Storage battery control device
First Claim
1. A control device for a storage battery, comprising(a) means for supplying clock pulses having a variable frequency proportional to a battery charge and discharge current, said clock pulse supplying means being responsive to an estimation of charge energy efficiency and to an estimation of a self-discharge current of the battery, said self-discharge current estimation being a function of temperature;
- (b) means for estimating an instantaneous capacity of the battery depending on a clock pulse up-down count;
(c) means including a supply voltage for recharging the battery as soon as said instantaneous capacity is less than a first capacity below the maximum capacity of the battery and as long as the instantaneous capacity differs from a second capacity substantially equal to said maximum capacity and more than said first capacity, said recharging means including means controlled by said estimating means for monitoring said charge current depending on the amplitude of said charge and discharge current and on temperature; and
(d) means for evaluating aging of the battery by counting pulses having a variable frequency depending on ambient temperature, on said charge and discharge current, and on said estimated instantaneous capacity of the battery, thereby producing an alarm signal when said variable frequency pulses reach in number a predetermined value.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control device for a storage battery consists of a charge regulating loop including a circuit for supplying clock pulses having a variable frequency proportional to a battery charge and discharge current, a circuit for estimating an instantaneous capacity of the battery depending on a clock pulse up-down count, and a regulating circuit for recharging the battery from a mains or supply voltage as soon as the instantaneous capacity is equal to a first capacity substantially less than a maximum capacity of the battery. According to the invention, the frequency of the clock pulses depends also on at least one of the parameters relating to an energy efficiency of the battery and to a self-discharge current of the battery, so that these parameters are involved in estimating the instantaneous capacity. Also, the device gives warning, through an alarm, that the battery voltage is considerably more than a discharge threshold which, when reached, disconnects the battery from a load circuit. The end of battery life determined depending on charge and discharge cycles and battery ageing is also signaled. The voltage across a resistor connected in series with the battery is amplified by an amplifier having two input terminals connected with the resistor terminals, respectively, via first resistors and first contacts which are closed in response to a detected charging rate, and through second resistors and second contacts which are closed in response to a detected discharging rate.
-
Citations
7 Claims
-
1. A control device for a storage battery, comprising
(a) means for supplying clock pulses having a variable frequency proportional to a battery charge and discharge current, said clock pulse supplying means being responsive to an estimation of charge energy efficiency and to an estimation of a self-discharge current of the battery, said self-discharge current estimation being a function of temperature; -
(b) means for estimating an instantaneous capacity of the battery depending on a clock pulse up-down count; (c) means including a supply voltage for recharging the battery as soon as said instantaneous capacity is less than a first capacity below the maximum capacity of the battery and as long as the instantaneous capacity differs from a second capacity substantially equal to said maximum capacity and more than said first capacity, said recharging means including means controlled by said estimating means for monitoring said charge current depending on the amplitude of said charge and discharge current and on temperature; and (d) means for evaluating aging of the battery by counting pulses having a variable frequency depending on ambient temperature, on said charge and discharge current, and on said estimated instantaneous capacity of the battery, thereby producing an alarm signal when said variable frequency pulses reach in number a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A control device for a storage battery, comprising
(a) means for supplying clock pulses having a variable frequency proportional to a battery charge and discharge current, said clock pulse supplying means also being responsive to at least one of two parameters a first one of which is an evaluation of charge energy efficiency and a second one of which is an evaluation of a self-discharge current of the battery; -
(b) means for estimating an instantaneous capacity of said battery depending on a clock pulse up-down count; and (c) means including a supply voltage for recharging said battery as soon as said instantaneous capacity is less than a first capacity below the maximum capacity of the battery and as long as the instantaneous capacity differs from a second capacity substantially equal to said maximum capacity and more than said first capacity; (d) said recharging means including a charge regulator connected with said battery and with said supply voltage means, and means con trolled by said estimating means for monitoring said charge current, via said regulator, depending on amplitude of said charge and discharge current and temperature; (e) said charge current monitoring means including (1) a charge current limiter and an amplifier; (2) said limiter including on input a thermistor connected in parallel with a first contact controlled by said supplying means; (3) said first contact being closed when the battery is in discharge condition and has a capacity lower than said maximum capacity, and being opened when the battery is in charge condition; (4) said amplifier having an input connected to an output of said current limiter and to a second contact controlled by said estimating means, a negative-feedback input to which a voltage proportional to said charge and discharge current is applied by said supplying means, and an output connected to a control input of said charge regulator; (5) said contact being opened as soon as said battery capacity is lower than said first capacity, then as long as said battery capacity is not equal to said maximum capacity. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
-
Specification