Patents by Inventor Norihiro Kaneko

Norihiro Kaneko 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: 11394086
    Abstract: A battery module including a plurality of battery cells, a first chassis, and a connection member. The battery cells are aligned in a first direction. The first chassis includes a plurality of first compartments in which the battery cells are housed one by one, and at least one second compartment that is partitioned in the first direction. The connection member includes a body that is housed in the second compartment, a pair of connection terminals that is mounted on a first face of the body and is electrically connectable to the electrodes of the battery cells via a conductive member. The first face faces in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and a conductor that extends across the pair of connection terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Masahito Morone, Hirofumi Yamamoto, Tatsumi Matsuo, Motohiro Itou, Shinya Sato, Kazuto Kuroda, Ryo Okabe, Norihiro Kaneko, Minoru Gyoda, Yuji Sasaki, Kota Asami, Nobuyasu Negishi
  • Patent number: 11289743
    Abstract: A battery module includes: a battery cell unit including a plurality of battery cells connected together in series or series-parallel; a cell monitoring unit configured to monitor temperatures and voltages of the battery cells; and a plurality of overtemperature/overvoltage detecting units of n systems (n: an integer greater than or equal to 2). The overtemperature/overvoltage detecting units of the n systems are configured to independently detect an overtemperature or an overvoltage of the battery cells as an abnormal state, and to mutually notify one another of results of the detection. Each of the overtemperature/overvoltage detecting units is configured to, upon being notified that the abnormal state is detected from another overtemperature/overvoltage detecting unit of another system in the battery module, operate on the assumption that the overtemperature/overvoltage detecting unit detects the abnormal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto Kuroda, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Norihiro Kaneko, Ryo Okabe, Yusuke Kikuchi, Yosuke Saeki, Makoto Noguchi
  • Patent number: 10790553
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a wiring diagnostic apparatus of embodiments includes a counter, an acquirer, and an abnormality determiner. The counter counts the number of battery modules connected to a plurality of first communication lines to which a plurality of battery modules are connected to form a communication channel for each of the first communication lines. The acquirer acquires identification information for identifying a battery module connected to a corresponding second communication line among battery modules connected to a plurality of second communication lines each forming a communication channel with a first communication line via the second communication line. The abnormality determiner determines an abnormality in a wiring relationship of the first communication line or the second communication line on the basis of the number of battery modules counted by the counter and identification information acquired by the acquirer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Okabe, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Norihiro Kaneko, Yusuke Kikuchi, Kazuto Kuroda, Makoto Noguchi
  • Patent number: 10581238
    Abstract: A storage battery device includes a battery unit, a first circuit breaker, a second circuit breaker, and a control unit. The first circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a first-electrode side of the battery unit and an external device. The second circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a second-electrode side of the battery unit and the external device. The control unit supplies power to the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker in sequence with the power supplied to the second circuit breaker offset relative to the power supplied to the first circuit breaker by a time period equal to or longer than a time difference required for a sum of currents flowing through the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker to reach an upper bound current that is set as an upper bound of a current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructutre Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Okabe, Norihiro Kaneko, Yusuke Kikuchi, Takayuki Onoda, Kazuto Kuroda, Masahiro Sekino, Jun Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20190097202
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a battery module includes, for example, a plurality of battery cells, a first chassis, and a connection member. The battery cells are aligned in a first direction. The first chassis includes a plurality of first compartments in which the battery cells are housed one by one, and at least one second compartment that is partitioned in the first direction. The connection member includes a body that is housed in the second compartment; a pair of connection terminals that is mounted on a first face of the body and is electrically connectable to the electrodes of the battery cells via a conductive member, the first face facing in a second direction intersecting with the first direction; and a conductor that extends across the pair of connection terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Masahito Morone, Hirofumi Yamamoto, Tatsumi Matsuo, Motohiro Itou, Shinya Sato, Kazuto Kuroda, Ryo Okabe, Norihiro Kaneko, Minoru Gyoda, Yuji Sasaki, Kota Asami, Nobuyasu Negishi
  • Publication number: 20190089147
    Abstract: A storage battery device includes a battery unit, a first circuit breaker, a second circuit breaker, and a control unit. The first circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a first-electrode side of the battery unit and an external device. The second circuit breaker switches between connecting and disconnecting a second-electrode side of the battery unit and the external device. The control unit supplies power to the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker in sequence with the power supplied to the second circuit breaker offset relative to the power supplied to the first circuit breaker by a time period equal to or longer than a time difference required for a sum of currents flowing through the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker to reach an upper bound current that is set as an upper bound of a current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo OKABE, Norihiro KANEKO, Yusuke KIKUCHI, Takayuki ONODA, Kazuto KURODA, Masahiro SEKINO, Jun TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20190079119
    Abstract: A storage battery management device includes a connector, storage, a drive voltage controller, a determiner, and a current sensor controller. The connector is connectable to a current sensor. The storage stores current sensor information including an output range of normal output values and each current-sensor type indicating a type of a current sensor connectable to the connector in association with each other. The drive voltage controller causes a current to flow through a current sensor while varying a voltage to be applied to the current sensor. The determiner determines, based on whether an output value that is received via the connector from the current sensor falls in the output range corresponding to the current-sensor type, the current-sensor type of the current sensor connected to the connector. The current sensor controller controls the current sensor in accordance with the determined current-sensor type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Norihiro KANEKO, Ryo OKABE, Yusuke KIKUCHI, Takayuki ONODA, Kazuto KURODA, Masahiro SEKINO, Jun TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20190044198
    Abstract: A battery module includes: a battery cell unit including a plurality of battery cells connected together in series or series-parallel; a cell monitoring unit configured to monitor temperatures and voltages of the battery cells; and a plurality of overtemperature/overvoltage detecting units of n systems (n: an integer greater than or equal to 2). The overtemperature/overvoltage detecting units of the n systems are configured to independently detect an overtemperature or an overvoltage of the battery cells as an abnormal state, and to mutually notify one another of results of the detection. Each of the overtemperature/overvoltage detecting units is configured to, upon being notified that the abnormal state is detected from another overtemperature/overvoltage detecting unit of another system in the battery module, operate on the assumption that the overtemperature/overvoltage detecting unit detects the abnormal state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto KURODA, Shinichiro KOSUGI, Masahiro SEKINO, Norihiro KANEKO, Ryo OKABE, Yusuke KIKUCHI, Yosuke SAEKI, Makoto NOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10101398
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a cell monitoring device that performs monitoring of a cell module under control of a battery management device (BMD), includes a communication controller and a control device. The communication controller is capable of being connected to BMD through a communication line. The control device performs an activation processing of the communication controller at a time of initialization, and controls the cell monitoring device. The control device performs a reboot processing of the communication controller in a period shorter than a period of detecting an error condition of the communication controller by BMD when a second voltage drops to be below an operation allowable voltage of the communication controller in a state in which a first voltage is above a certain operation allowable voltage. The first voltage represents a power supply voltage of the control device. The second voltage represents a power supply voltage of the communication controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koichi Yoshino, Ryo Okabe, Norihiro Kaneko, Takehiro Usumori, Kazuto Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20180248230
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a battery control apparatus according to an embodiment includes a counter, a serial information setter, and an information transmitter. The counter counts, for communication lines to which a plurality of battery modules are connected to form communication channels, the number of battery modules connected to each of the communication lines. The serial information setter sets a series of pieces of information about the battery modules connected to the plurality of communication lines as information for identifying the battery modules on the basis of the number of battery modules counted by the counter. The information transmitter transmits, to an external apparatus, management information in which status information of each of the battery modules is associated with each piece of the series of pieces of information set by the serial information setter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto NOGUCHI, Ryo OKABE, Shinichiro KOSUGI, Masahiro SEKINO, Kazuto KURODA, Norihiro KANEKO, Yosuke SAEKI, Yusuke KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20180248234
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a wiring diagnostic apparatus of embodiments includes a counter, an acquirer, and an abnormality determiner. The counter counts the number of battery modules connected to a plurality of first communication lines to which a plurality of battery modules are connected to form a communication channel for each of the first communication lines. The acquirer acquires identification information for identifying a battery module connected to a corresponding second communication line among battery modules connected to a plurality of second communication lines each forming a communication channel with a first communication line via the second communication line. The abnormality determiner determines an abnormality in a wiring relationship of the first communication line or the second communication line on the basis of the number of battery modules counted by the counter and identification information acquired by the acquirer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Okabe, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Norihiro Kaneko, Yusuke Kikuchi, Kazuto Kuroda, Makoto Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20170212174
    Abstract: A backup power supply system includes a secondary battery, an interface unit, a charging and discharging control unit, a detection unit, a remaining capacity estimating unit, a deterioration estimating unit, and a notification unit. The interface unit transmits a trigger signal based on an operation of a user. The charging and discharging control unit performs control of discharging the secondary battery and then charging the secondary battery or control of charging the secondary battery and then discharging the secondary battery when the trigger signal is received from the interface unit. The detection unit detects a voltage of the secondary battery at different timings. The remaining capacity estimating unit estimates a remaining capacity of the secondary battery based on the voltage of the secondary battery. The deterioration estimating unit estimates a deterioration state of the secondary battery based on the estimated remaining capacity. The notification unit outputs the estimated deterioration state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Katsuya UCHIDA, Masayuki HOSHINO, Ryo OKABE, Norihiro KANEKO, Makoto SATO
  • Publication number: 20170200987
    Abstract: A battery assembly system includes: a battery assembly; a temperature measuring part; and a monitoring device. The battery assembly includes a plurality of batteries connected in series. The temperature measuring part measures temperatures of connection parts used to connect electrodes of batteries included in the battery assembly. The monitoring device derives temperatures of the batteries on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measuring part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Makoto MATSUOKA, Shinichiro KOSUGI, Katsuya UCHIDA, Kazuto KURODA, Massahiro SEKINO, Norihiro KANEKO
  • Publication number: 20160223616
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a cell monitoring device that performs monitoring of a cell module under control of a battery management device (BMD), includes a communication controller and a control device. The communication controller is capable of being connected to BMD through a communication line. The control device performs an activation processing of the communication controller at a time of initialization, and controls the cell monitoring device. The control device performs a reboot processing of the communication controller in a period shorter than a period of detecting an error condition of the communication controller by BMD when a second voltage drops to be below an operation allowable voltage of the communication controller in a state in which a first voltage is above a certain operation allowable voltage. The first voltage represents a power supply voltage of the control device. The second voltage represents a power supply voltage of the communication controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koichi YOSHINO, Ryo Okabe, Norihiro Kaneko, Takehiro Usumori, Kazuto Kuroda