WARRANTY TRACKER FOR A BATTERY PACK

• US 20170038433A1
• Filed: 08/06/2015
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Powin Corporation (Powin Energy Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Powin Energy Corporation
• Inventors: Beaston, Virgil Lee
• Granted Patent: US 10,254,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a warranty'"'"' tracker embedded in a battery pack. In an embodiment, the warranty tracker may include a memory device and a warranty controller. The warranty controller may receive an electric current measurement indicating a rate of charge or discharge of the battery pack from a device that is external to the battery pack. A warranty value may then be calculated using the received electric current measurement and added to a stored cumulative warranty value. The memory device may store the cumulative warranty value, which may be used to evaluate warranty conditions. In various embodiments, the warranty tracker may also include a temperature sensor and/or a voltage sensor. The warranty controller may then use received temperature and/or voltage measurements in the calculation of the warranty value. In an embodiment, the stored cumulative warranty value may be used to determine expiration of a warranty.

Claims

1. A warranty tracker embedded in a battery pack, the warranty tracker comprising:

a memory device configured to store a cumulative warranty value; and

a warranty controller configured to;

receive an electric current measurement indicating a rate of charge or discharge of the battery pack from a device that is external to the battery pack;

calculate a warranty value using the received electric current measurement; and

add the warranty value to the stored cumulative warranty value.

8. The warranty tracker of claim 1, wherein the warranty controller and the memory device are disposed on a printed circuit board that is embedded within a battery pack.

2. The warranty tracker of claim I, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the battery pack and to report the temperature measurement to the warranty controller.

3. The warranty tracker of claim 2, wherein the warranty controller is further configured calculate the warranty value using the temperature measurement.

6. The warranty tracker of claim 2, further comprising a voltage sensor configured to measure a voltage of the battery pack and to report the voltage measurement to the warranty controller.

7. The warranty tracker of claim 6, wherein the warranty controller is further configured to calculate the warranty value using the temperature measurement and the voltage measurement.

4. The warranty tracker of claim I, further comprising a voltage sensor configured to measure a voltage of the battery pack and to report the voltage measurement to the warranty controller.

5. The warranty tracker of claim 4, wherein the warranty controller is further configured to calculate the warranty value using the voltage measurement.

9. A method for providing warranty tracking for a battery pack, comprising:

receiving an electric current measurement indicating a rate of charge or discharge of the battery pack from a device that is external to the battery pack;

calculating a warranty value using the received electric current measurement; and

adding the warranty value to a stored cumulative warranty value.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising measuring a temperature of the battery pack and calculating the warranty value using the temperature measurement.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising measuring a voltage of the battery pack and calculating the warranty value using the voltage measurement.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising measuring a voltage of the battery pack and calculating the warranty value using the temperature measurement and the voltage measurement.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing a maximum electric current measurement for the battery pack.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing a maximum and a minimum temperature measurement for the battery pack.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing a maximum an a minimum voltage measurement for the battery pack.

16. A method for using a warranty tracker embedded in a battery pack, comprising:

receiving an alert that the battery pack is detective;

comparing a stored cumulative warranty value to a predefined threshold value; and

determining that a warranty for the battery pack is invalid when the cumulative warranty value exceeds the threshold value.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

comparing a stored maximum electric current measurement to a maximum electric current threshold; and

determining that the warranty for the battery is void when the stored maximum electric current measurement is greater than the maximum electric current threshold.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

comparing a stored maximum temperature measurement to a maximum temperature threshold and a stored minimum temperature measurement to a minimum temperature threshold; and

determining that the warranty for the battery is void when the stored maximum temperature measurement is greater than the maximum temperature threshold or the stored minimum temperature measurement is less than the minimum temperature threshold.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

comparing a stored maximum voltage measurement to a maximum voltage threshold and a stored minimum voltage measurement to a minimum voltage threshold; and

determining that the warranty for the battery is void when the stored maximum voltage measurement is greater than the maximum voltage threshold or the stored minimum voltage measurement is less than the minimum voltage threshold.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the cumulative warranty value is stored by the battery pack.