Residual capacity measurement system for battery

• US 6,310,462 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2000
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ishigami, Makoto, Arai, Youichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/604,059
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 320/132, 320/149, 324/426, 324/427, 324/433, 340/635, 340/636
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3647 for determining the ability of a battery to perform a critical function, e.g. cranking
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements

Abstract

After an initial capacity setter (13) sets the initial residual capacity immediately after the application of power as 100%, a full-charge voltage corrector (14) sets the full-charge voltage as the estimation voltage Vn0 of a battery (3) immediately after a load change, this full-charge voltage Vno being used to determine the residual capacity SOC immediately after the change. After charging is interrupted midway, if the load is changed, a full-charge voltage estimator estimates the full-charge voltage responsive to the estimation voltage immediately after the load change, this estimated full-charge voltage being used to determine the residual capacity.

Claims

1. A battery residual capacity detection system comprising:

a calculator for estimating a battery voltage from a linear approximation representing a relationship between a terminal voltage of the battery, detected by a voltage detector, and a current flowing in a load from the battery, detected by a current sensor, and a reference current, and determining the residual capacity of the battery from this estimation voltage, a full-charge voltage, and a discharge-end voltage, the calculator comprising a full-charge voltage corrector for reading, immediately after a change in the load, the obtained estimation voltage, changing the full-charge voltage to the estimation voltage, and determining the residual capacity.

2. A battery residual capacity detection system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an initial residual capacity setter that, immediately after a change in the load, causes a display of a residual capacity at a maximum capacity corresponding to a full-charge voltage at a reference temperature.

3. A battery residual capacity detection system according to claim 1, wherein a calculation of a residual capacity from the estimation voltage is performed by:

a battery voltage estimator for collecting and averaging a prescribed number of voltages and currents and, if the averaged data indicates strong correlation, determining a linear approximation of the averaged data, and estimating the battery voltage from this linear approximation and a reference current, and

a residual capacity calculator which, each time the estimation voltage is determined, uses a set full-charge voltage and discharge-end voltage to determine the overall capacity at the full-charge voltage, and determines the battery capacity at the point at which the estimation voltage is calculated, from the estimation voltage and a discharge-end voltage, this capacity and the overall capacity being used to determine the residual capacity.

4. A battery residual capacity detection system according to claim 1, wherein the full-charge voltage corrector, when notified that the battery has been fully charged, deletes a set full-charge voltage immediately after a change in the load, after which it is set to the estimation voltage immediately after the change.

5. A battery residual capacity detection system comprising:

a calculator for estimating a battery voltage from a linear approximation representing a relationship between a terminal voltage of the battery, detected by a voltage detector, and a current flowing in a load from the battery, detected by a current sensor, and a reference current, and determining the residual capacity of the battery from this estimation voltage, a full-charge voltage, and a discharge-end voltage, the calculator comprising a full-charge voltage corrector for reading, immediately after a change in the load, the obtained estimation voltage, changing the full charge voltage to the estimation voltage, and determining the residual capacity; and

a full-charge voltage estimator that, immediately after a change in the load, deletes a set full-charge voltage immediately after a change in the load, after which it reads the estimation voltage obtained immediately after the change and a set maximum residual capacity, this maximum residual capacity, the estimation voltage determined immediately after the change in the load, and a discharge-end voltage being used to estimate the full-charge voltage, the estimated full-charge voltage being then set as the new full-charge voltage.

6. A battery residual capacity detection system according to claim 5, wherein the full-charge voltage estimator estimates the full-charge voltage when charging of the battery is interrupted midway and the load varies.

7. A battery residual capacity detection system comprising:

a calculator for estimating a battery voltage from a linear approximation representing a relationship between a terminal voltage of the battery, detected by a voltage detector, and a current flowing in a load from the battery, detected by a current sensor, and a reference current, and determining the residual capacity of the battery from this estimation voltage, a full-charge voltage, and a discharge-end voltage, the calculator comprising a full-charge voltage corrector for reading, immediately after a change in the load, the obtained estimation voltage, changing the full charge voltage to the estimation voltage, and determining the residual capacity; and

an initial residual capacity setter that, immediately after a change in the load, causes a display of a residual capacity at a maximum capacity corresponding to a full-charge voltage at a reference temperature.