US 5,691,621 AGranted

Battery pack having a processor controlled battery operating system

AssigneeDuracell Inc.

InventorsDuong Var Phuoc, Rudi Wieczorek, Elmar Zeising, Louis W. Hruska, Alwyn H. Taylor, Daniel D. Friel, Matthew P. Hull

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Abstract

A battery pack and a method of operating a battery system. The battery pack includes a rechargeable battery and a processor for monitoring the battery during charging and discharging. The processor receives data values representing the battery voltage, temperature and current, and the processor performs a series of calculations using those data values. In one of these calculations, the processor determines the actual full capacity of the battery. Preferably, the processor also keeps track of an uncertainty value that represents an uncertainty in the capacity of the battery; and the processor calculates the actual full capacity of the battery at the end of each discharge cycle if, at that time, the uncertainty value is less than a given percentage of a nominal full capacity of the battery.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A smart battery which provides electrical power and which reports predefined battery parameters to an external device having a power management system, said smart battery comprising:

(a) at least one rechargeable cell connected to a pair of terminals to provide electrical power to an external device during a discharge mode and to receive electrical power during a charge mode, as provided or determined by said remote device,
(b) a data bus for reporting predefined battery identification and charge parameters to the external device,
(c) an analog means for generating analog signals representative of battery voltage and current at said terminals, and an analog signal representative of battery temperature at said cell,
(d) a hybrid integrated circuit (Ic) having a microprocessor for receiving the analog signals and converting them to digital signals representative of battery voltage, current and temperature, and calculating actual charge parameters over time from said digital signals, said calculations including a capacity reset and an error calculation which is incremented after each partial charge and extinguished at each capacity reset;
(e) a data memory defined within said hybrid IC for storing said predefined battery identification and actual charge parameters, even when nominally fully discharged, said charge parameters including a cumulative error value,
(f) a bus controller defined within said hybrid IC for sending battery messages to said remote device over said data bus, said messages including said predefined battery identification and said actual charge parameters.

3 more elements

A battery pack comprising:

terminal means for connecting the battery pack to a battery powered device and to a battery recharger;
a battery including at least one rechargeable battery cell connected to the terminal means, said battery having
i) discharging periods for supplying electrical power to the battery powered device, and
ii) charging periods for receiving electrical power from the terminal means;
means to sense and to generate signals representing battery voltage, battery temperature or battery current;
a processor for receiving the signals representing battery voltage, battery temperature or battery current, and for performing a predefined series of calculations using said signals, wherein said predefined calculations include calculating an actual full capacity of the battery at the ends of at least selected ones of the discharging periods;
and
a memory area for storing data values including at least values representing battery voltage, battery temperature and battery current.

5 more elements

A method of operating a battery system having a rechargeable battery connected to a battery powered device, a processor and a memory area, the method comprising:

discharging the battery during discharging periods to power the battery powered device;
charging the battery during charging periods;
sensing, and generating signals representing, battery voltage, battery temperature and battery current;
storing data values in the memory area, said stored data values including at least values representing battery voltage, battery temperature and battery current;
and
the processor performing predefined calculations using the signals representing battery voltage, battery temperature and battery current, including the step of calculating actual full capacity of the battery at the ends of at least selected ones of the discharging periods.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/473,341Filed 7 Jun 1995 · division
Priority: 10 Nov 1994
Granted: 25 Nov 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

H01M 6/5011
Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance, e.g. for maintaining operating temperature: for several cells simultaneously or successively
G01R 31/396
Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of…
H01M 10/42
Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof: methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells
H01M 10/4257
Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing: smart batteries, e.g.…