To Determine Plural Cell Condition Patents (Class 324/434)
  • Patent number: 10330715
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Brorein, Marko Vulovic, Bryan Boswell, Robert Zollo
  • Patent number: 10324119
    Abstract: 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 operational
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventor: Ho-Been Choi
  • Patent number: 10311985
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Arthur M. Thinguldstad, Mark A. Bergman
  • Patent number: 10266064
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takaaki Izawa
  • Patent number: 10261131
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshio Matsuyama, Tomohide Sumi, Yosuke Shimura
  • Patent number: 10261483
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masataka Tsuchimoto, Shouhei Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10263434
    Abstract: 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 balanc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Miyamoto, Shingo Takahashi, Yuan Luo, Nobuhide Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10250187
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: WOONZIE POWER TECHNIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyun A Chung
  • Patent number: 10236695
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventor: Dominique Weyen
  • Patent number: 10227010
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: THUNDER POWER NEW ENERGY VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Yu-Ting Dai
  • Patent number: 10211653
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Karthik Kadirvel, Ankur Gupta, Hua Chen, Christopher C. Branson, David M. DeMuro, Alessandro Pelosi
  • Patent number: 10205275
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Deng Pan, Fangqing Li, Wei Dai, Weiwei Wang, Wenhua Fu
  • Patent number: 10184908
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd.
    Inventor: David Lyon
  • Patent number: 10156613
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutaka Honda, Tomohiro Nezuka
  • Patent number: 10132835
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignees: GLOBAL UNICHIP CORPORATION, TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Chieh Liao, Yu-Min Sun, Chih-Feng Cheng
  • Patent number: 10120033
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Sun Cho
  • Patent number: 10048323
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Asakura, Tomoyuki Matsubara
  • Patent number: 10012699
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Muto
  • Patent number: 10014699
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iwasawa, Akihiko Kudo, Mitsuo Noda, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Tomonori Kanai
  • Patent number: 10001528
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chizuru Matsuyama, Kenji Hosaka
  • Patent number: 9979035
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaaki Matsusue
  • Patent number: 9970989
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuo Nakamura, Shinichi Uesaka, Atsushi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 9939493
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Deriha, Tomomichi Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 9935344
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: ELIIY POWER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Sawanishi, Tomitaro Hara
  • Patent number: 9927926
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Tao Peng
  • Patent number: 9885757
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Shih-Young Liu, Steven Diamond, Sam Weng
  • Patent number: 9823207
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Wieskotten, Tobias Groeber, Paul Chamney, Peter Wabel, Ulrich Moissl
  • Patent number: 9825474
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Masahiro Tohara, Yoshito Sameda, Mami Mizutani, Tamotsu Endo
  • Patent number: 9804228
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Kawabe, Gorou Mori
  • Patent number: 9753091
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: KEIHIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seiji Kamata
  • Patent number: 9748784
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventors: Nathan Hale, Paul Langer, Jeremy Mickelsen, Tom Monikowski, Adam Schafer
  • Patent number: 9741992
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuharu Terada, Norio Nishiwaki, Takayoshi Amano
  • Patent number: 9722232
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaemin Kim, Daeyon Moon
  • Patent number: 9716392
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: THUNDER POWER NEW ENERGY VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Po-Han Lian
  • Patent number: 9664744
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Nakamura, Jyun Ikezawa, Daijirou Sakurai, Junya Kohno, Naoki Nishio, Toshifumi Fukushige, Yoshio Shimoida
  • Patent number: 9618544
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: John H. Floros, Paul W. Firehammer
  • Patent number: 9595743
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: SK Innovation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung Hoon Ju, Dong Hun Lim, Jae Il Hwang
  • Patent number: 9548477
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Asaida, Yukio Nishikawa, Hideaki Hamada, Naoto Hosotani, Daisuke Kishii
  • Patent number: 9525162
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jaemin Kim, Daeyon Moon
  • Patent number: 9461486
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Inventor: Leonid Rozenboim
  • Patent number: 9419447
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiro Machida, Akihiko Kudo
  • Patent number: 9366730
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: SII SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuaki Sano
  • Patent number: 9252418
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Siegfried Achhammer
  • Patent number: 9246337
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iwasawa, Akihiko Emori, Yutaka Kobayashi, Ko Takahashi, Akihiko Kanouda
  • Patent number: 9231262
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Carl A. Reiser
  • Patent number: 9231407
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung-Sub Shim
  • Patent number: 9182448
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukinari Tanabe
  • Patent number: 9163925
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Hans L. Leuthold
  • Patent number: 9136566
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Takeda, Koichi Yokoura, Takashi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9128164
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomomichi Mizoguchi