Device for determining the charge condition of a battery
First Claim
1. A device for determining the charge condition of a battery comprising:
- a current-frequency converter, including means for sensing a current flow through the battery, for generating pulses at a frequency which is dependent on the current flowing through the battery;
computing means for determining a computed relative charge condition of the battery by counting the number of converter pulses generated; and
indicator means for indicating the computed charge condition as a fraction of the capacity of the battery,detection means for detecting at least one actual relative charge condition of the battery when it is being charged or discharged; and
correction means, including means for comparing the actual relative charge condition with the computed relative charge condition, for adjusting the computed relative charge condition when the detected actual relative charge condition deviates from the computed relative charge condition, said correction means being adapted to modify the number of pulses needed to represent a predetermined variation of the computed relative charge condition of the battery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for determining the charge condition of a battery (10) comprises a current-frequency converter (50) which generates pulses of a frequency is dependent on the battery charge or discharge current. These pulses are counted and are used for computing the battery charge condition. In order to indicate a correct relative charge condition, especially in the case of a battery capacity which has changed due to, for example, ageing, the device comprises detection means (53) which detects an actual battery charge condition and correction means (52) for correcting the charge condition computed by a computing means (51). In one embodiment the correction means are integrated with the current-frequency converter and the frequency of the generated pulses is adapted to the present capacity of the battery.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device for determining the charge condition of a battery comprising:
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a current-frequency converter, including means for sensing a current flow through the battery, for generating pulses at a frequency which is dependent on the current flowing through the battery; computing means for determining a computed relative charge condition of the battery by counting the number of converter pulses generated; and indicator means for indicating the computed charge condition as a fraction of the capacity of the battery, detection means for detecting at least one actual relative charge condition of the battery when it is being charged or discharged; and correction means, including means for comparing the actual relative charge condition with the computed relative charge condition, for adjusting the computed relative charge condition when the detected actual relative charge condition deviates from the computed relative charge condition, said correction means being adapted to modify the number of pulses needed to represent a predetermined variation of the computed relative charge condition of the battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification