Process to determine battery storage capacity

• US 20030154040A1
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Batterien GmbH & Co. KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Batterien GmbH & Co. KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Kuper, Christian, Nann, Eberhard
• Application Number:
  US10/259,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20030154040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health

Abstract

The present invention concerns a process for the determination of charge capacity in a battery, especially the charge and/or aging status.

The invention has the function of determining charge capacity in a battery, especially the charge and/or aging status without disconnecting the battery from the linked electrical system or without creating given operational phases.

A process according to the invention for the determination of charge capacity (10) in an battery (12) especially the charge and/or aging status whereby at least the battery voltage (14), the battery current (16), and the battery temperature (18) are measured during the predetermined operation of the battery (12) with an electrical system (20) that is connected to the battery (12) and whereby through the electrical system (2) one of several exchangeable operational phases (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32) are used and a calculation specification is selected for the calculation of the charge capacity determined from the measured values (34, 36, and 94) depending on the current operational phase (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32) and calculates the appropriate charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) and updates from the previous operational phase (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32) the determined charge capacity (34, 36, and 94). The electrical system can consist, for example, of the electrical array in an automobile or of an uninterruptible energy supply of a signaling device or such.

In addition, a device (40) is suggested for the performance of the process according to the invention as well as a battery (12) with an indicated temperature sensor (76).

Specific information is generated by the charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) that can be processed by a superior management system.

Claims

1. Process for the determination of charge capacity (10) of an battery (12) especially of the charge and/or aging status whereby at least the battery voltage (14), the battery current (16), and the battery temperature (18) are measured during a predetermined operation of the battery (12) in an electrical system (20) that is electrically connected and whereby through the electrical system (20) one or more exchangeable operational phases (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32) are used and a calculator specification is selected for the calculation of the charge capacity to be determined from the measured values (34, 36, and 94) depending upon the current operational phase (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32) and the appropriate charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) is calculated and the charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) that have been determined in an earlier operational phase (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32) are updated accordingly.

2. Process according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that at least the charge capacity determined last (34, 26, and 94) has been saved in a storage unit (38).

3. Process according to claim 1 or 2 characterized by the fact that for the update and/or determination of charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) the saved data of a new battery (12) are available in the storage unit (38).

4. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that the measurements are unlimited and/or time discrete.

5. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that the measurements of the battery current (16) and the battery voltage (14) take place simultaneously.

6. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that different charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) is determined at different time periods.

7. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that the period for the determination of a charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) depends on the required operational phase change necessary for the determination.

8. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that process is used with an electrical system (20) of an automobile.

9. Process according to claim 8 characterized by the fact that the measurements are taken during at least one of the following operational phases of the automobile:

idle condition (22), forward stroke (24), start preparation (26), start (28), driving (30), and backstroke (32).

10. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that the determined charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) and/or their measured values are displayed.

11. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that the charge status (34) is determined by the idle condition U₀.

12. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that the charge capacity (34) is determined by the discharge through a medium current.

13. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that the charge status (34) is determined by balancing a charge acceptance and a charge removal.

14. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that the aging status (36) is determined by a high current discharge.

15. Process according to one of the previous claims characterized by the fact that the aging status (36) is determined by a start evaluation.

16. Device (40) for the determination of the charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) according to the process and the previous claims characterized by the fact that it includes at least one current measurement device (72) connected to an battery pole (70) capturing the entire electrical current (16) through an battery (12), voltage measurement device (74) capturing the battery voltage (14) and a temperature measurement device (78) capturing the battery temperature (18).

17. Device according to claim 16 characterized by the fact that at least the latest charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) and those of a new battery (12) can be stored in a storage unit (38).

18. Device according to claim 16 or 17 characterized by an evaluation unit (78).

19. Device according to one of the claims 16 to 18 characterized by a display or signal unit (64, 90).

20. Device according to claim 19 characterized by the fact that the latest determined charge capacity (34, 36, and 94) can be displayed.

21. Device according to claims 19 and 20 characterized by the fact that a warning message and/or a signal concerning the charge capacity is given that can be processed by a superior management system (90, 92) once a critical state of the battery (12) has been reached.

22. Battery (12) for the use with a device (40) according to one of the claims 16 to 21 with at least one energy saving cell and with two poles (70, 82) for the connection to an electrical system (20) whereby one housing (84) of the battery (12) is equipped with a temperature measurement sensor (76).

23. Battery (12) according to claim 22 characterized by the fact that two additional connectors (86, 88) are available for a voltage measurement (14).

24. Battery (12) according to claim 22 or 23 characterized by the fact that a current measurement device (72) is available.

25. Battery (12) according to one of the claims 22 to 24 characterized by the fact that the battery (12) and the device (40) are located in one housing.

26. Battery (12) according to claim 25 characterized by the fact that the charge capacity determined by the device (34, 36, and 94) of the battery (12) is made available.