System and method of managing battery cells

1. An information handling system, comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory medium, coupled to the at least one processor, that stores instructions executable by the at least one processor; and

a battery system coupled to the at least one processor and the memory medium and configured to provide power to the at least one processor and the memory medium;

wherein the battery system includes a plurality of battery cells and a battery management unit;

wherein the battery management unit is configured to:

determine that a first timeout value has been reached;

in response to determining that the first timeout value has been reached, for each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells of the battery system:

determine a temperature value associated with the battery cell;

determine if the temperature value associated with the battery cell meets or exceeds a threshold temperature value;

if the temperature value associated with the battery cell does not meet or exceed the threshold temperature value, permit the battery cell to be charged and discharged;

if the temperature value associated with the battery cell meets or exceeds the threshold temperature value:

increment a first temporary fail count associated with the battery cell; and

prevent at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell;

determine if the first temporary fail count is above a first temporary fail count threshold;

if the first temporary fail count is not above the first temporary fail count threshold, permit charging and discharging the battery cell; and

if the first temporary fail count is above the first temporary fail count threshold, log a permanent failure of the battery cell.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the battery management unit is further configured to:

determine that a second timeout value has been reached;

in response to the determining that the second timeout value has been reached, for each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells of the battery system:

determine a voltage value associated with the battery cell when the battery cell is not discharging;

determine if the voltage value is less than or equal to a threshold voltage value;

if the voltage value is not less than or equal to the threshold voltage value, permit the battery cell to be charged and discharged;

if the voltage value is less than or equal to the threshold voltage value:

increment a second temporary fail count associated with the battery cell; and

prevent the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell;

determine if the second temporary fail count is above a second temporary fail count threshold;

if the second temporary fail count is not above the second temporary fail count threshold, permit charging and discharging the battery cell; and

if the second temporary fail count is above the second temporary fail count threshold, log the permanent failure of the battery cell.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the second timeout value is the first timeout value.

4. The information handling system of claim 2 ,

wherein the second temporary fail count is the first temporary fail count; and

wherein the second temporary fail count threshold is the first temporary fail count threshold.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of battery cells are arranged in a parallel fashion.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 ,

wherein the battery system further includes a switch coupled to the battery cell; and

wherein, to prevent the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell, the battery management unit is further configured to control the switch to prevent the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the battery management unit is further configured to:

determine that a third timeout value has been reached;

in response to determining that the third timeout value has been reached, for each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells of the battery system:

determine an internal resistance value associated with the battery cell;

determine if the internal resistance value is less than or equal to a threshold internal resistance value;

if the internal resistance value is not less than or equal to the threshold internal resistance value, permit the battery cell to be charged and discharged;

if the internal resistance value is less than or equal to the threshold internal resistance value:

increment a third temporary fail count associated with the battery cell; and

prevent the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell;

determine if the third temporary fail count is above a third temporary fail count threshold;

if the third temporary fail count is not above the third temporary fail count threshold, permit charging and discharging the battery cell; and

if the third temporary fail count is above the third temporary fail count threshold, log the permanent failure of the battery cell.

8. A method, comprising:

determining that a first timeout value has been reached;

in response to the determining that the first timeout value has been reached, for each battery cell of a plurality of battery cells of a battery system:

determining a temperature value associated with the battery cell;

determining if the temperature value associated with the battery cell meets or exceeds a threshold temperature value;

if the temperature value associated with the battery cell does not meet or exceed the threshold temperature value, permitting the battery cell to be charged and discharged;

if the temperature value associated with the battery cell meets or exceeds the threshold temperature value:

incrementing a first temporary fail count associated with the battery cell; and

preventing at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell;

determining if the first temporary fail count is above a first temporary fail count threshold;

if the first temporary fail count is not above the first temporary fail count threshold, performing the permitting the battery cell to be charged and discharged; and

if the first temporary fail count is above the first temporary fail count threshold, logging a permanent failure of the battery cell.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining that a second timeout value has been reached;

in response to the determining that the second timeout value has been reached, for each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells of the battery system:

determining a voltage value associated with the battery cell when the battery cell is not discharging;

determining if the voltage value is less than or equal to a threshold voltage value;

if the voltage value is not less than or equal to the threshold voltage value, performing the permitting the battery cell to be charged and discharged;

if the voltage value is less than or equal to the threshold voltage value:

incrementing a second temporary fail count associated with the battery cell; and

performing the preventing the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell;

determining if the second temporary fail count is above a second temporary fail count threshold;

if the second temporary fail count is not above the second temporary fail count threshold, performing the permitting the battery cell to be charged and discharged; and

if the second temporary fail count is above the second temporary fail count threshold, performing the logging the permanent failure of the battery cell.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second timeout value is the first timeout value.

11. The method of claim 9 ,

wherein the second temporary fail count is the first temporary fail count; and

wherein the second temporary fail count threshold is the first temporary fail count threshold.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least two of the plurality of battery cells are arranged in a parallel fashion.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the preventing the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell includes controlling at least one switch coupled to the battery cell.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining that a third timeout value has been reached;

in response to the determining that the third timeout value has been reached, for each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells of the battery system:

determining an internal resistance value associated with the battery cell;

determining if the internal resistance value is less than or equal to a threshold internal resistance value;

if the internal resistance value is not less than or equal to the threshold internal resistance value, performing the permitting the battery cell to be charged and discharged;

if the internal resistance value is less than or equal to the threshold internal resistance value:

incrementing a third temporary fail count associated with the battery cell; and

performing the preventing the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell;

determining if the third temporary fail count is above a third temporary fail count threshold;

if the third temporary fail count is not above the third temporary fail count threshold, performing the permitting the battery cell to be charged and discharged; and

if the third temporary fail count is above the third temporary fail count threshold, performing the logging the permanent failure of the battery cell.

15. A battery system, comprising:

a plurality of battery cells; and

a battery management unit coupled to the plurality of battery cells;

wherein the battery system is configured to provide power to one or more components of an information handling system; and

wherein the battery management unit includes:

a processor;

a memory medium, coupled to the processor, that stores instructions executable by the processor, which when executed by the processor, cause the battery system to:

determine that a first timeout value has been reached;

in response to determining that the first timeout value has been reached, for each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells of the battery system:

determine a temperature value associated with the battery cell;

determine if the temperature value associated with the battery cell meets or exceeds a threshold temperature value;

if the temperature value associated with the battery cell does not meet or exceed the threshold temperature value, permit the battery cell to be charged and discharged;

if the temperature value associated with the battery cell meets or exceeds the threshold temperature value:

 increment a first temporary fail count associated with the battery cell; and

 prevent at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell;

determine if the first temporary fail count is above a first temporary fail count threshold;

if the first temporary fail count is not above the first temporary fail count threshold, permit charging and discharging the battery cell; and

if the first temporary fail count is above the first temporary fail count threshold, log a permanent failure of the battery cell.

16. The battery management system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the battery management system to:

determine that a second timeout value has been reached;

in response to the determining that the second timeout value has been reached, for each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells of the battery system:

determine a voltage value associated with the battery cell when the battery cell is not discharging;

determine if the voltage value is less than or equal to a threshold voltage value;

if the voltage value is not less than or equal to the threshold voltage value, performing the permitting the battery cell to be charged and discharged;

if the voltage value is less than or equal to the threshold voltage value:

increment a second temporary fail count associated with the battery cell; and

prevent the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell;

determine if the second temporary fail count is above a second temporary fail count threshold;

if the second temporary fail count is not above the second temporary fail count threshold, permit charging and discharging the battery cell; and

if the second temporary fail count is above the second temporary fail count threshold, log the permanent failure of the battery cell.

17. The battery management system of claim 16 , wherein the second timeout value is the first timeout value.

18. The battery management system of claim 16 ,

wherein the second temporary fail count is the first temporary fail count; and

wherein the second temporary fail count threshold is the first temporary fail count threshold.

19. The battery management system of claim 15 , wherein at least two of the plurality of battery cells are arranged in a parallel fashion.

20. The battery management system of claim 15 , further comprising:

a switch coupled to the battery cell;

wherein, to prevent the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell, the instructions further cause the battery management system to control the switch to prevent the at least one of charging and discharging the battery cell.