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Multi-cell battery monitoring system with single sensor wire

  • US 5,546,003 A
  • Filed: 03/07/1994
  • Issued: 08/13/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for monitoring the condition of individual cells with within a serially connected multicell battery system comprising:

  • a battery assembly including a plurality of batteries connected in series;

    a plurality of reference terminals including first and second reference terminals located at the beginning and end of the batteries assembly, respectively, and a plurality of intermediate reference terminals each interconnecting a plus (+) terminal of a respective one of said batteries to the negative (-) terminal of an adjacent one of said batteries;

    a common sensing lead;

    a plurality of voltage and/or current responsive non-linear component switching means, comprised of at most one active semiconductor device in conjunction with one or more passive elements each intermediate terminal and the second reference terminal being connected to said common sensing lead through a respective one of said non-linear component switching means, the non-linear component switching means cooperatively constructed to serially effect a change in the state once only of each of the respective non-linear component switching means in response to a predetermined voltage/current supplied to said common sensing wire;

    voltage/current generating means for supply to said common sensing wire a predetermined voltage/current;

    means for detecting a rapid change in impedance of said common sensing wire;

    means for instantaneously measuring the voltage and/or current and/or impedance of said common sensing wire upon detection of said rapid change of impedance;

    means for providing output indicating the condition of at least a deteriorating one of said individual batteries based on the instantaneous voltages and/or currents and/or impedances measured.

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