Apparatus and method for measuring temperature of batteries and internal battery components

A method of determining temperature associated with a battery, the method comprising:

• coupling at least one transducer to the battery, the at least one transducer for one or more of transmitting sound waves or receiving sound waves through at least a portion of the battery;
• determining a range of time-of-flight values of sound waves corresponding to a range of acoustic intensity levels at a time instance of observation based on transmitted and received sound waves through at least the portion of the battery;
• and
• determining temperature characteristics of at least the portion of the battery based on a predetermined correlation between temperature and the range of time-of-flight values at two or more time instances.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for one or more of transmitting or receiving sound waves through at least a portion of a battery, the means for one or more of transmitting or receiving sound waves coupled to the battery;
• means for determining a range of time-of-flight values of sound waves corresponding to a range of acoustic intensity levels at a time instance of observation based on transmitted and received sound waves through at least the portion of the battery;
• and
• means for determining temperature characteristics of at least the portion of the battery based on a predetermined correlation between temperature and the range of time-of-flight values at two or more time instances.