# US 2021/0239762 A1 · Apparatus and method for tracking electrode capacity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0239762 A1 - Document ID: US20210239762A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/782,677 - Filed: 2020-02-05 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-05 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Alfred Zhang; Charles W. Wampler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210239762A1 ## CPC - B60L 58/16: responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH] - G01R 31/367: Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables - B60L 58/10: for monitoring or controlling batteries - G01R 31/3828: using current integration - G01R 31/3835: involving only voltage measurements - G01R 31/3842: combining voltage and current measurements - G01R 31/392: Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health - G01R 31/396: Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery - H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)} - H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H01M 10/48: Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) - H01M 10/486: {for measuring temperature} - B60L 2240/545: Temperature - B60L 2240/547: Voltage - B60L 2240/549: Current - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - 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 - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An apparatus and method for tracking a battery cell is disclosed, for a device having one or more sensors and a controller with a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory. The method includes obtaining respective sensor data relative to an anode and a cathode. A predicted anode capacity and predicted cathode capacity are determined based on the respective sensor data. The predicted anode capacity and predicted cathode capacity each have a respective variance value. An updated set of variables and updated respective variance values are generated based in part on the predicted anode capacity, the predicted cathode capacity and a measured equilibrium voltage, via a Kalman filter module executed by the controller. The updated set of variables include an updated anode capacity and an updated cathode capacity. Operation of the device is controlled based in part on the updated set of variables and updated respective variance values. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for tracking a battery cell in a device having one or more sensors and a controller with a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory, the battery cell having an anode and a cathode, the method comprising: obtaining respective sensor data relative to the anode and the cathode, via the one or more sensors; determining a predicted anode capacity and a predicted cathode capacity based on the respective sensor data, via the controller, the predicted anode capacity and the predicted cathode capacity each having a respective variance value; selectively executing a Kalman filter module, via the controller; generating an updated set of variables and updated respective variance values based in part on the predicted anode capacity, the predicted cathode capacity and a measured equilibrium voltage, via the Kalman filter module, the updated set of variables including an updated anode capacity and an updated cathode capacity; and controlling operation of the battery cell based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values, via the controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an integrated current value based on Coulomb counting and the respective sensor data, via the controller; determining a predicted anode state of charge and a predicted cathode state of charge based at least partially on the predicted anode capacity, the predicted cathode capacity and the integrated current value, via the controller; and including in the updated set of variables an updated anode state of charge and an updated cathode state of charge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the controller is configured to obtain the measured equilibrium voltage based on at least one of a battery state estimator module and the respective sensor data; and controlling operation of the battery cell includes transmitting a message when at least one of the updated set of variables is outside a predefined range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of the battery cell includes: resting the battery cell for a predefined time when at least one of the updated set of variables is outside a predefined range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of the battery cell includes: charging or discharging the battery cell when at least one of the updated set of variables is outside a predefined range and determining an updated charge capacity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an updated full cell capacity for the battery cell and an associated uncertainty, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an updated open circuit voltage for the battery cell and an associated uncertainty, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an updated anode capacity degradation rate and an updated cathode capacity degradation rate and respective associated uncertainties, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an updated negative to positive ratio of electrochemical capacity and an associated uncertainty, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an updated remaining active lithium factor and an associated uncertainty, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values. ### Claim 11 A device comprising: a battery cell with an anode and a cathode; one or more sensors configured to obtain respective sensor data relative to the anode and the cathode; a controller in communication with the one or more sensors, the controller being configured to selectively execute a Kalman filter module; wherein the controller includes a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded, execution of the instructions by the processor causing the controller to: obtain respective sensor data relative to the anode and the cathode, via the one or more sensors; determine a predicted anode capacity and a predicted cathode capacity based on the respective sensor data, via the controller, the predicted anode capacity and the predicted cathode capacity each having a respective variance value; generate an updated set of variables and updated respective variance values based in part on the predicted anode capacity, the predicted cathode capacity and a measured equilibrium voltage, via the Kalman filter module, the updated set of variables including an updated anode capacity and an updated cathode capacity; and control operation of the battery cell based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values, via the controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the battery cell is part of a battery pack, and wherein: controlling operation of the battery cell includes derating a power rating of the battery pack. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein: the controller is configured to obtain the measured equilibrium voltage based on at least one of a battery state estimator module and the respective sensor data; and controlling operation of the battery cell includes transmitting a message when at least one of the updated set of variables is outside a predefined range. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein controlling operation of the battery cell includes: resting the battery cell for a predefined time when at least one of the updated set of variables is outside a predefined range. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein controlling operation of the battery cell includes: charging or discharging the battery cell when at least one of the updated set of variables is outside a predefined range and determining an updated charge capacity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to: determine an updated full cell capacity for the battery cell and an associated uncertainty, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values; and determine an updated open circuit voltage for the battery cell and an associated uncertainty, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to: determine an integrated current value based on Coulomb counting and the respective sensor data, via the controller; determine a predicted anode state of charge and a predicted cathode state of charge based at least partially on the predicted anode capacity, the predicted cathode capacity and the integrated current value, via the controller; and wherein the updated set of variables includes an updated anode state of charge and an updated cathode state of charge. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to: determine an updated anode capacity degradation rate and an updated cathode capacity degradation rate and respective associated uncertainties, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to: determine an updated negative to positive ratio of electrochemical capacity and an associated uncertainty, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values; and determine an updated remaining active lithium factor and an associated uncertainty, via the controller, based in part on the updated set of variables and the updated respective variance values. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors include: a voltage sensor configured to generate a voltage signal representative of a voltage between the anode and the cathode during an equilibrium condition; a current sensor configured to generate a current signal representative of a current associated with the battery cell; and a temperature sensor configured to generate respective temperature signals associated with the anode and the cathode.