Battery Cell Imbalance Detection System During Battery Discharge

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a system and method for monitoring battery cell imbalance during battery discharge. The battery may include multiple battery cells. During the battery discharge process, when the battery capacity reaches a reference, a battery discharge device reads the energy and / or voltage of the battery and determines a change in voltage corresponding to the change in energy in the battery. The determined result can be compared with battery discharge reference data to determine a battery cell imbalance. The battery discharge device may terminate the battery discharge process by detecting the battery cell imbalance.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 479,320, filed January 10, 2023, entitled "BATTERY CELL IMBALANCE DETECTION SYSTEM DURING BATTERY DISCHARGING," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to battery cell technology, and more particularly, to detecting battery cell imbalances. [Background technology]

[0003] A battery discharger may be used to measure or otherwise characterize aspects of the battery cells that form a battery. More specifically, the battery discharger may be connected to a battery and measure the output voltage and / or current of the battery. The battery discharger may also be connected to a load. The load serves as a reservoir for energy extracted from the battery. For example, the battery discharger may be connected to both the battery and the load to facilitate the discharge process by directing energy from the battery to the load. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0004] Throughout the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to indicate correspondence between referenced elements. The drawings are provided to illustrate examples of embodiments described herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0005] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of a battery discharge system including one or more batteries, a battery discharge device, and a battery management service.

[0006] [Figure 2] 1 is an example of an exemplary battery installed in an example vehicle.

[0007] [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary battery management system.

[0008] [Figure 3B] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary battery discharge device.

[0009] [Figure 4A] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing details of discharging a battery by monitoring battery cell imbalance. [Figure 4B] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing details of discharging a battery by monitoring battery cell imbalance.

[0010] [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a routine for discharging a battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Although certain preferred embodiments and examples are disclosed below, the inventive subject matter extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and / or uses and modifications thereof, and equivalents. Accordingly, the scope of the appended claims is not limited by any of the specific embodiments described below. For example, in any method or process disclosed herein, the acts or operations of the method or process may be performed in any suitable order and are not necessarily limited to any particular disclosed order. Various operations may be described as multiple separate operations in a manner that may be helpful in understanding particular embodiments, but the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order-dependent. Furthermore, structures, systems, and / or devices described herein may be embodied as integrated or separate components. For purposes of comparing various embodiments, certain aspects and advantages of these embodiments will be described. Not necessarily all such aspects or advantages are achieved by a particular embodiment. Thus, for example, various embodiments may be implemented to achieve or optimize one advantage or advantages as taught herein, without necessarily achieving other aspects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

[0012] The present disclosure describes techniques for detecting battery cell imbalance during a battery discharge process, where the battery includes multiple battery cells. Illustratively, one or more aspects of the present disclosure correspond to monitoring changes in the battery's voltage and / or current in real time or near real time during the battery discharge process and interrupting the discharge upon detecting a battery cell imbalance. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a battery cell imbalance can be detected by monitoring the electrical attributes of the battery without monitoring the electrical attributes of each individual battery cell included in the battery.

[0013] Generally, rechargeable batteries (e.g., storage batteries or secondary batteries) can be used in a variety of applications, such as personal electrical devices, vehicles, electric vehicles, or any electrical device requiring power. Rechargeable batteries are configured to be charged or discharged to a load. Charging and discharging can generally be referred to as a charge cycle, and a rechargeable battery can have many charge cycles during the life of the rechargeable battery. Charging and discharging a battery can be based on the movement of ions within the battery. For example, a lithium-ion battery can utilize lithium ions that move between the anode and cathode of the battery through a liquid electrolyte. Lithium ions are just one example, and various ions can be used depending on the specific application, such as lead-acid, zinc-air, nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH), lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), and lithium-ion polymer (Li-ion polymer).

[0014] Rechargeable battery cells can be formed into a battery based on the battery capacity requirements of a particular application. For example, if a load requires 10 kWh, 10 battery cells, each with a 1 kWh capacity, can be packed (e.g., connected in series) into a battery. Thus, each battery can include multiple battery cells based on the battery capacity required by the load (e.g., based on the particular application). However, this battery can be vulnerable to fire hazards. For example, even when the battery is not connected to a load, ions within each cell can move in response to connection to other cells. In this example, ions within certain cells may move more vigorously within these specific cells than others. This movement of ions within certain cells (e.g., imbalance movement) can cause battery cell imbalance. As can be appreciated, such battery cell imbalance can generate heat within the battery, which may cause a fire within the battery. To reduce this heating and the associated risks caused by battery cell imbalance, the battery can be discharged when not in use (e.g., stored for a period of time). For example, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) provides strict guidelines for transporting batteries, including requirements for maintaining the battery's energy when transporting the battery. For example, IATA requires that the battery's (lithium-ion) state of charge be below a threshold (e.g., 30%) of its rated capacity to be transported. In another example, for battery service or recycling processes, where the process requires the battery to be removed from its load, the battery must be discharged to minimize fire risk. In another example, if a battery installed in an electric vehicle requires inspection, the battery may need to be discharged.

[0015] Conventionally, battery discharge can be performed by connecting a discharge load to the battery. For example, the discharge load can be connected to the battery and draw current from the battery to discharge the battery. During this discharge, an imbalance in the battery cells can occur, which generates heat. For example, one or more battery cells in a battery can discharge faster than the other battery cells. These battery cells can become hot due to excessive current flowing through the discharge load. However, conventional techniques cannot detect the imbalance in the battery cells until the battery cells become hot. Therefore, conventional techniques can have a high risk of causing a fire during the discharge process.

[0016] To address at least some of the aforementioned drawbacks, the disclosed technology enables monitoring and / or detecting battery cell imbalances during a battery discharge process. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a battery discharger may perform battery discharge by monitoring a battery voltage change relative to the amount of battery discharge, such as a metric of voltage change relative to energy change during battery discharge (e.g., dV / dQ, where V is voltage and Q is energy or charge). The battery discharger may measure the battery voltage and / or current during the discharge process. In some examples, the battery voltage measurements are provided by a battery discharger connected to the battery. The battery discharger may also monitor the battery energy (e.g., the discharge energy or remaining energy of the battery) during the discharge process. The battery discharger may detect battery cell imbalances based on the measured battery voltage and / or current relative to the battery energy change. For example, the battery discharger may determine a metric of the battery's voltage change relative to the energy change during the discharge process (e.g., a metric of voltage change relative to energy change). The determined voltage change of the battery relative to the energy change may be compared to battery discharge reference data (e.g., stored in or otherwise accessible to the battery discharger). The battery discharge reference data may include various reference battery voltages relative to battery energy. For example, if the battery voltage drops from 10V to 7V, the reference data may provide a reference battery energy change, such as from 100Wh to 70Wh, corresponding to 10V and 7V. The measured voltage change (by the discharge device or an external device in communication with the discharge device) for the energy change from 100Wh to 70Wh may then be compared to the reference battery energies corresponding to 10V and 7V.Further, in this example, if the battery voltage changes slowly or rapidly (e.g., relative to a reference battery voltage change relative to an energy change included in the reference data) due to a battery energy change during the battery discharge process, the battery discharge device can detect an imbalance in the battery cells and abort the discharge process. Thus, in some embodiments, the battery discharge reference data may indicate a metric (e.g., dV / dQ) that can be compared with the aforementioned measured metric. If the measured metric is greater than a threshold different from the reference data, an imbalance can be detected.

[0017] Illustratively, the battery discharger may measure the voltage and / or current of the battery by connecting to the battery. For example, the battery discharger may include an interface for electrically connecting output terminals of the battery. In some embodiments, the battery discharger may include a processor for determining the battery voltage and / or current of the battery. The battery discharger may also determine energy associated with the battery (e.g., remaining battery energy or discharge energy) during battery discharge. The battery discharger may receive battery discharge reference data from an external source, such as a network service. The battery discharger may then determine battery cell imbalance by comparing the measured battery voltage and / or current with the battery discharge reference data.

[0018] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to monitoring battery cell imbalances during a battery discharge process. In this aspect, a battery discharger can measure the voltage of a battery. The battery voltage can be measured in real time or near real time and can be used as input data to the battery discharger. In some embodiments, the battery discharger also stores battery discharge reference data in its memory. Alternatively, the battery discharger can receive the battery discharge reference data from a battery management server. The battery discharge reference data may include battery energy levels corresponding to battery output voltages (e.g., measured voltages). For example, the battery discharge reference data may indicate voltages each corresponding to a specific battery energy (e.g., non-limiting examples of remaining energy, remaining capacity, discharge energy, or discharge capacity). This allows a change in battery voltage (a metric of the change in battery voltage) to be determined based on two battery energy values, and this change can be determined as a metric and used as the reference data. In some cases, the battery discharger can monitor battery cell imbalances by comparing the reference data with measured data from the battery. For example, the battery discharger may measure two battery voltages at two different times, such as an initial time when discharge begins and a second time when the battery is discharged to a specific percentage of the initial energy. For example, the first measured voltage (e.g., initial voltage) may indicate an output battery voltage of 10 V, while the second measured voltage (e.g., measured voltage during discharge or when the battery is discharged to a particular level) indicates an output battery voltage of 5 V. The battery discharge device may also determine the battery energy corresponding to the measured voltage, such that 100 Wh and 50 Wh correspond to 10 V and 5 V, respectively. In this example, the voltage change with respect to the energy change may be determined to be 0.1 V / Wh.The battery discharge device can then access the battery discharge reference data and determine a reference voltage change for an energy change, such as 0.2 V / Wh (this value can be derived in an example where the reference voltage changes (10 V to 5 V) for each energy change (70 Wh to 45 Wh)). In this example, 0.1 V / Wh is lower than the reference value of 0.2 V / Wh, and a cell imbalance can be detected. In some embodiments, the battery discharge reference data can provide a reference energy change of a single value or a range. These reference energy changes can be used as thresholds.

[0019] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to the frequency of detecting battery cell imbalance during the battery discharge process. In this aspect, the battery discharger can detect a trigger event (e.g., a threshold value) and initiate measurement of the battery's output voltage to determine whether a battery cell imbalance has occurred. The trigger event can utilize a criterion that can trigger the battery discharger to analyze whether a battery cell imbalance has occurred. In some examples, the criterion can be based on the discharge level of the battery. For example, when the battery is discharged by approximately 10% of the battery's initial energy (or the battery's rated capacity), the battery discharger can initiate the battery cell imbalance detection process. Throughout this disclosure, terms such as change in voltage relative to energy change can refer to a metric of change in voltage relative to energy change. While this disclosure refers to a metric of change in voltage relative to energy change, the metric can also be change in energy relative to voltage change.

[0020] Although aspects of the present disclosure are described with reference to exemplary network components, interactions, and routines, one skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented in accordance with various environments, system architectures, customer computing device architectures, and the like. Similarly, references to specific devices, such as batteries, may be considered general references and are not intended to provide additional meaning or configuration to a particular battery. Furthermore, the examples and exemplary configurations are not intended to be limiting and should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the examples are intended to be exemplary in nature and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, energy, as used herein, may generally refer to the amount of energy stored in a battery, or the amount of energy that can be extracted from a battery, or the like.

[0021] 1 illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment of a system 100. The system 100 may include a network 140 connecting at least one battery discharging device 130 and a battery 110. Illustratively, various aspects related to the battery 110 may be implemented as one or more components associated with one or more functions or services. The components may correspond to software modules implemented or executed by the battery discharging device 130, which may be a separate, standalone device. The system 100 may also include a network 150 connecting the battery discharging device 130 and a battery management service 120. Illustratively, various aspects related to the battery management service 120 may be implemented as one or more components associated with one or more functions or services. Thus, the components of the battery management service 120 should be considered logical representations of services.

[0022] 1. In some embodiments, the battery 110 and the battery discharger 130 are connected via the network 140. In these embodiments, the network 140 can be a wired communication network, whereby the battery discharger 130 and the battery 110 are connected via wired communication using any one of the commercially available wired communication standards. In some embodiments, the network 140 is a high-voltage cable.

[0023] Network 150 can connect one or more battery discharge devices 130 and battery management service 120, as shown in FIG. 1. Network 150 can include any combination of wired and / or wireless networks, such as one or more direct communication channels, local area networks, wide area networks, personal area networks, and / or the Internet. In some embodiments, network 150 can include one or more wireless networks, such as a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, 5G communications, or any other type of wireless network. Network 160 can use protocols and components for communicating over the Internet or any of the other aforementioned types of networks. For example, protocols used by network 160 may include Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), HTTP Secure (HTTPS), Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT), Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP), etc. Protocols and components for communicating over the Internet or any of the other aforementioned types of communication networks are well known to those skilled in the art and therefore will not be described in detail herein. In some embodiments, wireless communication over network 150 may be performed over one or more secure networks, such as communicating with encrypted data via SSL (e.g., 256-bit, military-grade encryption). The various communication protocols described herein are merely examples, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0024] The battery 110 of FIG. 1 can be connected to a battery discharger 130. In some embodiments, the battery 110 is a rechargeable battery (e.g., a storage battery or a secondary battery). In these embodiments, the battery 110 can be configured to be charged or discharged to a load. The charging and discharging can generally be referred to as a charge cycle, and the battery 110 can have many charge cycles during its life. Various types of batteries can be used, such as lead-acid, zinc-air, nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH), lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO), and lithium-ion polymer (Li-ion polymer) type batteries.

[0025] In some embodiments, the battery 110 can include multiple battery cells 114, as shown in FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, one or more battery cells 114 or multiple battery cells 114 can be packed into a single battery 110. The number of battery cells 114 in the battery 110 can be determined based on the particular application. The battery 110 shown in FIG. 1 is shown for illustrative purposes. The battery 110 can include multiple battery cells 114 and can be packaged as an array of battery cells. This disclosure does not limit the configuration or structure of the battery 110.

[0026] The batteries 110 shown in FIG. 1 may include a battery discharge interface 116. In some embodiments, the battery discharge interface 116 may be configured to provide a physical interface to be connected to the battery discharge device 130 via the network 140. For example, the battery discharge interface 116 may be electrically connected to the batteries 110. In this example, the battery discharge interface 116 may be connected to the batteries 110, and thus the battery discharge interface 116 may provide an interface to the battery discharge device 130 that can measure the status of the batteries 110. The status may include, for example, the energy, voltage, current, temperature, operating time, impedance, etc. of each battery 110. In some embodiments, each battery 110 may include a battery discharge interface 116. In one embodiment, multiple batteries may use a single battery discharge interface 116. The batteries 110 are merely logical implementations, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0027] The battery discharger 130 can be connected to the battery 110 via the network 140, as shown in FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 can discharge the battery 110 by draining the energy of each battery cell 114. In these embodiments, the battery discharger 130 can be a discharge load, and the energy of the battery 110 can be drained to the load of the battery discharger 130. The battery 110 can also be connected to an external discharge load (not shown in FIG. 1 ), and the battery discharger 130 can monitor the battery status, such as the discharged battery energy and / or the remaining battery energy, during the discharge process. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 can include a battery discharge load. In these embodiments, the battery 110 can be discharged by draining its energy to the battery discharger 130.

[0028] In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 can access the battery management service 120 to discover the battery discharge reference data 122. In these embodiments, the battery management service 120 can include the battery discharge reference data 122. The battery discharge reference data can provide reference changes in battery voltage, current, state of charge, etc. during the battery discharge process. For example, the battery discharge reference data can indicate the appropriate battery energy in relation to the battery voltage. In this example, the discharge rate can be determined based on the change in battery voltage relative to the change in battery energy. This allows the battery discharger 130 to determine whether a battery cell imbalance has occurred based on the measured discharge rate in relation to the measured voltage compared to the battery discharge reference data. In some embodiments, the battery management service 120 can store the battery discharge rate, the measured voltage, and / or the measured energy during the discharge process. The components of the battery management service 120 should be considered logical representations of services that do not require a specific implementation on one or more customer computing devices.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows an example of a battery installed in a vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2, battery 210 can be installed in vehicle 200. In some embodiments, battery 210 includes multiple battery cells 214. The configuration of battery 210 can be determined based on a particular application. This disclosure does not limit the configuration of the battery. Vehicle 200 can include battery discharge interface 216. Battery discharge interface 216 can be configured to provide an electrical interface for connecting to battery discharge device 130 over network 140. For example, battery discharge interface 216 can include a positive terminal and a negative terminal, and battery discharge device 130 is connected to these terminals. In this example, the positive terminal and the negative terminal are connected to one or more of battery cells 214. In some embodiments, battery 210 can be connected to a battery discharge load (not shown in FIG. 2) to discharge the battery. In these embodiments, battery discharge interface 216 can be connected to battery discharge device 130 (shown in FIG. 1). During the battery discharging process, the battery discharging device 130 can measure the current, voltage, and energy (eg, remaining energy or discharged energy during battery discharging) of the battery 210 in real time or near real time.

[0030] FIG. 3A illustrates one embodiment of the architecture of exemplary battery 110 (shown in FIG. 1). Battery 110 can be configured to monitor its condition by measuring voltage and / or current, energy, etc. In some embodiments, battery 110 measures its own battery condition. In these embodiments, battery 110 can transmit the measured voltage, current, and / or energy of battery 110 to battery discharger 130 (shown in FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 3A, the general architecture of battery 110 includes a configuration of computer hardware and software components that can be used to implement aspects of the present disclosure. As shown, battery 110 includes a processing unit 302, a battery management circuit 304, a computer-readable medium 306, and a network interface 308, all of which can communicate with each other via a communication bus. The components of battery 110 may be physical hardware components or may be implemented as software modules.

[0031] 1. The network interface 308 may provide a connection to one or more networks, such as the network 140 of FIG. 1. The battery management circuit 304 may be an electrical circuit connected to the battery 110 and configured to measure the status of the battery 110. For example, the battery management circuit 304 may be configured to measure the output voltage and / or current of the battery 110. The battery management circuit 304 may also measure the status of the battery 110 in real time or near real time. The processing unit 302 may communicate with the memory 310 and further provide output information on the battery status to the battery discharger 130 via the network interface 308. In some embodiments, the battery 110 may include more (or fewer) components than those shown in FIG. 3A.

[0032] The memory 310 may include computer program instructions that the processing unit 302 executes to implement one or more embodiments. The memory 310 typically includes RAM, ROM, or other persistent or non-transitory memory. The memory 310 may store an operating system 314 that provides computer program instructions used by the processing unit 302 in the general management and operation of the battery 110. The memory 310 may further include computer program instructions and other information for implementing aspects of the present disclosure. For example, in one embodiment, the memory 310 includes a battery monitoring component 316. In some embodiments, during a battery discharging process, when the battery capacity reaches a certain criterion, the battery monitoring component 316 may instruct the processing unit 302 to measure the voltage and energy of the battery 110 and send the measurement results to the battery discharging device 130. For example, during a battery discharging process, when 10% of the capacity of the battery 110 is discharged, the battery monitoring component 316 may instruct the processing unit 302 to measure the voltage of the battery 110 and send the measured voltage to the battery discharging device 130.

[0033] FIG. 3B illustrates an example of the architecture of the exemplary battery discharger 130 (shown in FIG. 1). The battery discharger 130 can be configured to monitor battery discharge by measuring the remaining energy or discharge energy of the battery. The battery discharger 130 can also detect battery cell imbalance during the discharge process. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 can determine battery cell imbalance by utilizing battery discharge reference data and measured battery voltage and energy. In these embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may measure the voltage and energy of the battery 110 when discharging is initiated. After the discharge process is initiated, the battery discharger 130 may detect a trigger event. The trigger event may be one or more thresholds or criteria and may be expressed as a percentage(s) of the remaining battery capacity relative to the initial battery energy or the rated battery energy of the full capacity. The battery discharger 130 may also access battery discharge reference data 122 stored in the battery management service 120. The battery discharger 130 may also store the battery discharge reference data 122 in its memory. The battery discharge device 130 may analyze the measured voltage by comparing it with battery discharge reference data to determine whether a battery cell imbalance has occurred. For example, the battery discharge device 130 may determine a change in the measured voltage relative to a change in battery energy during the battery discharge process. These measurement data can be compared with corresponding battery energy change references stored in the battery discharge reference data 122. The battery discharge reference data may include battery voltages, each voltage corresponding to one or more energy levels of the battery. For example, the battery discharge reference data may indicate a voltage and its corresponding energy level or range of energy levels. Thus, a reference change in battery voltage relative to a change in battery energy can be determined.In some cases, the battery discharger can monitor battery cell imbalances by comparing measurement data (e.g., a metric of measured battery voltage change relative to battery energy change) with reference data (e.g., a reference metric of battery voltage change relative to battery energy change). For example, the battery discharger can measure two battery voltages at two different times, such as an initial time and a second time. The initial time can correspond to when discharge begins, and the second time can be defined based on a ratio of the battery's discharged energy relative to the initially measured energy. For example, the initially measured voltage can indicate an output battery voltage of 10V, while the second measured voltage can indicate an output battery voltage of 5V. The battery discharger can also determine battery energy corresponding to the measured voltages, such that 100Wh and 50Wh correspond to 10V and 5V, respectively. In this example, the voltage change relative to the energy change can be determined to be 0.1V / Wh. The battery discharge device can then provide access to battery discharge reference data to determine a reference energy change, such as 0.2 V / Wh (this value can be derived in an example where the reference voltage changes (10 V to 5 V) for each energy change (70 Wh to 45 Wh)). In this example, 0.1 V / Wh is lower than the reference value of 0.2 V / Wh, and a cell imbalance can be detected. In some embodiments, the battery discharge reference data can provide a reference energy change of a single value or a range. These reference energy changes can be used as thresholds.

[0034] The general architecture of battery discharging device 130 may be illustrated in FIG. 3B , including an arrangement of computer hardware and software components that may be used to implement aspects of the present disclosure. As shown, battery discharging device 130 may include a processing unit 322, an input / output device interface 324, a computer-readable medium 326, and a network interface 328, all of which may communicate with each other via a communication bus. The components of battery discharging device 130 may be physical hardware components or may be implemented as software modules.

[0035] 1. The input / output device interface 324 may be an interface that connects to the battery 110. In some embodiments, the input / output device interface 324 connects to the battery discharge interface 116. In these embodiments, the battery discharge device 130 measures the voltage transmitted by connecting to the battery via the battery discharge interface 116. In some embodiments, the battery discharge device 130 may measure the voltage, current, state of charge, and energy of the battery 110 in real time, store the measurement results as data, and store the data in the computer-readable medium 326. In some embodiments, the battery discharge device 130 may include more (or fewer) components than those shown in FIG. 3B.

[0036] The memory 330 may include computer program instructions that the processing unit 322 executes to implement one or more embodiments. The memory 330 typically includes RAM, ROM, or other persistent or non-transitory memory. The memory 330 may store an operating system 334 that provides computer program instructions used by the processing unit 322 in the general management and operation of the battery discharge device 130. The memory 330 may further include computer program instructions and other information for implementing aspects of the present disclosure. For example, in one embodiment, the memory 330 includes interface software 332 to interface with the battery discharge interface 116.

[0037] Further, the memory 330 includes a battery state measurement component 336 for measuring the battery state. The state may include, for example, the energy, voltage, current, temperature, operating time, impedance, etc. of the battery 110. In some embodiments, the battery state measurement component 336 measures the voltage of the battery 110 in real time or near real time. In these embodiments, the battery state measurement component 336 can process the measured voltage to detect battery cell imbalances during the discharge process. For example, during the battery discharge process, the battery state measurement component 336 may measure the voltage of the battery 110 in real time or near real time. The battery state measurement component 336 may execute instructions for the processing unit to store the measured voltages in chronological order by classifying the battery 110. In some embodiments, during the battery discharge process, when the battery capacity reaches a certain criterion, the battery state measurement component 336 may instruct the battery cell analysis component 340 to measure the voltage and energy of the battery 110. For example, during the battery discharge process, when 10% of the capacity of the battery 110 is discharged, the battery condition measurement component 336 may instruct the battery cell analysis component 340 to analyze the battery cells to detect imbalances.

[0038] The memory 330 may further include a battery cell analysis component 340 for detecting battery cell imbalance by analyzing the measured battery state of the battery 110. In some embodiments, the battery cell analysis component 340 performs the analysis based on certain criteria. In these embodiments, the criteria may be based on the remaining capacity of the battery. For example, if the criteria include a value or indicator of 90% remaining energy from the initial battery energy (or full-capacity battery energy, such that if the initial battery energy is 100 Wh, the analysis can be performed when the battery is discharged to 90 Wh), the battery cell analysis component 340 may begin the analysis to determine whether a battery cell imbalance is occurring. The analysis may include determining a voltage change versus an energy change of the battery 110 during the discharge process. For example, if the battery 110 is discharged by approximately 10% of its initial energy (e.g., 90% remaining energy), such as when the battery 110 is discharged from 100 Wh to 90 Wh, the battery cell analysis component 340 may store a measured battery voltage, such as a measured voltage of 10 V at a battery capacity of 90 Wh. In this example, if the voltage of a battery measured at 100 Wh is 20 V, the change in voltage relative to the change in battery energy may be 1 (e.g., 10 V / 10 Wh). Criteria may be set as 5%, 10%, and 15% discharge from the initial energy or energy relative to the full capacity of the battery, and completion criteria may be set for multiple events so that analysis can be performed for each event. These criteria may be set in relation to remaining energy, for example, 95%, 90%, and 85% remaining energy. These criteria may be referred to as thresholds or trigger events. Note that these values ​​are given by way of example only, and the disclosure is not limited to these numbers.

[0039] In some embodiments, the battery cell analysis component 340 can detect battery cell imbalances by utilizing battery discharge reference data 122 received from the battery management service 120 via the network 150. The battery discharge reference data 122 can include a battery energy range corresponding to a voltage range during the battery discharge process. In these embodiments, the battery discharge reference data 122 can be stored in a computer-readable medium 326, and the battery cell analysis component 340 can access the computer-readable medium 326 to cause the processing unit 322 to execute instructions to compare the battery discharge analysis results with the battery discharge reference data 122. Illustratively, when the battery capacity reaches a reference level (e.g., the battery is discharged to the reference level), the battery cell analysis component 340 can analyze each battery by causing the processing unit to execute instructions to determine a voltage change corresponding to the battery's energy change. In this illustration, the voltage change determined for the battery energy change can be compared to the battery discharge reference data. For example, if a battery is discharged from 90 Wh to 80 Wh and the measured voltage of the battery changes from 12 V to 7 V, the measured voltage change for the battery energy change may be determined to be 0.5 (e.g., 5 V / 10 Wh). In this example, the battery discharge reference data 112 may provide reference data such as that the change in battery voltage for the battery energy change cannot exceed 0.8. Therefore, the determined value of the battery voltage change for the battery energy change, 0.5, may be within the range of the battery discharge reference data. If the determined voltage of the battery for the battery energy change is not within the reference voltage range, the battery cells become unbalanced, and therefore the discharge process is terminated. For example, if the determined value of the battery voltage change corresponding to the battery energy change is 1, thereby causing the battery voltage to change from 12 V to 2 V and discharging the battery from 90 Wh to 85 Wh, the battery discharge device 130 may determine that a battery cell imbalance may exist.

[0040] 4A-4B, an exemplary interaction of the components of system 100 as shown in FIG. 1 is described. For purposes of explanation, it can be assumed that battery 110 (shown in FIG. 1) includes multiple battery cells 114. The present disclosure is not intended to be limited to any particular type of battery, configuration, or number of battery cells.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 4A , exemplary interactions for an initial process for detecting battery cell imbalance are described. The interactions are exemplary. At (1), the battery discharger 130 may initiate the battery discharge process. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may be connected to the battery, and the discharge process is initiated. In these embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may include a discharge load, thereby enabling the discharge process by connecting the battery discharger 130 to the battery 110. For example, the battery discharger 130 may be connected to the output of the battery by connecting to the battery discharge interface 116 via the network 140. In some embodiments, the battery output current is drained to the discharge load included in the battery discharger 130 by controlling one or more functions of the battery discharger 130. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may measure the initial battery voltage and energy when initiating the battery discharge process.

[0042] In (2), the battery discharger 130 may measure the status of the batteries 110. The status may include, for example, the energy, voltage, current, temperature, operating time, impedance, etc. of each battery 110. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 monitors changes in the energy of the batteries by measuring the battery status in real time or near real time. For example, when the battery discharger 130 is connected to the battery 110, the battery discharger 130 measures the voltage of the battery 110. In one embodiment, the battery discharger 130 measures the energy of the battery 110.

[0043] In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may execute instructions for storing the measured voltages in chronological order by the processing unit sorting each battery. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 includes one or more criteria for initiating a battery cell imbalance analysis. For example, the criteria for triggering a battery cell imbalance analysis may be based on the discharge rate of the battery 110. In this example, the criteria may be a 5%, 10%, or 15% discharge rate (e.g., discharged from an initial battery energy, such as 95%, 90%, or 85% of the initial battery energy or full battery energy capacity, respectively), and the criteria triggers a battery cell imbalance analysis when 5%, 10%, or 15% of the battery capacity is discharged. For example, if the initial battery energy is 100 Wh, the battery cell imbalance analysis may be triggered when the battery's energy is discharged to 95 Wh, 90 Wh, and 85 Wh. These criteria and battery capacities are provided merely as examples, and the criteria and battery capacities may be determined based on a particular application.

[0044] In some embodiments, the battery discharge device 130 can detect one or more parameters related to the battery state, such as voltage, current, energy, temperature, etc., from the battery discharge interface 116. In one embodiment, a discharge load (not shown in FIG. 4A ) is connected to the battery, and the battery discharge device 130 does not include the discharge load. In these embodiments, the battery discharge device 130 can monitor the battery discharge process by receiving one or more parameters related to the battery state from the battery discharge interface 116.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 4B, an exemplary interaction of a battery cell imbalance analysis for detecting a battery cell imbalance will be described. The interaction is exemplary. In (3), the battery discharge device 130 processes the measured voltage of the battery 110 (e.g., the battery condition measured in (2)). In some embodiments, the measured voltage of the battery is processed based on a measurement time series corresponding to the battery energy. For example, the energy of the battery can be enumerated in time series, and the measured voltage corresponding to each enumerated energy can be mapped. Preferably, the measured voltage of the battery 110 can be used to determine a metric of a change in the measured voltage related to a change in the battery energy of the battery 110. For example, if the battery energy changes from 90 Wh to 80 Wh and the measured voltage of the battery changes from 12 V to 7 V, the metric of the measured voltage change corresponding to the battery energy change can be determined to be 0.5 (e.g., 5 V / 10 Wh).

[0046] In (4), the battery discharge device 130 may retrieve battery discharge reference data 122 from the battery management service 120. The battery discharge reference data may be a graph showing voltage corresponding to battery energy. The battery discharge reference data 122 may indicate a reference voltage change of the battery corresponding to a change in battery energy during the battery discharge process. The battery discharge reference data may be changed based on battery characteristics such as the type of battery, the number of cells, and the operating temperature. In some embodiments, the battery discharge reference data may be provided as a threshold value for a change in battery voltage relative to a change in battery energy, such as a threshold value of 0.8. In some embodiments, the battery discharge reference data may be updated based on, for example, battery characteristics (e.g., battery type), the number of cells included in the battery, the battery discharge environment (e.g., humidity, temperature, etc.), etc. In one embodiment, the battery discharge device 130 may receive the battery discharge reference data from an external device.

[0047] In (5), the battery discharger 130 can determine battery cell imbalance using battery discharge reference data. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 determines the change in battery voltage with respect to the changing energy of the battery. This result can be compared with the battery discharge reference data. The battery discharge reference data can include a reference metric of voltage change with respect to the energy change between the initial energy and the measured energy. For example, if the voltage of a battery drops from 4 V to 2 V and the energy drops from 90 Wh to 80 Wh, respectively, the determined result (reference data) can be 0.2. This result can be compared with the battery discharge reference data so that the voltage and energy of the reference battery drop from 4 V to 1 V and from 90 Wh to 80 Wh during discharge. Therefore, the reference voltage change metric with respect to the energy change (between the initial energy and the measured energy during the discharge process) is approximately 0.3. These two values, 0.2 and 0.3, are different. Therefore, the battery cells in this battery have an imbalance. In another example, if the determined voltage of the battery with respect to the battery energy change is not within the corresponding reference voltage range, the battery cells are unbalanced, and the discharge process is terminated. For example, if the determined value of the battery voltage change corresponding to the battery energy change is 1, such that the battery voltage is changed from 12 V to 2 V and the battery is discharged from 90 Wh to 80 Wh, the battery discharger 130 may determine that there may be an imbalance in the battery cells. These values ​​are provided by way of example only, and the actual value can be determined based on a particular application. In some embodiments, the reference data may provide a metric range of a reference voltage change relative to the energy change. The metric range may include a threshold range, such that even if the reference data (reference voltage change relative to the energy change) indicates 0.5, the threshold range may be + / - 0.1, and thus the reference data may be between 0.4 and 0.6. Thus, if the measured metric (e.g., voltage change relative to the energy change) is between 0.4 and 0.6, no imbalance is detected.These threshold ranges can be determined based on the particular application, and this disclosure does not limit these threshold ranges.

[0048] In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 terminates the battery discharge process upon detecting a battery cell imbalance. If the battery discharger 130 does not detect a battery cell imbalance, the discharge process may continue. For example, in response to determining that the measured voltage change metric differs from the reference data, the discharger may terminate the battery discharge. Otherwise, in response to determining that the measured voltage change metric differs from the reference data, the discharger may resume battery discharge.

[0049] 5, a routine in the battery discharge process by monitoring battery cell imbalance will be described, which is illustratively implemented by the battery discharge device 130.

[0050] At block 500, the battery discharge routine begins. Then, at block 502, the battery discharger 130 may determine the initial energy and voltage of the battery. In some embodiments, the battery discharger may measure the initial energy and voltage of the battery by connecting to the battery via the battery discharge interface 116. In these embodiments, the battery discharger 130 measures the initial energy and voltage of the battery before starting the battery discharge process. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 monitors the energy of the battery 110 by measuring the battery status in real time or near real time. The status may include, for example, the energy, voltage, current, temperature, operating time, impedance, etc. of each battery 112. For example, when the battery discharger 130 connects to the battery 110 via the battery discharge interface 116, the battery discharger 130 measures the status of the battery 110. The battery status may include battery charge or energy, although the type of energy is not limited by this disclosure.

[0051] At block 504, the battery discharger 130 may initiate the discharge process. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may be connected to the battery, and the discharge process is initiated. In these embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may include a discharge load. Thus, the discharge process can be performed by connecting the battery discharger 130 to the battery 110. For example, the battery discharger 130 may be connected to the output of the battery, and by controlling one or more functions of the battery discharger 130, the battery's output current is drained to the discharge load included in the battery discharger 130. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may be connected to the battery discharge interface 116. In these embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may receive one or more parameters related to the battery status, such as voltage, current, energy, temperature, etc., from the battery discharge interface 116. In one embodiment, a discharge load (not shown in FIG. 4A ) is connected to the battery, and the battery discharger 130 does not include the discharge load. In these embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may monitor the battery discharge process by receiving one or more parameters related to the battery status from the battery discharge interface 116.

[0052] In block 506, the battery discharger 130 determines whether a battery cell imbalance analysis has been triggered. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 includes one or more criteria for triggering a battery cell imbalance analysis. For example, the criteria for triggering a battery cell imbalance analysis can be based on the discharge rate of the battery 110. In this example, the criteria can be a 5%, 10%, or 15% discharge rate (e.g., discharged from an initial battery energy, such as 95%, 90%, or 85% remaining battery capacity relative to the initial battery energy or full battery energy capacity), and the criteria triggers a battery cell imbalance analysis when 5%, 10%, or 15% of the battery capacity is discharged. For example, if the initial battery energy is 100 Wh, a battery cell imbalance analysis can be triggered when the battery's energy is discharged to 95 Wh, 90 Wh, and 85 Wh. These criteria and battery capacities are provided merely as examples, and the criteria and battery capacities can be determined based on a particular application. If a battery cell imbalance is not triggered, then in block 508, the battery discharger 130 continues discharging the battery.

[0053] In block 510, if a battery cell imbalance analysis is triggered, the battery discharger 130 receives the voltage of the battery 110. In some embodiments, the battery discharge interface 116 measures the voltage of the battery 110 in real time during the discharge process and transmits the measured voltage to the battery discharger. In these embodiments, the measured voltage may be the level of the battery 110. Thus, the battery discharger interface 116 measures the energy and voltage of each battery 110. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 may store the measured energy and voltage in an internal storage medium.

[0054] In block 512, the battery discharger 130 processes the measured voltages of the batteries 110. In some embodiments, the measured voltages of the batteries are processed based on a measurement time series. For example, the energy of the batteries can be enumerated in time series, and the measured voltages can be mapped to correspond to each enumerated energy. Preferably, the processed measured voltages of each battery 110 can be used to determine a change in voltage associated with a change in battery energy of each battery 110. For example, if the battery energy is changed from 90 Wh to 80 Wh and the measured voltage of the battery is changed from 12 V to 7 V, a metric of the measured voltage change relative to the battery energy change can be determined to be 0.5 (e.g., 5 V / 10 Wh).

[0055] In block 514, the battery discharge device 130 can retrieve battery discharge reference data 122 from the battery management service 120. The battery discharge reference data can be a graph showing a voltage change corresponding to a battery energy change. The reference data can be expressed as a metric of a reference metric of voltage change relative to an energy change between an initial energy and a measured energy. The battery discharge reference data 122 can indicate a battery voltage corresponding to a battery energy change during a battery discharge process. The battery discharge reference data can vary based on battery characteristics such as the type of battery, the number of cells, and the operating temperature. In some embodiments, the battery discharge reference data can be provided as a threshold value of a change in battery voltage relative to a change in battery energy, such as a threshold value of 0.8. In some embodiments, the battery discharge reference data can be updated. In one embodiment, the battery discharge device 130 can receive battery discharge reference data from an external device. The battery discharge device 130 can determine reference data including a reference metric of voltage change relative to an energy change between an initial energy and a measured energy. The battery discharge reference data can also include multiple reference voltages and multiple energy levels, with each voltage corresponding to one or more energy levels.

[0056] In block 516, the battery discharger 130 can determine a battery cell imbalance by utilizing the battery discharge reference data. For example, the battery discharger 130 can determine a voltage change indicating the voltage change between the measured voltage and the initial voltage for the measured energy and the initial energy. In some embodiments, the battery discharger 130 determines the change in battery voltage with respect to the changing energy of the battery. This result can be compared with the battery discharge reference data. For example, if the voltage and energy of the battery decrease from 4 V to 2 V and from 90 Wh to 80 Wh, respectively, the determined result can be 0.2. This result can be compared with reference data (e.g., from the battery discharge reference data) such that the reference data of the voltage and energy of a reference battery during discharge decrease from 4 V (initial voltage) to 1 V (measured voltage) and from 90 Wh (initial energy) to 80 Wh (measured energy). Therefore, the reference voltage change with respect to the energy change is approximately 0.3. These two values, 0.2 and 0.3, are different. Therefore, the battery cells in this battery have an imbalance. In another example, if the battery voltage determined with respect to the battery energy change is not within the corresponding reference voltage range, the battery cells become unbalanced, and the discharge process is terminated. For example, if the determined value of the battery voltage change corresponding to the battery energy change is 1, thereby changing the battery voltage from 12 V to 2 V and discharging the battery from 90 Wh to 80 Wh, the battery discharger 130 may determine that there may be an imbalance in the battery cells. These values ​​are given as examples only, and the actual values ​​can be determined based on a specific application. In some embodiments, the reference data can provide a metric range of the reference voltage change with respect to the energy change. The metric range can include a threshold range, such that even if the reference data (reference voltage change with respect to the energy change) indicates 0.5, the threshold range can be + / - 0.1, and therefore the reference data can be between 0.4 and 0.6. These threshold ranges can be determined based on a specific application, and the present disclosure does not limit these threshold ranges.

[0057] Based on the determination of the battery cell imbalance, the battery discharger 130 can manage the battery discharge. For example, if a battery cell imbalance is detected in block 518, the discharge routine ends in block 520. If a battery cell imbalance is not detected, the battery discharge routine continues in block 508.

[0058] It is to be understood that not necessarily all objectives or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment described herein. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art may recognize that a particular embodiment may be configured to operate to achieve or optimize one advantage or advantages taught herein without necessarily achieving other objectives or advantages that may be taught or suggested herein.

[0059] All of the processes described herein may be fully automated via software code modules containing one or more specific computer-executable instructions executed by a computing system. The computing system may include one or more computers or processors. The code modules may be stored on any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. Some or all of the methods may be embodied in dedicated computer hardware.

[0060] Many other variations beyond those described herein will be apparent from this disclosure. For example, depending on the embodiment, certain acts, events, or functions of any of the algorithms described herein may be performed in a different order, added, combined, or entirely omitted (e.g., not all acts or events described may be necessary to implement an algorithm). Furthermore, acts or events in certain embodiments may be performed not sequentially but simultaneously, for example, via multithreading, interrupt processing, or multiple processors or processor cores, or on other parallel architectures. Furthermore, different tasks or processes may be performed by different machines and / or computing systems that can function together.

[0061] The various illustrative logic blocks and modules described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed by a machine, such as a processing unit or processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof, designed to perform the functions described herein. The processor may be a microprocessor, but in alternative examples, the processor may be a controller, microcontroller, or state machine, combinations thereof, etc. The processor may include electrical circuitry configured to process computer-executable instructions. In other embodiments, the processor includes an FPGA or other programmable device that performs logical operations without processing computer-executable instructions. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of customer computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in combination with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Although described herein primarily with reference to digital technology, the processor may also include primarily analog components. The computing environment may include any type of computer system, including, but not limited to, a computer system based on a microprocessor, mainframe computer, digital signal processor, portable consumer computing device, device controller, or computational engine within an appliance, to name a few.

[0062] In particular, conditional language such as "can," "could," "might," or "may," unless otherwise specified, is understood to have other meanings within the context in which it is generally used to convey that certain embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments do not include certain features, elements, and / or steps. Thus, such conditional language does not generally imply that features, elements, and / or steps are somehow required in one or more embodiments, or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for determining whether those features, elements, and / or steps should be included in or performed in any particular embodiment, with or without user input or prompting.

[0063] Disjunctive language such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y, or Z" is understood in its commonly used context to indicate that an item, term, etc. can be either X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and / or Z), unless otherwise indicated. Thus, such disjunctive language is generally not intended and should not imply that a particular embodiment requires that at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z, respectively, be present.

[0064] Any process descriptions, elements, or blocks in the flow diagrams described herein and / or depicted in the accompanying drawings should be understood as potentially representing a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or element in the process. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, alternative implementations in which elements or functions may be omitted, performed, or described in a different order than that shown or described, including substantially simultaneously or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, are included within the scope of the embodiments described herein.

[0065] Unless otherwise specified, articles such as "a" or "an" should generally be construed to include one or more listed items. Thus, phrases such as "an apparatus configured to" are intended to include one or more of the listed apparatuses. Also, such one or more listed apparatuses may be collectively configured to perform the stated enumeration. For example, "a processor configured to perform enumerations A, B, and C" may include a first processor configured to perform enumeration A working in conjunction with a second processor configured to perform enumerations B and C.

Claims

1. 1. A system for managing battery discharge based on battery cell imbalance, comprising: a battery including a plurality of battery cells; a battery discharge device connected to the battery, The battery discharge device Measure the initial battery voltage and initial energy; Starts battery discharge, determining one or more criteria related to the discharge energy of the battery; and In response to determining that the battery is discharged to the reference, measuring the voltage and energy of the battery; determining reference data comprising a reference metric of a voltage change relative to an energy change between the initial energy and the measured energy by accessing battery discharge reference data, the battery discharge reference data comprising a plurality of reference voltages and a plurality of energy levels, each voltage corresponding to one or more of the energy levels; determining a measured voltage change metric indicative of a voltage change between the measured voltage and an initial voltage relative to the measured energy and the initial energy; comparing the metric of the measured voltage change to the reference data; managing the battery discharge based on a comparison of the measured voltage change metric with the reference data; The system is configured as follows:

2. Managing the battery discharge comprises: resuming the battery discharge in response to determining that the comparison indicates that the measured voltage change metric is the same as the reference data; or terminating the battery discharge in response to determining that the comparison indicates that the measured voltage change metric differs from the reference data; The system of claim 1 , comprising:

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery discharge device comprises a discharge load.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery includes a battery discharge interface, and the battery discharge device and the battery are connected via the battery discharge interface.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reference data is stored in a memory of the battery discharge device.

6. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery discharge device comprises a memory for storing the results of the measurements of the voltage and discharge energy of the battery.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more criteria are defined based on a percentage of discharged energy from an initial energy of the battery.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery discharge is initiated by connecting the battery discharge device to a battery discharge interface of the battery.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reference data is updated based on temperature and / or humidity.

10. A battery discharging device for discharging a battery including a plurality of battery cells, Initiating discharge of the battery; Measure the initial battery voltage and initial energy; determining one or more criteria related to the discharge energy of the battery; measuring the voltage and energy of the battery in response to determining that the battery is discharged to the reference; determining reference data comprising a reference metric of voltage change versus energy change between the initial energy and the measured energy by accessing battery discharge reference data, the battery discharge reference data comprising a plurality of reference voltages and a plurality of energy levels, each voltage corresponding to one or more of the energy levels; determining a measured voltage change metric indicative of a voltage change between the measured voltage and an initial voltage relative to the measured energy and the initial energy; comparing the measured voltage change metric to the reference data; resuming the battery discharge in response to determining that the comparison indicates that the measured voltage change metric is the same as the reference data; or terminating the battery discharge in response to determining that the comparison indicates that the measured voltage change metric differs from the reference data. The battery discharge device is configured to:

11. The battery discharging device of claim 10 , wherein the battery discharging is initiated when the battery discharging device is connected to a battery discharging interface of the battery.

12. 11. The battery discharge device of claim 10, wherein the battery discharge device includes a discharge load, and battery energy is discharged to the load.

13. The battery discharge device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more criteria are defined based on a percentage of discharge energy from an initial energy of the battery.

14. The battery discharge device of claim 10, wherein the reference data is updated based on temperature and / or humidity.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the reference data is stored in a memory of the battery discharge device.

16. 1. A method for managing battery discharge, comprising: initiating discharge of the battery via connection of the battery to a battery discharge device, the battery including a plurality of battery cells; measuring an initial battery voltage and initial energy; determining one or more criteria related to the discharge energy of the battery; measuring the voltage and energy of the battery in response to determining that the battery is discharged to the reference; determining reference data comprising a reference metric of voltage change versus energy change between the initial energy and the measured energy by accessing battery discharge reference data, the battery discharge reference data comprising a plurality of reference voltages and a plurality of energy levels, each voltage corresponding to one or more of the energy levels; determining a measured voltage change metric indicative of a voltage change between the measured voltage and an initial voltage for the measured energy and the initial energy; comparing the measured voltage change metric with the reference data; managing the battery discharge based on a comparison of the measured voltage change metric with the reference data; A method comprising:

17. The step of managing battery discharge includes: resuming the battery discharge in response to determining that the comparison indicates that the measured voltage change metric is the same as the reference data; or terminating the battery discharge in response to determining that the comparison indicates that the measured voltage change metric differs from the reference data; 17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

18. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the battery discharge device comprises a memory for storing the results of the measurements of the voltage and energy of the battery.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more criteria are defined based on a percentage of discharged energy from the initial energy of the battery.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the reference data is updated based on temperature and / or humidity.

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