US 12,319,151 B2
Smart vehicle systems and control logic for battery thermal event detection and situational severity assessment
Matthew E. Gilbert-Eyres, Rochester, MI (US); Russell A. Patenaude, Macomb Township, MI (US); Eric T. Hosey, Royal Oak, MI (US); and Matthew Neely, Rochester, MI (US)
Assigned to GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Jun. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/839,988.
Prior Publication US 2023/0398872 A1, Dec. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. B60L 3/00 (2019.01); B60Q 1/50 (2006.01); B60Q 1/52 (2006.01); B60Q 5/00 (2006.01); G01R 31/392 (2019.01); G01R 31/396 (2019.01); H01M 10/48 (2006.01); H01M 50/204 (2021.01)
CPC B60L 3/0046 (2013.01) [B60Q 1/50 (2013.01); B60Q 1/52 (2013.01); B60Q 5/005 (2013.01); G01R 31/392 (2019.01); G01R 31/396 (2019.01); H01M 10/486 (2013.01); H01M 50/204 (2021.01); H01M 2220/20 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a vehicle with a battery system having multiple battery cells, the method comprising:
detecting, via a vehicle controller, an occurrence of a thermal event in at least one of the battery cells in the battery system of the vehicle;
monitoring, via the vehicle controller using a wireless communications device and/or a sensing device, a surrounding area of the vehicle to detect target objects, if any, near the vehicle;
determining, responsive to detecting at least one of the target objects near the vehicle, target object data including a total number of the detected target objects and a respective proximity of each of the detected target objects to the vehicle;
estimating, using the target object data, a situational severity level for the thermal event;
determining, via the vehicle controller, if the situational severity level exceeds a preset maximum allowable severity level; and
transmitting, via the vehicle controller responsive to the situational severity level exceeding the preset maximum allowable severity level, a command signal to a resident vehicle subsystem to execute a control operation to mitigate the thermal event.