System and method for determining the state of health of electrochemical battery cells

1. A computer-implemented method for determining the state of health of an electrochemical battery cell comprising the steps of:

using a non-invasive sensing device to measure a magnetic susceptibility property of the battery cell, the sensing device comprising:

a permanent magnet providing an excitation magnetic field; and

one or more magnetic field sensors for sensing a magnetic field generated by the battery cell; and

calculating a state of health value for the battery cell based on the measured magnetic susceptibility property by comparing an offset between a measured magnetic susceptibility value corresponding to the magnetic susceptibility property and an estimated magnetic susceptibility value.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying an indicia of the state of health value using a display device.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed on each one of a plurality of battery cells within a battery to determine an overall state of health value for the battery.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of measuring the magnetic susceptibility property is repeated after a pre-determined period.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the step of calculating the state of health value is repeated after each measuring step.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of measuring the magnetic susceptibility property is repeated every second.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of measuring the magnetic susceptibility property is repeated every minute.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the state of health value is transmitted via a wireless connection.

9. A system for determining the state of health of an electrochemical battery cell, the system comprising:

a non-invasive sensing device for measuring a magnetic susceptibility property of the battery cell, the sensing device comprising:

a permanent magnet providing an excitation magnetic field; and

one or more magnetic field sensors for sensing a magnetic field generated by the battery cell; and

a processing device for calculating a state of health value for the battery cell based on the measured magnetic susceptibility property by comparing an offset between a measured magnetic susceptibility value corresponding to the magnetic susceptibility property and an estimated magnetic susceptibility value.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising an output device for outputting the state of health value, wherein the output device is a display device.

11. A computer-implemented method for determining the state of health of an electrochemical battery cell comprising the steps of:

measuring a magnetic susceptibility property of the battery cell to determine a measured magnetic susceptibility value; wherein the measuring is performed by a non-invasive sensing device comprising:

a permanent magnet providing an excitation magnetic field; and

one or more magnetic field sensors for sensing a magnetic field generated by the battery cell;

estimating a state of charge value for the battery cell based on the measured magnetic susceptibility value in combination with voltage and current history information for the battery cell;

calculating an estimated magnetic susceptibility value corresponding to the state of charge value; and

calculating a state of health value for the battery cell based on an offset between the measured magnetic susceptibility value and the estimated magnetic susceptibility value.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of outputting the state of health value using an output device, wherein the output device is a display device.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the steps are performed on each one of a plurality of battery cells within a battery to determine an overall state of health value for the battery.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of measuring the magnetic susceptibility property is repeated after a pre-determined period.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the step of calculating the state of health value is repeated after each measuring step.

16. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of measuring the magnetic susceptibility property is repeated every second.

17. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of measuring the magnetic susceptibility property is repeated every minute.

18. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the state of health value is transmitted via a wireless connection.

19. A system for determining the state of health of an electrochemical battery cell, the system comprising:

a device for generating an excitation magnetic field;

one or more magnetic field sensors for sensing a magnetic field generated by the battery cell; and

a processing device programmed for determining a measured magnetic susceptibility value; estimating a state of charge value for the battery cell based on the measured magnetic susceptibility value in combination with voltage and current history information for the battery cell; calculating an estimated magnetic susceptibility value corresponding to the state of charge value; and calculating a state of health value for the battery cell based on an offset between the measured magnetic susceptibility value and the estimated magnetic susceptibility value.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising an output device for outputting the state of health value.

21. A computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

using a non-invasive sensing device to apply an excitation magnetic field to a battery cell, the sensing device comprising a permanent magnet for generating the excitation magnetic field, and one or more magnetic field sensors;

using the sensing device to measure a magnetic susceptibility property of the battery cell by sensing a magnetic field generated by the battery cell at a pre-determined time after it is magnetized by the excitation magnetic field; and

calculating a state of health value for the battery cell based on the measured magnetic susceptibility property.

22. A computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

using a non-invasive sensing device to apply a magnetic field to a battery cell, the sensing device comprising a means for generating magnetic fields, and the sensing device further comprising one or more magnetic field sensors;

using the sensing device to measure a magnetic susceptibility property of the battery cell to determine a measured magnetic susceptibility value;

estimating a state of charge value for the battery cell based on the measured magnetic susceptibility value in combination with voltage and current history information for the battery cell;

calculating an estimated magnetic susceptibility value corresponding to the state of charge value; and

calculating a state of health value for the battery cell based on an offset between the measured magnetic susceptibility value and the estimated magnetic susceptibility value.

23. A system comprising:

a non-invasive sensing device for measuring a magnetic susceptibility property of a battery cell, the sensing device comprising a means for generating magnetic fields, and the sensing device further comprising one or more magnetic field sensors; and

a processing device for

determining a measured magnetic susceptibility value;

estimating a state of charge value for the battery cell based on the measured magnetic susceptibility value in combination with voltage and current history information for the battery cell;

calculating an estimated magnetic susceptibility value corresponding to the state of charge value; and

calculating a state of health value for the battery cell based on an offset between the measured magnetic susceptibility value and the estimated magnetic susceptibility value.