Battery Charge Target Adaptation for Longer Vehicle Battery Life

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Solution Overview

Problem

Charging batteries in heavy-duty vehicles to high energy levels accelerates battery aging, thereby reducing battery lifetime.

Innovation Solution

A computer system with processing circuitry that analyzes historical battery charging data to determine if the starting energy level exceeds a set energy threshold. If it does, the system decreases the target charge level for upcoming charging sessions to bring the expected starting energy level down to the threshold, thereby reducing the risk of overcharging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the battery is charged to high energy levels, then the vehicle's driving range is extended, but the battery aging accelerates and battery lifetime decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving rangeVSAvoidbattery lifetime
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adaptation of the target charge level based on historical battery data and usage patterns. The system continuously adjusts charging parameters by analyzing past charging sessions, battery temperature, and usage behavior to determine optimal charge levels that balance driving range requirements with battery longevity, rather than using fixed charging thresholds

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback mechanisms by monitoring historical battery charging data, temperature readings, and usage patterns to continuously optimize charging strategies. The control circuitry analyzes accumulated data from previous charging sessions and adjusts future target charge levels accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that learns from past performance to improve both range utilization and battery preservation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the target charge level is decreased to extend battery lifetime, then the battery aging is reduced, but the vehicle's driving range may be limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery lifetimeVSAvoiddriving range
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating optimal target charge levels based on historical data analysis before actual charging sessions occur. The control circuitry uses accumulated historical battery data to predict the most beneficial charge levels in advance, allowing the system to proactively adjust charging parameters to extend battery life while maintaining adequate driving range for expected usage patterns

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements parameter changes by dynamically modifying the target charge level parameter based on multiple factors including historical battery temperature data, usage patterns, and battery state of charge history. The system adjusts this critical parameter to find the optimal balance between preserving battery health and maintaining sufficient driving range, transforming a static parameter into a dynamically optimized value

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4554039A1Adapting charge level of a battery
Publication Date: 2025.05.14 VOLVO TRUCK CORP
  • EP4554039A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4554039A1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4554039A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

In an aspect, a computer system (14) comprising processing circuitry (11) is provided. The processing circuitry (11) is configured to acquire (S101), from historical battery charging data, information indicating a starting energy level (20) and an ending energy level (21) for a battery (15) during previous charging sessions, determine (S102), from the acquired information, whether the starting energy level (20) exceeds a set energy threshold value (TE); and if so to decrease (S103) a target charge level being applied during an upcoming charging session for the battery (15), the decreased target charge level being applied such that an expected energy level (20) of the battery (15) at upcoming charging sessions is decreased to the set energy threshold value (TE).