Dynamically Changing Internal State of a Battery

• US 20160240891A1
• Filed: 02/18/2015
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hodges, Stephen E., Chandra, Ranveer, Meinershagen, Julia L., Priyantha, Nissanka Arachchige Bodhi, Badam, Anirudh, Moscibroda, Thomas, Ferrese, Anthony John
• Granted Patent: US 10,158,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/049 Processes for forming or storing electrodes in the battery container
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• 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 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/623 Portable devices, e.g. mobile telephones, cameras or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• 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 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/13 Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/139 Processes of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/364 as mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/62 Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Techniques for dynamically changing internal state of a battery are described herein. Generally, different battery configurations are described that enable transitions between different battery power states, such as to accommodate different battery charge and/or discharge scenarios.

Claims

1. A dynamic battery comprising:

a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator separating the positive electrode from the negative electrode, at least one of the positive electrode or the negative electrode including a primary electrode material and a dynamic electrode material different from the primary electrode material, the dynamic electrode material being activatable to change a power state of the dynamic battery.

2. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic battery is associated with a standard operating mode and an activated operating mode, wherein in the standard operating mode the primary electrode material is active and the dynamic electrode material is inactive, and in the activated operating mode the dynamic electrode material is active.

3. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic battery is associated with a standard operating mode and an activated operating mode, wherein in the standard operating mode the dynamic electrode material is inactive such that one or more of ion flow or electrical conductivity across the dynamic electrode material is less than one or more of ion flow or electrical conductivity in the activated operating mode.

4. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to an external stimulus applied to the dynamic battery.

5. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to an external stimulus applied to the dynamic battery, the external stimulus including one or more of a catalyst applied to the dynamic electrode material, heating of the dynamic electrode material, mechanical activation, or radio wave activation.

6. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to a voltage drop in the dynamic battery.

7. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein activation of the dynamic electrode material causes the dynamic electrode material to transition from an inactive state to an active state, and wherein in the active state a discharge capacity of the dynamic battery is greater than in the inactive state.

8. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic battery powers one or more components of a computing device, and wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to a power state event generated by the computing device.

9. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic battery powers one or more components of a computing device, and wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to a power state event generated by the computing device, the power state event comprising one or more of a battery discharge-related event or a battery charge-related event.

10. A dynamic battery as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamic battery powers one or more components of a computing device, and wherein the dynamic electrode material is activatable in response to an application-related event generated by the computing device.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a battery including an anode, a cathode, one or more electrolytes, and a separator separating the anode from the cathode; and

a battery controller configured to cause heating of the one or more electrolytes to change a power state of the battery.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the battery provides power for one or more components of a computing device, and wherein the battery controller is configured to causing heating of the one or more electrolytes in response to a power event generated by the computing device.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the battery provides power for one or more components of a computing device, and wherein the battery controller is configured to causing heating of the one or more electrolytes in response to an application-related event generated by the computing device.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the battery provides power for one or more components of a computing device, and wherein the battery controller is configured to causing heating of the one or more electrolytes in response to a power event generated by the computing device, the power event comprising one or more of a battery discharge-related event or a battery charge-related event.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein heating of the one or more electrolytes causes the electrolyte to swell to increase a porosity of one or more of the anode or the cathode such that a discharge capacity of the battery is increased.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein heating of the one or more electrolytes causes the electrolyte to swell to increase a porosity of one or more of the anode or the cathode such that a charging rate of the battery is increased.

17. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving an indication to change a power state of a battery; and

causing activation of one or more internal materials of the battery to cause the change in power state for the battery.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the battery powers one or more components of a computing device, and the indication to change the power state occurs in response to an increase in a power requirement of a computing device.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more internal materials comprise an electrolyte, and wherein said causing activation comprises causing the electrolyte to be heated to increase a discharge capacity of the battery.

20. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more internal materials comprise an electrode material, and wherein said causing activation comprises causing a catalyst to be released within the battery to activate the electrode material and increase a discharge capacity of the battery.