Abstract: An energy storage apparatus includes: an energy storage device; a voltage dropper configured to drop a charge voltage for the energy storage device; a current switcher connected in parallel with the voltage dropper; a voltage detection unit configured to detect a voltage of the energy storage device; and a controller. When the voltage of the energy storage device exceeds a predetermined value, the controller causes the current switcher to switch a path of a charge current to the energy storage device to a path through the voltage dropper.

Abstract: A management device manages a secondary battery which includes a positive electrode having an active material with a characteristic where a potential flat portion exists in a relationship between a capacity and a potential. The management device includes a management unit which detects an occurrence of temporary degradation of the secondary battery when an SOC correlation associated value which is associated with an SOC of the secondary battery is acquired and the SOC which corresponds to the acquired SOC correlation associated value is equal to or less than a preset prescribed SOC or when a state value relating to a voltage of the secondary battery is acquired and a magnitude relationship between the acquired state value relating to the voltage of the secondary battery and a preset threshold value satisfies a predetermined condition.

Abstract: An electric storage apparatus includes an electric storage device and a protective circuit for cutting off a power path when detecting abnormality including overcharge, the protective circuit being connected to an outside connecting terminal, to which a power generator and an outside load operated by electric power from the electric storage apparatus are connected. The protective circuit includes a charging or discharging path connecting the electric storage device to the outside connecting terminal, a potential difference measuring unit for measuring a potential difference at two points on the charging or discharging path, the two points on the charging or discharging path being located between a positive electrode of the electric storage device and the outside connecting terminal, a self-holding switch disposed between the two points on the charging or discharging path, and a current measuring unit for measuring a current.

Abstract: An electric storage device management system includes a voltage sensor configured to detect a voltage across an electric storage device having a correlation between an open circuit voltage (OCV) and a state of charge (SOC), the correlation including a slight change region and a sharp change region, the slight change region being a region in which a variation in OCV relative to the SOC is equal to or smaller than a reference value, and the sharp change region being a region in which the variation is larger than the reference value.

Abstract: An electric storage apparatus includes: an electric storage device; a potential difference measuring unit for measuring a potential difference at two arbitrary points on a charging/discharging path for the electric storage device; a self-holding switch disposed between the two points on the charging/discharging path; a current measuring unit for measuring a current flowing on the charging/discharging path; a switch controller for controlling switching of the self-holding switch based on at least the state of the electric storage device; and an operational state determining unit for determining the operational state of the self-holding switch based on the control state of the switch controller and at least one of a result measured by the potential difference measuring unit and a result measured by the current measuring unit.

Abstract: A monitoring device for an energy storage device mounted on a vehicle includes: a memory; and a processor, wherein the memory is configured to store at least one of data on an estimated value of a parking-time discharge current, which the energy storage device discharges during parking, and data for calculating the estimated value of the parking-time discharge current. The processor is configured to perform first SOC estimation processing in which an SOC of the energy storage device is estimated by integrating estimated values of the parking-time discharge current based on the data stored in the memory when the vehicle is in a parking state.

Abstract: A power control method of an electric storage apparatus that includes an output terminal, an electric storage device connected to the output terminal via a power supply route in the electric storage apparatus, and a monitoring apparatus including a detector, a communication unit, and a controller, includes detecting a variation value corresponding to an amount of charge of the electric storage device, shutting down the power supply route in the electric storage apparatus, which connects the electric storage device to the output terminal, and causing the communication unit to receives an input signal from outside.

Abstract: A switch failure diagnosis device for using in a current path between an electric device and an electric storage device includes plural switches, a switch terminal voltage detector, and a controller. The switches are connected parallel to each other in the current path. The switch terminal voltage detector outputs a switch terminal voltage detection signal. The controller is configured to select the switches at different time in sequence and input an open instruction signal to each switch at the time when the switch is selected, and to determine, based on the switch terminal voltage detection signal output while the open instruction signal is given, that at least one of the switches has a failure if the detected voltage is in a failure determination range.

Abstract: A method for equalizing capacities of electric storage devices that are connected in series in an electric storage device assembly charged and discharged by a charger/discharger includes charging/discharging the electric storage device assembly at a charging/discharging rate of 1 C or lower, individually measuring voltages of the electric storage devices, respectively, determining whether a time rate of change in voltage of one electric storage device of the electric storage devices has reached a time-rate-of-change reference value and then a time rate of change in voltage of another electric storage device of the electric storage devices has reached the time-rate-of-change reference value, and individually discharging, based on a determining result, the electric storage device by a discharging circuit provided separately from the discharger.

Abstract: An energy storage apparatus includes: an energy storage device which is connected to a vehicle load and a vehicle power generator; a current interrupt device that causes the energy storage device and the vehicle load as well as the energy storage device and the vehicle power generator to be in a conduction state or in an interruption state; a voltage detection unit that detects voltage of the energy storage device; and a control unit. The control unit executes: a switching instruction process in which, when determining that the electric storage device will reach an overcharge state on the basis of the voltage, the control unit issues an interruption switching instruction to the current interrupt device; and an interruption maintaining process in which, when the number of times of the switching instruction process exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit issues an instruction to maintain the interruption state.

Abstract: A battery apparatus disclosed in the present specification includes: an energy storage device that supplies power to a vehicle load mounted on a vehicle; a current interrupt unit that causes the energy storage device and the vehicle load to be in a conduction state or in an interruption state; a parallel circuit connected in parallel with the current interrupt device and including a diode that causes a voltage drop when current flows therethrough; and a control unit, wherein a CPU in the control unit executes an interruption process for switching the current interrupt device to an interruption state to detect a voltage between both ends of the current interrupt device, when a high load that is to be activated by supply of power exceeding maximum allowable current of the diode is not activated.

Abstract: A battery including an output terminal, an electric storage device, a monitoring apparatus including a detector and a controller, the detector being configured to detect a variation value corresponding to an amount of charge of the electric storage device, a relay connected to the output terminal and the electric storage device, and a communication unit connected to the controller. The controller is configured to execute an opening process to switch a state of the relay from a closed state to an open state and to cause the communication unit to receive an input signal from outside.

Abstract: An energy storage system includes an energy storage device; a current cutoff unit configured to cut off current of the energy storage device; a communication connector to be connected with an external communication connector; a detection terminal provided to the communication connector; and a control unit configured to control the current cutoff unit based on a connection state of the detection terminal of the communication connector when the communication connector is connected with the external communication connector. In a method of monitoring an energy storage device mounted on a vehicle, when a communication connector including a detecting terminal is connected with an external communication connector of the vehicle, current between the energy storage device and the vehicle is cut off based on a connection state of the detection terminal.

Abstract: A switch failure detector, configured to be installed in an electric system including an electric storage device, includes at least one electronic switch connected in a path in which a charging current to the electric storage device and a discharging current from the electric storage device flow, at least one rectifier for passing a discharging current by bypassing the electronic switch when the electronic switch is turned off, and a controller for sending an on-command signal to the at least one electronic switch to turn on the electronic switch, and determining whether a switch failure detection process is executable based on a voltage of the electric storage device.

Abstract: A switch failure detector, configured to be installed in an electric system including an electric storage device, includes at least one electronic switch connected in a path in which a charging current to the electric storage device and a discharging current from the electric storage device flow, at least one rectifier for passing a discharging current by bypassing the electronic switch when the electronic switch is turned off, and a controller for sending an on-command signal to the at least one electronic switch to turn on the electronic switch, and determining whether a switch failure detection process is executable based on a voltage of the electric storage device.

Abstract: A battery including an output terminal, an electric storage device, a monitoring apparatus including a detector and a controller, the detector being configured to detect a variation value corresponding to an amount of charge of the electric storage device, a relay connected to the output terminal and the electric storage device, and a communication unit connected to the controller. The controller is configured to execute an opening process to switch a state of the relay from a closed state to an open state and to cause the communication unit to receive an input signal from outside.

Abstract: A state estimation device includes: a current integration unit configured to integrate a current that flows through the energy storage device; and a first estimation unit configured to estimate a full-charge capacity of the energy storage device. The energy storage device has a correlation characteristic of correlation between a residual capacity C and an open voltage V, the correlation characteristic including a constant region in which a time change in the correlation characteristic is relatively smaller than an other region.

Abstract: A switch failure detector configured to be installed in an electric system including an electric storage device, the switch failure detector includes at least one electronic switch connected in a path in which a charging current to the electric storage device and a discharging current from the electric storage device flow, at least one rectifier for passing a discharging current by bypassing the electronic switch when the electronic switch is turned off, a switch voltage detection circuit configured to detect a voltage drop caused by the at least one electronic switch, and a controller for sending an on-command signal to the at least one electronic switch to turn on the electronic switch, and receiving the voltage detected by the switch voltage detection circuit while the on-command signal is sent to the electronic switch.

Abstract: An electric storage device management system includes a voltage sensor configured to detect a voltage across an electric storage device having a correlation between an open circuit voltage (OCV) and a state of charge (SOC), the correlation including a slight change region and a sharp change region, the slight change region being a region in which a variation in OCV relative to the SOC is equal to or smaller than a reference value, and the sharp change region being a region in which the variation is larger than the reference value.

Abstract: A power control method of an electric storage apparatus that includes an electric storage device and an output terminal connected to the electric storage device via a power supply route, the output terminal being electrically connected to a system including an engine, the method includes detecting a variation value corresponding to an amount of charge of the electric storage device, determining whether the detected variation value is equal to or lower than an opening threshold, the opening threshold being larger than an engine activation low-threshold by a predetermined value, the engine activation low-threshold being a lowest level of the amount of charge at which the engine is able to be started, and shutting down the power supply route in the electric storage apparatus, which connects the electric storage device to the output terminal, if the variation value is equal to or lower than the opening threshold.