Systems and methods for intelligently charging battery cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018131204-A1
Application number	US-201715632232-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	Jun 23, 2016
Publication date	May 10, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery management system (BMS) connected to a battery is disclosed. The battery management system includes a battery status component configured to detect one or more parameters of the battery; a timer component configured to compute an amount of time needed to recharge the battery based on one or more of the parameters of the battery; and a scheme initiation component configured to determine an optimal time to begin charging based on the amount of time needed to recharge the battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery management system (BMS) connected to a battery comprising:
a battery status component configured to detect one or more parameters of the battery; a timer component configured to compute an amount of time needed to recharge the battery based on one or more of the parameters of the battery; and a scheme initiation component configured to determine an optimal time to begin charging based on the amount of time needed to recharge the battery.

2 . The BMS of claim 1 , further comprising a usage projection component configured to determine an output requirement of the battery.

3 . The BMS of claim 2 , wherein the usage projection component is further configured to receive information to be used for determining the output requirement.

4 . The BMS of claim 3 , wherein the information comprises one or more of GPS data, user-generated data, transaction data, historical travel data, calendar data, real-time or historical traffic data, weather data, road condition data, media data, vehicle data, charging station location data, battery capacity data, and number-of-passenger data.

5 . The BMS of claim 2 , wherein the usage projection component is connected to sources comprising one or more of a temperature sensor, pressure sensor, weight sensor, passenger sensor, GPS system, HAVC system, online source, and mobile device.

6 . The BMS of claim 1 , further comprising a scheme selection component configured to select among a plurality of charging schemes.

7 . The BMS of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of charging schemes comprising a normal charging scheme and an overcharging scheme, wherein the normal charging scheme allows the battery to be charged to a normal maximum voltage, and wherein the overcharging scheme allows the battery to be charged to a voltage above the normal maximum voltage.

8 . The BMS of claim 7 , wherein the scheme selection component is configured to select the overcharging scheme when it determines that the normal charging scheme is inadequate for an anticipated use of the battery.

9 . The BMS of claim 7 , wherein the timer component is configured to compute a total amount of time required to recharge the battery under the overcharging scheme when the scheme selection component selects the overcharging scheme.

10 . The BMS of claim 9 , wherein the timer component is further configured to estimate an amount of time the battery can sustain a voltage associated with the overcharging scheme.

11 . The BMS of claim 10 , wherein the scheme initiation component is configured to compute the optimal time using one or more of a departure time, total recharge time, and the estimated amount of time the battery can sustain the voltage associated with the overcharging scheme.

12 . The BMS of claim 1 , further comprising a charge shedding component configured to draw charge out of the battery.

13 . The BMS of claim 12 , wherein the charge shedding component is configured to draw charge when the battery is charged to an overcharge level and remain at the overcharge level for at least a tolerable hold time.

14 . The BMS of claim 12 , wherein the charge shedding component is configured to draw charge out of the battery by turning on one or more vehicle systems.

15 . The BMS of claim 12 , wherein the charge shedding component is configured to stop drawing charge out of the battery when the battery reaches a normal maximum level.

16 . A method of managing a battery comprising:
obtaining a future usage of the battery; computing anticipated energy needs based on the future usage; selecting an overcharge scheme based on the anticipated energy needs; estimating a first start time that minimizes a period of time during which the battery is held at an overcharge level; and initiating charging the battery at a second start time prior to the first start time.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising initiating energy shedding when the battery is not used when anticipated.

Assignees

• Faraday&Future Inc

Inventors

• Weicker Phillip John
• Velev Omourtag Alexandrov
• Paryani Anil

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/64

  against overvoltage · CPC title

• H02J7/61

  against overcharge · CPC title

• H02J2007/0037

  Electricity · mapped topic