Abstract: A battery module and an intermediate module for use together in a stack of modules permit flexible electrical configurations of the stack. The battery module has multiple electrically conductive paths extending between its top and bottom sides; one of the paths is connected in series with the module's cells, while at least one of the other paths acts as a pass-through that allows power or communications to pass through the module. The intermediate module also contains pass-through electrical paths that route power or communications from one battery module on one of the top and bottom sides of the intermediate module to the pass-through path of the battery module on the other of the top and bottoms ides of the intermediate module. This allows the modules in a stack to be electrically connected together in different series-connected groups.

Abstract: There is described a battery module comprising: a cell enclosure for housing a plurality of battery cells; and a cooling assembly. The cooling assembly comprises a cooling channel extending from an aperture in a first side of the battery module to an aperture in a second side of the battery module. The cooling channel is positioned such that heat generated within the cell enclosure may be transferred to a cooling 5 fluid flowing, via the cooling channel, from the first side of the battery module to the second side of the battery module. There is also described a battery module stack comprising multiple such battery modules. The battery modules are arranged in a stacked formation such that the cooling channel of at least one battery module is aligned with the cooling channel of at least one adjacent battery module.

Abstract: There is described a method of balancing a multi-cell battery. An alignment distance for each cell of the multi-cell battery is determined. The alignment distance defines a change in charge quantity required to achieve a target alignment point, based on a current charge quantity of the cell. Based on the determined alignment distances, one or more unbalanced cells are identified. Each unbalanced cell is then balanced by adjusting its current charge quantity according to the alignment distances. In one embodiment, the target alignment point is a target state of charge. In another embodiment, the target alignment point is a target charge quantity.

Abstract: An optically communicative battery management system includes a pack controller and one or more module controllers optically coupled to the pack controller. The module controllers may themselves be optically coupled together in series, and communication from an upstream module controller may be relayed through one or more downstream controllers en route to the pack controller. The pack controller may also send an optical signal that is used by the pack controller to determine whether any one or more of the battery modules is experiencing a safety fault, and the communication channel used to transmit that optical signal may, absent any safety faults, be used to multiplex message data to the module controllers.

Abstract: A method and system for iteratively determining state of charge (SOC) of a battery cell (“selected cell”) using a controller. For each of the iterations, the controller determines determine a predicted SOC of the selected cell; determines a predicted error covariance of the predicted SOC; and updates the predicted SOC and the predicted error covariance for use in subsequent iterations of the method. The updated SOC is treated as the SOC of the selected cell for that iteration of the method. Cell voltage used to determine the updated SOC may be low-pass filtered prior to its use. When the selected cell is one of multiple cells in a battery pack, the selected cell may be selected to have the lowest SEV of the cells in the pack. The error covariance may also vary directly with pack current magnitude to model inaccuracies that generally directly vary with current flow.

Abstract: There is described a method of balancing a multi-cell battery. An alignment distance for each cell of the multi-cell battery is determined. The alignment distance defines a change in charge quantity required to achieve a target alignment point, based on a current charge quantity of the cell. Based on the determined alignment distances, one or more unbalanced cells are identified. Each unbalanced cell is then balanced by adjusting its current charge quantity according to the alignment distances. In one embodiment, the target alignment point is a target state of charge. In another embodiment, the target alignment point is a target charge quantity.

Abstract: An optically communicative battery management system includes a pack controller and one or more module controllers optically coupled to the pack controller. The module controllers may themselves be optically coupled together in series, and communication from an upstream module controller may be relayed through one or more downstream controllers en route to the pack controller. The pack controller may also send an optical signal that is used by the pack controller to determine whether any one or more of the battery modules is experiencing a safety fault, and the communication channel used to transmit that optical signal may, absent any safety faults, be used to multiplex message data to the module controllers.

Abstract: A method and system for iteratively determining state of charge (SOC) of a battery cell (“selected cell”) using a controller. For each of the iterations, the controller determines determine a predicted SOC of the selected cell; determines a predicted error covariance of the predicted SOC; and updates the predicted SOC and the predicted error covariance for use in subsequent iterations of the method. The updated SOC is treated as the SOC of the selected cell for that iteration of the method. Cell voltage used to determine the updated SOC may be low-pass filtered prior to its use. When the selected cell is one of multiple cells in a battery pack, the selected cell may be selected to have the lowest SEV of the cells in the pack. The error covariance may also vary directly with pack current magnitude to model inaccuracies that generally directly vary with current flow.