# US 2021/0239763 A1 · Battery management apparatus and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0239763 A1 - Document ID: US20210239763A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/733,968 - Filed: 2020-01-06 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-18 - Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd. - Applicants: LG Chem, Ltd. - Inventors: Hak-Yong SHIN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210239763A1 ## CPC - G01R 31/3835: involving only voltage measurements - H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)} - H01M 10/48: 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 50/105: Pouches or flexible bags - G01B 7/18: {using change in resistance} - G01R 31/392: Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health - H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - 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 - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A battery management apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a voltage measuring unit for measuring a battery voltage of a battery, a degree of bending measuring unit provided on at least one side of the battery for measuring a degree of battery bending of the battery, and a processor for receiving the battery voltage from the voltage measuring unit, receiving the degree of battery bending from the degree of bending measuring unit, setting a base degree of bending according to a voltage range to which the battery voltage belongs among an overdischarge voltage range, an allowable voltage range and an overcharge voltage range, comparing the degree of battery bending with the base degree of bending to determine which is greater, and performing a protection operation for the battery based on a degree of bending comparison result. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery management apparatus, comprising: a voltage measuring unit including a voltage sensor and configured to measure a battery voltage of a battery; a degree of bending measuring unit including a flexible sensor, provided on at least one side of the battery and configured to measure a degree of battery bending of the battery; and a processor configured to: receive the battery voltage from the voltage measuring unit, receive the degree of battery bending from the degree of bending measuring unit, set a base degree of bending according to a voltage range to which the battery voltage belongs among an overdischarge voltage range, an allowable voltage range and an overcharge voltage range, compare the degree of battery bending with the base degree of bending to determine which is greater, and perform a protection operation for the battery based on a degree of bending comparison result. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The battery management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: set the base degree of bending as a first reference degree of bending when the battery voltage is included in the overdischarge voltage range, set the base degree of bending as a second reference degree of bending when the battery voltage is included in the allowable voltage range, and set the base degree of bending as a third reference degree of bending when the battery voltage is included in the overcharge voltage range. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The battery management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the third reference degree of bending is set to be less than the first reference degree of bending and less than the second reference degree of bending. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The battery management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to, when the battery voltage changes after the base degree of bending is set, change the base degree of bending to correspond to the changed battery voltage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The battery management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when there is a change in the battery voltage and a consequential change in the voltage range to which the battery voltage belongs, the processor is configured to change the set base degree of bending to correspond to the changed voltage range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The battery management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: set a base time to correspond to the voltage range to which the battery voltage belongs, compare an excess time with the base time to determine which is longer, the excess time being a time that passes from a time point at which the degree of battery bending exceeds the base degree of bending, and perform the protection operation for the battery based on a time comparison result. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The battery management apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to: set the base time as a first reference time when the battery voltage is included in the overdischarge voltage range, set the base time as a second reference time the battery voltage is included in the allowable voltage range, and set the base time as a third reference time when the battery voltage is included in the overcharge voltage range. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The battery management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the third reference time is set to be less than the first reference time and less than the second reference time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The battery management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to, when the battery voltage changes after the base time is set, change the base time to correspond to the changed battery voltage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The battery management apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when there is a change in the battery voltage and a consequential change in the voltage range to which the battery voltage belongs, the processor is configured to change the set base time to correspond to the changed voltage range. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The battery management apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to, when the battery voltage changes after the base degree of bending and the base time are set, change the base degree of bending and the base time to correspond to the changed battery voltage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The battery management apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the battery is a battery module including a plurality of battery cells. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The battery management apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the voltage measuring unit is configured to measure a voltage of the battery module and each of the plurality of battery cells, the degree of bending measuring unit is provided in the battery module and each of the plurality of battery cells and is configured to measure a degree of bending of the battery module and each of the plurality of battery cells, and the processor is configured to: determine whether there is a failure in the battery module based on a degree of bending comparison result and a time comparison result of the battery module, and when it is determined that there is the failure in the battery module, detect a failing cell among the plurality of battery cells based on a degree of bending comparison result and a time comparison result for each of the plurality of battery cells. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A battery pack comprising the battery management apparatus according to claim 1. ### Claim 15 A battery management method, comprising: a voltage measuring step of measuring a battery voltage of a battery; a degree of bending measuring step of measuring a degree of battery bending of the battery; a base degree of bending setting step of setting a base degree of bending according to a voltage range in which the battery voltage is included among an overdischarge voltage range, an allowable voltage range and an overcharge voltage range; and a protection operation preforming step of comparing the degree of battery bending with the base degree of bending to determine which is greater, and preforming a protection operation for the battery based on a degree of bending comparison result.