PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10923776-B2
Application Number: US-62514309-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Systems and methods for monitoring and responding to forces influencing a battery

Abstract:
Systems and methods for monitoring and responding to forces influencing batteries of electronic devices are provided. One or more sensors may be provided at various positions within a battery assembly including one or more battery cells within an enclosure. In some embodiments, a sensor may be provided between a battery cell and a portion of the enclosure. In other embodiments, a sensor may be positioned between two adjacent cells in a stack. Each sensor may detect a force influencing a battery cell of the assembly. In some embodiments, the sensor may be a force sensing material having a conductance configured to vary based on the influencing force. In other embodiments, the sensor may be a contact sensor that detects when the influencing force moves two elements together.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a rigid enclosure containing operational components, the operational components comprising: 
 a battery cell; 
 an external force sensor coupled with an exterior surface of the battery cell and configured to detect physical contact with an external surface of the battery cell, the external force sensor further configured to generate a first sense signal indicative of the contact in response to the detected contact; 
 an internal force sensor positioned within the battery cell configured to detect an internal force generated by conditions internal to the battery cell, and generates a second sense signal indicative of a magnitude of the internal force in response to the detected internal force; and 
 a processor coupled with the internal and the external force sensors configured to receive the first sense signal and the second sense signal and alter a facility of the electronic device based on the received first and second sense signals such that the facility of the electronic device is altered during operation of the electronic device and in response to a force detected by the external force sensor or internal force sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the battery cell is a first battery cell and the operational components further comprise a second battery cell. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the internal force sensor is a pressure sensor configured to detect an internal pressure of the first battery cell. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device as recited in  claim 3 , wherein when the internal pressure of the first battery cell reaches or exceeds a threshold, the second sense signal causes the processor to electrically isolate and shut down the first battery cell while continuing operation of the second battery cell. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the first battery cell and the second battery cell are in a stacked arrangement with each other and housed in a rigid battery case. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device as recited in  claim 5 , the electronic device further comprising a contact sensor positioned on an interior surface of the rigid battery case and configured to detect a contact with the first battery cell and/or the second battery cell and provide a contact signal. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the contact signal causes the processor to alter an operation of the first and/or second battery cell. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a contact sensor positioned on an interior surface of the rigid enclosure and configured to detect a contact with the battery cell and provide a contact signal. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the facility of the electronic device includes an operation related to charging or drawing current from the battery cell. 
     
     
       10. An electronic device, comprising:
 a rigid housing containing components, the components comprising: 
 a processor, 
 a battery cell comprising an internal pressure sensor arranged to detect an internal pressure generated by conditions internal to the battery cell, the internal pressure sensor configured to send a detected pressure signal to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to respond in accordance with a threshold pressure by altering a facility of the electronic device based on the detected pressure signal, such that the facility of the electronic device is altered in response to a detected pressure; 
 an external force sensor coupled with an exterior surface of the battery cell and configured to detect physical contact with an external surface of the battery cell, the external force sensor further configured to generate a first sense signal indicative of the contact in response to the detected contact; and 
 wherein the facility altered includes operation of a cooling unit. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device as recited in  claim 10 , the electronic device further comprising an object located away from the battery cell. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the object is a device component coupled to the processor and having a contact sensor arranged to detect a contact between the device component and the battery cell and provide a contact signal to the processor. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the contact signal causes the processor to alter an operation of the battery cell. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the object is the rigid housing having a contact sensor positioned on an interior surface of the rigid housing and arranged to detect a contact between the rigid housing and the battery cell and provide a contact signal to the processor. 
     
     
       15. A system for use in an electronic device having a rigid enclosure housing operational components, the operational components comprising:
 a battery assembly comprising a first battery cell and a second battery cell in a stacked arrangement within a rigid case, the first and second battery cells arranged to provide power singly or cooperatively to at least some of the operational components, 
 an external force sensor coupled with an exterior surface of the battery cell and configured to detect physical contact with an external surface of the battery cell, the external force sensor further configured to generate a first sense signal indicative of the contact in response to the detected contact, and 
 a contact sensor disposed between the rigid case and the first and second battery cells and arranged to detect a physical contact with an external surface of the first or second battery cells and provide a corresponding contact signal indicative of a magnitude and duration of the physical contact; and 
 a processor configured to receive the contact signal and alter a facility of the battery assembly based on the received contact signal such that the facility of the electronic device is altered in response to a detected contact during operation of the system. 
 
     
     
       16. The system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the contact is caused by displacement of the first and/or the second battery cell within the rigid case. 
     
     
       17. The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the displacement of the first and/or second battery cell is caused by an impact event at the rigid enclosure. 
     
     
       18. The system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the contact at the rigid case is caused by an expansion of the first and/or the second battery cells. 
     
     
       19. The system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the facility to be altered includes operation of at least one of a backlight, a hard disk, a CPU, a cooling unit, a backup system, an alarm, a dialog box, or a user interface. 
     
     
       20. The system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the altered facility includes altering performance of the first battery cell independently from performance of the second battery cell.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/242,898, filed Sep. 30, 2008, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/009,648, filed Dec. 31, 2007, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This relates to systems and methods for monitoring and responding to forces influencing a battery. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Pressure can build up within a battery as the battery operates, for example, due to heat. Pressure can also be applied to an external portion of a battery, such as by a physically adjacent object. These pressures generate forces that influence effects of the battery, such as the size and shape of the battery. Although some magnitudes of such forces can be normal, more intense forces may be indicative of an impending battery failure. Accordingly, what is needed are systems and methods for monitoring and responding to forces influencing a battery. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Systems and methods for monitoring and responding to forces influencing a battery are provided. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, an electronic device is provided that includes a battery and a battery force sensor. The battery force sensor may include force sensing material having a conductance that is configured to vary based on at least one force influencing the battery. The battery force sensor may also include force sensing circuitry coupled to the force sensing material. The force sensing circuitry may be configured to produce a force output signal based on the conductance of the force sensing material. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for monitoring a battery. The method may include varying the conductance of a material based on at least one force influencing the battery, and producing a force output signal based on the conductance of the material. 
     According to yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a battery force sensor for use with a battery. The battery force sensor may include force sensing material having a conductance that is configured to vary based on a force influencing the battery. The battery force sensor may also include force sensing circuitry coupled to the force sensing material, wherein the force sensing circuitry is configured to produce a force output signal based on the conductance of the force sensing material. 
     According to yet still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a battery assembly including an enclosure, a first battery cell positioned within the enclosure, and a first sensor positioned within the enclosure for detecting at least one force influencing the first battery cell. An adhesive layer may be positioned between the first battery cell and the enclosure, and the first sensor may also be positioned between the first battery cell and the enclosure. Alternatively, the first sensor may be positioned between the first battery cell and a second battery cell stacked on top of the first battery cell, and an adhesive may also be positioned between the first battery cell and the second battery cell. A second sensor may be positioned between the second battery cell and a third battery cell stacked on top of the second battery cell. 
     According to yet still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for monitoring a battery having a first cell and a second cell stacked within an enclosure. The method may include positioning a first sensor material between the first cell and the second cell or positioning the first sensor material between the first cell and the enclosure. The method may also include varying the conductance of the first material based on at least one force influencing the first cell, and producing a first force output signal based on the conductance of the first material. The method may also include controlling a facility of the first cell based on the force output signal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features of the invention, its nature, and various advantages will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout. 
         FIG. 1  shows a simplified block diagram of an electronic device with a battery and a battery force sensor, according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a simplified sectional view of a portion of the electronic device with the battery and the battery force sensor of  FIG. 1 , according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a simplified block diagram of the battery and the battery force sensor of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  show a series of simplified sectional views of the battery and the battery force sensor of  FIGS. 1-3 , at various states, according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 4C  shows a graph of a force output signal of the battery force sensor of  FIGS. 1-4B , at the various states of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIGS. 5A-5C  show a series of simplified sectional views of the battery and the battery force sensor of  FIGS. 1-4B  and a remote object, at various states, according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 5D  shows a graph of a force output signal of the battery force sensor of  FIGS. 1-4B and 5A-5C , at the various states of  FIGS. 5A-5C , according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows a flowchart of various steps of a battery force detection scheme, according to some embodiments of the invention; 
         FIGS. 7A-7C  show exploded perspective views of battery assemblies including sensors, according to various embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a portion of the battery assembly of  FIG. 7B , taken from line VIII-VIII of  FIG. 7B , according to some embodiments of the invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a portion of a battery assembly, similar to  FIG. 8 , according to other embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A battery of an electronic device (e.g., a portable media player or cellular telephone) may be tightly and/or deeply packaged into the device when the device is assembled. Therefore, periodic physical inspection of the battery may be difficult or impractical once the device is assembled. Moreover, the influence of one or more forces on a battery may physically impact and damage another component of the device and/or damage the battery itself. 
     The systems and methods of the invention may provide for monitoring and responding to forces influencing a battery. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the invention may sense a force influencing a battery prior to the battery impacting another component of the electronic device. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the invention may sense the battery impacting another component and may sense a force influencing the battery before, during, and/or after the impact. 
     In view of the foregoing, systems and methods for monitoring and responding to forces influencing a battery are provided and described with reference to  FIGS. 1-9 . 
       FIG. 1  shows an electronic device  100  including a battery force sensor in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. The term “electronic device” can include, but is not limited to, music players, video players, still image players, game players, other media players, music recorders, video recorders, cameras, other media recorders, radios, medical equipment, domestic appliances, transportation vehicle instruments, calculators, cellular telephones, other wireless communication devices, personal digital assistants, programmable remote controls, pagers, laptop computers, desktop computers, printers, and combinations thereof. In some cases, the electronic device may perform a single function (e.g., a device dedicated to playing music) and, in other cases, the electronic device may perform multiple functions (e.g., a device that plays music, displays video, stores pictures, and receives and transmits telephone calls). 
     Moreover, in some cases, the electronic device may be any portable, mobile, hand-held, or miniature electronic device having a battery force sensor constructed according to the invention that allows a user to use the device wherever the user travels. Alternatively, an electronic device that incorporates a battery force sensor of the invention may not be portable at all, but may instead be generally stationary, such as a desktop computer or television. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , electronic device  100  may include a housing  101 , a processor  102 , a battery  104  having at least one battery force sensor  105 , one or more additional device components  106 , and one or more contact sensors  107 . One or more wired or wireless links  109  may also be provided in order for processor  102  to transmit information to and/or to receive information from at least one of the other components and sensors of device  100 . 
     Additional device component  106  may be any type of device component, including, but not limited to, an input component that can permit a user to interact or interface with device  100 , an output component that can present information (e.g., textual, graphical, audible, and/or tactile information) to a user of device  100 , a communications component that can allow device  100  to communicate with one or more other electronic devices using any suitable communications protocol, a memory component that can include one or more storage mediums (e.g., a hard-drive, flash memory, permanent memory such as read only memory (“ROM”), semi-permanent memory such as random access memory (“RAM”), or any other suitable type of storage component), or an additional power supply component that can provide power to one or more of the other components or sensors of device  100 . 
     Processor  102  of device  100  may control the operation of many functions and other components of the device. In some embodiments, processor  102  may include a system management controller (“SMC”). For example, processor  102  can receive input signals from an input component and/or drive output signals through an output component. Processor  102  may load a user interface program (e.g., a program stored in a memory component of the device or a program stored on another device or server) to determine how instructions received via an input component of the device may manipulate the way in which information (e.g., information stored in a memory component of the device or a program stored on another device or server) is provided to the user via an output component of the device. 
     Housing  101  may at least partially enclose one or more of the components of device  100  for protecting them from debris and other degrading forces external to the device. In some embodiments, one or more of the components may be provided within its own housing (e.g., device component  106  may be an independent keyboard or mouse input component within its own housing that may wirelessly or through a wire (e.g., via link  109   c ) communicate with processor  102 , which may be provided within its own housing). 
     Battery  104  may be any suitable type of battery for at least partially powering one or more components or sensors of device  100 . For example, battery  104  may be a lithium battery or “lithium cell” or any other type of on board power supply containing, for example, a lithium ion material and/or a lithium polymer material. In other embodiments, battery  104  may not be lithium based, but may include nickel-cadmium or any other suitable material or materials, for example. Battery  104  may be a single cell or may include a plurality of cells. Battery  104  may also include one or more battery force sensors  105  according to the invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , each force sensor  105  may be configured to detect the magnitude of one or more various forces that may influence battery  104 , such as forces that may produce a change in the movement, size, shape, or other effects of battery  104 . For example, force sensor  105  may be configured to detect the magnitude of one or more internal forces  113  generated by conditions internal to battery  104 , such as internal pressure that may build up within the battery (e.g., due to latent cell or pack manufacturing or assembly defects, improper charging or discharging conditions, heat, etc.) and cause the battery to expand (e.g., beyond expected limits). Additionally or alternatively, force sensor  105  may be configured to detect the magnitude of one or more external forces  123  generated by conditions at least partially external to battery  104 , such as external contact that may be applied to an external surface of the battery when the battery physically contacts a remote object (e.g., a housing wall of the electronic device due to assembly tolerance defects or from external deformation crush pressure beyond system design, etc.). It is to be noted that the term “force” can include, without limitation, force per unit area (i.e., pressure). 
     Based on the one or more detected forces, force sensor  105  may be configured to produce one or more force output signals  111 . Therefore, each force output signal  111  may be responsive to a detected swelling, expansion, contraction, deformation, bulge, and/or any other type of change in the size, shape, or any other effect of battery  104 , whether a result of one or more forces internal to battery  104 , one or more forces external to battery  104 , or a combination thereof. Force output signals  111  may be communicated to a processing component (e.g., to processor  102  via link  109   b  or to processing circuitry located within force sensor  105  (not shown)). Such a processing component may evaluate one or more force output signals  111  of force sensor  105  in order to appropriately determine a state or condition of battery  104  and, thus, to appropriately control the operation of electronic device  100 . The processing component may also be configured to calibrate the force output signals and each force sensor (e.g., with respect to initial battery cell and pack conditions). 
     Each force sensor  105  may include force sensing material  155  and force sensing circuitry  165 . Force sensing material  155  may be any suitable material that can change its conductance based upon pressures or forces being applied to the material (e.g., internal forces  113  and/or external forces  123 ). Force sensing circuitry  165  may be any suitable circuitry for adequately detecting the electrical conductance of force sensing material  155  at any given moment. In some embodiments, at least one reference signal (e.g., reference signal  115  of  FIG. 3 , which, for example, may be a substantially constant voltage) may be provided to force sensor  105 . Force output signal  111  may be a result of force sensing circuitry  165  applying reference signal  115  to force sensing material  155  and detecting the magnitude of reference signal  115  conducted by force sensing material  155 . Thus, as the electrical conductance of force sensing material  155  changes, so may change the magnitude of reference signal  115  detected by force sensing circuitry  165  across force sensing material  155 , and so may change force output signal  111 . 
     Force sensing material  155  may include at least one variable electrical conductor. The variable electrical conductor may be configured to have various levels of electrical conductance based on the amount of mechanical stress or pressure being applied to the conductor. For example, the conductor may be configured to have a first level of electrical conductance when in a first physical configuration (e.g., when quiescent or in an original unstressed state), and the conductor may be configured to have a second level of electrical conductance that is greater than or less than the first level when the conductor is in a second physical configuration (e.g., when a certain mechanical stress is applied to the conductor). 
     In some embodiments, force sensing material  155  may be at least partially made of or otherwise include one or more various types of quantum tunneling composites (“QTCs”), as made available by Peratech Ltd. of Darlington, England, for example. QTCs may be composite materials of metals and non-conducting elastomeric binders. That is, in some embodiments, force sensing material  155  may be a polymer composition, such as an elastomeric conductive polymer composition, that may display a relatively large dynamic resistance range and isotropic electrical properties when subjected to distortion forces, such as compression or extension forces or alignments created by mechanical energy, thermal energy, electric fields, or magnetic fields. These and other suitable types of materials that may be used to provide force sensing material  155  of force sensor  105  are described in further detail, for example, in Lussey U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,568, Lussey U.S. Pat. No. 6,646,540, and Lussey et al. European Patent No. EPO 1 050 054, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     Although force sensing material  155  is shown in  FIG. 2  to be coupled about the exterior of battery  104 , some or all of force sensing material  155  may be coupled to battery  104  in any suitable manner, such as within an internal portion of battery  104  (see, e.g., force sensing material  155 ′ of  FIG. 2 ). For example, one or more portions of force sensing material  155  of force sensor  105  may be provided as one or more sheets, layers, deposits, wraps, granules, or any and all other forms that may be inked into, disposed onto, incorporated within, or otherwise coupled to one or more portions of battery  104 , including disposing at least a portion of the force sensing material between elements of the battery (e.g., disposing at least a portion of the force sensing material between two cells in the battery). In some embodiments, force sensor  105  may act as a force sensing resistor and may include a pressure sensitive ink disposed on a carrier (e.g., a flexible substrate or any suitable portion of battery  104 , such as a covering or cell layer). For example, force sensor  105  may include one or more FlexiForce™ force sensors, as made available by Tekscan, Inc. of South Boston, Mass. Additionally or alternatively, force sensor  105  may include any suitable type of switch that may detect forces above at least one particular threshold, such as one or more polymer membrane binary switches that may have a trigger force tunable by a stack up design, one or more discrete dome switches that may be positioned on a polymer substrate, or any other suitable force sensing trigger switch. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7A-7C , for example, one or more sensors may be provided at various positions within a battery assembly.  FIGS. 7A-7C  show exploded views of a respective illustrative battery assembly  704   a - 704   c , each of which, in some embodiments, may be substantially similar to battery  104  of  FIGS. 1-5C . Each battery assembly  704  may include one or more battery cells  752  (e.g., cell  752   a  and cell  752   b ). Cells  752  may be arranged in any suitable array, including one stack or two or more adjacent stacks of cells. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 7A-7C , cells  752  may be stacked on top of one another in a single stack (e.g., in the Z-direction) and may be positioned between a top enclosure  760  and a bottom enclosure  770 . In other embodiments, a battery assembly  704  may only include a single cell  752  positioned between top enclosure  760  and bottom enclosure  770 . 
     In some embodiments, top enclosure  760  and bottom enclosure  770  may each be made of the same material and may combine to form a protective case, which may surround some or all sides of the one or more stacks of one or more battery cells  752  of battery assembly  704 . For example, top enclosure  760  and bottom enclosure  770  may each be plastic or any other suitable material for holding the one or more battery cells  752 . In some embodiments, top enclosure  760  and bottom enclosure  770  may be a single unitary enclosure component. In other embodiments, bottom enclosure  770  may be a plastic case and top enclosure  760  may be any suitable protective foil or film, such as biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (“boPET”) polyester film (e.g., a Mylar™ covering), which may hold each of the one or more cells  752  within bottom enclosure  770 . In some embodiments, bottom enclosure  770  may be provided by another component of an electronic device in which battery assembly  704  is positioned. For example, bottom enclosure  770  may be provided by a wall of an electronic device housing (e.g., housing  101  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) or by a portion of an electronic device component (e.g., device component  106  of  FIG. 1 ). In such embodiments, top enclosure  760  may hold the cell(s)  752  against bottom enclosure  770 . 
     In some embodiments, an adhesive layer  753  may be provided between two or more portions of battery assembly  704  for maintaining the relative position of those portions. For example, an adhesive layer  753   a  may be provided between two stacked battery cells  752  (e.g., between cell  752   a  and cell  752   b ). Additionally or alternatively, an adhesive layer  753   b  may be provided between a battery cell  752  and an enclosure portion (e.g., between cell  752   b  and bottom enclosure  770 ). Each adhesive layer  753  may be any suitable material, including double-sided sticky tape (e.g., VHB™ tape). 
     In some embodiments, one or more sensors may be provided between top enclosure  760  and a cell  752  of battery assembly  704 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 7A , a sensor  780   a  may be positioned between top enclosure  760  and battery cell  752   a  of battery assembly  704   a . Battery cell  752   a  may be the only battery cell in battery assembly  704   a , or battery cell  752   a  may be the top cell  752  in a stack of two or more cells  752  including cell  752   b , for example. Sensor  780   a  may be any sensor described with respect to  FIGS. 1-6 , such as a contact sensor  107  or a force sensor  105  that may include a force sensing material  155 . In some embodiments, a swell air space may be provided between top enclosure  760  and battery cell  752   a , and sensor  780   a  may be positioned in that space. For example, at least one deformable element  790  (e.g., a foam pad) may be positioned adjacent sensor  780   a  between top enclosure  760  and battery cell  752   a  to provide an initial spacing between top enclosure  760  and battery cell  752   a.    
     However, in some embodiments, top enclosure  760  may include a portion that is too soft, deflective, or otherwise unable to provide a solid surface that may allow a force to be detected by sensor  780   a  positioned between top enclosure  760  and battery cell  752   a . Therefore, in some embodiments, one or more sensors  780  may be provided between two stacked battery cells of battery assembly  704 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 7B , a sensor  780   b  may be positioned between battery cell  752   a  and battery cell  752   b  of battery assembly  704   b . Sensor  780   b  may be any sensor described with respect to  FIGS. 1-7A , such as force sensing material  155  of a force sensor  105  or a contact sensor  107 . If battery assembly  704   b  includes three or more stacked cells  752 , a sensor  780  may be positioned between each set of adjacent cells  752  in the stack. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7B , adhesive layer  753   a  may also be provided between battery cell  752   a  and battery cell  752   b  of battery assembly  704   b . As opposed to adhesive layer  753   a  of battery assembly  704   a  of  FIG. 7A , which may be shaped substantially similarly to the shapes of the opposing faces of adjacent battery cells  752   a  and  752   b , adhesive layer  753   a  of battery assembly  704   b  of  FIGS. 7B and 8  may be positioned adjacent sensor  780   b  and may be shaped to surround at least a portion of sensor  780   b  around its perimeter (e.g., in an X-Y plane positioned between cells  752   a  and  752   b ). Therefore, in some embodiments, adhesive layer  753   a  may not be positioned between at least a portion of sensor  780   b  and at least a portion of cell  752   a  and/or cell  752   b . As shown in  FIG. 7B , a gap  755  may be provided in adhesive layer  753   a  for allowing a portion of sensor  780   b  to extend towards an edge of battery assembly  704   b . For example, gap  755  may allow a sensor extension  785  to extend from sensor  780   b  towards an edge of battery assembly  704   b . Sensor extension  785  may couple sensor  780   b  to force sensing circuitry (e.g., force sensing circuitry  165 ) of sensor  780   b  or to any other component of the device in which battery assembly  704   b  is positioned. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 9 , adhesive layer  753   a ′ may overlap sensor  780   b , and at least a portion of adhesive layer  753   a ′ may be positioned between at least a portion of sensor  780   b  and at least a portion of cell  752   a  and/or cell  752   b  of a battery assembly  704   b ′. As shown in  FIG. 8 , adhesive layer  753   a  may have a height AH and sensor  780   b  may have a height SH in the Z-direction between cell  752   a  and cell  752   b  (not shown in  FIG. 8 ). In some embodiments, adhesive height AH may be substantially equal to or larger than sensor height SH, which may prevent a localized pressure from being exerted just on sensor  780   b.    
     In yet other embodiments, one or more sensors may be provided between a cell  752  and bottom enclosure  770  of a battery assembly  704 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 7C , a sensor  780   c  may be positioned between battery cell  752   b  and bottom enclosure  770  of battery assembly  704   c . Battery cell  752   b  may be the only battery cell in battery assembly  704   c , or battery cell  752   b  may be the bottom cell  752  in a stack of two or more cells  752  including cell  752   a , for example. Sensor  780   c  may be any sensor described with respect to  FIGS. 1-7B , such as force sensing material  155  of a force sensor  105  or a contact sensor  107 . Similarly to adhesive layer  753   a  of battery assembly  704   b    FIGS. 7B and 8 , adhesive layer  753   b  of battery assembly  704   c  of  FIG. 7C  may be positioned adjacent sensor  780   c  and may be shaped to surround at least a portion of sensor  780   c  around its perimeter (e.g., in an X-Y plane positioned between cell  752   b  and bottom enclosure  770 ). Therefore, adhesive layer  753   b  may not be positioned between at least a portion of sensor  780   c  and at least a portion of cell  752   b  and/or bottom enclosure  770 . Alternatively, adhesive layer  753   b  of battery assembly  704   c  may overlap sensor  780   c , and at least a portion of adhesive layer  753   b  may be positioned between at least a portion of sensor  780   c  and at least a portion of cell  752   b  and/or bottom enclosure  770 . 
     In some embodiments, battery  104  may be protected with a foil and covered in a protective material (e.g., a Mylar covering). Force sensing material  155  of force sensor  105  can be on the order of only 50 microns to 100 microns thick, for example, and may be printed into the covering of the battery. Therefore, force sensors of this invention can be used with existing battery assemblies without substantially altering the dimensions of the assemblies, and, therefore, force sensors of this invention are manufacturing flexible and do not prevent the production of considerably thin batteries. A change in the magnitude of at least one force that influences battery  104  (e.g., an internal force  113  and/or an external force  123 ) may be detected by such manufacturing flexible sensing material  155  of force sensor  105 , and, in turn, force sensor  105  may react to the one or more detected forces by producing and/or altering one or more force output signals  111 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , for example, at least a portion of force sensing material  155  of force sensor  105  may be coupled to at least a portion of battery  104 . Battery  104  labeled with an “A” (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4A ) may represent battery  104  at a time A when battery  104  is in a first state A (e.g., when battery  104  is configured in its original geometrical size and shape). In this state A, no forces may be influencing battery  104  and, therefore, force sensor  105  may not be detecting any internal forces  113  or any external forces  123 . Although, in other embodiments, it is to be understood that battery  104  in its first state A may be influenced by various forces. 
     Battery  104  labeled with a “B” (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4B ) may represent battery  104  at some later time (e.g., at a time B) when battery  104  is in a new state (e.g., a second state “B”). When in state B, the movement, geometrical size, shape, and/or any other effect of battery  104  may be changed due to an influence of an internal force  113 . This new internal force  113  may stretch or otherwise exert a force upon force sensing material  155  of force sensor  105 , as depicted by a change in the length and a change in the curvature of force sensing material  155  in  FIG. 4B , such that the internal force  113  may be detected by force sensor  105 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4C , a graph may depict a force output signal  111  provided by force sensor  105  from time A to time B, corresponding to the increase in internal force  113  influencing battery  104 , as shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . Without limitation, force output signal  111  may be a continuous and substantially monotonic function of internal force  113 . Although  FIGS. 4A-4C  show battery  104  and, thus, internal force  113  increasing over time, it is to be appreciated that the magnitude of internal force  113  and its influential effect on battery  104  may each increase, decrease, or alternately increase and decrease over time. Furthermore, although  FIG. 4C  shows force output signal  111  increasing as internal force  113  increases, it is to be appreciated that some embodiments may provide a force output signal  111  that increases as internal force  113  decreases, or vice versa. In any case, detected changes to internal force  113  may correlate in some way with changes to force output signal  111 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A-5C , for example, battery  104  may impact and/or may be impacted by a remote object  130  such that battery  104  physically contacts remote object  130 . This physical contact may generate an external force  123  that influences battery  104 , for example, by producing a change in the movement, size, shape, and/or one or more other effects of battery  104 . Remote object  130  may be any device component (e.g., device component  106 ), sensor (e.g., contact sensors  107   a - 107   c ), housing (e.g., housing  101 ), or any other physical element that is independent of battery  104 . 
     Battery  104  labeled with an “A*” (see, e.g.,  FIG. 5A ) may represent battery  104  at a time A* when battery  104  is in a first state A* (e.g., when battery  104  is configured in an original geometrical size and shape). In this state A*, no forces may be influencing battery  104  and, therefore, force sensor  105  may not be detecting any internal forces  113  or any external forces  123 . Although, in other embodiments, it is to be understood that battery  104  in its first state A* may be influenced by various forces. 
     Battery  104  labeled with a “B*” (see, e.g.,  FIG. 5B ) may represent battery  104  at some time later (e.g., at a time B*) when battery  104  is in a new state (e.g., a second state “B*”). When in state B*, the movement, geometrical size, shape, and/or any other effect of battery  104  may be changed due to an influence of an internal force  113 . This new internal force  113  may stretch or otherwise exert a force upon force sensing material  155  of force sensor  105 , as depicted by a change in the length and a change in the curvature of force sensing material  155  in  FIG. 5B , such that the internal force  113  may be detected by force sensor  105 . 
     In some embodiments, new internal force  113  may expand battery  104  such that it impacts remote object  130 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 5B , battery  104  may physically contact remote object  130 . When battery  104  initially contacts remote object  130 , an additional force (e.g., initial external force  123  of  FIG. 5B ) may be generated. This external force  123  may influence battery  104  and, thus, may be detected by force sensor  105 . It is to be noted that, alternatively or in addition to an internal force  113  expanding battery  105  such that battery  105  may impact remote object  130 , remote object  130  may itself be expanded or physically moved in some way such that it impacts battery  104 . For example, remote object  130  may be a component coupled to a housing  101  of device  100  (see, e.g., sensor  107   a  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), such that if a user sits on electronic device  100 , housing  101  may deflect, thereby causing remote object  130  coupled to the housing to move towards and impact battery  104 . 
     Battery  104  labeled with a “C*” (see, e.g.,  FIG. 5C ) may represent battery  104  at some time even later (e.g., at a time C*) when battery  104  is in a new state (e.g., a third state “C*”). When in state C*, the movement, geometrical size, shape, and/or any other effect of battery  104  may be further changed due to an increased influence of internal force  113 , and/or the magnitude of impact between battery  104  and remote object  130  may be further changed due to an increased influence of external force  123 . Although  FIG. 5C  shows an increased external force  123  as an increased area of impact between larger portions of battery  104  and remote object  130  as compared to that at time B* of  FIG. 5B , in some embodiments an increased external force  123  may additionally or alternatively include an increased pressure between specific portions of battery  104  and remote object  130 . 
     At the moment physical contact between battery  104  and remote object  130  occurs, force output signal  111  generated by force sensor  105  may cease being entirely based on internal force  113 , and may instead be based on both internal force  113  and external force  123 . Force output signal  111  may capture the initial external force  123  caused by the initial physical contact (e.g., at time B*) and any subsequent increases in external force  123  (e.g., at time C*) or any subsequent decreases in the forces (not shown). 
     As shown in  FIG. 5D , a graph may depict a force output signal  111  provided by force sensor  105  from time A* to time C*, corresponding to the increase in internal force  113  influencing battery  104  and to the increase in external force  123  influencing battery  104 , as shown in  FIGS. 5A-5C . Force output signal  111  may include two modes, one mode from time A* to time B* as new internal force  113  is increasing without new external force  123 , and the other mode from time B* to time C* as new external force  123  is also present. 
     Although  FIGS. 5A-5D  show battery  104  and, thus, internal force  113  and external force  123  increasing over time, it is to be appreciated that the magnitude of internal force  113  and its influential effect on battery  104 , as well as the magnitude of external force  123  and its influential effect on battery  104 , may each increase, decrease, or alternately increase and decrease over time. Furthermore, although  FIG. 5D  shows force output signal  111  increasing as internal force  113  and external force  123  increase, it is to be appreciated that some embodiments may provide a force output signal  111  that increases as internal force  113  and/or external force  123  decreases, or vice versa. In any case, detected changes to internal force  113  and/or external force  123  may each correlate in some way with changes to force output signal  111 . 
     Although force sensing material  155  of force sensor  105  of  FIGS. 5A-5C  is shown to be provided along an external surface of battery  104  that physically contacts remote object  130 , it is to be understood that force sensing material  155  may be provided as any other portion of battery  104  in accordance with the invention. For example, as mentioned, force sensing material  155  may be disposed within battery  104  between individual cells of the battery. In such embodiments, external force  123  generated by the physical contact of battery  104  with remote object  130  may still be detected by force sensing material  155 , even though force sensing material  155  may not be physically contacting remote object  130  itself. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , for example, electronic device  100  may also include one or more contact sensors  107  to detect when two elements contact each other. For example, each contact sensor may include two conductive pads (e.g., copper pads) that may generate a signal when they contact each other. For example, a contact sensor  107   a  may be provided along a portion of an interior wall of housing  101 . Contact sensor  107   a  may generate a first output signal (e.g., contact output signal  117   a ) that can indicate the existence of physical contact between a remote object and contact sensor  107   a , and, thus, housing  101  itself. In some embodiments, contact sensor  107   a  can be activated when physical contact is made between housing  101  and a remote object (e.g., when the spacing (e.g., spacing s of  FIG. 2 ) between contact sensor  107   a  and battery  104  has been traversed). 
     Moreover, as shown, battery  104  may also include a contact sensor  107   b . Contact sensor  107   b  may generate a second output signal (e.g., contact output signal  117   b ) that can indicate the existence of physical contact between a remote object and contact sensor  107   b , and, thus, battery  104  itself. In some embodiments, contact sensor  107   b  can be activated or otherwise triggered when physical contact is made between battery  104  and a remote object (e.g., when the spacing (e.g., spacing s′ of  FIG. 2 ) between contact sensor  107   b  and a side wall of housing  101  has been traversed). Reference signal  115 , battery  104 , or any other suitable power source may power contact sensor  107   b  or any of the other contact sensors of electronic device  100 . Furthermore, as shown, device component  106  may also include a contact sensor  107   c . Contact sensor  107   c  may generate a third output signal (e.g., contact output signal  117   c ) that can indicate the existence of physical contact between a remote object and contact sensor  107   c , and, thus, device component  106  itself. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, processor  102  may be provided with one or more of the following signals: 
     a contact output signal  117   a  via link  109   a  transmitted from contact sensor  107   a  coupled to the interior surface of a portion of housing  101 , a contact output signal  117   b  via link  109   b  transmitted from contact sensor  107   b  provided by battery  104 , a contact output signal  117   c  via link  109   c  transmitted from a contact sensor  107   c  provided by device component  106 , and a force output signal  111  via link  109   b  transmitted from force sensor  105  of battery  104 . Processor  102  may be adapted to conduct an evaluation of one or more of these received signals and to generate at least one processor output signal  121  that is at least partially in response to the evaluation. Processor output signal  121  may be communicated to at least one of the other components of device  100  (e.g., to battery  104  via link  109   b  as shown in  FIG. 1 ). Processor output  121  may be one or more signals that can control a facility related to charging or drawing current from battery  104 , or that can control any other facility related to any other feature of electronic device  100  and its maintenance, including, but not limited to, a backlight, a hard disk, a CPU, a charger for the battery, an input or output component of the device, a fan or cooling unit, a backup system, a failover system (e.g., a system that may switch over to a backup system), a redundant system, a memory component device, an audible and/or visual alarm, a dialog box, a user interface, and the like. Moreover, reference signal  115  may be provided by processor  102  or any other component of device  100 , including battery  104  itself. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, processor  102  may be provided with yet another signal, such as battery status output signal  119  via link  109   b  that may be transmitted from battery  104 . Battery status output signal  119  may be related to one or more characteristics of battery  104 , including, but not limited to, a voltage, a current, a temperature, or the like of battery  104 . Processor  102  may be configured to conduct one or more evaluations of battery status output signal  119  as well as of one or more other signals, such as force output signal  111 , and to generate one or more processor output signals (e.g., processor output signal  121 ) in response to the evaluation(s). For example and without limitation, a processor output signal may transition from low to high (e.g., to thereby stop charging battery  104 ) when both the influencing force(s) (e.g., force output signal  111 ) and the temperature (e.g., battery status output signal  119 ) of battery  104  are observed to exceed certain limits for a certain period of time. Many other combinations of processor input values and resulting processor output values are to be appreciated and all such combinations and effects thereof are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, in some embodiments, processor  102  may produce a log (not shown) of the one or more signals it receives and/or transmits. 
     As described above, for example, with respect to  FIG. 7B , battery assembly  704   b  may include three or more stacked cells  752 , and a sensor  780  may be positioned between each set of adjacent cells  752  in the stack. Each sensor  780  provided between a respective set of two adjacent cells  752  in a stack of cells  752  may generate its own force output signal (e.g., force output signal  111 ) that may be used (e.g., by one or more processor output signals  121 ) to alter the performance of at least one of the cells in that set of adjacent cells. Therefore, in some embodiments, certain battery cells of a battery assembly may be independently monitored and controlled. For example, in response to battery sensor data, certain battery cells may be isolated and shutdown or otherwise altered, while other battery cells may be allowed to continue to operate normally. 
       FIG. 6  shows a flow chart of an illustrative process  600  for monitoring and responding to at least one force influencing a battery according to some embodiments of the invention. Process  600  may start at step  602  and may then proceed to step  604  to vary the conductance of a material based on at least one force influencing a battery. The material may include at least one variable electrical conductor. The variable electrical conductor may be a quantum tunneling composite. At least a portion of the material may be coupled to an internal portion of the battery or any other suitable portion of the battery such as an external portion of the battery. The at least one force influencing the battery may be an internal force or an external force. Next, process  600  may proceed to step  606  to produce a force output signal based on the conductance of the material. A facility of the battery or a facility of any other component may then be altered based on the force output signal. Moreover, a facility of the battery or other component may be altered based on the force output signal and a battery status signal, such as a voltage or temperature of the battery, or any other status signal. 
     These force output signals, battery status signals, and other status signals may be any signals provided to processor  102  from any of the components described above (e.g., signals  111 ,  117 , and  119 ). The signals may be evaluated to determine how to alter a facility of the battery or other component coupled to processor  102 . In some embodiments and without limitation, conducting this evaluation may include filtering out transients in the one or more input signals, determining a trend of the one or more input signals, comparing one or more of the input signals to another one of the input signals or a previous input signal or a value in a lookup table, comparing one of the one or more input signals to an average-over-time of one or more of the input signals, comparing one or more of the input signals to any other type of signal available to processor  102 , applying an artificial intelligence technique, utilizing an algorithm or heuristic, applying digital signal processing, running one or more of the input signals through an analog circuit, any combination thereof, and the like. One or more evaluation output signals (e.g., processor output signal  121 ) may be generated at least partially based on one or more evaluations. In some embodiments and without limitation, each of the one or more evaluation output signals may be an analog signal, a digital signal, a software signal, a hardware signal, a wireless signal, and the like. Each of the one or more evaluation output signals may control any facility related to the charging or maintenance of the battery and/or any facility related to the operation of any other component coupled to processor  102 . Process  600  may then proceed to step  608  to stop the process, which may be repeatable and continuous in some embodiments. 
     The elements shown in each of  FIGS. 1-9  imply logical boundaries between the elements. However, according to software or hardware engineering practices, the depicted elements and the functions thereof may be implemented as parts of a monolithic software structure, as standalone software modules, or as modules that employ external routines, code, services, and so forth, or any combination of these, and all such implementations are within the scope of the invention. Thus, while the foregoing drawings and description set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems, no particular arrangement of software for implementing these functional aspects are to be inferred from these descriptions unless explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context. 
     Similarly, it is to be appreciated that the various steps identified and described may be varied, and that the order of steps may be adapted to particular applications of the techniques disclosed herein. All such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of this invention. As such, the depiction and/or description of an order for various steps should not be understood to require a particular order of execution for those steps, unless required by a particular application, or explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context. 
     The methods and processes described herein, and the steps thereof, may be realized in hardware, software, or any combination of these suitable for a particular application. The hardware may include a general-purpose computer and/or dedicated computing device. The processes may be realized in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors, or other programmable devices, along with internal and/or external memory. The processes may also, or instead, be embodied in an application specific integrated circuit, a System-On-A-Chip, a programmable gate array, programmable array logic, or any other device or combination of devices that may be configured to process electronic signals. It is to be further appreciated that one or more of the processes may be realized as computer executable code created using a structured programming language such as C, an object oriented programming language such as C++, or any other high-level or low-level programming language, including assembly languages, hardware description languages, and database programming languages and technologies that may be stored, compiled, or interpreted to run on one of the above devices, as well as heterogeneous combinations of processors, processor architectures, or combinations of different hardware and software. 
     Thus, in some embodiments of the invention, each method and process described above and combinations thereof may be embodied in computer executable code that, when executing on one or more computing devices, may perform the steps thereof. In some other embodiments, the methods and processes may be embodied in systems that may perform the steps thereof, and may be distributed across devices in a number of ways, or all of the functionality may be integrated into a dedicated, standalone device or other hardware. In other embodiments, means for performing the steps associated with the processes described above may include any of the hardware and/or software described above. All such permutations and combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the invention. 
     References to items in the singular are to be understood to include items in the plural, and vice versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise or made clear from the context. Grammatical conjunctions are intended to express any and all disjunctive and conjunctive combinations of conjoined clauses, sentences, words, and the like, unless otherwise stated or made clear from the context. 
     While there have been described systems and methods for monitoring and responding to forces influencing a battery, it is to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that various directional and orientational terms such as “up” and “down,” “left” and “right,” “top” and “bottom,” and the like are used herein only for convenience, and that no fixed or absolute directional or orientational limitations are intended by the use of these words. For example, the components of this invention can have any desired orientation. If reoriented, different directional or orientational terms may need to be used in their description, but that will not alter their fundamental nature as within the scope and spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation, and the invention is limited only by the claims which follow.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20091124
Publication Date: 20210216
Grant Date: 20210216
Priority Date: 20071231
Inventors: SPARE, BRADLEY L.
MURPHY, ROBERT SEAN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01M10/48", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01M10/48", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01M6/42", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01M6/42", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y02E60/10", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01M6/42", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01M10/48", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 42007519