Method of determining lifetime of electrical and mechanical components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022146588-A1
Application number	US-202117517249-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 2, 2021
Priority date	Nov 6, 2020
Publication date	May 12, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to systems and methods by which the lifetime, e.g., remaining life or amount of life used, of variable use items, such as rechargeable batteries, battery relays, vehicles and power tools, can be determined that takes into account the conditions of the use of the item. The systems and methods involve an algorithm that can be described as accumulating points based on the real time utilization of the item, e.g., rechargeable battery, battery relay, vehicle, or power tool, and when an agreed-upon number of points have been accumulated, the item can be considered to be at end of life or end of warranty.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of operating a rechargeable battery of a vehicle, comprising:
detecting state of charge swings during operation of the rechargeable battery; determining a first point value for each of the state of charge swings, the first point value being dependent on a magnitude of a swing of the respective state of charge swings; determining a temperature for each of the state of charge swings; determining a second point value for each of the state of charge swings, the second point value being dependent upon a magnitude of the temperature of the respective state of charge swings; determining a battery current for each of the state of charge swings; determining a third point value for each of the state of charge swings, the third point value being dependent upon a magnitude of the battery current of the respective state of charge swings; determining a fourth point value of each of the state of charge swings, the fourth point value being a product of the first point value, the second point value and the third point value of the respective state of charge swings; determining a first score for the rechargeable battery, the first score being a sum of the fourth point values for the state of charge swings; and correlating the first score to a remaining life value for the rechargeable battery.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying idle times of the vehicle; determining a duration of each of the identified idle times; assigning a fifth point value to each of the identified idle times, the fifth point value being dependent on the determined duration of the corresponding idle time; determining an idle time temperature of the rechargeable battery during each of the identified idles times; assigning a sixth point value to each of the identified idle times, the sixth point value being dependent on a magnitude of the idle time temperature during the corresponding idle time; determining a state of charge of the rechargeable battery during each of the identified idle times; assigning a seventh point value to each of the identified idle times, the seventh point value being dependent on a value of the state of charge during the corresponding idle time; determining a second score for the rechargeable battery, the second score being a sum of the seventh point values for the identified idle times; combining the first score and the second score to determine an overall score for the rechargeable battery; and correlating the overall score to the remaining life value for the rechargeable battery.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the idle times correspond to times when a key of the vehicle is in an off position.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a warranty for the rechargeable battery is modified based on the remaining life value.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a warranty for the rechargeable battery is modified based on the remaining life value.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining steps are performed by a control system for the rechargeable battery.

7 . A rechargeable battery system comprising:
a rechargeable battery; a sensor system configured to detect state of charge, a temperature, and a battery current of the rechargeable battery; and a control system configured to receive the state of charge, the temperature, and the battery current from the sensor system, the control system being configured to:
detect state of charge swings during operation of the rechargeable battery;
determine a first point value for each of the state of charge swings, the first point value being dependent on a magnitude of a swing of the respective state of charge swings;
determine the temperature of the rechargeable battery for each of the state of charge swings;
determine a second point value for each of the state of charge swings, the second point value being dependent upon a magnitude of the temperature of the respective state of charge swings;
determine the battery current of the rechargeable battery for each of the state of charge swings;
determine a third point value for each of the state of charge swings, the third point value being dependent upon a magnitude of the battery current for the respective state of charge swings;
determine a fourth point value of each of the state of charge swings, the fourth point value being a product of the first point value, the second point value and the third point value of the respective state of charge swings;
determine a first score for the rechargeable battery, the first score being a sum of the fourth point values for the state of charge swings; and
correlate the first score to a remaining life value for the rechargeable battery.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
identify idle times of the vehicle; determine a duration of each of the identified idle times; assign a fifth point value to each of the identified idle times, the fifth point value being dependent on the determined duration of the corresponding idle time; determine the temperature of the rechargeable battery during each of the identified idles times; assign a sixth point value to each of the identified idle times, the sixth point value being dependent on a magnitude of the temperature of the rechargeable battery during the corresponding idle time; determine a state of charge of the rechargeable battery during each of the identified idle times; assign a seventh point value to each of the identified idle times, the seventh point value being dependent on a value of the state of charge during the corresponding idle time; determine a second score for the rechargeable battery, the second score being a sum of the seventh point values for the identified idle times; combine the first score and the second score to determine an overall score for the rechargeable battery; and correlate the overall score to the remaining life value for the rechargeable battery.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the idle times correspond to times when a key of the vehicle is in an off position.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein a warranty for the rechargeable battery is modified based on the remaining life value.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein a warranty for the rechargeable battery is modified based on the remaining life value.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Kotik Mark

Classifications

• G01R31/3648

  comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm · CPC title

• H01H2071/044

  Monitoring, detection or measuring systems to establish the end of life of the switching device, can also contain other on-line monitoring systems, e.g. for detecting mechanical failures · CPC title

• H01H47/002

  Monitoring or fail-safe circuits · CPC title

• G01R31/392 Primary

  Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health · CPC title

• G05B23/0283 Primary

  Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] (preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06) · CPC title