Patents by Inventor Akihiko Emori

Akihiko Emori 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: 20090198399
    Abstract: A battery system for vehicle comprises a battery unit that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected cell groups each include a plurality of serially connected battery cells, integrated circuits that are each disposed in correspondence to one of the cell groups of the battery unit and each measure terminal voltages at the battery cells in the corresponding cell group, and a signal transmission path through which one of the integrated circuits is connected to another one of the integrated circuits or to a circuit other than that of the integrated circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji KUBO, Akihiko Kudo, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Akihiko Emori
  • Publication number: 20090174369
    Abstract: A battery management system which can output a battery state enabling optimum charge and discharge control to be performed even when a temperature variation occurs among individual single cells. A plurality of temperature sensors measure temperature values of a battery. A measurement unit measures a voltage and a current of the battery. A maximum/minimum temperature selection unit in a calculation unit determines a maximum temperature and a minimum temperature from the temperature values measured by the temperature sensors. An available power calculation unit calculates respective values of maximum available charge and discharge powers or maximum available charge and discharge currents of the battery corresponding to the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature based on the voltage and the current of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Youhei KAWAHARA, Akihiko EMORI, Shuko YAMAUCHI, Hirotaka TAKAHASHI, Masami SHIDA, Yoshinori AOSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20090169987
    Abstract: Lower order control devices control plural battery cells configuring plural battery modules. An input terminal of the low order control device in the highest potential, an output terminal of the low order control device in the lowest potential, and a high order control device are connected by isolating units, photocouplers. Diodes which prevent a discharge current of the battery cells in the battery modules are disposed between the output terminal of the low order control device and the battery cells in the battery module on the low potential side. Terminals related to input/output of a signal are electrically connected without isolating among the plural low order control devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Hideki Miyazaki, Akihiko Emori, Akihiko Kudo, Tsuyoshi Kai
  • Publication number: 20090130541
    Abstract: A multi-series battery control system comprises battery cell groups each having a plurality of serially connected battery cells, a plurality of integrated circuits each disposed in correspondence to one of the battery cell groups and a battery control device that exchanges signals with the individual integrated circuits. Each integrated circuit includes an address setting means that receives a message unique to the integrated circuit, different from messages sent to other integrated circuits, from the battery control device, writes over an initialized address of the integrated circuit with the message and alters the message to a message with which an initialized address of another integrated circuit cannot be overwritten in a step assigned with an ordinal number matching the position of the integrated circuit with regard to the connection order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Emori, Youhei Kawahara, Kei Sakabe, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiko Kudo
  • Patent number: 7528581
    Abstract: Lower order control devices control plural battery cells configuring plural battery modules. An input terminal of the low order control device in the highest potential, an output terminal of the low order control device in the lowest potential, and a high order control device are connected by isolating units, photocouplers. Diodes which prevent a discharge current of the battery cells in the battery modules are disposed between the output terminal of the low order control device and the battery cells in the battery module on the low potential side. Terminals related to input/output of a signal are electrically connected without isolating among the plural low order control devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignees: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Miyazaki, Akihiko Emori, Akihiko Kudo, Tsuyoshi Kai
  • Publication number: 20090091332
    Abstract: A vehicle power supply device comprises a lithium battery module that includes a plurality of lithium battery cells, first control devices, voltage detection harnesses via which terminal voltages at individual lithium battery cells are input to the first control devices, a second control device and a signal transmission path through which signals are transmitted. The first control device comprises a selection circuit that selects terminal voltages at individual lithium battery cells, a voltage measurement circuit that measures the selected terminal voltages, balancing switches used to discharge individual lithium battery cells, a balancing switch control circuit that controls open/close of the balancing switches, and a diagnosis circuit for detecting an electrically abnormal connection in the detection harnesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Emori, Youhei Kawahara, Kei Sakabe, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiko Kudo, Kenji Kubo
  • Patent number: 7514905
    Abstract: A battery management system which can output a battery state enabling optimum charge and discharge control to be performed even when a temperature variation occurs among individual single cells. A plurality of temperature sensors measure temperature values of a battery. A measurement unit measures a voltage and a current of the battery. A maximum/minimum temperature selection unit in a calculation unit determines a maximum temperature and a minimum temperature from the temperature values measured by the temperature sensors. An available power calculation unit calculates respective values of maximum available charge and discharge powers or maximum available charge and discharge currents of the battery corresponding to the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature based on the voltage and the current of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Youhei Kawahara, Akihiko Emori, Shuko Yamauchi, Hirotaka Takahashi, Masami Shida, Yoshinori Aoshima
  • Publication number: 20090087722
    Abstract: A vehicle power supply system comprises a battery module that includes a plurality of battery cells, battery cell control devices and a signal transmission path through which signals are transmitted. The battery cell control device comprises a voltage measurement circuit that measures terminal voltages at the battery cells, an abnormality diagnosis circuit that diagnoses an abnormality in the battery cell control device, a timing control circuit that outputs a signal for instructing measurement phase and a signal for instructing diagnosis phase, and a communication circuit that outputs a signal indicating the terminal voltage and a signal based upon a diagnosis result by the abnormality diagnosis circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kei Sakabe, Akihiko Emori, Akihiko Kudo, Kenji Kubo, Youhei Kawahara, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Tatsumi Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20090085516
    Abstract: An automotive power supply system comprises a battery module that includes serially connected battery groups each constituted with serially connected battery cells, integrated circuits each disposed in correspondence to one of the battery groups, a control circuit, a transmission path through which the integrated circuits are connected to the control circuit and a relay circuit via which an electrical current is supplied from the battery module. In response to a start signal instructing an operation start and received via the transmission path, each integrated circuit measures terminal voltages at the individual battery cells in the corresponding battery group and executes an abnormality diagnosis. If abnormality diagnosis results provided by the integrated circuits indicate no abnormality, the control circuit closes the relay, enabling supply of electrical current from the battery module and subsequently, the control circuit receives measurement results from the integrated circuits via the transmission path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko EMORI, Youhei Kawahara, Kei Sakabe, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiko Kudo
  • Patent number: 7511457
    Abstract: A multi-series battery control system comprises a plurality of unit battery cell of which unit consists of multiple battery cells connected in series; a plurality of control IC comprising a control circuit for controlling the unit battery cell; a main controller that sends and receives signal to/from the control ICs via an insulation; means for sending an abnormality signal, which represents the existence or the absence of abnormality of the control ICs or the battery cells, to the main controller from the control ICs, responding to the first signal outputted from the main controller via the insulation; and means for searching contents of the abnormality in the control ICs or the battery cells and sending the abnormality contents signal based on the search, to the main controller from the control ICs, responding to the second signal outputted from the main controller via the insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Emori, Shigeyuki Yoshihara, Kazuyoshi Sasazawa, Tatsuo Horiba, Akihiko Kudo
  • Publication number: 20090021222
    Abstract: A cell controller capable of ensuring high safety even when a short occurs among voltage detecting lines without causing increased costs is provided. The cell controller 10 includes a unit cell voltage detecting section 7 to detect a voltage of each unit cell 1 constituting a battery group through each voltage detecting line and a SOC adjusting circuit for adjusting a SOC of each unit cell 1 having resistors 2 for SOC adjustment, switching elements 6, and a bypass control section 8 to exercise on/off control on the switching elements 6. Each resistor 2 is connected in series to each voltage detecting line and the unit cell voltage detecting section 7 to detect a voltage of each unit cell 1 through each of the resistors 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiko KUDO, Masaki NAGAOKA, Kenichiro TSURU, Mutsumi KIKUCHI, Tatsumi YAMAUCHI, Akihiko EMORI
  • Patent number: 7471065
    Abstract: A multi-series battery control system comprises a unit battery cell of which unit consists of multiple battery cells, control IC comprising a control IC chip containing a control circuit for controlling the unit battery cell and a cell monitor IC chip for monitoring the voltage of the unit battery cell, and main controller that sends and receives signal to/from the control IC via insulation of which cell monitor IC chip and control IC chip are paired to control the unit battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Emori, Shigeyuki Yoshihara, Kazuyoshi Sasazawa, Tatsuo Horiba, Akihiko Kudo
  • Publication number: 20080284375
    Abstract: A cell controller with excellent reliability in which noise and soon are suppressed is provided. The cell controller includes, corresponding to the number of cell packs, a plurality of ICs each having a voltage detecting circuit detecting voltages of respective cells of a cell pack in which four cells are connected in series, a switch control circuit controlling conduction and a blocking operation of a plurality of switch elements connected in parallel to the respective cells via capacity adjusting resistors, a LIN1 terminal for inputting control information, a LIN2 terminal for outputting control information, a Vcc terminal and a GND terminal, and a LIN2 terminal of a higher-order IC and a LIN1 terminal of a lower-order IC are connected in a daisy chain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Nagaoka, Akihiko Kudo, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Kenichiro Tsuru, Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiko Emori
  • Publication number: 20080219337
    Abstract: The present invention provides enhanced serial communication reliability in a situation where a plurality of cell controllers and a battery controller are daisy-chained to form a serial communication configuration. While the plurality of cell controllers and the battery controller are daisy-chained to form a serial communication configuration, the battery controller or each cell controller includes a communication speed detection means, which detects the communication speed of data input from an additional controller, and a reception timing correction means, which corrects the reception timing for data input from the additional controller in accordance with the communication speed detected by the communication speed detection means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawata, Akihiko Emori, Youhei Kawahara, Akihiko Kudo
  • Patent number: 7406389
    Abstract: A state detecting system which can detect state of power storage at high precision even with lesser characteristic data to be used for calculation, and a device employing the same. The state detecting system has a memory for storing a characteristic data, calculation information, and set information, an arithmetic unit for calculating state information indicative of state of said power storage and calculating correction information for performing correction, a first correcting unit for correcting input of said arithmetic means, and a second correcting unit for correcting information stored or set in the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Emori, Akihiko Kudou, Shigeyuki Yoshihara, Hideki Miyazaki, Toshisada Mitsui, Mitsuyuki Hombu, Kazuyoshi Sasazawa
  • Publication number: 20080156551
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a storage battery managing apparatus that can ensure charge-discharge control of a storage battery in consideration of state variation of each unit cell even if the battery pack includes a number of component unit cells, and a vehicle controlling apparatus providing the same. A storage battery 110 includes a plurality of chargeable-dischargeable unit cells connected. Battery management ICs 122 detect the cell voltage of each unit cell. A voltage sensor 150 detects a storage battery voltage. A current sensor 140 detects currents to be charged and discharged in the storage battery. Processing means 132 obtains a degree of SOC imbalance by use of the cell voltage of each unit cell detected by the battery management ICs 122 when the storage battery is being neither charged nor discharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Youhei Kawahara, Akihiko Emori, Shuko Yamauchi, Hirotaka Takahashi, Masami Shida, Yoshinori Aoshima
  • Publication number: 20080084179
    Abstract: A power control apparatus for controlling charging and discharging of a plurality of storage means (101a, . . . ) has voltage measuring means (102a, . . . ) for measuring voltages of said storage means respectively, current measuring means (103a, . . . ) for measuring currents flowing through said storage means respectively, a status detecting means (104) for detecting the operating status of each storage means from values measured by said voltage measuring means and said current measuring means, and a charging/discharging controlling means (105) for controlling currents, voltages, or power according to the operating status of each storage means detected by said status detecting means to charge or discharge said storage means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko EMORI, Eiichi TOYOTA, Masato SUZUKI, Motomi SHIMADA, Tsutomu MIYAUCHI, Takuya KINOSHITA, Hideki MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20080079395
    Abstract: Lower order control devices control plural battery cells configuring plural battery modules. An input terminal of the low order control device in the highest potential, an output terminal of the low order control device in the lowest potential, and a high order control device are connected by isolating units, photocouplers. Diodes which prevent a discharge current of the battery cells in the battery modules are disposed between the output terminal of the low order control device and the battery cells in the battery module on the low potential side. Terminals related to input/output of a signal are electrically connected without isolating among the plural low order control devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Hideki Miyazaki, Akihiko Emori, Akihiko Kudo, Tsuyoshi Kai
  • Publication number: 20080076011
    Abstract: There is provided a highly reliable storage battery apparatus which can diagnose the status of a temperature detection unit and a cooling unit. In the storage battery apparatus comprising a battery module including one or more batteries, a plurality of temperature detection units and a cooling unit cooling the battery module, the temperature detection units measure, at least, the temperature of the cooling medium inputted to the storage battery apparatus, the temperature of the cooling medium outputted from the storage battery apparatus, and the temperature of at least one of the batteries and the battery module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Akihiko Emori, Youhei Kawahara, Takahiro Kawata, Akihiko Kudo
  • Publication number: 20080067978
    Abstract: Lower order control devices control plural battery cells configuring plural battery modules. An input terminal of the low order control device in the highest potential, an output terminal of the low order. control device in the lowest potential, and a high order control device are connected by isolating units, photocouplers. Diodes which prevent a discharge current of the battery cells in the battery modules are disposed between the output terminal of the low order control device and the battery cells in the battery module on the low potential side. Terminals related to input/output of a signal are electrically connected without isolating among the plural low order control devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Hideki Miyazaki, Akihiko Emori, Akihiko Kudo, Tsuyoshi Kai