Patents by Inventor Koji Umetsu

Koji Umetsu 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: 20170117587
    Abstract: A storage device includes a storage unit, and an evaluation value acquisition unit wherein the evaluation value acquisition unit is configured to acquire an evaluation value including at least a first evaluation value corresponding to the storage unit in a low-temperature region and a second evaluation value corresponding to the storage unit in a high-temperature region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Naoyuki SUGENO, Yoshihiro ODASHIMA, Kazumi SATO, Masumi TERAUCHI, Naruhiko ENDO, Toshio TAJIMA, Koji UMETSU
  • Patent number: 9620968
    Abstract: A power reserve apparatus is disclosed. In one embodiment, the power reserve apparatus comprises a first module including a first set of battery cells and a first inter-cell balance adjustment unit configured to use passive balancing to reduce voltage variance among the first set of battery cells. The power reserve apparatus also comprises a second module including a second set of battery cells and a second inter-cell balance adjustment unit configured to use passive balancing to reduce voltage variance among the second set of battery cells. The power reserve apparatus further comprises an inter-module balance adjustment unit configured to use active balancing to reduce voltage variance among the first and second modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Morihiko Sato, Koji Umetsu
  • Patent number: 9608451
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electric power supplying apparatus including: an electric storage device; and a control portion configured to control processing for mixing an output from the electric storage device, and an electric power of an external electric power system with each other in accordance with at least one of a peak shift command, a load electric power, and a remaining capacity of the electric storage device, wherein an alternating current electric power is formed in the mixing processing. When the electric power supplying apparatus further includes an electric power generating apparatus, processing for mixing an output from the electric power generating apparatus, an output from the electric storage device, and an electric power of the external electric power system with one another, is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Noritoshi Imamura, Eiji Kumagai, Koji Umetsu, Atsushi Minami, Masayuki Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20170070074
    Abstract: Provided is a power supply apparatus including a power storage module, a DC-AC inverter, a bypass circuit, and a controller. The DC-AC inverter converts output of the power storage module into AC power. The bypass circuit directly transmits the AC power. The controller switches between a discharge mode for supplying output of the DC-AC inverter to a load, and a bypass mode for supplying output of the bypass circuit to the load. A threshold for switching between the discharge mode and the bypass mode is set to a range that enables the power storage module to provide output in an overload state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Naoyuki SUGENO, Hiroaki YOSHIDA, Kazumi SATO, Koji UMETSU
  • Publication number: 20160218528
    Abstract: A power storage device includes: power storage units each including at least one battery, the power storage units being connected in series; cell balance units connected in parallel to the respective power storage units via switches; and a control unit that performs control to charge the power storage units with a first constant current value, and, when the power storage unit having the highest voltage among the power storage units reaches a first potential, connect the corresponding one of the cell balance units to the power storage unit having the highest voltage, and switch the charging current to a second constant current value that is smaller than the first constant current value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Naoyuki SUGENO, Kohki WATANABE, Masumi TERAUCHI, Shuichi TAKIZAWA, Noritoshi IMAMURA, Koji UMETSU
  • Publication number: 20160172721
    Abstract: A power storage apparatus, electric device, electric vehicle, and power system are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a power storage apparatus includes a battery block comprising a plurality of battery cells and an isolating unit that enables wireless information transfer regarding battery information of the battery block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: YOSHIHIRO KOMATSU, HIDEKAZU KIKUCHI, KOJI UMETSU, NAOYUKI SUGENO, MORIHIKO SATO
  • Publication number: 20160049813
    Abstract: There is provided a power storage device including a plurality of modules each including secondary batteries, a charging switch that controls charging to the secondary batteries, a discharging switch that controls discharging of the secondary batteries, and a voltage measuring unit that measures a voltage of the module, and a switch control unit that controls one or both of the charging switch and the discharging switch. The modules are connected in parallel. The switch control unit maintains an on state of the discharging switch for at least one of the modules for a predetermined period, and controls the charging switch of the module in which a maximum module charging current estimated based on the voltage of the module is a predetermined value or less, to be in an on state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Shuichi TAKIZAWA, Naoyuki SUGENO, Koji UMETSU, Eiji KUMAGAI, Bunya SATO, Aniket KHADE, Tatsuya ADACHI, Atsushi CHINEN, Hisato ASAI, Kohki WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9231280
    Abstract: A power storage apparatus, electric device, electric vehicle, and power system are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a power storage apparatus includes a battery block comprising a plurality of battery cells and an isolating unit that enables wireless information transfer regarding battery information of the battery block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Komatsu, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Koji Umetsu, Naoyuki Sugeno, Morihiko Sato
  • Publication number: 20150295448
    Abstract: A battery package including a power storage portion; and a control device, where the control device determines if a first temperature of the power storage portion is higher than a predetermined temperature, and if the first temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, discharges the power storage portion at a first discharge rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Naoyuki SUGENO, Kohki WATANABE, Shuichi TAKIZAWA, Kenji SATO, Koji UMETSU
  • Publication number: 20150276882
    Abstract: A monitoring apparatus includes a first converter that converts first analog data indicating a voltage value of each of batteries into first digital data; and a second converter that converts second analog data indicating an electric current value flowing through the plurality of batteries into second digital data. The first analog data and the second analog data are data having the same timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Morihiko Sato, Koji Umetsu
  • Patent number: 9046585
    Abstract: A monitoring apparatus includes a first converter that converts first analog data indicating a voltage value of each of batteries into first digital data; and a second converter that converts second analog data indicating an electric current value flowing through the plurality of batteries into second digital data. The first analog data and the second analog data are data having the same timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Morihiko Sato, Koji Umetsu
  • Patent number: 8942011
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus supplies regulated power to an external apparatus. A power switch is turned on to receive AC power and turned off not to receive the AC power. The AC power is rectified by a rectifying section and is switched by a switching section into switched DC power which is smoothed by a rectifying/smoothing section. Upon reception of an alarm signal, the power disconnecting section stops sending the switched DC power to the rectifying/smoothing section. If the AC switch is turned off and then back on again after stopping sending the switched DC power to the smoothing section, the power disconnecting section allows receiving of the AC power only a time after turn-off of the power switch. Upon reception of an auto-off signal indicative of an idle state of the external apparatus, an auto-off section does not send the switched DC power to the rectifying/smoothing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kato, Motonobu Hatakeyama, Koji Umetsu
  • Publication number: 20150008931
    Abstract: An electronic storage module includes a plurality of batteries, a primary monitoring circuit configured to detect an operating state of the plurality of batteries, a microcontroller unit connected to the primary monitoring circuit via a primary communication path, and a secondary monitoring circuit connected to the microcontroller unit via a secondary communication path. The secondary monitoring circuit is configured to detect the operating state of the plurality of batteries when a determination is made of an abnormality in the primary communication path, or an abnormality in the operating state of the primary monitoring circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Morihiko Sato, Koji Umetsu
  • Publication number: 20140354212
    Abstract: A power reserve apparatus is disclosed. In one embodiment, the power reserve apparatus comprises a first module including a first set of battery cells and a first inter-cell balance adjustment unit configured to use passive balancing to reduce voltage variance among the first set of battery cells. The power reserve apparatus also comprises a second module including a second set of battery cells and a second inter-cell balance adjustment unit configured to use passive balancing to reduce voltage variance among the second set of battery cells. The power reserve apparatus further comprises an inter-module balance adjustment unit configured to use active balancing to reduce voltage variance among the first and second modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Morihiko Sato, Koji Umetsu
  • Publication number: 20130264865
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electric power supplying apparatus including: an electric storage device; and a control portion configured to control processing for mixing an output from the electric storage device, and an electric power of an external electric power system with each other in accordance with at least one of a peak shift command, a load electric power, and a remaining capacity of the electric storage device, wherein an alternating current electric power is formed in the mixing processing. When the electric power supplying apparatus further includes an electric power generating apparatus, processing for mixing an output from the electric power generating apparatus, an output from the electric storage device, and an electric power of the external electric power system with one another, is controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Noritoshi Imamura, Eiji Kumagai, Koji Umetsu, Atsushi Minami, Masayuki Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20130059182
    Abstract: A power storage apparatus, electric device, electric vehicle, and power system are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a power storage apparatus includes a battery block comprising a plurality of battery cells and an isolating unit that enables wireless information transfer regarding battery information of the battery block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Komatsu, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Koji Umetsu, Naoyuki Sugeno, Morihiko Sato
  • Publication number: 20130049457
    Abstract: A battery system includes a plurality of electronic storage modules serially connected together. Each electronic storage module includes a battery block group including a plurality of battery cells, and a different magnetic core connected to each battery block group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Komatsu, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Koji Umetsu
  • Publication number: 20120326725
    Abstract: A monitoring apparatus includes a first converter that converts first analog data indicating a voltage value of each of batteries into first digital data; and a second converter that converts second analog data indicating an electric current value flowing through the plurality of batteries into second digital data. The first analog data and the second analog data are data having the same timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Morihiko Sato, Koji Umetsu
  • Patent number: 8264198
    Abstract: A battery pack, a battery charger, a method for charging a battery pack are provided. The battery pack includes a secondary battery, a switch element for controlling charging and discharging the secondary battery, a controller for controlling the switch element, and a communication unit for performing with a battery charger. During charging, an initial charging is switched to a quick charging when a voltage of the secondary battery reaches a predetermined voltage, and the battery charger judges the battery pack as abnormal when the voltage does not reach the predetermined voltage within a timeout period after the initial charging is started. At least one of the timeout period and the predetermined is stored. At least one of the timeout period and the predetermined voltage to be read out is transmitted through the communication unit to the battery charger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masanao Sato, Koji Umetsu, Osamu Nagashima
  • Publication number: 20120212980
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus supplies regulated power to an external apparatus. A power switch is turned on to receive AC power and turned off not to receive the AC power. The AC power is rectified by a rectifying section and is switched by a switching section into switched DC power which is smoothed by a rectifying/smoothing section. Upon reception of an alarm signal, the power disconnecting section stops sending the switched DC power to the rectifying/smoothing section. If the AC switch is turned off and then back on again after stopping sending the switched DC power to the smoothing section, the power disconnecting section allows receiving of the AC power only a time after turn-off of the power switch. Upon reception of an auto-off signal indicative of an idle state of the external apparatus, an auto-off section does not send the switched DC power to the rectifying/smoothing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro KATO, Motonobu Hatakeyama, Koji Umetsu