US 11,145,931 B2Granted

Configuring large capacity batteries

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsNoah Singer, Steven J. Ahladas, Marc H. Coq, Richard J. Fishbune, Mark Maresh, Eric B. Swenson

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Abstract

A battery comprises a plurality of battery modules. A method determines a load-state of the battery and selects a set of the battery modules to configure, to produce a load-state capacity of the battery based on the load-state. A load-state capacity of the battery can be a sub-capacity of the battery less than a rated capacity of the battery and the method can configure the set of battery modules to produce the sub-capacity based on the load-state comprising the battery disconnected from a load. A battery system can comprise a battery having a plurality of battery modules and a controller configured to perform the method. A battery system can comprise a battery having a plurality of battery modules, and an actuator and a module retainer that can position a battery module in or out of contact with a module interconnect.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method, the method comprising:

monitoring, by a battery controller, first load-states of a battery, the battery configured to enable the battery controller to selectively connect and disconnect, respectively to and from the battery, battery modules among a plurality of battery modules installed internal to the battery;
determining, by the battery controller, based on the monitoring the first load-states of the battery, that the battery is in a disconnected load-state;
in response to the determining that the battery is in the disconnected load-state, selecting, by the battery controller, from among the plurality of battery modules, a first and a second set of battery modules, the first and the second set of battery modules selected to produce, while the battery is in the disconnected load-state, a power capacity of the battery less than a rated power capacity of the battery, the first set of battery modules selected to connect to the battery, the second set of battery modules selected to disconnect from the battery;
and
further in response to the determining that the battery is in the disconnected load-state, the battery controller configuring the first set of battery modules to be connected to the battery, and configuring the second set of battery modules to be disconnected from the battery, to produce, while the battery is in the disconnected load-state, the power capacity of the battery less than the rated power capacity of the battery.

2 more elements

A battery system, the battery system comprising:

a battery;
a plurality of battery modules installed internal to the battery;
and,
a battery controller, wherein the battery controller is configured to:
selectively connect and disconnect, respectively to and from the battery, battery modules among the plurality of battery modules;
monitor first load-states of the battery;
determine, based on the monitoring the first load-states of the battery, that the battery is in a disconnected load-state;
select, in response to the determining that the battery is in the disconnected load-state, from among the plurality of battery modules, a first and a second set of battery modules, the first and the second set of battery modules selected to produce, while the battery is in the disconnected load-state, a power capacity of the battery less than a rated power capacity of the battery, the first set of battery modules selected to connect to the battery, the second set of battery modules selected to disconnect from the battery;
and,
configure, further in response to the determining that the battery is in the disconnected load-state, the first set of battery modules to be connected to the battery and the second set of battery modules to be disconnected from the battery to produce, while the battery is in the disconnected load-state, the power capacity of the battery less than the rated power capacity of the battery.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/452,837Filed 26 Jun 2019
Published: US 2020/0411811 A131 Dec 2020
Granted: 12 Oct 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H01M 50/256
Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders:…
H01M 10/425
Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells: structural combination with electronic…
H01M 10/482
Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte:…
H01M 50/505
Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing: comprising a single…