Device and process for operating a rechargeable storage for electrical energy

• US 6,392,386 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Schulmayr, Günter, Leysieffer, Hans, Fiedler, Dirk A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/809,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 320/124, 320/125, 320/128, 320/132, 320/135, 320/137, 320/138, 320/149
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule

Abstract

A device for operating a rechargeable storage for electrical energy, comprising a charging module for providing electric power to charge the storage; a data acquisition module for continually acquiring instantaneous operating parameters of the storage during operation; a prediction module having implemented an adaptive model for deriving from data describing a state of the storage before start-up and data acquired in operation and optionally acquired from other expert knowledge predictions about future states of the storage, the model being operable to be automatically optimized continuously using data acquired in operation and optionally using further expert knowledge; a data memory, and a control module for controlling the charging module, the control module being operable to choose an instantaneous charging strategy for the storage depending on predictions derived from the model and on currently acquired operating parameters of the storage. Furthermore the invention relates to a process for operating a rechargeable storage for electrical energy.

Claims

1. A device for operating a rechargeable energy storage for electrical energy, comprising:

a charging module for providing electric power to charge the energy storage;

a data acquisition module for continually acquiring instantaneous operating parameters of the energy storage during operation;

a prediction module having an adaptive model for deriving from data describing a state of the storage before start-up and data acquired in operation, the model being operable to be automatically optimized continuously using data acquired in operation;

a data memory, and

a control module for controlling the charging module, the control module being operable to choose an instantaneous charging strategy for the storage depending on predictions derived from the model and on currently acquired operating parameters of the storage.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adaptive model is based on at least one of one or more neural networks and fuzzy logic.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the adaptive model is based on a neuro-fuzzy logic for finding a membership function and rule set by using one or more neural networks and for learning from data and expert knowledge.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the neuro-fuzzy logic comprises several stages.

5. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the neuro-fuzzy logic is operable to be initialized before start-up of the storage using data describing a state of the storage at start-up and to be retrained using data acquired in operation and using updated expert knowledge.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data describing the state of the storage at start-up are at least one of production data of the storage, storage type-specific data and empirical values relating to the storage.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the production data of the storage are at least one of storage mass, storage dimensions, geometrical characteristics, storage porosity, grain sizes, and three-dimensional distributions and electrical characteristic data thereof.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a communication interface for communication with a user.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the communication interface is operable to input information from a user for consideration by the prediction module.

10. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the communication interface is adapted to enable outputting of predictions determined by the prediction module, with the predictions being selected from predictions regarding the time remaining until a next required charging process, a lifetime of the storage, and charging instructions, and outputting of system information.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the prediction module is adapted to predict a lifetime of the energy storage and a charging strategy is for optimizing the predicted lifetime of the energy storage.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is adapted to preprocess data used by the prediction module for the model.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device is adapted to subject data used by the prediction module for the model to a wavelet transform in order to reduce the quantity of data.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acquired operating parameters of the energy storage are instantaneous voltage of the storage and instantaneous current in a storage circuit and the time of measurement.

15. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage has an energy receiving part and forms part of an implant, the charging module having an energy transmitter to charge the energy storage by transcutaneous transmission of electrical energy to the receiving part.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the implant is a hearing system.

17. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage is one of a NiCd, Ni metal hydride, Li and Li ion battery.

18. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adaptive model of the prediction module is also adapted to be derived and optimized from externally inputted expert knowledge.

19. A process for operating a rechargeable storage for electrical energy, comprising the steps of:

providing data describing a state of the rechargeable storage before start-up;

continually acquiring instantaneous operating parameters of the rechargeable storage during operation;

forming an adaptive model to derive, from data describing the state of the rechargeable storage before start-up and data acquired in operation, predictions as to future states of the rechargeable storage, and continuously automatically optimizing the model using the data acquired in operation; and

choosing an instantaneous charging strategy for the rechargeable storage depending on predictions derived from the model and currently acquired operating parameters of the rechargeable storage.