JP2001037099A - Battery back-up system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To operate to start operation stopping process of a battery back-up system by calculating a residual capacity of the battery, recognizing a limiting time capable of back-up operation of the battery, and backing-up the battery to the system. SOLUTION: A controller 7 has a memory for storing constituting information of a main system unit 8 and a battery consumption amount, a timer for measuring a back-up time of the battery according to a power interruption detection signal from a power interruption detector 3, and a calculator for calculating a normal operation possible limit time. The controller 7 subtracts a battery back-up time measured at present and a time required to stop the operation of the device 8 from the battery back-up possible time in a constitution of a present main device 8 previously stored in the memory by using the calculator and calculates a limit time normally operable by the device 8 by the present battery residual capacity. Thus, the battery can be backed up in the state that high reliability is incorporated in the system.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery backup system, and more particularly to an apparatus which needs to turn off the power after the operation stop processing when the commercial power is stopped. The present invention also relates to a battery backup system for supplying power from a battery when commercial power is stopped.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A battery backup for a device that needs to be turned off after a power supply is stopped after a commercial power supply is stopped is performed after the start of the backup and immediately before the remaining battery capacity is exhausted. , You need to power down the backup
It is necessary to know the remaining capacity of the battery.

[0003] As a prior art for performing battery backup by grasping the remaining capacity of a battery, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 8
A technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 272489/1995 is known. In this conventional technology, a battery backup operation is generated by forcibly stopping the commercial power supply in order to ascertain the charge amount of the battery, and the state of the battery is grasped, and the time limit from the start of the battery backup to the device is determined. It is to recognize.

However, in this prior art, since the backup battery is consumed by forcibly stopping the commercial power supply, if the commercial power supply is actually stopped before the consumed battery is completely recharged, the battery backup is stopped. However, there is a problem that a reliable operation guarantee cannot be obtained.

As a method for solving such a problem, there is a method of recognizing the state of the battery by using a battery having a capacity larger than the power supply capacity of the device actually used and forcibly stopping the commercial power supply. There is a method to extend the battery backup time by the minute, but this method has the problems that the cost increases and the battery becomes physically large because a battery with an unnecessary capacity is used. ing.

The prior art described above does not consider the operation of a device that supplies power from a battery when a commercial power supply is stopped, performs an operation stop process, and then turns off the power supply. Therefore, even when the capacity of the battery is the same, the operation mode of the apparatus, that is, the battery backup operable time corresponding to the operation mode of the apparatus is recognized even though the battery backup time changes depending on the load capacity. However, there is a problem that the reliability of the device cannot be further improved.

[0007]

As described above, in the prior art, the commercial power supply is forcibly stopped as a means for grasping the charge amount of the battery, and the battery backup operation is performed to recognize the state of the battery. However, assuming that there is only one type of device with a fixed load capacity that supplies power from the battery when the commercial power supply is stopped and turns off the power after performing the operation stop processing, a battery that can reliably perform the operation stop processing is provided. It focuses only on recognizing that there is a charge, and does not consider that the battery consumption varies depending on the operation mode of the device and the backup time varies.

That is, in the prior art in which the commercial power supply is actually forcibly stopped and the state of the battery is recognized, this operation is performed at regular time intervals and the state of the battery is constantly replaced with the latest information. If the load capacity of the device is changed by changing the operation mode of the device as the load, the battery state at this time will be different from the battery information at the time of the previous grasp, and then the forcible Until the commercial power supply is stopped and the battery status is recognized, it cannot be replaced with the correct information.

For this reason, in the above-mentioned prior art, if the commercial power supply is stopped during the above-described operation, the operation stop processing can be performed without any problem in the case of a change that reduces the load capacity of the apparatus. In the case of the change in which the load capacity of the battery becomes large, the required backup time cannot be obtained due to the large consumption of the battery, which causes a problem that the normal operation stop processing cannot be performed.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to predict the remaining amount from the battery consumption based on the operation mode of the device as a load and the battery backup time. To provide a battery backup method that enables the user to recognize the possible limit time of the battery backup operation and starts the operation stop processing of the device when the remaining battery capacity reaches a predetermined value. is there.

[0011]

According to the present invention, an object of the present invention is to supply power from a commercial power supply to a device that needs to be turned off after performing an operation stop process when the commercial power supply is stopped. In a battery backup method in which power is supplied from a battery when commercial power is stopped, means for detecting that commercial power has been stopped / recovered, and a battery backup time used by the device while commercial power has been stopped due to commercial power being stopped. Measuring means for calculating the remaining capacity of the battery based on the load amount according to the operation mode of the device and the measured battery backup time which are known in advance, and the limit at which the battery backup operation of the device is possible. This is achieved by knowing the time and performing a battery backup for the device.

[0012] The object of the present invention is to start the operation stop processing of the apparatus when the remaining capacity of the battery reaches a predetermined value, and when the commercial power supply is restored during the battery backup. This is achieved by holding the battery backup time at that time and starting the measurement of the battery backup time from the value of the held battery backup time when the commercial power supply is stopped again immediately after starting the normal operation. You.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a battery backup system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery backup system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the load factor of the battery and the battery backup time, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation of the embodiment. In FIG. 1, 1 is an AC commercial power supply, 2 is an AC / DC conversion unit, 3 is a power failure detection unit, 4 is a power switching unit, 5 is a battery unit, 6 is a main power supply unit, 7 is a control unit, and 8 is a main unit. Department.

Before specifically describing the embodiments of the present invention, the basic concept of the present invention will be described.

In general, the rated output power [k
W] and the load capacity [kW] that is actually supplied to the device to be backed up can be obtained by the following equation. That is, load factor [%] = load capacity [kW] to be actually supplied / rated output power [kW] × 100

The relationship between the load factor and the maximum backup time of the battery can be generally shown as a graph as shown in FIG.

As can be seen from this graph, if the rated output power of the battery backup unit is fixed, the load factor of the device can be grasped if the load capacity that is actually supplied to the device is known. As this method, there is a method in which a load capacity is obtained in advance for each device configuration, and a load factor is obtained from the load capacity. For example, by knowing the operation mode of the apparatus from the apparatus configuration information and associating the load capacity determined by this information with the rated output power of the battery backup unit, the load factor of the apparatus can be grasped for each operation mode of the apparatus. .

After the commercial power supply is stopped and the battery backup is started, the battery backup time used by the load device while the commercial power supply is stopped is measured by the measuring means, so that the battery used during the power failure time is measured. The consumption can be grasped. Then, from the graph shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to predict the remaining battery capacity based on the difference between the measured battery backup time and the maximum backup time of the battery at the aforementioned load factor.

At this time, when the predetermined time required for the operation stop processing of the apparatus becomes equal to the remaining amount of the battery capacity, the operation stop processing for the apparatus is started, whereby the operation mode of the apparatus is started. The device can be operated normally up to the limit time of the battery backup operation corresponding to the above, and the reliability of the battery backup device can be further improved.

In the battery backup system according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, an AC / DC converter 2 for converting AC power from an AC commercial power supply 1 to DC and a stop of the AC commercial power supply 1 are detected. A power failure detection unit 3, a power supply switching unit 4 for switching power supply to the battery side when the AC commercial power supply 1 is stopped, a battery unit 5 serving as a power supply at the time of backup, a DC-DC conversion circuit, and the like are loads. A main power supply unit 6 for supplying power to the apparatus, a control unit 7 for controlling the entire system constituting the battery backup system,
It is composed of a main device section 8 such as an electronic device that performs information processing and the like by receiving power supply from the main power supply section 6.

The control unit 7 includes a memory unit for storing configuration information (power consumption, time required for the operation stop processing, etc.) of the main device unit 8 and a battery consumption amount, and a power failure detection from the power failure detection unit 3. It is provided with a timer unit for measuring a battery backup time and the like by a signal, a computing unit for calculating a normal operable limit time, and the like. The configuration information of the main unit 8 is updated each time the configuration of the main unit 8 is changed.

In the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, during the normal operation in which the AC commercial power supply 1 is not stopped, the main device section 8 performs the following operations: the AC commercial power supply 1 → the AC / DC converter 2 → the power failure detection. The power is supplied through a route of the unit 3 → the power switching unit 4 → the main power unit 6 to operate. When the AC commercial power supply 1 stops, the power failure detection unit 3 detects the power failure and switches the power supply switching unit 4 to the battery unit 5 side. Report that you have switched. Thereby, the main unit 8
The power supply is supplied through a path of the battery unit 5 → the power supply switching unit 4 → the main power supply unit 6 and operates in a state where the battery is backed up. On the other hand, the control unit 7 starts the backup control according to the present invention based on the report from the power failure detection unit 3. When the AC commercial power supply 1 returns, the power failure detection unit 3 detects this return, switches the power supply switching unit 4 to the AC commercial power supply 1 side, and instructs the control unit 8 to return the AC commercial power supply 1 to the power supply. It reports that the switching unit 4 has been switched.

Next, the control processing operation of the control unit 7 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

(1) The control unit 7 controls the time Td required for the operation stop processing for the operation mode of the main unit 8 and the power supply from the battery unit 5 which has been charged to the main unit 8 in advance. Possible battery backup time Tb
Are stored as constants in a memory unit provided therein. These constants are determined by the amount of power consumption based on the configuration information of the main device unit 8 and the capacity of the battery unit 5 when charging is completed completely (step 3).
01).

(2) It is checked whether the charging of the battery unit 5 is completed. This check can be performed by a conventionally known method by monitoring the charging current for the battery unit 5 or the terminal voltage of the battery that is always charged when the AC commercial power supply 1 is not stopped (step S1). 302).

(3) If it is determined in step 302 that the charging of the battery unit 5 has been completed, it is checked whether or not there has been a report from the power failure detection unit 3 that the AC commercial power supply 1 has been stopped. If there is no report, the normal operation is maintained, and the process returns to step 301 (steps 303 and 304).

(4) In step 303, the AC commercial power supply 1
Is stopped and the stoppage of the AC commercial power supply 1 is reported from the power failure detection unit 3 and the power supply switching unit 4 is switched, the control unit 7 operates the timer unit to measure the battery backup time Ts (step 305).

(5) The control unit 7 uses the internal calculation unit to store the current main device unit 8 stored in the memory unit in advance.
The battery backup time Ts currently measured and the time Td required to stop the operation of the main device 8 are subtracted from the battery backup available time Tb in the configuration of the above configuration, and the main device is supplied with power from the battery unit 5 with the current remaining battery level. The time limit T at which the unit 8 can operate normally is defined as T = Tb
It is calculated as-(Ts + Td) (step 306).

(6) Next, the control section 7 checks whether or not the power failure detecting section 3 has reported the return of the AC commercial power supply 1. It is checked whether or not has become "0". If the time limit T has not become "0", the process returns to the process from step 306, and the process from here is repeated (step 3).
07, 308).

(7) If the limit time T becomes "0" in the check in step 308, the timer unit is stopped to measure the battery backup time Ts.
Ts = 0 is written in the internal memory, and then the main unit 8
In order to safely stop, the main unit 8 is instructed to start a stop process. Upon receiving the command, the main device unit 8 executes a stop process, and changes its operation state to a state where power can be turned off (steps 309 and 310).

(9) In step 307, it is checked whether or not there is a report of the return of the AC commercial power supply 1 from the power failure detection unit 3. If there is a report of the return of the AC commercial power supply 1, the battery backup time Ts is measured. The timer section is stopped, and the current battery backup time Ts is written to the internal memory. When the AC commercial power supply 1 returns, charging of the battery unit 5 is started immediately (step 311).

(10) The control unit 7 checks whether or not the charging of the battery unit 5 is completed. If the charging is not completed, immediately, or if the charging is completed, Ts is stored in the internal memory. = 0 is written, and thereafter, the process returns to the process of step 303, and the subsequent processes are repeated (step 3
12, 313).

(11) When the AC commercial power supply 1 is stopped again by the processing in the repeated step 303 and the stoppage of the AC commercial power supply 1 is reported from the power failure detection unit 3 and the power supply switching unit 4 is switched. That is, if the AC commercial power supply 1 returns before the limit time T at which the main device unit 8 can normally operate becomes zero, the control unit 7 executes a timer for measuring the battery backup time Ts in step 304. The battery unit 5 is operated by the determination in step 312.
If the charging is not completed, the operation of the timer unit is started from Ts stored in the internal memory in step 311.

(12) After the main unit 8 has been stopped in the process of step 310 and the power has been turned off, the AC commercial power
Is restored and the main unit 8 is restarted, the processing of the flow shown in FIG. 3 is also restarted.
If the charging has not been completed, it is checked whether or not the value of the timer section stored in the internal memory is Ts = 0, and if not, the processing from step 303 is performed (step 31).
4).

(13) In the check in step 314, T
When s = 0, it is checked whether or not there is a report of the stoppage of the AC commercial power supply 1 from the power failure detection unit 3. If there is no report of the stoppage of the AC commercial power supply 1, the control unit 7 causes the main device unit 8 to perform a normal operation. Let me continue. Further, when the stop of the AC commercial power supply 1 is reported, the control unit 7 immediately instructs the main device unit 8 to start the stop processing (steps 315 and 310).

By performing the above-described processing, the remaining amount is predicted from the battery consumption based on the operation mode of the main unit and the battery backup time, and the possible limit of the battery backup operation for each operation mode of the main unit is determined. The time can be recognized, and when the remaining battery capacity reaches a predetermined value, the operation stop processing of the main device can be started.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the power supply needs to be cut off after executing the operation stop processing when the commercial power supply is stopped. In a system having a battery backup unit that supplies power from a battery, a detection unit that knows an operation mode (for example, device configuration information) of a device serving as a load, a unit that detects that commercial power has been stopped / recovered,
The apparatus has a measuring means for measuring a battery backup time used during a stop of the commercial power supply when the commercial power supply is stopped, and predicts a remaining amount from a battery consumption based on an operation mode of the apparatus and the battery backup time. However, by recognizing the possible time limit of the battery backup operation for each operation mode of the apparatus, it is possible to operate the apparatus to start the operation stop processing when the remaining battery capacity reaches a predetermined value. it can.

[0039]

As described above, the remaining amount is predicted from the battery consumption based on the operation mode of the apparatus as the load and the battery backup time, and the limit time of the battery backup operation for each operation mode of the apparatus is estimated. Can be recognized, and when the remaining battery capacity reaches a predetermined value, the apparatus can be operated to start the operation stop processing of the apparatus, and the battery can be operated in a state where the apparatus has high reliability. Backup can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a battery backup system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a battery load factor and a battery backup time.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 AC commercial power supply 2 AC / DC conversion part 3 Power failure detection part 4 Power supply switching part 5 Battery part 6 Main power supply part 7 Control part 8 Main device part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroyasu Miyazaki 1 Horiyamashita, Hadano-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Within Nichi Information Technology Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hideo Yanagisawa 1-Horiyamashita, Hadano-shi, Kanagawa F-term in Hitachi Information Technology Co., Ltd. (reference) EA05 GC05

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A battery backup system in which power is normally supplied from a commercial power supply to a device that needs to be turned off after executing an operation stop process when the commercial power supply is stopped, and supplied from a battery when the commercial power supply is stopped. And a means for detecting that the commercial power supply has been stopped / recovered, and a measuring means for measuring the battery backup time used by the apparatus while the commercial power supply has been stopped due to the commercial power supply being stopped, and is known in advance. Based on the amount of power consumption according to the operation mode of the device and the measured battery backup time, the remaining battery capacity is calculated, and the battery backup operation of the device is recognized as a limit time, and the battery backup for the device is performed. Battery backup method characterized by performing. 2. The battery backup method according to claim 1, wherein when the remaining capacity of the battery reaches a predetermined value, the operation stop processing of the device is started. 3. When the commercial power supply recovers during the battery backup, the battery backup time at that time is retained, and when the commercial power supply is stopped again immediately after the normal operation is started, the retained battery backup time is retained. 3. The battery backup method according to claim 1, wherein the measurement of the battery backup time is started from the time value.