System and methods for determining a status of an electrochemical energy storage device

1 . A method comprising:

determining an impedance profile of an electrochemical energy storage device using an Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) device, wherein determining the impedance profile using the EIS device comprises:

generating, by the EIS device, a composite potential waveform comprising a combination of a plurality of sinusoidal potential waveforms at multiple different frequencies,

applying, by the EIS device, the composite potential waveform across the electrochemical energy storage device, wherein the plurality of sinusoidal potential waveforms are applied simultaneously through the composite potential waveform,

measuring, by the EIS device, a corresponding output current at each of the multiple different frequencies resulting from the plurality of sinusoidal potential waveforms,

determining, by the EIS device, an impedance of the electrochemical energy storage device at each of the multiple different frequencies from the plurality of sinusoidal potential waveforms and the corresponding output current, and

determining the impedance profile comprising the impedance of the electrochemical energy storage device at each of the multiple different frequencies;

comparing the determined impedance profile with a predetermined impedance profile; and

determining a status of the electrochemical energy storage device based on the comparison.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a healthy battery pack, and wherein determining the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises determining the electrochemical energy storage device as not degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the healthy battery pack.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a degraded battery pack, and wherein determining the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises determining that the electrochemical energy storage device as degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the degraded battery pack.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising recycling the electrochemical energy storage device in response to determining that the electrochemical energy storage device as degraded.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a healthy battery pack, and wherein determining the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises determining the electrochemical energy storage device as degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is not similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the healthy battery pack.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a degraded battery pack, and wherein determining the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises determining that the electrochemical energy storage device as not degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is not similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the degraded battery pack.

7 . A status detector for determining a status of an electrochemical energy storage device, comprising:

a memory device; and

a processing unit connected to the memory device, wherein the processing unit is operative to:

determine an impedance profile of an electrochemical energy storage device using an Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) device, wherein the processing unit being configured to determine the impedance profile using the EIS device comprises the processing unit being configured to:

generate, using the EIS device a composite potential waveform comprising a combination of a plurality of sinusoidal potential waveforms at multiple different frequencies,

apply, using the EIS device, the composite potential waveform across the electrochemical energy storage device, wherein the plurality of sinusoidal potential waveforms are applied simultaneously through the composite potential waveform,

measure, using the EIS device, a corresponding output current at each of the multiple different frequencies resulting from the plurality of sinusoidal potential waveforms,

determine, using the EIS device, an impedance of the electrochemical energy storage device at each of the multiple different frequencies from the plurality of sinusoidal potential waveforms and the corresponding output current, and

determine the impedance profile comprising the impedance of the electrochemical energy storage device at each of the multiple different frequencies;

compare the determined impedance profile with a predetermined impedance profile; and

determine a status of the electrochemical energy storage device based on the comparison.

8 . The status detector of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a healthy battery pack, and wherein the processing unit being operative to determine the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises the processing unit being operative to determine the electrochemical energy storage device as not degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the healthy battery pack.

9 . The status detector of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a degraded battery pack, and wherein the processing unit being operative to determine the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises the processing unit being operative to determine that the electrochemical energy storage device as degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the degraded battery pack.

10 . The status detector of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a healthy battery pack, and wherein the processing unit being operative to determine the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises the processing unit being operative to determine the electrochemical energy storage device as degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is not similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the healthy battery pack.

11 . The status detector of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a degraded battery pack, and wherein the processing unit being operative to determine the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises the processing unit being operative to determine that the electrochemical energy storage device as not degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is not similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the degraded battery pack.

12 . A status detector for determining a status of an electrochemical energy storage device, the status detector comprising:

an Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) device operative to:

generate a composite potential waveform comprising a combination of a sinusoidal potential at multiple different frequencies;

apply the composite potential waveform comprising the combination of the sinusoidal potential across an electrochemical energy storage device at the multiple different frequencies, and

measure a corresponding output current for the sinusoidal potential at each of the multiple different frequencies,

determine an impedance of the electrochemical energy storage device at each of the multiple different frequencies from the sinusoidal potential and the corresponding output current; and

an impedance detector connected to the EIS device, wherein the impedance detector is operative to:

determine an impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device based on the sinusoidal potential and the corresponding output current, the impedance profile comprising the impedance of the electrochemical energy storage device at each of the multiple different frequencies,

compare the impedance profile with a predetermined impedance profile, and

determine a status of the electrochemical energy storage device based on the comparison.

13 . The status detector of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a healthy battery pack, and wherein the impedance detector being operative to determine the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises the impedance detector being operative to determine the electrochemical energy storage device as not degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the healthy battery pack.

14 . The status detector of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a degraded battery pack, and wherein the impedance detector being operative to determine the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises the impedance detector being operative to determine that the electrochemical energy storage device as degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the degraded battery pack.

15 . The status detector of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a healthy battery pack, and wherein the impedance detector being operative to determine the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises the impedance detector being operative to determine the electrochemical energy storage device as degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is not similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the healthy battery pack.

16 . The status detector of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined impedance profile corresponds to a degraded battery pack, and wherein the impedance detector being operative to determine the status of the electrochemical energy storage device comprises the impedance detector being operative to determine that the electrochemical energy storage device as not degraded in response to determining that the determined impedance profile of the electrochemical energy storage device is not similar to the predetermined impedance profile corresponding to the degraded battery pack.

17 . The status detector of claim 12 , wherein the electrochemical energy storage device comprises a rechargeable battery.

18 . The status detector of claim 12 , wherein the EIS device being operative to apply the sinusoidal potential across the electrochemical energy storage device at the multiple frequencies comprises the EIS device being operative to apply the sinusoidal potential across the electrochemical energy storage device at least three frequencies.