Patent ID: 8624560

Claim:
A method for charging a battery, wherein the battery is a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising: monitoring a current through the battery; monitoring a voltage of the battery; monitoring a temperature of the battery; inferring electrode lithium surface concentrations for the battery from the monitored current, voltage and temperature; and applying the charging current and/or the charging voltage in a manner that maintains the inferred electrode lithium surface concentrations for the battery within set limits, wherein maintaining the inferred electrode lithium surface concentrations for the battery within set limits comprises: receiving a charging profile comprising a set of data points, wherein each data point specifies a current, a voltage and a temperature for the battery, wherein the specified current, voltage and temperature are associated with a maximum lithium surface concentration for the battery during the charging process; using interpolation to compare the monitored current, temperature and voltage of the battery against a surface defined by the set of data points, wherein the surface is associated with the maximum lithium concentration of the battery; and using results of the comparison to adjust the charging current and/or the charging voltage to maintain the electrode lithium surface concentrations of the battery below the maximum lithium surface concentration during the charging process.