Patent ID: 9059486
Filing Date: 2015-06-16
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for discharging a battery on a vehicle, said battery including a plurality of battery cells, each battery cell including a discharge circuit, said method comprising: determining that the vehicle has been involved in a vehicle damaging event; and discharging each battery cell if a vehicle damaging event is detected by turning on the discharge circuit for each cell to discharge the cell to a predetermined cell state-of-charge level, where discharging the battery cells includes discharging the battery cells to a first state-of-charge level if the vehicle damaging event is determined to be low severity where the battery cells retain charge to operate the vehicle, discharging the battery cells to a second state-of-charge level if the vehicle damaging event is determined to be medium severity where the battery cells can be recharged, and discharging the battery cells to a third state-of-charge level if the vehicle damaging event is determined to be high severity where the battery cells are damaged and cannot be recharged.