US20250258240
2025-08-14
Physics
G01R31/389
The patent application discusses a novel detection system designed for battery packs, particularly focusing on diagnostics using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). This system includes monitoring devices that detect response signals from multiple battery cells when an EIS input signal is applied to the battery pack's terminals. A controller within the system is responsible for transmitting data about these response signals to an EIS device, which helps in identifying the specific battery cells generating each response.
Battery packs, often used in machines like electric vehicles, consist of numerous cells either in modular designs or integrated directly into the pack. Over time, these packs may degrade in performance but still hold potential for secondary applications. Diagnostic methods, such as EIS, are employed to assess the suitability of battery packs for such applications. Traditional EIS techniques lack the ability to provide cell-level diagnostics without disassembling the pack or testing cells individually, which is inefficient.
Previous methods, like those described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20220057350, focus on in-situ impedance analysis but are limited in scope. These methods require individual node controllers for each cell and are not applicable for offline testing of battery packs or those lacking such architectures. The current invention addresses these limitations by enabling cell-level diagnostics through a single input signal applied at the pack level.
The proposed system includes a housing containing multiple battery cells connected to external terminals. Monitoring devices within this system detect response signals from these cells when an EIS input signal is applied. A controller collects and transmits data about these signals to an EIS device, facilitating detailed analysis without disassembling the pack or testing cells individually.
This detection system can be implemented in any battery pack with multiple cells, commonly used in high-output applications like electric vehicles. It supports efficient and thorough diagnostics by allowing cell-level analysis without dismantling the pack or using individual node controllers for each cell. This approach enhances diagnostic efficiency and accuracy, addressing previous limitations in battery pack testing methodologies.