Battery classification apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12248024-B2
Application number	US-202217925928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2022
Priority date	Jan 25, 2021
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

A battery classification apparatus includes a profile generating unit configured to obtain battery information about capacity and voltage of a battery and generate a differential profile representing a corresponding relationship between the capacity and a differential voltage based on the capacity and the voltage, and a control unit configured to obtain the differential profile from the profile generating unit, detect a plurality of peaks in the obtained differential profile, and classify the battery into any one of a plurality of preset groups based on a plurality of classification conditions preset for the number of the plurality of detected peaks and the differential voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery classification apparatus, comprising:
a controller; and
memory having programmed thereon instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause the processor to:
obtain a differential profile representing a relationship between a capacity of a battery and a differential voltage of the battery;
detect a plurality of peaks in the obtained differential profile;
determine whether the battery satisfies one or more of a plurality of preset classification conditions, wherein for each classification condition, satisfying the classification condition is based on a number of detected peaks in the obtained differential profile and the differential voltage associated with each detected peak; and
classify the battery into any one of a plurality of preset groups based on the preset classification conditions satisfied by the battery.

2. The battery classification apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of classification conditions include:
a first classification condition about whether any of the plurality of peaks in a first capacity region of the differential profile is associated with a differential voltage that is equal to or greater than a threshold value; and
a second classification condition about whether any of the plurality of peaks in a second capacity region of the differential profile is associated with a differential voltage that is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

3. The battery classification apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first capacity region and the second capacity region are based on a capacity at which a corresponding differential voltage is lowest within a predetermined capacity region of the differential profile.

4. The battery classification apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the instructions are configured to cause the controller to:
determine a target peak from among the plurality of peaks at which the differential voltage is greatest;
determine a first differential voltage based on the differential voltage of the determined target peak;
determine a second differential voltage based on a lowest differential voltage of the differential profile; and
set the threshold value to a greater one of (i) the first differential voltage or (ii) the second differential voltage.

5. The battery classification apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first differential voltage is smaller than the differential voltage of the target peak by a first reference value and the second differential voltage is greater than the lowest differential voltage by a second reference value.

6. The battery classification apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the instructions are configured to cause the controller to:
classify the battery into a first group in response to the battery satisfying both the first classification condition and the second classification condition; and
classify the battery into a second group in response to the battery not satisfying at least one of the first classification condition and the second classification condition.

7. The battery classification apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the instructions are configured to cause the controller to:
determine that the battery is a beginning of life (BOL) battery containing a graphite-based negative electrode material or a middle of life (MOL) battery containing a graphite-based negative electrode material based on classification of the battery into the first group; and
determine that the battery is a battery containing a non-graphite-based negative electrode material or an end of life (EOL) battery containing a graphite-based negative electrode material based on classification of the battery into the second group.

8. The battery classification apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the instructions are configured to cause the controller to:
determine that the battery is a reusable battery based on classification of the battery into the first group; and
determine that the battery is a non-reusable battery based on classification of the battery into the second group.

9. A battery pack, comprising the battery classification apparatus according to claim 1 .

10. A battery classification method, comprising:
obtaining, by a controller, a differential profile representing a corresponding relationship between a differential voltage of a battery and a capacity of the battery;
detecting, by the controller, a plurality of peaks in the differential profile; and
determining, by the controller, whether the battery satisfies one or more of a plurality of preset classification conditions, wherein for each classification condition, satisfying the classification condition is based on number of detected peaks in the obtained differential profile and the differential voltage associated with each detected peak; and
classifying, by the controller, the battery into any one of a plurality of preset groups based on the preset classification conditions satisfied by the battery.

Assignees

• Lg Energy Solution Ltd

Inventors

• Bae Yoon-Jung
• Cha A-Ming
• Park Hyun-Woo

Classifications

• H01M10/48

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• G01R31/396

  Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery · CPC title

• G01R19/16566

  Circuits and arrangements for comparing voltage or current with one or several thresholds and for indicating the result not covered by subgroups G01R19/16504, G01R19/16528, G01R19/16533 · CPC title

• G01R19/16542

  for batteries (charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36) · CPC title

• G01R31/382

  Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC · CPC title