Optical fiber contourgraph for early damage warning

Abstract

Example apparatus, methods, and computer program products are provided for detecting changes (e.g., deformations) in a surface using optical fibers. The example apparatus may include an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on a surface in a two-dimensional pattern. An illumination source is positioned at a first end of the optical fiber and is configured to emit a light output into the first end of the optical fiber. A first optical receiver is also positioned at the first end of the optical fiber, configured to receive reflected light. The apparatus may include a second optical receiver configured to receive transmitted light at the second end of the optical fiber. A change in the surface is detected based at least in part on the reflected light and the transmitted light.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to detecting deformations in surfaces, and more particularly, to using optical fibers to detect deformations in surfaces to provide early warning of damage to the surfaces. Background Art

[0002] Applicants have recognized the many technical challenges and difficulties associated with using optical fibers to detect deformations in surfaces. Through hard work, ingenuity, and innovation, Applicants have solved the problems associated with using optical fibers to detect deformations in surfaces by developing solutions embodied in the present disclosure, which are described in detail below. Summary of the invention

[0003] Various embodiments relate to example devices, methods, and computer program products for detecting changes (e.g., deformations) in a surface using an optical fiber. An example device is provided. In some embodiments, the example device may include an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on a surface. The device may also include an illumination source configured to emit a light output into the first end of the optical fiber. The device may also include a first optical receiver configured to receive reflected light at the first end of the optical fiber. In addition, in some embodiments, the device may include a second optical receiver configured to receive transmitted light at the second end of the optical fiber. The changes in the surface are detected based at least in part on the reflected light and the transmitted light.

[0004] In some embodiments, the optical fibers are disposed on the surface in a two-dimensional pattern.

[0005] In some embodiments, the two-dimensional location of the change in the surface is determined.

[0006] In some embodiments, the first optical receiver is configured to determine a backscatter pattern, wherein the second optical receiver is configured to determine a forward scatter pattern.

[0007] In some embodiments, the two-dimensional location of the change in the surface is determined based on the time difference between the backscatter pattern change and the forward scatter pattern change.

[0008] In some embodiments, the change in the surface is a deformation of the surface.

[0009] In some implementations, the magnitude of the deformation of the surface is determined based at least in part on at least one of the transmitted light and the reflected light.

[0010] In some embodiments, a three-dimensional model of the surface is generated based at least in part on the transmitted light and the reflected light.

[0011] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional model includes the two-dimensional locations of the changes in the surface and the magnitudes of the changes in the surface.

[0012] In some embodiments, the surface comprises at least a portion of a battery housing.

[0013] In some embodiments, a hazardous battery condition is determined based at least in part on a change in the surface.

[0014] In some embodiments, the illumination source is a laser diode configured to emit laser pulses.

[0015] An example method is also provided. In some embodiments, the example method may include transmitting, by an illumination source, a light output into a first end of an optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on a surface. The example method may also include receiving reflected light at a first optical receiver positioned at the first end of the optical fiber. In some embodiments, the example method may include receiving transmitted light at a second optical receiver positioned at a second end of the optical fiber; and detecting a change in the surface based at least in part on the reflected light and the transmitted light.

[0016] In some embodiments, the optical fibers are disposed on the surface in a two-dimensional pattern.

[0017] In some embodiments, the example method also includes determining a two-dimensional location of the change in the surface.

[0018] In some embodiments, the example method may further include receiving a backscatter pattern at a first optical receiver; and receiving a forward scatter pattern at a second optical receiver.

[0019] In some embodiments, determining the two-dimensional location of the change in the surface further comprises determining a time difference between a change in the backscatter pattern and a change in the forward scatter pattern.

[0020] In some embodiments, the surface comprises at least a portion of a battery housing.

[0021] In some embodiments, the method may further include determining a hazardous battery condition based at least in part on the change in the surface.

[0022] A computer program product for detecting changes in a surface is also provided. In some embodiments, the computer program product may include at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program code portion stored thereon, the computer-readable program code portion including an executable portion configured to: cause an illumination source to transmit a light output into a first end of an optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on a surface. In some embodiments, the executable portion may be further configured to receive a reflected photoelectric signal representing reflected light received at a first optical receiver positioned at the first end of the optical fiber. The executable portion may be further configured to receive a transmitted photoelectric signal representing transmitted light received at a second optical receiver positioned at the second end of the optical fiber. The executable portion may be further configured to detect changes in the surface based at least in part on the reflected photoelectric signal and the transmitted photoelectric signal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Reference will now be made to the drawings. In certain embodiments described herein, components illustrated in the drawings may or may not be present. Some embodiments may include fewer (or more) components than those shown in the drawings according to example embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 1 An example block diagram of an example fiber profiler according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 2 An example embodiment of a fiber optic profiler on a surface is shown according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B An exploded view of an example battery housing tray and an example battery housing tray including a fiber optic pattern according to example embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0027] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B An exploded view of an example battery housing and an example battery housing including a fiber optic pattern according to example embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0028] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B An example battery housing and a cross-sectional view of an example battery housing are shown according to example embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 6 A close up view of a cross section of an example battery housing is shown according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 7 Example embodiments of optical fiber patterns according to example embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0031] Figure 8An example block diagram of an example sensing interferometer used according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0032] Fig. 9 An example block diagram of a computing component of an example controller according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0033] Fig.10 An example three-dimensional model of a surface generated according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] Fig.11 A flow chart of an example method for detecting changes in a surface according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is depicted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Example embodiments will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Indeed, embodiments of the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0036] Various example embodiments address technical issues associated with using optical fibers to detect changes and / or deformations in surfaces. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates, there are many example scenarios in which using optical fibers to detect changes in surfaces may be useful. For example, deformation of one or more surfaces of a battery housing may be an indication of a hazardous battery condition such as thermal runaway.

[0037] Typically, batteries (e.g., lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, etc.) can undergo chemical reactions within the battery cells to supply power to various devices. Devices that require a lot of power (such as electric vehicles) may contain tens, hundreds, or even hundreds of battery cells within a battery housing.

[0038] In some cases, the movement of electrons and lithium ions in the battery cells can generate gases and heat faster than the battery housing can dissipate the generated gases and heat. Excessive gases and heat may cause pressure to build up within the battery housing. In some cases, a dangerous condition in a single battery cell (such as an uncontrollable temperature increase) may have an adverse effect on adjacent battery cells within the battery housing. Ultimately, the battery cells and / or battery pack may burn or explode, resulting in an extremely dangerous condition. The battery pack may progress rapidly to the decay stage, providing little time to detect and mitigate the dangerous condition before the chain reaction becomes irreversible.

[0039] In some cases, expansion or deformation of the battery housing can be caused by stress and abuse of the battery cell. Sometimes, such abuse may be immediate and obvious, for example, a battery cell on an electric vehicle may be punctured or ruptured by flying debris. In other cases, the abuse may occur over an extended period of time. For example, overcharging, overdischarging, exposure to high and low temperatures, and / or physical damage to the battery cell over an extended period of time may affect the internal operation of the battery cell, causing the battery housing to expand or deform. Due to the hidden nature of many of these factors and the sudden onset of dangerous battery conditions, it may be difficult to predict and / or detect dangerous battery conditions before they are too late.

[0040] The onset of a hazardous battery condition may precede various stages of battery degradation, resulting in physical changes to the battery enclosure. For example, battery cells may undergo electrolysis, electrolyte evaporation, venting, and other events that result in increased pressure and heat within the battery enclosure. Detecting deformation in the battery enclosure may provide an early indication of a hazardous battery condition, enabling mitigation actions to be employed in response to the condition.

[0041] Some current battery monitoring systems may utilize various sensors in close proximity to the battery cells to determine the condition of the battery cells based on the physical properties of the environment in and around the battery housing. For example, a temperature sensor may be placed on or near the surface of the battery cell. When the temperature measurement exceeds a predetermined maximum operating temperature, the battery monitoring system may issue a warning or alarm. Similarly, a pressure sensor may be placed on or near the surface of the battery cell and may be configured to transmit an alarm when the pressure within the battery pack exceeds a predetermined maximum operating temperature. Detection systems utilizing temperature sensors and pressure sensors are typically expensive and may be difficult to configure within the confines of a battery pack. In addition, temperature and pressure sensors may not provide an indication of a dangerous battery condition until the onset of the dangerous battery condition is irreversible.

[0042] Various example embodiments described herein utilize various techniques to detect changes in a surface (e.g., a battery housing surface) using an optical fiber. For example, in some embodiments, an illumination source may emit a light output in a first end of an optical fiber. The optical fiber may be positioned on a surface and patterned to substantially cover the surface. Due to irregularities in the optical fiber, stretching / compression of the optical fiber, bending / bending in the optical fiber, and other physical conditions of the optical fiber, a portion of the light output may be reflected back (e.g., reflected light) to the first end of the optical fiber. An optical receiver may be positioned at the first end of the optical fiber to receive the reflected light and record a backscattering pattern (e.g., a pattern of light received at a photodiode).

[0043] Similarly, a portion of the light output may be transmitted through the optical fiber (eg, transmitted light) and received at an optical receiver positioned at the second end of the optical fiber. The optical receiver positioned at the second end of the optical fiber may record the forward scatter pattern.

[0044] Where the physical structure of the optical fibre changes due to deformation of the surface to which it is attached, the backscatter pattern and / or the forward scatter pattern may change.The change in the scatter pattern may be used to determine the location and magnitude of the deformation.

[0045] For example, in some embodiments, the backscattering pattern and the forward scattering pattern can be monitored by a controller. In the case of deformation in the surface, strain occurs in the optical fiber. The strain in the optical fiber can cause changes in both the forward scattering pattern and the backscattering pattern. By continuously monitoring both the forward scattering pattern and the backscattering pattern, the controller can determine the time when the forward scattering pattern and the backscattering pattern change due to the deformation. The controller can then compare the time when the forward scattering pattern changes relative to the backscattering pattern. The difference in time can be used to accurately locate the position of the strain in the optical fiber, and therefore accurately locate the deformation on the attached surface. By utilizing the changes in time relative to each other, unmodified off-the-shelf optical fibers can be used to provide accurate locations. Utilizing unmodified off-the-shelf optical fibers enables larger surfaces to be covered at a lower cost.

[0046] As a result of the example embodiments described herein and in some examples, the effectiveness of deformation detection using optical fiber can be greatly improved. In addition, using unmodified optical fiber to perform accurate strain detection within the optical fiber can reduce the manufacturing complexity and overall cost of deformation detection on the surface.

[0047] Reference now Figure 1 , an example fiber profiler 100 is provided. Figure 1 As depicted, the example fiber profiler 100 includes an optical fiber pattern 102 (e.g., an optical sensing fiber) optically coupled to an illumination source 104 and a first optical receiver 106 at a source end 102a, and optically coupled to a second optical receiver 108 at a terminal end 102b. The illumination source 104 is configured to emit a light output 112 into the optical fiber pattern 102 such that a transmitted light 116 is received at the second optical receiver 108, and a reflected light 114 is received at the first optical receiver 106. A reference signal 118 is further transmitted from the illumination source 104 to the first optical receiver 106. Figure 1As further depicted, the controller 110 is electrically connected to the first optical receiver 106 and is configured to receive a reflected photoelectric signal 120 associated with the reflected light 114 received at the first optical receiver 106. The controller 110 is also electrically connected to the second optical receiver 108 and is configured to receive a transmitted photoelectric signal 122 associated with the transmitted light 116 received at the second optical receiver 108.

[0048] like Figure 1 As depicted, the example fiber profiler 100 includes a fiber pattern 102. The fiber pattern 102 is any length of optical fiber that is configured to receive a light output 112 at a source end 102a and transmit the light output 112 to a terminal 102b through an optically transmissive medium. The fiber pattern 102 is attached to a surface (e.g., Figure 2 ), such that the changes in the surface compress and / or stretch the fiber pattern 102. The optical fibers comprising the fiber pattern 102 may include optically coupled knots, obscurations, and / or other irregularities that cause a portion of the light output 112 traveling through the fiber pattern 102 to be reflected toward the source end 102a of the fiber pattern 102.

[0049] The reflected light 114 generates a backscattering pattern. A scattering pattern (e.g., a speckle pattern) is a light output pattern formed by constructive and destructive interference of light waves as the light travels through the optical fiber pattern 102. The scattering pattern is determined by various structures within the optical fiber. The scattering pattern can be used to determine changes in the optical fiber structure of the optical fiber pattern 102. For example, changes occur due to compression and / or stretching of the optical fiber.

[0050] In addition, a portion of the light output 112 is transmitted through the optically transmissive medium including the optical fiber pattern 102 and is received at the terminal 102b. The transmitted light 116, when received by the second optical receiver 108, generates a forward scattering pattern.

[0051] In some embodiments, the optical fiber pattern 102 may include unmodified, off-the-shelf optical fibers. Unmodified optical fibers do not have any intentional structures, such as fiber Bragg gratings or other optical structures. However, unmodified optical fibers include certain anomalies inherent in the optical fiber manufacturing process.

[0052] like Figure 1As further depicted, the example fiber profiler 100 includes an illumination source 104. The illumination source 104 is any single light source or array of light sources configured to generate a light output 112 that is configured to be at least partially transmitted through an optical fiber (e.g., the optical fiber pattern 102). The illumination source 104 can be any semiconductor, diode, or other photon emitting structure configured to generate a laser light output 112. The illumination source 104 can be configured to generate a light output 112 at a specific wavelength or spectrum of wavelengths. For example, the illumination source 104 can be configured to generate a light output 112 having a wavelength between 780 nanometers and 2200 nanometers. In some embodiments, the illumination source 104 can be a laser diode.

[0053] like Figure 1 As further depicted, the illumination source 104 is further configured to transmit a reference signal 118 to the first optical receiver 106. The reference signal 118 is a portion of the light output 112. The reference signal 118 can be created by transmitting the light output 112 through an optical beam splitter. The reference signal 118 can be used to compare the light output 112 to the reflected light 114.

[0054] like Figure 1 As further depicted, the example fiber profiler 100 includes a first optical receiver 106 and a second optical receiver 108. The optical receivers 106, 108 are any device, sensor, photodiode, or other structure that generates a current (e.g., a reflected photoelectric signal 120, a transmitted photoelectric signal 122) corresponding to the light received at the optical receiver 106 (e.g., reflected light 114, transmitted light 116). The optical receivers 106, 108 may include an array of pixels, each pixel configured to convert photons into a current. The optical receivers 106, 108 may be configured to capture a scattering pattern or speckle pattern by converting the intensity of the light received at each pixel of the optical receivers 106, 108 into a current. In some embodiments, the example optical receivers 106, 108 may be configured to generate a current (e.g., a reflected photoelectric signal 120, a transmitted photoelectric signal 122) that includes a collection or array of intensities that form a scattering pattern for the corresponding optical receivers 106, 108.

[0055] like Figure 1As further depicted, the example fiber profiler 100 includes a controller 110. The controller 110 is any computing device that is electrically connected to the first optical receiver 106 and the second optical receiver 108 and is configured to receive the reflected photoelectric signal 120 and the transmitted photoelectric signal 122 and detect changes in the corresponding surfaces based on the received electrical signals. The controller 110 may utilize the intensity of light received at the first optical receiver 106 and the second optical receiver 108 to determine the magnitude or height of the deformation. For example, a deformation having a large magnitude or height may significantly change the fiber pattern 102 on the attached surface. Thus, a sharp change in the scattering pattern may indicate a significant expansion of the attached surface. Similarly, significant losses and / or reflections in the optical fiber may be an indicative marker of the magnitude of the change and / or deformation. Figure 8 An example controller 110 architecture is further described.

[0056] In addition to determining the magnitude (e.g., height) of the deformation, the controller 110 may also utilize the reflected photoelectric signal 120 and the transmitted photoelectric signal 122 to determine the location of one or more deformations in the attached surface. In some embodiments, the controller 110 may determine the location of the one or more deformations based on the time difference between the changes in the forward scattered pattern and the back scattered pattern. Figure 2 Determination of the precise location of one or more deformations on the attached surface is further described.

[0057] Reference now Figure 2 , an example fiber profiler 200 is provided. Figure 2 As depicted, the example fiber profiler 200 includes a fiber pattern 202 attached to a surface 224. The fiber pattern 202 is configured to receive light output 212 from an optically coupled illumination source 204 through a fiber coupler 228 at a source end 202a of the fiber pattern 202. A portion of the light output 212 is transmitted through the fiber pattern 202 and is received as transmitted light 216 by an optically coupled second optical receiver 208 at a terminal 202b of the fiber pattern 202. Figure 2 As further depicted, a portion of the light output 212 is reflected back to the source end 202a of the optical fiber pattern 202 and received by the optically coupled first optical receiver 206 as reflected light 214. Figure 2 As shown, both the first optical receiver 206 and the illumination source 204 are optically coupled to the optical fiber pattern 202 by a fiber coupler 228 . Figure 2 Also shown is a deformation 226 in the surface 224 to which the optical fiber pattern 202 is attached.

[0058] like Figure 2As depicted, the example fiber profiler 200 is attached to a surface 224. The surface 224 may include any area, shape, material, or structure to which the fiber pattern 202 may be attached such that the light output 212 may be transmitted through the fiber pattern 202. Figure 2 224 may include any shape or structure. In some embodiments, surface 224 may be a surface of a battery case, package, pack, or housing. In such cases, deformations on surface 224 (e.g., deformation 226) may be an indication of a potentially dangerous battery condition, such as pressure buildup in the interior of the battery compartment, overheating on or around the battery, and / or the onset of a thermal runaway event.

[0059] like Figure 2 As further depicted, attached surface 224 includes deformation 226. Deformation 226 is any anomaly, protrusion, depression, twist, warp, bend, or other change in the physical structure of surface 224. Because fiber profiler 200 is configured to detect changes in surface 224, any change to surface 224 may be detected as deformation 226.

[0060] As about Figure 1 As depicted, the fiber profiler 200 is configured to determine the location of any deformation 226 on the attached surface 224. During operation, the fiber profiler 100 can transmit the light output 212 through the fiber pattern 202 in pulses or continuously as a continuous light source. A controller (e.g., such as Figure 1 The depicted controller 110) continuously receives the scattering pattern via each of the electrical signals (e.g., the reflected photoelectric signal 120 and the transmitted photoelectric signal 122). Changes in the scattering pattern due to deformation 226 in the attached surface 224 can cause changes in the scattering pattern. Based on when the change in the scattering pattern is detected at the first optical receiver 206 and the second optical receiver 208, a position within the optical fiber pattern 202 can be determined.

[0061] For example, generally speaking, where a change in the scattering pattern is first detected in a backscattering pattern received at the first optical receiver 206, the deformation is in a first half of the optical fiber pattern 202. Similarly, where a change in the scattering pattern is first detected in a forward scattering pattern received at the second optical receiver 208, the deformation is in a second half of the optical fiber pattern 202. Furthermore, where a change in the scattering pattern is detected at both the first optical receiver 206 and the second optical receiver 208 at exactly the same time, the deformation is in the exact middle of the optical fiber pattern 202.

[0062] By these general principles, the precise location within the optical fiber pattern 202 can be determined. For example, the precise location of a deformation along the length (L) of the optical fiber comprising the optical fiber pattern 202 can be determined using an equation similar to the following:

[0063]

[0064] where d DEF is the distance along the length of the fiber pattern 202 to the deformation 226, L is the length of the fiber pattern 202, and t 终端 is the time at which a change in the forward scattering pattern is detected at the terminal 202b of the optical fiber pattern 202, t 源端 is the time at which a change in the backscattering pattern is detected at the source end 202a of the optical fiber pattern 202, and t 总 is the total time that the light output 212 travels through the optical fiber pattern 202 .

[0065] As a specific example, the total time (t 总 ) is 25 nanoseconds (note that in a typical optical fiber with a refractive index of 1.5, light travels 1.5 times slower), and in the case where the change in the scattering pattern is detected at the first optical receiver 206 five nanoseconds before the change in the scattering pattern is detected at the second optical receiver 208, the controller may determine that the position of the deformation 226 is:

[0066]

[0067] The above equation indicates that the deformation is 1.88 meters from the source end of the fiber pattern 202. With the layout of the fiber pattern 202 on the attached surface 224 known, the precise two-dimensional location of the deformation 226 can be determined.

[0068] By determining the precise location of the deformation 226 on the attached surface based on the relative arrival times of the changes in the forward scattering pattern and the changes in the backscattering pattern, simple, low-cost components can be used. Using two data points to accurately determine the location of the deformation 226 (both of which are determined using low-cost components) negates the large standard error of each of the components in the overall result. Therefore, ultra-precise, expensive optical receivers and illumination sources are not required.

[0069] In some embodiments, the position may be determined using a single optical receiver positioned at the source end 202a or the terminal end 202b of the optical fiber pattern 102. In such cases, the precise location of the deformation 226 may be determined based on changes in the scattering pattern detected at one end of the optical fiber pattern. Figure 7 An example fiber profiler 100 utilizing a single optical receiver is further described.

[0070] Reference now FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B , an example battery housing tray 330 including an optical fiber pattern 302 is provided. Figure 3A and Figure 3B As depicted, the fiber pattern 302 of the example fiber profiler is attached to the surface 324 of the battery housing 332. Figure 3A and Figure 3B As further depicted in , the optical fiber pattern 302 is attached to the surface 324 using an adhesive layer 334 .

[0071] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the optical fiber pattern 302 is attached to the surface 324 of the battery housing 332. The battery housing 332 can be any structure, packaging, housing and / or bin for enclosing and / or protecting the internal components of the battery. The battery housing 332 may also define a space or bin in which the internal battery components and / or battery cells can be arranged. In some embodiments, the battery housing 332 may include aluminum, steel or other metals; plastic and / or reinforced plastic; or any other material capable of protecting the internal components of the battery pack. In some embodiments, the battery housing 332 may provide a structure for supporting, attaching and / or separating the battery cells, as well as the wiring and / or other internal components of the battery pack. Today, many electric vehicles have begun to arrange a large number of battery cells into a battery housing 332 that is integrated as part of the body of the electric vehicle. This technology is largely known as battery chassis integration technology. Due to mechanical, electrical and / or thermal stress and abuse, such battery arrangements may be particularly prone to dangerous battery conditions, such as thermal runaway and / or eventual combustion. By attaching the fiber optic pattern 302 to one or more surfaces 324 of the battery housing 332, deformations in the battery housing 332 may be detected, indicating the onset of a hazardous battery condition.

[0072] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As further depicted in FIG. 3 , the optical fiber pattern 302 is attached to the surface 324 of the battery housing 332 using an adhesive layer 334. The adhesive layer 334 is any substance, structure, or device used to attach the optical fiber pattern 302 to the surface 324 of the battery housing 332. The optical fiber pattern 302 is attached to the surface 324 so that if the surface 324 changes and / or deforms, the optical fiber pattern also deforms. The stretching and / or compression of the optical fiber pattern 302 caused by the deformation on the surface 324 causes changes in the forward scattering pattern and the backward scattering pattern of the optical fiber output (e.g., the light output 112, 212) traveling through the optical fiber pattern 302.

[0073] See now FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B , an example battery pack 440 is provided. Figure 4AAs depicted, example battery pack 440 includes a battery housing 432 and a battery cover 442 that completely enclose the internal components of battery pack 440 .

[0074] like Figure 4B As further depicted in , the example battery pack 440 includes a plurality of battery cells 444 positioned within a battery housing 432. The battery cell 444 may be any electrochemical device that generates electrical energy using a chemical reaction. The chemical reaction within the battery cell 444 may involve the transfer of ions between a positively charged electrode (cathode) and a negatively charged electrode (anode). When the battery cell 444 provides power to a load, the flow of electrons from the anode to the cathode generates a current that flows from the cathode to the anode. The battery cell may contain any of a variety of chemical compositions (e.g., lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide, lithium-iron phosphate, etc.). The battery cell 444 that promotes such a chemical reaction may be affected by a variety of dangerous battery conditions, causing the battery housing 432 and / or the battery cover 442 to deform. For example, the battery cell 444 may generate excessive heat and / or gas, causing a sudden increase in pressure within the battery pack 440.

[0075] like Figure 4B As further depicted in FIG. 4 , the optical fiber pattern 402 may be attached to the bottom surface 424 of the battery housing 432 within the battery housing tray 430 using an adhesive layer 434. Thus, any deformation caused by the battery cells 444 or otherwise may induce stress and / or compression in the optical fiber pattern 402. Detecting deformation may enable detection of a hazardous battery condition.

[0076] Reference now FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B , provides an example battery pack 540 and a cross-sectional view of the battery pack 540. Figure 5A As depicted, example battery pack 540 includes a battery housing 532 and a battery cover 542 that completely enclose the internal components of battery pack 540 .

[0077] like Figure 5B As further depicted in FIG. 5 , the fiber optic pattern 502 is attached to the surface 524 of the battery cover 542 by an adhesive layer 534. A plurality of battery cells 544 are also shown adjacent to the fiber optic pattern 502 within a common interior compartment formed by the battery housing 532 and the battery cover 542.

[0078] See now Figure 6 , provides a close-up view of a cross section of an example battery pack 640. Figure 6 As depicted, battery housing 632 and battery cover 642 may form a housing surrounding a plurality of battery cells 644. Figure 6As further depicted in FIG. 6 , the optical fiber pattern 602 is attached to a surface 624 of a battery housing 632 proximate to a plurality of battery cells 644 using an adhesive layer 634. Any deformation in the surface 624 or any other change in the surface 624 due to degradation of the battery cells 644 can be detected by the strain imposed on the attached optical fiber pattern 602.

[0079] Reference now Figure 7 , an alternative optical fiber pattern 702 is provided. Figure 7 As depicted, a single end of an optical fiber including optical fiber pattern 702 is accessible. In such embodiments, light output 712 can be transmitted into the exposed end. In such embodiments, the location of any deformation can be determined based on the time at which a change in the backscattering pattern (evidenced by reflected light 714) is detected.

[0080] Although not in Figure 7 , but in some embodiments, the fiber profiler may include a single optical receiver (e.g., optical receiver 108, 208) optically coupled to the exposed terminal end of the fiber pattern. In such embodiments, the location of any deformation can be determined based on the time at which a change in the forward scattering pattern (as evidenced by transmitted light) is detected.

[0081] See now Figure 8 , provides a detailed example of the sensing interferometer 880. In some embodiments, the sensing interferometer 880 can be utilized at the source end 802a of the optical fiber pattern 802. Figure 8 As depicted, sensing interferometer 880 receives light output 812 of one or more frequencies, for example, from a tunable laser source (e.g., illumination source 804). Sensing interferometer 880 includes a first coupler 884 configured to transmit a portion of light output 812 as a measurement signal 886 and a portion of light output 812 as a reference signal 888. Measurement signal 886 is transmitted to circulator 890. Figure 8 As depicted, the circulator 890 includes three ports 890a-890c. The circulator 890 is configured to receive the measurement signal 886 at a first port 890a and output the measurement signal 886 as an optical output 812 at a second port 890b, which is optically coupled to a source end 802a of the optical fiber pattern 802. Figure 8 As further depicted in FIG. 8 , the circulator 890 is configured to receive reflected light at a second port 890 b and output reflected light 814 on a third port 890 c.

[0082] like Figure 8As further depicted in FIG. 8 , the sensing interferometer 880 includes a second coupler 892 configured to receive a reference signal 888 and the reflected light 814. The coupler 892 in combination with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) can generate a scattering pattern and / or determine a change in the scattering pattern by comparing the reflected light 814 to the reference signal 888. In some embodiments, the scattering pattern can be detected using an array sensor without the reference signal 888.

[0083] Fig. 9 An example controller 110 is shown in accordance with at least some example embodiments of the present disclosure. The controller 110 includes a processor 902, an input / output circuit 904, a data storage medium 906, a communication circuit 908, a source receiver circuit 910, and a terminal receiver circuit 912. In some embodiments, the controller 110 is configured to use one or more of the circuit groups 902, 904, 906, 908, 910, and / or 912 to perform and perform the operations described herein.

[0084] Although these components are described with respect to functional limitations, it should be understood that specific implementations necessarily include the use of specific computing hardware. It should also be understood that in some embodiments, certain components described herein include similar or common hardware. For example, two circuit groups can each utilize the use of the same processor, network interface, storage medium, etc. to perform their associated functions, such that each circuit group does not require duplicate hardware. Therefore, it should be understood that the use of the term "circuit" as used herein with respect to components of the apparatus described herein includes specific hardware configured to perform the functions associated with the specific circuits described herein.

[0085] In particular, the term "circuit" should be broadly understood to include hardware, and in some embodiments, software for configuring hardware. For example, in some embodiments, a "circuit" includes processing circuits, storage media, network interfaces, input / output devices, etc. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, other elements of the controller 110 provide or supplement the functionality of other specific circuit groups. For example, in some embodiments, the processor 902 provides processing functionality to any of the circuit groups, the data storage medium 906 provides storage functionality to any of the circuit groups, the communication circuit 908 provides network interface functionality to any of the circuit groups, etc.

[0086] In some embodiments, the processor 902 (and / or a co-processor or any other processing circuitry assisting the processor or otherwise associated with the processor) communicates with the data storage medium 906 via a bus for transferring information between components of the controller 110. In some embodiments, for example, the data storage medium 906 is non-transitory and may include, for example, one or more volatile memories and / or non-volatile memories. In other words, for example, in some embodiments, the data storage medium 906 includes or embodies an electronic storage device (e.g., a computer-readable storage medium). In some embodiments, the data storage medium 906 is configured to store information, data, content, applications, instructions, etc. for enabling the controller 110 to perform various functions according to example embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0087] The processor 902 can be embodied in a number of different ways. For example, in some example embodiments, the processor 902 includes one or more processing devices that are configured to execute independently. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the processor 902 includes one or more processors that are configured in series via a bus to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining, and / or multithreading. The use of the terms "processor" and "processing circuit" should be understood to include a single-core processor, a multi-core processor, multiple processors within the controller 110, and / or one or more remote or "cloud" processors outside the controller 110.

[0088] In an example embodiment, the processor 902 is configured to execute instructions stored in the data storage medium 906 or otherwise accessible to the processor. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the processor 902 is configured to execute hard-coded functionality. Therefore, whether configured by hardware methods or software methods, or by a combination thereof, the processor 902 represents an entity (e.g., physically embodied in circuit form) capable of performing operations according to embodiments of the present disclosure while being configured accordingly. Alternatively or additionally, as another example, in some example embodiments, when the processor 902 is embodied as an executor of software instructions, the instructions specifically configure the processor 902 to perform the algorithms embodied in the specific operations described herein when executing such instructions.

[0089] As a specific example embodiment, the processor 902 is configured to perform various operations associated with detecting changes (e.g., deformations) on a surface. In some embodiments, the processor 902 includes hardware, software, firmware, and / or a combination thereof that receives a reflected optoelectronic signal (e.g., reflected optoelectronic signal 120) corresponding to reflected light (e.g., reflected light 114, 214) received at a first optical receiver (e.g., optical receiver 106, 206) positioned at a source end of an optical fiber (e.g., optical fiber pattern 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802). Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the processor 902 includes hardware, software, firmware, and / or a combination thereof to receive a transmission optoelectronic signal (e.g., transmission optoelectronic signal 122) corresponding to transmitted light (e.g., transmitted light 116, 216) received at a second optical receiver (e.g., optical receiver 108, 208) positioned at a terminal of an optical fiber (e.g., optical fiber pattern 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802). Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the processor 902 includes hardware, software, firmware, and / or a combination thereof to detect a change in a surface based at least in part on reflected light and transmitted light.

[0090] In some embodiments, controller 110 includes input / output circuit 904, which provides output to the user, and in some embodiments, receives the indication of user input. In some embodiments, input / output circuit 904 communicates with processor 902 to provide such functionality. Input / output circuit 904 may include one or more user interfaces (e.g., user interface), and in some embodiments includes a display, which includes an interface presented as a web user interface, an application user interface, a user device, or a back-end system, etc. Processor 902 and / or the input / output circuit 904 including the processor may be configured to control one or more functions of one or more user interface elements by computer program instructions (e.g., software and / or firmware) stored in a processor-accessible memory (e.g., data storage medium 906, etc.). In some embodiments, input / output circuit 904 includes or utilizes user-oriented applications to provide input / output functionality to client devices and / or other displays associated with the user.

[0091] In some embodiments, the controller 110 includes a communication circuit 908. The communication circuit 908 includes any device such as a device or circuit embodied in hardware or a combination of hardware and software, which is configured to receive and / or transmit data from / to a network and / or any other device, circuit or module that communicates with the controller 110. In this regard, for example, in some embodiments, the communication circuit 908 includes a network interface for implementing communication with a wired or wireless communication network. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the communication circuit 908 includes one or more network interface cards, antennas, buses, switches, routers, modems, and any other device that supports hardware, firmware and / or software, or is suitable for implementing communication via one or more communication networks. Additionally or alternatively, the communication circuit 908 includes a circuit for interacting with an antenna and / or other hardware or software to transmit a signal via the antenna or process the reception of a signal received via the antenna. In some embodiments, the communication circuit 908 enables data to be transmitted to and / or received from a client device that communicates with the controller 110.

[0092] The source-end receiver circuit 910 includes hardware, software, firmware, and / or combinations thereof that support various functionalities associated with configuring a source-end circuit (such as an illumination source, a source-end optical receiver, and / or a source-end sensing interferometer) and / or communicating with the source-end circuit. In some embodiments, the source-end receiver circuit 910 includes hardware, software, firmware, and / or combinations thereof to communicate with the source-end circuit according to an established protocol to provide appropriate configuration and / or calibration parameters and / or receive data provided by each component of the source-end circuit. In some embodiments, the source-end receiver circuit 910 includes a separate processor, a specially configured field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a specially programmed application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0093] The terminal receiver circuit 912 includes hardware, software, firmware, and / or combinations thereof that support various functionality associated with configuring a terminal circuit (such as a terminal optical receiver) and / or communicating with the terminal circuit. In some embodiments, the source receiver circuit 910 includes hardware, software, firmware, and / or combinations thereof to communicate with the source circuit according to an established protocol to provide appropriate configuration and / or calibration parameters and / or receive data provided by the source circuit. In some embodiments, the source receiver circuit 910 includes a separate processor, a specially configured field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a specially programmed application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0094] Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, one or more of the circuit groups 902 to 912 are combinable. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, one or more of the circuit groups perform some or all of the functionality associated with another component. For example, in some embodiments, one or more groups of circuits 902 to 912 are combined into a single module embodied in hardware, software, firmware, and / or a combination thereof. Similarly, in some embodiments, one or more of the circuit groups (e.g., source receiver circuit 910 and / or terminal receiver circuit 912) are combined so that the processor 902 individually performs one or more of the operations described above for each of these circuits.

[0095] Reference now Fig.10 , an example three-dimensional model 1000 is provided that depicts a plurality of deformations 1026 on a surface. Fig.10 As depicted, a three-dimensional model 1000 of a surface may be generated based on transmitted light (e.g., transmitted light 116, 216) and reflected light (e.g., reflected light 114, 214, 814) received from an optical fiber pattern (e.g., 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802). As described herein, the precise location of a deformation or other change to the surface may be determined based on a time difference between a change in the scattering pattern detected at a source end compared to a change in the scattering pattern detected at a terminal end of the optical fiber pattern. Additionally, the magnitude (e.g., height) of the deformation may be determined based on the forward and / or backward scattering patterns. The location of the deformation and the magnitude of the deformation may be used to generate a three-dimensional model, such as Fig.10 . In some embodiments, the contour of the three-dimensional model 1000 may be modeled based on known properties of the surface modeled in conjunction with the detected deformation.

[0096] Reference now Fig.11, an example process 1100 for detecting changes in a surface (e.g., surface 224, 324, 424, 524, 624) using an optical fiber (e.g., optical fiber pattern 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802) is provided. At block 1102, a fiber profiler (e.g., fiber profiler 100, 200) transmits a light output from an illumination source (e.g., illumination source 104, 204, 804) into a first end (e.g., source end 102a, 202a, 802a) of an optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on a surface. As described herein, the illumination source can be a laser diode or a similar source configured to transmit a light output such as a light pulse or a continuous light wave (e.g., light output 112, 212, 812). The illumination source is coupled to the first end of the optical fiber such that the light output is transmitted through the optical fiber. A portion of the light output may be reflected back to the source end of the optical fiber (e.g., reflected light 114, 214, 814) due to structure, aberrations, shadowing, stretching, compression, and other anomalies within the optical fiber. A portion of the light output may reach the end of the optical fiber (e.g., end 102b, 202b, 802b) as transmitted light (e.g., transmitted light 116, 216, 816).

[0097] At block 1104, the fiber profiler receives reflected light at a first optical receiver (e.g., optical receiver 106, 206, sensing interferometer 880) positioned at a first end of the optical fiber. As described herein, the reflected light can be captured by a first optical receiver positioned at a source end of the optical fiber and configured to generate a backscattering pattern representative of the physical composition of the optical fiber. In some embodiments, the backscattering pattern can be transmitted to a controller (e.g., controller 110, device 900) as a reflected optoelectronic signal (e.g., reflected optoelectronic signal 120).

[0098] At block 1106, the fiber profiler receives the transmitted light at a second optical receiver (e.g., optical receiver 108, 208) positioned at a second end of the optical fiber. As described herein, the transmitted light can be captured by a second optical receiver positioned at a terminal end of the optical fiber and configured to generate a forward scattering pattern representative of the physical composition of the optical fiber. In some embodiments, the forward scattering pattern can be transmitted to a controller as a transmission optoelectronic signal (e.g., transmission optoelectronic signal 122).

[0099] At block 1108, the fiber profiler detects a change in the surface based at least in part on the reflected light and the transmitted light. As described herein, a controller may detect a change in the attached surface, such as a deformation, and further determine a location and magnitude of the deformation. In one embodiment, the controller may detect the change in the surface based on a change in a forward scattering pattern received at a second optical receiver and / or a backscattering pattern received at a first optical receiver. In at least one embodiment, the controller may also detect the location of the deformation on the surface based on a time difference between a change in the forward scattering pattern received at the second optical receiver and a change in the backscattering pattern received at the first optical receiver. In some embodiments, a three-dimensional model may be generated based on the location and magnitude of the deformation on the surface, such as Fig.10 The three-dimensional model 1000 is depicted in FIG.

[0100] As described herein, in at least one embodiment, a fiber optic profiler can be used to detect changes and / or deformations in the surface of a battery housing (e.g., battery housing 332, 432, 532, 632). Such determinations can be an indication of a hazardous battery condition, such as a buildup of pressure, gas, and / or heat; and / or the onset of thermal runaway. Determining the location of the deformation using both forward scattering patterns and backscattering patterns can enable the use of readily available and inexpensive electrical components.

[0101] Those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs will think of many modifications and other embodiments of the present invention set forth herein, which have the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. Although the drawings show only certain components of the apparatus and system described herein, it should be understood that various other components may be used in conjunction with the system. Therefore, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, the steps in the above-described method may not necessarily occur in the order depicted in the drawings, and in some cases, one or more of the depicted steps may occur substantially simultaneously, or may involve additional steps. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used only in a general and descriptive sense, and not for restrictive purposes.

[0102] Although various embodiments according to the principles disclosed herein have been shown and described above, modifications may be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence and teachings of the present disclosure. The embodiments described herein are representative only and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations, combinations and modifications are possible and within the scope of the present disclosure. The disclosed embodiments are primarily directed to battery housings on electric vehicles, however, those skilled in the art will recognize that such principles may be applied to any surface for which changes to the surface may be beneficial using optical fibers. Alternative embodiments resulting from merging, integrating and / or omitting features of the embodiments are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection is not limited by the above statements.

[0103] Additionally, the section headings used herein are intended to be consistent with the recommendations of 37 CFR 1.77 or to otherwise provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the inventions set forth in any claims that may issue from this disclosure.

[0104] The use of broad terms such as "comprising," "including," and "having" should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as "consisting of," "consisting essentially of," and "composed essentially of." The use of the terms "optionally," "may," "might," "can," and the like with respect to any element of an embodiment means that the element is not required, or, alternatively, the element is required, both alternatives being within the scope of the embodiment. Additionally, reference to examples is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be exclusive.

Claims

1. A device, comprising: an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on a surface; an illumination source configured to emit a light output into the first end of the optical fiber; a first optical receiver configured to receive reflected light at the first end of the optical fiber; and a second optical receiver configured to receive the transmitted light at the second end of the optical fiber; Wherein changes in the surface are detected based at least in part on the reflected light and the transmitted light.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers are arranged on the surface in a two-dimensional pattern.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the two-dimensional position of the change in the surface is determined based on a time difference between a backscatter pattern change detected at the first optical receiver and a forward scatter pattern change detected at the second optical receiver.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the change in the surface is a deformation of the surface; and wherein a magnitude of the deformation is determined based at least in part on at least one of the transmitted light and the reflected light.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a three-dimensional model of the surface is generated based at least in part on the transmitted light and the reflected light, and wherein the three-dimensional model includes a two-dimensional position of the change in the surface and a magnitude of the change in the surface.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface comprises at least a portion of a battery housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a hazardous battery condition is determined based at least in part on the change in the surface.

8. A method comprising: transmitting light output from an illumination source into a first end portion of the optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on a surface; receiving reflected light at a first optical receiver positioned at the first end of the optical fiber; receiving the transmitted light at a second optical receiver positioned at the second end of the optical fiber; as well as A change in the surface is detected based at least in part on the reflected light and the transmitted light.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: receiving a backscatter pattern at the first optical receiver; receiving the forward scattered pattern at the second optical receiver; as well as The two-dimensional position of the change in the surface is determined based on a time difference between the backscatter pattern change and the forward scatter pattern change.

10. A computer program product for detecting a change in a surface, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code portions stored thereon, the computer readable program code portions comprising an executable portion, the executable portion being configured to: causing the illumination source to transmit light output into the first end of the optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is positioned on the surface; receiving a reflected optoelectronic signal representing reflected light received at a first optical receiver positioned at the first end of the optical fiber; receiving a transmitted optoelectronic signal representing transmitted light received at a second optical receiver positioned at the second end of the optical fiber; and The change in the surface is detected based at least in part on the reflected photoelectric signal and the transmitted photoelectric signal.

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