Apparatus for measuring remaining capacity of a battery

• US 5,798,646 A
• Filed: 08/30/1996
• Issued: 08/25/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Arai, Youichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Diep N.
• Application Number:
  US08/704,868
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426, 324/427, 324/428, 324/429, 324/431, 324/433, 324/771, 320/44, 320/48, 364/550, 364/551.01, 364/481, 340/636
• US Class Current: 324/427
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery remaining capacity measuring apparatus including a remaining capacity operation portion 3 for collecting a voltage of a battery 3 and a current passing through a load until an accelerator is on when turning an accelerator on and once turning an accelerator off after starting an ignition, obtaining a line from 2 points having a strongest relationship between the voltage and the current, and displaying an initial remaining capacity according to this line and a reference value.

Claims

1. A battery remaining capacity measuring apparatus comprising:

first means for collecting values of a plurality of voltages of a battery and values of a plurality of currents passing through a load during a first time period occurring before a start of continuous running of said load;

second means coupled to said first means for obtaining a line corresponding to said values of said plurality of voltages and said values of said plurality of currents, said line showing a relationship between voltage and current from a plurality of points within a range from a first point near where voltage begins to decrease sharply during said first time period to a second point near a minimum voltage occurring during said first time period;

third means coupled to said second means for finding an initial remaining capacity voltage at which a reference current value intersects said line; and

fourth means coupled to said third means for displaying said initial remaining capacity voltage.

2. A battery remaining capacity measuring apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

approximate line calculation means for sampling a plurality of continuous running detection points, each of said continuous running detection points corresponding to a voltage of said battery and a current passing through said load at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined times within a second time period during which said load starts running continuously, determining a relationship between voltage and current of said plurality of continuous running detection points, detecting a start of continuous running of said load if said relationship between voltage and current of said plurality of continuous running detection points indicates an increased dependence of voltage on current, and then obtaining an approximate line according to voltages and currents of said plurality of continuous running detection points; and

remaining capacity calculation means for displaying a remaining capacity voltage of said battery which is obtained according to said approximate line and a reference value.