Method and apparatus for identifying battery pack types

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446680-B2
Application number	US-201414508691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2014
Priority date	Oct 7, 2014
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed for analyzing a vehicle battery system of a hybrid or electric vehicle that includes a battery pack and a battery controller. More specifically, a battery controller is disclosed for determining battery identification information of the battery pack based on a configuration of active and non-active pins in a connection module between the battery pack and the battery controller. It follows that the battery controller may identify the battery pack type in an efficient manner that does not require any additional components. The battery controller may further reference the battery identification to implement a battery operational strategy that may better realize an efficiency or durability of the identified battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery system comprising:
an interface receiving a connector and communicating with processor(s) configured to:
determine, based on received battery temperature signal(s), an arrangement of all active and inactive connector pins, all active pins directly communicating with battery cell temperature sensors;
identify a battery type by comparing the determined arrangement against preset database entries matching one arrangement with one battery type.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each arrangement entry includes at least two inactive pins.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each arrangement entry includes exactly two inactive pins.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each arrangement entry includes at least ten active pins and at least two inactive pins.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor(s) are further configured to:
control the battery system with an operational strategy based on the identified battery type.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Chen Elaine Y
• Callicoat Deborah E
• Bolduc Robert

Classifications

• H02J7/448

  using switches, contacts or markings, e.g. optical, magnetic or barcode · CPC title

• H02J7/485 Primary

  with provisions for charging different types of batteries · CPC title

• B60L58/10 Primary

  for monitoring or controlling batteries · CPC title

• Y10S903/907

  Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor · CPC title

• B60L58/21 Primary

  having the same nominal voltage · CPC title