined as an initial value. When the measured internal impedance is greater than the threshold value, the residual capacity is monitored with the approximate expression.

Abstract: A battery assembly comprises at least two electrochemical cell modules (1-i) connected in series and each comprising at least one electrochemical cell (2), associated with a protection device comprising as many primary protection blocks (5-i) as there are electrochemical cell modules (1-i), each block (5-i) being connected in parallel with a respective one of the electrochemical cell modules (1-i) and comprising at least one 1S type electronic protection circuit (6) and a diode (7) connected in parallel with the 1S circuit and upstream therefrom relative to the current flow direction.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a vehicle's electrical power consumption are disclosed. The vehicle has a plurality of electrical components. The electrical components have varying power requirements. The system of the present invention includes a first battery for supplying power to at least one of the plurality of electrical components and a second battery for supplying power to at least one other of the plurality of electrical components. Further, an isolator is provided for electrically isolating the first battery from the second battery. A power supply for supplying a regulated supply of electrical power and a power distributor in communication with at least one of the first and second batteries for selectively providing electrical power to the plurality of electrical components are also provided.

Abstract: A disconnect switch (30, 30SA) is placed in circuit between a battery bank (12) and a distribution point (30B) for the entire electrical system load except the engine cranking motor (24). This allows the circuit between the battery bank and a cranking motor solenoid (22) that operates the cranking motor to be switch-free. A switch-free circuit allows a continuous cable to connect the battery bank to the cranking motor solenoid, significantly reducing the electrical resistance between the battery bank and the cranking motor solenoid.

Abstract: A battery ECU includes a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU calculates plural deterioration degrees based on data input from a thermistor, an ammeter, and a voltmeter which detect state quantities of a nickel-hydrogen battery, and reads, from a memory, contribution degrees each of which corresponds to each of the calculated plural deterioration degrees. Then the CPU calculates a total deterioration degree of the nickel-hydrogen battery based on the deterioration degrees and the contribution degrees, calculates the contribution degrees based on the calculated total deterioration degree, and stores the contribution degrees in the memory.