Patent ID: 7830123

Claim:
A method of managing a rechargeable battery identified as having a defective module, the battery comprising at least two modules of electrochemical cells connected in series, said electrochemical cells being connected in parallel to each other within each said module and each said module of said electrochemical cells comprising a charge limiting circuit for said module connected in parallel to said module, the method comprising the following steps: (a) having a discharge current pass through the defective module so as to provoke an electrochemical reaction in the defective module, said reaction resulting in the formation of a short-circuit path between connection terminals of said defective module; (b) using the battery by passing an electric current, generated by the discharging of at least one said module different from the defective module, through said defective module; wherein a first partial discharge of the defective module is performed before the step (a), a partial discharge current of the defective module passing through the charge limiting circuit of said defective module, and being controlled by variation of a reference signal for the charge limiting circuit of said defective module.