Battery monitoring apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020142004-A1
Application number	US-201916674074-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 5, 2019
Priority date	Nov 5, 2018
Publication date	May 7, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery monitoring apparatus includes a battery ECU, satellite devices each of which measures the voltage at a battery cell in response to a command signal from the battery ECU, and a wireless module which achieves a wireless communication between the battery ECU and each of the satellite devices after a wireless connection between the battery ECU and each of the satellite devices is completed. When receiving a start signal outputted before a start switch for a drive power source of the vehicle is turned on, the wireless module is activated to start the wireless connection between the battery ECU and each of the satellite devices. This establishes and completes the wireless connections faster than when the wireless module is activated simultaneously with turning on of the start switch for the drive power source. This achieves quick monitoring of the state of the battery cells.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery monitoring apparatus which monitors states of battery cells installed in a vehicle comprising:
a battery ECU; satellite devices each of which measures a voltage at a battery cell in response to a command signal wirelessly outputted from the battery ECU; and a wireless module which achieves a wireless communication between the battery ECU and each of the satellite devices after a wireless connection between the battery ECU and each of the satellite devices is completed, wherein when receiving a start signal outputted before a start switch for a drive power source of the vehicle is turned on, the wireless module is activated to start the wireless connection between the battery ECU and each of the satellite devices.

2 . The battery monitoring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is equipped with a keyless entry system including a controller and an unlock device, the unlock device unlocks a door of the vehicle in response to an unlock signal outputted from the controller, and wherein the start signal is provided by the unlock signal.

3 . The battery monitoring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a switch which is disposed in a conductor for delivering electrical power to the wireless module and a controller which turns on the switch in response to the start signal, wherein the wireless module is turned on when the switch is turned on by the controller.

4 . The battery monitoring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the wireless module includes a master unit installed in the battery ECU and slave units installed in the respective satellite devices, and wherein each of the master unit and the slave units is designed to be activated in response to the start signal.

5 . The battery monitoring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the wireless module includes a master unit installed in the battery ECU and slave units installed in the respective satellite devices, and wherein after being activated in response to the start signal, the master unit outputs wireless signals to the slave units to turn on the slave units.

6 . The battery monitoring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the wireless module includes a master unit installed in the battery ECU and slave units installed in the respective satellite devices, and wherein after being activated in response to the start signal, each of the slave units outputs a wireless signal to the master unit to turn on the master unit.

7 . The battery monitoring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the wireless modules includes a plurality of master units installed in the battery ECU and a plurality of slaves units installed in the respective satellite devices, and wherein each of the master units achieves a wireless connection with a preselected one(s) of the slave units.

8 . The battery monitoring apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the wireless modules includes a plurality of master units installed in the battery ECU and a plurality of slaves units installed in the respective satellite devices, and wherein after being activated in response to the start signal, each of the master units outputs a wireless signal to a preselected one(s) of the slave units to activate the slave unit and then achieves the wireless connection therewith.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Ito Akihiko
• NUMATA Tatsuhiro

Classifications

• G01R31/371 Primary

  with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers · CPC title

• B60L58/12

  responding to state of charge [SoC] · CPC title

• H04W76/10

  Connection setup · CPC title

• G01R31/3835

  involving only voltage measurements · CPC title

• B60L58/18 Primary

  of two or more battery modules · CPC title