FLOAT CURRENT MONITOR
First Claim
1. A system for determining float current in a battery system having a plurality of battery cells connected in series with each other, comprising:
- a voltage sense circuit operable to measure a voltage drop across an electrical connection between two of the battery cells;
a test load circuit that operates to apply a load across the electrical connection and at least one of the two battery cells and measure current flow through the electrical connection; and
a controller configured to receive current measures from the test load circuit and determine a resistance of the electrical connection based on the current measures, the controller further configured to dwell on obtaining voltage drop measures from the voltage sense circuit taken only when a load is not being applied across the electrical connection and compute a float current flowing through the electrical connection from the resistance of the electrical connection and the voltage drop measures.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A battery monitor device is provided for determining float current in a battery system. The battery monitor device is comprised of: a voltage sense circuit electrically coupled to opposing sides of a connector coupling two battery cells and operable to measure a voltage drop across the connector; a test load circuit that operates to apply a load across the least one battery cell and connector and measure current flow through the connector; and a controller configured to receive voltage drop measures from the voltage sense circuit and current measures from the test load circuit. The controller operates to determine a resistance of the connector and computes a float current flowing through the connector from the resistance and voltage drop measures taken only when a load is not being applied across the connector.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A system for determining float current in a battery system having a plurality of battery cells connected in series with each other, comprising:
-
a voltage sense circuit operable to measure a voltage drop across an electrical connection between two of the battery cells; a test load circuit that operates to apply a load across the electrical connection and at least one of the two battery cells and measure current flow through the electrical connection; and a controller configured to receive current measures from the test load circuit and determine a resistance of the electrical connection based on the current measures, the controller further configured to dwell on obtaining voltage drop measures from the voltage sense circuit taken only when a load is not being applied across the electrical connection and compute a float current flowing through the electrical connection from the resistance of the electrical connection and the voltage drop measures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A battery monitor device, comprising:
-
a voltage sense circuit electrically coupled to opposing sides of a connector coupling two battery cells and operable to measure a voltage drop across the connector; a test load circuit electrically coupled across the connector and one of the two battery cells, the test load circuit operates to apply a load across the least one battery cell and measure current flow through the at least one battery cell; and a controller configured to receive current measures from the test load circuit and operates to determine a resistance of the connector, the controller further configured to dwell on obtaining a plurality of voltage drop measures from the voltage sense circuit and computes a float current flowing through the connector from the resistance, where the plurality of voltage drop measures taken only when a load is not being applied across the connector. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of determining float current in a battery system having a string of battery cells connected in series, comprising:
-
determining a resistance of an intercell connection between two cells in the battery system; measuring a plurality of voltage drops across the intercell connection when a load is not applied across the battery cells; and computing a float current through the intercell connection from the resistance and the plurality of voltage drop measures. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
Specification