# US 2014/0152258 A1 · Steady state detection of an exceptional charge event in a series connected battery element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152258 A1 - Document ID: US20140152258A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/690,105 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Tesla Motors, Inc. - Applicants: Tesla Motors, Inc. - Inventors: Francisco LePort; Scott Ira Kohn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152258A1 ## CPC - H02J 7/52: for charge balancing, e.g. equalisation of charge between batteries - H02J 7/61: against overcharge - H02J 7/63: against overdischarge - H02J 7/65: against overtemperature - H02J 7/44: between battery management systems and power sources - H02J 7/485: {with provisions for charging different types of batteries} - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A system and method for identifying and responding to exceptional charge events of series-connected energy storage elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An exceptional charge event detector for an energy storage system having a plurality of series-connected battery elements, comprising: a data acquisition system determining, for each battery element of the plurality of series-connected battery elements, a series of charge dependent parameters during an operational period of the energy storage system; a controller, coupled to said data acquisition system, establishing a characterization for each battery element of the plurality of series-connected battery elements from said series of charge dependent parameters; wherein said characterization includes one of a normal characteristic pattern and an exceptional characteristic pattern for each time segment of a plurality of time segments spanning said operational period; and wherein said controller detects an exceptional charge event for a selected one battery element whenever said characterization for said selected one battery element includes an exceptional characteristic pattern in any particular time segment where a normal characteristic pattern is expected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 1 wherein said operation includes charging the energy storage system from a charging station with said exceptional charge event indicating an overcharge of the selected battery element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 2 wherein said series of parameters for said selected battery element include a voltage level during each of said time segments. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 3 wherein said characterization of said selected battery element includes a determination of a change in said battery voltage level versus a change in a charge of said selected battery element over a particular time segment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 4 wherein said normal charge pattern includes a substantially linear characteristic for said determination and wherein said exceptional charge pattern includes a substantially non-linear characteristic for said determination. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The exceptional charge detector of claim 1 including a reference determined from said series of charge dependent parameters for a group of the plurality of battery elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The exceptional charge detector of claim 6 with said characteristic patterns for each particular time segment for each particular battery elements includes a difference between said reference and said parameter for said particular battery element in said particular time segment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 7 wherein said operation includes charging the energy storage system from a charging station. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 8 wherein said series of parameters for a particular battery element include a voltage level for the particular battery element during each of said time segments. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 9 wherein said characterization for a particular battery element includes a determination of a change in said battery voltage level for a change in a charge of said particular battery element over a particular time segment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 10 wherein said normal charge pattern includes a substantially linear characteristic for said determination and wherein said exceptional charge pattern includes a substantially non-linear characteristic for said determination. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 1 wherein said operation includes discharging the energy storage system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 12 wherein said series of parameters for a particular battery element include a voltage level for the particular battery element during each of said time segments. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 13 wherein said characterization for a particular battery element includes a determination of a change in said battery voltage level for a change in a charge of said particular battery element over a particular time segment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 14 wherein said normal charge pattern includes a substantially linear characteristic for said determination and wherein said exceptional charge pattern includes a substantially non-linear characteristic for said determination. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The exceptional charge detector of claim 12 including a reference determined from said series of charge dependent parameters for a group of the plurality of battery elements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The exceptional charge detector of claim 16 with said characteristic patterns for each particular time segment for each particular battery elements includes a difference between said parameter for said particular battery element in said particular time segment and said reference. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 17 wherein said operation includes charging the energy storage system from a charging station. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 18 wherein said series of parameters for a particular battery element include a voltage level for the particular battery element during each of said time segments. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 19 wherein said characterization for a particular battery element includes a determination of a change in said battery voltage level for a change in a charge of said particular battery element over a particular time segment. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 20 wherein said normal charge pattern includes a substantially linear characteristic for said determination and wherein said exceptional charge pattern includes a substantially non-linear characteristic for said determination. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The exceptional charge event detector of claim 1 wherein said data acquisition system includes a voltage measurement and balancing system establishing and reducing a voltage mismatch between voltage levels of the plurality of battery elements. ### Claim 23 A rechargeable energy storage system having a plurality of series-connected lithium-ion battery elements, comprising: a voltage measurement and balancing system detecting and reducing voltage imbalances between voltage levels of the plurality of battery elements of the energy storage system wherein said voltage measurement and balancing system uses a first detection modality to determine an existence of a voltage imbalance; and an exceptional charge event detector monitoring the plurality of battery elements for an exceptional charge event using a second detection modality different from said first detection modality. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The rechargeable energy storage system of claim 23 wherein said exceptional charge event detector determines, for each battery element of the plurality of battery elements, a series of charge dependent parameters during an operational period of the energy storage system, and further comprising: a controller establishing a characterization for each battery element of the plurality of series-connected battery elements from said series of charge dependent parameters; wherein said characterization includes one of a normal characteristic pattern and an exceptional characteristic pattern for each time segment of a plurality of time segments spanning said operational period; and with said controller detecting an exceptional charge event for a selected one battery element whenever said characterization for said selected one battery element includes an exceptional characteristic pattern in any particular time segment where a normal characteristic pattern is expected. ### Claim 25 A computer-implemented method for detecting an exceptional charge event for an energy storage system having a plurality of series-connected battery elements, comprising: a) determining, for each battery element of the plurality of series-connected battery elements, a series of charge dependent parameters during an operational period of the energy storage system; b) establishing a characterization for each battery-element of the plurality of series-connected battery elements from said series of charge dependent parameters; wherein said characterization includes one of a normal characteristic pattern and an exceptional characteristic pattern for each time segment of a plurality of time segments spanning said operational period; and c) detecting an exceptional charge event for a selected one battery element whenever said characterization for said selected one battery element includes an exceptional characteristic pattern in any particular time segment where a normal characteristic pattern is expected.