Back to results
US 5,627,452 AGranted
Charging method of secondary battery
AssigneeSanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorTetsuya Okada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A charging apparatus is provided which determines whether a preliminary full charge indication such as a peak of the terminal voltage or a decrease of a predetermined voltage .DELTA.V after the peak indicates a true full charge level. In accordance with the present invention, when the charging apparatus detects a peak or a decrease of a predetermined voltage .DELTA.V after the peak in the terminal voltage, the apparatus can determine whether or not the detection indicates a true full charge level by taking into account the charging amount from the start of charging until the detection of the peak or the decrease.
Claims19
A method of charging a secondary battery, comprising:
- A) comparing an initial terminal voltage of the battery to a predetermined minimum;
- B) charging the battery;
- C) monitoring the terminal voltage of the battery for at least one of a voltage peak and a decrease in voltage of a predetermined amount;
- and
- D1) if the initial terminal voltage of the battery exceeded a predetermined minimum, completing charging when either a terminal voltage peak or a decrease in terminal voltage of a predetermined amount is detected;
- or
- D2) if the initial terminal voltage of the battery was less than a predetermined minimum,
- D2i) monitoring the charge amount of the battery;
- and
- D2ii) completing charging when either a terminal voltage peak or a decrease in terminal voltage of a predetermined amount is detected and the charge amount exceeds a predetermined value.
7 more elements
A method of charging a secondary battery, comprising:
- A) comparing an initial terminal voltage of the battery to a predetermined minimum;
- B) charging the battery;
- C) monitoring the charge amount of the battery;
- D) detecting a preliminary indication of full charge level;
- and
- E1) upon detecting a preliminary indication of full charge level, if the initial terminal voltage of the battery exceeded a predetermined minimum, completing charging;
- or
- E2) upon detecting a preliminary indication of full charge level, if the initial terminal voltage of the battery was less than the predetermined minimum, and
- E2i) if the charge amount exceeds a predetermined value, completing charging;
- or
- E2ii) If the charge amount is less than the predetermined value, repeating steps C, D and E2 until both a preliminary indication of full charge level is detected and the charge amount exceeds the predetermined minimum.
8 more elements
A method of charging a secondary battery, comprising:
- A) comparing an initial terminal voltage of the battery to a predetermined minimum;
- B) charging the battery;
- C) detecting a preliminary indication of full charge level;
- and
- D1) upon detecting a preliminary indication of full charge level, if the initial terminal voltage of the battery exceeded a predetermined minimum, completing charging;
- or
- D2) upon detecting a preliminary indication of full charge level, if the initial terminal voltage of the battery was less than the predetermined minimum,
- D2i) determining if the preliminary indication of full charge level was a false indication;
- and
- D2ia) if the preliminary indication of full charge level was a true indication, completing charging;
- or
- D2ib) if the preliminary indication of full charge level was a false indication, repeating steps C and D2 until a true indication of full charge level is detected.
9 more elements
A method of charging a secondary battery, comprising:
- A) starting charging of the secondary battery with a constant current;
- B) sampling an initial terminal voltage of the secondary battery;
- C) continuing charging when the sampled terminal voltage is more than a predetermined voltage value;
- D) proceeding with the following steps when the sampled terminal voltage is not more than the predetermined voltage value;
- D1) monitoring a charge amount of the secondary battery from the start of charging until the terminal voltage shows at least one of a peak level and a decrease of a predetermined voltage .DELTA.V after the peak;
- D2) continuing charging when the monitored charge amount is not more than a predetermined charge amount;
- and
- D3) stopping charging when the monitored charge amount is more than the predetermined charge amount.
5 more elements
A method of charging a secondary battery, comprising:
- A) starting the charging of the secondary battery with a constant current;
- B) sampling an initial terminal voltage of the secondary battery;
- C) monitoring a charge amount of the secondary battery from the start of charging until the terminal voltage shows one of a peak and a decrease of a predetermined voltage .DELTA.V after the peak;
- and
- D1) if the sampled terminal voltage is more than the predetermined voltage value, identifying the one of the peak and the decrease of the predetermined voltage .DELTA.V as a full charge level;
- or
- D2) if the sampled terminal voltage is not more than the predetermined voltage value;
- and
- D2i) if the monitored charge amount is more than the predetermined charge amount, identifying the one of the peak and the decrease of the predetermined voltage .DELTA.V as the full charge level, or
- D2ii) if the monitored charge amount is not more than the predetermined charge amount, identifying the one of the peak and the decrease of the predetermined voltage .DELTA.V as other than a full charge level.
7 more elements
An apparatus for charging a secondary battery, comprising:
- charging means for charging the secondary battery with a constant current;
- sampling means for sampling a terminal voltage of the secondary battery when charging starts;
- comparison means for comparing the sampled terminal voltage to a predetermined voltage value;
- detecting means for detecting one of a peak and a decrease of a predetermined voltage .DELTA.V after the peak;
- monitoring means for monitoring a charge amount of the secondary battery from the start of charging until the terminal voltage shows one of a peak and a decrease of a predetermined voltage .DELTA.V after the peak;
- control means responsive to the comparison means and the detecting means for providing a full charge level indication signal in response to the detection of one of a peak and a decrease of the predetermined voltage .DELTA.V when 1) the sampled terminal voltage is more than the predetermined voltage value;
- or 2) the sampled terminal voltage is not more than the predetermined voltage value, and the monitored charge amount is more than the predetermined charge amount;
- said control means further providing a less than full charge level indication signal in response to the detection of one of the peak and the decrease of the predetermined voltage .DELTA.V when the sampled terminal voltage is not more than the predetermined voltage value and the monitored charge amount is not more than the predetermined charge amount.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.