VEHICLE AND METHOD OF DIAGNOSING BATTERY CONDITION OF SAME

• US 20110221392A1
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Momcilovich, Paul Theodore, Gale, Allan Roy, Blakemore, Bruce Carvell, Degner, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,753,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• 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 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• 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: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/389 Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• 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

Abstract

A method for diagnosing a battery may include applying a generally constant current to the battery for a period of time, measuring a response voltage of the battery to the applied current, determining battery impedance parameters based on at least one of the applied current, period of time, and response voltage, and determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a battery; and

at least one control module configured to apply a generally constant current to the battery for a period of time, to measure a response voltage of the battery to the applied current, to determine battery impedance parameters based on at least one of the applied current, period of time, and response voltage, and to determine a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a driver interface, wherein the at least one control module is further configured to report the degradation condition of the battery via the driver interface.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the battery impedance parameters include battery cell resistance.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to record a history of battery cell resistance and wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters includes determining a rate of change between a current battery cell resistance and a previously recorded battery cell resistance and comparing the determined rate of change with a predetermined rate of change to determine whether the battery is at its end of life.

5. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters includes determining whether the battery cell resistance falls within an expected range.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters further includes determining whether other of the battery impedance parameters fall within a predefined range if the battery cell resistance is greater than the expected range to determine whether the battery is recoverable.

7. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to record a history of battery cell resistance and to clear the recorded history of battery cell resistance if the battery cell resistance is less than the expected range.

8. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters further includes comparing the determined battery cell resistance with an expected battery cell resistance to determine an age of the battery.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the impedance parameters include battery plate capacitance.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters includes determining whether any of the battery impedance parameters has a value less than a predefined range of values.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a battery disposed within the vehicle; and

a battery charger disposed within the vehicle and configured to determine a degradation condition of the battery while operating to charge the battery.

12. A method for diagnosing a battery comprising:

applying a generally constant current to the battery for a period of time;

measuring a response voltage of the battery to the applied current;

determining battery impedance parameters based on at least one of the applied current, period of time, and response voltage; and

determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising reporting the degradation condition of the battery.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the battery impedance parameters include battery cell resistance, further comprising recording a history of battery cell resistance, and wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters includes determining a rate of change between a current battery cell resistance and a previously recorded battery cell resistance and comparing the determined rate of change with a predetermined rate of change to determine whether the battery is at its end of life.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the battery impedance parameters include battery cell resistance and wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters includes determining whether the battery cell resistance falls within an expected range.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters further includes determining whether other of the battery impedance parameters fall within a predefined range if the battery cell resistance is greater than the expected range to determine whether the battery is recoverable.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising recording a history of battery cell resistance and clearing the recorded history of battery cell resistance if the battery cell resistance is less than the expected range.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the battery impedance parameters include battery cell resistance and wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters includes comparing the determined battery cell resistance with an expected battery cell resistance to determine an age of the battery.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the impedance parameters include battery plate capacitance.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters includes determining whether any of the battery impedance parameters has a value less than a predefined range of values.