Using A Battery Testing Device Patents (Class 324/426)
  • Patent number: 11435404
    Abstract: Techniques for controlling a current of a battery cell during formation and/or testing are described. A current sensor is used to measure the current of the battery cell, which is used as a feedback signal for controlling the current to achieve a target current. The transfer function of the current sensor is used to improve the accuracy of the current measurement. Because the transfer function can be regularly determined during formation/testing, a lower-cost current sensor with relatively poor temperature coefficient may be used. Any change in the gain of the current sensor may be detected by the transfer function determination and corrected for. Therefore, high current control accuracy may be achieved at lower cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Shaoli Ye, Gina M Kelso, David J. Lath, William Michael James Holland, John Jude O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 11435406
    Abstract: A battery diagnosis device includes: one or more sensors which measure at least one of a current value, a voltage value, and a temperature value of a battery; a first determination unit which acquires, from the sensor, at least one of measured values of the current value, the voltage value, and the temperature value of the battery, and determines a state of the battery by using a first method, based on the acquired measured values; a second determination unit which acquires, from the sensor, at least one of measured values of the current value, the voltage value, and the temperature value of the battery, and determines the state of the battery by using a second method different from the first method, based on the acquired measured values; and a diagnosis unit which diagnoses the battery, based on determination results of the first determination unit and the second determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Takahara, Linyu Sun
  • Patent number: 11428722
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a resistance test method using a Kelvin structure, which includes the following steps: step 1: providing a Kelvin test structure including a tested resistor, a first parasitic resistor, and a second parasitic resistor connected in series; step 2: applying first current to the two current test terminals and simultaneously testing first voltage in the two voltage test terminals; step 3: applying second current in a direction opposite to the direction of the first current to the two current test terminals and simultaneously testing second voltage in the two voltage test terminals; step 4: dividing a difference value obtained by subtracting the second voltage from the first voltage by a difference value between the first current and the second current to obtain the final test value of the tested resistor. The disclosure can reduce the resistance test error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Hua Hong Semiconductor (Wuxi) Limited
    Inventors: Hao Wu, Bin Han, Xudong Li, Qiyi Yang
  • Patent number: 11418041
    Abstract: A battery system includes a first cell balancing circuit electrically coupled to first and second sense lines and to a first battery cell. The battery system includes an integrated circuit measuring a first cell voltage between first and second sense lines at a first time while a first cell balancing circuit is turned off, and a second cell voltage between second and third sense lines at the first time while the second cell balancing circuit is turned off, and determining first and second cell voltage values based on the first and second cell voltages, respectively. A microcontroller receives the first and second cell voltage values and determines that an open circuit condition exists in the first balancing circuit if the first cell voltage value is greater than a first threshold voltage value, or the second cell voltage value is less than a second threshold voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: LG Energy Solution, Ltd.
    Inventor: Greg Bober
  • Patent number: 11404728
    Abstract: A system includes a first optical sensor sensitive to both a parameter of interest, Parameter1, and at least one confounding parameter, Parameter2 and a second optical sensor sensitive only to the confounding parameter. Measurement circuitry measures M1 in response to light scattered by the first optical sensor, where M1=value of Parameter1+K*value of Parameter2. The measurement circuitry also measures M2 in response to light scattered by the second optical sensor, where M2=value of Parameter2. Compensation circuitry determines a compensation factor, K, for the confounding parameter based on measurements of M1 and M2 taken over multiple load/unload cycles or over one or more thermal cycles. The compensation factor is used to determine the parameter of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Anurag Ganguli, Julian Schwartz, Ajay Raghavan, Peter Kiesel, Bhaskar Saha, Saroj Sahu, Lars Wilko Sommer
  • Patent number: 11397210
    Abstract: The All Test Platform (ATP) provides provides a safe and easy way to test batteries within an environmental test chamber. The ATP enables rapid changing of batteries and battery types between tests, and provides the highest density per square foot of environmental test chamber space available for battery testing. The ATP combines multiple components critical for battery testing into a configurable, scalable, safe, and high density battery testing platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Associated Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Beran Peter, Brockton Kenyon
  • Patent number: 11393740
    Abstract: A system for cooling a mobile phone and method for using the system are described. The system includes an active piezoelectric cooling system, a controller and an interface. The active piezoelectric cooling system is configured to be disposed in a rear portion of the mobile phone distal from a front screen of the mobile phone. The controller is configured to activate the active piezoelectric cooling system in response to heat generated by heat-generating structures of the mobile phone. The interface is configured to receive power from a mobile phone power source when the active piezoelectric cooling system is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Frore Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Suryaprakash Ganti, Seshagiri Rao Madhavapeddy
  • Patent number: 11391781
    Abstract: A SOC estimating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a measuring unit configured to measure at least one of voltage, current and temperature of a battery; a noise generating unit configured to generate noise corresponding to the voltage of the battery based on a plurality of preset voltage regions; a filtering unit configured to receive the noise generated by the noise generating unit and filter the generated noise to correspond to the voltage of the battery based on the plurality of preset voltage regions; and a SOC estimating unit configured to estimate a SOC of the battery based on at least one of voltage, current and temperature of the battery and the noise filtered by the filtering unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Young-Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 11378625
    Abstract: The invention concerns a motor vehicle battery wear monitoring system (1,1A,1B) that includes an acquisition device (11) and a processing device/system (12,12A,12B). The acquisition device (11) is: installed onboard a motor vehicle (2) that is equipped with an internal combustion engine, a battery for providing a battery voltage (VB), an alternator, and a starter motor for starting up the internal combustion engine; and configured to receive the battery voltage (VB) and to output quantities indicative of said battery voltage (VB). The processing device/system (12,12A,12B) is: configured to receive the quantities indicative of the battery voltage (VB) from the acquisition device (11); and programmed to perform a battery voltage monitoring based on the quantities indicative of the battery voltage (VB) to detect an approaching battery failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Bridgestone Europe, N.V./S.A. [BE/BE
    Inventors: Lorenzo Alleva, Marco Pascucci
  • Patent number: 11374424
    Abstract: Provided is a battery management system capable of deliberately discharging a battery to suppress deterioration of the battery due to gas generated in the battery that is left non-used at a high temperature for a long time. The battery management system, which aims to prevent generation of gas in the battery left non-used at a high temperature, is provided to prevent generation of gas in the battery in advance by deliberately discharging the battery to reduce a charged amount of the battery when a temperature, a charged amount, and a non-used period are in a preset level range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SK INNOVATION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yong Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 11372049
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs encoded on computer storage medium, for identifying, for a power source, a lookup table (LUT) that includes, for each condition of the power source, i) a maximum power (p-max) of the power source for the condition and ii) a sustained power (p-sus) of the power source for the condition; examining the LUT to define calibration triggers associated with the conditions; identifying an event that satisfies a particular calibration trigger of the calibration triggers; in response to identifying the event, creating a workload for the power source; in response to the workload, determining for a particular condition associated with the particular calibration trigger, an updated p-max value for the particular condition and an updated p-sus value of the power source for the particular condition; and updating the LUT, for the particular condition, based on the updated p-max value and the updated p-sus value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Richard C. Thompson, Merle Jackson Wood, Mohammed K. Hijazi, Adolfo S. Montero
  • Patent number: 11361598
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a motor vehicle including an automated driving function, including differing modes of operation for bringing the motor vehicle to a standstill, at least one energy store, in particular a battery, supplying at least one consumer which is able to bring the vehicle to a standstill, a respective load profile being assigned to the respective mode of operation, which usually occurs in this mode of operation upon activation of the consumer, at least one characteristic variable of the energy store being predicted as a function of at least one of the load profiles, and the mode of operation associated with the load profile and/or the automated driving function being unblocked, blocked, left or influenced as a function of the predicted characteristic variable of the energy store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Dieter Koller, Patrick Muenzing, Juergen Motz, Marco Meissner, Martin Andreas Lohrmann, Frederic Heidinger
  • Patent number: 11360531
    Abstract: Methods for redeploying used battery units can include capturing performance data of an energy storage unit containing a battery unit at the end of its useful life for a primary application, and determining, based on the performance data, a remaining energy output capacity. If the battery unit meets or exceeds threshold performance criteria, the battery unit can be incorporated into a second energy storage unit and reconfigured to reflect the remaining energy output capacity. The second storage unit can include the redeployed battery unit alone, or in combination with any suitable number of additional battery units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ligong Wang
  • Patent number: 11349327
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing an apparatus and a control method for a battery management system (BMS) that may operate in an optimal charging temperature range to suppress deterioration of battery cells during rapid charging of a secondary battery that requires a high charging current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SK INNOVATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Hee Lee, Jae Yun Min, Ju Young Choi
  • Patent number: 11346889
    Abstract: A charge-discharge estimation device derives and sets as a prior estimation function an approximate curve of an initial open-end voltage function and initial impedance function to be corrected a first time. A measurement unit measures a charge-discharge voltage and a charge-discharge current in a cycle of a predetermined time. An estimation calculation processing unit obtains an estimated error between a measured voltage and a prior estimation voltage obtained from the prior estimation function, and obtains a posterior estimation value by applying, to the calculated estimated error and a current value, a correction expression using a Gaussian function having a predetermined learning rate LR and correction width a as terms, corrects the prior estimation function based on the calculated posterior estimation value, sets a new prior estimation function, and estimates a charge-discharge curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: DAIWA CAN COMPANY
    Inventors: Masahito Arima, Naoki Oniki
  • Patent number: 11346886
    Abstract: A battery management apparatus for monitoring a state of a bus bar installed to an input and output terminal of a battery pack. A failure of the bus bar installed to the input and output terminal of the battery pack may be suitably diagnosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventor: Yang-Soo An
  • Patent number: 11340302
    Abstract: By a first energization process of applying a voltage with the power supply to cause a current for charging the electrical storage device to flow through the circuit and a second energization process of, when a transition condition is satisfied during the first energization process, decreasing the voltage of the power supply to cause the current to further flow, a condition of an electrical storage is determined. An effective resistance value of the circuit is set to 0.1? or below. A decrease in the voltage of the power supply in transition from the first energization process to the second energization process is set such that the effective resistance value in the second energization process is an intermediate value between a parasitic resistance value of the circuit and the effective resistance value in the first energization process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshio Matsuyama, Ruri Tanaka, Kiwamu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11332035
    Abstract: A vehicle may include a generator configured to generate power; a battery configured to store power generated by the generator; a battery sensor configured to detect a voltage, current and state of charge (SOC) value of the battery; and a power management apparatus configured to receive the voltage, the current and the SOC value of the battery from the battery sensor, configured to identify whether the battery is low-charged based on the SOC value of the battery, and configured to identify a cause of the low charge of the battery based on the voltage and the current of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Taehoon Kim
  • Patent number: 11332038
    Abstract: Methods and system are described for estimating an amount of battery usage for a traction battery of a vehicle. The traction battery usage estimate may be based on or a function of a distance per gallon of gasoline-equivalent so that the usage estimate may be more familiar to vehicle operators. In addition, the traction battery usage estimate may also be based on traction battery current and traction battery voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rui Wang, Xiao Guang Yang, Baojin Wang, Xu Wang
  • Patent number: 11327117
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for measuring the power of electrolytes at different positions of a flow battery by switching six-way valves without reconnecting channels. With the measurements at the positions, weighting is processed to obtain power corresponding to charging statuses for determining accurate power. The charging and discharging of voltage and current of the battery are controlled for constant operations with high efficiency. Consequently, the efficiency of power conversion is improved; energy consumption is reduced; and the battery is always run within a safe power-range for avoiding accidents or damages to the battery. In addition, the present invention is further applicable to a device monitoring the features of a battery unit. The six-way valves online monitor the power at center positions by switching. The values measured at different positions are aimed at the abnormality of the battery unit for processing adjustment or offline replacement to maintain best operation performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.
    Inventors: Hung-Hsien Ku, Ning-Yih Hsu, Chin-Lung Hsieh, Yi-Hsin Hu, Qiao-Ya Chen
  • Patent number: 11305668
    Abstract: A controller performs processing including estimating a current degree of deterioration based on battery use history data when it is determined that deterioration diagnosis timing has come, setting a deterioration curve, setting a deterioration straight line, obtaining an elapsed time, obtaining a capacity retention based on the elapsed time and the deterioration straight line, updating representation of the capacity retention on an output unit, and showing an initial value as the capacity retention when it is determined that the deterioration straight line has not been set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuki Kubo, Yoshihiro Uchida, Junta Izumi, Masaki Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 11296342
    Abstract: A testing device for tubular solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) includes a housing within which the tubular SOFC is mounted. The housing includes suitable inlets and outlets to allow a fuel gas, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant, such as air or oxygen, to interact with the anode and cathode of the tubular SOFC. In addition, the housing is formed of suitable material for placement in a heating device, such as a tubular furnace or a miniature tubular heater. A temperature sensor and computing device may monitor the temperature of the tubular SOFC in order to control the operation of the tubular heating device. In addition, the device provides electrical current collectors for coupling to the anode and cathode of the SOFC, which may be removable and reusable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Kent State University
    Inventor: Yanhai Du
  • Patent number: 11249144
    Abstract: To reduce the rate at which a false alternating current (“AC”) loss alarming signal is generated, but at the same time detect an actual AC loss situation in a timely manner, the disclosed method describes an AC line power loss detection and active verification method. If the AC line input voltage dips momentarily lower than a standard sine wave amplitude, the AC line may not be considered lost as long as it still has energy to drive a load. The method inserts a momentary load across the AC line and compares the AC line voltage before and after the extra load is applied. If the AC power is present, this extra loading will increase the AC loading current momentarily, but will not affect the AC line voltage. However, if the AC power is lost, such loading will lower the AC line voltage, indicating a loss of power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Xiqun Zhu, Sung Kee Baek, Robert Gregory Twiss
  • Patent number: 11239517
    Abstract: A battery assembly module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an upper cover having coupling holes formed at a plurality of locations therein, a lower cover disposed to correspond to the upper cover and having coupling holes formed at a plurality of locations therein, a plurality of pouch cells to which electrodes are connected to one side and the other side thereof and which store or supply electricity, a plurality of cartridges stacked and accommodating the plurality of pouch cells, and a plurality of caulking pipes fixedly coupling the plurality of cartridges accommodating the pouch cells between the upper cover and the lower cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ho Jin Park
  • Patent number: 11233280
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to charging a battery included in a robot. Standard deterioration cost information may be determined and stored based on an ambient temperature, a current rate, and a depth of discharge. This may include determining one standard deterioration cost information from among the stored standard deterioration cost information based on an ambient temperature of the robot and a current rate during an operation of the robot, and determining at least one depth of discharge at which the standard deterioration cost is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold based on the determined one standard deterioration cost information. The operation may be performed by repeating a process of charging and discharging the battery by a charge and discharge method based on the at least one depth of discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sunok Kim, Jaemin Park, Youngjung Suh, Byounggyo Ahn, Youngkyu Cho
  • Patent number: 11215669
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring a voltage across two ends of each of a plurality of secondary batteries included in a battery module. The battery module further includes a busbar. The busbar is electrically connected between a negative terminal of one of the plurality of secondary batteries and a negative terminal of the battery module. The apparatus includes a plurality of voltage input terminals electrically connected to the two ends of each of the plurality of secondary batteries to receive the voltage across the two ends of each of the plurality of secondary batteries. One of the plurality of voltage input terminals is a reference voltage input terminal electrically separated from a first reference ground. The reference voltage input terminal is electrically connected to a second reference ground connected to one end of the busbar to receive voltage applied to the second reference ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Inventor: Dong-Hyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 11215672
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the technical field of battery detection, and in particular, to a battery detection method, comprising: step S1, selecting, within a preset voltage interval, a preset number of voltage calibration values according to a rated parameter of a battery; step S2, performing charge and discharge tests on the battery, and recording a coulometer reading and a charge and discharge curve, corresponding to each voltage calibration value, of the battery; and step S3, calibrating the charge and discharge curve on the basis of the coulometer readings. The technical solution can acquire an accurate battery charge and discharge curve, is not limited by the calibration platform provided by the manufacture, can adapt to various battery models, and has high reliability and real-time performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Inventors: Tao Zeng, Yong Wang
  • Patent number: 11211812
    Abstract: A controller for managing a battery pack includes: a detection terminal, for transmitting an enable signal when values of battery parameters for the battery pack satisfy a sleep condition, where the enable signal enables the detection circuit to detect whether the battery pack is connected to a load and whether the battery pack is connected to the charger; and a receiving terminal, for receiving a detection result transmitted by the detection circuit. The detection result indicates whether the battery pack is connected to at least one of the load and charger. The controller controls the battery pack to enter a sleep mode of the sleep modes based on the detection result. The controller also includes a control terminal, for transmitting a control signal to control an on/off state of a charging switch and/or a discharging switch. The control signal is generated by the controller based on the detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: O2Micro Inc.
    Inventors: Yingguo Zhang, Guoyan Qiao, Fu-Jen Hsieh, Chia-Ming Chang, Chih-Chung Chou, Hua-Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 11209489
    Abstract: An ECU calculates, based on a prescribed active material model, a surface stress of an anode active material from the lithium amount inside the anode active material, and calculates, based on the calculated surface stress, an open circuit potential change amount of the anode active material relative to an open circuit potential. The ECU corrects an anode open circuit potential calculated by a deterioration estimation process, using the open circuit potential change amount. The ECU calculates three deterioration parameters so that the measured OCV curve substantially matches the estimated OCV curve specified based on the corrected anode open circuit potential. The open circuit potential is an open circuit potential of the anode active material in the state in which a surface stress is not generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11204391
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring a charge capacity of a battery includes determining a predicted charge capacity and a first uncertainty parameter based upon the current, voltage, and temperature of the battery, wherein the predicted charge capacity is determined by executing a charge capacity degradation model. A measured charge capacity and an associated second uncertainty parameter of the battery are also determined, by executing a charge capacity update routine. A charge capacity estimate for the battery is determined based upon the predicted charge capacity and the measured charge capacity, and an updated uncertainty parameter for the charge capacity estimate is determined based upon the first and the second uncertainty parameters. An estimated covariance parameter, and a covariance ratio are determined based upon the updated uncertainty parameter and the estimated covariance parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Charles W. Wampler, Justin R. McDade
  • Patent number: 11203273
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a state of health of a battery in a vehicle includes determining a state of charge of the battery; determining a battery temperature and a cranking temperature; obtaining a cranking signal from the battery when the battery is discharged during cranking of a combustion engine of the vehicle; determining one or more cranking type classes based on the determined battery temperature and the determined cranking temperature; determining battery parameters from the cranking signal; determining the state of health of the battery from the battery parameters, a vehicle identifier and historical battery parameters determined in a historic state preceding the current state; and outputting the state of health. Determining the battery parameters from the cranking signal includes: obtaining an intermediate cranking signal based on the cranking signal and a window function; and determining the battery parameters from the filtered cranking signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: ANWB B.V.
    Inventor: Jimmy Otjens
  • Patent number: 11201358
    Abstract: A system for measuring a heat response of a cell during a thermal runaway event includes a housing. An insulation is positioned within the housing. A calorimeter is positioned within the insulation and the housing. The calorimeter is configured to have the cell positioned therein. The calorimeter is configured to measure a temperature increase of the cell, one or more components of the calorimeter, or a combination thereof during the thermal runaway event of the cell. A total energy yield of the thermal runaway event is configured to be determined based at least partially upon the temperature increase. A ratio is configured to be determined based at least partially upon the temperature increase. The ratio includes energy released through a casing of the cell during the thermal runaway event vs. energy released through ejecta material from the cell during the thermal runaway event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Eric C Dimpault-Darcy, John J. Darst, William Q. Walker, Steven L. Rickman, Natalie N. Anderson, Christiaan Khurana, Bruce L. Drolen, Gary Bayles, Zoran Bilc
  • Patent number: 11193980
    Abstract: An inspection method of a present electrical storage device includes: constituting a circuit with the electrical storage device being charged and a power supply, and passing a current by the power supply to the circuit in a direction of charging or discharging the electrical storage device; and in passing the current, determining the quality of the electrical storage device based on a converging state of the passing current. In passing the current, an output voltage of the power supply is changed from an initial value with the passage of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiwamu Kobayashi, Takeshi Goto
  • Patent number: 11189866
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a battery pack comprises a battery cell including a positive electrode and a negative electrode and configured to generate an electromotive force via the positive electrode and the negative electrode, a plurality of first sub paths configured to connect the positive electrode to a sensing circuit of an electronic device to which the battery pack is connected, a plurality of second sub paths configured to connect the negative electrode to the sensing circuit, a power line configured to connect the positive electrode and the negative electrode to at least one of a system of the electronic device or a charging circuit of the electronic device, a first switch configured to selectively connect at least one of the plurality of first sub paths, selected depending on a voltage applied to the positive electrode and the negative electrode, to the sensing circuit, and a second switch configured to selectively connect at least one of the plurality of second sub paths, selected depending on the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sungsoo Moon, Chihyuan Lin, Sunggeun Yoon
  • Patent number: 11180051
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a controller and a display. The controller is configured to calculate a capacity retention (a degree of deterioration) based on measurement data of a main battery. The controller estimates an upper limit value and a lower limit value of an error (range) of the calculated capacity retention. The controller calculates a capacity retention range including the upper limit value Wu and the lower limit value. The controller has the display show the calculated capacity retention range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuki Kubo, Junta Izumi, Yoshihiro Uchida, Masaki Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 11175345
    Abstract: A method for detecting an operational status of a battery including a plurality of cells includes obtaining static voltages and dynamic voltages of the cells and determining the operational status of the battery based on the static voltages and dynamic voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Juncheng Zhan, Lei Wang, Wentao Wang, Dayang Zheng, Hao Luo
  • Patent number: 11171585
    Abstract: A motor controller used for driving a motor is provided. The motor controller includes a driving circuit, a control unit, an operational amplifier, a comparator, an inverter, a multiplexer, a first resistor, and a second resistor. The first and second resistors are mounted on a printed circuit board. By changing the resistance of the first resistor and the resistance of the second resistor, it is capable of changing the driving direction of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Global Mixed-mode Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Guang-Nan Tzeng
  • Patent number: 11169214
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer media for battery system management and non-linear estimation of battery state of charge are provided herein. Battery data is received for a time period over which a battery system has operated. The battery data represents the actual performance of the battery system over the time period. Sub-periods of charging or discharging can be identified in the time period. For the sub-periods of time, a curve can be fit to the battery data. Using the curves for the battery data for the sub-periods of time, an expected performance of the battery system, over a range of states-of-charge, can be determined. Operating instructions for the battery system can be provided based on the expected performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Alasdair James Crawford, Vilayanur Venkataraman Viswanathan, Patrick Joseph Balducci, Trevor D. Hardy, Di Wu, Michael C. W. Kintner-Meyer
  • Patent number: 11165262
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for protecting each of a plurality of cell stacks included in a battery pack from overcharge. The overcharge prevention apparatus prevents the overcharge of a plurality of cell stacks connected in series within a high current path. The overcharge prevention apparatus includes a voltage measuring unit configured to measure voltage of each cell stack, and generate a first monitoring signal indicating the measured voltage, a current regulating unit configured to selectively provide a bypass path to each cell stack, and a controller connected to the voltage measuring unit and the current regulating unit allowing communication. The controller is configured to control the current regulating unit based on the first monitoring signal from the voltage measuring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventors: Jae-Chan Lee, Soo-Ryoung Kim, Hyun-Sik Kim, Hyeon-Jin Song, Won-Tae Lee, Yang-Lim Choi
  • Patent number: 11160311
    Abstract: This inhalation component generation device comprises: a load which vaporizes or atomizes an inhalation component source using power from a power supply; and a control unit. The control unit comprises: a voltage sensor which uses a predefined correlation to convert the analog voltage value of a power supply to a digital voltage value and outputs the digital voltage value; and a power control unit which controls the supply of power from the power supply to the load on the basis of the digital voltage value. The control unit is configured to be capable of calibrating the correlation on the basis of changes in the digital voltage value or the analog voltage value obtained during charging of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Akao, Hajime Fujita, Manabu Yamada
  • Patent number: 11152650
    Abstract: A safety evaluation method according to the present disclosure includes preparing a sample for secondary battery electrode evaluation in which a short circuit will occur by contact between components included in the sample, applying a predetermined pressure that will cause the contact between the components to an area of the sample set as a secondary battery internal short circuit simulation contact area, applying a current between I probes in contact with the sample, obtaining resistance by measuring a potential difference between V probes which are separate from the I probes, obtaining a graph of a change in resistance with a change in distance between the V probes, calculating a short circuit resistance of the area from y-intercept of the graph, and predicting a heat generation amount of the area from the short circuit resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Bum-Young Jung, Hee-Min Kim
  • Patent number: 11150305
    Abstract: A method of estimating the residual energy of a battery. The method comprises determining the battery's state of charge (SOC) and dischargeable capacity to determine the battery's state of energy (SOE), determining the battery's reference dischargeable energy (Eref) and total dischargeable energy (Etot), and comparing the state of energy to the total dischargeable energy to find the residual energy of the battery. The various functions of the method use battery current, cell temperature, and state of health (SOH) as variables for consideration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: KARMA AUTOMOTIVE LLC
    Inventors: Ali Jokar, Suvrat Ramasubramanian, Jing Hong
  • Patent number: 11152919
    Abstract: An example of an apparatus includes a bias circuit having first and second bias circuit outputs. The apparatus also includes a comparator having first and second comparator inputs. The apparatus also includes a first capacitor coupled between the second comparator input and the second bias circuit output. The apparatus also includes a first switch coupled between the second comparator input and the second bias circuit output. The apparatus also includes a second switch coupled between the first bias circuit output and an input terminal, a third switch coupled between the input terminal and the first comparator input, and a fourth switch coupled between the first bias circuit output and the first comparator input. The apparatus also includes a second capacitor coupled between the first comparator input and the second bias circuit output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Marc Edric Davis-Marsh, Hakan Oner, Tawen Mei
  • Patent number: 11152806
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for identifying a battery type and/or a battery user. Measuring circuitry may be used to collect battery parameters that may be analyzed by control circuitry to create an adaptive charge profile that is applied to a battery by charging circuitry. Battery parameters may be recorded in a battery use signature. Logic may be used to process a battery use signature and identify a single user across multiple battery operated devices and/or discriminate between multiple users of a device. In some cases, battery use signature may be used to identify battery information including the make, model, and lot from which the battery was manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Qnovo Inc.
    Inventors: Nadim Maluf, Fred Berkowitz
  • Patent number: 11143706
    Abstract: A battery capacity estimation method includes a first step and a second step. The first step is a step of obtaining image data of a Nyquist diagram drawn by a predetermined method, based on a Nyquist plot obtained by a predetermined AC-IR measurement. The second step is a step of obtaining a battery capacity estimate value of a battery to be measured by inputting the image data of the Nyquist diagram obtained in the first step into an input layer of a pre-trained neural network model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junta Izumi, Masahiko Mitsui, Juni Yasoshima
  • Patent number: 11139664
    Abstract: A battery protector includes analog frontend circuitry coupled to a hibernate mode input terminal that is one of configured to couple to a high voltage connector terminal when the system is connected to an external load or charger to define an active mode and configured to float when the system is disconnected from the external load or charger to define a hibernate mode. The analog frontend circuitry is configured to provide a signal at an output thereof to distinguish, in the absence of an external ground connection, between connected and floating conditions for the hibernate mode input terminal. Digital logic is coupled with the output of the analog frontend circuitry, the digital logic providing a digital signal to control whether the battery protector is operating in the active mode or the hibernate mode based on the signal at the output of the analog frontend circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Abhijeet Kumar Singh, Manish Parmar, Dipankar Mitra, Vv Shyam Prasad, Mahesh Kv
  • Patent number: 11125828
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a method for determining the age of an electrochemical energy storage unit comprising: referring to a first open-circuit voltage curve of the electrochemical energy storage unit dependent upon the state of charge of the electrochemical energy storage unit as a reference; ascertaining a second open-circuit voltage curve of the electrochemical energy storage unit dependent upon the state of charge of the electrochemical energy storage unit; and determining the age of the electrochemical energy storage unit by comparing the first and second open-circuit voltage curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventors: Christopher Betzin, Holger Wolfschmidt
  • Patent number: 11121412
    Abstract: A safety evaluation method according to the present disclosure includes preparing a sample for secondary battery electrode evaluation in which a short circuit will occur by contact between components included in the sample, applying a predetermined pressure that will cause the contact between the components to an area of the sample set as a secondary battery internal short circuit simulation contact area, applying a current between I probes in contact with the sample, obtaining resistance by measuring a potential difference between V probes which are separate from the I probes, obtaining a graph of a change in resistance with a change in distance between the V probes, calculating a short circuit resistance of the area from y-intercept of the graph, and predicting a heat generation amount of the area from the short circuit resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Bum-Young Jung, Hee-Min Kim
  • Patent number: 11114708
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a temperature of a battery pack, in which, when the battery pack is in an extremely low temperature state during charging/discharging, a PWM signal having a duty ratio value that increases as the temperature increases is outputted to intermittently drive a heat generating unit so that the battery pack stably increases in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Seung Hwan Kim, Dong Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11110816
    Abstract: A condition-based maintenance method is provided for a primary electrical system of a vehicle. The method includes obtaining a plurality of expected parametric values representing a state-of-health (SOH) of the primary electrical system of the vehicle; starting a series of operations to exercise a plurality of operating modes of the vehicle; continuously reading a plurality of voltage values from a battery voltage output of a diagnostic connector of the vehicle, performing analysis on the plurality of voltages values to generate current parametric values of SOH of the primary electrical system; based on comparison between the expected parametric values and the current parametric values, determining whether a condition-based maintenance is required; and, after determining that a condition-based maintenance is required, present a maintenance alert to an operator of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventor: Guy Thomas Rini