Dynamic Battery Cell Array Management for Cycle Life Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery life is shortened due to factors like high temperature, overcharging, deep discharging, and varying endurance capabilities of battery cells, leading to premature wear-out and reduced cycle life.
Innovation Solution
A battery management system that monitors the condition and status of each battery cell, dynamically reconfigures the cell array to avoid overuse, replaces obsolete cells with redundant ones, and adjusts charging and discharging processes to maintain optimal performance and extend battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If battery cells are used to their full capacity (100% DoD), then immediate energy output is maximized, but battery life is significantly shortened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic charge cycle distribution that adjusts the depth of discharge (DoD) for individual battery cells based on their remaining capacity and usage history. The controller dynamically determines which cells should be discharged and by how much, preventing any single cell from being consistently overused. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain high overall energy output while distributing wear evenly across all cells, thereby extending battery life without sacrificing immediate power delivery.
2Quantity of substance
If battery cells are kept at maximum voltage for extended periods, then charge capacity is maximized, but calendar life deteriorates due to increased internal resistance and ion exchange layer growth
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively managing battery cell states before degradation occurs. The controller continuously monitors cell voltage, temperature, and charge cycle history, and takes preventive measures by rotating which cells are charged to maximum capacity. Cells that have been held at high voltage are rotated out of the active charge set and allowed to rest at lower voltage states, preventing the growth of ion exchange layers and reduction of internal resistance that would otherwise occur from prolonged maximum voltage exposure.
3Device complexity
If a fixed battery cell configuration is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but premature wear-out occurs due to uneven charge cycle distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic reconfiguration capability that allows the battery system to adapt its cell configuration based on real-time conditions. The controller can rotate which cells are active, which are in standby, and which are being recharged, creating a dynamic usage pattern that distributes wear evenly. This dynamic approach maintains relatively simple system architecture while significantly improving reliability through intelligent cell management and load distribution.
4Productivity
If all battery cells are charged and discharged simultaneously, then charging efficiency is maximized, but heavily used cells experience premature wear-out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery cell population into different operational groups that are charged and discharged at different times and to different extents. Instead of treating all cells uniformly, the system divides cells into active, standby, and recharging groups, and further segments these based on individual cell health and usage history. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high overall charging efficiency by keeping most cells available while protecting individual cells from excessive wear through differentiated charge cycle assignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery cell array includes a plurality of battery banks, each battery bank including a two-dimensional m-by-n or higher-order matrix of battery cells; a row address decoder configured to activate selected address lines, the address lines including a wordline(s); a column address decoder configured to activate selected address lines, the address lines including a bitline(s); an address decoder(s), if required, configured to activate a select signal(s) to select an additional address line(s) for a more than two-dimensional matrix of battery cells; a controller configured to directly or indirectly activate a bank select signal(s) to select a battery bank of the plurality of battery banks.