Method for determining the charge state of a motor vehicle battery when the drive unit is switched off

• US 8,222,859 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Eger, Ulrich, Dyck, Alexander, Youssef, Sargon
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/575,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20100090660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/107, 320/112, 320/115, 320/150
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements

Abstract

A method is provided for determining the charge state of a motor vehicle battery. An electrical voltage of the motor vehicle battery is detected and the electrical charge state of the motor vehicle battery is determined on the basis of the detected voltage of the motor vehicle battery. According to the method, the temperature of the motor vehicle battery is detected using a sensor that is separated spatially from the motor vehicle battery, and the charge state of the battery is determined on the basis of the detected voltage of the motor vehicle battery and on the basis of the detected temperature of the motor vehicle battery.

Claims

1. A method for determining the charge state of a motor vehicle battery, comprising:

detecting an electrical voltage of the motor vehicle battery using a sensor external to the motor vehicle battery for detecting the temperature of the motor vehicle battery at time intervals while a drive unit of the motor vehicle is switched off, and determining the charge state of the battery on the basis of the detected voltage of the motor vehicle battery and on the basis of the detected temperature of the motor vehicle battery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using a sensor external to the motor vehicle battery for detecting the temperature of the motor vehicle battery comprises using a sensor assigned to a battery-charging device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the battery-charging device is in the interior of the motor vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using the sensor for detecting the temperature of the motor vehicle battery comprises using the sensor in a plurality of successive measurements, wherein, a temperature value which is measured by the sensor is determined as a temperature of the motor vehicle battery when the detected temperature values differ from one another within a permissible tolerance band.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the voltage of the motor vehicle battery comprises using a sensor that is external to the motor vehicle battery and that is assigned to a battery-charging device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the battery-charging device is connected to an on-board electrical system of the motor vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical voltage of the motor vehicle battery is detected by acquiring a voltage measured value in a plurality of successive measurements, and wherein, a voltage measured value is determined as a voltage of the motor vehicle battery when the voltage measured values differ from one another within a permissible tolerance band.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical charge state of the motor vehicle battery is determined by means of a formula on the basis of the detected voltage of the motor vehicle battery and on the basis of the detected temperature of the motor vehicle battery.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical charge state of the motor vehicle battery is determined by a characteristic diagram on the basis of the detected voltage of the motor vehicle battery and on the basis of the detected temperature of the motor vehicle battery.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising activating the battery-charging device to charge the motor vehicle battery if the charge state of the motor vehicle battery is determined to lower than a defined limiting value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, the battery-charging device is not activated if the charge state of the motor vehicle battery is higher than a defined limiting value.

12. A method for determining a charge state of a motor vehicle battery, comprising:

detecting voltage of the motor vehicle battery;

using a sensor that is separated spatially from the motor vehicle battery to make a plurality of successive temperature measurements to obtain a plurality of successive detected temperature values;

determining whether the detected temperature values differ from one another within a permissible tolerance band;

determining a temperature value measured by the sensor as a temperature of the motor vehicle battery when the detected temperature values differ from one another within the permissible tolerance band; and

determining the charge state of the battery based on the detected voltage of the motor vehicle battery and on the detected temperature of the motor vehicle battery.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of detecting voltage of the motor vehicle battery comprises detecting the voltage of the motor vehicle battery in a plurality of successive measurements to obtain a voltage measured value, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the detected voltage measured values differ from one another within a permissible tolerance band; and

determining a measured voltage measured value as a voltage of the motor vehicle battery when the detected voltage measured values differ from one another within a permissible tolerance band.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrical charge state of the motor vehicle battery is determined by a formula on the basis of the detected voltage of the motor vehicle battery and on the basis of the detected temperature of the motor vehicle battery.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrical charge state of the motor vehicle battery is determined by a characteristic diagram on the basis of the detected voltage of the motor vehicle battery and on the basis of the detected temperature of the motor vehicle battery.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the charge state of the motor vehicle battery is determined at time intervals on a motor vehicle with a switched-off drive unit.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein if the charge state of the motor vehicle battery is lower than a defined limiting value, the battery-charging device is activated to charge the motor vehicle battery.

18. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a drive unit configured to be switched off selectively;

a chargeable battery;

a voltage detector for detecting a voltage of the battery, the voltage detector being independent of an electrical main supply;

a temperature sensor spatially separated from the battery and being independent of the electrical main supply; and

a battery charging device connected to the battery and being independent of the electrical main supply, the battery charging device being configured for charging the battery when a charged state of the battery drops below a predetermined limiting value as determined by the voltage of the battery detected by the voltage detector and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and when the drive unit of the motor vehicle is switched off.