Battery monitoring system and method

• US 20060132141A1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Wruck, William J., Dougherty, Thomas J, Chen, Chih Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/540,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132141A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/44 by parameter estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/50 by future state prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/72 by investigating magnetic variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/202 using Hall-effect devices Hall elements in arrangements for measuring electrical power G01R21/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/379 for lead-acid batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6633 with inductive component, e.g. transformer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery monitoring system includes a component for determining the magnitude of current flowing through a battery cable based on a magnetic field produced by the current. The component is configured to provide an output signal representative of the magnitude of current for use in characterizing the battery. A method for characterizing a battery utilizing a battery monitoring system includes inferring a magnitude of battery current based on a magnetic field generated by current flowing through a battery cable coupled to the battery. The battery monitoring system is adapted to characterize the battery utilizing at least one mathematical construct.

Claims

1. A battery monitoring system comprising:

a component for determining the magnitude of current flowing through a battery cable based on a magnetic field produced by the current;

wherein the component is configured to provide an output signal representative of the magnitude of current for use in characterizing the battery.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the component comprises a Hall effect sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising an element coupled to the component for detecting a magnetic field when the element is provided adjacent a battery cable.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the element comprises a magnetic material.

5. The system of claim 3 further comprising a housing for containing at least a portion of the element.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the system further comprises a body for containing electronic components and wherein the housing is coupled to the body.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the electronic components are configured to perform calculations to characterize the battery.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the housing is coupled to the body by a hinge.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising an aperture defined by the housing and the body for receiving a battery cable therein.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising an insert provided in the aperture, the insert including an aperture provided therein.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the system further comprises a connector for providing an interface with a vehicle electrical system.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a structure for attaching the system to a vehicle component.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein system is configured for coupling to at least a portion of the battery cable.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the component comprises a reed switch.

15. A method for characterizing a battery utilizing a battery monitoring system, the battery monitoring system adapted to characterize the battery utilizing at least one mathematical construct, the method comprising:

Inferring a magnitude of battery current based on a magnetic field generated by current flowing through a battery cable coupled to the battery.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the battery current is selected from a charging current and a discharging current.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of inferring the magnitude of battery current utilizes a Hall effect sensor.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of inferring the magnitude of battery current utilizes a reed switch.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of inferring the magnitude of battery current comprises detecting a magnetic field adjacent the battery cable and providing an output signal representative of the magnitude of the battery current based on the strength of the magnetic field.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising utilizing the inferred magnitude of battery current in a mathematical construct utilized to characterize the battery.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising calculating the magnitude of the battery current based on a voltage measurement to produce a calculated current value.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising comparing the calculated current value to the inferred magnitude of battery current.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising utilizing the inferred magnitude of battery current to determine the accuracy of the calculated current value.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising utilizing a current value for a mathematical construct that is a weighted average of the calculated current value and the inferred magnitude of battery current.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising utilizing the inferred magnitude of battery current to provide a limit for the calculated current value and utilizing the limited calculated current value in a mathematical construct for characterizing the battery.