DESCRIPTION
STORAGE SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND
POWER SYSTEM
5 TECHNICAL FIELD
[ 0 0 0 11
This disclosure relates to a storage system, an
electronic device and an electric vehicle, which utilize
power from the storage system, and a power system.
10
BACKGROUND ART
[00021
Recently, application of a secondary battery such
as a lithium-ion battery has been rapidly expanded to an
15 electric power storage device in which the second battery
is combined with a new energy system such as a
photovoltaic cell and wind power generation, a vehicle
storage battery and the like. In a case in which a great
number of storage devices such as unit cells (electric
20 cells, also referred to as cells; simply appropriately
referred to as cells in a following description) are used
for generating significant power, a configuration in
which a plurality of storage modules is connected in
series is adopted. In the storage module, a plurality of,
25 for example, four cells are connected in parallel and/or
in series to configure a battery block. A great number
of battery blocks are stored in an exterior case and the
storage module (also referred to as an assembled battery)
is configured.
30 [00031
Further, a configuration to connect a plurality of
storage modules to each other and provide a control
device common to a plurality of storage modules (such
configuration is referred to as a battery system) is
known. The configuration is such that each storage
5 module includes processing means (microprocessor MPU) and
communicates between the MPU and the control device
through communication means.
[ 0 0 04 I
In the battery system, it is required to shut down
10 (or power down) the storage system when a battery voltage
becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage or
when an SOC (State Of Charge) of a battery unit becomes
substantially 0 in order to prevent an over discharge of
the battery. When a charging voltage is input, control
15 to detect the input of the charging voltage to return
from a shutdown state to a charging state is required in
order to return from an off-state to the charging state.
It is required to continue supplying the power to a
circuit for the control even in the shutdown state.
20 Following Patent Document 1 discloses that, when the over
discharge is detected, it is put into the shutdown state
and discharge is inhibited by decreasing a current
flowing to the circuit in the shutdown state, so that the
power may be supplied to the circuit for a long period of
25 time.
CITATION LIST
PATENT DOCUMENTS
[0005]
30 Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
NO. 06-104015
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[0006]
5 Although countermeasures to decrease the
discharging current in the shutdown state are taken in
Patent Document 1 described above, it is not possible to
set the discharging current to 0. Therefore, when a long
period of time passes in the shutdown state, a capacity
10 of the battery decreases and the power to the circuit
becomes deficient, so that there is possibility that
charge cannot be started from the shutdown state.
Further, when the number of batteries such as the storage
modules changes, a minimum required charging voltage
15 changes. Recovery from the shutdown state to the
charging state in consideration of such a change in the
charging voltage is not conventionally performed.
[00071
Therefore, an object is to provide the storage
20 system capable of setting the discharging current in the
shutdown state to 0 and of recovering from the shutdown
state to the charging state in consideration of
difference in the number of connected batteries, the
electronic device, the electric vehicle, and the power
25 system.
SOLUTION TO PROBLEMS
[0008]
In order to solve the above-described problem, the
30 storage system of this disclosure is a storage system,
including: a storage unit capable of charging and
discharging; positive and negative terminals to which at
least one of a power supply and a load is connected; a
positive power-supply line arranged between a positive
electrode side of the storage unit and the positive
5 terminal; a negative power-supply line arranged between a
negative electrode side of the storage unit and the
negative terminal; a discharge control switch device
inserted into one of the positive power-supply line and
the negative power-supply line; a detecting unit that
10 detects at least one of a voltage and a capacity of the
storage unit; a controller that controls the discharge
control switch device based on detection information from
the detecting unit; a control power-supply unit connected
to the positive and negative power-supply lines to supply
15 a voltage corresponding to a voltage between the positive
and negative terminals to the controller; and a control
switch that turns off the control power-supply unit
according to an instruction from the controller, wherein
the controller turns off the discharge control switch
20 device when the detecting unit detects that at least one
of the voltage and the capacity of the storage unit is
smaller than a predetermined value at the time of
discharge when the discharge control switch device is
turned on, and thereafter, the controller turns off power
25 to the detecting unit and the control switch turns off
the control power-supply unit, thereby stopping the
discharge of the storage unit.
[00091
According to such a configuration, it is possible
30 to automatically stop the discharge when the storage unit
stops acting. The power to the detecting unit and the
controller is turned off after the stop, so that the
power is not required in the shutdown state and
possibility that the storage unit discharges and it is
not possible to start the charge by detecting the input
5 of the charging voltage may be resolved.
[00101
The storage system of this disclosure is a storage
system, including: a storage unit capable of charging and
discharging; positive and negative terminals to which at
10 least one of a power supply and a load is connected; a
positive power-supply line arranged between a positive
electrode side of the storage unit and the positive
terminal; a negative power-supply line arranged between a
negative electrode side of the storage unit and the
15 negative terminal; a controller; a control power-supply
unit connected to the positive and negative power-supply
lines to supply a voltage corresponding to a voltage
between the positive and negative terminals to the
controller; a comparing unit that is operated by a power-
20 supply voltage formed of the voltage between the positive
and negative terminals and generates an output by
comparing the voltage corresponding to the voltage
between the positive and negative terminals input to the
comparing unit with a reference voltage; and a control
25 switch that turns off the control power-supply unit
according to an instruction from the controller and turns
on the control power-supply unit according to an
instruction from the comparing unit, wherein the control
switch turns on the control power-supply unit according
30 to the instruction from the comparing unit when the
voltage input to the comparing unit becomes larger than
the reference voltage in an off-state in which charge and
discharge are not performed, and the controller turns on
power to a detecting unit, thereby starting the charge of
the storage unit.
5 [OOll]
According to such a configuration, it is possible
to detect the input of the charging voltage to start
charging after the discharge is stopped. Since the
power-supply voltage of the comparing unit is formed of
10 the output voltage, the comparing unit does not require
the power supply in the shutdown state. Further, it is
possible to detect the input of the charging voltage
corresponding to the number of connected storage devices
by changing one of the input voltage of the comparing
15 unit and the reference voltage according to the number of
connected storage devices of the storage unit.
[00121
The storage system of this disclosure is a storage
system, including: a storage unit capable of charging and
20 discharging; positive and negative terminals to which at
least one of a power supply and a load is connected; a
positive power-supply line arranged between a positive
electrode side of the storage unit and the positive
terminal; a negative power-supply line arranged between a
25 negative electrode side of the storage unit and the
negative terminal; a discharge control switch device
inserted into one of the positive power-supply line and
the negative power-supply line; a detecting unit that
detects at least one of a voltage and a capacity of the
30 storage unit; a controller that controls the discharge
control switch device based on detection information from
the detecting unit; a control power-supply unit connected
to the positive and negative power-supply lines to supply
a voltage corresponding to a voltage between the positive
and negative terminals to the controller; a comparing
5 unit that is operated by a power-supply voltage formed of
the voltage between the positive and negative terminals
and generates an output by comparing the voltage
corresponding to the voltage between the positive and
negative terminals input to the comparing unit with a
10 reference voltage; and a control switch that turns off
the control power-supply unit according to an instruction
from the controller and turns on the control power-supply
unit according to an instruction from the comparing unit,
wherein the controller turns off the discharge control
15 switch device when the detecting unit detects that at
least one of the voltage and the capacity of the storage
unit is smaller than a predetermined value at the time of
discharge when the discharge control switch device is
turned on, thereafter, the controller turns off power to
20 the detecting unit and the control switch turns off the
control power-support unit, thereby stopping the
discharge of the storage unit, the control switch turns
on the control power-supply unit according to the
instruction from the comparing unit when the voltage
25 input to the comparing unit becomes larger than the
reference voltage in an off-state in which charge and
discharge are not performed, and the controller turns on
the power to the detecting unit to start the charge of
the storage unit.
30 This disclosure is the storage system, which
supplies the electronic device connected to the abovedescribed
storage system with the power.
This disclosure is the electronic device supplied
with the power from the above-described storage system.
This disclosure is the electric vehicle including a
5 conversion device that is supplied with the power from
the above-described storage system and converts the same
to a drive force of the vehicle, and a control device
that performs information processing regarding vehicle
control based on information regarding the storage system.
10 This disclosure is the power system provided with a
power information transmitting/receiving unit that
transmits/receives a signal to/from another device
through a network, and the power system performs
charge/discharge control of the above-described storage
15 system based on information received by the
transmitting/receiving unit.
This disclosure is the power system, which is
supplied with the power from the above-described storage
system or supplies the power from a power generating
20 device or a power network to the storage system.
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[00131
When the storage unit stops acting, the discharge
25 may be automatically stopped. The power to the detecting
unit and the controller is turned off after the stop, so
that the power is not required in the shutdown state and
possibility that the storage unit discharges and it is
not possible to start the charge by detecting the input
30 of the charging voltage may be resolved. Further, it is
possible to detect the input of the charging voltage to
start charging after the discharge is stopped. Further,
it is possible to detect the input of the charging
voltage corresponding to the number of connected storage
devices by changing one of the input voltage of the
5 comparing unit and the reference voltage according to the
number of connected storage devices of the storage unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
10 Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a
storage system.
Fig. 2 is a block diagram of another example of the
storage system.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a specific
15 configuration of the storage system.
Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a part of Fig. 3 in
more detail.
Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram used for illustrating
Fig. 4.
20 Fig. 6 is a flowchart for illustrating operation
when power is shut down.
Fig. 7 is a flowchart for illustrating operation
when the power is turned on.
Fig. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an
25 application of the storage system.
Fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an
application of the storage system.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
30 [0015]
Although an embodiment described hereinafter is a
preferred specific example of the present invention with
technically preferred various limitations, the scope of
the present invention is not limited to the embodiment
unless it is especially described to limit the invention
5 in a following description.
[0016]

In a case in which a great number of storage
devices such as battery cells are used for generating
10 significant power, a configuration in which a plurality
of storage units (hereinafter, referred to as storage
modules) is connected to each other and a control device
common to the plurality of storage modules is provided is
adopted. Such configuration is referred to as a battery
15 system. The storage module is a unit obtained by
combining a plurality of battery cells such as lithiumion
secondary batteries and a controller.
[0017]
As illustrated in Fig. 1, N storage modules MODl to
20 MODN are connected in series. The storage modules MODl
to MODN are connected to an interface bus BS through an
insulating unit IS. An insulating interface IF is
provided on each storage module MOD for connecting a
module controller CNT to an external interface bus BS.
25 The insulating interface IF serves to insulate the
storage module MOD from the interface bus BS. Further,
each module controller is connected to a control device
of all (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as an
output controller) ICNT and the output controller ICNT
30 performs management of charge and discharge and
management to inhibit deterioration and the like.
[0018]
A serial interface is used as a bus in the storage
module and the bus BS for connecting the storage modules
MODl to MODN and the output controller ICNT. An SM bus
5 (System Management Bus) and the like is specifically used
as the serial interface. For example, an 12C bus may be
used. The 12C bus is a synchronous serial communication
for communicating by using two signal lines, which are an
SCL (serial clock) and a bidirectional SDA (serial data).
10 [00191
The controller CNT of each storage module MOD and
the output controller ICNT communicate with each other.
That is, the output controller ICNT receives information
of an inner state of each storage module and a charging
15 process and a discharging process of each storage module
are managed. The output controller ICNT supplies an
output of a series connection of the N storage modules to
a load. The storage modules may be connected to each
other. An output voltage of one storage module is set to
20 80 V, for example, and the output voltage of (80 V to 400
V) is generated from the output controller ICNT in a case
in which N=l to N=5.
[00201
Fig. 2 illustrates another example of a storage
25 system. In another example, the N storage modules MODl
to MODN are connected in series. Each of the storage
modules MODl to MODN includes an insulating interface for
insulating the storage modules from each other. The
module controller of each storage module communicates
30 with an upper or lower storage module or with an external
output controller through photo couplers IFSl to IFSN as
the insulating interfaces.
[0021]
The output controller ICNT is connected to the
lowest storage module MOD1. The output controller ICNT
5 controls an entire battery system. The output controller
ICNT receives the information of the inner state of each
storage module and supplies and blocks a charging current
and a discharging current to and from each storage module,
thereby controlling the charge and discharge of each
10 storage module.
[0022]

The battery system is described with reference to
Fig. 3. A battery unit BT is composed of one or more of
15 the above-described storage modules, for example. The
number of batteries connected in series is appropriately
set according to application and the like. The battery
unit BT is provided with a battery monitor 11 as a
detecting unit, which detects a voltage of each battery
20 and further calculates an SOC (State Of Charge). The
output voltage of the battery unit BT is supplied through
a switch circuit 12 as a power-supply voltage of the
battery monitor 11. Meanwhile, although the switch
circuit 12 is actually provided in the battery monitor 11,
25 this is separately illustrated from the battery monitor
11 for convenience of description.
[0023]
A controller 21 of the output controller ICNT is
notified that the voltage of each battery reaches a set
30 upper limit value or a set lower limit value and notified
of the SOC and the like through the interface BS. The
controller 21 is a microcomputer composed of a CPU
(Central Processing Unit) and the like, for example. The
controller 21 has a configuration in which a ROM (Read
Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory) and the like
5 are connected to the CPU. The controller PR manages the
battery unit BT by executing a program stored in the ROM.
[00241
A positive power-supply line L1 is arranged between
a positive electrode side of the battery of the battery
10 unit BT and a positive terminal T1 and a negative powersupply
line L2 is arranged between a negative electrode
side of the battery and a negative terminal T2. A power
supply 42 or a load 43 is connected to the terminals T1
and T2 through an output controller 41. The power supply
15 42 charges the battery of the battery unit BT and power
of the battery of the battery unit BT is supplied to the
load 43.
[00251
The power supply 42 is a direct-current power
20 supply formed by rectifying alternating-current power of
a power supply network (commercial power supply) or a
power generating device (solar panel and wind power
generating device) utilizing renewable energy. The load
43 is a household electronic device, for example, and in
25 general, direct-current power of the storage system is
converted to the alternating-current power to be supplied
to the electronic device. The output controller 41
controls to select from the power supply 42 and the load
43 to be connected to the terminals T1 and T2.
30 [0026]
For example, when the solar panel is used as the
power supply 42, a power generation amount thereof varies
according to weather, a time period and the like.
Therefore, in the daytime in which the power generation
amount of the solar panel is large, the battery of the
5 battery unit BT of the storage system is charged with an
output from the solar panel and the solar panel output is
supplied to the load 43. Then, the solar panel does not
generate the power at night, so that the power is
supplied from the battery of the battery unit BT of the
10 storage system to the load 43. The output controller 41
performs such control. However, this control is merely a
simple example and more complex control is performed in
consideration of a power consumption of the load 43 or by
combining usage of the commercial power supply. When
15 such power supply 42 is used, it is required that the
storage system in a shutdown state start charging when
charging power is supplied to the terminals T1 and T2.
[00271
A charge control switch 22 and a discharge control
20 switch 23 are inserted into one of the positive powersupply
line L1 and the negative power-supply line L2, for
example, the positive power-supply line L1. A MOSFET
(Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor), for
example, may be used as the switches. A diode 22a is
25 connected so as to be in parallel with the charge control
switch 22 in a forward direction with respect to the
discharging current. A diode 23a is connected so as to
be in parallel with the discharge control switch 23 in
the forward direction with respect to the charging
30 current.
[00281
Each of the charge control switch 22 and the
discharge control switch 23 is turned on or off by the
controller 21. That is, at the time of the charge, the
charge control switch 22 is turned on and the discharge
5 control switch 23 is turned off, then the charging
current is supplied to the battery of the battery unit BT
through the diode 23a and the charge control switch 22.
At the time of the discharge, the charge control switch
22 is turned off and the discharge control switch 23 is
10 turned on, then the discharging current is supplied to
the load through the diode 22a and the discharge control
switch 23. Meanwhile, the charge control switch 22 and
the discharge control switch 23 may also be inserted into
the negative power-supply line L2.
15 [0029]
A power-supply voltage is supplied from a DC-DC
converter 24 as a power-supply unit to the controller 21.
An input voltage is supplied from the power-supply line
L1 between the charge control switch 22 and the discharge
20 control switch 23 to the DC-DC converter 24. Therefore,
not only the voltage from the battery unit BT but also
the voltage from the power supply 42 connected to the
terminals T1 and T2 is input to the DC-DC converter 24.
A negative side of the DC-DC converter 24 is connected to
25 the negative power-supply line L2 through a control
switch 25. The control switch 25 allows the DC-DC
converter 24 to operate in an on-state, and this does not
allow the DC-DC converter 24 to operate in an off-state.
The DC-DC converter 24 forms the power-supply voltage of
30 +12 V from the input voltage of +80 V to +400 V, for
example, and the formed power-supply voltage is supplied
to the controller 21.
[0030]
The control switch 25 is turned off by a switch
control signal S1 output from the controller 21. When
5 the controller 21 is notified that the voltage of any
battery reaches the set lower limit value or that the SOC
reaches a value set in advance from the battery monitor
11, this outputs a control signal to turn off the
discharge control switch 23. For example, when a
10 remaining capacity reaches 0%, the discharge control
switch 23 is turned off. This operation prevents an over
discharge of the battery.
[00311
Further, when the voltage between the terminals T1
15 and T2 is supplied to the controller 21 and the
controller 21 determines that the voltage is smaller than
a defined value set in advance (threshold), this outputs
a control signal to turn off the switch circuit 12 of the
battery monitor 11 and the switch control signal S1. A
20 series circuit of a resistance 26 and a variable
resistance 27 is inserted between the terminals T1 and T2.
A resistance value of the variable resistance 27 is set
by a switch unit according to the number of connected
batteries of the battery unit BT as described later. The
25 switch unit is set by a user.
[00321
A voltage Vx generated on a connecting point of the
resistance 26 and the variable resistance 27 is supplied
to an A/D (analog/digital) port of the controller 21 to
30 be converted to a digital signal. A fact that the
voltage Vx is smaller than the defined value means that
the DC-DC converter 24 cannot form the power-supply
voltage required for the controller 21 to operate. When
the voltage between the terminals T1 and T2 decreases to
such a state, the switch circuit 12 is turned off to be
5 shut down. In the shutdown state, the current does not
flow to the battery monitor 11, the controller 21, and
the DC-DC converter 24.
100331
In the shutdown state, when the voltage required
10 for the charge is applied from the power supply 42 to the
terminals T1 and T2, the charge is started. A comparator
29 is provided as a comparing unit for detecting
application of the voltage required for the charge to the
terminals TI and T2. The voltage Vx generated on the
15 connecting point of the resistance 26 and the variable
resistance 27 is supplied to a positive input terminal of
the comparator 29. The power-supply voltage of +15 V,
for example, formed by a Zener diode 30 is supplied to a
positive power-supply terminal of the comparator 29 and a
20 negative power-supply terminal thereof is connected to
the power-supply line L2. An anode of the Zener diode 30
is connected to the power-supply line L2 and a cathode
thereof is connected to the power-supply line L1 through
a resistance 31.
25 [0034]
Further, the power-supply voltage to the comparator
29 is divided by resistances 32 and 33 to form a
reference voltage Vref. The reference voltage Vref is
supplied to a negative input terminal of the comparator
30 29. The comparator 29 generates a high-level comparative
output when a relationship between the input two voltages
satisfies (Vx>Vref) and generates a low-level comparative
output in other cases. The comparative output of the
comparator 29 is supplied to the control switch 25 as a
switch control signal S2. The control switch 25 is
5 turned on when the switch control signal S2 is a highlevel
signal.
[00351
An example of the variable resistance 27 is
described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. Meanwhile,
10 although not illustrated in Fig. 4, the switch control
signal S2 output from the comparator 29 is supplied to
the control switch 25 as in the configuration in Fig. 3.
For example, a series circuit of a resistance rl and a
switch S1, a series circuit of a resistance r2 and a
15 switch S2, a series circuit of a resistance r3 and a
switch S3, and a series circuit of a resistance r4 and a
switch S4 are connected in parallel. A switch unit 28
composed of the switches S1 to S4 is configured such that
the user may set by operation. A relationship among the
20 resistances rl to r4 is set as (rl=4r4, r2=3r4, and
r3=2r4) , for example.
[00361
As illustrated in Fig. 5, the switch unit 28 is set
according to the number (1 to 12) of connected battery
25 modules (composed of series connection of a plurality of
cells) of the battery unit BT and the connection of the
resistances rl to r4 is determined by the setting of the
switch unit 28. For example, when the number of series
connection is 1, only the switch S1 is turned on and a
30 combined resistance of the variable resistance 27 becomes
R1 ( 1 . Then, (Vx>Vref) is satisfied and an on-voltage
V1 required for the output from the comparator 29 to be
the high-level output is determined. The on-voltage V1
is the voltage applied to the series connection of the
resistance 26 and the variable resistance 27 by the power
5 supply 42.
[0037]
For example, when the number of series connection
is 7, the switches S1, S2, and S3 are turned on and the
combined resistance of the variable resistance 27 becomes
10 R7 (=rl/r2/r3 ( / represents parallel connection)). An
on-voltage V7 for the output from the comparator 29 to be
the high-level output is determined. Further, when the
number of connected units is 12, the switches S3 and S4
are turned on and the combined resistance of the variable
15 resistance 27 becomes R12 (=r3/r4). An on-voltage V12
for the output from the comparator 29 to be the highlevel
output is determined.
[ 0 03 81
The larger the number of battery modules connected
20 in series, the higher a charging voltage required for
charging the battery unit BT, so that the variable
resistance 27 is provided. As described above, the
resistance value of the variable resistance 27 is set by
the setting of the switch unit 28. That is, a
25 relationship of the combined resistances
is satisfied and
a relationship of the on-voltages
(V1~V2~V3~V4cV5~V6cV7~V8cV9cV1OcVllciVsl 2s)at isfied.
For example, while the on-voltage V1 is approximately 45
30 V when the number of series connection is 1, which is the
minimum number, the on-voltage V12 is approximately 670 V
when the number of series connection is 12, which is the
maximum number.
[0039]
Meanwhile, although not illustrated in Fig. 4, the
5 Zener diode is connected so as to be in parallel with the
variable resistance 27 and the voltage supplied to the
A/D port of the controller 21 is made equal to or lower
than a Zener voltage of the Zener diode.
[00401
10
Control of operation to start charging from the
shutdown state is described with reference to Fig. 7. In
the shutdown state, the voltage applied between the
terminals T1 and T2 is monitored by the comparator 29
25 (step ST11). At step ST12, it is determined whether the
voltage is larger than the defined value. When the
voltage is larger than the defined value, the comparator
29 generates the high-level output. The resistance value
of the variable resistance 27 varies according to the
30 number of battery modules connected in series of the
battery unit BT and even if the reference voltage Vref is
constant, when the on-voltage according to the number of
series connection is applied to the terminals T1 and T2,
the output from the comparator 29 becomes the high-level
output.
5 [0045]
When it is determined that the voltage is larger
than the defined value at step ST12, the control switch
25 is turned on by the output from the comparator 29
(switch control signal S2) at step ST13. As a result,
10 the power to the DC-DC converter 24 is turned on and the
power is supplied to the controller 21 at step ST14. By
the control of the controller 21, the charge control
switch 22 is turned on and the switch circuit 12 is
turned on, then the power to the battery monitor 11 is
15 turned on (step ST15). Then, as described at step ST16,
the charge to the battery of the battery unit BT is
started and the voltage of the battery and the SOC of the
battery unit BT are started to be monitored.
[0046]
20 According to the above-described disclosure, the
discharge is stopped when the voltage of the battery
becomes smaller than the defined value or the remaining
capacity of the battery reaches 0 (or becomes extremely
small), and further, when the power to the system cannot
25 be maintained, the system is automatically shut down to
be put into the shutdown state. Further, when the power
capable of charging the battery is input, the power to
the system is automatically turned on and the battery is
monitored. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the
30 deterioration of the battery due to the over discharge
and perform the operation of the system only when battery
power remains. Further, it is possible to detect the
input of the power to start charging even in the shutdown
state.
[00471
5 The lithium-ion secondary battery is used as the
storage device in the description above. However, it is
also possible to use a secondary battery other than the
lithium-ion secondary battery. Further, it is also
possible to use the storage device other than the
10 secondary battery such as an electric double layer
capacitor.
[00481
This disclosure is the storage system, which
supplies the power to the electronic device connected to
15 the above-described storage system.
[00491
This disclosure is the electronic device supplied
with the power from the above-described storage system.
[00501
20 This disclosure is the power system provided with a
power information transmitting/receiving unit to
transmit/receive the signal to/from another device
through a network, which performs charge/discharge
control of the above-described storage system based on
25 the information received by the transmitting/receiving
unit.
[00511
This disclosure is the power system, which is
supplied with the power from the above-described storage
30 system or supplies the power from the power generating
device or a power network to the storage system.
[0052]
The electronic device and the power system are
carried out as a home power supply system, for example.
Further, this is carried out as a system to efficiently
5 supply the power in cooperation with an external power
supply network.
[0053]
Further, this disclosure is an electric vehicle
including a conversion device, which is supplied with the
10 power from the above-described storage system and
converts the same to a drive force of the vehicle, and a
control device, which performs information processing
regarding vehicle control based on information regarding
the storage system.
15 [0054]

An example of applying this disclosure to a home
storage system is described with reference to Fig. 8.
For example, in a storage system 100 for a home 101, the
20 power is supplied from a centralized power system 102
such as thermal power generation 102a, nuclear power
generation 102b, and hydroelectric power generation 102c
through a power network 109, an information network 112,
a smart meter 107, a power hub 108 and the like to a
25 storage device 103. Together with this, the power is
supplied from a standalone power supply such as a
household power generating device 104 to the storage
device 103. The power supplied to the storage device 103
is stored. The power used in the home 101 is supplied by
30 using the storage device 103. The similar storage system
may be used not only in the home 101 but also in a
building.
[ 0 0 5 5 I
The home 101 is provided with the power generating
device 104, a power consuming device 105, the storage
5 device 103, a control device 110 for controlling each
device, the smart meter 107, and a sensor 111 for
obtaining various pieces of information. Each device is
connected by the power network 109 and the information
network 112. A photovoltaic cell, a fuel cell and the
10 like are used as the power generating device 104 and the
generated power is supplied to the power consuming device
105 and/or the storage device 103. The power consuming
device 105 is a refrigerator 105a, an air conditioner
105b, a television receiving set 105c, a bath 105d and
15 the like. Further, the power consuming device 105
includes an electric vehicle 106. The electric vehicle
106 is an electric automobile 106a, a hybrid vehicle 106b,
and an electric motorcycle 106c.
[00561
20 The storage system of the above-described
disclosure is applied to the storage device 103. The
storage device 103 is composed of the secondary battery
or a capacitor. For example, this is composed of the
lithium-ion battery. The lithium-ion battery may be a
25 stationary type or may be used by the electric vehicle
106. The smart meter 107 has a function to measure a
used amount of commercial power and transmit the measured
used amount to a power company. The power network 109
may be any one of direct-current power feeding,
30 alternating-current power feeding, and non-contact power
feeding or may be obtained by combining a plurality of
them.
[0057]
The various sensors 111 include a motion sensor, an
illuminance sensor, an object detecting sensor, a power
5 consumption sensor, a vibration sensor, a contact sensor,
a temperature sensor, an infrared sensor and the like,
for example. The information obtained by the various
sensors 111 is transmitted to the control device 110. It
is possible to figure out a weather condition, a human
10 condition and the like by the information from the sensor
111 and to automatically control the power consuming
device 105, thereby minimizing energy consumption.
Further, the control device 110 may transmit the
information regarding the home 101 to an external power
15 company and the like through the Internet.
[0058]
The power hub 108 performs a process such as
branching of a power line, direct current-alternating
current conversion and the like. A communication system
20 of the information network 112 connected to the control
device 110 includes a method of using a communication
interface such as a UART (Universal Asynchronous
Receiver-Transceiver) and a method of utilizing a sensor
network in accordance with a wireless communication
25 standard such as Bluetooth, ZigBee, and Wi-Fi. The
Bluetooth system is applied to multimedia communication
and is capable of performing one-to-many communication.
The ZigBee uses a physical layer of IEEE (Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.15.4. The IEEE
30 802.15.4 is a name of a short-range wireless network
standard referred to as a PAN (Personal Area Network) or
a W (Wireless) PAN.
[00591
The control device 110 is connected to an external
server 113. The server 113 may be managed by any one of
5 the home 101, the power company, and a service provider.
The information transmitted/received by the server 113 is
power consumption information, life pattern information,
a power charge, weather information, natural disaster
information, and information regarding power trade. The
10 information may be transmitted/received from a household
power consuming device (such as the television receiving
set) or may be transmitted/received from a device outside
the home (such as a mobile phone). The information may
also be displayed on a device having a display function
15 such as the television receiving set, the mobile phone,
and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant).
[0060]
The control device 110, which controls each unit,
is composed of the CPU (Central Processing Unit), the RAM
20 (Random Access Memory) , the ROM (Read Only Memory) and
the like and is stored in the storage device 103 in this
example. The control device 110 is connected to the
storage device 103, the household power generating device
104, the power consuming device 105, the various sensors
25 111, and the server 113 through the information network
112 and has a function to adjust the used amount of the
commercial power and the power generating amount, for
example. Meanwhile, in addition to this, this may also
has a function to carry out the power trade in a power
30 market and the like.
[0061]
As described above, not only the power of the
centralized power system 102 such as the thermal power
102a, the nuclear power 102b, and the hydroelectric power
102c but also the generated power of the household power
5 generating device 104 (photovoltaic power generation and
wind power generation) may be stored in the storage
device 103. Therefore, even when the generated power of
the household power generating device 104 varies, it is
possible to control to make an amount of power to be
10 transmitted to outside constant or to discharge the power
as needed. For example, it is also possible to store the
power obtained by the photovoltaic power generation in
the storage device 103 and store inexpensive late-night
power in the storage device 103 at night, then discharge
15 the power stored in the storage device 103 to use in the
daytime when the power charge is expensive.
[0062]
Meanwhile, although an example in which the control
device 110 is stored in the storage device 103 is
20 described in this example, this may be stored in the
smart meter 107 or may be a standalone device. Further,
the storage system 100 may be used for a plurality of
homes in collective housing or may be used for a
plurality of single-family homes.
25 [0063]

An example of applying this disclosure to the
storage system for vehicle is described with reference to
Fig. 9. An example of a configuration of the hybrid
30 vehicle to which a series hybrid system to which this
disclosure is applied is adopted is schematically
illustrated in Fig. 9. The series hybrid system is a
vehicle, which runs by a power/drive force conversion
device by using the power generated by a power generator
driven by an engine or the power temporarily stored in a
5 battery.
[0064]
A hybrid vehicle 200 is equipped with an engine 201,
a power generator 202, a power/drive force conversion
device 203, drive wheels 204a and 204b, wheels 205a and
10 205b, a battery 208, a vehicle control device 209,
various sensors 210, and a charging inlet 211. The
storage system of the above-described disclosure is
applied to the battery 208.
[0065]
15 The hybrid vehicle 200 runs with the power/drive
force conversion device 203 as a power source. An
example of the power/drive force conversion device 203 is
a motor. The power/drive force conversion device 203
operates by the power of the battery 208 and a rotation
20 force of the power/drive force conversion device 203 is
transmitted to the drive wheels 204a and 204b. Meanwhile,
an alternating-current motor and a direct-current motor
may be applied as the power/drive force conversion device
203 by using direct current-alternating current (DC-AC)
25 or inverse conversion (AC-DC conversion) at a necessary
place. The various sensors 210 control an engine
rotation speed or control an opening of a throttle valve
(throttle opening) not illustrated through the vehicle
control device 209. The various sensors 210 include a
30 speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, an engine rotation
speed sensor and the like.
[0066]
A rotation force of the engine 201 is transmitted
to the power generator 202 and it is possible to store
the power generated by the power generator 202 by the
5 rotation force in the battery 208.
[0067]
When the hybrid vehicle decelerates by a braking
mechanism not illustrated, a resistive force at the time
of deceleration is applied to the power/drive force
10 conversion device 203 as the rotation force and
regenerative power generated by the power/drive force
conversion device 203 by the rotation force is stored in
the battery 208.
100681
15 The battery 208 may also be connected to a power
supply outside the hybrid vehicle to be supplied with the
power from the external power supply through the charging
inlet 211 as an inlet and store the received power.
[0069]
20 Although not illustrated, this may also be provided
with an information processing device, which performs the
information processing regarding the vehicle control
based on the information regarding the secondary battery.
Such information processing device includes an
25 information processing device, which displays a battery
remaining amount based on information regarding the
remaining amount of the battery, for example.
[0070]
Meanwhile, an example of a series hybrid vehicle,
30 which runs by the motor by using the power generated by
the power generator operated by the engine or the power
temporarily stored in the battery, is described above.
However, this disclosure is effectively applicable also
to a parallel hybrid vehicle, which appropriately
switches three systems to run only by the engine, run
5 only by the motor, and run by the engine and the motor,
in which the outputs of the engine and the motor are
drive sources. Further, this disclosure is effectively
applicable also to the so-called electric vehicle, which
runs by driving only by a drive motor without using the
10 engine.
[00711
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
MOD, MOD1 to MODNStorage module
ICNT Output controller
15 BS Bus interface
BT Battery unit
L1, L2 Power-supply line
11 Battery monitor
12 Switch circuit
20 21 Controller
22 Charge control switch
23 Discharge control switch
24 DC-DC converter
25 Control switch
25 27 Variable resistance
29 Comparator
30 Zener diode
42 Power supply
43 Load

CLAIMS
1. A storage system, comprising:
a storage unit capable of charging and discharging;
5 positive and negative terminals to which at least
one of a power supply and a load is connected;
a positive power-supply line arranged between a
positive electrode side of the storage unit and the
positive terminal;
10 a negative power-supply line arranged between a
negative electrode side of the storage unit and the
negative terminal;
a discharge control switch device inserted into one
of the positive power-supply line and the negative power-
15 supply line;
a detecting unit that detects at least one of a
voltage and a capacity of the storage unit;
a controller that controls the discharge control
switch device based on detection information from the
20 detecting unit;
a control power-supply unit connected to the
positive and negative power-supply lines to supply a
voltage corresponding to a voltage between the positive
and negative terminals to the controller; and
25 a control switch that turns off the control powersupply
unit according to an instruction from the
controller, wherein
the controller turns off the discharge control
switch device when the detecting unit detects that at
30 least one of the voltage and the capacity of the storage
unit is smaller than a predetermined value at the time of
discharge when the discharge control switch device is
turned on, and thereafter,
the controller turns off power to the detecting
unit and the control switch turns off the control power-
5 supply unit, thereby stopping discharge of the storage
unit.
2. A storage system, comprising:
a storage unit capable of charging and discharging;
positive and negative terminals to which at least
one of a power supply and a load is connected;
a positive power-supply line arranged between a
positive electrode side of the storage unit and the
positive terminal;
15 a negative power-supply line arranged between a
negative electrode side of the storage unit and the
negative terminal;
a controller;
a control power-supply unit connected to the
20 positive and negative power-supply lines to supply a
voltage corresponding to a voltage between the positive
and negative terminals to the controller;
a comparing unit that is operated by a power-supply
voltage formed of the voltage between the positive and
25 negative terminals and generates an output by comparing
the voltage corresponding to the voltage between the
positive and negative terminals input to the comparing
unit with a reference voltage; and
a control switch that turns off the control power-
30 supply unit according to an instruction from the
controller and turns on the control power-supply unit
according to an instruction from the comparing unit,
wherein
the control switch turns on the control powersupply
unit according to the instruction from the
5 comparing unit when the voltage input to the comparing
unit becomes larger than the reference voltage in an offstate
in which charge and discharge are not performed,
and
the controller turns on power to a detecting unit,
10 thereby starting the charge of the storage unit.
3. A storage system, comprising:
a storage unit capable of charging and discharging;
positive and negative terminals to which at least
15 one of a power supply and a load is connected;
a positive power-supply line arranged between a
positive electrode side of the storage unit and the
positive terminal;
a negative power-supply line arranged between a
20 negative electrode side of the storage unit and the
negative terminal;
a discharge control switch device inserted into one
of the positive power-supply line and the negative powersupply
line;
25 a detecting unit that detects at least one of a
voltage and a capacity of the storage unit;
a controller that controls the discharge control
switch device based on detection information from the
detecting unit;
30 a control power-supply unit connected to the
positive and negative power-supply lines to supply a
voltage corresponding to a voltage between the positive
and negative terminals to the controller;
a comparing unit that is operated by a power-supply
voltage formed of the voltage between the positive and
5 negative terminals and generates an output by comparing
the voltage corresponding to the voltage between the
positive and negative terminals input to the comparing
unit with a reference voltage; and
a control switch that turns off the control power-
10 supply unit according to an instruction from the
controller and turns on the control power-supply unit
according to an instruction from the comparing unit,
wherein
the controller turns off the discharge control
15 switch device when the detecting unit detects that at
least one of the voltage and the capacity of the storage
unit is smaller than a predetermined value at the time of
discharge when the discharge control switch device is
turned on, thereafter,
20 the controller turns off power to the detecting
unit and the control switch turns off the control powersupply
unit, thereby stopping the discharge of the
storage unit,
the control switch turns on the control power-
25 supply unit according to the instruction from the
comparing unit when the voltage input to the comparing
unit becomes larger than the reference voltage in an offstate
in which charge and discharge are not performed,
and
30 the controller turns on the power to the detecting
unit to start the charge of the storage unit.
4. The storage system according to claim 3, wherein a
charge control switch device, which is turned on at the
time of the charge, is inserted into a line into which
5 the discharge control switch device is inserted, and
an input voltage is supplied from a connecting
point of the charge control switch device and the
discharge control
supply unit.
5. The storage
wherein the power
switch
system
to the
device to
according
detecting
the control powerto
claim 1, 3 or 4,
unit is turned off and
the control power-supply unit is turned off when the
voltage input to the controller is smaller than a
15 predetermined value after the controller turns off the
discharge control switch device.
6. The storage system according to any one of claims 1
to 5, wherein the number of storage devices of the
20 storage unit is made changeable, and the control powersupply
unit forms constant power to the controller from
the input voltage according to the number.
7. The storage system according to claim 2, 3 or 4,
25 wherein the number of storage devices of the storage unit
is made changeable, and one of the input voltage of the
comparing unit and the reference voltage is switched
according to the number of storage devices.
30 8. The storage system according to any one of claims 1
to 7, wherein the power supply connected to the positive
and negative terminals is a power generating device that
generates power from renewable energy.
9. A storage system including the storage system
5 according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which supplies
power to an electronic device connected to the storage
sys tem .
10. An electronic device supplied with power from the
10 storage system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
11. An electric vehicle, comprising:
a conversion device that is supplied with power
from the storage system according to any one of claims 1
15 to 8 and converts the power to a drive force of the
vehicle; and
a control device that performs information
processing regarding vehicle control based on information
regarding the storage system.
20
12. A power system, comprising:
a power information transmitting/receiving unit
that transmits/receives a signal to/from another device
through a network, wherein
25 the power system performs charge/discharge control
of the storage system according to any one of claims 1 to
8 based on information received by the
transmitting/receiving unit.
30 13. A power system, which is supplied with power from
the storage system according to any one of claims 1 to 8
or supplies the power from a power generating device or a
power network to the storage system.