# US 2014/0197776 A1 · Battery section balancing methods and systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197776 A1 - Document ID: US20140197776A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/739,969 - Filed: 2013-01-11 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: CHRISTOPHER A. SCHLAUPITZ; ANDREW J. NAMOU; JOHN REED; TODD F. MACKINTOSH - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197776A1 ## CPC - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - B60L 50/61: by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles - B60L 58/16: responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH] - B60L 58/22: Balancing the charge of battery modules - B60L 58/40: for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells - H02J 7/52: for charge balancing, e.g. equalisation of charge between batteries - B60L 2200/10: Air crafts - B60L 2200/32: Waterborne vessels - B60L 2240/545: Temperature - B60L 2240/547: Voltage - B60L 2240/549: Current - B60L 2250/16: by display - H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Methods and systems for balancing battery states of charge in a multi-sectioned battery. In some embodiments, states of health and states of charge of one or more sections of a multi-sectioned battery may be determined. A relationship between the states of charge and states of health of the battery sections may be determined. This information may be used apply a balancing algorithm to redistribute energy between the various battery sections in order to reduce a spread between the states of charge due to the varying states of health. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for balancing battery states of charge in a multi-sectioned battery, the method comprising the steps of: determining a state of health of a first section of a multi-sectioned battery; determining a state of health of a second section of a multi-sectioned battery; determining a relationship between a difference between the state of health of the first section and the state of health of the second section and a difference between a state of charge of the first section and a state of charge of the second section after a first time period; receiving a current state of charge of the first section; receiving a current state of charge of the second section; and using the relationship and the current states of charges of the first and second sections to redistribute energy between the first section and the second section in order to reduce a spread between a state of charge of the first section and a state of charge of the second section during use of the multi-sectioned battery. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a state of health of the first section of the multi-sectioned battery comprises: receiving a state of charge of the first section at a first time; receiving a state of charge of the first section at a second time; and comparing a reduction in the state of charge of the first section between the first time and the second time with a baseline reduction figure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the baseline reduction figure comprises an estimated reduction in state of charge associated with a section having a maximum state of health. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a state of health of the first section of the multi-sectioned battery comprises measuring at least one of an impedance, capacity, charge acceptance, discharge capability, usage time, and age associated with the first section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a state of health of the first section of the multi-sectioned battery comprises assigning a weighted figure to the state of health of the first section, and wherein the percentage is assigned such that a new section of the multi-sectioned battery is assigned a weighted figure of 1 and subsequent weighted figures are assigned as a fraction or percentage of 1. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using the relationship and the current states of charges of the first and second sections to redistribute energy comprises: establishing an equilibrium point at which the states of charge of the first and second sections are at least approximately equal; and applying a section balancing algorithm for balancing the states of charge of the first and second sections around the equilibrium point such that the states of charge of the first and second sections vary in a first direction at states of charge greater than at the equilibrium point and vary in a second direction opposite from the first direction at states of charge less than at the equilibrium point. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the equilibrium point is at a state of charge between about 40% and about 60%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the equilibrium point is at a state of charge of about 50%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the battery comprises a vehicle battery. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the step of using the relationship and the current states of charges of the first and second sections to redistribute energy further comprises applying timers to the first and second sections. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the battery comprises a rechargeable electricity storage system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the section balancing algorithm is applied automatically at vehicle key-on. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a relationship between a difference between the state of health of the first section and the state of health of the second section and a difference between a state of charge of the first section and a state of charge of the second section after a first time period comprises estimating the relationship between a difference between the state of health of the first section and the state of health of the second section and a difference between a state of charge of the first section and a state of charge of the second section after the first time period. ### Claim 14 A vehicle system for balancing battery states of charge in a multi-sectioned battery of the vehicle, comprising: a vehicle battery system comprising a plurality of battery sections; and a battery balancing system coupled to the plurality of battery sections and configured to redistribute energy between the plurality of battery sections, wherein the balancing system is configured to assess states of health of at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections and current states of charge of at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections, wherein the balancing system is configured to use the states of health and the current states of charge to apply a balancing algorithm, and wherein the balancing algorithm is configured to establish an equilibrium point at which the states of charge of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections are at least approximately equal and to balance the states of charge of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections around the equilibrium point such that the states of charge of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections vary during vehicle operation around the equilibrium point according to their respective states of health. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the battery balancing system is configured to determine a relationship between a difference between states of health of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections and a difference between states of charge of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections during operation of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein determining a relationship between a difference between states of health of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections and a difference between states of charge of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections during operation of the vehicle comprises estimating a relationship between a difference between states of health of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections and a difference between states of charge of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections during operation of the vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the balancing algorithm is configured to balance the states of charge of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections around the equilibrium point such that a spread between the states of charge of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections increases as the respective states of charge of the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections increase above the equilibrium point. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the battery balancing system comprises battery control electronics communicatively coupled to the vehicle battery system, wherein the battery control electronics is configured to implement the balancing algorithm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the battery balancing system comprises a plurality of sensors for obtaining data used to at least one of determine states of charge for the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections and determine states of health for the at least a subset of the plurality of battery sections. ### Claim 20 A vehicle, comprising: a vehicle battery system comprising a plurality of battery sections; a plurality of sensors coupled to the plurality of battery sections, wherein the sensors are configured to obtain data used to determine states of health and states of charge of the plurality of battery sections; and a battery balancing system coupled to the plurality of battery sections and configured to redistribute energy between the plurality of battery sections, wherein the balancing system is configured to receive data from the sensors regarding states of health of the plurality of battery sections and states of charge of the plurality of battery sections and apply a balancing algorithm to the plurality of battery sections to redistribute energy between the plurality of battery sections according to the balancing algorithm, and wherein the balancing algorithm is configured to establish an equilibrium point at which the states of charge of the plurality of battery sections are at least approximately equal and to balance the states of charge of the plurality of battery sections around the equilibrium point such that the states of charge of the plurality of battery sections vary during vehicle operation around the equilibrium point according to their respective states of health.