Using A Battery Testing Device Patents (Class 324/426)
  • Patent number: 9236762
    Abstract: A system of monitoring and/or maintaining remotely located autonomously powered lights, security systems, parking meters, and the like is operable to receive data signals from a number of the devices, and provide a comparison with other similar devices in the same geographic region to detect a default condition of a particular device, and/or assess whether the defect is environmental or particular to the specific device itself. The system includes memory for storing operating parameters and data, and outputs modified control commands to the devices in response to sensed performance, past performance and/or self-learning algorithms. The system operates to provide for the monitoring and/or control of individual device operating parameters on an individual or regional basis, over preset periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: CLEAR BLUE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Tuerk John, Miriam Tuerk, Mark Windrim, Ahmad Yafaoui
  • Patent number: 9213069
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for estimating the power of a secondary battery including a blended cathode material. The apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a sensor configured to measure a discharge current of a secondary battery comprising a cathode including a blended cathode material, and a control unit configured to estimate a state of charge of the secondary battery, determine a discharge voltage of the secondary battery using a first resistance predefined corresponding to the state of charge under a first condition in which a magnitude of the discharge current is smaller than a magnitude of a critical current and a second resistance predefined corresponding to the state of charge under a second condition in which the magnitude of the discharge current is larger than the magnitude of the critical current, and determine the power of the secondary battery from the determined discharge voltage and the measured discharge current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Won-Tae Joe, Sun-Young Cha
  • Patent number: 9172253
    Abstract: A battery pack charger and a method of charging a battery pack may properly charge a battery pack regardless of the number of cells in the battery pack. The battery pack charger includes a voltage sensing unit configured to sense an output voltage of the battery pack being charged with a predetermined voltage for a predetermined period, a controller configured to determine a number of cells in the battery pack in accordance with the output voltage, and a power source charge and discharge unit configured to supply a charge voltage to the battery pack, the charge voltage being determined in accordance with the number of cells in the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin-Hong An, Jae-Soon Kim
  • Patent number: 9157964
    Abstract: Disclosed is method for producing a secondary battery, capable of selection of a secondary battery having a defect caused by a micro short-circuit with high accuracy. A step for producing a secondary battery includes an inspection step for selecting the secondary battery having the defect among multiple secondary batteries. In the inspection step, a short circuit resistance is calculated based on capacitances of the multiple secondary batteries calculated before self-discharge inspection, a time required for the self-discharge inspection, first and second reference voltages calculated from open circuit voltages measured before and after the self-discharge inspection in the multiple secondary batteries, and first and second voltages which are open circuit voltages of one selected from the multiple secondary batteries measured before and after the self-discharge inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kitsunai, Kazuo Ikuta, Norihiro Jikuri
  • Patent number: 9153991
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an electrochemical battery system performs optimized charging of a battery. The electrochemical battery system includes at least one electrochemical cell, a memory storing command instructions, and a controller operably connected to the memory and a current source. The controller executes the command instructions to generate a first prediction of at least one state parameter corresponding to an internal state of the at least one electrochemical cell in the event that a first input current is applied to the at least one electrochemical cell for a predetermined time based upon a present state of the at least one state parameter in the electrochemical cell, determine a second input current based on the first prediction and at least one predetermined state parameter constraint, and control the current source to apply the second input current to the at least one electrochemical cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Nalin Chaturvedi, Reinhardt Klein, John F. Christensen, Jasim Ahmed, Aleksandar Kojic
  • Patent number: 9146283
    Abstract: A battery tester determines a remaining level of charge of a battery mounted within a separate electronic device having an audio jack. The battery tester includes a plug and a circuit having a high impedance input amplifier. At least one electrical contact of the plug is electrically coupled to an input of the high impedance input amplifier. The plug is removably insertable within the audio jack such that the battery of the separate electronic device is electrically connected to the input of the high impedance input amplifier. When electrically coupled to the battery, an output of the high impedance input amplifier provides a signal proportional to the remaining level of charge of the battery, whereby the remaining level of charge of the battery is obtainable by the battery tester without having to remove the battery from the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: NuWave Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Damian Coccio
  • Patent number: 9136567
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a chuck mechanism of a charge-discharge test device for a thin secondary battery, and aims to provide a chuck mechanism having excellent action controllability. The chuck mechanism includes: a chuck drive part which is movable in a direction toward a battery container housing a thin secondary battery; and a chuck activation part which is located away from the chuck drive part in the direction toward the battery container and whose movement in the same direction is restricted. In the chuck mechanism, when the chuck unit is moved in the direction toward the battery container, the chuck drive part activates a chuck member of the chuck activation part whose movement in the same direction is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Nishihara, Takahiro Kawasaki, Tsutomu Okazaki, Takeshi Yasooka, Yoshikazu Niwa
  • Patent number: 9124305
    Abstract: A device, method and system for efficiently powering a near field communication device are provided. The device comprises: a module configured to: exchange data with a near field communication (NFC) device; and transmit energy to the NFC device; and, a processor configured to: receive, using the module, energy data from the NFC device, the energy data comprising data for determining a difference between a current energy level of an energy storage apparatus at the NFC device and a given amount of energy for performing a given function at the NFC device; determine the difference from the energy data; and, transmit, using the module, an amount of energy corresponding to the difference, to the NFC device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
    Inventors: Douglas James Arthur Burrell, Kevin Howard Orr, Ahmed Abdelsamie, Mikolaj Matthew Mruk
  • Patent number: 9108524
    Abstract: An embodiment contemplates a method of determining a state-of-charge of a battery for a vehicle. (a) An OCV is measured for a current vehicle ignition startup after ignition off for at least eight hours. (b) An SOCOCV is determined for the current vehicle ignition startup. (c) An SOCOCV—est is determined for a current vehicle ignition startup. (d) A determination is made whether the difference in the SOCOCV for the current startup and the SOCOCVest for the current startup is less than a predefined error bound using. Steps (a)-(d) is performed in response to the difference being greater than the predefined error; otherwise, determining an ignition-off current for the current vehicle ignition startup as a function of the SOCOCV of the current vehicle ignition startup and previous vehicle ignition startup, and a SOC based on current integration over time. Determining an SOCest of the current vehicle ignition startup using the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Yilu Zhang, Xinyu Du, Mutasim A. Salman, Shuo Huang
  • Patent number: 9103686
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for guiding a mobile transportation means of a set of transportation means to a selected reconditioning station of a set of reconditioning stations, comprising determining a position of the battery, determining a condition of the battery, forecasting a consumption characteristic of the transportation means, evaluating an achievable range of mobility of the transportation means, assigning the selected reconditioning station of the set of reconditioning stations, which is located within the range of mobility of the transportation means along a path to a desired target and guiding the transportation means to the selected reconditioning station, an optimization of the assignment and/or the path is executed by a search algorithm for assigning the set of transportation means to the set of reconditioning stations and batteries, based on actual and/or forecasted information about multiple entities of the sets of transportation means, stations and batteries as well as their conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventor: Bo Pettersson
  • Patent number: 9069044
    Abstract: A battery management system (BMS) and a method of controlling the BMS, which are capable of increasing reliability of determination of a defect of a relay by considering not only a voltage of a battery and a voltage of an inverter but also a current between the battery and the inverter and information regarding an operational state of the relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Yong-Jun Tae
  • Patent number: 9065279
    Abstract: A charging time estimation device includes a cell temperature information acquisition unit, a cell capacity information acquisition unit, a current value information acquisition unit, a deterioration state information acquisition unit, a basic estimated value calculation unit, and a charging-required time calculation unit. The charging-required time calculation unit performs correction on a basic estimated value of a constant current charging time and a basic estimated value of a constant voltage charging time by using current value information and deterioration state information, and calculates, as a charging-required time, the sum of the basic estimated value of the constant current charging time after the correction and the basic estimated value of the constant voltage charging time after the correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirofumi Yagura, Koji Sato
  • Patent number: 9050901
    Abstract: Provided is an electric vehicle charging apparatus, and more particularly, an electric vehicle charging apparatus that periodically transmits a consumed amount of power to a cost claim server, so as to claim a cost per unit time. The charging apparatus includes a charging certification unit receiving certification information of the electric vehicle, a power measurement unit generating power consumption information as a result obtained by calculating an amount of power consumed for charging the electric vehicle, and a communication unit transmitting the certification information to a certification server, and transmitting the power consumption information to a cost claim server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: LSIS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeong Chan Kim, Chauhdary Sajjad Hussain
  • Patent number: 9046582
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for decoupling a cooling fan within a computing device from a line voltage power supply. The cooling fan within the computing device is coupled to a battery backup unit. The cooling fan is energized for a defined test period. One or more battery statistics are monitored during at least a portion of the defined test period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventor: Dana P. Stark
  • Patent number: 9041404
    Abstract: When a continuous short circuit occurs between both terminals of a battery pack, fault, destruction and rupture of the battery can occur. Further, when a momentary short circuit occurs, a user may continue to use, without knowing thermal and electrical damage to the batteries, and reliability for the batteries is impaired, To overcome the problem, in a battery pack configured by connecting a plurality of storage batteries in series, at least one first storage battery is included which has a low capacity compared to second storage batteries during high-rate discharge, and the first storage battery undergoes polarity inversion during external short circuit, thereby preventing the other batteries from becoming damaged. There are also included a detector that detects voltage of the first storage battery, and a fault signal generator that generates an output fault signal when a voltage detected by the detector inverses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoji Yoshioka, Keita Hatanaka, Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 9041405
    Abstract: A condition estimation device includes a voltage measurement circuit, memory, and a controller. The voltage measurement circuit measures an open circuit voltage (OCV) of an electric storage device. The memory is configured to store first information on a correlation between a positive electrode potential and an electric storage capacity and second information on a correlation between a negative electrode potential and an electric storage capacity. The controller is configured to: measure an OCV under charge or discharge; calculate an electric storage capacity of the electric storage device having the OCV equal to a reference voltage; correct at least one of the first information and the second information such that a potential difference at the calculated capacity is equal to the reference voltage; and generate an OCV characteristic based on the first and the second information after the at least one of the first and the second information is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Sejima, Yoshihiko Mizuta, Masashi Nakamura, Hiroshi Sekiguchi, Hidefumi Hasegawa, Shinya Kitano
  • Patent number: 9041403
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadayuki Aoki
  • Publication number: 20150137821
    Abstract: An assembled-battery voltage detection device for detecting a voltage at an assembled-battery including a plurality of single batteries connected in series includes: single-battery voltage detection circuits detecting voltages at the respective single batteries; single-battery voltage detection terminals connected to ends of the single batteries; connectors connecting the single-battery voltage detection terminals and the single batteries; voltage detection terminals detecting a voltage at one of the single batteries located at one end in the assembled battery; an assembled-battery voltage detection circuit detecting a potential difference between the voltage detection terminals; a single-battery voltage sum calculator calculating a sum of the voltages detected by the single-battery voltage detection circuits; an end-battery voltage abnormality determination unit determining whether the voltage at the single battery located at the end is 0 V; and an abnormality output unit outputting an abnormality depending
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: OMRON AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sawayanagi, Tadasuke Yano, Yosuke Kinoshita, Yuichi Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20150137820
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a battery field-effect transistor (FET) coupled between a battery and an electronic system so that current from the battery flows through the battery FET to the electronic system. A replica FET couples the battery to a current sensing circuit. One of the battery FET and the replica FET comprises a plurality of parallel FET segments having separate control terminals. A logic block provides a plurality of switch control signals based on a system state input. A switching circuit receives the switch control signals and selectively couples the separate control terminals of the FET segments to one of a first reference voltage terminal or a second reference voltage terminal to independently turn each FET segment on or off. The current sensing circuit provides a voltage indicative of the current flowing through the replica FET.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Eric I. Mikuteit
  • Publication number: 20150137823
    Abstract: A power storage member monitoring device of the present disclosure includes a circuit that designates a monitor target power storage member based on results of voltage measurement carried out more than once on each of series-connected power storage blocks, each of the power storage blocks including at least one power storage member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Masashi MURASAKI
  • Publication number: 20150140379
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for identifying a battery are generally described. In some embodiments, the battery identification system comprises a battery with a portion of exposed can and electrodes configured to measure an electrical property of the battery. In some embodiments, the measured electrical property is the voltage between the can and a first terminal of the battery. In some embodiments, a battery is identified based on an identification mark such as a ringed barcode or two-dimensional barcode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Chi W. Yau
  • Publication number: 20150137822
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for estimating a SOC of a secondary battery containing a blended cathode material. The SOC estimating apparatus estimates a SOC of a secondary battery including a cathode having a blended cathode material containing a first cathode material and a second cathode material with different operating voltage ranges, an anode having an anode material, and a separator for separating the cathode from the anode, and the apparatus includes a sensor configured to measure a discharge inception voltage and a final discharge voltage when the secondary battery is discharged for a predetermined time, and a control unit configured to estimate SOC of the secondary battery corresponding to the measured discharge inception voltage and the measured final discharge voltage by using a predetermined relationship between the discharge inception voltage and the final discharge voltage and the SOC of the secondary battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Won-Tae JOE, Sun-Young CHA, Geun-Chang CHUNG
  • Patent number: 9035616
    Abstract: State based full and empty control for rechargeable batteries that will assure a uniform battery empty condition, even in the presence of a load on the battery. A fuel gauge provides a prediction of the open circuit voltage of the battery, and when the predicted open circuit voltage of the battery reaches the predetermined open circuit voltage of an empty battery, the load is terminated, after which the battery will relax back to the predetermined open circuit voltage of an empty battery. A similar technique is disclosed for battery charging, allowing faster battery charging without overcharging. Preferably an RC battery model is used as the fuel gauge to provide the prediction, but as an alternative, a coulomb counter may be used to provide the prediction, with error correction between successive charge discharge cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Allen Wortham
  • Publication number: 20150130470
    Abstract: A method for determining, by sampling at a given frequency, a maximum voltage value of a load signal of at least one motor vehicle battery cell, the load signal to be sampled being rectified and sinusoidal and having a frequency that is higher than the sampling frequency, the method including: determining a sampling frequency, a measurement time at the sampling frequency, and a related inaccuracy, measuring a load voltage with the predetermined sampling frequency and with the predetermined measurement time, and determining a maximum load voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Florian Courtemanche, Yves Le-Vourch, Thomas Peuchant
  • Publication number: 20150130469
    Abstract: Contactor switches between a multi-cell battery pack and an electric vehicle load are monitored. A main microcontroller having a chassis ground is digitally isolated from positive and negative busses of the battery pack. A battery monitoring IC having a plurality of auxiliary/thermistor A/D inputs measures respective voltages of battery cells. An evaluation switch is connected to a junction between a first contactor switch and the load. The evaluation switch is activated in response to a command received from the main microprocessor. A voltage divider is coupled between the output of the evaluation switch and the negative bus to provide a divided voltage output to one of the auxiliary/thermistor A/D inputs. The battery monitoring IC transmits a digital value representative of the divided voltage output to the main microprocessor via a serial data link, and the main microprocessor determines a state of the contactor in response to the digital value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Robert J. Bolduc
  • Publication number: 20150123668
    Abstract: Disclosed are a detection circuit and an electronic terminal The detection circuit is applied in the electronic terminal and configured to detect a real-time working current of the electronic terminal The circuit comprises: a resistor (101), configured to comprise a first end and a second end, wherein the resistance value of the resistor (101) is variable; a sampling unit, configured to be connected with both ends of the resistor (101) and collect voltages at both ends of the resistor (101); a first memory (103), configured to store a current calculating method and an electric quantity calculating method; a data processing control unit (104), configured to be connected with the sampling unit and the first memory (103), calculate a voltage difference between the both ends of the resistor (101) according to the voltages at the both ends of the resistor (101), and call the current calculating method and the electric quantity calculating method to acquire a current value and an electric quantity value according t
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Liang Yang
  • Patent number: 9024588
    Abstract: An emergency power supply device is provided to supply emergency power to a direct voltage circuit. The direct voltage circuit has a first potential tap and a second potential tap, comprising an energy storage unit. The energy storage unit has a plus pole and a minus pole, and one of the poles is connected to the first potential tap via a first connection. The other pole is connected to the second potential tap via a second connection. At least one of the connections has a directional electric current meter and at least one of the connections has an interrupter. The directional electric current meter can measure a flow of charging current. The interrupter can prevent a flow of charging current, and the interrupter can be controlled as a function of the flow of charging current that has been measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Moog Unna GmbH
    Inventor: Tobias Rösmann
  • Patent number: 9024572
    Abstract: A battery block composed of a plurality of battery cells and a voltage detecting circuit (state detecting circuit) for detecting a voltage between terminals of each battery cell are included, and a flexible printed circuit board, in which a voltage detecting line for electrically connecting a positive electrode terminal or a negative electrode terminal of the battery cell and the voltage detecting circuit (state detecting circuit) is integrated with a substrate made or a flexible material, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Nishihara, Keiji Kishimoto, Kazumi Ohkura, Kenji Taguchi
  • Publication number: 20150115971
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus, an input apparatus and a method of determining a remaining utility of a battery of the same, the electronic apparatus including: a battery configured to supply power to the electronic apparatus; a first detector configured to receive a voltage value of the battery, to convert the voltage value into a signal, and to output the signal; a second detector configured to detect a decrease in the voltage value of the battery to a reference voltage or lower and to output a detection result; and a controller configured to receive the output values of the first and second detectors, to determine a remaining utility of the battery based on the output values of the first and second detectors, and to determine an abnormal state of the battery based on the output values of the first and second detectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-jin KIM, Kun-ho KEUM
  • Publication number: 20150115968
    Abstract: A device is provided for detecting a charging and discharging status of a flow-cell pack. During charging and discharging course of the flow-cell pack coordinated with electrolyte storage tanks and actuators, ultrasonic sensors of ultrasonic detection devices are used to sense sonic vibration generated by fluid flow in the flow-cell pack. Thus, the charging and discharging status of the flow-cell pack is detected for adjusting related parameters. The present invention has a simple structure, runs without using extra power supply, does not hinder performance of flow cell, and obtains charging and discharging status of flow cell accurately and rapidly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.
    Inventors: Ying Sheng Lee, Ning-Yih Hsu, Kuan-Hsiang Chen, Hwa-Jou Wei
  • Publication number: 20150115969
    Abstract: A storage battery analysis system includes a storage device storing data of time series variation of a voltage value and a current value during a charging period of a storage battery and data of time series variation of the voltage value and the current value during the charging period of the storage battery; and an arithmetic device that executes a process to read out the time series variation data of the voltage value and the current value during the charging period of the battery, compares the read time series variation data, identifies a difference in the time series variation between the initial usage period and the analysis period, and stores in the storage device the difference as an index indicating a degradation state of the storage battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicants: Hitachi Solutions, Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd
    Inventors: Takaharu Ishida, Kazumi Rissen, Taminori Tomita, Michiki Nakano, Yasuko Shiga, Hiroki Kurita
  • Publication number: 20150108990
    Abstract: A power cell system, e.g. a fuel cell system, having a plurality of power cells, e.g. fuel cells and plurality of first resistances, the plurality of power cells and first resistances being connected in the form of a ladder circuit, and electronic filters each having a first connection to a first node between two of the first resistances, each electronic filter comprising a second resistance and a charge storage device connected to the second resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: VITO NV
    Inventor: Peter COENEN
  • Publication number: 20150108989
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed herein that relate to identifying batteries of different chemistries such as in a battery recycling stream. One example provides a method for differentiating between batteries of different chemistries, the method comprising determining an expected mass of a sample of one or more batteries based upon an expected chemistry of the sample of one or more batteries, weighing the sample of one or more batteries to determine a sample mass, comparing the sample mass to the expected mass, and if the sample mass does not match the expected mass within a threshold range, then determining that the sample contains one or more batteries of a different chemistry than the expected chemistry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventor: Steven E. Sloop
  • Publication number: 20150102816
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for identifying batteries with different thickness, and an electronic device thereof, the apparatus comprises a buckle switch arranged at a position close to battery compartment in the electronic device, and a control circuit connected with the buckle switch. When a thin battery is mounted in the electronic device, the state of the buckle switch is ON; and when a thick battery is mounted in the electronic device, the state of the buckle switch is OFF. According to the ON/OFF state of the buckle switch, the control circuit identifies whether a thin battery or a thick battery is mounted in the electronic device. The apparatus and method can identify whether a thin battery or a thick battery is used in the electronic device, and thereby can adopt different drivers to manage the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kai Ma, Jianmin Fang
  • Publication number: 20150102815
    Abstract: A voltage sensing system for a vehicle traction battery having a plurality of cells includes: a battery controller, a plurality of electrical circuits, each being respectively connected to at least one of the cells and including an electrical component for limiting current therethrough, and a plurality of wires, each being respectively connected to one of the electrical circuits in series with a respective one of the electrical components for limiting current and the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Debbi Callicoat, Robert Bolduc, Ben A. Tabatowski-Bush
  • Publication number: 20150102817
    Abstract: A short-circuit detection apparatus for detecting short circuits (20, 30) of a battery cell (1), characterized by a current registering device (10), which is arranged in the interior of the battery cell (1) or between the exterior of the battery cell (1) and an external terminal (4, 5) of the battery cell (1) for the purpose of registering a current through the battery cell (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Ralf Angerbauer, Alexander Reitzle, Joachim Fetzer
  • Publication number: 20150102943
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes first and second connection nodes and a communication circuit. The communication circuit is configured to communicate cell-status data of a cell over a bidirectional data path connected to the connection nodes. The communication circuit includes directional drive circuitry configured to communicate the cell-status data over the bi-directional data path by communicating the cell-status data via the first connection node to first-side circuitry in the one direction of the bi-directional data path and, in response to an indication that the bi-directional data path is faulty, by communicating via the second connection node to second-side circuitry along the other direction of the bi-directional data path. The communication circuit also includes a communication-protocol circuit configured to control the directional drive circuitry. The apparatus may be connected in-series with other like apparatuses in the bi-directional data path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Petrus Maria de Greef, Johannes Petrus Maria van Lammeren, Matheus Johannus Gerardus Lammers
  • Patent number: 9007065
    Abstract: A battery monitoring apparatus for monitoring a battery condition of an assembled battery. In the apparatus, a control unit transmits, to a monitoring unit that is powered by the assembled battery and monitors its battery condition, a first mode-switching instruction signal for instructing the monitoring unit to transition from a normal mode to a dark-current mode. Subsequently, the control unit transmits to the monitoring unit a second mode-switching signal for instructing the monitoring unit to transition from the dark-current mode to the normal mode, and acquires an increased count value of a timer circuit in the monitoring unit for a time period from transmission of the first mode-switching instruction signal to transmission of the second mode-switching instruction signal. When it is determined that the increased count value is greater than an abnormality diagnosis criterion value, then the control unit determines that the dark-current mode of the monitoring unit is malfunctioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takumi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9007068
    Abstract: A method is provided for current-based detection of an electrical fault in an electrical network of a motor vehicle, the network having at least: one battery, one pulse-controlled inverter, one d.c. voltage converter, and an intermediate circuit associated with the pulse-controlled inverter. The method includes: detecting magnitudes of each a battery current, a d.c. voltage converter current, and an intermediate circuit current; comparing current magnitudes according to provided equations; and checking based on the comparison of whether a specifiable deviation has been exceeded. An alternative method for voltage-based detection of an electrical fault in an electrical network of a motor vehicle includes: detecting magnitudes of each a battery voltage, a d.c. voltage converter voltage, and an intermediate circuit voltage; comparing voltage magnitudes according to provided equations; and checking based on the comparison of whether a specifiable deviation has been exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Beqir Pushkolli, Ulrich Klein
  • Patent number: 9007064
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of evaluating electric joints includes: partially separating a terminal portion from a busbar portion of a joint formed between a battery cell terminal and an interconnector busbar; and measuring electric resistance between the terminal portion and the busbar portion. In another embodiment, the step of measuring includes connecting the terminal portion of the joint to a first clip of a first polarity and connecting the busbar portion of the joint to a second clip of an opposing polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Humi Widhalm
  • Patent number: 9007016
    Abstract: A charging apparatus that enables power line communication to be performed even via a charging apparatus. This charging apparatus is provided in a vehicle having an electrical storage apparatus that stores power supplied to a power supply inlet, a wheel driving section that rotates a wheel by means of power stored in the electrical storage apparatus, and an in-vehicle device that is connected to the storage apparatus via a power line; and has an AC/DC conversion section that converts power supplied from the power supply inlet from alternating-current to direct-current and outputs this to the electrical storage apparatus, and a capacitor that causes a power line communication signal input from the power supply inlet to bypass the AC/DC conversion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryota Yukizane
  • Patent number: 9000771
    Abstract: A vehicle having an electrical system including an electric power generator arranged to selectively provide electric power to an electrical load of the vehicle and to selectively charge a battery of the vehicle. A fault detection system is provided for detecting an open circuit or high resistance fault in a ground circuit. The fault detection system includes a controller that controls a voltage output of the generator so as to either restrict or suspend charging or increase or start charging of the battery by the generator for a designated test period. A determining means determines a current discharge from or charging current into the battery during the test period, wherein if the determined current discharge or charging current is less than a given threshold, then an open circuit or high resistance fault is deemed to be detected in the ground circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard Owens, Makoto Murata, Tadashi Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20150091578
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing for a secondary battery. The secondary battery is configured to include an electrode group in a battery package. The electrode group includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. The manufacturing method includes: (a) measuring a first voltage drop amount of the secondary battery with the passage of time in a state in which a compression force in a direction crossing a lamination direction of the electrode group is applied to the electrode group via the battery package; (b) measuring a second voltage drop amount of the secondary battery with the passage of time in a state in which the compression force is released; and (c) detecting a small short circuit of the secondary battery by comparing the first voltage drop amount and the second voltage drop amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kosuke IWASE
  • Patent number: 8996324
    Abstract: A battery-state monitoring apparatus includes: a secondary battery 200 supplying an electric power to portable equipment 300; and an operation processing part 50 that can detect a battery state of the secondary battery 200 in a detection mode to detect the battery state of the secondary battery 200, the operation processing part using the secondary battery 200 as a power source, wherein the battery-state monitoring apparatus includes a start-up current detecting part 31 detecting a start-up of the portable equipment 300, and wherein the operation processing part 50 waits for a detection of the battery state in a standby mode in which power consumption is smaller than the detection mode until the start-up is detected by the start-up current detecting part 31, and, on the other hand, the operation processing part 50 detects, by intermittently performing a temporary return from the standby mode to the detection mode, the battery state of the secondary battery in a return period during which the return is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd., NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Majima, Mitsuhiro Takahashi, Kazuhiko Takeno, Haruo Uemura, Yasuyuki Kanai, Takayuki Kanai
  • Patent number: 8994334
    Abstract: The battery state-of-charge calculation device (100) is provided with a SOCV calculation unit (5) which outputs a first state of charge calculated based on voltage data, a SOCI calculation unit (6) which outputs a second state of charge calculated based on current data, an estimated impedance voltage calculation unit (12) which calculates an impedance voltage value based on an effective state of charge and the current data, a static determination unit (7) which determines that the impedance voltage value remains static for a predetermined time or longer in a range identified by a predetermined threshold value and outputs the determination result; and a SOC decision unit (20) which, based on the determination result, outputs the first state of charge as the effective state of charge where the impedance voltage value is static and outputs the second state of charge as the effective state of charge where the impedance voltage value is not static.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Shigemizu, Masami Iida, Takehiko Nishida, Masazumi Ohishi, Kazuyuki Adachi, Shinji Murakami, Yoshihiro Wada
  • Patent number: 8996424
    Abstract: A digital system or device includes a battery pack as an exemplary functional subunit. In a warranty case determined by an electrical load test for determining its actual charge capacity, a battery check program initializes, via the operating system and an underlying printer, a printout of a warranty certificate. This certificate form, in particular, contains a UID of the underlying battery pack gathered from a ROM implemented in the battery pack. Before generating the printout of the certificate, the UID gathered from the ROM is coded e.g. by the battery check program and only the coded UID is printed. The printout of the warranty certificate thereafter will be delivered to the warranty service provider by the user. After having received the delivered warranty certificate and having checked validity of the user's warranty claim by means of the coded UID the warranty service provider sends a replacement battery pack back to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, ADS-TEC GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Hindermeyer, Konrad Gierens, Thomas G. Moegerle, Thomas G. Speidel
  • Publication number: 20150084638
    Abstract: A current measurement device includes a measurement part that is constituted by including a resistance part having a predetermined electric resistance value and a pair of current collector parts for extracting a potential difference generated by a current that flows the resistance part; a potential difference detector that is connected to the pair of current collector parts and detects a potential difference generated in the resistance part; and a current detector that detects the current that flows through the inside of a fuel cell. The measurement part is disposed to be integrated with one separator of the pair of separators and the pair of current collectors is disposed so as to overlap with the resistance part when seen from a direction orthogonal to the stacking direction of the cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Yuji Ishikawa, Ikuyasu Kato, Takashi Yamamoto, Takashi Yamada, Keigo Suematsu
  • Publication number: 20150084639
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for estimating a parameter of a secondary battery. The apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a sensor means configured to measure a plurality of current-voltage data while a charging current decreases when a secondary battery is charged in such a pattern that the charging current increases to a peak value and then decreases, and a control means configured to receive an input of the plurality of current-voltage data from the sensor means, calculate a linear approximation equation representing a correlation between a current and a voltage from the plurality of current-voltage data, estimate an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of the secondary battery by reflecting a polarization voltage of the secondary battery quantified through a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit on a Y intercept of the linear approximation equation, and estimate a state of charge (SOC) of the secondary battery from the estimated OCV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventor: Won-Tae JOE
  • Patent number: 8988077
    Abstract: A battery condition detection sensor (1) for measuring characteristics of a battery (101) includes an electrically conductive battery post terminal (12) and a shunt resistor (13). The battery post terminal (12) is mounted to a battery post (102) provided in the battery (101). The shunt resistor (13) is electrically connected to the battery post terminal (12). The shunt resistor (13) is configured such that a connection terminal (52) of a wire harness (51) can be fixed thereto. The shunt resistor (13) has a rotation-blocking portion (inner walls of the insertion holes (15a, 15b)) for blocking rotation of the connection terminal (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideaki Ishihara
  • Patent number: 8988047
    Abstract: A method of pulse charging a secondary electrochemical storage cell is provided. The secondary cell includes a negative electrode comprising an alkaline metal; a positive electrode comprising at least one transition metal halide; a molten salt electrolyte comprising alkaline metal haloaluminate; and a solid electrolyte partitioning the positive electrode from the negative electrode, such that a first surface of the solid electrolyte is in contact with the positive electrode, and a second surface of the solid electrolyte is in contact with the negative electrode. The method of charging includes polarizing the cell by applying a polarizing voltage greater than about 0.1 V above the cell's rest potential for a first predetermined period of time; depolarizing the cell for a second predetermined period of time; and repeating the polarizing and depolarizing steps until a charging end-point is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Alan Bartling, Michael Alan Vallance, Richard Louis Hart, David Charles Bogdan, Jr.