Patents by Inventor Kouta Togashi

Kouta Togashi 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).

  • Patent number: 8148993
    Abstract: An abnormality of a current sensor or a voltage sensor is detected. An abnormality detecting section reads out a charging/discharging current I of a secondary battery detected by the current sensor and a battery voltage V of the secondary battery, calculates an estimated battery voltage Vs on the basis of an electromotive force E and an internal resistance r of the secondary battery, and judges the current sensor to be abnormal if the difference between the battery voltage V and the estimated battery voltage Vs is greater than a predetermined threshold and the charging/discharging current I exceeds a predetermined allowable range, and judges the voltage sensor to be abnormal if the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold and the charging/discharging current I is within the predetermined allowable range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norito Yamabe, Kouta Togashi
  • Patent number: 8058835
    Abstract: A controller and method for controlling output of a rechargeable battery that prevents the life span of the rechargeable battery from being shortened while ensuring starting of the engine. The rechargeable battery controller is mounted on a vehicle including an engine functioning as a power source. The controller includes a control unit for instructing a vehicle ECU, which is installed in the vehicle, to stop discharging the rechargeable battery when an index indicating the charged state of the rechargeable battery satisfies a discharge suspension condition. The control unit includes a monitor unit for changing the discharge suspension condition so as to continue discharging the rechargeable battery continues when the rechargeable battery is expected to supply power to the starter motor of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouta Togashi, Takuma Iida
  • Patent number: 7893652
    Abstract: The present invention can speedily and accurately estimate an SOC of a secondary battery immediately after a charge/discharge operation resumes. A determination unit determines whether a dormant period is longer than a predetermined time in response to an initiation of power supply from a secondary battery to a motor generator. The dormant period is equivalent to the duration from a previous stop of power supply to a present initiation of power supply. If the dormant period is longer than the predetermined time, a state-of-charge estimating unit sets an initial SOC based on a peak battery voltage drop ?Vs and a peak discharge current Is, wherein the peak battery voltage drop ?Vs represents a difference between a battery voltage Vo measured before initiating power supply and a lowest battery voltage Vs measured after initiating power supply and the peak discharge current Is represents a maximum current value measured after initiating power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Kouta Togashi, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
  • Patent number: 7843706
    Abstract: An inverter according to the invention includes an open circuit instructing device (ECU, Steps S5 to S8). The open circuit instructing device is for opening a switching circuit based on resistor inter-terminal voltage Vrb and resistor current Irb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Kouta Togashi, Tetsuya Mizoguchi, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
  • Patent number: 7719238
    Abstract: In a charging/discharging control system for controlling an allowable power level of a secondary battery at the time of charging/discharging operations, excessive discharging or recharging of the secondary battery is prevented, and excessive suppression of the charging/discharging of the secondary battery is prevented. A vehicle ECU controls charging/discharging of the secondary battery in accordance with a predetermined allowable power level. A battery ECU detects an actual loading power level of a secondary battery; calculates a differential power level between the detected actual loading power level and an allowable power level; measures the number of times the calculated differential power level has become equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value; and downwardly revises the allowable power level when the count has become equal to or greater than a predetermined upper-limit level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuma Iida, Kouta Togashi, Nobuyasu Morishita
  • Patent number: 7570021
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery controller for controlling output of a rechargeable battery mounted on a vehicle having a power source including an internal combustion engine, a starter motor for starting the internal combustion engine, and a vehicle controller. The rechargeable battery controller includes a control circuit for setting an upper limit for discharge power output by the rechargeable battery in a set period of time and providing the upper limit to the vehicle controller. The control circuit is programmed to reset the upper limit to a value greater than or equal to a power value required to drive the starter motor when a first requirement in which power supply from the rechargeable battery to the starter motor is scheduled and a second requirement in which the upper limit is less than the power value required to drive the starter motor are both satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouta Togashi, Toshiaki Nakanishi, Takuma Iida
  • Publication number: 20080150369
    Abstract: An inverter according to the invention includes an open circuit instructing device (ECU, Steps S5 to S8). The open circuit instructing device is for opening a switching circuit based on resistor inter-terminal voltage Vrb and resistor current Irb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Kouta Togashi, Tetsuya Mizoguchi, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
  • Publication number: 20080125932
    Abstract: An abnormality of a current sensor or a voltage sensor is detected. An abnormality detecting section reads out a charging/discharging current I of a secondary battery detected by the current sensor and a battery voltage V of the secondary battery, calculates an estimated battery voltage Vs on the basis of an electromotive force E and an internal resistance r of the secondary battery, and judges the current sensor to be abnormal if the difference between the battery voltage V and the estimated battery voltage Vs is greater than a predetermined threshold and the charging/discharging current I exceeds a predetermined allowable range, and judges the voltage sensor to be abnormal if the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold and the charging/discharging current I is within the predetermined allowable range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norito Yamabe, Kouta Togashi
  • Publication number: 20080053715
    Abstract: The present invention can speedily and accurately estimate an SOC of a secondary battery immediately after a charge/discharge operation resumes. A determination unit determines whether a dormant period is longer than a predetermined time in response to an initiation of power supply from a secondary battery to a motor generator. The dormant period is equivalent to the duration from a previous stop of power supply to a present initiation of power supply. If the dormant period is longer than the predetermined time, a state-of-charge estimating unit sets an initial SOC based on a peak battery voltage drop ?Vs and a peak discharge current Is, wherein the peak battery voltage drop ?Vs represents a difference between a battery voltage Vo measured before initiating power supply and a lowest battery voltage Vs measured after initiating power supply and the peak discharge current Is represents a maximum current value measured after initiating power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Kouta Togashi, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
  • Publication number: 20070205746
    Abstract: In a charging/discharging control system for controlling an allowable power level of a secondary battery at the time of charging/discharging operations, excessive discharging or recharging of the secondary battery is prevented, and excessive suppression of the charging/discharging of the secondary battery is prevented. A vehicle ECU controls charging/discharging of the secondary battery in accordance with a predetermined allowable power level. A battery ECU detects an actual loading power level of a secondary battery; calculates a differential power level between the detected actual loading power level and an allowable power level; measures the number of times the calculated differential power level has become equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value; and downwardly revises the allowable power level when the count has become equal to or greater than a predetermined upper-limit level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuma Iida, Kouta Togashi, Nobuyasu Morishita
  • Publication number: 20070138998
    Abstract: A controller and method for controlling output of a rechargeable battery that prevents the life span of the rechargeable battery from being shortened while ensuring starting of the engine. The rechargeable battery controller is mounted on a vehicle including an engine functioning as a power source. The controller includes a control unit for instructing a vehicle ECU, which is installed in the vehicle, to stop discharging the rechargeable battery when an index indicating the charged state of the rechargeable battery satisfies a discharge suspension condition. The control unit includes a monitor unit for changing the discharge suspension condition so as to continue discharging the rechargeable battery continues when the rechargeable battery is expected to supply power to the starter motor of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kouta Togashi, Takuma Iida
  • Publication number: 20070075686
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery controller for controlling output of a rechargeable battery mounted on a vehicle having a power source including an internal combustion engine, a starter motor for starting the internal combustion engine, and a vehicle controller. The rechargeable battery controller includes a control circuit for setting an upper limit for discharge power output by the rechargeable battery in a set period of time and providing the upper limit to the vehicle controller. The control circuit is programmed to reset the upper limit to a value greater than or equal to a power value required to drive the starter motor when a first requirement in which power supply from the rechargeable battery to the starter motor is scheduled and a second requirement in which the upper limit is less than the power value required to drive the starter motor are both satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kouta TOGASHI, Toshiaki NAKANISHI, Takuma IIDA