Portable and modular energy storage with authentication protections for electric vehicles

• US 9,912,015 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gerard O'Hora
• Original Assignee: Gerard O'Hora
• Inventors: O'Hora, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Application Number:
  US15/225,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20170033408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 320109, 320128
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/54 related to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/10 Multiple hybrid or EDL capacitors, e.g. arrays or modules housings, cases, encapsulations or mountings thereof H01G11/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/18 against thermal overloads, e.g. heating, cooling or ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/82 Fixing or assembling a capacitive element in a housing, e.g. mounting electrodes, current collectors or terminals in containers or encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• 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 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 : characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6569 : Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation heat pipes H01M10/6552
• 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: H01M 50/204 : Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 : Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/256 : Carrying devices, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/264 : for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/505 : comprising a single busbar
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 : Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 : Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 : Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 : Detection of state of health [SOH]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 : with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 : in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 : of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 : Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A power system that authenticates multiple battery packs to allow for power transfer between the battery packs and an external load system may include a plurality of modular battery packs, each of which may include a first housing, a plurality of battery cells enclosed in the first housing, a first interface for authentication communication, and a second interface that transmits power from the plurality of battery cells. The power system may also include a second housing configured to removably receive the plurality of modular battery packs, and a processing system that is configured to exchange authentication information with the plurality of modular battery packs through the respective first interfaces, wherein the respective second interfaces are only enabled to transmit power when the authentication information is validated.

Claims

1. A power system that authenticates multiple battery packs to allow for power transfer between the battery packs and an external load system, the power system comprising:

a plurality of modular battery packs, wherein each of the plurality of modular battery packs comprises;

a first housing;

a plurality of battery sub-systems, wherein each of the plurality of battery sub-systems comprises;

a plurality of individual battery cells;

a processor; and

a memory that stores a serial number for the battery sub-system;

a power sub-system that;

authenticates, and receives the serial numbers from, the memories from each of the plurality of battery sub-systems; and

aggregates power from the plurality of battery sub-systems;

a first interface for authentication communication; and

a second interface that transmits power from the power sub-system;

a second housing configured to removably receive the plurality of modular battery packs; and

a processing system that is configured to exchange authentication information with the plurality of modular battery packs through the respective first interfaces, wherein the respective second interfaces are only enabled to transmit power when the authentication information is validated.

2. The power system of claim 1, wherein the power from the plurality of modular battery packs is transmitted to a motor of an electric or hybrid electric vehicle.

3. The power system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of modular battery packs further comprises an output switch that prevents power from being transmitted from the second interface.

4. The power system of claim 3, wherein the output switch prevents power from being transmitted from the second interface when a battery pack voltage dips below a threshold value.

5. The power system of claim 3, wherein the output switch prevents power from being transmitted from the second interface when a number of charge cycles for the battery pack surpasses a threshold.

6. The power system of claim 3, wherein the output switch prevents power from being transmitted from the second interface when a malfunction is detected in the battery pack.

7. The power system of claim 1, wherein the authentication information comprises one or more cryptographic keys.

8. The power system of claim 1, wherein the authentication information comprises one or more cryptographic signatures.

9. The power system of claim 1, wherein the first interface for each modular battery pack further transmits configuration information for the respective modular battery pack.

10. The power system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of modular battery packs further comprises a thermal material enclosed in the first housing that transfers heat away from the plurality of battery cells.

11. A method of authenticating multiple battery packs to allow for power transfer between the battery packs and an external load system, the method comprising:

receiving one or more modular battery packs into a second housing of a power system, wherein the second housing is configured to removably receive the plurality of modular battery packs, and wherein each of the plurality of modular battery packs comprises;

a first housing;

a plurality of battery sub-systems, wherein each of the plurality of battery sub-systems comprises;

a plurality of individual battery cells;

a processor; and

a memory that stores a serial number for the battery sub-system;

a power sub-system that;

authenticates, and receives the serial numbers from, the memories from each of the plurality of battery sub-systems; and

aggregates power from the plurality of battery sub-systems;

a first interface for authentication communication; and

a second interface that transmits power from the power sub-system;

exchanging authentication information with the one or more modular battery packs through the respective first interfaces; and

enabling the respective second interfaces to transmit power only when the authentication information is validated.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first housings of the modular battery packs are hermetically sealed.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of individual battery cells comprises a plurality of supercapacitors.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first interface comprises a wireless communication system that communicates wirelessly with the second housing.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the second interface comprises a transmitter coil that wirelessly transmits the aggregated power from the plurality of battery cells to the second housing.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second interface comprises a two-pole wired port that mates with a corresponding two-pole wired port of the second housing.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the volume of the first housing is at least 0.50 cubic feet, having dimensions of at least 6″

×

6″

×

12″

.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating, through the first interface of the modular battery packs, a charge history of the modular battery pack to the second housing.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the aggregated power from the plurality of battery cells provided to the second housing comprises a signal of approximately 48 VDC and 45 A.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, through the second interface of the modular battery packs, charging power from the second housing, and

charging the plurality of individual battery cells of the modular battery packs using the charging power from the second housing.