How to Fast-Charge Lithium Batteries Without Damaging Them
This patent describes a three-phase method for quickly charging lithium-ion batteries while carefully controlling voltages to prevent harmful lithium metal buildup and electrolyte damage.
Original patent title: “Methods for fast-charging and detecting lithium plating in lithium ion batteries”
This patent describes a three-phase method for quickly charging lithium-ion batteries while carefully controlling voltages to prevent harmful lithium metal buildup and electrolyte damage. Granted to GM Global Technology Operations in 2020 with 11 claims and 8 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2037.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent outlines a method for fast-charging lithium batteries, like those in electric vehicles, by carefully managing the charging process in three phases to avoid damage. In a first phase, the battery is charged as fast as possible, limited only by the battery or charger's capabilities (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). Next, in a second phase, the charging current is gradually reduced to ensure the "anode potential" (the voltage of the negative battery terminal) stays above a specific safe level, preventing "lithium plating" (Claim 1). Lithium plating is when lithium metal forms on the anode, which can damage the battery. Finally, in a third phase, the charging continues while keeping the overall "cell potential" (the battery's total voltage) below a maximum limit to stop the electrolyte from breaking down (Claim 1). The patent also describes a way to detect lithium plating by looking for sudden changes in the charging current's rate of change (its derivative), which helps fine-tune the safe charging limits (Claim 8). For example, an electric car could use this method to quickly charge its battery without shortening its lifespan.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover fast-charging methods that do not specifically manage the anode potential to prevent lithium plating (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover fast-charging methods that do not control the cell potential to prevent electrolyte oxidation (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover lithium plating detection methods that do not involve analyzing the derivative of the charging current for discontinuities (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 8).
- Does not cover charging methods that use only a single constant current or constant voltage phase without the specific three-phase approach (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover batteries that are not lithium-ion based, as the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → specifically refer to "lithium battery" and "lithium ion-containing electrolyte" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The cleverness lies in the precise, multi-phase control of both anode and cell potentials during charging, specifically by decreasing current to maintain the anode potential above the lithium plating threshold. Additionally, the method for detecting lithium plating by analyzing the derivative of the charging current provides a way to dynamically optimize these thresholds.
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 fast-charging stations
Smartphone fast chargers
Laptop fast charging capabilities
Battery management systems in grid-scale energy storage
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Fast-charging is crucial for electric vehicles and other portable electronics, but it can degrade lithium-ion batteries by causing lithium plating or electrolyte breakdown. This patent provides a structured approach to achieve faster charging speeds while protecting the battery's health and lifespan. By preventing lithium plating, it helps maintain battery capacity and safety over many charge cycles. This is vital for consumer confidence and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, where charging time is a significant concern.
Filed
July 31, 2017
Granted
June 30, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major electric vehicle manufacturers like General Motors (the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →), Tesla, Hyundai, and Volkswagen are actively developing and implementing advanced battery management systems for fast charging. Companies producing fast-charging infrastructure, such as Electrify America and EVgo, also rely on sophisticated charging protocols. Battery cell manufacturers like LG Energy Solution, Panasonic, and CATL are continuously innovating in battery chemistry and charging algorithms to enable faster and safer charging.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the ongoing effort to make electric vehicles more practical and appealing by addressing a key consumer concern: charging time. By providing a method to safely fast-charge, it helps enable longer-range EVs and reduces range anxiety. It also supports the development of more robust and longer-lasting batteries, which is critical for reducing the total cost of ownership for EVs and for grid-scale energy storage solutions.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent outlines a method for fast-charging lithium batteries, like those in electric vehicles, by carefully managing the charging process in three phases to avoid damage. In a first phase, the battery is charged as fast as possible, limited only by the battery or charger's capabilities (Claim 1). Next, in a second phase, the charging current is gradually reduced to ensure the "anode potential" (the voltage of the negative battery terminal) stays above a specific safe level, preventing "lithium plating" (Claim 1). Lithium plating is when lithium metal forms on the anode, which can damage the battery. Finally, in a third phase, the charging continues while keeping the overall "cell potential" (the battery's total voltage) below a maximum limit to stop the electrolyte from breaking down (Claim 1). The patent also describes a way to detect lithium plating by looking for sudden changes in the charging current's rate of change (its derivative), which helps fine-tune the safe charging limits (Claim 8). For example, an electric car could use this method to quickly charge its battery without shortening its lifespan.
The clever bit
The cleverness lies in the precise, multi-phase control of both anode and cell potentials during charging, specifically by decreasing current to maintain the anode potential above the lithium plating threshold. Additionally, the method for detecting lithium plating by analyzing the derivative of the charging current provides a way to dynamically optimize these thresholds.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover fast-charging methods that do not specifically manage the anode potential to prevent lithium plating (Claim 1).
- Does not cover fast-charging methods that do not control the cell potential to prevent electrolyte oxidation (Claim 1).
- Does not cover lithium plating detection methods that do not involve analyzing the derivative of the charging current for discontinuities (Claim 8).
- Does not cover charging methods that use only a single constant current or constant voltage phase without the specific three-phase approach (Claim 1).
- Does not cover batteries that are not lithium-ion based, as the claims specifically refer to "lithium battery" and "lithium ion-containing electrolyte" (Claim 1).
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
Early stage
Citation count
19/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
7/20
Moderate scope
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
$56K – $179K
Midpoint $112K · 11.1 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
11 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Koch, B. J. (2020). How to Fast-Charge Lithium Batteries Without Damaging Them (U.S. Patent No. 10,700,376). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10700376/methods-for-fast-charging-and-detecting-lithium-plating-in-lithium-ion-batteries
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 to Fast-Charge Lithium Batteries Without Damaging Them cover?
This patent describes a three-phase method for quickly charging lithium-ion batteries while carefully controlling voltages to prevent harmful lithium metal buildup and electrolyte damage.
Who owns patent US 10700376?
GM Global Technology Operations owns this patent, granted in 2020.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on July 31, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10700376 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 8 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Fast-charging is crucial for electric vehicles and other portable electronics, but it can degrade lithium-ion batteries by causing lithium plating or electrolyte breakdown. This patent provides a structured approach to achieve faster charging speeds while protecting the battery's health and lifespan. By preventing lithium plating, it helps maintain battery capacity and safety over many charge cycles. This is vital for consumer confidence and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, where charging time is a significant concern.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover fast-charging methods that do not specifically manage the anode potential to prevent lithium plating (Claim 1).
Same assignee
More from GM Global Technology Operations
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