SYSTEM FOR MONITORING BATTERY PROVIDED IN VEHICLE

• US 20150298630A1
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Access Corp. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Access Corp. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Iwai, Shiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,849,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/30 Detection related to theft or to other events relevant to anti-theft systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3644 Constructional arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/00 Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/34 of a three-phase system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/00 Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A system (e.g., a monitoring device) for monitoring a first battery (e.g., a vehicle battery) provided in a vehicle is provided with a monitoring unit for monitoring the electric state of the first battery (e.g., the vehicle battery) capable of starting a motor of the vehicle; and a power supply unit that is a second battery for supplying electric power to the monitoring unit. The monitoring unit may determine whether or not the motor is stopped, and when the motor is stopped, the monitoring unit may monitor, as the electric state of the first battery, e.g., the voltage of the first battery.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a first battery provided in a vehicle, comprising:

a monitoring unit for monitoring an electric state of the first battery capable of starting a motor of the vehicle; and

a power supply unit that is a second battery for supplying electric power to the monitoring unit.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit determines whether the motor is stopped or not, and when the motor is stopped, the monitoring unit monitors a voltage of the first battery as the electric state.

3. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the monitoring unit forecasts a time when the voltage of the first battery is less than a first voltage.

4. The system as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

a switching unit capable of connecting the first battery and the second battery in parallel,

wherein when the motor is stopped, the monitoring unit controls the switching unit such that the first battery and the second battery are connected in parallel, and the second battery supplies the electric power therefrom to an electric component to which electric power from the first battery has been supplied.

5. The system as defined in claim 18, wherein the monitoring unit controls the switching unit such that the first battery and the second battery are disconnected during a time period ranging from when the motor is stopped to when the voltage of the first battery is less than a second voltage higher than the first voltage.

6. The system as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

a vibration sensor for detecting vibration of the motor,

wherein the monitoring unit determines with the vibration sensor whether the motor is stopped or not.

7. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a switching unit capable of connecting the first battery and the second battery in parallel

wherein the monitoring unit monitors a voltage of the first battery as the electric state, and

wherein the monitoring unit, on the basis of a monitoring result, controls the switching unit such that the first battery and the second battery are connected in parallel, and the second battery supplies the electric power therefrom to the first battery.

8. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein the monitoring unit monitors a discharge current from the second battery.

9. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein when the discharge current is less than a predetermined value, the monitoring unit controls the switching unit such the first battery and the second battery are connected in parallel, and the second battery supplies the electric power therefrom to the first battery.

10. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein when the discharge voltage is less than a predetermined voltage and the motor is stopped, the monitoring unit controls the switching unit such that the first battery and the second battery are connected in parallel, and the second battery supplies the electric power therefrom to the first battery.

11. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein when the motor is in operation, the monitoring unit charges the second battery.

12. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit, on the basis of a monitoring result, determines whether the vehicle is stolen or not.

13. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein when the motor is stopped, the monitoring unit monitors whether a voltage drop rate, as the electric state, of the first battery is larger than a predetermined drop rate or not, and/or whether a current consumption rate, as the electric state, of the first battery is larger than a predetermined consumption rate.

14. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein when the vehicle is moving, the monitoring unit monitors whether a variation width of the voltage, as the electric state, of the first battery during a prescribed period is smaller than a predetermined variation width or not, and/or whether a charge amount, as the electric state, of the first battery during a prescribed period is smaller than a predetermined charge amount.

15. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein when the vehicle is stolen, the monitoring unit causes the first battery to be discharged.

16. The system as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

a shut-off unit for shutting off electric power supplied from the first battery to an electric component.

17. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an informing unit for informing a user of a monitoring result of the monitoring unit.

18. The system as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

a switching unit capable of connecting the first battery and the second battery in parallel,

wherein when the motor is stopped, the monitoring unit controls the switching unit such that the first battery and the second battery are connected in parallel, and the second battery supplies the electric power therefrom to an electric component to which electric power from the first battery has been supplied.

19. The system as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

a vibration sensor for detecting vibration of the motor,

wherein the monitoring unit determines with the vibration sensor whether the motor is stopped or not.

20. The system as defined in claim 4, further comprising:

a vibration sensor for detecting vibration of the motor,

wherein the monitoring unit determines with the vibration sensor whether the motor is stopped or not.