US 9,519,028 B2 · Method and system for characterizing battery cells for use in battery packs

Abstract

A system and method for use characterizing battery cells. Charging and/or discharging characteristics for each of a plurality of battery cells may be determined, the battery cells may be marked based on the determined charging and/or discharging characteristics, and grouped based on the marking—e.g., such as battery cells having similar or near similar charging and/or discharging characteristics are grouped together. Battery packs may then be assembled such that each battery pack would comprise only battery cells belonging to the same group (or “in-family”). The charging characterization may be based on voltage rise curve, which may be determined for each battery cell—e.g., based on sampling or recording during charging, at sufficient rate. Battery cells may subsequently be monitored, during use of the battery packs, to ensure that the charging or discharging does not change, and battery cells exhibiting change in characteristics may be manually or automatically removed from use.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

determining voltage charge characteristics for a plurality of rechargeable cells;
classifying the plurality of rechargeable cells based on the determined voltage charge characteristics, wherein the voltage charge characteristics are determined during charging or recharging;
combining in each multi-cell battery built using the plurality of rechargeable cells, only cells with matching classification;
and
by-passing one or more of the plurality of rechargeable cells determined to deviate from a charge profile and/or a discharge profile.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

13/962,681Filed 8 Aug 2013

Published

US 2015/0042351 A112 Feb 2015

Granted

13 Dec 2016

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G01R 31/3865
Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables: related to manufacture, e.g. testing after manufacture
H01M 10/4207
Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells: for several batteries or cells simultaneously or…
H01M 10/0525
Li-accumulators: rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
Y02E 60/10
Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation: energy storage using batteries

Method and system for characterizing battery cells for use in battery packs

Life of this patent

Method and system for characterizing battery cells for use in battery packs

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19