How Batteries Charge Fast in the Cold Without Damage
This patent describes a smart battery system that uses an internal heater to warm itself up for quick, safe charging, even when it's freezing outside.
Original patent title: “Systems and methods for fast charging batteries at low temperatures”
This patent describes a smart battery system that uses an internal heater to warm itself up for quick, safe charging, even when it's freezing outside. Granted to EC Power in 2019 with 23 claims and 11 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2035.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a system for fast charging batteries, especially in cold environments, without damaging them. It uses a special "ohmically modulated battery" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) which has an internal heating element, called a "resistor sheet" (Claim 1), built right into or between its cells. The system includes a "temperature sensor" (Claim 1) that constantly checks the battery's temperature. A "controller" (Claim 1) then uses this temperature information to decide whether to charge the battery normally through its "low-resistance terminal" or to activate the internal heater by routing current through a "high-resistance terminal" (Claim 1). For example, if the temperature sensor detects the battery is too cold, the controller switches to the high-resistance terminal, which warms the battery using the resistor sheet before or during charging, allowing for faster and safer charging.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Charging systems that do not use a battery with a dedicated "high-resistance terminal" and an internal "resistor sheet" for heating.
- Battery heating methods that rely solely on external heaters or ambient temperature control, rather than an internal, switchable resistor.
- Charging protocols that do not dynamically switch between a low-resistance path and a high-resistance path based on temperature input.
- Batteries without the specific internal resistor sheet configuration, where one tab connects to the high-resistance terminal and the other to a low-resistance terminal (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Systems where the controller does not determine the charging path based on temperature sensor input.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The innovation lies in integrating a dedicated "resistor sheet" directly into the battery cell or between cells, accessible via a separate "high-resistance terminal." This allows the battery to intelligently self-heat using its own charging current, controlled by a switch and temperature sensor, rather than relying on less efficient external heating or simply slowing down charging in the cold.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Electric vehicle battery packs
Electric bus batteries
Industrial robots and drones operating outdoors
Power tools used in cold environments
Consumer electronics (smartphones, laptops) in extreme cold
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Fast charging is essential for electric vehicles and portable electronics. However, charging lithium-ion batteries too quickly at low temperatures can cause "lithium plating," which permanently damages the battery and reduces its lifespan. This patent offers a solution to safely enable fast charging in cold conditions, which is critical for user convenience and battery longevity in many applications, such as electric cars operating in winter climates.
Filed
July 27, 2015
Granted
January 22, 2019
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like EC Power (the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →), which spun out of Penn State University, continue to develop and licenselicensePermission from the patent owner to make, use, or sell the invention — usually in exchange for payment. Doesn't transfer ownership.Read more → advanced battery technologies, including those focused on fast charging and thermal management. Major electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla, General Motors, and Volkswagen, along with battery cell producers like CATL, LG Energy Solution, and Panasonic, are actively investing in and implementing solutions for improving battery performance across various temperatures.
Market impact
This technology addresses a critical limitation for electric vehicles and other battery-powered devices: the inability to fast charge safely in cold weather. By enabling rapid charging even at low temperatures, it helps reduce range anxiety and improves user experience, potentially accelerating the adoption of EVs and expanding the operational envelopes for battery-dependent systems in colder climates. It also helps extend battery lifespan by preventing degradation caused by improper cold charging.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a system for fast charging batteries, especially in cold environments, without damaging them. It uses a special "ohmically modulated battery" (Claim 1) which has an internal heating element, called a "resistor sheet" (Claim 1), built right into or between its cells. The system includes a "temperature sensor" (Claim 1) that constantly checks the battery's temperature. A "controller" (Claim 1) then uses this temperature information to decide whether to charge the battery normally through its "low-resistance terminal" or to activate the internal heater by routing current through a "high-resistance terminal" (Claim 1). For example, if the temperature sensor detects the battery is too cold, the controller switches to the high-resistance terminal, which warms the battery using the resistor sheet before or during charging, allowing for faster and safer charging.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in integrating a dedicated "resistor sheet" directly into the battery cell or between cells, accessible via a separate "high-resistance terminal." This allows the battery to intelligently self-heat using its own charging current, controlled by a switch and temperature sensor, rather than relying on less efficient external heating or simply slowing down charging in the cold.
What it does not cover
- Charging systems that do not use a battery with a dedicated "high-resistance terminal" and an internal "resistor sheet" for heating.
- Battery heating methods that rely solely on external heaters or ambient temperature control, rather than an internal, switchable resistor.
- Charging protocols that do not dynamically switch between a low-resistance path and a high-resistance path based on temperature input.
- Batteries without the specific internal resistor sheet configuration, where one tab connects to the high-resistance terminal and the other to a low-resistance terminal (Claim 1).
- Systems where the controller does not determine the charging path based on temperature sensor input.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
22/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$109K – $349K
Midpoint $218K · 9.0 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Wang, C., & Ji, Y. (2019). How Batteries Charge Fast in the Cold Without Damage (U.S. Patent No. 10,186,887). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10186887/systems-and-methods-for-fast-charging-batteries-at-low-temperatures
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Batteries Charge Fast in the Cold Without Damage cover?
This patent describes a smart battery system that uses an internal heater to warm itself up for quick, safe charging, even when it's freezing outside.
Who owns patent US 10186887?
EC Power owns this patent, granted in 2019.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on July 27, 2035, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10186887 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 11 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Fast charging is essential for electric vehicles and portable electronics. However, charging lithium-ion batteries too quickly at low temperatures can cause "lithium plating," which permanently damages the battery and reduces its lifespan. This patent offers a solution to safely enable fast charging in cold conditions, which is critical for user convenience and battery longevity in many applications, such as electric cars operating in winter climates.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Charging systems that do not use a battery with a dedicated "high-resistance terminal" and an internal "resistor sheet" for heating.
Patent monitoring