Method and apparatus for identifying battery pack types

• US 9,446,680 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Chen, Elaine Y., Callicoat, Deborah E., Bolduc, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US14/508,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20160096444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 320/107, 320/103, 320/106, 320/128, 320/136, 362/183, 345/179, 118/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00043 using switches, contacts or markings, e.g. optical, magnetic or barcode
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed for analyzing a vehicle battery system of a hybrid or electric vehicle that includes a battery pack and a battery controller. More specifically, a battery controller is disclosed for determining battery identification information of the battery pack based on a configuration of active and non-active pins in a connection module between the battery pack and the battery controller. It follows that the battery controller may identify the battery pack type in an efficient manner that does not require any additional components. The battery controller may further reference the battery identification to implement a battery operational strategy that may better realize an efficiency or durability of the identified battery.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

an interface receiving a connector and communicating with processor(s) configured to;

determine, based on received battery temperature signal(s), an arrangement of all active and inactive connector pins, all active pins directly communicating with battery cell temperature sensors;

identify a battery type by comparing the determined arrangement against preset database entries matching one arrangement with one battery type.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each arrangement entry includes at least two inactive pins.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each arrangement entry includes exactly two inactive pins.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each arrangement entry includes at least ten active pins and at least two inactive pins.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor(s) are further configured to:

control the battery system with an operational strategy based on the identified battery type.