Bosch has developed a new electronic battery sensor (EBS) which in the future will help to avoid breakdowns caused by run-down batteries. The sensor boasts integrated evaluation capabilities and measures elementary physical variables of the battery such as voltage, current and temperature. Aided by complex software algorithms, it can accurately describe the condition of the car battery at any given time. It even allows for a situation-dependent forecast on the future state-of-charge.
In modern vehicles, this information is utilised in a targeted way by the car's energy management, in order to preserve sufficient battery energy for a guaranteed engine start, even after a period of idling.
The information can also be utilised for the management of both the alternator and the engine, allowing for lower fuel consumption and consequently, less exhaust emissions. It can also prolong the battery's service life.
Based on its many years of experience in development and production of complex energy management systems in cars, Bosch has now brought the development of hardware and sensor integrated software of the electronic battery sensor to a state of readiness for large-scale production. The Bosch EBS will be installed by an OEM in a car for the first time in 2006.
The electronic battery sensor from Bosch consists of a chip comprising the electronics and a shunt for current measurement. These components are integrated into a single unit that can be fitted between the battery terminal and the connector on the main power cable. Compared to other available solutions, this represents a great saving in space and costs.
Aside from the hardware and in conjunction with Varta, Bosch has developed the battery state detection software for the sensor, of which the algorithms can be completely integrated into the EBS chip. The sensor directly measures the temperature, voltage and current of the battery and on this basis computes capacity and state-of-charge, as well as present and future performance capability. The information is transmitted through an LIN interface to the higher-ranking energy management of the vehicle. The information provided allows for an optimisation of the battery's state-of-charge, so the vehicle can be safely started even after a longer period of standing idle or when a large number of electrical components deplete the battery on the last drive. Battery monitoring is also of the essence in hybrids with start-stop operation.
The battery sensor can also be used during the vehicle's assembly by the manufacturer to test electrical components and quiescent current levels.
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