{
  "patent_number": "US 9397374",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How to Grade Used Batteries for a Second Life",
  "original_title": "Secondary battery module, battery information management device, battery information management system, secondary battery reuse system, secondary battery recovery and sales system, secondary battery reuse method, and secondary battery recovery and sales method",
  "summary": "This patent describes a system that reads electrical characteristics and usage history from a rechargeable battery module to determine if it's good enough to be used again for a different purpose, like energy storage.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a system for managing rechargeable batteries, called 'secondary battery modules.' Each battery module stores its own 'electrical characteristic information' (like its original capacity and how much it resists current) and 'usage history information' (like its voltage and current ranges over time) (Claim 1). A 'battery information management device' connects to these modules, reads this stored data, and then compares it to a 'predetermined threshold' (Claim 1). If the battery's information meets the threshold, the device 'grades' it as suitable for 'reuse,' meaning it can be used for something else after its first life, perhaps in an electric vehicle (Claim 1). For example, a device could read data from an old electric car battery, see its remaining capacity is above a certain level, and then grade it for use in a home solar power storage system.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover managing primary (single-use) batteries, only 'secondary battery modules' that are rechargeable.",
    "Does not cover battery management systems that only monitor battery health without explicitly grading for 'reuse' based on predetermined thresholds.",
    "Does not cover systems where battery characteristic and usage history information is not stored directly within the 'secondary battery module' itself.",
    "Does not cover grading systems that do not use specific 'electrical characteristic information' and 'usage history information' as claimed.",
    "Does not cover systems that simply charge or discharge batteries without reading and grading their internal information for reuse."
  ],
  "filed": "2012-09-14",
  "granted": "2016-07-19",
  "expires": "2032-09-14",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Hitachi Automotive Systems",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/hitachi-automotive-systems",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Akihiko Emori",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/akihiko-emori"
    },
    {
      "name": "Shuko Yamauchi",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/shuko-yamauchi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Youhei Kawahara",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/youhei-kawahara"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 4,
  "tags": [
    "automotive",
    "energy",
    "consumer_electronics",
    "software",
    "telecommunications"
  ],
  "abstract": "A secondary battery module includes a battery information storage unit for storing electric characteristic information and usage history information of the secondary battery module. A battery information management device and a terminal device respectively include interfaces to be connected to the secondary battery module. The battery information management device is provided with a battery information database. The battery information management device is connected to the terminal device through a communications network. In this way, battery information stored in the battery information storage unit, which is acquired by the battery information management device and the terminal device, is accumulated in the battery information database. Moreover, the battery information management device grades the secondary battery module for reuse based on the battery information and a predetermined threshold.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9397374/secondary-battery-module-battery-information-management-device-battery-informati",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9397374/secondary-battery-module-battery-information-management-device-battery-informati/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US9397374",
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}