Resettable state-of-charge indicator for rechargeable batteries

• US 5,640,150 A
• Filed: 08/17/1995
• Issued: 06/17/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Department of the Army
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Atwater, Terrill B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Application Number:
  US08/528,628
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 340/635, 340/636, 429/90, 429/91, 429/93, 324/427, 324/428
• US Class Current: 340/636.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3828 using current integration

Abstract

An improved state-of-charge indicator for a battery wherein the counter cuit of the battery state-of-charge indicator includes a means for both resetting and fine-tuning the counter circuit. The current flowing from the monitored battery is passed through a sensing resistor. The voltage across the resistor is amplified and integrated over time and the result of the integration is stored in a capacitor discharged by a switch whenever a threshold voltage is achieved. The cycle is repeated each time coulomb of capacity is removed from the battery. The counter circuit counts the charge/discharge cycles of the capacitor resulting in a count representative of the amount of energy dissipated and therefore indirectly of the amount of energy remaining in the battery system. In this improvement, both a resetting means and a fine-tuning means are included for the counter circuit when the battery is being recharged. The fine tuning means can be preset to reset the counter circuit upon reaching a predetermined voltage signifying that the battery is fully charged. The fine-tuning means may further comprise a zener diode used with a MOSFET mixer.

Claims

1. An improved battery state-of-charge indicator of the type in which a current sensing means senses a current flowing from a battery to a load, a current integrator measures an amount of electrical energy flowing from said battery and produces an output indicating a predetermined amount of electrical charge having been discharged from said battery, a counter circuit counts said output of the current integrator and produces a counter output indicative of a discharge level of said battery, said counter circuit being coupled to flip-flop circuit, a display coupled to said counter circuit provides a visual indication of said discharge level of the battery, and a switching means for resetting said counter circuit when said battery is discharged are provided wherein the improvement comprises:

a means for resetting said counter circuit when recharging said battery, further comprising a means for fine-tuning said counter circuit when recharging said battery.

2. The improved battery state-of-charge indicator of claim 1, wherein said fine-tuning means can be preset to reset said counter circuit upon reaching a predetermined voltage signifying that said battery is fully charged.

3. The improved battery state-of-charge indicator of claim 2, wherein said fine-tuning means is a zener diode used with a MOSFET mixer.