1. What Is the Battery Intelligence Technology?

US Nanocorp®, Inc and Villanova University have jointly developed technology for determining the state-of-charge (SOC) of batteries and state-of-health (SOH) of batteries and fuel cells. The methodology uses any interrogation method such as coulomb counting, voltage recovery, or impedance measurements and is a generic approach that can be applied to any battery chemistry. Our novel approach is based on using fuzzy system methods to intelligently determine the SOC and SOH of the battery from data taken using any of the interrogation methods indicated above.

2. Is the Technology Patented?

The fuzzy system methodology for battery SOC determination has been patented in both the US and in Taiwan. The fuzzy system methodology for battery/fuel cell SOH determination has been patented in Taiwan and the US as well.

3. What is Battery Intelligence?

Battery Intelligence has been established to commercialize the fuzzy logic approach to battery SOC and battery/fuel cell SOH determination. License agreements are in place so that BII has exclusive rights to commercialize the technology jointly developed by US Nanocorp, Inc. and Villanova University.

4. What Advantages Does Battery Intelligence Offer Over Competing Approaches?

The fuzzy logic approach offers a simple but powerful means of modeling complex, nonlinear systems such as batteries and fuel cells. It is very code efficient so that it can be integrated into a monitoring/management system at low cost. The technology can developed incorporating expert knowledge from a technician who is very familiar with the behavior of the system or can be developed from measured battery/fuel cell data. Relatively small data sets can be used to develop initial models that may be refined as more data is acquired. Even the initial models will be relatively accurate if an appropriate parametric input is used. This allows fast development times for new battery chemistries. The fuzzy logic approach is robust over different battery production lots.

5. What Can Battery Intelligence do for me?

Battery Intelligence's technology is useful if you have a battery/fuel cell application for which you need to quickly develop an accurate monitoring/management system in the case of batteries or a powerful, control system in the case of fuel cells. BII's technology can be applied to develop an initial, working battery management/monitoring system within a 6-9 month time frame. More accurate and sophisticated systems can be built upon this base system depending on the availability of data and expert knowledge. The development time for a fuel cell control system will depend on the complexity of the system being controlled.

6. What is the State of Readiness of Battery Intelligence's Technology?

We have developed prototype battery monitoring systems for various battery chemistries based on the combination of the fuzzy logic methodology and either coulomb counting or impedance measurements. The battery chemistries for which prototypes have been developed include primary Li/SO2 cells (both external and internal meters), lead acid cells, and Ni-MH batteries. The fuzzy logic approach has also been implemented in application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for the primary Li/SO2 cells.

7. How Can I Acquire the Technology?

The technology may be acquired in several ways. One approach is through the negotiation of a non-exclusive, application-based license. A second method is through a joint development agreement in which your company participates in the development of an application with engineers at Battery Intelligence.