IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,631,686
Granted Patent B2
US 12,631,686 · App. 17/806,506 · Granted May 19, 2026

System and method for monitoring health parameters of battery pack

Inventors: Devaraj Gopalsamy Dasamuthu (Pollachi, IN); Christopher James Green (Peterborough, GB); Adam Jonathan Stubbs (Lincolnshire, GB); Nikhil Badam (Chennai, IN)
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
G01R31/3842G01R31/392H01M10/4257H01M10/482H01M10/486H01M2010/4271H01M2010/4278H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,631,686
App. No.
17/806,506
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A battery health monitoring (BHM) system for monitoring at least one health parameter of a battery pack. The BHM system includes an internal battery and a clock powered by the internal battery. The clock is configured to track time. The system further includes a control system disposed in communication with the clock for receiving the tracked time as input from the clock. The control system is configured to issue a first trigger signal at a preset wake-up time from within a specified time frame of the tracked time to switch the battery pack from a dormant state to an active state for monitoring the at least one health parameter of the battery pack.

Claims (43)

1 . A battery health monitoring (BHM) system for monitoring at least one health parameter of a battery pack, the BHM system comprising:

an internal battery;

a clock powered by the internal battery and configured to track time;

a DC-DC converter coupled to the BHM system, the DC-DC converter configured to:

transition to an active state upon the DC-DC converter receiving a first trigger signal from the BHM system, the DC-DC converter being operable to provide output power when in the active state; and

transition to an inactive state upon receiving a second trigger from the BHM system, the DC-DC converter being configured to discontinue providing the output power when in the inactive state; and

a control system powered by the internal battery and disposed in communication with the clock for receiving tracked time as input from the clock, wherein the control system includes a primary controller to issue the first trigger signal and a secondary controller to receive the tracked time from the clock and to activate the primary controller at a specified time frame of the tracked time, wherein the clock is configured to initiate trigger signal generation from the primary controller of the control system to switch the internal battery from a low power mode to a full power mode, and wherein the internal battery is configured to power only the clock and the secondary controller of the control system in the low power mode, and each of the clock the secondary controller, and the primary controller of the control system in the full power mode, the control system configured to:

issue the first trigger signal at a preset wake-up time from within a specified time frame of the tracked time to switch the battery pack from a dormant state to an active state for monitoring the at least one health parameter of the battery pack.

2 . The BHM system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to obtain the at least one health parameter of the battery pack in the active state and generate the second trigger signal to switch the battery pack from the active state to the dormant state at an end of the specified time frame of the tracked time.

3 . The BHM system of claim 1 , wherein a duration of the specified time frame is between a range of 2 minutes to 5 minutes.

4 . The BHM system of claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver configured to transmit the at least one health parameter of the battery pack in the active state to a remote battery health monitoring station.

5 . The BHM system of claim 4 , wherein the control system is configured to control the transceiver for transmission of the at least one health parameter of the battery pack in the active state and generate the second trigger signal in response to transmitting the at least one health parameter to switch the battery pack from the active state to the dormant state.

6 . The BHM system of claim 1 , wherein the primary controller of the control system is configured to switch the internal battery from the low power mode to the full power mode at the preset wake-up time.

7 . The BHM system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one health parameter of the battery pack includes one or more of highest cell temperature of each battery cell of the battery pack, lowest cell temperature of each battery cell of the battery pack, voltage level, current, energy throughput, state of charge, state of health, and high voltage disconnect forewarning.

8 . A method for monitoring at least one health parameter of a battery pack, the method comprising:

powering, by an internal battery, a clock to track time;

receiving, by a control system powered by the internal battery, tracked time as input from the clock; and

issuing, by the control system, a first trigger signal at a preset wake-up time from within a specified time frame of the tracked time, the first trigger signal configured to:

switch the battery pack from a dormant state to an active state for monitoring the at least one health parameter of the battery pack; and

transition a DC-DC converter to an active state, the DC-DC converter being operable to provide output power in the active state;

issuing, by the control system, a second trigger signal to transition the DC-DC converter to an inactive state, the DC-DC converter being configured to discontinue providing the output power when in the inactive state; and

transmitting, by a transceiver, the at least one health parameter of the battery pack in the active state to a remote battery health monitoring station, wherein issuing the first trigger signal includes issuing, by a primary controller of the control system, the first trigger signal and wherein receiving the tracked time includes receiving, by a secondary controller of the control system, the tracked time and activation of the primary controller at the specified time frame of the tracked time, and wherein the internal battery is configured to power only the clock and the secondary controller of the control system in a low power mode and configured to power each of the clock, the secondary controller and the primary controller of the control system in a full power mode.

9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:

obtaining, by the control system, the at least one health parameter of the battery pack in the active state; and

generating, by the control system, the second trigger signal to switch the battery pack from the active state to the dormant state at an end of the specified time frame of the tracked time.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

controlling, by the control system, the transceiver for transmission of the at least one health parameter of the battery pack in the active state; and

generating, by the control system, the second trigger signal in response to transmitting the at least one health parameter to switch the battery pack from the active state to the dormant state.

11 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:

switching, by the primary controller of the control system, the internal battery from the low power mode to the full power mode at the preset wake-up time.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one health parameter of the battery pack includes one or more of highest cell temperature of each battery cell of the battery pack, lowest cell temperature of each battery cell of the battery pack, voltage level, current, energy throughput, state of charge, state of health, and high voltage disconnect forewarning.

13 . A battery system comprising:

a battery pack; and

a battery health monitoring (BHM) system coupled to the battery pack for monitoring at least one health parameter of the battery pack, the BHM system including:

an internal battery;

a clock powered by the internal battery and configured to track time;

a DC-DC converter coupled to the BHM system and a battery management system, wherein the DC-DC converter is configured to:

transition to an active state upon the DC-DC converter receiving a first trigger signal from the BHM system, the DC-DC converter being operable to provide output power when in the active state; and

transition to an inactive state upon receiving a second trigger from the BHM system, the DC-DC converter being configured to discontinue providing the output power when in the inactive state; and

a control system powered by the internal battery and disposed in communication with the clock for receiving tracked time as input from the clock, the control system configured to issue the first trigger signal at a preset wakeup time from within a specified time frame of the tracked time to switch the battery pack from a dormant state to an active state for monitoring the at least one health parameter of the battery pack, wherein the control system includes a primary controller to issue the first trigger signal and a secondary controller to receive the tracked time from the clock and to activate the primary controller at the specified time frame of the tracked time, wherein the clock is configured to initiate trigger signal generation from the primary controller of the control system to switch the internal battery from a low power mode to a full power mode, and wherein the internal battery is configured to power only the clock and the secondary controller of the control system in the low power mode, and each of the clock the secondary controller, and the primary controller of the control system in the full power mode.

14 . The battery system of claim 13 , wherein the control system is configured to obtain the at least one health parameter of the battery pack in the active state and generate the second trigger signal to switch the battery pack from the active state to the dormant state at an end of the specified time frame of the tracked time.

15 . The battery system of claim 13 , wherein the DC-DC converter is configured to receive the first trigger signal from the control system and provide output power from the battery pack to the battery management system to retrieve the at least one health parameter from the battery pack.

16 . The battery system of claim 13 further comprising: a transceiver configured to transmit the at least one health parameter of the battery pack in the active state to a remote battery health monitoring station.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2022
From: DEVARAJ GOPALSAMY DASAMUTHU; GREEN, CHRISTOPHER JAMES; STUBBS, ADAM JONATHAN; BADAM, NIKHIL
To: CATERPILLAR INC.
Reel/Frame 060175/0313 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230400523A1 · Dec 14, 2023
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