Andrew Hill Leutheuser

US Patent:

8384354, Feb 26, 2013

Filed:

Oct 15, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/579711

Inventors:

Andrew K. Chandler - Plymouth MI, US
Andrew H. Leutheuser - Royal Oak MI, US
Willard A. Blevins - Glendale AZ, US
Larry J. Yount - Scottsdale AZ, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H02J 7/00
H02J 7/14
G01R 31/00
G01R 31/08

US Classification:

320132, 320116, 320134, 320148, 324500, 324522

Abstract:

A sensor arrangement and method that may be used with a variety of different energy storage devices, including battery packs found in hybrid vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and other types of vehicles. An exemplary sensor arrangement includes a number of sensor units, a controller, and several connections, wherein two or more sensor units are coupled to each node of the battery pack and are coupled to the controller over different connections. An exemplary method is divided into two aspects: an error detection aspect and an error resolution aspect. Because the sensor arrangement provides multiple sensor readings for each node being evaluated, the method can enable the sensor arrangement to continue operating accurately and with redundancy even if it experiences a loss of one or more sensor units.

US Patent:

8396680, Mar 12, 2013

Filed:

Oct 20, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/254653

Inventors:

Kerfegar K. Katrak - Fenton MI, US
Andrew H. Leutheuser - Royal Oak MI, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

G01R 19/10
G01R 31/02
H02H 3/40

US Classification:

702 65, 361 88, 324522

Abstract:

First and second reference voltages are applied to first and second terminals of a processor via voltage divider circuits. First and second signal conditioning circuits are coupled to third and fourth terminals of the processor, respectively, and voltage or current sensors are coupled to the first and second signal conditioning circuits. The processor measures the electrical characteristics at the third and fourth terminals and computes first and second ratiometric values of the electrical characteristics, wherein the first ratiometric value is based upon a measurement obtained from the third terminal and the first reference voltage and the second ratiometric value is based upon a measurement of obtained from the fourth terminal and the second reference voltage. The processor further identifies an issue if a ratio of the first ratiometric value to the second ratiometric value exceeds a ratio of the first reference value to the second reference value.

US Patent:

8471529, Jun 25, 2013

Filed:

Oct 14, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/904913

Inventors:

Steven J. Vance - Shelby Township MI, US
John T. Guerin - Bloomfield MI, US
Andrew H. Leutheuser - Sunnyvale CA, US
John C. Mentzer - Waterford MI, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H02J 7/00
G01R 31/36
H01M 10/48

US Classification:

320134, 320118, 320136, 320149, 324426, 3406361, 34063621

Abstract:

A by-pass circuit for a battery system that disconnects parallel connected cells or modules from a battery circuit or controls the current through the parallel connected cells or modules. If a cell has failed or is potentially failing in the system, then the by-pass circuit can disconnect the cell or module from other cells or modules electrically coupled in parallel. If a cell or module has a lower capability than another cell or module, then the by-pass circuit can control the current to the cell or module to maximize the performance of the system and prevent the system from creating a walk-home condition.

US Patent:

8529125, Sep 10, 2013

Filed:

May 20, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/112541

Inventors:

Andrew H. Leutheuser - Sunnyvale CA, US
Wei Liu - Warren MI, US
Mark E. Franchett - Grosse Pointe Park MI, US
Mahendra M. Kenkre - Troy MI, US
Paul J. Dudley - Fostoria MI, US
Jason J. Nolte - Howell MI, US
Charles Hua - Ann Arbor MI, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

G01K 1/00
G01K 7/00

US Classification:

374141, 374183, 374163

Abstract:

Methods and systems for dynamically estimating the core temperature of at least one cell in a battery during an operative period. The method includes receiving by at least one controller the surface temperature, the current, the voltage, the state of charge, and the period of time from the initiation of a rest period to the termination of the rest period, determining an initial value of the lumped internal resistance of the at least one cell, determining subsequent values of the lumped internal resistance recursively in real-time based on the initial value, the current, and the voltage, and determining the core temperature of the at least one cell based on the surface temperature, the current, the obtained time, and the lumped internal resistance. The system for dynamically estimating the core temperature of the cells in a battery includes a plurality of sensors configured to transmit signals related to surface temperature, current, and voltage of the battery, a timing device configured to transmit signals related to the period of time from the initiation of a rest period to the termination of the rest period, and a control system, wherein the control system comprises a memory device and a controller.

US Patent:

8557415, Oct 15, 2013

Filed:

May 19, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/475955

Inventors:

Nicholas Hayden Herron - San Francisco CA, US
Scott Ira Kohn - Redwood City CA, US
Weston Arthur Hermann - Palo Alto CA, US
Andrew Hill Leutheuser - Sunnyvale CA, US
Jeffrey C. Weintraub - San Carlos CA, US
Dustin Grace - San Carlos CA, US
Bruce Philip Edwards - Menlo Park CA, US
Nicolas Verzeni - Palo Alto CA, US
Joseph Mardall - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Tesla Motors, Inc. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

H01M 2/12
H01M 2/08
H01M 2/02
H01M 10/50
B60K 1/04

US Classification:

429 53, 429 82, 429163, 429185, 180 651

Abstract:

A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway within a battery pack. The system is comprised of a sealed battery pack enclosure configured to hold a plurality of batteries, where the battery pack enclosure is divided into a plurality of sealed battery pack compartments. The system also includes a plurality of battery venting assemblies, where at least one battery venting assembly is integrated into each of the sealed battery pack compartments, and where each of the battery venting assemblies includes an exhaust port integrated into an outer wall of the battery pack compartment and a valve, the valve being configured to seal the exhaust port under normal operating conditions and to unseal the exhaust port when at least one of the batteries within the battery pack compartment enters into thermal runaway.

US Patent:

8581751, Nov 12, 2013

Filed:

Jun 5, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/489279

Inventors:

Kerfegar K. Katrak - Fenton MI, US
Andrew H. Leutheuser - Royal Oak MI, US
Scott A. Martin - Waterford MI, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H03M 7/00

US Classification:

341 50, 341 51

Abstract:

Methods and systems are provided for encoding vehicle data comprising a first voltage pertaining to a first battery cell and a second voltage pertaining to a second battery cell is provided. A determination is made as to whether the first voltage is valid. In addition, a determination is made as to whether the second voltage is valid. One of a plurality of values is assigned to a validity measure based at least in part on whether the first voltage or the second voltage, or both, are valid. The plurality of values, in binary form, are at least two bit errors removed from one another.

US Patent:

8587318, Nov 19, 2013

Filed:

Jul 27, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/844318

Inventors:

Andrew K. Chandler - Plymouth MI, US
Andrew H. Leutheuser - Royal Oak MI, US
Willard A. Blevins - Glendale AZ, US
Larry J. Yount - Scottsdale AZ, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

G01N 27/416

US Classification:

324433, 320116

Abstract:

A sensor arrangement and method that may be used with a variety of different energy storage devices, including battery packs found in hybrid vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and other types of vehicles. Some battery monitoring systems, such as those designed to monitor and/or control lithium-ion battery packs, may require individual voltage readings for each and every cell. If a battery monitoring system component—even one that provides just one of these sensor readings—malfunctions or otherwise experiences a fault condition, then it may be necessary to bring the entire vehicle in for service. The exemplary sensor arrangement and method may be used to control a series of balancing switches in the sensor arrangement in such a way that enables the vehicle to detect fault conditions and to continue operating successfully in the event that such fault conditions occur.

US Patent:

8624559, Jan 7, 2014

Filed:

Oct 14, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/904893

Inventors:

Asif A. Syed - Canton MI, US
Andrew H. Leutheuser - Sunnyvale CA, US
Jian Lin - Beverly Hills CA, US
Joseph M. Lograsso - Troy MI, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H02J 7/14

US Classification:

320162, 320149, 320164

Abstract:

A method for controlling charging and discharging of a battery pack for an electric or hybrid vehicle to prevent overheating damage. Current flowing into or out of the battery pack is monitored, and root mean square (RMS) current is integrated over a time window and compared to a threshold to determine if power needs to be regulated in order to prevent damage to the cells in the battery pack. If the time-integrated RMS current exceeds the threshold, a closed-loop proportional-integral (PI) controller is activated to regulate power input or output. The controller will continue to regulate power until the time-integrated RMS current drops below the threshold. Various thresholds can be defined for different time windows. The gains used in the PI controller can also be adjusted to scale the amount of power regulation.