Bypassable Battery Cell Patents (Class 320/122)
  • Patent number: 11962174
    Abstract: This application discloses a protection circuit associated with a battery management system (BMS). The protection circuit includes a first protection module and a freewheeling module. The first protection module is connected in parallel to a first switch module of the BMS, and the freewheeling module is connected in parallel to a load module of the BMS. The first protection module switches to a charging state when the first switch module is turned off to stabilize a voltage between a first terminal of the first switch module and a second terminal of the first switch module. The freewheeling module is turned on when the first switch module is turned off to stabilize a voltage between the first switch module and the second switch module. The protection circuit mitigates risks of breakdown of the first switch module, and prevents a parasitic inductance from limiting a switching frequency of the first switch module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Wei Zhang, Zhimin Dan, Jinbo Cai, Yizhen Hou, Meilin Chen
  • Patent number: 11929661
    Abstract: An in-vehicle power supply device includes an input end configured to be connected to an in-vehicle secondary battery, an output end configured to be connected to an in-vehicle load, an external signal input port configured to receive an activation signal, a first converter unit connected to the input end and the output end, and a second converter unit connected in parallel to the first converter unit. The first converter unit includes a first drive power supply configured to constantly receive power suppled from the input end, and a first voltage converter operable in response to the power received by the first drive power supply to constantly output power from the output end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11923704
    Abstract: A computer implemented method includes accessing a first status of a first battery pack interface coupled to a load via a first load switch and accessing a second status of a second battery pack interface coupled to the load via a second load switch. The first status and the second status are compared and the first and second load switches are controlled based on the comparing to balance remaining capacities of the first and second battery packs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: James Chester Meador, Daniel Tsuteh Chian, Julian Arlo Binder, Meera Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11855456
    Abstract: A method of controlling charging of a plurality of batteries and an electronic device to which the same is applied are provided. The electronic device includes a housing, a plurality of batteries arranged in the housing, a power management module that controls the plurality of batteries, a plurality of current limiting ICs that limits a maximum intensity of a current flowing into each of the plurality of batteries, and at least one processor operationally connected to the plurality of batteries, the power management module and the plurality of current limiting ICs. The at least one processor may set a total charging current output from the power management module, set an individual charging current flowing into each of the plurality of batteries in proportion to a total capacity of each of the plurality of batteries, and recalculate the individual charging currents when the total charging current changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngmi Ha, Duhyun Kim, Seungbeom Kang, Kyounghoon Kim, Byungwook Kim, Kwanbae Son, Sungjoon Cho, Hansol Choi
  • Patent number: 11831154
    Abstract: A voltage balance circuit includes a battery module connected to an external power source, a voltage dividing module, a detection module and a control module. The battery module includes a plurality of batteries connected in series. The voltage dividing module includes a plurality of bleeder resistors. Each bleeder resistor is connected with one battery in parallel. The detection module includes a plurality of thermistors, fixation resistances and micro-controllers. Each thermistor is arranged beside one bleeder resistor. Each thermistor is connected with one fixation resistance in series. Each micro-controller is connected with one thermistor and the one fixation resistance. The control module includes a plurality of switches and an analog front end component. Each switch is connected with the one bleeder resistor in series. Each switch is connected to the analog front end component, and the analog front end component is connected to the one micro-controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignees: Cheng Uel Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Foxlink Automotive Technology(Kunshan) Co., Ltd., Foxlink Automotive Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Po Shen Chen, Hao Chiang, Jui Chan Yang, Ming Chun Chang, Tsai Fu Lin
  • Patent number: 11824392
    Abstract: A battery pack is provided that includes a plurality of battery cells, a detection portion, a plurality of discharge circuits, and a controller. The plurality of battery cells are connected in series with each other. The detection portion detects a cell voltage between both ends of each battery cell. The plurality of discharge circuits respectively discharge the battery cells. The controller controls the discharge circuits based on the cell voltage detected by the detection portion. The controller controls the discharge circuit to discharge at least one first battery cell when a cell voltage equal to or greater than a first threshold value is detected in the first battery cell and discharge at least one second battery cell when a cell voltage equal to or greater than a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold is detected in the second battery cell other than the first battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 11808819
    Abstract: A Battery Backup (BBU) device, method, and system is disclosed. A BBU cell includes a battery with an internal impedance. The BBU cell includes monitoring circuitry connected to the battery for monitoring a Status of Health (SOH) of the battery. The monitoring circuitry includes a MOSFET and a resistor connected in series and a master control unit connected to the MOSFET for controlling the MOSFET and determining the SOH of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Thibodeau, Haijin Zhang, Cui Xizhi
  • Patent number: 11750004
    Abstract: A battery management system and a battery management method are provided. The battery management system includes a temperature sampling circuit, a plurality of voltage measurement circuits, a current sampling circuit, and a microcontroller. The temperature sampling circuit is configured to obtain a temperature parameter of a plurality of battery packs. The voltage measurement circuits are configured to obtain a plurality of open circuit voltage parameters of the battery packs. The current sampling circuit is configured to obtain a current parameter of the battery packs. The microcontroller obtains a plurality of initial state-of-charge parameters of the battery packs according to the open circuit voltage parameters and the temperature parameter and respectively calculates a plurality of present battery powers of the battery packs according to the initial state-of-charge parameters, the temperature parameter, and the current parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: APh ePower Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsiu-Hsien Su, Bin-Hao Chen, Guan-Ru Jiang, Yi-Xiang Lai
  • Patent number: 11685285
    Abstract: A management server performs a process including: when there is a request to partially replace a battery, obtaining a usage history of the battery; obtaining each cell's full charge capacity; determining a cell having a smallest full charge capacity as a cell to be replaced; calculating an average value of the full charge capacities of the plurality of cells excluding the cell to be replaced; extracting a selectable cell from inventory information; selecting a replacement cell; setting a replacement fee corresponding to partial replacement; and when entire replacement is requested, setting a replacement fee corresponding to entire replacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Igata, Shin Sakurada, Kuniaki Jinnai, Motoyoshi Hatta, Shota Hirose
  • Patent number: 11545845
    Abstract: A battery charger and a method of charging a battery pack. The battery charger may generally include a housing defining an opening, a tray defining a receptacle operable to receive a battery pack, the tray being movable through the opening between an open position, in which the receptacle is accessible, and a closed position, in which the receptacle is closed, and a locking member movable relative to the housing between an unlocked position, in which the tray is movable between the open position and the closed position, and a locked position, in which the tray is retained in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Gall, Jason R. Crowe, Josh Adams
  • Patent number: 11515712
    Abstract: A battery module including a plurality of battery sub packs and an electronic device including the battery module is provided. The battery module comprises a battery pack including a plurality of battery sub packs, a power delivery circuit connectable to the plurality of battery sub packs, a plurality of switches connected between the plurality of battery sub packs and the power delivery circuit, and at least one processor configured to control the plurality of switches to transmit power stored in a first battery sub pack to the power delivery circuit during a first time interval and transmit power stored in the power delivery circuit to a second battery sub pack during a second time interval. Other various embodiments are also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyungmin Lee, Daehyun Kim, Kiyoung Kim, Jaehyuck Shin, Youngho Ryu
  • Patent number: 11489347
    Abstract: A voltage measurement unit measures voltages of the plurality of cells connected in series. A plurality of discharge circuits are connected in parallel to the plurality of cells, respectively. A controller controls, based on the voltages of the plurality of cells detected by voltage measurement unit, the plurality of discharge circuits to make the voltages or capacities of the plurality of cells equal to a target value. The controller determines a number of cells to be discharged among the plurality of cells in accordance with an allowable temperature of a substrate having the plurality of discharge circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yousuke Nakagawa, Masanori Ito, Masato Nakayama, Hidetsugu Mukae
  • Patent number: 11424490
    Abstract: A battery control device that controls a connection between a battery and a load includes a first switch inserted between the battery and the load, a bypass circuit between the battery and the load, which is connected in parallel to the first switch and includes a second switch on the battery side, a diode unit composed of two diodes, and a third switch that are connected in series, an instruction unit that instructs the first, second, and third switches to open or close, an acquisition unit that acquires voltages of both ends of the second and third switches, respectively, and a diagnosis unit that diagnoses whether the first switch operates normally based on open or closed states of the switches and the voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Takahashi, Haruyuki Onoda
  • Patent number: 11398650
    Abstract: A battery module includes a first battery and a discharge circuit. The discharge circuit is connected in parallel to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the first battery. The discharge circuit is configured to discharge the first battery according to a control signal during charging of the first battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jie Fan
  • Patent number: 11303107
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting current overload and leakage in a transport refrigeration unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jamal Zarrabi
  • Patent number: 11287482
    Abstract: A dual-voltage battery for a vehicle includes a multiplicity of battery cells, wherein a group of battery cells in each case is connected to form a battery cell block and a battery electronic system with a plurality of power switching elements for connecting at least individual battery cell blocks in series and/or in parallel, wherein a first voltage is provided in a first connection arrangement of the battery cell blocks and wherein a second voltage is provided in a second connection arrangement of the battery cell blocks, characterized in that a block current sensor with a measurement resistor is associated with at least individual battery cell blocks and is designed to measure a block current through the one associated battery cell block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: André Koerner, Sebastian Kahnt, Juergen Krieger
  • Patent number: 11264812
    Abstract: Circuit module for coupling a plurality of battery cell units. The circuit module includes a first set of terminals having a positive terminal and a negative terminal for coupling to a first battery cell unit, and a second set of terminals having a positive terminal and a negative terminal for coupling to a second battery cell unit. The positive terminal of the first set of terminals is coupled to the negative terminal of the second set of terminals either directly or via one or more passive components, and the negative terminal of the first set of terminals and the positive terminal of the second set of terminals each is coupled to a switching assembly. The switching assembly is operatively configured to selectively connect or bypass each one of the battery cell units. The invention is also directed to a battery system including the circuit module and a plurality of battery cell units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: RELECTRIFY HOLDINGS PTY LTD
    Inventors: Jan Valentin Muenzel, Daniel Crowley
  • Patent number: 11215673
    Abstract: A battery module 1 includes a group battery 2 in which batteries 30 (31 to 33) are connected in series, and an assessment evaluation unit 3 configured to calculate respective states of health of battery cells 10, in which the group battery 2 includes label elements 20 respectively connected in parallel with the battery cells 10 and configured such that respective impedance characteristics of the batteries 30 differ from one another, and the assessment evaluation unit 3 includes a measurement unit 42 configured to measure a first Cole-Cole plot of the group battery 2, a first calculation unit 44 configured to decompose the first Cole-Cole plot into respective second Cole-Cole plots of the batteries 30, a second calculation unit 44 configured to calculate respective third Cole-Cole plots of the battery cells 10 from the second Cole-Cole plots, and a third calculation unit 45 configured to calculate respective states of the battery cells 10 from the third Cole-Cole plots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: WASEDA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tetsuya Osaka, Tokihiko Yokoshima, Daikichi Mukoyama, Hiroki Nara
  • Patent number: 11139679
    Abstract: An auxiliary power source device includes a main power source-side path, an auxiliary power source-side path, a power source control circuit, an analog determination circuit that is provided separately from the power source control circuit, and a power source switching circuit. The power source control circuit controls switching between a conduction state and an interruption state on the main power source-side path and the auxiliary power source-side path. The analog determination circuit determines an occurrence of abnormality in the main power source and generates a switching signal when the occurrence of the abnormality in the main power source is determined. The power source switching circuit switches a power source for supplying power to a power supply target, from the main power source to the auxiliary power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumihiko Sato, Masataka Okuda, Toshiyuki Mikida, Hiroaki Hanzawa
  • Patent number: 11027848
    Abstract: A power pack for a seat-related supply of power, such as an airplane seat, to an electrical unit having an interface for outputting status information. The interface is configured to provide an optical output of the status information. A method for wirelessly reading out status information of the power pack includes the steps of collecting status information, optically transmitting the collected status information, receiving the collected status information with a mobile receive device, and representing the collected status information on the mobile receive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: KID-SYSTEME GMBH
    Inventor: Marc Reinert
  • Patent number: 11009556
    Abstract: A method of estimating a deteriorated state of a battery mounted on a vehicle includes first to third steps. The first step is a step of obtaining a voltage value and a current value of the battery a plurality of times during a data acquisition period and storing the values in a memory. The second step is a step of subjecting the voltage value and the current value during the data acquisition period stored in the memory to Fourier transform and calculating an impedance component for each frequency band based on the voltage value and the current value subjected to Fourier transform. The third step is a step of estimating high-rate deterioration of the battery by comparing a ratio E between a medium-frequency impedance ZM and a low-frequency impedance ZL2 with a reference value K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori Soejima, Hiroshi Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10992169
    Abstract: A device capable of switching the supply source to a power storage unit without interrupting power supply to a power supply target even in the case where power supply from a power source unit cuts out is realized with a simple configuration. A backup device includes a discharging circuit that steps up or steps down a voltage applied to a power storage unit-side conduction path and applies the resulting voltage to an output-side conduction path, a control unit (5) that controls the discharging circuit to apply, to the output-side conduction path, a predetermined target voltage that is lower than a voltage that is applied to a power path in the case where a power source unit is fully charged, and a diode (element unit) that is provided between the power path and the output-side conduction path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazushi Fukae
  • Patent number: 10976373
    Abstract: A lead acid battery device includes a lead acid battery, a charge control unit to charge the lead acid battery by alternately and repeatedly performing high voltage charging, in which a pulsed high voltage is applied to the lead acid battery, and low voltage charging, in which a low voltage lower than the high voltage is applied to the lead acid battery, and an internal resistance calculation unit to calculate an internal resistance of the lead acid battery based on the voltage difference and the current difference of the lead acid battery between a condition at which the pulsed high voltage is applied and a condition at which the pulsed high voltage is not applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takaharu Ohkanda, Kazuyuki Yoda, Hiroshi Takano
  • Patent number: 10944273
    Abstract: An apparatus for balancing a battery according to the present disclosure includes: a voltage measuring unit configured to measure a voltage of each of a plurality of battery cells connected to each other; and a control unit configured to calculate a state of charge (SOC) of each of the battery cells from the voltage measured by the voltage measuring unit, select a standard cell and a target group on the basis of the calculated SOCs of the battery cells, choose one battery cell among battery cells belonging to the selected target group as a target cell, calculate a balancing time according to a difference between the SOC of the standard cell and the SOC of the target cell, and perform balancing to the battery cells belonging to the target group during the calculated balancing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Chul Lee, Ju-Young Sun, Seung-Min Lee
  • Patent number: 10926641
    Abstract: Various embodiments may include a control apparatus for an energy storage unit of a motor vehicle comprising: a non-volatile memory storing a first initial configuration for a first energy storage unit and a second initial configuration for a second energy storage unit. The memory is connected to a further memory having a first adaptation configuration for the first energy storage unit and a second adaptation configuration for the second energy storage unit. The non-volatile memory comprises a first memory part storing the first initial configuration and a second memory part electrically decoupled from the first memory part storing the second initial configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk Reichow, Peter Voilkl, Michael Scheurer
  • Patent number: 10919410
    Abstract: A charge and discharge control device (30) controls the charging and discharging of a plurality of capacitors (11) configure to be removably connected in parallel to a vehicle (20). A receiver (34) acquires the remaining capacity of each of the capacitors (11). A required power calculator (33) calculates the amount of power required to reach a station (100) where the exchange of battery packs (10) including the capacitors (11) is performed, from position information about the station (100) and the current location of the vehicle (20). A target remaining capacity generator (35) calculates the target remaining capacity of each of the storage units (11) upon arrival at the station (100) from the required power amount calculated by the required power calculator (33) and sum of the remaining capacity of each of the storage units (11) acquired by the remaining capacity receiver (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromasa Takatsuka, Junichi Wada, Kazuki Kasai
  • Patent number: 10913444
    Abstract: An improved power system architecture for a hybrid electric vehicle includes a power control unit including a motor inverter, a generator inverter, and a DC-to-DC converter, and vehicle power management (VPM) circuitry directly connected to each of the motor inverter, generator inverter, and DC-to-DC converter. In this arrangement, communication timing is greatly reduced, thereby allowing for feedforward control of the motor inverter, generator inverter, and DC-to-DC converter. The feedforward control enables the VPM circuitry to predict current influx or draw by a motor and determine the corresponding currents to provide to or from the generator and battery prior to or simultaneously with the actual current influx or draw by the motor. This improves vehicle dynamics and responsiveness, as well as enables complete recapture of braking currents and eliminates the need for a brake chopper resistor, thereby improving overall vehicle efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Guozhen Zhou, Long Wu, Kent D. Wanner, Sean West
  • Patent number: 10768239
    Abstract: Various embodiments may include a battery system comprising: a battery cell; and a voltage balancing circuit for balancing a voltage at the battery cell. The voltage balancing circuit includes: a balancing current path electrically connected between a positive power connection terminal and a negative power connection terminal of the battery cell, two resistors, and a controllable balancing switch connected in series with the two resistors; and a measuring arrangement electrically connected on a signal-input side to an electrical connecting point between the two resistors and configured to detect a first voltage potential at the electrical connecting point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Magnus Jaster
  • Patent number: 10594150
    Abstract: A power supply system can include an electrical battery for supplying electrical load using pulse discharge; and a control unit to control the electrical battery to pulse discharge by periodically switching between a discharge state of the electrical battery, when the electrical battery is connected to the electrical load, and a rest state of the electrical battery when the electrical battery is disconnected from the electrical load. During the pulse discharge, the control unit can control a power source for supplying an injection current to the electrical battery during a rest period when the electrical battery is in the rest state. The control unit can further determine the voltage of the electrical battery during the rest state, and when the voltage does not meet a threshold value increase the duration of the rest period, until said threshold value is reached. Other systems, methods and apparatuses are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignees: Manodya Limited, Politecnico Di Milano
    Inventors: Luca Magagnin, Vincenzo Tirella
  • Patent number: 10573935
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a circuit module for coupling a plurality of battery cell units. The circuit module includes a first set of terminals having a positive terminal and a negative terminal for coupling to a first battery cell unit, and a second set of terminals having a positive terminal and a negative terminal for coupling to a second battery cell unit. The positive terminal of the first set of terminals is coupled to the negative terminal of the second set of terminals either directly or via one or more passive components, and the negative terminal of the first set of terminals and the positive terminal of the second set of terminals each is coupled to a switching assembly. The switching assembly is operatively configured to selectively connect or bypass each one of the battery cell units. The invention is also directed to a battery system including the circuit module and a plurality of battery cell units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: RELECTRIFY HOLDINGS PTY LTD
    Inventors: Jan Valentin Muenzel, Daniel Crowley
  • Patent number: 10495692
    Abstract: The present invention enables correct detection of the state of a relay provided on each of the positive and negative terminal sides of a secondary battery. A positive-side main relay makes or breaks continuity between first and second positive contact points, and a negative-side main relay makes or breaks continuity between first and second negative contact points. A microcomputer can measure a first voltage between the first positive and first negative contact points, a second voltage between the second positive and first negative contact points, and a third voltage between the first positive and second negative contact points. The microcomputer detects the state of the positive-side main relay based on a voltage measurement result obtained when the first and second voltages are measured synchronously, and detects the state of the negative-side main relay based on a voltage measurement result obtained when the first and third voltages are measured synchronously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hikaru Miura, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Akihiko Kudoh, Tomonori Kanai
  • Patent number: 10461546
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system and a method of managing a battery by using a balancing battery. The system for managing a battery includes: a battery unit which includes a plurality of battery modules and provides electric energy to an electronic device; a cooling fan which adjusts a flow rate of a fluid flowing into the battery unit; a fan control circuit which controls an operation of the cooling fan; and a balancing battery which performs balancing of the plurality of battery modules by supplying electric energy to one or more of the plurality of battery modules and charging the one or more battery modules, or receiving electric energy from one or more of the plurality of battery modules, and supplies electric energy to the cooling fan under a control of the fan control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyoung Choon Min
  • Patent number: 10449862
    Abstract: Cell voltage measurement is executed immediately after termination of diagnosis on a cell voltage detection function. In a battery managing device 10, a voltage detecting unit 140 detects a terminal voltage of each of battery cells 21 and 22. An RC filter 110 is electrically connected to voltage detecting lines L1, L2, and L3, and a status variation causing unit 130 causes an electrical status variation with respect to the voltage detecting lines L1, L2, and L3. A voltage fluctuating unit 120 fluctuates the terminal voltage of the battery cells 21 and 22 in response to the electrical status variation that is caused by the status variation causing unit 130. A microcomputer 150 diagnoses the voltage detecting unit 140 on the basis of a detection result of the terminal voltage of the battery cells 21 and 22 by the voltage detecting unit 140 when the terminal voltage of the battery cells 21 and 22 is fluctuated by the voltage fluctuating unit 120.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomonori Kanai, Akihiko Kudo, Tomoyuki Arima, Akiko Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 10381858
    Abstract: According to example embodiments, charging of a wireless device includes using a time-displaying power source system to transmit electrical power to a wireless receiver by inductive electrical power transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Inventor: Jahvante Patten
  • Patent number: 10367359
    Abstract: A power control apparatus according to an embodiment includes an acquisition unit and a determination unit. The acquisition unit acquires information relating to a voltage and an electric current of a chargeable/dischargeable secondary battery during charging/discharging. The determination unit determines a maximum current of the secondary battery during charging on the basis of the information acquired by the acquisition unit so that the voltage of the secondary battery does not exceed a predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Sonoka Ikeda, Shinichiro Kosugi, Masahiro Sekino, Osamu Yamazaki, Kazuto Kuroda
  • Patent number: 10266066
    Abstract: In an electric vehicle, two or more batteries are able to be independently mountable on and demountable from the vehicle body. Power received from a first charger via an inlet is supplied to the two batteries via a power line. Each of the two batteries includes a connector for connection to a second charger when the batteries are demounted from the vehicle body, and a controller that controls charging of the battery by the second charger such that it is possible to facilitate charging of a battery when the battery is demounted from the vehicle body and when the battery is mounted on the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Tsuji, Masakazu Takano
  • Patent number: 10232730
    Abstract: The invention relates to an open-loop and/or closed loop control system (1) for a secondary battery (3). Each cell electronics unit (4) is configured to detect a respective state of the battery cell (2), to generate a state parameter assigned to the respectively detected state, to weight, with the respective state parameter, a value of a probability of the battery cell (2) being switched on and to control the state of the battery cell (2) as a function of the respective control signal and the value, weighted with the respective state parameter, of the probability of the battery cell (2) being switched on. A control signal contains at least one information item according to which the values, stored in the cell electronics units (4), of the probability of the respective battery cell (2) being switched on are retained, incrementally increased, incrementally reduced or reset to a predefined output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Marco Friedrich, Stefan Butzmann
  • Patent number: 10232727
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery system (1), in particular for an electrically driven motor vehicle, having at least one battery sub-unit (2) and at least one high-power line (3), wherein the battery sub-unit (2) has at least one galvanic element (4), at least one power switching transistor (5), which is connected in series with the galvanic element (4) and via which the galvanic element (4) can be electrically conductively connected to the high-power line (3), at least one power bypass transistor (6), which is connected in parallel with the power switching transistor (5) and the galvanic element (4), and at least one electronic device (7), which is configured to acquire at least one operating parameter of the battery sub-unit (2) and has a communication link with the power switching transistor (5) and/or the power bypass transistor (6), wherein the electronic device (7) is configured to generate a data signal assigned to the operating parameter, in that the electronic device (7) activates the power switchi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Strobel, Fabian Henrici
  • Patent number: 10236693
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention describe a battery including a plurality of master-less controllers. Each controller is operatively connected to a corresponding cell in a string of cells, and each controller is configured to bypass a fraction of current around the corresponding cell when the corresponding cell has a greater charge than one or more other cells in the string of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Robert Button, Marcelo C. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 10218204
    Abstract: A charging method on constant current mode includes communicating with a rechargeable battery by a central control module to obtain a first current and a first voltage required to charge the rechargeable battery; receiving a first current output instruction and a first voltage output instruction by first and second charging modules; outputting a second voltage and a second current to the rechargeable battery and transmitting an output value of the second voltage and an output value of the second current to the central control module by the first charging module; and when the central control module detects that difference between the output value of the second voltage and the first voltage is smaller than a predetermined voltage value, transmitting a fourth current output instruction, in which a fourth current equals the first current minus a predetermined current value, to the first charging module by the central control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: PHIHONG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Chen Chen, Jian-Hsieng Lee, Ying-Chieh Yeh, Hsiao-Tung Ku
  • Patent number: 10211490
    Abstract: A storage battery deterioration measurement device and a power storage system are provided which measure deterioration in unit batteries included in an assembled battery constituting a storage battery in a shorter time than conventional devices and systems, and which include a control unit to acquire information based on the states of the multiple unit batteries and a deterioration determination unit to detect the unit battery indicating the maximum value among the information acquired by the control unit and the unit battery indicating the minimum value thereamong, and to detect deterioration in the unit batteries on the basis of the difference between a per-predetermined-period variation of information on the unit battery indicating the maximum value and a per-predetermined-period variation of information on the unit battery indicating the minimum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuruki Okada, Sho Shiraga, Toshihiro Wada, Shoji Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 10193357
    Abstract: An energy storage system having battery building blocks which contribute load current to the output of the energy storage system. A system controller provides functional control of the energy storage system and communication to an external host, a system charger charges cells in the battery building blocks and an interface provides a separate connection for at least two battery building blocks to allow the at least two battery building blocks to be separately removed from the energy storage system. The system controller diverts the flow of current from a charger to provide a contribution to the load current in place of the contribution to the load current from the battery building block being replaced to allow said battery building block to be replaced whilst the energy storage system is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: TWS (MACAU COMMERCIAL OFFSHORE) LIMITED
    Inventor: Peter Marinov
  • Patent number: 10128674
    Abstract: A multiple battery charging and discharging system controls the configuration of multiple batteries arranged in multiple battery banks. The batteries within each bank are connected in series when powering an electrical load, such as a service motor, and are connected in parallel when charging. A microprocessor monitors the voltage levels of the batteries in each bank and controls relays to switch the electrical load over to a charged battery bank when the voltage level of the discharging battery bank drops below a minimum run threshold. The microprocessor also monitors the voltage levels of the charging battery bank and controls relays to cease charging when the voltage level rises above a minimum charge threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Inventor: Larry Nelson
  • Patent number: 10110023
    Abstract: A power supply system for supplying an electrical load using a pulse discharge arrangement. The power supply system comprises a first electrical battery for supplying said electrical load, a control unit configured to control the first electrical battery for periodically switching between a discharge state of the first electrical battery and a rest state of the first electrical battery, said control unit being further configured to control a power source for supplying a first charging current to the first electrical battery during a rest period when the first electrical battery is in the rest state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignees: Manodya Limited, Politecnico Di Milano
    Inventors: Luca Magagnin, Vincenzo Tirella
  • Patent number: 10074975
    Abstract: A power supply device (1) includes a parallel connection of a plurality of series circuits each including a secondary battery (11A, 11B) and a relay (12A, 12B) connected in series with the secondary battery. A control apparatus for controlling ON/OFF timings of the relays (12A, 12B) includes a control device (2) to set a time difference between the ON/OFF timings of the relays (12A, 12B) to control the supply of power at optimum timings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukari Tsukamoto, Takeshi Fujita, Chiduru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 10012700
    Abstract: A diagnosis apparatus performing a diagnosis for reuse of an electric storage apparatus including a plurality of electric storage elements connected electrically in series includes a voltage sensor detecting a voltage of each of a plurality of blocks, the plurality of electric storage elements being divided into the blocks; a current sensor detecting a current in the electric storage apparatus; and a controller calculating an internal resistance of each of the blocks based on outputs from the voltage sensor and the current sensor. The controller specifies the highest of the internal resistances of the plurality of blocks as a criterion to perform the diagnosis for the reuse of the electric storage apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhide Kurimoto
  • Patent number: 9947971
    Abstract: A battery capacity estimation unit estimates a battery in battery capacity based on information regarding the battery's use history. A moisture intrusion estimation unit estimates an amount of moisture intruding into the battery. A battery capacity correction unit uses the estimated amount of intruding moisture to correct the estimated battery capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nakayama, Makoto Nakashima, Masato Komatsuki, Yasuhide Kurimoto
  • Patent number: 9933278
    Abstract: A switch actuation detection unit has a switch actuation voltage reception terminal and a logic circuit. The logic circuit includes a first port, a second port, a zener diode, and a signal port. The switch actuation voltage reception terminal receives a switch actuation voltage. The first port is connected to the switch actuation voltage reception terminal. A first terminal of the zener diode is connected to the switch actuation voltage reception terminal while a second terminal of the zener diode is connected to the second port. The signal port provides a plurality of pre-determined switch state signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Wei Ming Dan Chia, Bee Ching Kong, Chieh Kuen Woo
  • Patent number: 9866050
    Abstract: Battery cell charge equalization devices, systems and methods are provided. A particular method includes receiving a charging current at a battery charge equalization circuit coupled to a battery cell of a multi-cell battery. The method also includes routing at least a portion of the charging current away from the battery cell when a voltage of the battery cell satisfies a first voltage threshold. The method further includes establishing a second voltage threshold in response to the voltage of the battery cell satisfying the first voltage threshold. The second voltage threshold is lower than the first voltage threshold. The charging current is routed away from the battery cell while the voltage of the battery cell satisfies the second voltage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Randy L. Brandt, Daniel I. Taira
  • Patent number: 9846198
    Abstract: A battery management system includes a control unit having a first micro controller arranged on the low-voltage side of the control unit, and a second micro controller arranged on the high-voltage side of the control unit. The system further includes a plurality of first voltage measuring units respectively assigned to a battery module of the battery, and a first communication connection for transmitting voltage values from the first voltage measuring units to the first micro controller. The system also has a plurality of second voltage measuring units and a second communication connection for transmitting voltage values from the second voltage measuring units to the second micro controller. The first or the second voltage measuring units are configured as min/max measuring units such that they detect a minimum and a maximum voltage value of the battery cells in the battery modules, and dismiss voltage measurement values in between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Stefan Butzmann