Multi-cell thin film microbattery array

• US 9,331,501 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cymbet Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cymbet Corporation
• Inventors: Mullin, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anthony, Julian
• Application Number:
  US13/587,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20130043731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 429/91, 429/92, 429/158, 429/159
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0445 Multimode batteries, e.g. containing auxiliary cells or electrodes switchable in parallel or series connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• 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

A rechargeable thin film microbattery cell array of at least four thin film microbattery cells is electrically connected together in parallel to provide power as a single battery power source. The array further comprises testing logic to determine if a microbattery cell has a microbattery cell voltage that is more than a predetermined percentage different from the voltage of the overall microbattery cell array or has an absolute voltage below a predetermined cutoff threshold, and logic to disconnect any microbattery cell from the microbattery cell array if the microbattery cell has a microbattery cell voltage that is more than a predetermined percentage different from the voltage of the overall microbattery cell array or has an absolute voltage below a predetermined cutoff threshold. Embodiments also comprise a Switch Capacitor DC-DC downconverter component that reduces the voltage potential to operate some or all functionalities located on the integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A rechargeable thin film microbattery cell array of at least two thin film microbattery cells electrically connected together, wherein the microbattery cells of the array are electrically connected in parallel to provide power as a single battery power source, the array further comprising testing logic to determine if a microbattery cell has a microbattery cell voltage that is more than a predetermined percentage different from the voltage of the overall microbattery cell array or has an absolute voltage below a predetermined cutoff threshold, and logic to disconnect any microbattery cell from the microbattery cell array if the microbattery cell has a microbattery cell voltage that is more than a predetermined percentage different from the voltage of the overall microbattery cell array or has an absolute voltage below a predetermined cutoff threshold, wherein the testing logic to determine if a microbattery cell has a microbattery cell voltage that is more than a predetermined percentage different from the voltage of the overall microbattery cell array or has an absolute voltage below a predetermined cutoff threshold, and the logic to disconnect any microbattery cell from the microbattery cell array if the microbattery cell has a microbattery cell voltage that is more than a predetermined percentage different from the voltage of the overall microbattery cell array or has an absolute voltage below a predetermined cutoff threshold is located on a single integrated circuit chip.

2. The array of claim 1, wherein the array is an array of from 4 to 64 microbattery cells.

3. The array of claim 1, wherein the array is an array of from 16 to 32 microbattery cells.

4. The array of claim 1, wherein the array is an array of from 50 to 256 microbattery cells.

5. The array of claim 1, wherein the array is an array of from 80 to 120 microbattery cells.

6. The array of claim 1, wherein the testing logic conducts a periodic time voltage measurement of the separate microbattery cells.

7. The array of claim 1, wherein the array of microbattery cells is fabricated on a single substrate.

8. The array of claim 7, wherein the array of microbattery cells comprises an anode current collector that is in common for all of the thin film microbattery cells.

9. The array of claim 1, wherein the array of microbattery cells is fabricated on a plurality of substrates that are then mounted on a single platform.

10. The array of claim 1, wherein the array provides an effective capacity of from about 0.05 mAH to about 1500 mAH.

11. The array of claim 1, wherein the array occupies a footprint area of no more than about 50 cm².

12. The array of claim 1, wherein the predetermined percentage is 2% at 25°

C.

13. The array of claim 1, wherein single integrated circuit chip additionally comprises a Switch Capacitor DC-DC downconverter component.

14. The array of claim 13, wherein the Switch Capacitor DC-DC downconverter component reduces the voltage potential to from 10 to 1000 millivolts.

15. The array of claim 13, wherein the Switch Capacitor DC-DC downconverter component reduces the voltage potential to from 100 to 500 millivolts.

16. The array of claim 13, wherein the Switch Capacitor DC-DC downconverter component reduces the voltage potential to operate all functionalities located on the single integrated circuit.

17. The array of claim 13, wherein the Switch Capacitor DC-DC downconverter component reduces the voltage potential to operate microbattery cell testing and isolation functionalities located on the single integrated circuit.

18. The array of claim 1, wherein single integrated circuit chip does not comprise a linear regulator.