Short circuit detection for batteries

• US 7,795,843 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Don J., Matsumura, Naoki, Keates, Andrew W., Otani, Nobuhiro, Li, Peter T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US11/966,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 324/433, 324/434, 320/121, 320/134, 361/79
• US Class Current: 320/134
• 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: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection

Abstract

A method and apparatus for short circuit detection for batteries. Some embodiments of a method include receiving a battery pack in a system, where the battery pack is rechargeable and includes multiple battery cell blocks, each cell block including one or more battery cells. The voltages of the plurality of cell blocks are monitored. Upon shutting down the system, the voltages of the plurality of cell blocks are logged to generate a set of logged voltage values. Upon restarting the system, the current voltage values of the cell blocks are measured. A determination whether any of the battery cells of the battery pack has developed a short circuit is made based at least in part on a comparison of the current voltage values with the set of the logged voltage values.

Claims

1. A method for detecting shorts in battery cells in a system comprising:

powering a mobile computing system with a battery pack, the battery pack being rechargeable, the battery pack including a management unit communicatively coupled to the system and a plurality of battery cell blocks, each cell block including one or more battery cells;

monitoring, with the management unit, a voltage of each cell block of the plurality;

logging, with the management unit, the voltage of each cell block of the plurality prior to the system shutting down to generate a set of logged voltage values in response to determining the system is to shut down;

restarting the system after the shut down and, after restarting the system, measuring a start-up voltage value of each cell block of the plurality;

determining an amount of self-discharge for each cell block based at least in part on a comparison of the start-up voltage value with the logged voltage value; and

shutting down operation of the battery pack or sending a warning from the management unit to the system in response to a determination that the amount of self-discharge is indicative of a nascent short circuit in a cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the nascent short is based on whether any cell block has discharged more quickly than the other cell blocks of the battery pack in a manner inconsistent with cell aging.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the nascent short is based on comparing the start-up voltage value of each cell block with a threshold value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold value is a low-voltage cut-off level for a battery cell.

5. A mobile computing device comprising:

a rechargeable battery pack to power the device, the battery pack having a plurality of cell blocks, each cell block including one or more battery cells;

a battery charger to provide power to the rechargeable battery pack; and

a battery management unit, the battery management unit to monitor the voltages of the plurality of cell blocks, detect nascent short circuits in the battery cells of the cell blocks based on an amount of cell-block self-discharge, and take a preventative action in response to detecting a nascent short circuit;

wherein monitoring the voltages of the plurality of the cell blocks includes logging the voltage of each of the cell blocks prior to a shutdown of the device, and in response to determining the computing device is to shut down, and comparing the logged voltages to a start-up voltage of each of the cell blocks measured after a restart of the device subsequent to the device shut down; and

wherein detecting a nascent short circuit includes determining the amount of self-discharge for each cell block is inconsistent with cell aging.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the battery management unit detects a nascent short circuit in one or more of the battery cells of a first cell block if the comparison of voltages indicates that first cell block discharges more quickly that the other cell blocks of the battery pack.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein monitoring the voltages of the plurality of cell blocks further includes comparing the current voltages of the cell blocks to a threshold voltage level.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the preventive action includes one or more of shutting down the battery pack and sending a warning to the system regarding the short circuit.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the battery management unit is a part of the battery pack.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the preventive action includes both sending a warning to the system regarding the short circuit and shutting down the battery pack.

11. A mobile computing device comprising:

a rechargeable battery pack to power the device, the battery pack having a plurality of cell blocks, each cell block including one or more battery cells;

a battery management unit, the battery management unit to monitor the voltages of the plurality of cell blocks, detect nascent short circuits in the battery cells of the cell blocks based on an amount of cell-block self-discharge, and take a preventative action in response to detecting a nascent short circuit;

wherein monitoring the voltages of the plurality of the cell blocks includes logging the voltage of each of the cell blocks prior to a shutdown of the device, and in response to determining the computing device is to shut down, and comparing the logged voltages to a start-up voltage of each of the cell blocks measured after a restart of the device subsequent to the device shut down; and

wherein detecting a nascent short circuit includes determining the amount of self-discharge for each cell block, as determined based on the cell block voltage comparison, is inconsistent with cell aging.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the battery management unit is to detect the nascent short circuit if the comparison of voltages indicates that a first cell block discharges more quickly that other cell blocks of the battery pack.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein monitoring the voltages of the plurality of cell blocks further includes comparing the start-up voltages of each of the cell blocks to a threshold voltage level.