Vehicle battery monitoring system

• US 9,581,654 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CPS Technology Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Campbell, Douglas C., Morell, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/084,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20140225428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 307/150, 320/132
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery includes a battery monitoring system for performing a battery self test. The battery monitoring system is integrated into the battery and configured to monitor a first health of the battery. The battery monitoring system is configured to receive an input signal from a wired interface or a wireless interface. The input signal is configured to instruct the battery monitoring system to provide feedback regarding the first health of the battery and/or a second health of the battery monitoring system. The wired interface consists of a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the battery.

Claims

1. A battery comprising:

a battery monitoring system integrated into the battery and configured to monitor a first health of the battery;

wherein the battery monitoring system is configured to receive an input signal from a wired interface or a wireless interface, the input signal is configured to instruct the battery monitoring system to provide feedback regarding the first health of the battery and a second health of the battery monitoring system, and the wired interface consists of a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the battery.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery monitoring system is configured to provide feedback after a current draw or a voltage of a load electrically coupled to the battery is varied.

3. The battery of claim 2, wherein the current draw or the voltage of the load electrically coupled to the battery is configured to be varied by adjusting the input signal a predetermined number of times, at predetermined intervals, at a predetermined rate, based on an adjustable setting, or any combination thereof.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery monitoring system is configured to provide feedback after a current draw or a voltage of a vehicle electrical system electrically coupled to the battery is varied.

5. The battery of claim 4, wherein the current draw or the voltage of the vehicle electrical system is configured to be varied by activating a starter of the vehicle electrical system.

6. The battery of claim 4, wherein the current draw or the voltage of the vehicle electrical system is configured to be varied by flashing headlights of the vehicle electrical system, adjusting power windows of the vehicle electrical system, adjusting power seats of the vehicle electrical system, adjusting air conditioning of the vehicle electrical system, adjusting a front and/or a rear defroster of the vehicle electrical system, or any combination thereof.

7. The battery of claim 4, wherein the current draw or the voltage of the vehicle electrical system is configured to be varied by adjusting the input signal a predetermined number of times, at predetermined intervals, at a predetermined rate, based on an adjustable setting, or any combination thereof.

8. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery monitoring system is configured to provide feedback after a current draw or a voltage of a non-vehicular load electrically coupled to the battery is varied.

9. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery monitoring system is configured to provide feedback after the battery receives a wireless signal.

10. The battery of claim 1, comprising a wireless device configured to provide wireless feedback indicative of the first health of the battery and the second health of the battery monitoring system.

11. The battery of claim 1, comprising an optical device configured to provide visual feedback indicative of the first health of the battery and the second health of the battery monitoring system.

12. The battery of claim 1, comprising an audio device configured to provide audio feedback indicative of the first health of the battery and the second health of the battery monitoring system.

13. A method for performing a self test of a battery comprising:

monitoring a battery voltage or current using a battery monitoring system disposed within the battery;

detecting a predetermined change in the monitored battery voltage or current, wherein the predetermined change is detected by the battery monitoring system; and

providing feedback indicative of a first health of the battery and a second health of the battery monitoring system upon detecting the predetermined change.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing feedback indicative of the first health of the battery and the second health of the battery monitoring system comprises providing audio feedback indicative of the first health of the battery and the second health of the battery monitoring system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing audio feedback indicative of the first health of the battery and the second health of the battery monitoring system comprises providing a first audio sequence indicating that the first health of the battery or the second health of the battery monitoring system is good and providing a second audio sequence indicating that the first health of the battery or the second health of the battery monitoring system is bad.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein providing feedback indicative of the first health of the battery and the second health of the battery monitoring system comprises providing visual feedback indicative of the first health of the battery and the second health of the battery monitoring system.

17. A motor vehicle comprising:

a battery having an integrated battery monitoring system configured to monitor a first health of the battery, wherein the battery monitoring system is configured to receive an input signal from a wired interface or a wireless interface, the input signal is configured to instruct the battery monitoring system to provide feedback regarding the first health of the battery and a second health of the battery monitoring system, and the wired interface consists of a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the battery; and

an electrical system electrically coupled to the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the battery and configured to draw current from the battery.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 17, wherein the battery monitoring system is configured to provide feedback after an amount of electrical current or voltage that the electrical system draws from the battery is varied.

19. The motor vehicle of claim 17, wherein the battery monitoring system is configured to provide feedback after a set of predetermined steps are performed to vary an amount of electrical current or voltage that the electrical system draws from the battery.

20. The motor vehicle of claim 19, wherein the set of predetermined steps comprise activating electrical devices, deactivating electrical devices, adjusting electrical devices, or any combination thereof.