System and method for assessing voltage threshold detecting circuitry within a battery pack

• US 9,157,967 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A123 Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: A123 Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Firehammer, Paul W., Floros, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US13/578,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20120306503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/120, 320/121, 324/433, 324/434, 307/10.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• 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 35/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Systems and methods for assessing voltage threshold detection circuitry of individual battery cells within a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle are disclosed. One example system comprises, a plurality of battery cells within a battery pack, a plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits detecting voltage of the plurality of battery cells, a voltage of a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells coupled to a first voltage threshold detecting circuit of the plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits, and a network that selectively couples a second battery cell to the first voltage detecting circuit while the first battery cell is coupled to the first voltage detecting circuit.

Claims

1. A method for assessing a voltage threshold detecting circuit for a battery cell of a battery pack supplying power to propel a vehicle, comprising:

coupling a first battery cell to a voltage threshold detecting circuit; and

selectively coupling a second battery cell to said voltage threshold detecting circuit, said second battery cell in a battery cell stack, said battery cell stack including said first battery cell, wherein said second battery cell is coupled to said voltage threshold detecting circuit via an output of a microcontroller, and wherein said second battery cell is coupled to said voltage threshold detecting circuit in response to a diagnostic routine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second battery cell is coupled to said voltage threshold detecting circuit when said battery pack is transitioned from a sleep mode to an operating mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second battery cell is coupled to said voltage threshold detecting circuit by a network comprised of resistors and switches.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said switches are bipolar junction transistors.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said switches are field effect transistors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second battery cell is adjacent to said first battery cell in the battery cell stack.