Wireless battery management control and monitoring system

• US 9,869,726 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2015
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Zumstein, James M., Chang, John T., Farmer, Joseph C., Kovotsky, Jack, Lavietes, Anthony, Trebes, James Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Crepeau, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buchanan, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US14/817,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20150338470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• 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 31/3835 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: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/22 of the casings or racks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery management system using a sensor inside of the battery that sensor enables monitoring and detection of various events in the battery and transmission of a signal from the sensor through the battery casing to a control and data acquisition module by wireless transmission. The detection of threshold events in the battery enables remedial action to be taken to avoid catastrophic events.

Claims

1. A battery and monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a metal battery housing made of a metal housing material that blocks RF transmission,

a battery pack within said metal battery housing with said battery pack having a metal wall that blocks RF transmission,

a multiplicity of individual batteries in said battery pack wherein each individual battery has a metal casing wall made of a metal material that blocks RF transmission,

a sensor located inside of said metal casing wall of each said individual battery that senses at least one battery parameter of said individual battery and provides a battery parameter signal,

a first induction coil located inside of said metal casing wall and adjacent to said metal casing wall of each said individual battery and operatively connected to said sensor to receive said battery parameter signal,

a second induction coil located outside of said metal casing wall located opposite said first induction coil and located adjacent to said metal casing wall of each said individual battery wherein said battery parameter signal is transmitted from said first induction coil to said second induction coil,

a third induction coil located inside of said metal wall of said battery pack and aligned with said first induction coil and said second induction coil and operatively connected to receive said battery parameter signal from said second induction coil,

a fourth induction coil located outside of said metal wall of said battery pack and aligned with said third induction coil, said first induction coil, and said second induction coil wherein said battery parameter signal is transmitted from said third induction coil to said fourth induction coil,

a fifth induction coil located inside of said metal battery housing and aligned with said fourth induction coil, said third induction coil, said first induction coil, and said second induction coil and operatively connected to receive said battery parameter signal from said fourth induction coil,

a sixth induction coil located outside of said metal battery housing and aligned with said fifth induction coil, said third induction coil, said first induction coil, and said second induction coil wherein said battery parameter signal is transmitted from said fifth induction coil to said sixth induction coil,

a data collection and storage unit, and

a RF transmitter and receiver that receives said battery parameter signal from said sixth induction coil and provides said battery parameter signal to said data collection and storage unit.

2. The battery and monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said RF transmitter and receiver includes a wireless RF transmission system and wherein said RF transmitter and receiver provides said battery parameter signal to said data collection and storage unit using said wireless RF transmission system.

3. The battery and monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor located inside of said metal casing wall of each said individual battery that senses at least one battery parameter of said battery and provides a battery parameter signal is a temperature sensor that senses temperature and provides a temperature signal.

4. The battery and monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor located inside of said metal casing wall of each said individual battery that senses at least one battery parameter of said battery and provides a battery parameter signal is a voltage sensor that senses voltage and provides a voltage signal.

5. The battery and monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor located inside of said metal casing wall of each said individual battery that senses at least one battery parameter of said battery and provides a battery parameter signal is a current sensor that senses current and provides a current signal.

6. A method of making a battery with a monitoring system, comprising the steps of:

providing a metal battery housing made of a metal housing material that blocks RF transmission,

providing a battery pack within said metal battery housing having a metal wall that blocks RF transmission,

providing a multiplicity of individual batteries in said battery pack wherein each individual battery has a metal battery casing made of a metal material that blocks RF transmission, providing a sensor located inside of said metal battery casing of each said individual battery adapted to sense at least one battery parameter of said individual battery,

providing a first induction coil located inside of said metal battery casing and adjacent to said metal battery casing of each said individual battery and operatively connected to said sensor,

a providing second induction coil located outside of said metal battery casing and located opposite said first induction coil and located adjacent to said metal casing wall of each said individual battery,

providing a third induction coil located inside of said metal wall of said battery pack and aligned with said first induction coil and said second induction coil,

providing a fourth induction coil located outside of said metal wall of said battery pack and aligned with said third induction coil, said first induction coil, and said second induction coil,

providing a fifth induction coil located inside of said metal battery housing and aligned with said fourth induction coil, said third induction coil, said first induction coil, and said second induction coil,

providing a sixth induction coil located outside of said metal battery housing and aligned with said fifth induction coil, said third induction coil, said first induction coil, and said second induction coil,

providing a RF transmitter and receiver,

providing a data collection and storage unit,

using said sensor for sensing at least one battery parameter inside said metal battery casing and providing a battery parameter signal;

transmitting said battery parameter signal from inside said metal battery casing through said metal battery casing using said first induction coil and said second induction coil;

transmitting said battery parameter signal from said metal battery casing through said metal wall of said battery pack using said third induction coil and said fourth induction coil,

transmitting said battery parameter signal from said battery pack through said metal battery housing using said fifth induction coil and said sixth induction coil,

receiving said battery parameter signal outside of said metal battery housing and transmitting said battery parameter signal to said RF transmitter and receiver, and

using said RF transmitter and receiver to transmit said battery parameter signal to said data collection and storage unit by wireless transmission for data collection and storage.

7. The method of making a battery with a monitoring system of claim 6 wherein said step of using said sensor for sensing at least one battery parameter inside said metal battery casing and providing a battery parameter signal comprises using said sensor for sensing a temperature battery parameter inside said metal battery casing and providing a battery temperature battery parameter signal.

8. The method of making a battery with a monitoring system of claim 6 wherein said step of using said sensor for sensing at least one battery parameter inside said metal battery casing and providing a battery parameter signal comprises using said sensor for sensing a voltage battery parameter inside said metal battery casing and providing a battery voltage battery parameter signal.

9. The method of making a battery with a monitoring system of claim 6 wherein said step of using said sensor for sensing at least one battery parameter inside said metal battery casing and providing a battery parameter signal comprises using said sensor for sensing a current battery parameter inside said metal battery casing and providing a battery current battery parameter signal.