# US 2016/0252559 A1 · Deterioration detecting apparatus and deterioration detecting method

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- Number: US 2016/0252559 A1
- Document ID: US20160252559A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/014,398
- Filed: 2016-02-03
- Published: 2016-09-01
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-27
- Assignees: Fujitsu Ten Limited
- Applicants: Fujitsu Ten Limited
- Inventors: Sho TAMURA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160252559A1

## CPC

- G01R 31/64: Testing of capacitors
- G01R 27/025: {Measuring very high resistances, e.g. isolation resistances, i.e. megohm-meters}
- G01R 31/006: {on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks (testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00)}
- G01R 31/396: Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
- G01R 35/00: Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

A deterioration detecting apparatus includes: a capacitor that is connected to an electric power source through a connection switch; a deterioration detection switch that is provided between the electric power source and a ground point; a charging-path forming unit that controls the connection switch and the deterioration detection switch, such that the electric power source, the capacitor, and the ground point are connected, to form a charging path for charging the capacitor; a voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage of the capacitor charged through the charging path; and a deterioration detecting unit that detects a deterioration in elements such as the capacitor positioned on the charging path, on the basis of the voltage of the capacitor detected by the voltage detecting unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A deterioration detecting apparatus comprising:
a capacitor that is connected to an electric power source through a connection switch;
a deterioration detection switch that is provided between the electric power source and a ground point;
a charging-path forming unit that controls the connection switch and the deterioration detection switch, such that the electric power source, the capacitor, and the ground point are connected, to form a charging path for charging the capacitor;
a voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage of the capacitor charged through the charging path; and
a deterioration detecting unit that detects a deterioration in elements such as the capacitor positioned on the charging path, on the basis of the voltage of the capacitor detected by the voltage detecting unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The deterioration detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the electric power source includes a plurality of battery stacks connected in series, and
the deterioration detection switch is provided between the battery stacks adjacent to each other.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The deterioration detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
in a case where the voltage of the capacitor is out of a predetermined range, the deterioration detecting unit determines that any element positioned on the charging path has deteriorated.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The deterioration detecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:
in a case where the voltage of the capacitor is out of a predetermined range, the deterioration detecting unit determines that any element positioned on the charging path has deteriorated.

### Claim 5

A deterioration detecting method comprising:
controlling a connection switch provided between an electric power source and a capacitor, and a deterioration detection switch provided between the electric power source and a ground point, such that the electric power source, the capacitor, and the ground point are connected, to form a charging path for charging the capacitor;
detecting the voltage of the capacitor charged through the charging path; and
detecting a deterioration in elements such as the capacitor positioned on the charging path, on the basis of the voltage of the detected capacitor.