Using A Battery Testing Device Patents (Class 324/426)
  • Patent number: 8102179
    Abstract: The method for determining the state of charge of a battery can be used during charging or discharging of the battery at constant current. It comprises placing the battery in open circuit during a recovery period until the voltage at the terminals of said battery stabilizes at a voltage plateau. Then a constant test voltage is applied to the battery terminals during a preset test period. The state of charge of the battery corresponds to the current measured at the end of the test period by means of a previously obtained calibration curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Commisariat A L'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Rémy Mingant, Sébastien Martinet, Christine Lefrou
  • Publication number: 20120013342
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with a built-in battery whose residual amount of the electrical energy can be detected accurately. The semiconductor device has a battery, a demodulation circuit, a control circuit which generates a signal having information about the residual amount of the electrical energy stored in the battery, and a transmission medium which displays the residual amount of the electrical energy in accordance with the signal. The demodulation circuit demodulates a signal input from an antenna which requests display of the residual amount of the electrical energy. Based on the demodulated signal, the control circuit starts to generate a signal having information about the residual amount of the electrical energy in the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takeshi OSADA
  • Publication number: 20120013306
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a state of charge (SOC) of an electrical energy storage device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system is provided for determining the SOC of an electrical energy storage device comprises at least one memristor coupled in series with the electrical energy storage device to monitor charge current and discharge current of the electrical energy storage device. The system also includes a readout controller configured to determine the SOC of the electrical energy storage device based on the resistance of the memristor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Karthik Kadirvel, John H. Carpenter, JR.
  • Patent number: 8099180
    Abstract: A device is described for ascertaining state variables and/or parameters of a mathematical energy accumulator model, in particular a battery model, that describes the electrical properties of the energy accumulator on the basis of various state variables and parameters, the mathematical energy accumulator model having correction equations by which the state variables and/or the parameters are corrected and adjusted to the actual operating performance of the energy accumulator. A particularly rapid and accurate compensation of the energy accumulator model may be achieved if the error between a measured battery performance quantity and the battery performance quantity calculated by the energy accumulator model, a differentiated component of the error and an integrated component of the error are calculated, the individual components are each weighted using a weighting factor and the weighted error components are taken into account in correction of a state variable and/or a parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Eberhard Schoch
  • Patent number: 8097352
    Abstract: A battery system that can prevent a battery from bursting and a battery safety alarm system therefore are provided. A battery system includes an optical fiber wound around an outer circumferential portion of a battery. The battery system detects an abnormality of the battery on the basis of a loss of the laser beam caused by lateral pressure acting on the optical fiber. An alarm warns a user of the abnormality when the abnormality is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Kenichi Fuse
  • Patent number: 8093866
    Abstract: The management method comprises a charging phase and may comprise an optional prior phase of estimating the state of charge of the battery. Comparison of the absolute value of the slope of the voltage at the battery terminals with a full-charge threshold at the end of each period, when a pulsed current is applied, is used as end-of-charging criterion in the charging phase and/or as full-charge criterion in the phase of estimating the state of charge. The charging phase by pulsed current is interrupted when the slope reaches the full-charge threshold. This same comparison constitutes the criterion for estimating the necessity for going to a charging step after the prior phase of estimating the state of charge of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Fathia Karoui, Elisabeth Lemaire, Christine Lefrou
  • Patent number: 8094032
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a voltage detecting circuit for detecting a voltage range of a power source. The voltage detecting circuit includes a micro controlling unit, a boost circuit and a plurality of divider resistors. The micro controlling unit includes a general input/output port and a controlling input/output port. The boost circuit provides a constant voltage. A judgment voltage is obtained according to the divider resistors, the constant voltage and a voltage of the power source. A digital level signal is issued by the general input/output port according to the judgment voltage. In response to the digital level signal, the micro controlling unit generates a corresponding prompt associated with the voltage status of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Nan Su, Chin-Lung Lai
  • Patent number: 8093902
    Abstract: A diffusion estimation unit follows a diffusion equation in an active material that is represented by a polar coordinate to estimate a distribution in concentration of lithium in the active material. An open circuit voltage estimation unit obtains an open circuit voltage in accordance with a local SOC(?) based on a concentration of lithium obtained at an interface of the active material as estimated by the diffusion estimation unit. A current estimation unit uses a battery's voltage measured by a voltage sensor, the estimated open circuit voltage, and a parameter value that is set for the battery by a battery parameter value setting unit, and follows a voltage-current relationship model expression simplified from an electrochemical reaction expression to estimate the battery's current density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Nishi, Takeshi Takemoto, Nobuyasu Haga, Tetsuya Fuchimoto
  • Publication number: 20110316546
    Abstract: A contact assembly is described for testing a storage cell with a probe configured to flex in an outward direction, in response to a vertical application of force, to scrub a tab on the storage cell at a zero insertion force. The contact assembly comprises a contact structure configured to flex in an outward direction to scrub and to pierce a tab of the storage cell; a board, wherein a juxtaposition of the board to the contact structure defines an opening configured to receive the tab of the storage cell; and a device configured to move the contact structure, to a position in which the opening is closed, to cause the contact structure to scrub and to pierce the tab on the storage cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Christopher James Bruno, David Nathaniel Scott, Bruce Leon Cowgill
  • Publication number: 20110316545
    Abstract: A method is described for retrieving, by a test system, a formation profile associated with the storage cell, the formation profile comprising one or more formation segments, with a formation segment comprising an action to be performed upon a detection of a signature value; measuring, by the test system, a value of a parameter of the formation segment; detecting, based on a comparison between the value of the parameter and one or more signatures associated with the formation segment, that the value of the parameter comprises the signature value; and performing the action specified in the formation segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Rylan Ian Grant, Christopher James Bruno, Naim Mark Kahwati, Michael K. Malone, John Kenji Narasaki
  • Publication number: 20110309837
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a chuck mechanism of a charge/discharge testing device for flat-rechargeable batteries and has a proposition to provide a chuck mechanism that makes it possible to lighten conventionally needed troublesome works, that is, for example, works of storing and fixing a large number of flat-rechargeable batteries in a container, and that is capable of surely chucking the flat-rechargeable batteries (electrodes). The chuck mechanism includes a first guide couplable with a battery storage retaining a plurality of flat-rechargeable batteries arranged in parallel, and a plurality of chuck units continuously joined with the first guide and resiliently arranged in parallel, wherein the chuck units each have a second guide resiliently positioning each of the chuck units with a predetermined number of corresponding flat-rechargeable batteries in the battery storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Takashi NISHIHARA, Takahiro Kawasaki, Tsutomu Okazaki, Takeshi Yasooka, Hiroaki Habe, Yoshikazu Niwa
  • Patent number: 8081000
    Abstract: The invention provides an evaluation method and an evaluation apparatus with which it is possible to know the safety level of batteries when an internal short circuit occurs through a chemical process, and a battery whose safety level has been determined with the evaluation method and the evaluation apparatus. A battery that has been charged to a predetermined voltage and into which conductive foreign matter has been incorporated is immersed in an electrolyte. The time at which the battery started to dissolve in the electrolyte is determined. Occurrence of an internal short circuit in the battery is detected based on a battery voltage. A time required for occurrence of short circuit is computed based on the above-described dissolution start time and the time of occurrence of the internal short circuit, and then output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Kasamatsu, Hajime Nishino, Masato Fujikawa, Mikinari Shimada
  • Publication number: 20110300416
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for repairing or testing a used battery pack from an electric vehicle include removing the battery pack from the vehicle. Battery tests are performed on at least some of the plurality of batteries and battery test results for each of the batteries tested are obtained. A cradle is configured to receive at least two different types of batteries. The cradle includes connectors to electrically couple circuitry of a battery tester to the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventor: Kevin I. Bertness
  • Publication number: 20110298463
    Abstract: Provided are a battery state monitoring circuit and a battery device, in which, even when one secondary battery becomes an overcharged state or an overdischarged state and then a voltage detection circuit operates, power is not consumed in only the one secondary battery. The battery state monitoring circuit includes: a plurality of voltage detection circuits which are provided for a plurality of secondary batteries, respectively, for detecting voltages of the plurality of secondary batteries; and a current bypass circuit provided in each of the plurality of voltage detection circuits, for allowing an operation current of the each of the plurality of voltage detection circuits to flow into a ground terminal. Therefore, when only one secondary battery becomes an overcharged state or an overdischarged state, the battery device operates so that the power of all the secondary batteries is consumed to prevent voltages between the secondary batteries from being unbalanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi Saito, Kazuaki Sano
  • Patent number: 8072188
    Abstract: This power supply device includes a series circuit of a first switching element and a second switching element connected in parallel with a DC power supply unit, and a smoothing filter circuit which includes a series circuit of an inductor and a smoothing capacitor connected in parallel with the second switching element. The power supply device also includes a control unit and a drive circuit for generating first and second PWM pulses by respectively driving the first and second switching elements ON and OFF, and for creating a dead time between those switching pulse signals. And this control unit changes the frequency of the switching pulse signal according to the pulse width of either the first PWM pulses or the second PWM pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sansha Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Yorinobu, Shigeru Okamoto, Hajime Katsushima
  • Patent number: 8072341
    Abstract: A detachable battery status alarm has an alarm device and at least one battery detector. The battery detector is directly mounted on the battery and electronically connected to the battery. The alarm device links to the battery detector to obtain the battery status in a physical connection or a wireless connection. Therefore, the alarm device does not physically connect to the battery or batteries to test the battery or batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: DHC Specialty Corp.
    Inventor: Hsien-Fang Sheng
  • Patent number: 8072224
    Abstract: Method embodiments for analyzing the future performance of a fuel cell stack comprise the steps of: a) generating a first polarization curve data by experimentally measuring the voltage of a fuel cell stack across a current range at a first interval; b) dividing the current range into a plurality of discrete current ranges; c) calculate an average voltage value for each discrete current range; d) fitting all average voltage values to produce a first average polarization curve; e) conducting steps a) through d) at a second interval to produce a second average polarization curve; f) comparing the first average polarization curve to the second polarization curve to calculate the drop in voltage and thereby the fuel cell stack degradation; and g) utilizing the calculated drop in voltage between the first and second polarization curves to predict the polarization of the fuel cells at future time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Toyoto Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jared Michael Farnsworth
  • Publication number: 20110279122
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a characteristic status parameter of a memory unit via an electric circuit arrangement. In the circuit arrangement at least one inductive component and at least one capacitive component are arranged, forming a tuned circuit with the memory unit. The method has the following steps of energizing the tend circuit by temporary charging of the capacitive component, the energizing being carried out by an energizing device electrically supplied by the memory unit, and determining a time-dependent voltage change at the capacitive component after terminating the energizing and determining the characteristic status parameter from the time-dependence of the voltage change. The invention further relates to a corresponding electrical circuit arrangement and an electrical memory, including such a circuit arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Stefan Butzmann
  • Patent number: 8058876
    Abstract: A battery health or prognosis system may employ a ferrite disc embedded in a printed wiring board (PWB) to perform both a battery current sensing role and a temperature sensing role. The ferrite disc may be surrounded with a coil that may be comprised of surface conductors and electrically conductive vias of the PWB. Excursions of coil current may be produced to generate observable hysterisis loops in the ferrite disc. The generated hysterisis loops may be compared to a temperature-dependent family of hysterisis loops for the magnetic material from which the ferrite disc is constructed. A processor mounted on the PWB may collect and process outputs from a Hall-effect sensor to develop both temperature and battery current information to produce a prognosis for the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrei Cernasov, Joseph Marotta, Fernando De La Vega
  • Patent number: 8055314
    Abstract: A method and system for determining standby time for a mobile station uses a battery simulator, a base station emulator, a computer to control the test equipment and MSUT for testing a mobile station. The computer includes a module for determining a radio off battery voltage, a module for deriving a battery capacity in dependence upon the radio off battery voltage, a module for measuring battery capacity usage in a predetermined time while the mobile station is in standby mode and a module for determining a standby time for the mobile station in dependence upon the battery capacity and the battery capacity usage, where the predetermined time is less than the standby time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Xin Jin, Jennifer Anne Elizabeth Mallalieu, Fiona Shearer
  • Publication number: 20110267067
    Abstract: An electronic battery tester for testing a storage battery including electrical connectors configured to couple to the storage battery. Measurement circuitry is coupled to the electrical connectors and a display is configured to display information to an operator. A manual input is configured to receive an input from a user. A microprocessor is coupled to the measurement circuitry and is configured to perform a battery test on the storage battery as a function of a battery parameter measured with the measurement circuitry. The microprocessor is configured to display characters and receive a character select input from the manual input which identifies one character of a plurality of characters displayed on the display. In another aspect, a forcing function is coupled to the battery and has first and second selectable frequencies. The microprocessor is configured to select between the first frequency and the second frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Kevin I. Bertness, Jeremy Decker, Tood J. Stukenberg
  • Patent number: 8049509
    Abstract: A battery information acquiring apparatus includes a voltage acquiring unit which acquires an inter-terminal voltage of the battery cell; a battery information acquiring circuit which acquires battery information of the battery cell with the acquired voltage being supplied as a first power supply voltage and; a radio circuit which transmits a signal of the battery information to the management unit via the antenna with the acquired voltage being supplied as a second power supply voltage and; a rectification circuit which receives a radio signal from the management unit via the antenna, rectify the received radio signal and generate a DC voltage; and a control circuit which controls supply of the first and second power supply voltages to the battery information acquiring circuit and the radio circuit wherein the control circuit operates with the generated DC voltage being supplied as a third power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroki Sakurai, Tetsuro Itakura, Toshiyuki Umeda, Akiko Yamada, Nobuo Shibuya, Yoshinao Tatebayashi, Daisuke Kurose
  • Publication number: 20110265025
    Abstract: A vehicle electrical system tester for testing the electrical system of a vehicle is provided. The electrical system has a wiring harness which extends between components of the vehicle and includes a plurality of wires. The vehicle electrical system tester is configured to measure an electrical parameter of at least one of the plurality of wires through a first connection to coupled to a first end of the at least one of the plurality of wires and a second connection coupled to a second end of the at least one of the plurality of wires. An electrical signal is applied between the first and second ends of the at least one of the plurality of wires and the electrical parameter of the at least one of the plurality of wires is responsively measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventor: Kevin I. Bertness
  • Publication number: 20110260731
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery module, in particular for a motor vehicle, which includes a housing, at least one battery disposed in the housing, at least one inlet opening for introducing a tempering fluid into the housing, at least one outlet opening for discharging the tempering fluid from the housing, and at least one monitoring device for detecting a state of the at least one battery. According to the invention, the at least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening can be sealed by at least one closure element in the event of a disruption condition of the at least one battery, so that materials exiting the at least one battery, in particular gases, during the disruption state can not escape from the battery module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Ulrich Alkemade, UIrich Sauter
  • Patent number: 8044814
    Abstract: The invention provides a system and battery including a state-of-charge indicator (SOCI) to monitor and display the amount of charge within the battery. The SOCI is capable of operating in a hibernate mode, an active mode, and/or a sleep mode. The battery may be manufactured, shipped and/or stored with the SOCI operating in a power-saving hibernate mode. The SOCI may exit the hibernate mode and begin operating in active mode if a physical key connected to the battery is removed. In addition, the SOCI may operate in a sleep mode while the battery is not being used to conserve power. Furthermore, the invention provides a method of making a battery including a SOCI to monitor and display the state of charge of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: EaglePicher Energy Products Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg C. Bruce, Christo Brand
  • Patent number: 8046604
    Abstract: A method and apparatus that allows for controlling operating time of a portable computer system and a peripheral device. A portable computing system that includes a rechargeable power supply and that includes a connection mechanism for coupling to a peripheral device is used to control operating time of the portable computer system and the peripheral device. In one embodiment, a user can choose between maximizing the operating time of the portable computer, maximizing the operating time of the peripheral device, or maximizing the life of the entire system (maximizing the operating time of the portable computer system and the peripheral device). When operating time of the portable computer system is to be maximized, power is sent from the peripheral device to the portable computer system to extend the operating time of the portable computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Anthony Kim, Howard William Stanley
  • Publication number: 20110254558
    Abstract: A testing system and a method for testing a battery cell are provided. The system includes a nest member that receives the battery cell, and a clamping device that secures a first battery tab between first and second connectors, and secures a second battery tab between third and fourth connectors. The system further includes a voltmeter that measures a voltage level between the first and third connectors when the first and second battery tabs are contacting the first and third connectors, respectively. The system further includes an ohmeter that measures a first resistance level between a first portion of the outer housing and the first connector when the first battery tab is contacting the first connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Janina Stancu, Kenneth J. Oswandel
  • Publication number: 20110248719
    Abstract: An electrical storage module includes: a plurality of electrical storage units; electrical storage unit connecting conductors electrically connecting the plurality of electrical storage units; and a voltage detection line unit electrically connected to the plurality of electrical storage units for detecting a voltage of each of the plurality of the electrical storage units, wherein: the voltage detection line unit is unitized with the electrical storage unit connecting conductors, includes voltage detection lines for each detecting the voltage of one of the plurality of the electrical storage units, and is configured such that, when the electrical storage unit connecting conductors are mechanically connected to the plurality of electrical storage units, the voltage detection lines are electrically connected to the electrical storage units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadayuki AOKI
  • Patent number: 8035396
    Abstract: Battery system is widely used in emergent power plant or communication network power plant and its effective management is important. When any one of batteries connected to each other in series is failed during operation of the battery system, since reliability of the system cannot be secured, a problem is arisen to stable operation of the communication network. In a method of separating inferior battery, the battery is operated in floating charge state without separation to generate square current containing charge current and easily generated to flow through the battery cell, voltage signal generated from terminal voltage of the battery by the measuring signal is processed such that only internal impedance voltage signal is separated from harmonics ripple voltage and noise voltage by a synchronized detection calculating algorithm to calculate the internal impedance or effective value thereof (resistance component).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Inventor: Deuk Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8035394
    Abstract: The present invention provides a battery testing device and a battery testing method which can appropriately verify the behavior of a battery when damage occurs. Appropriately verification of battery behavior in a case of battery damage has not been achieved since a completely crushed state of a battery almost never occurs during the sue of a portable device, such as a portable telephone, and a completely crushed state of a battery is not the worst condition when determining an abnormality induced by an internal short. Therefore a secondary battery set on a test stand is partially crushed using a pressing member, and the quality of the secondary battery is determined by measuring the temperature of the secondary battery, whereby battery behavior when the secondary battery is damaged can be appropriately verified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Takeno, Takayuki Kanai, Haruo Uemura
  • Patent number: 8030940
    Abstract: A battery voltage measuring system includes an analog/digital converter configured to receive a higher reference voltage and a lower reference voltage which is lower than the higher reference voltage and to outputs a digital output value based on an input voltage which is lower than the high voltage reference voltage and is higher than the low voltage reference voltage. A battery supplies a battery voltage as the higher reference voltage to the analog/digital converter; a first power supply supplies a first reference voltage as the input voltage to the analog/digital converter; and a second power supply supplies a second reference voltage as the lower reference voltage to the analog/digital converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 8030939
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus which is capable of correctly displaying the remaining usable time even if a discharged current of a battery pack is changed by an unexpected load due to an external apparatus connected. The electronic apparatus has a battery pack with a secondary battery mounted therein. A first remaining usable time of the electronic apparatus is calculated based on a consumed current of the electronic apparatus. A second remaining usable time of the electronic apparatus is calculated based on a discharged current of the secondary battery. The first remaining usable time calculated by the first remaining usable time calculating unit or the second remaining usable time calculated by the second remaining usable time calculating unit, whichever is smaller, is selected, and then a displaying unit displays the selected remaining usable time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takamitsu Abe
  • Patent number: 8022675
    Abstract: A method and a circuit for detecting the state of supply of a load by a variable voltage, including measuring the difference between values representative of the variable supply voltage and of a voltage across the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Laurent Moidron
  • Patent number: 8018233
    Abstract: The evaluation method of a separator for a nonaqueous electrolyte battery according to the present invention includes: placing opposite an upper jig 21 serving also as a conductive electrode and a lower jig 23 serving also as a conductive electrode in both sides of the separator sample 22; and measuring the relationship between an applied voltage and a passed current between the upper jig 21 and the lower jig 23 while applying a pressure to between the upper jig 21 and the lower jig 23 to evaluate the separator. At this time, by fitting a foreign material 28 in any shape between the separator sample 22 and one of the upper jig 21 and the lower jig 23, an evaluation of the separator simulating the presence of a foreign material affecting adversely the separator can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Iwanaga, Noriko Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20110215810
    Abstract: A voltage monitoring system includes a plurality of voltage monitoring devices connected to each other in series for monitoring a voltage of each of battery units obtained by dividing per specific number a plurality of batteries connected in series. Each of the voltage monitoring devices includes a reception unit for receiving specific information transmitted from a former stage; a storage unit for storing the specific information received with the reception unit as self specific information; and a transmission unit for adding predetermined information to the specific information received with the reception unit, and for transmitting the specific information to a later stage as later stage specific information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventor: Yoshihiro MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 8009054
    Abstract: Various embodiments of systems, methods and apparatus are provided for adjusting a low battery detection threshold in a remote control. An embodiment of a method includes determining a type of a battery powering a remote control of an entertainment device and determining a first low battery threshold for the battery based on the type of the battery. The first low battery threshold indicates a low battery condition of the remote control. Responsive to measuring a voltage of the battery, a determination is made regarding whether the voltage of the battery is below the low battery threshold. Responsive to determining that the voltage of the battery is below the first low battery threshold, a low battery message is transmitted to an entertainment device. The entertainment device utilizes the message to present an indicator to a user regarding the low battery condition of the remote control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: William R Reams
  • Patent number: 8008923
    Abstract: A method. The method includes determining that a failure has occurred in a power cell of a multi-cell power supply. The method also includes moving a part of a first contact which is connected to first and second output terminals of the power cell from a first position to a second position, moving a part of a second contact which is connected to a first input terminal of the power cell from a third position to a fourth position, and moving a part of a third contact which is connected to a second input terminal of the power cell from a fifth position to a sixth position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Willard Hammond
  • Patent number: 8008924
    Abstract: A detecting circuit for detecting a battery having a first and second electrode, includes a contacting portion electrically connecting to the first electrode of the battery, a seesaw electrically connected to the second electrode of the battery, and an actuator electrically connecting to the second electrode of the battery. One end of the seesaw electrically contacts with the contacting portion when the battery have a protection circuit. The actuator is configured for providing power onto another end of the seesaw to separate the contacting portion with the seesaw when the battery has no a protection circuit. The detecting circuit can truly and handily judges whether the detected battery has the protection circuit according to the action of the seesaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chuan-Feng Wu
  • Publication number: 20110199223
    Abstract: An apparatus for sensing leakage current of a battery includes a voltage distribution node installed on a first conductive line connecting both terminals of a battery; first and second switches installed between the voltage distribution node and positive/negative terminals of the battery; an insulation resistance and a current sensing resistance installed on a second conductive line connecting the voltage distribution node to a ground; a DC voltage applying unit for applying positive/negative DC voltage to a ground-side end of the current sensing resistance to induce potential difference between the voltage distribution node and the DC voltage applying node; and a leakage current determining unit for sensing magnitude of electric current flowing through the current sensing resistance according to the induced potential difference in turning-on state of the switches, and then determining leakage current by checking whether the magnitude of electric current is out of standard level over threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Volodymyr Akimov, Ju-Hyun Kang
  • Publication number: 20110199091
    Abstract: A current sensor, which senses current passing through a harness via a terminal of a battery, includes a fixed part to which the harness is fixed, a resistor which is inserted between the terminal and the fixed part, a circuit board which measures current passing through the resistor based on a potential difference between two positions along the direction in which current is passed through the resistor, and a case which accommodates the resistor and the circuit board. The circuit board includes a plurality of amplifiers which amplify potential difference between the two positions, an analog-digital converter which converts output voltages of the amplifiers into digital data of a predetermined number of bits, and a current measuring/processing unit which measures current passing through the resistor based on the digital data outputted from the analog-digital converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuhito TANABE
  • Patent number: 7996165
    Abstract: A portable measurement device and method for measuring a parameter value of a battery. The measurement device connects a large resistive load to a battery being tested. The load is connected to the battery through a first set of kelvin connected clamps and a switch. A microprocessor measures open and closed circuit voltages via a second set of kelvin connected jaws. The microprocessor determines voltage drop curve data based on the measure open and closed circuit voltages. The microprocessor compares the voltage drop curve data to voltage drop profile data for a particular parameter to determine the parameter value for the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Associated Equipment Corp.
    Inventor: Steven D. Keuss
  • Patent number: 7996098
    Abstract: Reactive replenishable device management comprises receiving device measurement data from at least one device, updating one or more device usage profiles associated with the at least one device, and if an analysis of the one or more device usage profiles indicates usage of the at least one device is sub-optimal, performing one or more of: controlling at least one of an attribute or an operation of the at least one device, issuing one or more device management recommendations to a user of the at least one device, and issuing one or more user alerts to the user. The at least one device comprises at least one of one or more replenishable devices, one or more replenishers associated with the one or more replenishable devices, and one or more other devices associated with the one or more replenishable devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Aerovironment, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Dickinson, Lisa Lei Horiuchi, Nathaniel Jordan Ramer
  • Publication number: 20110187377
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing the temperature of each individual cell of a battery during the testing and charging. The method and apparatus can monitor the temperature of the cells of the battery, the charger or both. Additionally, a user can be notified when the temperature is at or exceeds a predetermined level. The temperature data is also used to aid in efficiently charging the battery and determining of the battery is defective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Dale Boysen, Dennis Robinson, Xia Weixing, William Wittliff
  • Patent number: 7990154
    Abstract: The present invention provides an easy to produce cell voltage detecting apparatus using a semiconductor having low voltage endurance. In the cell voltage detecting apparatus, cell modules B1-B10 are serially connected, a switch SW1 is located at a middle point, and a contact point of the switch SW1 on a higher potential side is set to a reference potential (ground). Each of discharge type constant current circuits VC1-VC10 is connected to each of the cell modules B1-B10, and each of current-voltage converter circuits CV1-CV10 is connected to each of the discharge type constant current circuits VC1-VC10. Also, diodes D6-D10 are connected respectively so as to allow a current to flow in a direction from the current-voltage converter circuits SV6-SV10 to the corresponding induction type constant current circuits VS6-VS10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasumichi Ohnuki
  • Patent number: 7990155
    Abstract: A systematic method and system for testing the charging and starting systems of a vehicle, which requires each individual test to pass before proceeding is provided. In addition, the invention incorporates an improved alternator test that determines whether the alternator belt is slipping using data read using a vehicle data port. Further, the invention provides a battery bank test that correlates the voltage before and after a load is applied to the battery bank to the batteries' conditions. When testing the starter, the oil temperature is read via the vehicle data port, allowing for a determination of whether the current draw is abnormally high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Auto Meter Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Dale B. Henningson
  • Publication number: 20110177408
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system with which fuel cell stacks can be tested automatically or manually so that production of pollutants and consumption of electricity are little. The system runs various analyses and tests on the fuel cell stacks and provides operative conditions such as temperatures and fluid flows needed in the tests.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL-INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH
    Inventors: Yu-Ching Tsai, Wen-Tang Hong, Hung-Yu Wang, Wei-Ping Huang, Ruey-Yi Lee
  • Patent number: 7982427
    Abstract: A system for accurate voltage measurement of a high voltage battery for hybrid and electric vehicles includes a voltage measurement circuit including an analog sensing circuit, a wave generator circuit and a comparator. The analog sensing circuit senses the analog voltage of the high voltage battery. The wave generator circuit generates an analog periodic signal. The comparator receives the sensed analog voltage and the analog periodic signal from the wave generator circuit. The comparator produces an output signal based on the comparison of the inputs, and the output signal takes the form of a digital periodic signal indicative of the voltage of the high voltage battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Renault s.a.s.
    Inventors: Albert Trenchs Magana, Pere Lopez Veraguas
  • Patent number: 7977917
    Abstract: An electric power supply control system has a battery, a vehicular alternator, large electric power systems, operation limitation target systems, and a battery condition management device. Each large electric power system generates a rush current when initiating its operation by electric power supplied. Each operation limitation target system is capable of limiting its operation for a demand during the operation of the large electric power systems. The large electric power systems and the operation limitation target systems change their operation conditions based on an allowable electric power (or an allowable electric current) supplied from the battery condition management device in order to maintain a terminal voltage of the battery which is not less than a limitation voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tadatoshi Asada
  • Publication number: 20110163752
    Abstract: A battery includes a first terminal, a second terminal, an outer layer, and a power indicator apparatus. The power indicator apparatus comprises an electrical conductor and a mechanical switch. The electrical conductor is configured to be in continuous electrical communication with the first terminal. The mechanical switch is configured to be actuated by an application of pressure at a single location, and upon actuation, to place the electrical conductor in electrical communication with the second terminal such that the power indication apparatus can facilitate a reading of a potential energy stored in the battery. Methods of determining a potential energy stored in the battery are also provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: AVERY DENNISON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul JANOUSEK, Alfredo YANES
  • Publication number: 20110166811
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining a state of charge of a battery. The battery is subjected to a predetermined magnetic field such that the battery and the predetermined magnetic field jointly create a resultant magnetic field. The resultant magnetic field is sensed. The state of charge of the battery is determined based on the resultant magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Brian J. KOCH, Robert S. CONELL, Mark W. VERBRUGGE, Gregory P. MEISNER