# US 10,122,177 B2 · Power supply method and power supply system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,177 B2 - Document ID: US10122177B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/435,830 - Filed: 2017-02-17 - Published: 2017-08-24 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-22 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Ryosuke Oya; Hiromu Saito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122177B2 ## CPC - B60L 3/0046: {relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors} - B60L 3/0053: {relating to fuel cells} - B60L 3/0061: {relating to electrical machines} - B60L 3/04: Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions (protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H) - B60L 7/18: Controlling the braking effect (B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence) - B60L 58/40: for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells - H01M 8/04302: applied during start-up - H01M 8/04686: {of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors} - 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) - H01M 16/006: {of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries} - H02J 7/1423: {with multiple batteries} - H02J 9/061: {for DC powered loads} - B60L 2240/54: related to batteries - B60L 2240/547: Voltage - H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes} - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - H02J 2105/33: exchanging power with road vehicles - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A power supply method carried out in a system that includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery, a motor, and an auxiliary for the fuel cell includes controlling an intermittent operation by which execution and stoppage of power generation by the fuel cell is switched intermittently to supply power to electric power loads including the motor and the auxiliary, determining whether or not an abnormality occurs in the secondary battery during the intermittent operation, instructing the motor to regenerate power on a condition that it is determined that an abnormality occurs in the secondary battery in the determination of whether or not the abnormality occurs, and supplying power, which is obtained by carrying out the regeneration, to the auxiliary. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power supply method carried out in a system that includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery, a motor, and an auxiliary for the fuel cell, the method comprising: controlling an intermittent operation by which execution and stoppage of power generation by the fuel cell is switched intermittently to supply power to electric power loads including the motor and the auxiliary; determining whether or not an abnormality occurs in the secondary battery during the intermittent operation; instructing the motor to regenerate power on a condition that it is determined that the abnormality occurs in the secondary battery in the determination of whether or not the abnormality occurs; and supplying power, which is obtained by carrying out the regeneration, to the auxiliary. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power supply method according to claim 1, further comprising calculating power that is able to be generated by the regeneration carried out by the motor when it is determined that the abnormality occurs in the secondary battery during the intermittent operation when it is determined whether or not the abnormality occurs, wherein the regeneration is carried out when the power that is able to be generated is a given value or larger. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power supply method according to claim 2, further comprising measuring moving speed of a moving body on which the system is mounted, wherein the power that is able to be generated is calculated based on the moving speed measured. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The power supply method according to claim 2, wherein the instruction to carry out the regeneration is given when power, which is obtained by deducting at least loss power from the power that is able to be generated, is power that allows the auxiliary to make the fuel cell start operating or larger, the loss power being required to recover the power that is able to be generated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power supply method according to claim 1, wherein power obtained by carrying out the regeneration is stored in a capacitor. ### Claim 6 A power supply system, comprising: a fuel cell; a secondary battery; a motor; an auxiliary for the fuel cell; and a controller, the controller being structured to control an intermittent operation by which execution and stoppage of power generation by the fuel cell is switched intermittently to supply power to electric power loads including the motor and the auxiliary, the controller being structured to determine whether or not an abnormality occurs in the secondary battery during the intermittent operation, instruct the motor to regenerate power on a condition that it is determined that the abnormality occurs, and perform control so that power obtained by carrying out the regeneration is supplied to the auxiliary. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The power supply system according to claim 6, wherein the controller is structured to calculate power that is able to be generated by the regeneration carried out by the motor when it is determined that the abnormality occurs in the secondary battery during the intermittent operation when it is determined whether or not the abnormality occurs, and is also structured to cause the motor to carry out the regeneration when the power that is able to be generated is a given value or larger. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The power supply system according to claim 7, further comprising a vehicle speed sensor that measures moving speed of a moving body on which the power supply system is mounted, wherein the controller is structured to calculate the power that is able to be generated based on the moving speed measured. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The power supply system according to claim 7, wherein the controller is structured to carry out the regeneration when power, which is obtained by deducting at least loss power from the power that is able to be generated, is power that allows the auxiliary to make the fuel cell start operating or larger, the loss power being required to recover the power that is able to be generated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The power supply system according to claim 6, further comprising a capacitor that stores power obtained by carrying out the regeneration.