US 12,327,845 B2
System and method for identifying defects in an electric battery system
Roman Sandoval, San Antonio, TX (US)
Assigned to Allosense, Inc., San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed by Allosense, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Aug. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/897,189.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/296,411, filed on Jan. 4, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0216098 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 10/42 (2006.01); G01R 31/367 (2019.01); G01R 31/54 (2020.01); H01M 10/48 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 10/4285 (2013.01) [G01R 31/367 (2019.01); G01R 31/54 (2020.01); H01M 10/482 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for testing battery cells connected in a battery pack, the apparatus comprising:
a signal generator configured to apply a signal to the battery pack, wherein the battery pack comprises a plurality of battery modules, individual battery modules including at least one battery cell, the plurality of battery modules and battery cells being electrically coupled to a conducting bridge, wherein the conducting bridge includes a bus bar operable to support signal propagation to specific measurement points;
a DC block coupled to the signal generator and configured to pass the signal while isolating high-DC voltages from the battery pack;
a probe selection component electrically coupled to a plurality of measurement components, individual measurement components operable to electrically couple to measurement points on the battery pack; and
a digital signal processing component configured to:
determine a signature of a reflected signal obtained at one of the plurality of measurement points, the reflected signal being associated with signal parameters,
calculate a difference between the signature and a stored signature for the measurement point to generate a difference value;
compare the difference value to a threshold;
classify the reflected signal, wherein classification includes applying a trained model to identify deviations from a baseline signature, the trained model being operable to analyze expected signal data obtained from measurement points of a baseline battery pack; and
determine a continuity defect and a location of the continuity defect, wherein the location is determined by applying frequency-domain reflectometry and a fast Fourier transform technique to determine an electrical distance and distance-to-fault value.