Evaluating and exchanging batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11686709-B2
Application number	US-202117207930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2021
Priority date	Mar 22, 2021
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

A battery is subjected to ultrasound waves, and resulting re-emitted ultrasound waves are recorded. Based upon how the waves are distorted or reflected, a state of pores within the battery can be evaluated. This evaluation can be used to verify a rating of the battery included in received data regarding the battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving available battery data, wherein:
the available battery data includes a first rating of a first exchange battery; and
the first rating describes a state of pores in the first exchange battery;

verifying the state of pores of the first exchange battery via ultrasonic testing;
verifying a state of pores of a first owned battery via ultrasonic testing; and
determining, based on the available battery data, the verification of the state of pores of the first exchange battery, and the verification of the state of pores of the first owned battery, a first proposed exchange, wherein the first proposed exchange includes:
offering a first owned battery in exchange for the first exchange battery; and
performing the verification of the state of pores of the first exchange battery and the verification of the state of pores of the first owned battery prior to a decision to approve or reject the first proposed exchange.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verifying includes:
subjecting the first exchange battery to emitted ultrasonic waves;
recording ultrasonic waves re-emitted by the battery;
determining, based on the recorded ultrasonic waves, a pattern of the recorded ultrasonic waves;
comparing the pattern to a known pattern; and
evaluating, based on the comparing, the state of the pores.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the comparing is based on a machine learning model.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising exchanging, based on the verifying and on the first proposed exchange, the first owned battery for the first exchange battery.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rejecting, based on the verification of the state of pores of the first exchange battery and the verification of the state of pores of the first owned battery, the first proposed exchange.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising proposing a second proposed exchange of the first exchange battery and a second owned battery in response to the rejection of the first proposed exchange, wherein the second proposed exchange is based on the verification of the state of pores of the first exchange battery and a verification of the state of pores of the second owned battery.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising proposing a second proposed exchange of a second exchange battery and a second owned battery in response to the rejection of the first proposed exchange, wherein the second proposed exchange is based on a verification of the state of pores of the second exchange battery and a verification of the state of pores of the second owned battery.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving includes accessing a blockchain associated with the first exchange battery.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adding an entry to a blockchain associated with the first exchange battery, the entry based on the verifying.

10. A method, comprising:
emitting, via a speaker, first ultrasonic waves into a first exchange battery;
recording, via a microphone, first ultrasonic waves re-emitted by the first exchange battery;
determining a state of pores of the first exchange battery;
training, based on the first re-emitted ultrasonic waves and the state of the pores of the first exchange battery, a machine learning model;
determining a state of pores of a first owned battery via ultrasonic testing; and
determining, based on the verification of the state of pores of the first exchange battery and the verification of the state of pores of the first owned battery, a first proposed exchange, wherein the first proposed exchange includes:
offering a first owned battery in exchange for the first exchange battery; and
performing the verification of the state of pores of the first exchange battery and the verification of the state of pores of the first owned battery prior to a decision to approve or reject the first proposed exchange.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising identifying, based on the first re-emitted ultrasonic waves and the state of the pores of the first exchange battery, a baseline distortion of the first exchange battery.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
emitting, via the speaker, additional ultrasonic waves into a second battery, the second battery having a same model as the first exchange battery;
recording, via the microphone, additional ultrasonic waves re-emitted by the second battery;
comparing, based on the baseline distortion, the additional re-emitted ultrasonic waves to the additional ultrasonic waves; and
determining, based on the comparing, a state of pores of the second battery.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining includes visually evaluating the state of pores of the first exchange battery.

14. A system, comprising:
a memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:
receive available battery data, wherein:
the available battery data includes a first rating of a first exchange battery; and
the first rating describes a state of pores in the first exchange battery; and

verify the state of pores of the first exchange battery via ultrasonic testing;
verify a state of pores of a first owned battery via ultrasonic testing; and
determine, based on the available battery data, the verification of the state of pores of the first exchange battery, and the verification of the state of pores of the first owned battery, a first proposed exchange, wherein the first proposed exchange includes:
offering a first owned battery in exchange for the first exchange battery; and
performing the verification of the state of pores of the first exchange battery and the verification of the state of pores of the first owned battery prior to a decision to approve or reject the first proposed exchange.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the verifying includes:
subjecting, via a speaker, the first exchange battery to emitted ultrasonic waves;
recording, via a microphone, ultrasonic waves re-emitted by the battery; and
evaluating, based on the recorded ultrasonic waves, the state of the pores.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the evaluating is based on a machine learning model.

17. The system of claim 14 , further comprising exchanging, based on the verifying and on the first proposed exchange, the first owned battery for the first exchange battery.

18. The system of claim 14 , further comprising rejecting, based on the verification of the state of pores of the first exchange battery and the verification of the state of pores of the first owned battery, the first proposed exchange.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the receiving includes accessing a blockchain associated with the first exchange battery.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to add an entry to a blockchain associated with the first exchange battery, the entry based on the verifying.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Sundararajan Mukundan
• Mukhopadhyay Saikat
• Sarkar Sanmitra
• Nandi Sujay

Classifications

• G01N29/11 Primary

  by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N2291/2698

  Other discrete objects, e.g. bricks · CPC title

• G01N2291/044

  Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects · CPC title

• G01N29/043 Primary

  in the interior, e.g. by shear waves · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title