Electronic apparatus and control method thereof

• US 11,038,215 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2019
• Issued: 06/15/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishida, Tetsu, Itagaki, Takatoshi, Wainai, Noriyuki, Kinoshita, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vincent Q
• Application Number:
  US16/559,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20200136200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 324426, 324427, 324430, 324432, 324433, 324128, 324162
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/445 in response to gas pressure
• 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: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes a secondary battery, a deformation amount detector configured to detect a deformation amount of the secondary battery, a full charge detector configured to detect a full charge of the secondary battery, a stable state detector configured to detect a stable state after a full charge is detected by the full charge detector, and a state determination unit configured to determine a state of the secondary battery using the deformation amount detected by the deformation amount detector when the stable state is detected by the stable state detector.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a secondary battery;

a deformation amount detector configured to detect a deformation amount of the secondary battery;

a full charge detector configured to detect a full charge of the secondary battery;

a stable state detector configured to detect a stable state after a full charge is detected by the full charge detector; and

a state determination unit configured to determine a state of the secondary battery using the deformation amount detected by the deformation amount detector when the stable state is detected by the stable state detector,

wherein the stable state detector determines that the electronic apparatus is in the stable state when a voltage change rate and an accumulated current capacity value after the full charge are respectively less than predetermined threshold values.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the state determination unit determines an abnormal state when a value of the deformation amount exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the state determination unit records one of the deformation amounts detected by the deformation amount detector as an initial value when the stable state is detected, and determines the predetermined threshold value based on the initial value.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the state determination unit determines the state based on a time variation rate of the deformation amount in addition to the value of the deformation amount.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the deformation amount detector is a strain detector or a pressure sensor.

6. A control method for controlling an electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus having a secondary battery and a deformation amount detector for detecting a deformation amount of the secondary battery, the control method comprising:

a full charge detection step of detecting a full charge of the secondary battery;

a stable state detection step of detecting a stable state after the full charge is detected; and

a state determination step of determining a state of the secondary battery using the deformation amount detected by the deformation amount detector when the stable state is detected,

wherein the stable state detection step further determines that the electronic apparatus is in the stable state when a voltage change rate and an accumulated current capacity value after the full charge are respectively less than predetermined threshold values.