To Determine Plural Cell Condition Patents (Class 324/434)
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Patent number: 10330715Abstract: In accordance with one illustrative embodiment, a system for determining a self-discharge current characteristic of a storage cell (or a bank of storage cells) includes a voltage source, first and second voltage measurement circuits, a current measurement circuit, and a processor. The voltage source provides a potentiostat voltage to the storage cell coupled to the system. The first voltage measurement circuit provides a first voltage resolution for measuring an open circuit voltage across a pair of terminals of the storage cell. The second voltage measurement circuit provides a second voltage resolution that is significantly higher than the first voltage resolution for measuring a terminal voltage at one of the pair of terminals of the storage cell. The processor executes a test procedure by using the voltage source, the first and second voltage measurement circuits, and the current measurement circuit, to determine the self-discharge leakage current characteristic of the storage cell.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2016Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Edward Brorein, Marko Vulovic, Bryan Boswell, Robert Zollo
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Patent number: 10324119Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an insulation resistance measuring device and method, including a parameter resistance connected to a negative electrode terminal of a battery; a shunt resistance connectable to the parameter resistance; a current detection circuit including an operational amplifier configured to detect and output voltage between both ends of the shunt resistance; and a control unit configured to determine the insulation resistance of the battery using a switch control terminal configured to control a switch connected between the parameter resistance and the shunt resistance to an ON or OFF state, a detection signal output terminal configured to selectively apply a first high voltage signal and a first low voltage signal to the shunt resistance, a control signal output terminal configured to apply a control voltage signal to the operational amplifier to adjust an output voltage of the operational amplifier within a predetermined range, an ADC connected to an output terminal of the operationalType: GrantFiled: March 10, 2016Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.Inventor: Ho-Been Choi
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Patent number: 10311985Abstract: A generator is installed on and provides electrical power from a turbine by converting the turbine's mechanical energy to electricity. The generated electrical power is used to power controls of the turbine so that the turbine can remain in use through its own energy. The turbine can be a safety-related turbine in a nuclear power plant, such that, through the generator, loss of plant power will not result in loss of use of the turbine and safety-related functions powered by the same. Appropriate circuitry and electrical connections condition the generator to work in tandem with any other power sources present, while providing electrical power with properties required to safely power the controls.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLCInventors: Arthur M. Thinguldstad, Mark A. Bergman
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Patent number: 10266064Abstract: A voltage detecting apparatus includes: an assembled battery made of plural cells, a self-diagnostic circuit, and a measuring part for measuring the plural cells or measuring a diagnostic voltage generated by the self-diagnostic circuit. Electric power is supplied to the self-diagnostic circuit by a charge pump circuit. The self-diagnostic circuit includes plural circuit elements connected in series, and a current path connected to the measuring part and formed in correspondence with each of the plural circuit elements, and the measuring part includes a multiplexer for switching a state of connection between each of the current paths and the circuit network. The measuring part determines whether or not the circuit network is normal based on a voltage dividing ratio by the circuit element corresponding to the current path switched by the multiplexer.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2016Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATIONInventor: Takaaki Izawa
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Patent number: 10261131Abstract: An inspection method for a secondary battery according to the invention includes: a first aging treatment process for performing aging treatment on the secondary battery that has initially been charged at a first temperature; a first voltage measurement process; a second aging treatment process for performing the aging treatment on the secondary battery at a second temperature; a second voltage measurement process; a self-discharge amount computation process; a non-temperature dependent failure determination process for determining non-temperature dependent failure that does not depend on a relationship between a self-discharge amount and a temperature in accordance with the measured self-discharge amount; and a temperature dependent failure determination process for determining temperature dependent failure that depends on the relationship between the self-discharge amount and the temperature in accordance with the self-discharge amount, temperature dependency of which is suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2016Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshio Matsuyama, Tomohide Sumi, Yosuke Shimura
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Patent number: 10261483Abstract: In a digitally controlled power source, a setting value of an output voltage therefrom is set in advance in the vicinity of an upper limit within a tolerable range of fluctuation. Even if a voltage drop is caused by starting currents that flow upon initial rise of DC-DC converters in a subsequent stage, such setting makes it possible to confine values of the output voltage within the tolerable range of fluctuation because the setting value of the output voltage is set in advance at a relatively high value. Accordingly, the starting currents in the DC-DC converters can be increased without restriction so that rise time for the power source can be shortened.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: FANUC CORPORATIONInventors: Masataka Tsuchimoto, Shouhei Kobayashi
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Patent number: 10263434Abstract: A charge and discharge device (10) includes: a battery unit (110) in which m (m is an integer of 3 or more) battery cells (112) that are connected in series are grouped into plural groups (114) including n (n is an integer equal to or larger than 2 and smaller than m) battery cells (112) that are continuously arranged and a part of the battery cells (112) that belong to a certain group is shared by a different group; a cell balance unit (120) that is provided for each group (114) and uniformizes voltages of the battery cells (112) that belong to the group (114); and a control unit (130) that stops the operation of the cell balance unit (120), when a voltage difference of the battery cells (112) that belong to an arbitrary one of the groups (114) is within a predetermined value, and when a total average voltage in all the battery cells (112) and a partial average voltage which is an average voltage of the battery cells (112) that belong to the arbitrary group (114) satisfy a specific condition, the cell balancType: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: NEC CorporationInventors: Junichi Miyamoto, Shingo Takahashi, Yuan Luo, Nobuhide Yoshida
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Patent number: 10250187Abstract: A solar cell monitoring device includes: an inverter; connection boards which include multiple string circuits, respectively; a terminal block which is provided at an input side of the inverter, and includes multiple branch terminals which are connected to wires that are connected to the connection boards, respectively and supply direct current power to the inverter; detection elements which are provided at a side of the branch terminals; and a measurement unit which measures the currents of the wires which are detected by the detection elements.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: WOONZIE POWER TECHNIC CO., LTD.Inventor: Hyun A Chung
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Patent number: 10236695Abstract: A connectivity check for a rechargeable energy storage system including a string of rechargeable energy storage cell modules in series. Each cell module has an individual rechargeable energy storage cell or plurality of rechargeable energy storage cells, a switch for use in a connection check, a monitoring and control circuit adapted for measuring a cell module voltage, a single common connection between a terminal of a rechargeable energy storage cell and the monitoring and control circuit within each module. To perform the connectivity check the switch is opened in one module, a cell voltage is measured in the module to give a first measured value, the switch is closed. The cell voltage is measured again to provide a second measured value, and a determination is made if there is a difference between the first and second measured values which would indicate a bad connection.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2016Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: VITO NVInventor: Dominique Weyen
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Patent number: 10227010Abstract: Various techniques described herein relate to electric vehicle power management system for managing a plurality of battery modules in a battery pack. Such electric vehicle power management system may include a plurality of battery management systems corresponding to a plurality of battery modules, and an energy management system for managing the plurality of battery management systems. The energy management system and the plurality of battery management systems may adopt master-slave wireless communication, and may use a single wireless frequency channel or a plurality of assigned wireless frequency channels.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: THUNDER POWER NEW ENERGY VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITEDInventor: Yu-Ting Dai
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Patent number: 10211653Abstract: Battery packs that include multiple battery cells that may be monitored using a reduced amount of circuitry and battery systems that may account for battery cell changes over aging and temperature.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2017Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Karthik Kadirvel, Ankur Gupta, Hua Chen, Christopher C. Branson, David M. DeMuro, Alessandro Pelosi
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Patent number: 10205275Abstract: A plug device for automatically plugging a display panel and a connector comprises a first linkage having a fixed end and a movable end that can approach or get away from the display panel at a plug location. The connector comprises a first connector head, a second connector head and a wire that connects the first and second connector heads, the connector is mounted on the first linkage, the first and second connector heads of the connector are respectively secured on the movable end and the fixed end of the first linkage. The second connector head is connected with a signal generator, and when the movable end approaches the display panel at the plug location, the first connector head is automatically plugged on the display panel. The plug device may be used in a method of automatically plugging a display panel with a connector.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2016Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Deng Pan, Fangqing Li, Wei Dai, Weiwei Wang, Wenhua Fu
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Patent number: 10184908Abstract: A metal detector has a transformer unit (1), a transmitter unit (2), a receiver coil set (3), a signal processing unit (4) and a control unit (5). The transformer unit provides an input signal (sIN) with selectable operating frequency (fTX) to an amplifier stage (12), that is connected to a transmitter coil (21) that is coupled to first and second receiver coils (31, 32). The coil outputs are connected to the signal processing unit, which has a receiver unit (41) and a signal processor (42). A coupling transformer (13) has first and second windings (13A, 13B), connected to the output of the amplifier stage, and a third winding (13C), connected to the transmitter coil. The first and second windings are each connected at a first end to a supply voltage (+Ub). Each of the first and second windings has at least one tapping (141, 142, 143, 144; 141?, 142?, 143?, 144?) at a same turn number counted from the first end. The amplifier stage has first and second amplification wings (12A, 12B).Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd.Inventor: David Lyon
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Patent number: 10156613Abstract: An A/D conversion device acquires an inter-terminal signal of one or more battery cells when detecting a voltage across the battery cells. The A/D conversion device acquires a failure diagnosis signal during a failure diagnosis. A control unit causes the A/D conversion device to perform A/D conversion processing in a ?? mode or a hybrid mode, in which acquiring remaining bits of higher bits after subjecting the higher bits to a ?? type A/D conversion processing, when detecting the inter-terminal signal of the battery cells. The control unit causes the A/D conversion device to perform the A/D conversion processing in a cyclic mode or a hybrid mode, when detecting the failure diagnosis signal during the failure diagnosis.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kazutaka Honda, Tomohiro Nezuka
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Patent number: 10132835Abstract: A probe connector includes a probe body, a flexible sleeve body, a slit and a conductive fluid. The flexible sleeve body is connected to the probe body. The conductive fluid is received in the flexible sleeve body and electrically connected to the slit and the probe body. The slit is formed on one end of the flexible sleeve body opposite to the probe body, so as to define petal portions which are configured to be tightly closed together. When the slit is pressed to separate the petal portions, a portion of the conductive fluid seeps up from the flexible sleeve body via the slit.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2016Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignees: GLOBAL UNICHIP CORPORATION, TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Chih-Chieh Liao, Yu-Min Sun, Chih-Feng Cheng
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Patent number: 10120033Abstract: A battery monitoring system includes a battery sensor mounted between a plurality of batteries in a battery system for a vehicle using the plurality of batteries. The battery sensor according to an aspect of the present invention, which uses an ammeter resistor connected in series between a first battery and a second battery, includes: a first integrated circuit configured to receive voltages of both electrodes of the first battery and voltages of both terminals of the ammeter resistor to measure a first battery voltage and a one-directional current of the first and second batteries; and a second integrated circuit configured to receive voltages of both electrodes of the second battery to measure a second battery voltage, and receive the first battery voltage and the one-directional current of the first and second batteries from the first integrated circuit through a serial communication interface.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2015Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tae Sun Cho
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Patent number: 10048323Abstract: A power supply device includes: an assembled battery that is configured of N pieces of battery cells connected in series; (N+1) pieces of measurement lines that obtain analog signals corresponding to terminal potentials of the battery cells; a filter circuit that attenuates a specified frequency component of the inputted analog signals and outputs; and an analog/digital converter that converts the analog signals outputted from the filter circuit into digital signals. The filter circuit is configured of: (N+1) pieces of input terminals; (N+1) pieces of output terminals; (N+1) pieces of filter resistors; and (N+1) pieces of filter capacitors of which one ends respectively connected between the filter resistors and the output terminals and the other ends are connected to each other in common.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2015Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Jun Asakura, Tomoyuki Matsubara
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Patent number: 10012699Abstract: A battery monitor apparatus includes unit batteries connected in series; a battery pack including battery modules connected in series by conductive members, each battery module including two or more of the unit batteries; voltage detection ICs to detect voltages of the unit batteries and the conductive members in circuit intervals connected in series, by potential differences of the circuit intervals; and an electronic control unit to monitor states of the unit batteries. At least one voltage detection IC detects a voltage of at least one of the two unit batteries adjacent to a conductive member, and detects a voltage of the conductive member adjacent to the two unit batteries. The electronic control unit monitors the states, based on the voltages of the unit batteries, and one or more of the voltages of the conductive members detected by one of the voltage detection ICs.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2016Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Jun Muto
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Patent number: 10014699Abstract: Even with a large ripple voltage superposed on a voltage of a battery cell, the voltage of the battery cell can be measured accurately. In a battery monitoring device, a supply circuit, based on a reference voltage inputted from an assembled battery, generates a driving voltage for driving each of switching elements, of a selection circuit and supplies the driving voltage to the selection circuit. The reference voltage is inputted from the assembled battery to the supply circuit via a detecting filter circuit. As a result, a time constant of a route through which the reference voltage is inputted from the assembled battery to the supply circuit is approximately equal to time constants of detecting filter circuits.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2014Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.Inventors: Hiroshi Iwasawa, Akihiko Kudo, Mitsuo Noda, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Tomonori Kanai
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Patent number: 10001528Abstract: A battery deterioration degree estimating apparatus includes a storage deterioration degree estimator that estimates the storage deterioration degree of the battery in reuse based on the storage deterioration degree of the battery in the in-vehicle period and the load information of the battery in reuse, the cycle deterioration degree estimator that estimates the cycle deterioration degree of the battery in reuse on the basis of the load information of the battery in reuse, and the total-deterioration-degree at secondary-use-start calculator that calculates the total deterioration degree of the battery at the time point of reuse start. The battery deterioration degree estimating apparatus includes the total-deterioration-degree detector that estimates the total deterioration degree of the battery after the reuse start on the basis of the storage deterioration degree in reuse, the cycle deterioration degree in reuse, and the total deterioration degree of the battery at the time point of the reuse start.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chizuru Matsuyama, Kenji Hosaka
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Patent number: 9979035Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell; and a control unit that is configured to set a target current value of the fuel cell based on an output request for the fuel cell, predict that a voltage drop of the fuel cell occurs in a high current region of the fuel cell, based on an output voltage value of the fuel cell in a low current region of the fuel cell, if an output current value of the fuel cell is in the low current region and the target current value is above a current threshold that is set in the high current region, reset the target current value to a current value that is smaller than the set target current value, if it is predicted that the voltage drop occurs, and change the output current value of the fuel cell to the reset target current value.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masaaki Matsusue
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Patent number: 9970989Abstract: There are provided a secondary battery cell, a battery pack, and an electric power consumption device having a configuration and structure capable of accurately and easily detecting the state of the secondary battery cell in the battery pack. A secondary battery cell 20 of the present invention includes an integrated circuit (an IC chip) 60 having a measuring function to measure a battery status, the battery pack has a plurality of secondary battery cells of the present invention, and the electric power consumption device includes the battery pack of the present invention having the plurality of secondary battery cells of the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2017Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kazuo Nakamura, Shinichi Uesaka, Atsushi Ozawa
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Patent number: 9939493Abstract: In an apparatus, an input switch circuit selectively connects one of unit batteries to a capacitor. A first group of at least one unit battery has a first polarity when being connected to the capacitor. A second group of at least one unit battery has a second polarity when being connected to the capacitor. A voltage converter converts a voltage of a unit battery selectively connected to the capacitor into a value within a voltage range manipulatable by a voltage monitor. A reference voltage setter variably sets a reference voltage according to one of the first polarity and the second polarity of the voltage of a unit battery selectively connected to the capacitor. The reference voltage is used as a reference to match a scale of the voltage of a unit cell selectively connected to the capacitor for each of the first and second polarities with the predetermined voltage range.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Masashi Deriha, Tomomichi Mizoguchi
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Patent number: 9935344Abstract: The present invention provides a test battery case which is capable of conducting an internal short-circuit test with accuracy. The test battery case according to the present invention includes a container for housing a power generating element, and a closing member detachably secured to the container, wherein the container has an opening for the internal short-circuit test, the opening being closed by the closing member.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2013Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: ELIIY POWER CO., LTD.Inventors: Keisuke Sawanishi, Tomitaro Hara
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Patent number: 9927926Abstract: A capacitance sensing system can include a plurality of transmit (TX) electrodes disposed in a first direction; a plurality of first electrodes disposed in a second direction and coupled to the TX electrodes by a mutual capacitance, and coupled to a capacitance sense circuit when at least one TX electrode receives a transmit signal; and a plurality of second electrodes structures, interspersed with the first electrodes and coupled to a ground node at least while the one TX electrode receives the transmit signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor CorporationInventor: Tao Peng
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Patent number: 9885757Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the state-of-charge of a battery. In response to detecting that the battery is in a rest state, a pre-conditioning current is drawn from the battery to affect a correlation between the state-of-charge of the battery and an open-circuit voltage of the battery. Thereafter, the open-circuit voltage of the battery is measured, and used to determine the state-of-charge.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2012Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Atieva, Inc.Inventors: Albert Shih-Young Liu, Steven Diamond, Sam Weng
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Patent number: 9823207Abstract: Method and device according to the method for determining intracellular and/or extracellular, in particular macromolecular fractions of fluids, preferably of body fluids of living organisms, with the steps: coupling-in a measurement signal through an electrically non-conductive wall into the fluid to be measured; coupling-out an electrical measurement value that is thereby generated in the fluid to be measured; detecting the coupled-out electrical measurement value at a plurality of different frequencies of the electrical measurement signal; determining the intracellular and/or extracellular, in particular macromolecular fractions of the fluid to be measured by means of evaluation of the detected electrical measurement value at a plurality of frequencies of the measurement signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2011Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Sebastian Wieskotten, Tobias Groeber, Paul Chamney, Peter Wabel, Ulrich Moissl
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Patent number: 9825474Abstract: A secondary battery system including plural batteries, extends the lifetime of each battery, and improves the charge/discharge (energy) efficiency of a whole system is provided. A secondary battery system includes plural batteries individually controllable for charging/discharging, plural PCSs each connected to the corresponding battery and performing charging/discharging to the connected battery, and a battery controller distributing a charge/discharge power value as a whole system to each of the PCSs at a fixed cycle or an arbitrary timing. The battery controller includes a preference order calculator setting a preference order to the plural batteries at each time point based on a deterioration characteristic of each battery related to each SOC thereof, and a distribution rate determining unit distributing the charge/discharge power value to the PCSs in accordance with the preference order.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2014Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Masahiro Tohara, Yoshito Sameda, Mami Mizutani, Tamotsu Endo
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Patent number: 9804228Abstract: A voltage measuring apparatus is configured to measure voltages of respective battery cells of a battery cell array including a plurality of battery cell groups each including a predetermined number of battery cells connected in series. The voltage measuring apparatus includes a plurality of measuring units each provided for each of the battery cell groups. The adjacent measuring units are connected through a communication channel so as to perform current communication therebetween. A bidirectional diode circuit element is connected to the communication channel extending between the adjacent measuring units.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2017Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Akira Kawabe, Gorou Mori
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Patent number: 9753091Abstract: Disclosed herein is a voltage detecting device including: an analog converting circuit configured to level-convert voltages of a plurality of battery cells constituting a battery into low voltages; a digital converting circuit configured to convert the low voltages output by the analog converting circuit into digital values; and a control circuit configured to be driven by a power supply provided separately to control the digital converting circuit; the analog converting circuit being driven by a first power generated from the plurality of battery cells, and the digital converting circuit being driven by a second power generated on a basis of a pulse signal generated by the control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: KEIHIN CORPORATIONInventor: Seiji Kamata
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Patent number: 9748784Abstract: A remote control is powered by multiple batteries connected in series. The remote control includes a voltage comparison circuit configured to compare a midpoint voltage from a node connecting two of the batteries to a reference voltage. The remote control is able to determine if there is a non-uniform drain rate in the batteries based on the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2011Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.Inventors: Nathan Hale, Paul Langer, Jeremy Mickelsen, Tom Monikowski, Adam Schafer
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Patent number: 9741992Abstract: A bus bar module includes bus bars and block circuits. A voltage detection circuit included in each block circuit detects voltage values of electric storage elements via lines connected to the respective bus bars. The number of the electric storage elements assigned to a first block circuit is an even number equal to or larger than a minimum number and smaller than a maximum number. The number of the electric storage elements assigned to a second block circuit is equal to or larger than the minimum number and smaller than the maximum number. The number of the electric storage elements assigned to each third block circuit is the maximum number.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2015Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasuharu Terada, Norio Nishiwaki, Takayoshi Amano
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Patent number: 9722232Abstract: A secondary battery, including an electrode assembly; a cap plate that seals the electrode assembly; an electrode pin electrically connected to the electrode assembly and on the cap plate with an insulating gasket therebetween; and a first lead tab coupled to the electrode pin, a relative ratio W2/W1 of a width W2 of the insulating gasket to a width W1 of the first lead tab satisfying 1.0<W2/W1<1.14.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2016Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jaemin Kim, Daeyon Moon
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Patent number: 9716392Abstract: A battery pack and connecting circuits of battery modules. The battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules connected in series, wherein each battery module is provided with a connecting circuit. When the battery module operates normally, the connecting circuit serially connects the current battery module to the previous battery module and the succeeding battery module. When the battery module operates abnormally, the connecting circuit selectively disconnects the current battery module, and if it disconnects the current battery module, it directly connects the previous battery module and the succeeding battery module in series. When a battery module is damaged or abnormal, the current damaged battery module can be disconnected from the series battery pack and bypassed. As such, the previous battery module may be directly connected with the succeeding battery module, ensuring the normal connection of the series circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2015Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: THUNDER POWER NEW ENERGY VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITEDInventor: Po-Han Lian
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Patent number: 9664744Abstract: A cell module includes a unit cell, a sensor, a calculation device, a storage device, an assessment device and a controller. The sensor is connected to the unit cell. The calculation device is for calculating a value indicating the state of the unit cell on the basis of a value measured by the sensor. The storage device is for recording calculated values calculated by the calculation device. The assessment device is for assessing illegitimate usage of the cell module. The controller is for controlling the calculation device, the storage device, and the assessment device, the control device deleting calculated values recorded in the storage device and prohibiting recording of calculated values to the storage device when the assessment device assesses that illegitimate usage has occurred.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2013Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasutaka Nakamura, Jyun Ikezawa, Daijirou Sakurai, Junya Kohno, Naoki Nishio, Toshifumi Fukushige, Yoshio Shimoida
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Patent number: 9618544Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying a reference voltage within a battery pack are disclosed. In one example, an assessment of a reference voltage is made via a band-gap voltage of a microcontroller. The system and method may be particularly useful determining whether or not the reference voltage has drifted from a desired voltage.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2011Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: John H. Floros, Paul W. Firehammer
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Patent number: 9595743Abstract: Provided is a battery module including: a plurality of battery cells which are arranged to be stacked and are electrically connected to each other; a plurality of partitions positioned between the battery cells and having aluminum panels fixed on upper and lower surfaces thereof; and a printed circuit board (PCB) electrically connected to the battery cell, wherein the battery cell and the PCB are connected to each other by one or more voltage sensing wires positioned on the partitions and having one side which is in contact with a bus bar of the battery cell and the other side which is in contact with a PCB terminal formed on the PCB.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2013Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: SK Innovation Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seung Hoon Ju, Dong Hun Lim, Jae Il Hwang
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Patent number: 9548477Abstract: The present invention provides a battery block that accommodates unit cells having higher capacities, and, even in case of abnormal heat generation in the unit cell, does not cause abnormal heat generation in the neighboring unit cells, thereby preventing a chain reaction of degradations and abnormalities of the accommodated unit cells. The battery block of the present invention includes a battery case having a minimum thickness section satisfying the relationship “K2/K1?K3?1”. K1 is the thermal conductance between the battery case and the unit cell. K2 is the thermal conductance of the minimum thickness section of the battery case between two neighboring holes for accommodating the respective unit cells. K3 is a ratio between the abnormal heat temperature of a reference cell and the ambient temperature causing abnormal heat generation in this cell.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2012Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasuhiro Asaida, Yukio Nishikawa, Hideaki Hamada, Naoto Hosotani, Daisuke Kishii
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Patent number: 9525162Abstract: A secondary battery, including an electrode assembly; a cap plate that seals the electrode assembly; an electrode pin electrically connected to the electrode assembly and on the cap plate with an insulating gasket therebetween; and a first lead tab coupled to the electrode pin, a relative ratio W2/W1 of a width W2 of the insulating gasket to a width W1 of the first lead tab satisfying 1.0<W2/W1<1.14.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.Inventors: Jaemin Kim, Daeyon Moon
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Patent number: 9461486Abstract: The invention is in the field of monitoring and controlling of rechargeable battery arrays as used in telecommunications power plants and vehicles equipped with all-electrical or hybrid-electrical power train. The invention presents a method of embedding a microcontroller into each individual cell in the array, which executes measurements of cell voltage, temperature and optionally instantaneous current. These measurements are aimed to reflect the cell state-of-charge and its overall maintenance state, i.e. health or life expectancy. The measured data is then transmitted over the same wires that conduct the electrical energy to and from the battery cells using a Rogowsky type coil (a.k.a. current transformer) to superimpose a high-frequency alternating-current modulated signal over any direct current flowing through the power wires.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2012Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Inventor: Leonid Rozenboim
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Patent number: 9419447Abstract: A battery control device that controls a battery module in which a plurality of cell groups, in each of which a plurality of cells are connected in series, are connected in series or series-parallel, includes: a plurality of cell controller ICs that control each of the plurality of cell groups; and one or more connectors that are provided for connecting the plurality of cell controller ICs to the battery module; wherein: the plurality of cell controller ICs include first and second cell controller ICs that are provided in sequence, so as to control two or more of the cell groups that are connected in series; and an auxiliary connection member (a pin) is provided for connecting GND terminal side wiring of the first cell controller IC and VCC terminal side wiring of the second cell controller IC together, externally to the battery control device.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2015Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiro Machida, Akihiko Kudo
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Patent number: 9366730Abstract: There is provided a battery voltage detector circuit which uses a multiplexer system and which is capable of reducing the influence of the deviation of a detected voltage attributable to a parasitic capacitance, thus improving the accuracy of voltage detection. The battery voltage detector circuit that monitors the voltages of a plurality of batteries connected in series includes a flying capacitor, a multiplexer switch that sequentially connects the flying capacitor to the plurality of batteries, a voltage detecting unit that detects the voltage of the flying capacitor, a first reference potential detecting unit connected to one terminal of the flying capacitor, a second reference potential connecting unit connected to the other terminal of the flying capacitor, and a control circuit that controls the multiplexer switch, the first reference potential connecting unit and the second reference potential connecting unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2014Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: SII SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Kazuaki Sano
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Patent number: 9252418Abstract: A battery for a vehicle has a plurality of battery cells forming a cell stack. During the operation of the battery, electrical energy can be drawn from the cell stack or supplied to the cell stack via at least one cable. At least one monitoring device, in particular an optocoupler, is used to monitor a resistance that is present on at least one detachable junction of the at least one cable to an additional component of the battery, wherein the monitoring device is connected in a parallel branch to the junction. By monitoring the resistance at the junctions, local overheating of the battery can be prevented.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: AUDI AGInventor: Siegfried Achhammer
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Patent number: 9246337Abstract: A battery pack includes a plurality of battery units mutually connected in parallel, each including a cell group in which one or two or more secondary cells are connected in series, and a first current control element that is connected in series with this cell group, a first control means that controls the charging/discharging current for each battery unit by controlling the operation of the first current control element included in each of the battery unit; a voltage measurement means that measures the voltage of the cell group or cells included in each of the battery unit, and a diagnosis means that diagnoses a deterioration level or a fault of each battery unit on the basis of the voltage of the cell group or cells measured by the voltage measurement means.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2010Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Hiroshi Iwasawa, Akihiko Emori, Yutaka Kobayashi, Ko Takahashi, Akihiko Kanouda
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Patent number: 9231262Abstract: A fuel cell voltage monitor (12a, 12b, 40, 140, 440) detects and may respond to, a problematic operating condition at or near a fuel cell (10) or within a subset (n) of fuel cells, as in a fuel cell stack assembly (110). Two or more co-planar, spaced voltage leads or contacts in a fuel cell plane, as at a separator plate, detect the presence of a voltage difference within the plate/plane as an indication of an operating problem at or near the fuel cell. Placement of such arrangements of at least two spaced voltage leads at various subset intervals (n), of fuel cells in a stack assembly allow monitoring for such problems throughout the stack assembly, either by analysis of voltage difference between co-planar leads at respective individual fuel cells or by comparison of voltage differences between aligned pairs of voltage leads at opposite ends of a subset.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2007Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Audi AGInventor: Carl A. Reiser
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Patent number: 9231407Abstract: A battery management system used to monitor a number of batteries. This battery management system includes a number of isolation circuits electrically connected to the batteries. The battery management system includes a measuring unit electrically connected to the isolation circuits to turn on or off the isolation circuits and measure voltages simultaneously of the batteries when the isolation circuits are turned on by the measuring unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2012Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kyung-Sub Shim
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Patent number: 9182448Abstract: A plurality of detection units are connected respectively in parallel with a plurality of battery cells connected in series. The detection units each include an inductor and a zener diode connected in series. A battery checker includes a plurality of detection inductors and a single voltmeter that form a closed circuit. A plurality of detection inductors are arranged so that they are magnetically coupled respectively with the inductors of the plurality of detection units. Each zener diode is connected with the polarity to be reverse biased by the output voltage of the battery cell. Respective breakdown voltages of the zener diodes are set higher than the output voltage of each battery cell in normal use and different in a stepwise manner from each other.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2010Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yukinari Tanabe
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Patent number: 9163925Abstract: A charge coupled displacement sensor includes a first number of electrodes disposed to form a first ring including a first diameter and further operable to form an electric field around an object. A second number of electrodes are alternately disposed with the first number of electrodes within the first ring and are further operable to measure variations in the electric field attributed to a position of the object. A third number of electrodes are disposed to form a second ring including a second diameter greater than the first diameter and further electrically coupled with an electrical ground.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2012Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventor: Hans L. Leuthold
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Patent number: 9136566Abstract: A battery pack (21A) according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a plurality of battery modules (11A-11D) connected to each other in either one or both of a series connection mode and a parallel connection mode. An identifying information setting section (25) sets identifying information on each of the plurality of battery elements (11A-11D). A connection mode managing section (47) manages the connection mode between the plurality of battery elements (11A-11D) by using the identifying information set by the identifying information setting section (25). The identifying information on each of the plurality of battery elements (11A-11D) is made up of a combination of first identifying information on the potential of the one of the plurality of battery elements (11A-11D) and second identifying information on the battery pack (21A) serving as a superordinate battery element to which the one of the plurality of battery elements (11A-11D) belongs.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2011Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Takeda, Koichi Yokoura, Takashi Takeuchi
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Patent number: 9128164Abstract: A battery monitoring apparatus a plurality of connection lines, a monitoring circuit, a first filter circuit, and a second filter circuit. The monitoring circuit is provided with a pair of sensing terminals for each pair of positive and negative electrode terminals of each of a plurality of battery cells of a battery pack. The plurality of connection lines includes a plurality of common line and first and second branch lines. The first filter circuit includes first resistors located on the first and second branch lines connected to the pair of sensing terminals, and a first capacitor located between the first and second branch lines connected to the pair of sensing terminals. The second filter circuit includes a second resistor located on the plurality of connection lines, and a second capacitor connected in series between the plurality of connection lines without passing through the first resistors or the second resistor.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Tomomichi Mizoguchi