Multi-cell battery monitoring system with single sensor wire
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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Abstract
A method for detecting the condition of the individual cells of a bank of serially connected battery cells is provided. The method utilizes a single common sensing wire connected through respective non-linear component switching mechanisms to respective reference terminals. The reference terminals are located between adjacent batteries and at the end of the battery assembly. The method includes the step of detecting an instantaneous change of impedance at points of transition of the state of the individual switches provided.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring the condition of individual cells with within a serially connected multicell battery system comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for detecting the condition of the individual cells of a bank of connected battery cells using a single common sensing wire connected through respective non-linear component switching means consisting of a series connection of a diode and a resistor to respective reference terminals located between adjacent batteries and at the end of the battery assembly, which method comprises:
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injecting into the common sensing wire a voltage or current of magnitude, polarity and duration sufficient to alter the common state of the respective switching means; detecting an instantaneous rapid change of impedance at points of transition of the state of the individual switches; determining the voltage and/or current of the common sensing wire at the points of rapid change of impedance; and providing output indicating the condition of at least a deteriorating one of said individual batteries based on the voltage and/or current determined at the points of rapid change of impedance. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. In combination:
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a pair of first and second terminals; a battery assembly connected between said terminals comprising a plurality of serially arranged batteries having a pair of plus and minus battery terminals; a plurality of intermediate terminals each interconnecting a plus terminal of one said battery module to the negative terminal of an adjacent said battery module; a common electrical lead; charging pulse generating means for generating a DC charge pulse from approximately zero to a voltage exceeding a voltage of said serially arranged plurality of battery modules, said charge voltage being connected between said first terminal and said common electrical lead and wherein said battery voltages at said second terminal with respect to said first terminal and said pulse voltage at said common lead with respect to said first terminal are of like polarity; a plurality of the switching means, each connected between said common electrical lead and a discrete battery terminal for effecting a closed circuit during said charge pulse and some time after removal of the said charge pulse whereby said switching means are all closed during said charge pulse but open discretely and separately as a function of time; a voltage sensing means of the said common electrical lead and indicating means responsive to said voltage sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification