IP Library Granted Patent US 10,673,255
Granted Patent B2
US 10,673,255 · App. 15/696,804 · Granted Jun 2, 2020

Battery pack and computer-implement battery pack control method

Inventor: Hiroki Matsushita (Kawasaki, JP)
Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
H02J7/0021H01M2/34H01M10/44H01M10/48H02J7/0024H02J7/0031H02J7/0047H02J7/0091H02J7/00718H02J7/007184H02J7/0048H02J7/00302H02J7/00304H02J7/00306
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,673,255
App. No.
15/696,804
Granted
Jun 2, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A battery pack may include a housing, a battery in the housing, a first switch connected to the battery in the housing, a current detector, and a controller. The current detector configured to detect a current flowing to the battery, the current detector being in the housing. The controller configured to control the first switch to switch to a conductive state to flow the current to the battery if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than a first threshold value, and control the first switch to switch to a shut-off state to interrupt the current to the battery if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value, the controller being in the housing.

Claims (84)

1. A battery pack comprising:

a housing;

a battery in the housing;

a first switch connected to the battery in the housing;

a current detector configured to detect a current flowing to the battery, the current detector being in the housing;

a controller configured to control the first switch to switch to a conductive state to flow the current to the battery if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than a first threshold value, and control the first switch to switch to a shut-off state to interrupt the current to the battery if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value, the controller being in the housing;

an estimator configured to estimate charge capacity of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is equal to or higher than a third threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value or the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is less than the third threshold value.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1 , wherein the battery has a higher charge efficiency or discharge efficiency per unit time than a lead battery.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2 , further comprising a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the voltage detected by the voltage detector is equal to or higher than a second threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value or the voltage detected by the voltage detector is less than the second threshold value.

4. The battery pack according to claim 2 , further comprising an estimator configured to estimate charge capacity of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is equal to or higher than a third threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value or the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is less than the third threshold value.

5. The battery pack according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the battery; and

an estimator configured to estimate charge capacity of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value, the voltage detected by the voltage detector is equal to or higher than a second threshold value, and the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is equal to or higher than a third threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value, the voltage detected by the voltage detector is less than the second threshold value, or the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is less than the third threshold value.

6. The battery pack according to claim 2 , further comprising a second switch connected to the battery,

wherein the controller configured to control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state to interrupt the current flowing to the battery and control the second switch to switch to the conductive state to allow discharging of the battery.

7. The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the voltage detected by the voltage detector is equal to or higher than a second threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value or the voltage detected by the voltage detector is less than the second threshold value.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the battery; and

an estimator configured to estimate charge capacity of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value, the voltage detected by the voltage detector is equal to or higher than a second threshold value, and the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is equal to or higher than a third threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value, the voltage detected by the voltage detector is less than the second threshold value, or the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is less than the third threshold value.

9. The battery pack according to claim 1 , further comprising a second switch connected to the battery,

wherein the controller configured to control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state to interrupt the current flowing to the battery and control the second switch to switch to the conductive state to allow discharging of the battery.

10. A battery pack comprising:

a housing;

a battery in the housing;

a first switch connected to the battery in the housing;

a current detector configured to detect a current flowing to the battery, the current detector being in the housing;

a controller configured to control the first switch to switch to a conductive state to flow the current to the battery if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than a first threshold value, and control the first switch to switch to a shut-off state to interrupt the current to the battery if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value, the controller being in the housing;

a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the battery; and

an estimator configured to estimate charge capacity of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value, the voltage detected by the voltage detector is equal to or higher than a second threshold value, and the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is equal to or higher than a third threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value, the voltage detected by the voltage detector is less than the second threshold value, or the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is less than the third threshold value.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10 , wherein the battery has a higher charge efficiency or discharge efficiency per unit time than a lead battery.

12. The battery pack according to claim 11 , further comprising a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the voltage detected by the voltage detector is equal to or higher than a second threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value or the voltage detected by the voltage detector is less than the second threshold value.

13. The battery pack according to claim 11 , further comprising an estimator configured to estimate charge capacity of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is equal to or higher than a third threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value or the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is less than the third threshold value.

14. The battery pack according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the battery; and

an estimator configured to estimate charge capacity of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value, the voltage detected by the voltage detector is equal to or higher than a second threshold value, and the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is equal to or higher than a third threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value, the voltage detected by the voltage detector is less than the second threshold value, or the charge capacity estimated by the estimator is less than the third threshold value.

15. The battery pack according to claim 11 , further comprising a second switch connected to the battery,

wherein the controller configured to control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state to interrupt the current flowing to the battery and control the second switch to switch to the conductive state to allow discharging of the battery.

16. The battery pack according to claim 10 , further comprising a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the battery,

wherein the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the voltage detected by the voltage detector is equal to or higher than a second threshold value; and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value or the voltage detected by the voltage detector is less than the second threshold value.

17. The battery pack according to claim 10 , further comprising a second switch connected to the battery,

wherein the controller configured to control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state to interrupt the current flowing to the battery and control the second switch to switch to the conductive state to allow discharging of the battery.

18. A battery pack comprising:

a housing;

a battery in the housing;

a first switch connected to the battery in the housing;

a current detector configured to detect a current flowing to the battery, the current detector being in the housing;

a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the battery, the voltage detector being in the housing;

the controller configured to:

control the first switch to switch to the shut-off state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the voltage detected by the voltage detector is equal to or higher than a second threshold value;

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is higher than the first threshold value, and

control the first switch to switch to the conductive state if the current flowing to the battery detected by the current detector is equal to or less than the first threshold value and the voltage detected by the voltage detector is less than the second threshold value.

19. The battery pack according to claim 18 , wherein the battery has a higher charge efficiency or discharge efficiency per unit time than a lead battery.

Assignments (3)
MERGER Recorded Jul 29, 2025
From: TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 072239/0263 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT ASSIGNEE INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 043929 FRAME: 0083. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 6, 2020
From: MATSUSHITA, HIROKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051839/0562 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2017
From: MATSUSHITA, HIROKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 043929/0083 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2017-048810 · Mar 14, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180269695A1 · Sep 20, 2018