# US 9,519,028 B2 · Method and system for characterizing battery cells for use in battery packs > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,028 B2 - Document ID: US9519028B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/962,681 - Filed: 2013-08-08 - Published: 2015-02-12 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-08 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Melvin Barry Greenberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519028B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/3865: {related to manufacture, e.g. testing after manufacture} - H01M 10/4207: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y10T 29/49108: Electric battery cell making - 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 - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rechargeable cells comprise lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising classifying the plurality of rechargeable cells manually or automatically. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising classifying the plurality of rechargeable cells based on having identical one or more of the voltage charge characteristics. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising allowing for predefined variation in one or more of the voltage charge characteristics when classifying the plurality of rechargeable cells based on the voltage charge characteristics. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising determining based on cell type, when classifying the plurality of rechargeable cells based on the voltage charge characteristics, whether to require identical matching or acceptable variation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage charge characteristics comprise a voltage change during charging or recharging of a corresponding rechargeable cell. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, comprising determining the voltage rise curve by sampling or recording cell voltage at a predefined rate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, comprising classifying the plurality of rechargeable cells based on having identical voltage rise curve. ### Claim 10 A system, comprising: one or more circuits for use in an electronic device, the one or more circuits being operable to: determine voltage charge characteristics for a plurality of rechargeable cells; classify the plurality of rechargeable cells based on the determined voltage charge characteristics, to enable combining in each multi-cell battery built using the plurality of rechargeable cells only cells with matching classification, wherein the voltage charge characteristics are determined during charging or recharging; and by-pass one or more of the plurality of rechargeable cells determined to deviate from a charge profile and/or a discharge profile. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of rechargeable cells comprise lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to classify the plurality of rechargeable cells based on having identical one or more of the voltage charge characteristics. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to allow for predefined variation in one or more of the voltage charge characteristics when classifying the plurality of rechargeable cells based on the voltage charge characteristics. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to determine based on cell type, when classifying the plurality of rechargeable cells based on the voltage charge characteristics, whether to require identical matching or acceptable variation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the voltage charge characteristics comprise a voltage change during charging or recharging of a corresponding rechargeable cell. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to classify the plurality of rechargeable cells based on having identical voltage rise curve. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more circuits are operable to determine the voltage rise curve based on sampling or recording cell voltage at a predefined rate. ### Claim 18 A method, comprising: in a multi-cell battery that comprises a plurality of rechargeable cells with similar charge profile and/or discharge profile: monitoring charging and/or discharging of each of the plurality of rechargeable cells; determining, based on the monitoring of charging and/or discharging, when one or more of the plurality of rechargeable cells deviate from the charge profile and/or discharge profile; and by-passing one or more of the plurality of rechargeable cells determined to deviate from the charge profile and/or the discharge profile. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, comprising monitoring the charging and/or discharging of each of the plurality of rechargeable cells based on determining of voltage rise or fall rate for corresponding cell.