Vehicle Battery Cell Fingerprinting for Counterfeit Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing number of electric vehicle batteries poses a significant risk of counterfeiting in the aftermarket, where third parties replace or modify batteries, leading to safety hazards and performance degradation, as existing technologies fail to accurately detect counterfeit cells without complex modifications or opening of battery packs.

Innovation Solution

A computer system utilizing existing vehicle sensors to receive and compare battery data with reference data, employing a battery cell modeler, such as a neural network, to identify deviations and detect counterfeit cells through electrochemical fingerprint analysis, without requiring modifications to batteries or packs, and utilizing cloud-based computing for efficient data processing and reporting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If existing technologies are used to detect counterfeit battery cells, then detection capability is limited, but system complexity and cost increase due to required modifications or opening of battery packs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecounterfeit detection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery management system uses its own existing sensors to collect and analyze battery data for counterfeit detection, eliminating the need for external detection devices or modifications to the battery pack structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces physical inspection methods (opening battery packs) with electrochemical analysis using sensor data and machine learning algorithms, substituting mechanical intervention with computational detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If battery packs are opened to detect counterfeit cells, then detection accuracy improves, but time consumption and operational disruption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecounterfeit detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously collects and stores battery data in advance, creating a historical dataset that enables counterfeit detection without requiring time-consuming physical inspection when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces time-consuming physical battery pack opening and manual inspection with automated electrochemical fingerprint analysis using existing sensor data and machine learning models

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If complex modifications are made to detect counterfeit cells, then detection capability improves, but cost and ease of manufacture worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery management reliabilityVSAvoidimplementation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The battery management system leverages its own existing sensors and computational resources to perform counterfeit detection, eliminating the need for additional hardware modifications or complex manufacturing changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The battery management system performs multiple functions including normal battery monitoring and counterfeit detection using the same sensor infrastructure and processing units, maximizing the utility of existing components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Device complexity

If existing sensors are utilized for counterfeit detection, then cost and space effectiveness improve, but detection accuracy may be insufficient without additional hardware

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidcounterfeit detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms ordinary sensor measurements into counterfeit detection data by analyzing electrochemical parameters and temporal patterns through machine learning, extracting additional information from existing sensor capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces electrochemical fingerprint analysis as an intermediary process that translates existing sensor data into meaningful counterfeit detection indicators, bridging the gap between standard sensor output and detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20240369638A1Vehicle battery cell counterfeit detection

Publication Date: 2024.11.07 VOLVO TRUCK CORP

AI summary

A computer system includes processing circuitry configured to receive sensor-obtained battery data from at least one battery cell being monitored by a battery management system of a vehicle, the at least one battery cell being of a particular type; obtain battery reference data from a plurality of battery reference cells of different types; compare the sensor-obtained battery data to the battery reference data, wherein a battery cell modeler is configured to perform the comparing by processing the sensor-obtained battery data and the battery reference data; and based on the comparing, determine counterfeit characteristics data indicating that said particular type of the at least one battery cell deviates from a selected type among said plurality of reference battery cells of different types.