Vehicle Battery Element Isolation for Threshold-Based Power Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle battery management systems do not efficiently handle battery elements operating below a threshold, leading to reduced vehicle performance and potential safety issues.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that monitor battery elements, disable underperforming elements, and redistribute electricity to remaining functional elements, ensuring optimal battery performance and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If all battery elements are used to provide electricity, then the vehicle power output is maximized, but underperforming elements reduce overall system reliability and safety

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle power outputVSAvoidbattery system reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The battery system is segmented into functional and non-functional elements. The system individually identifies underperforming elements and isolates them from the operational battery pack, allowing the remaining functional elements to continue providing power without contamination from failed components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts and removes underperforming battery elements from the operational configuration. By taking out the non-functional element, the system prevents it from dragging down the performance and reliability of the entire battery pack while maintaining power output from remaining elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If underperforming battery elements are continuously operated, then battery capacity is fully utilized, but safety hazards increase and battery life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery capacity utilizationVSAvoidbattery safety hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification and isolation of underperforming elements before they can cause safety hazards or further degradation. By detecting elements operating below threshold and disabling them proactively, the system prevents potential safety issues before they manifest.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the harmful presence of underperforming elements into a benefit by identifying them as candidates for isolation. The failure of individual elements provides useful information that enables the system to optimize the overall battery pack performance and safety by removing problematic components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If individual battery elements are monitored and disabled when below threshold, then battery safety and performance are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery system reliabilityVSAvoidbattery management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery management system performs self-monitoring and self-adjustment by automatically detecting underperforming elements and disabling them without external intervention. This autonomous operation simplifies the overall system architecture by eliminating the need for complex external monitoring and manual intervention systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12330623B2Vehicle battery element management

Publication Date: 2025.06.17 TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA INC

AI summary

An example operation includes one or more of providing electricity to a vehicle by a plurality of elements in a battery, determining an element of the plurality of elements is operating below a threshold, disabling the element, and providing the electricity by remaining elements of the plurality of elements.