IP Library Granted Patent US 8,120,320
Granted Patent B2
US 8,120,320 · App. 12/186,594 · Granted Feb 21, 2012

Method for updating minimum and maximum energy storage values

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,120,320
App. No.
12/186,594
Granted
Feb 21, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A battery control system comprises a battery control module, an averaging module, and a supervisor module. The battery control module measures voltages of N energy storage blocks, wherein N is an integer greater than one, and determines a first voltage of the voltages at a first rate. The first voltage is one of a maximum voltage and a minimum voltage. The averaging module calculates an average voltage at a second rate that is greater than the first rate. The average voltage is based on a measured total voltage of an energy storage pack including the N energy storage blocks. The supervisor module generates an updated voltage based on the first voltage and the average voltage and controls a vehicle system based on the updated voltage.

Claims (32)

1. A battery control system comprising:

a battery control module that measures voltages of N energy storage blocks, wherein N is an integer greater than one, and that determines a first voltage of the voltages at a first rate, wherein the first voltage is one of a maximum voltage and a minimum voltage;

an averaging module that calculates an average voltage at a second rate that is greater than the first rate, wherein the average voltage is based on a measured total voltage of an energy storage pack including the N energy storage blocks; and

a supervisor module that generates an updated voltage based on the first voltage and the average voltage and that controls a vehicle system based on the updated voltage.

2. The battery control system of claim 1 wherein the supervisor module generates the updated voltage at the second rate.

3. The battery control system of claim 1 wherein the first voltage is the minimum voltage and the supervisor module generates the updated voltage based on the average voltage when the average voltage is less than the first voltage.

4. The battery control system of claim 1 wherein the first voltage is the maximum voltage and the supervisor module generates the updated voltage based on the average voltage when the average voltage is greater than the first voltage.

5. The battery control system of claim 4 wherein the battery control module determines a minimum voltage of the voltages at the first rate and wherein the supervisor module generates an updated minimum voltage based on the average voltage when the average voltage is less than the minimum.

6. The battery control system of claim 1 wherein the supervisor module selectively generates the updated voltage based on a difference between the first voltage and a previous value of save average voltage.

7. The battery control system of claim 6 wherein the supervisor module selectively generates the updated voltage based on the average voltage plus the difference.

8. The battery control system of claim 6 wherein the supervisor module selectively generates the updated voltage based on at least one of the average voltage, the average voltage plus the difference, the first voltage, and a previous value of the updated voltage.

9. The battery control system of claim 1 wherein the averaging module calculates the average voltage based on the measured total voltage divided by N.

10. The battery control system of claim 1 wherein the battery control module serially measures the voltages of the energy storage blocks and selects one of the voltages of the energy storage blocks as the first voltage.

11. A method comprising:

measuring voltages of N energy storage blocks, wherein N is an integer greater than one;

determining a first voltage of the voltages at a first rate, wherein the first voltage is one of a maximum voltage and a minimum voltage;

calculating an average voltage at a second rate that is greater than the first rate, wherein the average voltage is based on a measured total voltage of an energy storage pack including the N energy storage blocks;

generating an updated voltage based on the first voltage and the average voltage; and

controlling a vehicle system based on the updated voltage.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating the updated voltage at the second rate.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating the updated voltage at the second rate.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first voltage is the maximum voltage and further comprising generating the updated voltage based on the average voltage when the average voltage is greater than the first voltage.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining a minimum voltage of the voltages at the first rate; and

generating an updated minimum voltage based on the average voltage when the average voltage is less than the minimum voltage.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising selectively generating the updated voltage based on a difference between a previous value of the average voltage and the first voltage.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising selectively generating the updated voltage based on the average voltage plus the difference.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising selectively generating the updated voltage based on one of the average voltage, the average voltage plus the difference, the first voltage, and a previous value of the updated voltage.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising calculating the average voltage based on the measured total voltage divided by N.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

serially measuring the voltages of the energy storage blocks; and

selecting one of the voltages of the energy storage blocks as the first voltage.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034384/0758 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0211 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0475 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0046 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0909 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0237 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0313 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023126/0914 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023155/0769 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022554/0538 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0405 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2008
From: CAWTHORNE, WILLIAM R.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 021344/0656 →