Method and apparatus for regulating state of charge in battery assemble
First Claim
1. A method for regulating state of charge in a battery assembly including secondary cells as a plurality of unit cells connected in series, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting respective voltages across the unit cells;
extracting a minimum unit cell having a minimum voltage from the plurality of unit cells, based on the detected voltages;
setting one of cell groups each including a predetermined number of at least two unit cells connected in series except the minimum unit cell as a discharge cell group; and
connecting the both ends of the discharge cell group to a capacitor to transfer electric charge from the discharge cell group to the capacitor and connecting the both ends of the minimum unit cell to the capacitor to transfer electric charge from the capacitor to the minimum unit cell such that the respective voltages across the unit cells are equalized.
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Abstract
A CPU 52 detects respective voltages across unit cells B1 to Bn and extracts a minimum unit cell having a minimum voltage from the plurality of unit cells B1 to Bn based on the detected voltages. The CPU 52 sets one of cell groups each including two unit cells connected in series except the minimum unit cell as a discharge cell group, and connects the both ends of the discharge cell group to a capacitor C to transfer electric charge from the discharge cell group to the capacitor C and connects the both ends of the minimum unit cell to the capacitor C to transfer electric charge from the capacitor C to the minimum unit cell such that the respective voltages across the unit cells are equalized.
15 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method for regulating state of charge in a battery assembly including secondary cells as a plurality of unit cells connected in series, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting respective voltages across the unit cells;
extracting a minimum unit cell having a minimum voltage from the plurality of unit cells, based on the detected voltages;
setting one of cell groups each including a predetermined number of at least two unit cells connected in series except the minimum unit cell as a discharge cell group; and
connecting the both ends of the discharge cell group to a capacitor to transfer electric charge from the discharge cell group to the capacitor and connecting the both ends of the minimum unit cell to the capacitor to transfer electric charge from the capacitor to the minimum unit cell such that the respective voltages across the unit cells are equalized.
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2. An apparatus for regulating state of charge in a battery assembly including secondary cells as a plurality of unit cells connected in series, the apparatus comprising:
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a voltage detector, which detects respective voltages across the unit cells;
a minimum unit cell extractor, which extracts a minimum unit cell having a minimum voltage from the plurality of unit cells, based on the detected voltages;
a discharge cell group setter, which sets one of cell groups each including a predetermined number of at least two unit cells connected in series except the minimum unit cell as a discharge cell group; and
an equalizer, which connects the both ends of the discharge cell group to a capacitor to transfer electric charge from the discharge cell group to the capacitor and connects the both ends of the minimum unit cell to the capacitor to transfer electric charge from the capacitor to the minimum unit cell such that the respective voltages across the unit cells are equalized. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification