Battery pack controller with specific battery voltage detection
First Claim
1. A battery pack controller connected with a battery pack coupled to a motor/generator, the battery pack including a plurality of single batteries to supply electric power to the motor/generator, the battery pack controller comprising:
- a voltage detector having a plurality of voltage detection circuits each in electrical communication with a single battery of the plurality of single batteries to detect a voltage of the single battery;
a detected voltage transmitter in electrical communication with each voltage detection circuit of voltage detector to retrieve voltages detected by the plurality of voltage detection circuits and to transmit the detected voltages;
a specific battery detector configured to classify each single battery of the plurality of single batteries as a normal battery if the voltage of the single battery is above a threshold value or as a target battery if the voltage of the single battery is below a threshold value based on the transmitted voltages; and
a power supply controller configured to supply electric power from the battery pack to the motor/generator during internal combustion engine startup, wherein the power supply controller is configured to retrieve voltages from each single battery of the target batteries during internal combustion engine startup using the plurality of voltage detection circuits and limit the electric power supplied to the motor/generator by the battery pack during internal combustion engine startup if any of the target batteries have voltages that are below the threshold value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a specific battery detection means that specifies single batteries believed to be in an excess discharge state during operation of the electric motor for starting the engine, based on data for each battery pack detected prior to starting the engine. With the specific battery detection means, a change in voltage for specific single batteries is measured for a drop in voltage of a single battery by the discharge via the voltage detection means. The specific battery detection means is configured such that if the results of this measurement are outside a predetermined threshold value, the power supplied to the electric motor for starting the engine is limited.
70 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A battery pack controller connected with a battery pack coupled to a motor/generator, the battery pack including a plurality of single batteries to supply electric power to the motor/generator, the battery pack controller comprising:
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a voltage detector having a plurality of voltage detection circuits each in electrical communication with a single battery of the plurality of single batteries to detect a voltage of the single battery; a detected voltage transmitter in electrical communication with each voltage detection circuit of voltage detector to retrieve voltages detected by the plurality of voltage detection circuits and to transmit the detected voltages; a specific battery detector configured to classify each single battery of the plurality of single batteries as a normal battery if the voltage of the single battery is above a threshold value or as a target battery if the voltage of the single battery is below a threshold value based on the transmitted voltages; and a power supply controller configured to supply electric power from the battery pack to the motor/generator during internal combustion engine startup, wherein the power supply controller is configured to retrieve voltages from each single battery of the target batteries during internal combustion engine startup using the plurality of voltage detection circuits and limit the electric power supplied to the motor/generator by the battery pack during internal combustion engine startup if any of the target batteries have voltages that are below the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 21)
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8. A vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine, comprising:
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a motor/generator capable of starting the internal combustion engine; a battery pack including a plurality of single batteries that supply power to the motor/generator; a voltage detector having a plurality of voltage detection circuits each in electrical communication with a single battery of the plurality of single batteries to detect the voltage of each single battery; a detected voltage transmitter configured to retrieve voltages detected on each single battery of the plurality of single batteries from the plurality of voltage detection circuits and to continuously transmit each voltage detected; a specific battery detector configured to classify each single battery of the plurality of single batteries as a normal battery if the voltage of the single battery is above a threshold value or as a target battery if the voltage of the single battery is below a threshold value based on the transmitted voltages; and a power supply controller configured to supply electric power from the battery pack to the motor/generator during internal combustion engine startup, wherein the power supply is configured to retrieve voltages from each single battery of the target batteries during internal combustion engine startup using the plurality of voltage detection circuits and limit the electric power supplied to the motor/generator by the battery pack during internal combustion engine startup if any of the target batteries have voltages that are below the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A battery pack controller connected with a plurality of single batteries that comprise a battery pack and that supply power to a motor/generator for starting an internal combustion engine, comprising:
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means for detecting a voltage of each single battery of the plurality of single batteries and supplying power to the motor/generator; means for retrieving the voltage detected of each single battery of the plurality of single batteries and to transmit the detected voltages; means for classifying each single battery of the plurality of single batteries as a normal battery if the voltage of the single battery is above a threshold value or as a target battery if the voltage of the single battery is below a threshold value based on the transmitted voltages; means for retrieving voltages from each single battery of the target batteries using the plurality of voltage detection circuits during internal combustion engine startup; and means for supplying electric power from the battery pack to the motor/generator during internal combustion engine startup, wherein the power supplied to the motor/generator by the battery pack during internal combustion engine startup is limited if any of the target batteries have voltages that are below the threshold value.
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16. A method comprising:
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detecting a voltage of each single battery of a plurality of single batteries that comprise a battery pack and that supply power to a motor/generator for starting an internal combustion engine; retrieving the voltage detected for each single battery of the plurality of batteries; transmitting each voltage detected; classifying each single battery of the plurality of single batteries as a normal battery if the voltage of the single battery is above a threshold value or as a target battery if the voltage of the single battery is below a threshold value based on the transmitted voltages; detecting a voltage for each target battery during internal combustion engine startup; and supplying electric power from the battery pack to the motor/generator during internal combustion engine startup, wherein the power supplied to the motor/generator by the battery pack during internal combustion engine startup is limited if any of the target batteries have voltages that are below the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification