Battery condition detecting apparatus and charge control apparatus for automobile
First Claim
1. A charge control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
- a starter driven by a battery mounted on a vehicle, for starting an engine;
an alternator for the vehicle, driven by said engine, for charging said battery;
battery current detecting means for detecting charge/discharge currents of said battery;
battery voltage detecting means for detecting a terminal voltage of the battery;
battery current accumulating means for accumulating the charge/discharge currents of said battery which have been detected by said battery current detecting means;
first battery capacity detecting means for detecting a first battery capacity based on the terminal voltage of the battery when the charge current of said battery detected by said battery current detecting means reaches a predetermined value during commencement of said starter;
second battery capacity detecting means for detecting a second battery capacity by adding the charge/discharge currents accumulated by said battery current accumulating means after the detection of the first battery capacity to an initial capacity;
initial capacity setting means for comparing the first battery capacity with a previously detected second battery capacity, for setting as the initial capacity of the battery the smaller of the first battery capacity and the previously detected second battery capacity, and for setting the first battery capacity as the initial battery capacity when the previously detected second battery capacity fails to exist;
target value setting means for setting a target value of the battery after the engine has started in response to the initial capacity; and
generation controlling means for controlling power generated by the alternator for the vehicle in such a manner that said battery is charged at the target value set by said target value setting means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery condition detecting apparatus includes a current detecting apparatus, a voltage detector and a current accumulator of a battery. The battery condition detecting apparatus detects a first battery capacity when an engine is started based on the battery voltage and battery current when the starter is started; determines an initial capacity of the battery based on the first battery capacity; adds to this initial capacity, a battery current accumulated value which has been accumulated by the battery current accumulator after determining the first battery capacity, whereby a second battery capacity is detected after the engine has been started; and further comparing the presently detected first battery capacity with the second battery capacity just before this first battery capacity is detected, thereby setting the smaller capacity as the initial value. Then, a charge control apparatus for a vehicle sets a battery charging target value, depending on the initial capacity which has been set by the initial capacity setting apparatus of this battery condition detecting apparatus, and controls the alternator in such a manner that the battery is charged at this target value.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A charge control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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a starter driven by a battery mounted on a vehicle, for starting an engine; an alternator for the vehicle, driven by said engine, for charging said battery; battery current detecting means for detecting charge/discharge currents of said battery; battery voltage detecting means for detecting a terminal voltage of the battery; battery current accumulating means for accumulating the charge/discharge currents of said battery which have been detected by said battery current detecting means; first battery capacity detecting means for detecting a first battery capacity based on the terminal voltage of the battery when the charge current of said battery detected by said battery current detecting means reaches a predetermined value during commencement of said starter; second battery capacity detecting means for detecting a second battery capacity by adding the charge/discharge currents accumulated by said battery current accumulating means after the detection of the first battery capacity to an initial capacity; initial capacity setting means for comparing the first battery capacity with a previously detected second battery capacity, for setting as the initial capacity of the battery the smaller of the first battery capacity and the previously detected second battery capacity, and for setting the first battery capacity as the initial battery capacity when the previously detected second battery capacity fails to exist; target value setting means for setting a target value of the battery after the engine has started in response to the initial capacity; and generation controlling means for controlling power generated by the alternator for the vehicle in such a manner that said battery is charged at the target value set by said target value setting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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20. A charge control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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a starter driven by a battery mounted on a vehicle, for starting an engine; an alternator for the vehicle, driven by said engine, for charging said battery; battery voltage detecting means for detecting a terminal voltage of the battery; battery current accumulating means for accumulating the charge/discharge currents of said battery which have been detected by said battery current detecting means; first battery capacity detecting means for detecting a first battery capacity based on the terminal voltage of the battery when the charge current of said battery detected by said battery current detecting means reaches a predetermined value during commencement of said starter; second battery capacity detecting means for detecting a second battery capacity by adding the charge/discharge currents accumulated by said battery current accumulating means after the detection of the first battery capacity to an initial capacity; initial capacity setting means for comparing the first battery capacity with a previously detected second battery capacity, for setting as the initial capacity of the battery the smaller of the first battery capacity and the previously detected second battery capacity, and for setting the first battery capacity as the initial battery capacity when the previously detected second battery capacity fails to exist; target value setting means for detecting as an invalid charge capacity a difference between the first and second battery capacities when the second battery capacity is higher than the first battery capacity, and for setting a target value of the battery after the engine has started based on the invalid charge capacity; and alternator controlling means for controlling power generated by the alternator for the vehicle in such a manner that said battery is charged at the target value set by said target value setting means. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A charge control apparatus for an automobile comprising:
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an alternator for charging a battery; battery current detecting means for detecting charge/discharge currents of said battery; battery voltage detecting means for detecting a terminal voltage of the battery; battery current accumulating means for accumulating the charge/discharge currents of said battery; first battery capacity detecting means for detecting a first battery capacity based on the terminal voltage of the battery when the discharge current reaches a predetermined value; second battery capacity detecting means for detecting a second battery capacity based on the accumulated charge/discharge currents; initial capacity setting means for setting an initial capacity based on the first and the second battery capacity; target value setting means for setting a target value of the battery in response to the initial capacity; and generation controlling means for controlling power generated by the alternator for the vehicle in such a manner that said battery is charged at the target value. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification