Method and apparatus for detecting failed batteries
US6020743A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 21, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 1, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 21, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/3648
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A technique for detecting failed batteries while the battery is attached to one or more electronic devices and is receiving a float charge is disclosed. The float voltage minimizes the normal voltage differences between battery cells. The technique employs a ratio comparative analysis of cell voltages of a battery provided across the terminals of the battery. Application of the ratio comparative analysis in assessing the condition of a battery assumes an equal voltage drop across each battery cell such that the cells are modeled as a series of resisters with respect to the float voltage. Such equal voltage drop enables a comparative ratio analysis of the voltage across each of the two portions of the battery's cell stack to the voltage across the entire battery. The comparative ratio analysis determines a voltage threshold that identifies whether a battery has a shorted or open cell.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.