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US4558281A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Battery state of charge evaluator

Assignee: ZF International UK Ltd
•
Filing: 1983-06-08
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Granted: 1985-12-10
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Expires: 2003-06-08
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Abstract

Abstract A combined battery state of charge evaluator and motor control system for an electric vehicle comprises a traction battery 10, a motor controller 14, a traction motor 11, a micro computer 16 and an interface circuit 15. The micro computer 16 receives signals representing battery temperature, total battery voltage, and battery current and calculates the charge withdrawn from the battery by integrating battery current and also calculates the remaining charge in the battery as a function of battery voltage. By summing the remaining charge and the charge withdrawn, the present charge storage capacity value of the battery is calculated. The micro computer 16 compares the present charge storage capacity value with a value representing 85% of the nominal charge storage capacity of the battery when new and selects the lower of these two values. The state of charge is then calculated as a function of the charge withdrawn and this lower value and displayed on a meter 34. When the remaining charge in the battery calculated by subtracting the charge withdrawn from this lower value falls below 6% of the battery capacity, the current supply to the motor 11 is limited to a predetermined percentage of the current demanded by the driver. This predetermined percentage is progressively reduced as the remaining charge falls toward zero.

Inventors

  • 👤 Roger D. Codd
  • 👤 Ronald I. Sims
  • 👤 Robert B. Olive
  • 👤 Amit S. Jobanputra

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 03:42
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/36; B; B60; B60L; B60L3/00; B60L3/0023; B60L3/0046; B60L3/12; B60L58/00; B60L58/10; B60L58/12; B60L58/18; B60L58/21; G01R31/3644; G01R31/3648; G01R31/382; G01R31/3842; H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/80; H02J7/82; H02J7/855; B60L2210/00; B60L2210/30; B60L2240/00; B60L2240/40; B60L2240/54; B60L2240/545; B60L2240/547; B60L2240/549; B60L2240/80; B60L2250/00; B60L2250/16; G01R31/374; H02J7/90; H02J7/94; H02J7/947; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/70; Y02T10/72

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 120 words
A battery state of charge evaluator comprising a battery, means responsive to the battery for determining a value representing the present maximum charge storage capacity of the battery, means for comparing the present maximum charge storage capacity value with a predetermined value (representing a predetermined percentage of) lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new and selecting the lower of said two values, means responsive to the battery current for producing a current value, means for integrating the current value with respect to time to obtain a value representing the charge withdrawn from the battery, and means for determining the state of charge of the battery from said lower value and the charge withdrawn value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 120 words
A battery state of charge evaluator comprising a battery, means responsive to the battery for determining a value representing the present maximum charge storage capacity of the battery, means for comparing the present maximum charge storage capacity value with a predetermined value (representing a predetermined percentage of) lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new and selecting the lower of said two values, means responsive to the battery current for producing a current value, means for integrating the current value with respect to time to obtain a value representing the charge withdrawn from the battery, and means for determining the state of charge of the battery from said lower value and the charge withdrawn value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 84 words
An evaluator as claimed in claim 1, in which the battery has a positive terminal and a negative terminal and further including means for producing a voltage value representing the voltage difference between said positive and negative terminals, means for computing the remaining charge of the battery as a function of the voltage value and producing a remaining charge value, and means for computing the present maximum charge storage capacity of the battery by summing the remaining charge value and the charge withdrawn value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
An evaluator as claimed in claim 2, further including means for calculating a polarisation voltage value as a function of time and the current value, and means for correcting the voltage value to compensate for the polarisation voltage.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 111 words
A method of evaluating the state of charge of a battery comprising determining a value representing the present maximum charge storage capacity of the battery, comparing the present maximum charge storage capacity value with a predetermined value (representing a predetermined percentage of) lower than nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new and selecting the lower of said two values, measuring the battery current to produce a current value, integrating the current valve with respect to time to obtain a value representing the charge withdrawn from the battery, and determining the state of charge of the battery as a function of said lower value and the charge withdrawn value.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 111 words
A method of evaluating the state of charge of a battery comprising determining a value representing the present maximum charge storage capacity of the battery, comparing the present maximum charge storage capacity value with a predetermined value (representing a predetermined percentage of) lower than nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new and selecting the lower of said two values, measuring the battery current to produce a current value, integrating the current valve with respect to time to obtain a value representing the charge withdrawn from the battery, and determining the state of charge of the battery as a function of said lower value and the charge withdrawn value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 78 words
A method as claimed in claim 4, in which the battery has a positive terminal and a negative terminal, said method further comprising producing a value representing the voltage difference between said positive and negative terminals, computing the remaining charge of the battery as a function of the voltage value and producing a remaining charge value, and computing the present maximum charge storage capacity of the battery by summing the remaining charge value and the charge withdrawn value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 187 words
A combined motor control and battery state of charge evaluator system for an electric vehicle having a main electric traction motor, said system comprising a traction battery for providing power to the traction motor, means for controlling the supply of current to the traction motor, means responsive to the battery for determining a value representing the maximum present charge storage capacity of the battery, means for comparing the present maximum charge storage capacity value with a predetermined value lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new and selecting the lower of said two values, means responsive to the battery current for producing a current value, means for integrating the current value with respect to time to obtain a value representing the charge withdrawn from the battery, and means for determining the state of charge of the battery from said lower value and the charge withdrawn valve, the state of charge evaluator producing a signal to the current control means when the state of charge falls below a predetermined value and the current control means restricting the current supply on receiving this signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 187 words
A combined motor control and battery state of charge evaluator system for an electric vehicle having a main electric traction motor, said system comprising a traction battery for providing power to the traction motor, means for controlling the supply of current to the traction motor, means responsive to the battery for determining a value representing the maximum present charge storage capacity of the battery, means for comparing the present maximum charge storage capacity value with a predetermined value lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new and selecting the lower of said two values, means responsive to the battery current for producing a current value, means for integrating the current value with respect to time to obtain a value representing the charge withdrawn from the battery, and means for determining the state of charge of the battery from said lower value and the charge withdrawn valve, the state of charge evaluator producing a signal to the current control means when the state of charge falls below a predetermined value and the current control means restricting the current supply on receiving this signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 47 words
A system as claimed in claim 6, in which the current supply to the traction motor is restricted to a predetermined percentage of the current demanded by the driver, said predetermined percentage being progressively reduced as the state of charge falls from said predetermined value to zero.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 143 words
A method of discharging a traction battery supplying current to the main traction motor of an electric vehicle, said method comprising determining a value representing the present maximum charge storage capacity of the battery, comparing the present maximum charge storage capacity value with a predetermined value (representing a predetermined percentage of) lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new and selecting the lower of said two values, measuring the battery current to produce a current value, integrating the current value with respect to time to obtain a valve representing the charge withdrawn from the battery, and determining the state of charge of the battery as a function of said lower value and the charge withdrawn value, and restricting the current supply to the traction motor when the state of charge as so determined falls below a predetermined value.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 143 words
A method of discharging a traction battery supplying current to the main traction motor of an electric vehicle, said method comprising determining a value representing the present maximum charge storage capacity of the battery, comparing the present maximum charge storage capacity value with a predetermined value (representing a predetermined percentage of) lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new and selecting the lower of said two values, measuring the battery current to produce a current value, integrating the current value with respect to time to obtain a valve representing the charge withdrawn from the battery, and determining the state of charge of the battery as a function of said lower value and the charge withdrawn value, and restricting the current supply to the traction motor when the state of charge as so determined falls below a predetermined value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 47 words
A method as claimed in claim 8, in which the current supply to the traction motor is restricted to a predetermined percentage of the current demanded by the driver, said predetermined percentage being progressively reduced as the state of charge falls from said predetermined value to zero.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 40 words
A battery state of charge evaluator as claimed in claim 1 in which said predetermined value lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new is equal to 85% of said nominal maximum charge storage capacity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method of evaluating the state of charge of a battery as claimed in claim 4 in which said predetermined value lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new is equal to 85% of said nominal maximum charge storage capacity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 45 words
A combined motor control and battery state of charge evaluator system as claimed in claim 6 in which said predetermined value lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new is equal to 85% of said nominal maximum charge storage capacity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 41 words
A method of discharging a traction battery as claimed in claim 8 in which said predetermined value lower than the nominal maximum charge storage capacity of the battery when new is equal to 85% of said nominal maximum charge storage capacity.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3778702A Cited
US3808522A Cited
US3886442A Cited
US3984762A Cited
EP0003917A1 Cited
GB2080550A Cited
US4484130A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-12-09 1989-06-10 1989-12-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-12-09 1993-06-10 1993-12-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-12-09 1997-06-10 1997-12-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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