Deterioration degree calculating apparatus and deterioration degree calculating method for a battery

• US 6,836,122 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tojima, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/438,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20030231006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426-433, 320/132, 320/134, 702/63
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3832 without measurement of battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery ECU includes a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU calculates plural deterioration degrees based on data input from a thermistor, an ammeter, and a voltmeter which detect state quantities of a nickel-hydrogen battery, and reads, from a memory, contribution degrees each of which corresponds to each of the calculated plural deterioration degrees. Then the CPU calculates a total deterioration degree of the nickel-hydrogen battery based on the deterioration degrees and the contribution degrees, calculates the contribution degrees based on the calculated total deterioration degree, and stores the contribution degrees in the memory.

Claims

1. A deterioration degree calculating apparatus for a battery, comprising:

a detector that detects plural state quantities of the battery;

a processor that calculates plural deterioration degrees based on the detected plural state quantities; and

a storing device that stores contribution degrees each of which corresponds to each of the plural deterioration degrees;

wherein the processor calculates a total deterioration degree of the battery based on the deterioration degrees and the contribution degrees, and

the processor calculates the contribution degrees based on the calculated total deterioration degree.

2. The deterioration degree calculating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor calculates the plural deterioration degrees based on a temperature of the battery, a charging/discharging current value of the battery, and a state of charge of the battery.

3. The deterioration degree calculating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a generating device that generates, based on the calculated total deterioration degree, information concerning a limit on use of the battery.

4. The deterioration degree calculating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a generating device that generates, based on the calculated total deterioration degree, information concerning a warranty on the battery.

5. The deterioration degree calculating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a remaining value generating device that generates, based on the calculated total deterioration degree, information concerning a remaining value of the battery.

6. The deterioration degree calculating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the battery is a battery for driving a vehicle, which is mounted in the vehicle.

7. The deterioration degree calculating apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a remaining value generating device that generates, based on the calculated total deterioration degree, information concerning a remaining value of the vehicle.

8. The deterioration degree calculating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a deterioration degree storing device that stores the total deterioration degree.

9. The deterioration degree calculating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the deterioration degree storing device holds the total deterioration degree even when power supply is interrupted.

10. A deterioration degree calculating method for a battery, comprising:

a first detecting step of detecting plural state quantities of the battery;

a first calculating step of calculating plural deterioration degrees based on the detected plural state quantities;

a storing step of storing the contribution degrees each of which corresponds to each of the plural deterioration degrees;

a second detecting step of calculating a total deterioration degree of the battery based on the deterioration degrees and the contribution degrees; and

a third calculating step of calculating the contribution degrees based on the calculated total deterioration degree.

11. The deterioration degree calculating method according to claim 10, wherein the first calculating step calculates plural deterioration degrees based on a temperature of the battery, a charging/discharging value of the battery, and a state of charge of the battery.

12. The deterioration degree calculating method according to claim 10, further comprising a generating step of generating, based on the calculated total deterioration degree, information concerning a limit on use of the battery.

13. The deterioration degree calculating method according to claim 10, further comprising a generating step of generating, based on the calculated total deterioration degree, information concerning a warranty on the battery.

14. The deterioration degree calculating method according to claim 10, further comprising a remaining value generating step of generating, based on the calculated total deterioration degree, information concerning a remaining value of the battery.

15. The deterioration degree calculating method according to claim 10, wherein the battery is a battery for driving a vehicle, which is mounted in the vehicle.

16. The deterioration degree calculating method according to claim 15, further comprising a remaining value generating step of generating, based on the calculated total deterioration degree, information concerning a remaining value of the vehicle.

17. The deterioration degree calculating method according to claim 10, further comprising a deterioration degree storing step of storing the total deterioration degree.

18. The deterioration degree calculating method according to claim 17, wherein the total deterioration degree is held even when power supply is interrupted.

19. A deterioration degree calculating apparatus for a battery, comprising:

detecting means for detecting plural state quantities of the battery;

processing means for calculating plural deterioration degrees based on the detected plural state quantities; and

storing means for storing contribution degrees each of which corresponds to each of the plural deterioration degrees;

wherein the processing means calculates a total deterioration degree of the battery base on the deterioration degrees and the contribution degrees, and

the processing means calculates the contribution degrees based on the calculated total deterioration degree.