Dynamically changing internal state of a battery

• US 10,158,148 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2015
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hodges, Stephen E., Chandra, Ranveer, Meinershagen, Julia L., Priyantha, Nissanka Arachchige Bodhi, Badam, Anirudh, Moscibroda, Thomas, Ferrese, Anthony John
• Primary Examiner(s): Godo, Olatunji A
• Application Number:
  US14/624,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20160240891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/049 Processes for forming or storing electrodes in the battery container
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• 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 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/623 Portable devices, e.g. mobile telephones, cameras or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/13 Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/139 Processes of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/364 as mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/62 Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Techniques for dynamically changing internal state of a battery are described herein. Generally, different battery configurations are described that enable transitions between different battery power states, such as to accommodate different battery charge and/or discharge scenarios.

Claims

1. A dynamic battery comprising:

a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator separating the positive electrode from the negative electrode, at least one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode including a primary electrode material and a dynamic electrode material different from the primary electrode material, the dynamic electrode material being activatable to change a power state of the dynamic battery,

the dynamic battery configured to operate in a standard operating mode during which the dynamic battery supplies power to an external circuit and ion exchange for the dynamic battery occurs primarily across the primary electrode material relative to the dynamic electrode material, and configured to operate in an activated operating mode in response to an external stimulus being applied to activate the dynamic electrode material while the dynamic battery supplies power to the external circuit, the activated operating mode causing an increase in discharge capacity of the dynamic battery relative to the standard operating state.

2. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein in the standard operating mode the primary electrode material is active and the dynamic electrode material is inactive, and in the activated operating mode the dynamic electrode material is active.

3. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein in the standard operating mode the dynamic electrode material is inactive such that one or more of ion flow or electrical conductivity across the dynamic electrode material is less than one or more of ion flow or electrical conductivity in the activated operating mode.

4. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the external stimulus comprises one or more of a catalyst applied to the dynamic electrode material, heating of the dynamic electrode material, mechanical activation, or radio wave activation.

5. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to a voltage drop in the dynamic battery.

6. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein activation of the dynamic electrode material causes the dynamic electrode material to transition from an inactive state to an active state, and wherein in the active state a discharge capacity of the dynamic battery is greater than in the inactive state.

7. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic battery powers one or more components of a computing device, and wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to a power state event generated by the computing device.

8. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic battery powers one or more components of a computing device, and wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to a power state event generated by the computing device, the power state event comprising one or more of a battery discharge-related event or a battery charge-related event.

9. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic battery powers one or more components of a computing device, and wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to an application-related event generated by the computing device.

10. A dynamic battery comprising:

a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator separating the positive electrode from the negative electrode, at least one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode including a primary electrode material and a dynamic electrode material different from the primary electrode material, the dynamic electrode material configured to change a power state of the dynamic battery by changing, in response to activation of the dynamic electrode material during a battery discharge scenario, one or more of a crystalline structure or an electrical conductivity of the dynamic electrode material.

11. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 10, wherein the dynamic battery includes a standard operating mode and an activated operating mode, and wherein in the standard operating mode the primary electrode material is active and the dynamic electrode material is inactive, and in the activated operating mode the dynamic electrode material is active.

12. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 10, wherein the dynamic battery includes a standard operating mode and an activated operating mode, and wherein in the standard operating mode the dynamic electrode material is inactive such that one or more of ion flow or electrical conductivity across the dynamic electrode material is less than one or more of ion flow or electrical conductivity in the activated operating mode.

13. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 10, wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to an externally applied stimulus.

14. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 10, wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to an externally applied stimulus, the external stimulus including one or more of a catalyst applied to the dynamic electrode material, heating of the dynamic electrode material, mechanical activation, or radio wave activation.

15. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 10, wherein activation of the dynamic electrode material increases an ion permeability of the dynamic electrode material.

16. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 10, wherein activation of the dynamic electrode material causes a phase change in the dynamic electrode material.

17. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 10, wherein the dynamic electrode material comprises a nanoscale material doped with magnetic material.

18. A dynamic battery comprising:

a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator separating the positive electrode from the negative electrode, at least one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode including a primary electrode material and a dynamic electrode material different from the primary electrode material, the dynamic electrode material being activatable to change a power state of the dynamic battery,

the dynamic battery configured to operate in a standard operating state during which the dynamic battery supplies power to an external circuit and ion exchange for the dynamic battery occurs primarily across the primary electrode material relative to the dynamic electrode material, and configured to operate in an activated operating state in response to an external stimulus being applied to activate the dynamic electrode material while the dynamic battery supplies power to the external circuit.

19. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 18, wherein the activated operating state increases a discharge capacity of the dynamic battery.

20. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 18, wherein the external stimulus comprises externally applied heating of the dynamic electrode material.