Battery adaptive charging using battery physical phenomena
Systems and apparatus may carry out analysis of battery physical phenomena, and characterize batteries based on phenomena occurring in particular time and/or frequency domains. These systems may be additionally responsible for charging and/or monitoring a rechargeable battery. Examples of battery physical phenomena include mass transport (e.g., diffusion and/or migration) in battery electrolytes, mass transport in battery electrodes, and reactions on battery electrodes.
1. A method of adaptively charging a battery, the method comprising:
(a) measuring a battery response during a time regime or a frequency regime where the battery's response reflects a physical phenomenon occurring in the battery;
(b) using the battery's response, as measured in (a), to characterize the physical phenomenon; and
(c) based on the physical phenomenon's characterization, as determined in (b), performing at least one of: (1) generating a diagnosis of a condition of the battery; or (2) adapting a charging process of the battery.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to (a), applying a stimulus to the battery, wherein the battery response comprises a response of the battery to the stimulus.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the stimulus is applied during discharge of the battery.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adapting the charging process of the battery comprises at least one of: (1) modifying an amount of charge removed by a discharge pulse utilized in the charging process; (2) modifying a rate or shape of a decay of a terminal voltage of the battery; or (3) modifying a rate or amount of charge injected during charging of the battery.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein characterizing the physical phenomenon occurring in the battery occurs in a cloud device remote from the battery.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising transmitting parameters determined based on the characterized physical phenomenon to charging circuitry of the battery via a wireless link.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery comprises multiple cells connected in series and/or in parallel.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein characterizing the physical phenomenon in (b) comprises a comparison of battery data, including the battery's response measured in (a), across multiple charging cycles.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the comparison occurs at a given state of charge (SOC).
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein (b) comprises determining a charge pulse voltage from the battery's response to characterize transport of metal ions in an electrode of the battery.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein (b) comprises determining a partial relaxation time from the battery's response to characterize transport of metal ions in an electrolyte of the battery.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical phenomenon comprises a chemical or electrochemical reaction in or on an electrode of the battery.
13. A system for adaptively charging a battery, the system comprising:
charging and/or monitoring circuitry designed or configured to apply a charge signal to the battery; and
control circuitry, coupled to the charging and/or monitoring circuitry, and configured to cause the system to:
(a) measure a battery response during a time regime or a frequency regime where the battery's response reflects a physical phenomenon occurring in the battery;
(b) use the battery's response, as measured in (a), to characterize the physical phenomenon; and
(c) based on the physical phenomenon's characterization, as determined in (b), perform at least one of: (1) generating a diagnosis of a condition of the battery; or (2) adapting a charging process of the battery.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to, prior to (a), apply a stimulus to the battery, wherein the battery response comprises a response of the battery to the stimulus.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the stimulus is applied during discharge of the battery.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein to adapt the charging process of the battery, the control circuitry is configured to cause the system to perform at least one of: (1) modifying an amount of charge removed by a discharge pulse utilized in the charging process; (2) modifying a rate or shape of a decay of a terminal voltage of the battery; or (3) modifying a rate or amount of charge injected during charging of the battery.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein characterizing the physical phenomenon occurring in the battery occurs in a cloud device remote from the battery.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to transmit parameters determined based on the characterized physical phenomenon to charging circuitry of the battery via a wireless link.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the battery comprises multiple cells connected in series and/or in parallel.
20. The system of claim 13 , wherein characterizing the physical phenomenon in (b) comprises a comparison of battery data, including the battery's response measured in (a), across multiple charging cycles.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the comparison occurs at a given state of charge (SOC).
22. The system of claim 13 , wherein (b) comprises determining a charge pulse voltage from the battery's response to characterize transport of metal ions in an electrode of the battery.
23. The system of claim 13 , wherein (b) comprises determining a partial relaxation time from the battery's response to characterize transport of metal ions in an electrolyte of the battery.
24. The system of claim 13 , wherein the physical phenomenon comprises a chemical or electrochemical reaction in or on an electrode of the battery.