Using A Battery Testing Device Patents (Class 324/426)
  • Patent number: 9649057
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing data communication in medical systems are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Martin J. Fennell, Lei He, Mark Kent Sloan
  • Patent number: 9651583
    Abstract: A measurement module includes a pair of input terminals, a pair of current paths connected to the pair of input terminals, and a pair of output terminals. A partition that is a non-magnetic insulating portion partitions an internal space of the measurement module into two spaces. Low-current components such as a magnetic detection element are disposed in a space different from a space in which the pair of current paths are housed. The presence of the partition allows the low-current components and the pair of current paths to be disposed close to one another, thus making it possible to reduce the size of the measurement module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: CANON DENSHI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masahiro Kawase
  • Patent number: 9620823
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a battery system includes an electrochemical cell, a flexible sensor assembly attached to the cell, the flexible sensor assembly including an array of spin valve magnetic field sensors exhibiting an organic magneto resistance effect, and a battery management system operably connected to the flexible array, the battery management system including a memory with program instructions stored therein, and a processor operably connected to the memory and to the array, the processor configured to execute the program instructions to identify local changes in magnetic flux using input from the array of magnetic field sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Timm Lohmann, Bernd Schumann
  • Patent number: 9619612
    Abstract: A tester for equipment, apparatuses, or components with distributed measurement and analytical functions comprises a simplified test circuit for obtaining key data representative of the operational characteristics of said equipment, apparatus, or component and transmitting these to a sophisticated device capable of other uses, such as a smart phone or tablet computer. The latter analyzes the raw data with reference to values for nominal characteristics or operation of the equipment, apparatus, or component and provides a result indicative of the condition thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Battery Technology Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kallfelz, Gary T. Rumsey
  • Patent number: 9612287
    Abstract: Non-sequential monitoring of battery cells in battery monitoring systems, and related components, systems, and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a battery monitoring system control unit is provided. The battery monitoring system control unit is configured to control battery monitoring devices. Each battery monitoring device is configured to be coupled to a subset of battery cells electrically connected in series in a sequential order to form a battery. The battery monitoring system control unit is further configured to instruct the battery monitoring devices to test an ohmic value of each battery cell of the battery cells of the battery in a non-sequential order. In this manner, heat generated in the battery monitoring devices from the testing may be more effectively dissipated, which can also allow for the battery monitoring devices to be employed in higher operating temperature environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: NDSL, Inc.
    Inventors: David Brown, Christopher James Belcher, Duncan Joseph Brown, Dat Tan Chau
  • Patent number: 9599678
    Abstract: A testing circuit for backlight source is provided. The testing circuit includes: a power module; a first ON/OFF module; a second ON/OFF module, the power module, the first ON/OFF module and the second ON/OFF module being connected in series; a control module electrically connected to the first ON/OFF module and the second ON/OFF module respectively; and a parallel branch connected in parallel with the second ON/OFF module. The backlight source is connected in the parallel branch, and the control module is configured to control the first ON/OFF module to switched to an ON state from an OFF state when the control module receives a control signal, and to control the second ON/OFF module to be switched to an OFF state from an ON state after a predetermined time delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., BOE Optical Science and Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhenghe Gu, Chunlei Cao
  • Patent number: 9582054
    Abstract: An apparatus of programming an output of a programmable power adapter according to the present invention comprises a control circuit. The method according to the present invention sends a signal to a device. A resistor is coupled to the signal to determine the level of the signal. The resistor is installed in the device. The method according to the present invention checks the level of the signal in the programmable power adapter and determines an output voltage of the programmable power adapter in accordance with the level of the signal. The output voltage of the programmable power adapter is coupled to the device to provide a power for a load of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: System General Corp.
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Chou-Sheng Wang, Yi-Min Hsu, Jenn-Yu G. Lin, Tse-Jen Tseng
  • Patent number: 9568558
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a converter are provided. The apparatus includes a battery and a sensor configured to sense the battery to generate sensor state of battery information. A converter controller is configured to acquire the sensor state of battery information and vehicle state information received from a vehicle controller to calculate calibrated state of battery information based on whether a correction execution condition on the sensor state of battery information is satisfied. In addition, the converter controller uses the calibrated state of battery information and the sensor state of battery information to calculate an error correction value and uses the error correction value to calculate actual state of battery information. A converter is then configured to supply power to the battery based on the sensor state of battery information or the actual state of battery information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Sung-Tae Kim, Chang-Ryeol Yoo
  • Patent number: 9557388
    Abstract: A battery control device calculates at least one of an allowable current and an allowable power during charge/discharge of a battery from a no-load voltage and an internal resistance of the battery, and corrects at least one of the no-load voltage and the internal resistance according to the states of charge/discharge of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Aoshima, Hiroshi Morikawa, Kenji Nakai, Keiichiro Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 9551753
    Abstract: The state of a plurality of electric storage blocks connected in serial is determined. Each of the electric storage blocks includes a plurality of electric storage elements connected in parallel. Each of the electric storage elements includes a current breaker configured to break a current path in the electric storage element. When a first voltage characteristic is shifted from a second voltage characteristic, it is determined that the current breaker is operated. The first voltage characteristic is acquired from a voltage sensor acquiring an open circuit voltage of each electric storage block and indicates a change in the open circuit voltage with respect to a capacity of the electric storage block. The second voltage characteristic is calculated from a capacity retention rate and a variation of the capacity and indicates a change in the open circuit voltage with respect to the capacity of the electric storage block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Takahashi, Yuji Nishi, Hiroyuki Kaiya
  • Patent number: 9548506
    Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a fuel cell evaluator for evaluating a characteristic of a fuel cell based on a frequency characteristic of impedance of the fuel cell. The evaluator includes: an impedance acquisition unit configured to acquire impedances of the fuel cell for a certain current value in a Tafel region by changing a measurement frequency; an extraction unit configured to extract a reaction resistance from the acquired impedances; a calculator configured to calculate the product of the reaction resistance and the certain current value; and an indicator configured to indicate the product calculated by the calculator as the frequency characteristic of the impedance of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamazaki, Tetsuo Yano, Souichirou Torai, Nobuhiro Tomosada, Atsufumi Kimura, Tomomi Akutsu, Makoto Kawano
  • Patent number: 9541608
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring an insulation resistance that may calculate each of a cathode terminal-side insulation resistance value and an anode terminal-side insulation resistance value of a battery. The apparatus for measuring an insulation resistance according to the present disclosure forms different first and second circuits by selectively connecting an insulation resistance measurement unit to a cathode terminal or an anode terminal of the battery, and calculates a cathode terminal-side insulation resistance value and an anode terminal-side insulation resistance value from first and second insulation detection voltages applied to the insulation resistance measurement unit and simultaneous circuit equations derived from the first and the second circuits. Accordingly, quantitative insulation resistance values of the cathode terminal and the anode terminal of the battery may be each obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun-Ju Hong, Jin-Su Jang
  • Patent number: 9533594
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted apparatus comprising: a communication unit which is connected to the charger/discharger and exchanges information with the charger/discharger; an input unit receiving various types of information; a storage unit which uses the information acquired through the input unit and the communication unit to store: a vehicle ID identifying the vehicle; a charger/discharger ID identifying the charger/discharger which can be connected to the vehicle; and history information indicating a history of charges and discharges for the vehicle, which are related to one another; and a presentation unit presenting to a user of the vehicle, the history information stored in the storage unit in relation to a pair of the vehicle ID and the charger/discharger which charges/discharges the vehicle and is identified by the charger/discharger ID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruka Nakasone, Akira Baba, Hitoshi Nomura, Yasuhiro Yanagi
  • Patent number: 9523730
    Abstract: A circuit, system, machine-readable storage medium and method for detecting the leakage impedance in a voltage source is described. The method for identifying a presence of a leakage path in a multi-cell floating voltage source may include supplying a current to a node of the floating voltage source and sampling the voltage of the floating voltage source using a pair of amplifiers connecting in inverting configurations. The method may include sampling a reference ground potential using a reference amplifier connected in an inverting configuration. Each of the amplifiers may output an output signal. The method may include adjusting the current supplied to the node of the floating voltage source and resampling the voltage of the floating voltage source and the reference ground potential. The value of the leakage impedance may be calculated using the sampled and resampled values. The measurements may be performed independent of the battery voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Lawrence C. Streit
  • Patent number: 9522607
    Abstract: A system and control method for reserved charge of a vehicle battery is provided. The method includes receiving, at a controller, a vehicle operation start time input and a reserved charge command via an input device and receiving information regarding an output state of a charger when the vehicle is connected to the charger. In addition, the controller calculates an estimated charging time consumed for charging the battery using the information on the output state of the charger and calculates a charge start time for completing the battery charge before a vehicle operation starts based on the vehicle operation start time and the estimated charging time. The vehicle is operated to be in a standby state before the charge until the charge start time is reached and the charge is adjusted to charge the battery with power input from the charger when the charge start time is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Woo Sung Kim, Kyung In Min
  • Patent number: 9500704
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a drive circuit; a standby circuit; and a detection circuit. The drive circuit turns on an output transistor connected to a load based on an active input signal. The standby circuit intermittently outputs an output signal based on a non-active input signal. The detection circuit measures voltage of a load side of the output transistor based on the output signal and output a measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Soma
  • Patent number: 9494653
    Abstract: A battery pack monitoring apparatus detects line breakage of detection lines on a highest potential side and a lowest potential side of a battery pack. In the apparatus, a battery cell voltage detection section detects a voltage of each of battery cells through detection lines connected to both electrodes of the battery cells. A battery pack voltage detection section detects a voltage of the battery pack through the highest potential side detection line and the lowest potential side detection line of the battery pack. Diodes are connected in parallel to respective battery cells on the highest and lowest potential sides in a forward direction from a negative electrode toward a positive electrode. A control section determines that one of the lines is broken when a sum of the voltage of each of the battery cells detected and the voltage of the battery pack detected are not equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: OMRON AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masakazu Okaniwa, Naoki Kitahara
  • Patent number: 9466992
    Abstract: A system and method for providing energy management and maintenance of a high energy battery pack that does not require installation of the battery pack into an operational EV. A battery service unit has multiple access mechanisms to charge or discharge a high energy battery pack through a primary or secondary high voltage port of the pack, irrespective of whether the battery pack is installed into an operating environment by adding a capability of providing a signature duplicating installation of the pack in the operating environment when necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: TESLA MOTORS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Darragh, Brian Stuart Boggs
  • Patent number: 9453885
    Abstract: A battery-state monitoring system capable of precisely and efficiently estimating the state and service life of a plurality of storage batteries charged with power generated by utilizing natural energy and constantly connected to an equipment is provided. The system includes a power supply control device that detects a current in each battery, an end device that measures temperature, voltage, and internal resistance of each battery, the internal resistance being measured by using two or more kinds of frequencies, and a prime monitoring device that acquires measurement data from the end device corresponding to each battery and issues an instruction related to an operation to the power supply control device and the end device. The prime monitoring device estimates degradation of each battery based on at least one of temperature, voltage, and internal resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Mukaitani, Takashi Kofuse, Mitsuyoshi Kanoh, Shinya Mizusugi, Yasuhiro Shibata
  • Patent number: 9389279
    Abstract: A battery cell assembly having a battery cell and a thin profile sensor is provided. The battery cell has a housing and first and second electrical terminals. The thin profile sensor has a flexible plastic sheet, and a microprocessor, a sensing circuit, and a heat generating circuit coupled to the flexible plastic sheet. The flexible plastic sheet is coupled to the battery cell. The microprocessor determines a first voltage value representing an open circuit voltage, and a second voltage value of the battery cell when the battery cell is supplying electrical current through the heat generating circuit. The microprocessor determines a current value when the battery cell is supplying the electrical current through the heat generating circuit, and determines an internal resistance value based on the first voltage value, the second voltage value, and the current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventor: Greg Bober
  • Patent number: 9376072
    Abstract: A motor vehicle electronic computer (10), includes: an electrical power supply device (11) supplying a first regulated electrical voltage V1 and a second regulated electrical voltage V2 greater than V1; control peripherals (13) of the vehicle actuators (30); and a processor (12) connected to the first electrical voltage source, controlling the control peripherals. The computer includes at least one control peripheral (14), including an output switch (141) having to be supplied with an electrical voltage of value V2, and a voltage step-up circuit (140) supplying, on an output port (140b), an electrical voltage of value V2 for the power supply of a control circuit (142) of the output switch from an electrical voltage, on an input port (140a) of the voltage step-up circuit, of a lower value than the value V2. A vehicle including such an electronic computer (10) is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Jacques Rocher
  • Patent number: 9372482
    Abstract: Methods for predicting a machine event are described. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data for current events for the machine, and determining whether the data for the current events is within operational limits. The method also includes, when the data for the current events is within operational limits, determining, using a predetermined model, whether an anomaly exists, and generating an alert including information on the anomaly when the anomaly exists. Systems and machine-readable media are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Harnischfeger Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Rikkola, Anubhaw Bhushan, Shashikiran Gudur, Brian Raba
  • Patent number: 9360911
    Abstract: A rack server system and a control method thereof are provided. The rack server system establishes a communication link for communicating with a battery backup unit. The battery backup unit is connected to a power input port of the rack server system, and includes a number of battery modules connected with each other in parallel. The rack server system controls the battery backup unit to perform validity test on a first battery module during a first period and to perform validity test on a second battery module during a second period, wherein the first period and the second period are not overlapped with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Quanta Computer Inc.
    Inventors: Maw-Zan Jau, Tzu-Hung Wang, Chin-Hsiang Chan
  • Patent number: 9341680
    Abstract: A battery voltage measuring circuit for an implantable cardiac device is presented. Since the usable battery voltage for the device is limited to an upper range of voltages, the need for measuring lower voltages at which the battery is approaching end of life is of no use. The disclosed invention allows for the measurement of a selectable upper range of battery levels that can be chosen without using a level shifting device such as a zener diode. Multiple voltage ranges with associated measurement resolutions can be achieved without using high current zener diode implementations. This allows for a trade-off between measurement range and resolution while resulting in a lower power and more accurate measurement circuit. Conventional zener diode implementations only allow for a single measurement range and are prone to non-linear error as the voltage measurement range increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: CAMERON HEALTH, INC.
    Inventor: Ravi S. Ananth
  • Patent number: 9325193
    Abstract: A device and associated testing method for empirically determining the state-of-charge of an electrochemical energy device, comprising: applying electrical excitations to the energy device at a predetermined electrical excitation frequency ?e; applying mechanical excitations to the energy device at a predetermined mechanical excitation frequency ?m; measuring an electrically-induced phase difference ??e(?e) between voltage (V) and current (I) within the energy device from applying the electrical excitations; measuring a mechanically-induced phase difference ??e(?m) between voltage (V) and current (I) within the energy device from applying the mechanical excitations; and deducing the empirical real-time state-of-health of the energy device by comparing the electrically-induced phase difference ??e(?e) with the mechanically-induced phase difference ??e(?m); and using the deduced state of health to determine the state of charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Inventor: Shawn P. Kelly
  • Patent number: 9316694
    Abstract: A battery is provided that includes a battery monitoring system integrated within the battery. The battery monitoring system includes a diagnostic system configured to monitor or store at least one parameter of the battery. Additionally, the battery monitoring system also includes a receiver communicatively coupled to the diagnostic system. Furthermore, the battery monitoring system includes a transmitter communicatively coupled to the diagnostic system and configured to activate upon receipt of a first wireless signal by the receiver and to transmit a second wireless signal indicative of the at least one parameter of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Douglas C. Campbell, Michael J. Sims, Thomas H. Morell
  • Patent number: 9296348
    Abstract: A power supply device includes functional modules, and a main controller that is connected to and controls the modules. Each module includes a battery block, a communication interface, a memory and a battery state detector. The block includes a battery cells that are connected in serial and/or in parallel to each other. The interface exchanges data with other modules or the controllers. The memory can store data exchanged through the interface. The battery state detector can detect at least one of current, voltage and temperature of the block. When the module is connected to the controller, the controller assigns a unique address to the module. The module stores the unique address, which is assigned by the controller, in the memory. The module exchanges data based on the address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Junya Yano
  • Patent number: 9297840
    Abstract: There is provided a power detection circuit capable of appropriately adjusting detection voltage characteristics by using simple configuration. The power detection circuit includes a first resistor having current applied thereto to adjust a detection voltage value of input power, an element having an applied voltage and a load characteristic changed according to the input power, and a second resistor connected to the element and having current applied thereto when resistance of the element becomes relatively low, to adjust the detection voltage value of the input power. Detection voltage characteristics may be appropriately adjusted using a simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 9287723
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cell balancing apparatus and method using a voltage variation pattern of a battery cell, which measures voltage of each cell, estimates OCV or SOC of each cell using a voltage variation pattern of each cell including a present voltage and a past voltage, and eliminates a deviation in OCV or SOC between the cells through comparison of the estimated OCV or SOC of each cell. In estimating the OCV of each cell, an output voltage error due to IR drop is corrected. Thus, SOC of each cell may be accurately estimated. And, an accurate estimation of SOC may render substantial elimination for a SOC deviation of each cell. Furthermore, SOC estimating using an output voltage leads to an active cell balancing even during charge and discharge of battery, thereby minimizing an SOC deviation of each cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jung-Soo Kang, Do-Youn Kim
  • Patent number: 9287729
    Abstract: A secondary battery state management system of the present invention includes: a battery charger that charges a secondary battery; and a storage server that stores electrical characteristics information which is information that indicates the electrical characteristics during charging of the secondary battery. An electrical characteristics measuring means measures the electrical characteristics during charging. A measurement information storing means stores the history of the measured electrical characteristics information for each secondary battery. A battery state determining means compares the electrical characteristics information of the secondary battery being measured by the electrical characteristics measuring means with the electrical characteristics information of the same secondary battery stored in the measurement information storing means, and determines the state of the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Nyu, Akira Inoue, Shuntaro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9268000
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for reducing an influence of voltage ripple on battery test measurements of battery cells coupled in series that form a direct current (DC) bus. A calibration operation is used to obtain a ratiometric difference between first and second series connected battery cells of the DC bus, which is indicative of a variance in their respective output voltages. Voltage measurements across each of the two cells may then be obtained at least substantially simultaneously. The ratiometric difference may be used to modify the voltage measurement taken across the second cell to produce a modified voltage measurement of the second cell. A difference between the measured voltage across the first battery cell and the modified voltage measurement may then be determined, which represents a filtered DC test voltage that has substantially all of the voltage ripple removed therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Liebert Corporation
    Inventors: Terry D. Bush, Brian Cogar, Russell E. Shetler, Jr., Charles O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 9267495
    Abstract: The invention refers to an actuator with a movable controlling element (7), a wire-shaped SMA element (2) for moving the controlling element in one direction, on whose at least one wire end (3) a connector (4) having a contact surface (13) and made of an electrically conductive material has been fixed, and a structural part (5) made at least partially from an electrically non-conductive plastic material, that has been provided with a conductive strip (6). The connector (4) is fixed to an area of the structural part made from non-conductive material, whereby as a result of that, the contact surface (13) is maintained in electrically conductive contact with the conductive strip (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Actuator Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Köpfer, Tobias Sonnleitner
  • Patent number: 9270141
    Abstract: A method for operating a photovoltaic system provides, with the turning off of the otherwise adjusted regulation to the maximum power point MPP, to make a selective mismatching at the inverter, in order to cause a battery current, which is added to the system current. As a result, an additional energy source to maintain a minimum feed power is achieved during a rapidly changing cloud pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Adensis GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Beck
  • Patent number: 9255974
    Abstract: A determination of particular parameters for modeling a battery such as a lithium-ion battery, for example the charge transfer resistance and the double layer behavior at the surface of electrical connections, by extrapolating results obtained in a stationary mode, for example without charge or discharge current, to quick charge or discharge modes, where traditional measurements are too slow, since the parameters vary as a function of the charge or discharge state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventors: Trung-Kien Dong, Angel Zhivkov Kirchev, Florence Mattera
  • 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: 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