# Forecasting When Used Electric Car Batteries Will Be Available for Reuse > This patent describes a system that predicts when electric vehicles will reach the end of their useful life and how much capacity their batteries will still have, to forecast the future supply of batteries that can be reused in other applications. - **Patent:** US 9791514 - **Original title:** Recycled secondary battery supply forecast system and recycled secondary battery supply forecast usage - **Owner:** NEC - **Granted:** 2017 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 5 - **Field:** automotive, energy, software, telecommunications, consumer_electronics ## What it does This system, often a central server, collects two main types of information from many vehicles: performance data about their secondary batteries (like total capacity or maximum output current) and state data about the vehicle itself (like total travel distance or hours used) (Claim 1). It then uses the historical trends of this data to make two key predictions. First, it forecasts when each vehicle will reach its 'end of life,' which is defined by a specific travel distance or amount of time used (Claims 1, 2, 3). Second, it predicts the battery's performance (e.g., remaining capacity) at that vehicle's end of life (Claims 1, 4, 5). Finally, the system combines all these individual vehicle and battery predictions to forecast the total number of recyclable batteries that will become available during a future period, considering their type and expected performance for reuse in separate devices (Claim 1). For example, if a fleet of delivery vans reports their mileage and battery health, the system can predict how many usable batteries will be ready for a second life in energy storage systems next year. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover forecasting for batteries that are not originally mounted on vehicles (Claim 1). - Does not cover forecasting the end of a vehicle's life without using historical state information, such as past travel distance or used hours (Claim 1). - Does not cover forecasting battery performance without using historical performance information, such as past total capacity or maximum output current (Claim 1). - Does not cover forecasting for batteries that are not intended for reuse in 'separate devices' after their vehicle's end of life (Claim 1). - Does not cover systems where the vehicle's 'end of life' is not determined by a predetermined travel distance or used hours (Claims 1, 2, 3). ## The clever bit The clever part is linking the predicted end of a vehicle's operational life to the predicted remaining performance of its battery, then aggregating these predictions to forecast a future supply of reusable batteries. ## Real-world examples 1. Electric vehicle fleet management systems 2. Battery recycling and remanufacturing programs 3. Companies planning for grid-scale energy storage using second-life EV batteries 4. Automotive manufacturers developing battery reuse strategies ## Why it matters As electric vehicles become more common, there will be a growing need to manage and reuse their large batteries efficiently. This patent addresses the challenge of predicting the supply of these 'second-life' batteries, which can then be used for other purposes like grid energy storage. Accurate forecasting helps industries plan for resource availability, optimize recycling processes, and build new markets for used battery technology. It supports a more sustainable approach to battery lifecycle management. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does Forecasting When Used Electric Car Batteries Will Be Available for Reuse cover? This patent describes a system that predicts when electric vehicles will reach the end of their useful life and how much capacity their batteries will still have, to forecast the future supply of batteries that can be reused in other applications. ### Who owns patent US 9791514? NEC owns this patent, granted in 2017. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on March 23, 2032, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 9791514 cited by? This patent has been cited by 5 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? As electric vehicles become more common, there will be a growing need to manage and reuse their large batteries efficiently. This patent addresses the challenge of predicting the supply of these 'second-life' batteries, which can then be used for other purposes like grid energy storage. Accurate forecasting helps industries plan for resource availability, optimize recycling processes, and build new markets for used battery technology. It supports a more sustainable approach to battery lifecycle management. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover forecasting for batteries that are not originally mounted on vehicles (Claim 1). **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9791514/recycled-secondary-battery-supply-forecast-system-and-recycled-secondary-battery **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US9791514 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How to Grade Used Batteries for a Second Life](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9397374/secondary-battery-module-battery-information-management-device-battery-informati) — 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. - [How a System Tracks and Transfers Rechargeable Batteries Between Users](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20240186800/battery-management-system-battery-management-method-and-program) — This patent describes a system that verifies a rechargeable battery's actual capacity and then updates which user is associated with that specific battery, especially useful for shared or transferable batteries. - [How an EV Charging Station Manages Power from Batteries and the Grid](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9168838/charging-control-system-and-charging-control-method) — This patent describes a smart charging system for electric vehicles that decides whether to power cars from a local battery or the main electricity grid, and when to recharge that local battery, to help balance power demand. - [Mobile Factories for Recycling Used Electric Vehicle Batteries](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20250246702/movable-battery-pack-processing-device-and-processing-method) — This patent describes a system of movable containers that can be brought to a location to safely discharge, cool, disassemble, and crush used battery packs, making the recycling process more flexible and efficient. - [Smart EV Charging to Protect Battery Life During Long Parking](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11235681/curtailing-battery-degradation-of-an-electric-vehicle-during-long-term-parking) — This patent describes a system that intelligently discharges and recharges an electric vehicle's battery while parked for a long time, like at an airport, to prevent battery damage and ensure it's ready when the owner returns, using vehicle-to-grid technology.