Systems and methods for identifying thermal run-away events in a battery pack can include using sensing circuits made up of series- or parallel-linked thermistors to measure subsets of the individual battery cells in a battery pack. Using multiple sensing circuits, a monitoring system can positively identify when a threshold temperature of any single battery cell has been reached even though individual temperatures are not monitored, and can generate a signal indicative of a thermal run-away event based on the detected temperature.

There is provided a battery cell monitoring system comprising a flexible substrate able to conform to a surface of a battery cell to be monitored and wireless communication circuitry to be positioned proximate to a surface of the battery cell and arranged to communicate with one or more other battery cell monitoring systems. The battery cell monitoring system is provided with control circuitry integrated onto the flexible substrate to control the wireless communication circuitry to perform two types of communication. The first of the two types of communication is a local communication between the battery cell monitoring system and each of the one or more other battery cell monitoring systems. The second of the two types of communication is a non-local communication between the battery cell monitoring system and a battery management system routed via inter-cell communication with the one or more other battery cell monitoring systems.

A battery management system comprising a positive electrode material exhibiting a phase transition behavior in a predetermined capacity range and a negative electrode material having plateau characteristics over the predetermined capacity range. The battery management system includes a sensing unit to output sensing information indicating a voltage and a current of the battery, and a control unit. The control unit determines a voltage curve indicating a correspondence relationship between a capacity of the battery and the voltage of the battery based on the sensing information collected during constant current charging or constant current discharging of the battery. The control unit determines a differential voltage curve based on the voltage curve. The control unit detects a peak of interest in a predetermined capacity range appearing in the differential voltage curve. The control unit determines a first capacity loss ratio of the battery based on a differential voltage of the peak of interest.

A battery device and a battery protection method for same are provided. It is determined, according to electrical capacity of a battery, whether a battery device communicates with an electronic device, and whether the battery is being charged or discharged, whether to control the battery device to enter a shutdown mode.

Disclosed herein are a vehicle or other system battery with a self-contained backup capability and a method for providing power to a vehicle using the vehicle or other system battery with a self-contained backup capability. In one aspect, the vehicle battery comprises, a main battery portion, a backup battery portion, and a control device for selectively communicating a transfer of energy from the backup battery portion to the main battery portion when a voltage level or other health indicator of the main battery portion is determined to be below a reference voltage threshold, wherein the main battery portion and backup battery portion are each re-chargeable via an alternator of the vehicle when the control device communicates the transfer of energy between the main battery portion and the backup battery portion.

A method of managing a battery of a wireless sensor or other battery-powered remote wireless device includes pre-characterizing the device's energy usage during its various activities and modes, placing the device in operation, opportunistically gathering device operational data obtained for purposes other than battery management, and estimating a status of the battery according to an analysis of the operational data in light of the pre-characterized information. The method further includes taking a battery management action according to the estimated battery status, such as recharging or replacing the battery when it is nearly exhausted, and/or modifying the operation of the device so as to extend the battery lifetime, for example by reducing or increasing the frequency of data transmissions, measurements, calculations, and/or other dynamic current events. The status estimate can further be in light of measurements provided by a simple current measuring circuit included in the device.

A battery module includes battery stack (2) including a plurality of stacked battery cells (1), a pair of end plates (3) disposed at both end parts in a stacking direction of battery stack (2), bind bar (4) in which the pair of end plates (3) are coupled, and electronic circuit block (6) mounted with voltage detection circuit (22) that detects a voltage of battery cells (1). Electronic circuit block (6) is disposed on an outer surface of both end plates (3) disposed at both end parts of battery stack (2), and electronic circuit block (6) is connected to battery cells (1) via voltage detection line (19).

A highly safe power storage system is provided. If n (n is an integer over or equal to three) secondary batteries are used in a vehicle such as an electric vehicle, a circuit configuration is used with which the condition of each secondary battery is monitored using an anomaly detection unit; and if an anomaly such as a micro-short circuit is detected, only the detected anomalous secondary battery is electrically separated from the charging system or the discharging system. At least one microcomputer monitors anomalies in n secondary batteries consecutively, selects the anomalous secondary battery or the detected secondary battery which causes an anomaly, and gives an instruction to bypass the secondary battery with each switch.

A communication device for connection with a power source and a host device is provided. The communication device comprises a device controller and a converter circuit. The device controller is adapted for data communication with the host device and the converter circuit is configured to provide a virtual device ground at least to the device controller, so as to compensate a ground potential difference between the host device and the communication device.

Certain aspects relate to a battery pack for an electric vehicle. Exemplary battery pack includes a first pouch cell and a vent configured to vent the ejecta from the first pouch cell. The first pouch cell includes at least an outer coating, at least a first pair of electrodes, at least a first pair of foil tabs electrically connected to the at least a first pair of electrodes, at least a first insulator layer located substantially between the at least a first pair of foil tabs, a first pouch substantially encompassing the at least a first pair of foil tabs and the at least a first insulator layer, and a first electrolyte within the first pouch. The battery pack is also configured to power at least a propulsor component.