US6057671A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Charging control apparatus, method of controlling the charging process, and power output apparatus
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
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Filing: 1999-03-15
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Granted: 2000-05-02
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Expires: 2019-03-15
Abstract
Abstract To prevent excessively charging a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, a temperature gradient of the secondary battery due to a charging process is measured, and the charged state of the secondary battery is determined to be close to the full charge level at the time point when the temperature gradient abruptly increases. The charging process is stopped based on the determination. In the case where the secondary battery is repeatedly charged and discharged, the observed temperature gradient is corrected. The correction subtracts a temperature rise due to a discharging process from the observed temperature gradient and thereby determines a temperature gradient relating to only the charging process. The correction utilizes a table that stores a relationship among the temperature rise due to the discharging process, the discharge current of the secondary battery, and the initial temperature of the secondary battery. It is also possible to determine the charged state of the secondary battery based on the temperature gradient only when the observed charge-discharge electric current shows that the secondary battery is being charged.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiromichi Kuno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 22:47
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60L; B60L15/00; B60L15/007; B60L3/00; B60L3/0023; B60L3/0046; B60L50/00; B60L50/10; B60L50/16; B60L50/50; B60L50/60; B60L50/61; B60L58/00; B60L58/10; B60L58/12; B60L58/15; B60L58/18; B60L58/22; B60L58/24; H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/90; H02J7/971; H02J7/975; H02J7/977; B60L2210/00; B60L2210/40; B60L2220/00; B60L2220/10; B60L2220/14; B60L2240/00; B60L2240/40; B60L2240/42; B60L2240/421; B60L2240/423; B60L2240/44; B60L2240/441; B60L2240/443; B60L2240/54; B60L2240/545; B60L2240/547; B60L2240/549; B60L2240/80; B60L2250/00; B60L2250/16; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/62; Y02T10/64; Y02T10/70; Y02T10/7072; Y02T10/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A charging control apparatus that controls a charging process in a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, in order to prevent said secondary battery from being charged excessively, said charging control apparatus comprising: a temperature gradient determination unit that determines a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient, including a measurement unit that measures a temperature gradient of said secondary battery, irrespective of whether the temperature rise is ascribed to the charging process or a discharging process, a correction amount determination unit that determines a correction amount of the observed temperature gradient of said second battery, based on a temperature gradient due to the discharging process, and a computation unit that calculates the charging-time temperature gradient from the observed temperature gradient measured by said measurement unit and the correction amount determined by said correction amount determination unit; and a charging stop unit that stops the charging process in said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A charging control apparatus that controls a charging process in a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, in order to prevent said secondary battery from being charged excessively, said charging control apparatus comprising: a temperature gradient determination unit that determines a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient, including a measurement unit that measures a temperature gradient of said secondary battery, irrespective of whether the temperature rise is ascribed to the charging process or a discharging process, a correction amount determination unit that determines a correction amount of the observed temperature gradient of said second battery, based on a temperature gradient due to the discharging process, and a computation unit that calculates the charging-time temperature gradient from the observed temperature gradient measured by said measurement unit and the correction amount determined by said correction amount determination unit; and a charging stop unit that stops the charging process in said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
100 words
A charging control apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said correction amount determination unit comprises: a memory unit that stores a relationship among discharge current of said secondary battery, temperature of said secondary battery, and the correction amount; a discharge current measurement unit that measures the discharge current of said secondary battery; and a temperature measurement unit that measures the temperature of said secondary battery, and wherein said correction amount determination unit refers to the relationship stored in said memory unit and reads the correction amount corresponding to the observed discharge current and the observed temperature from the relationship.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
158 words
A charging control apparatus that controls a charging process in a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, in order to prevent said secondary battery from being charged excessively, said charging control apparatus comprising: a temperature gradient determination unit that determines a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient, including a charge determination unit that determines whether said secondary battery is being charged and a measurement unit that measures a temperature gradient of said secondary battery when it is determined that said secondary battery is being charged; and a charging stop unit that stops the charging process in said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
158 words
A charging control apparatus that controls a charging process in a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, in order to prevent said secondary battery from being charged excessively, said charging control apparatus comprising: a temperature gradient determination unit that determines a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient, including a charge determination unit that determines whether said secondary battery is being charged and a measurement unit that measures a temperature gradient of said secondary battery when it is determined that said secondary battery is being charged; and a charging stop unit that stops the charging process in said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
138 words
A hybrid-type power output apparatus having at least an engine, a motor, and a secondary battery, said power output apparatus comprising: a charging-time operation control unit that controls driving conditions of said engine and said motor in such a manner that enables said secondary battery to be charged with at least part of an electric power generated by said motor; a temperature gradient determination unit that determines a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to a charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient; and a charging stop control unit that drives said engine and said motor under specific driving conditions without charging said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
138 words
A hybrid-type power output apparatus having at least an engine, a motor, and a secondary battery, said power output apparatus comprising: a charging-time operation control unit that controls driving conditions of said engine and said motor in such a manner that enables said secondary battery to be charged with at least part of an electric power generated by said motor; a temperature gradient determination unit that determines a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to a charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient; and a charging stop control unit that drives said engine and said motor under specific driving conditions without charging said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
104 words
A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said temperature gradient determination unit comprises: a measurement unit that measures a temperature gradient of said secondary battery, irrespective of whether the temperature rise is ascribed to the charging process or a discharging process; a correction amount determination unit that determines a correction amount of the observed temperature gradient of said secondary battery, based on a temperature gradient due to the discharging process; and a computation unit that calculates the charging-time temperature gradient from the observed temperature gradient measured by said measurement unit and the correction amount determined by said correction amount determination unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said temperature gradient determination unit comprises: a charge determination unit that determines whether said secondary battery is being charged; and a measurement unit that measures a temperature gradient of said secondary battery when it is determined that said secondary battery is being charged.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of controlling a charging process in a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, in order to prevent said secondary battery from being charged excessively, said method comprising: determining a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient, including measuring a temperature gradient of said secondary battery, irrespective of whether the temperature rise is ascribed to the charging process or a discharging process, determining a correction amount of the observed temperature gradient of said secondary battery, based on a temperature gradient due to the discharging process, and calculating the charging-time temperature gradient from the measured temperature gradient and the determined correction amount; and stopping the charging process in said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of controlling a charging process in a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, in order to prevent said secondary battery from being charged excessively, said method comprising: determining a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient, including measuring a temperature gradient of said secondary battery, irrespective of whether the temperature rise is ascribed to the charging process or a discharging process, determining a correction amount of the observed temperature gradient of said secondary battery, based on a temperature gradient due to the discharging process, and calculating the charging-time temperature gradient from the measured temperature gradient and the determined correction amount; and stopping the charging process in said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of controlling a charging process in a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, in order to prevent said secondary battery from being charged excessively, the method comprising: determining a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient, including determining whether said secondary battery is being charged or being discharged and measuring a temperature gradient of said secondary battery when it is determined that said secondary battery is being charged; and stopping the charging process in said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of controlling a charging process in a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, in order to prevent said secondary battery from being charged excessively, the method comprising: determining a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient, including determining whether said secondary battery is being charged or being discharged and measuring a temperature gradient of said secondary battery when it is determined that said secondary battery is being charged; and stopping the charging process in said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
121 words
A computer program product in which a computer program is recorded, said computer program being used to detect an abnormality of a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, said computer program causing a computer to realize the functions of: determining a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient; and outputting a signal that informs an operator of an abnormality of said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
121 words
A computer program product in which a computer program is recorded, said computer program being used to detect an abnormality of a secondary battery, which is subjected to repeated charge and discharge in a specific charged state that is lower than a full charge level, said computer program causing a computer to realize the functions of: determining a temperature gradient, which represents a temperature rise per unit time, due to the charging process in said secondary battery as a charging-time temperature gradient; and outputting a signal that informs an operator of an abnormality of said secondary battery when the charging-time temperature gradient is greater than a specific temperature gradient, which is preset according to a charged state of said secondary battery.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-02 | 2003-11-01 | 2004-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-02 | 2007-11-01 | 2008-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-02 | 2011-11-01 | 2012-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |