Systems and methods for monitoring deterioration of a rechargeable battery

• US 8,255,176 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Plestid, Thomas Leonard Trevor
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Carol
• Application Number:
  US12/536,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 702/63, 320/107, 320/162, 320/128, 320/132, 320/137, 320/115, 320/149, 320/150, 324/426, 324/427, 324/430, 324/433
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring the deterioration of a rechargeable battery. A battery monitoring system may be used to store charging information, discharge information and storage information for a rechargeable battery to a data store. The charging information may include a number of charge cycles incurred by the rechargeable battery. The discharge information may include a number discharge cycles incurred by the rechargeable battery. The storage information may include information relating to periods when the rechargeable battery is not being actively charged or discharged. The battery monitoring system may be further used to determine an amount of deterioration of a battery performance characteristic based on the stored charging information, discharge information and storage information.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring deterioration of a rechargeable battery in a mobile device, comprising:

detecting a battery deterioration event relating to a battery performance characteristic, wherein the deterioration event is a battery charging event, a battery discharging event or a storage period;

monitoring at least one environmental or operational factor affecting deterioration of the battery performance characteristic from the battery deterioration event;

accessing a stored deterioration value for the battery performance characteristic;

determining a new deterioration value based on the stored deterioration value, the battery deterioration event and the at least one environmental or operational factor; and

storing the new deterioration value to a memory device associated with the rechargeable battery;

wherein the at least one environmental or operational factor includes at least one of an average rate at which the rechargeable battery is charged, an average rate at which the rechargeable battery is discharged, whether the charging event is a full or partial charge cycle, an age of the battery, and an average temperature and charge level during the storage period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery performance characteristic is battery capacity or equivalent series resistance (ESR).

3. A method for monitoring deterioration of a rechargeable battery in a mobile device, comprising:

detecting a battery deterioration event relating to a battery performance characteristic, wherein the deterioration event is a battery charging event, a battery discharging event or a storage period;

monitoring at least one environmental or operational factor affecting deterioration of the battery performance characteristic from the battery deterioration event;

accessing a stored deterioration value for the battery performance characteristic;

determining a new deterioration value based on the stored deterioration value, the battery deterioration event and the at least one environmental or operational factor; and

storing the new deterioration value to a memory device associated with the rechargeable battery;

wherein the new deterioration value is determined using a look-up table, and further comprising;

selecting the look-up table from a plurality of stored look-up tables based on at least one of a battery chemistry of the rechargeable battery, the battery deterioration event and the at least one environmental or operational factor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the battery performance characteristic is battery capacity or equivalent series resistance (ESR).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one environmental or operational factor includes at least one of an average rate at which the rechargeable battery is charged, an average rate at which the rechargeable battery is discharged, whether the charging event is a full or partial charge cycle, an age of the battery, and an average temperature and charge level during the storage period.

6. A method for monitoring deterioration of a rechargeable battery in a mobile device, comprising:

detecting a battery deterioration event relating to a battery performance characteristic, wherein the deterioration event is a battery charging event, a battery discharging event or a storage period;

monitoring at least one environmental or operational factor affecting deterioration of the battery performance characteristic from the battery deterioration event;

accessing a stored deterioration value for the battery performance characteristic;

determining a new deterioration value based on the stored deterioration value, the battery deterioration event and the at least one environmental or operational factor; and

storing the new deterioration value to a memory device associated with the rechargeable battery;

wherein the new deterioration value is determined using a deterioration algorithm, and further comprising;

selecting the deterioration algorithm from a plurality of stored deterioration algorithms based on at least one of a battery chemistry of the rechargeable battery, the battery deterioration event and the at least one environmental or operational factor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the battery performance characteristic is battery capacity or equivalent series resistance (ESR).

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one environmental or operational factor includes at least one of an average rate at which the rechargeable battery is charged, an average rate at which the rechargeable battery is discharged, whether the charging event is a full or partial charge cycle, an age of the battery, and an average temperature and charge level during the storage period.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the new deterioration value is determined using a look-up table, and further comprising:

selecting the look-up table from a plurality of stored look-up tables based on at least one of a battery chemistry of the rechargeable battery, the battery deterioration event and the at least one environmental or operational factor.

10. A method for monitoring deterioration of a rechargeable battery in a mobile device, comprising:

detecting a battery deterioration event relating to a battery performance characteristic, wherein the deterioration event is a battery charging event, a battery discharging event or a storage period;

monitoring at least one environmental or operational factor affecting deterioration of the battery performance characteristic from the battery deterioration event;

accessing a stored deterioration value for the battery performance characteristic;

determining a new deterioration value based on the stored deterioration value, the battery deterioration event and the at least one environmental or operational factor; and

storing the new deterioration value to a memory device associated with the rechargeable battery;

wherein the new deterioration value is determined by a method comprising;

determining a base deterioration value based on the battery deterioration event;

weighting the base deterioration value by a weighting factor that is determined based on the at least one environmental or operational factor to generate a weighted deterioration value; and

combining the stored deterioration value with the weighted deterioration value to generate the new deterioration value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the battery performance characteristic is battery capacity or equivalent series resistance (ESR).

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one environmental or operational factor includes at least one of an average rate at which the rechargeable battery is charged, an average rate at which the rechargeable battery is discharged, whether the charging event is a full or partial charge cycle, an age of the battery, and an average temperature and charge level during the storage period.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the new deterioration value is determined using a look-up table, and further comprising:

selecting the look-up table from a plurality of stored look-up tables based on at least one of a battery chemistry of the rechargeable battery, the battery deterioration event and the at least one environmental or operational factor.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the new deterioration value is determined using a deterioration algorithm, and further comprising:

selecting the deterioration algorithm from a plurality of stored deterioration algorithms based on at least one of a battery chemistry of the rechargeable battery, the battery deterioration event and the at least one environmental or operational factor.