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Capacity indicating device and method thereof

  • US 6,932,174 B2
  • Filed: 10/16/2002
  • Issued: 08/23/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A capacity indicating device for a vehicle battery, comprising:

  • a first indicator including a display configured to selectively indicate a present battery capacity, which varies overtime as power is consumed, of a first prescribed energy capacity of a vehicle battery capacity at full battery capacity;

    a second indicator configured to indicate when the vehicle battery capacity is discharged below a second prescribed energy capacity of the vehicle battery capacity at the full battery capacity; and

    an indication control unit configured to allocate the vehicle battery capacity into a first portion and a second portion at the full battery capacity with the first portion being allocated to the first prescribed energy capacity and the second portion being allocated to the second prescribed energy capacity, the indication control unit being further configured to control activation of the first indicator to indicate the present battery capacity of the first prescribed energy capacity, control activation of the second indicator when the vehicle battery capacity is discharged below the second prescribed energy capacity, and correct allocation of the second portion allocated to the second prescribed capacity in response to a degree of degradation of the vehicle battery to maintain the first portion allocated to the first prescribed energy capacity after the degradation of the vehicle battery.

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