Battery Capacity Display Device for Parallel Battery Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of vehicles equipped with multiple batteries connected in parallel face difficulty in determining the remaining travel distance based on the displayed battery capacities, as existing systems only show individual battery capacities without providing a clear indication of the total capacity or travel range.

Innovation Solution

A battery remaining capacity display device comprising an individual remaining capacity calculator, a total remaining capacity calculator, a display controller, a display instruction component, and a display component, which calculates and displays both individual and total remaining capacities, allowing users to easily determine the travel range and identify which batteries need replacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If individual battery capacities are displayed, then users can identify which batteries need replacement, but users cannot easily determine the total travel range

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery status informationVSAvoidtravel range determination
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The display is segmented into two distinct modes: individual battery capacity display and total remaining capacity display. This allows users to view either the status of each battery individually or the aggregate travel range, resolving the contradiction between identifying specific batteries needing replacement and determining total travel range.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The display dynamically switches between showing individual battery capacities and total remaining capacity based on user input or system state. This dynamic adaptability allows the same display to serve multiple functions, providing detailed battery status when needed while showing overall travel range at other times.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If total remaining capacity is displayed, then users can easily determine travel range, but users cannot easily identify which individual batteries need replacement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetravel range determinationVSAvoidindividual battery status
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The display functionality is segmented into separate modes for total capacity and individual battery status. Users can switch between these modes depending on whether they need to know the overall travel range or which specific batteries require attention, eliminating the information loss in either scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts what information is displayed based on user needs or operational context. When users need to determine travel range, the total remaining capacity is shown; when battery replacement is needed, individual battery capacities are displayed, ensuring neither piece of information is lost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of information

If both individual and total remaining capacities are displayed simultaneously, then all information is provided, but display complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery status informationVSAvoiddisplay system
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of displaying all information simultaneously which would clutter the interface, the display is segmented into separate functional modes. Users can access individual battery status or total capacity information as needed, providing complete information coverage while maintaining a simple, clean display at any given moment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The display system dynamically switches between different information presentations rather than showing everything at once. This dynamic approach provides all necessary information to users while keeping the display interface simple and avoiding information overload.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3379684B1Remaining battery capacity display device, battery system and remaining battery capacity display method
Publication Date: 2021.03.17 OMRON CORP
  • EP3379684B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3379684B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3379684B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A remaining battery capacity display device (30) comprises remaining capacity calculators (32A, 32B), a combined remaining capacity calculator (33), a display controller (35), a display instruction component (36), and a display component (34). The display controller (35) controls the display of the individual remaining capacities and the display of the total remaining capacity. The display instruction component (36) instructs the display controller (35) to display or not to display. The display component (34) displays the individual remaining capacities and the total remaining capacity. The display controller (35) performs control so that the individual remaining capacities and/or the combined remaining capacity is displayed on the display distribution (34) according to an instruction from the display instruction component (36).