Battery signature identification system

• US 10,145,898 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Wayne, Blackledge, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Leja, Ronald W
• Application Number:
  US14/809,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20160047861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 361 78
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/378 specially adapted for the type of battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/389 Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 Detection of state of health [SOH]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A system for authenticating a rechargeable battery and for detecting counterfeit batteries includes battery characteristics detection circuitry and a battery. Battery characteristics detection circuitry performs an authentication routine on the battery such that battery characteristics of the battery are measured. Battery characteristics include state of health, state of charge, internal resistance, relaxation time, and impedance. The battery is validated by comparing the battery characteristics to validation parameters provided by a manufacturer. If battery characteristics are within ranges of the validation parameters, then the battery is authenticated as originating from a particular manufacturer or batch. If validation fails, then the device is disabled or protected. In one example, validation parameters are stored and compared locally on a device. In another example, the device communicates battery characteristics to a remote entity that performs the validation. In another example, the device receives validation parameters from the remote entity and performs the validation locally.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) measuring a plurality of battery characteristics of a battery, wherein the battery supplies an electronic device;

(b) wirelessly communicating the battery characteristics measured in (a) from the electronic device to a battery validation system, wherein the battery validation system is external to the electronic device, and wherein the battery validation system stores validation parameters used to determine an origin of the battery; and

(c) receiving a validation result from the battery validation system onto the electronic device, wherein the validation result is obtained by comparing the battery characteristics measured in (a) to the validation parameters stored in the battery validation system of (b).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the origin represents a manufacturer identity or a manufacturing lot identity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) enabling a protection mode if the battery characteristics are not validated by the battery validation system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery characteristics comprises at least one of:

a state of health (SOH) characteristic, a state of charge (SOC) characteristic, and an internal resistance characteristic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery is a Lithium Ion battery.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery characteristics include an identifier that identifies a battery type, and wherein the battery validation system uses the identifier to identify which of the validation parameters to use in validating the battery.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wirelessly communicating of the battery characteristics to the battery validation system in (b) involves the device communicating the battery characteristics and an identifier to the battery validation system over a wireless network, and wherein the identifier is associated with the battery and indicates a battery type.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery validation system generates the validation result by determining whether the battery characteristics are within a range defined by the validation parameters stored in the battery validation system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating of (b) and the receiving of (c) involve communications over a cellular network.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a battery that supplies the electronic device; and

a battery characteristics detection circuit that senses battery characteristics of the battery, wherein the battery characteristics indicate battery origin; and

a communication interface that communicates wirelessly with a validation system, wherein the validation system is remote with respect to the electronic device, wherein the validation system stores battery validation parameters, and wherein the battery of the electronic device is validated by comparing the battery validation parameters stored in the validation system to the battery characteristics sensed by the battery characteristics detection circuit.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the battery characteristics comprise at least one of:

a state of health (SOH) characteristic, a state of charge (SOC) characteristic, and an internal resistance characteristic.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the electronic device communicates wirelessly the battery characteristics sensed by the battery characteristics detection circuit to the validation system, wherein the validation system compares the measured battery characteristics to the validation parameters stored in the validation system, and wherein the electronic device receives a validation result from the validation system via a wireless network.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the battery characteristics detection circuit comprises:

a power management unit (PMU) that charges and discharges the battery;

an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that generates a digital signal for each measured battery characteristic; and

a processor that protects the electronic device if the battery characteristics of the battery are outside the range defined by the validation parameters stored in the validation system.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a battery that supplies the electronic device; and

a battery characteristics detection circuit that senses battery characteristics of the battery; and

a communication interface that communicates wirelessly with a validation system, wherein the validation system is remote with respect to the electronic device, wherein the validation system stores battery validation parameters, wherein the battery of the electronic device is validated by comparing the battery validation parameters stored in the validation system to the battery characteristics sensed by the battery characteristics detection circuit, wherein the validation parameters are received from the validation system onto the electronic device, and wherein the sensed battery characteristics of the battery are compared to the validation parameters locally.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with a remote system over a wireless network, wherein the remote system stores valid battery operating property ranges; and

means for determining operating properties of a battery, wherein the operating properties of the battery are used to validate an identity of the battery by comparison of the operating properties to the valid battery operating property ranges stored by the remote system.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means is a battery characteristic detection circuit that includes a processor, a power management unit (PMU), an instrumentation circuit, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a memory.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operating properties of the battery comprise at least one of:

a state of health (SOH) characteristic, a state of charge (SOC) characteristic, and an internal resistance characteristic.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means is also for receiving the valid battery operating property ranges from the remote system over the wireless network and comparing the operating properties of the battery to the received valid battery operating property ranges.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means is also for communicating the determined operating properties of the battery to the remote system over the wireless network and receiving a validation result from the remote system.