US-20260126491-A1 - INTELLIGENT POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, INCLUDING AUTONOMOUS BATTERY SELF-CHARACTERIZATION

US20260126491A1US 20260126491 A1US20260126491 A1US 20260126491A1US-20260126491-A1

Abstract

A system for characterizing a battery of a battery electric system includes a sensor array, processor, and memory. The sensor array measures a temperature-specific battery voltage and battery current of the battery as battery parameters. The processor executes instructions from memory to provide or create a baseline open circuit voltage to state of charge (OCV-SOC) characteristic relationship during a sequence of charging and discharging modes of the battery. After creating or accessing the baseline OCV-SOC characteristic relationship, the processor determines if the battery is in an open mode during which the battery is not connected to a load. In open mode, the battery parameters are measured via the sensor array. An adjusted OCV-SOC characteristic relationship is created by adjusting an SOC quantity of the baseline OCV-SOC characteristic relationship using the battery parameters. The battery is controlled using the adjusted OCV-SOC characteristic relationship.

Inventors

Hideo Kondo

Assignees

SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250306

Claims (20)

1 . A system for characterizing a battery of a battery electric system, the system comprising: a sensor array configured to measure a temperature-specific battery voltage and battery current of the battery as battery parameters; a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (“memory”), the memory including instructions, the instructions being executable by the processor to cause the processor to: providing a baseline open circuit voltage to state of charge (OCV-SOC) relationship; determine whether the battery is in an open mode during which the battery is not connected to a load; when the battery is in the open mode, measuring the battery parameters via the sensor array; generating an adjusted OCV-SOC relationship by adjusting an SOC quantity of the baseline OCV-SOC relationship using the battery parameters; and controlling operation of the battery using the adjusted OCV-SOC relationship.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to provide the baseline OCV-SOC relationship by: charging the battery beginning at a relatively low first SOC; when the SOC reaches the first SOC, measuring the battery parameters using the sensor array; discharging the battery after measuring the battery parameters at the first SOC; while discharging the battery from the first SOC, measuring the battery parameters using the sensor array; repeating charging and discharging of the battery and measuring the battery parameters using the sensor array for a plurality of progressively higher SOCs relative to the first SOC; and creating the baseline OCV-SOC relationship for the battery using the battery parameters for each respective SOC.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to: determine an internal resistance of the battery using the battery parameters for the first SOC and each of the progressively higher SOCs; and execute a control action based on the internal resistance of the battery.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to: determine a numeric state of health (SOH) of the battery using the internal resistance of the battery; and execute the control action when the numeric SOH of the battery is less than a threshold SOH.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control action includes transmitting an SOH notice or message to an external device.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to monitor the SOC using an SOC monitoring unit while charging the battery.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the SOC monitoring unit is configured to perform a Coulomb counting process.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery is a lithium battery.
9 . A method for characterizing a battery of a battery electric system, the method comprising: providing a baseline open circuit voltage to state of charge (OCV-SOC) relationship; determining whether the battery is in an open mode during which the battery is not connected to a load; when the battery is in the open mode, measuring battery parameters via a sensor array; generating an adjusted OCV-SOC relationship by adjusting an SOC quantity of the baseline OCV-SOC relationship using the battery parameters; and controlling operation of the battery using the adjusted OCV-SOC relationship.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein providing the baseline OCV-SOC relationship includes creating the baseline OCV-SOC relationship by: charging the battery beginning at a relatively low first SOC; when the SOC reaches the first SOC, measuring the battery parameters using the sensor array; discharging the battery after measuring the battery parameters at the first SOC; while discharging the battery from the first SOC, measuring the battery parameters using the sensor array; repeating charging and discharging of the battery and measuring the battery parameters using the sensor array for a plurality of progressively higher SOCs relative to the first SOC; and creating the baseline OCV-SOC relationship for the battery using the battery parameters for each respective SOC.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first SOC is 0%, and wherein each successive SOC of the progressively higher SOCs is selectable as a predetermined percentage step.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising: determining an internal resistance of the battery using the battery parameters; determining a numeric state of health (SOH) of the battery using the internal resistance of the battery; and executing the control action when the numeric SOH of the battery is less than a threshold SOH.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein executing the control action includes transmitting an SOH notice or message to an external device.
14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising: monitoring the SOC in real-time using an SOC monitoring unit while charging the battery, including performing a Coulomb counting process via the SOC monitoring unit.
15 . A battery electric system, comprising: a lithium battery connectable to a load; a sensor array configured to measure battery parameters of the battery, the sensor array including a voltage sensor operable for measuring a battery voltage, a current sensor operable for measuring a battery current, and a temperature sensor operable for measuring a battery temperature; and an electronic monitoring unit (EMU) in communication with the lithium battery and the sensor array, the EMU being configured to: provide a baseline open circuit voltage to state of charge (OCV-SOC) characteristic relationship; determine whether the lithium battery is in an open mode during which the lithium battery is not connected to the load; when the lithium battery is in the open mode, measure the battery parameters via the sensor array; generate an adjusted OCV-SOC characteristic relationship by adjusting an SOC quantity of the baseline OCV-SOC characteristic relationship using the battery parameters; and control operation of the lithium battery using the adjusted OCV-SOC characteristic relationship.
16 . The battery electric system of claim 15 , wherein the ECU is configured to: determine, using the battery parameters, an internal resistance of the battery for each of a plurality of SOC of the battery; and execute a control action based on the internal resistance of the battery.
17 . The battery electric system of claim 16 , wherein the ECU is configured to: determine a numeric state of health (SOH) of the battery using the internal resistance of the battery; and execute the control action when the numeric SOH of the battery is less than a threshold SOH.
18 . The battery electric system of claim 17 , wherein the control action includes transmitting an SOH notice to an external device indicative of the numeric SOH.
19 . The battery electric system of claim 17 , wherein the EMU is configured to monitor the SOC using an SOC monitoring unit while charging the lithium battery.
20 . The battery electric system of claim 19 , wherein the SOC monitoring unit is configured to monitor the SOC by performing a Coulomb counting process.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/717,491 filed Nov. 7, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. INTRODUCTION The present disclosure relates to electrical circuit topologies and control methods for monitoring parameters of electrochemical batteries for optimal control of the same. Electric vehicles, standby power supplies, power stations, and other mobile and stationary battery electric systems utilize rechargeable batteries as energy storage devices. The rechargeability and high energy storage capacities of lithium-based batteries in particular has led to their widespread adoption in a myriad of different industries. For example, lithium batteries are used to power electric motors in mobile and stationary battery electric systems, and to energize actuators, sensors, displays, and control circuits of a host of medical devices, industrial systems, and consumer products. Several types of lithium batteries are commercially available and in widespread use. A given application set may use, for instance, lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), lithium manganese oxide (LMO), or other lithium-ion or lithium-based batteries. Each lithium battery type has unique performance characteristics providing relative advantages and disadvantages over competing battery types. As a result, a given battery chemistry may be more or less suitable than others for use in a particular application. Accurate knowledge of the battery type's performance characteristics is thus required for proper selection, monitoring, and ultimate control of a battery for use in a battery electric circuit. However, once a battery is integrated into the battery electric system or other application set, the battery may be difficult to access and remove for the purpose of battery characterization. SUMMARY Disclosed herein are battery monitoring systems and automated methods for monitoring an electrochemical battery for use in a battery electric system. The strategy set forth herein autonomously characterizes a battery while it is in use, i.e., installed in the battery electric system. A battery profile for the installed battery is created in real-time in a possible implementation, without removing the battery and without waiting through an extended relaxation/settling time before ascertaining the battery's open circuit voltage (OCV). Instead, autonomous characterization is achieved via programming of an electronic battery monitoring unit (BMU), which updates the state of charge (SOC) of the battery with reference to a self-created OCV-SOC characteristic relationship, e.g., a table, curve, etc. In particular, an aspect of the present disclosure includes a system for characterizing a lithium battery of a battery electric system. The system includes a sensor array, a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (“memory”). The sensor array is configured to measure a temperature-specific battery voltage and battery current of the battery as battery parameters. Instructions are executable by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to create a baseline open circuit voltage to state of charge characteristic relationship (“OCV-SOC relationship”) during a sequence of charging and discharging modes of the battery. Instruction execution also causes the processor to determine, after creating and recording the baseline OCV-SOC relationship, whether the battery is in an open mode during which the battery is neither connected to a load nor charging. When the battery is in the open mode, the battery parameters are measured via the sensor array. An adjusted OCV-SOC relationship is generated by adjusting an SOC quantity of the baseline OCV-SOC relationship using the battery parameters. Execution of the instructions ultimately causes the processor to control an operation of the battery using the adjusted OCV-SOC relationship. A method is also disclosed for characterizing a battery of a battery electric system. An embodiment of the method includes providing or creating a baseline OCV-SOC relationship during a sequence of charging and discharging modes of the battery, and determining, after creating the baseline OCV-SOC relationship, whether the battery is in an open mode during which the battery is not connected to a load. When the battery is in the open mode, the method includes measuring the battery parameters via the sensor array, generating an adjusted OCV-SOC relationship by adjusting an SOC quantity of the baseline OCV-SOC relationship using the battery parameters, and controlling operation of the battery using the adjusted OCV-SOC relationship. Another aspect of the disclosure includes a battery electric system having a lithium battery, a load connectable to the lithium battery, a sensor array