Battery management method, battery, flight control system and unmanned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10826137-B2
Application number	US-202016783926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2020
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A method is provided for managing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The UAV includes a first cell unit and a second cell unit connected in parallel. The method includes: detecting, by a first control circuit, whether a failure occurs in the first cell unit; detecting, by a second control circuit, whether a failure occurs in the second cell unit; establishing a communication between the first control circuit and the second control circuit; and in response to detecting a signal indicating that a failure occurs in the first cell or the second cell from the first control circuit or the second control circuit, reducing an output power of a propulsion device of the UAV.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for managing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the UAV including a first cell unit and a second cell unit connected in parallel, the method comprising:
detecting, by a first control circuit, whether a failure occurs in the first cell unit;
detecting, by a second control circuit, whether a failure occurs in the second cell unit;
establishing a communication between the first control circuit and the second control circuit; and
in response to detecting a signal indicating that a failure occurs in the first cell or the second cell from the first control circuit or the second control circuit, reducing an output power of a propulsion device of the UAV.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting a first failure signal, by the first control circuit, in response to a failure occurring in the first cell unit; and
outputting a second failure signal, by the second control circuit, in response to a failure occurring in the second cell unit.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
in response to a failure occurring in the first cell unit, transmitting the first failure signal to an external device of the UAV by the second control circuit; and
in response to a failure occurring in the second cell unit, transmitting the second failure signal to the external device of the UAV by the first control circuit.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to a failure occurring in the first cell unit, disconnecting a communication connection between the first control circuit and the external device; and
in response to a failure occurring in the second cell unit, disconnecting a communication connection between the second control circuit and the external device.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
detecting that a failure occurs in the first cell unit includes one of:
detecting that a current of the first cell unit exceeds a current threshold;
detecting that a voltage of at least one cell of the first cell unit exceeds a first voltage threshold;
detecting that a voltage of at least one cell of the first cell unit is below a second voltage threshold; and
detecting that a temperature of at least one cell of the first cell unit is outside a preset temperature range; and

detecting that a failure occurs in the second cell unit includes one of:
detecting that a current of the second cell unit exceeds a current threshold;
detecting that a voltage of at least one cell of the second cell unit exceeds a first voltage threshold;
detecting that a voltage of at least one cell of the second cell unit is below a second voltage threshold; and
detecting that a temperature of at least one cell of the second cell unit is outside a preset temperature range.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to a failure occurring in the first cell unit, directing the first cell unit to terminate discharging or charging; and
in response to a failure occurring in the second cell unit, directing the second cell unit to terminate discharging or charging.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
generating an alarm in response to detecting a signal indicating that a failure occurs in the first cell or the second cell.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein generating the alarm comprises at least one of:
generating an audible alarm; and
generating a visual alarm.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to detecting a signal indicating that a failure occurs in the first cell or the second cell, directing the UAV to perform a return flight.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to detecting a signal indicating that a failure occurs in the first cell or the second cell, directing the UAV to perform a direct landing.

11. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a propulsion device configured to provide a propulsion;
a processor; and
a battery configured to provide an electric power to the propulsion device, the battery including:
a first cell unit;
a first control circuit electrically connected with the first cell unit;
a second cell unit connected with the first cell unit in parallel; and
a second control circuit electrically connected with the second cell unit and in communication with the first control circuit;
wherein:
the first control circuit is configured to detect whether a failure occurs in the first cell unit;
the second control circuit is configured to detect whether a failure occurs in the second cell unit;
the processor is configured to, in response to reduce an output power of the propulsion device of the UAV in response to receiving a signal indicating that a failure occurs in the first cell or the second cell from the first control circuit or the second control circuit.

12. The UAV according to claim 11 , wherein:
the first control circuit is further configured to output a first failure signal in response to a failure occurring in the first cell unit; and
the second control circuit is further configured to output a second failure signal in response to a failure occurring in the second cell unit.

13. The UAV according to claim 12 , wherein:
the second control circuit is further configured to transmit the first failure signal to the processor in response to a failure occurring in the first cell unit; and
the first control circuit is further configured to transmit the second failure signal to the processor in response to a failure occurring in the second cell unit.

14. The UAV according to claim 11 , wherein:
the first control circuit is further configured to disconnect a communication connection between the first control circuit and the processor in response to a failure occurring in the first cell unit; and
the second control circuit is further configured to disconnect a communication connection between the second control circuit and the processor in response to a failure occurring in the second cell unit.

15. The UAV according to claim 11 , wherein:
detecting that a failure occurs in the first cell unit includes one of:
detecting that a current of the first cell unit exceeds a current threshold;
detecting that a voltage of at least one cell of the first cell unit exceeds a first voltage threshold;
detecting that a voltage of at least one cell of the first cell unit is below a second voltage threshold; and
detecting that a temperature of at least one cell of the first cell unit is outside a preset temperature range; and

detecting that a failure occurs in the second cell unit includes one of:
detecting that a current of the second cell unit exceeds a current threshold;
detecting that a voltage of at least one cell of the second cell unit exceeds a first voltage threshold;
detecting that a voltage of at least one cell of the second cell unit is below a second voltage threshold; and
detecting that a temperature of at least one cell of the second cell unit is outside a preset temperature range.

16. The UAV according to claim 11 , further comprising:
the first control circuit is further configured to direct the first cell unit to terminate discharging or charging the in response to a failure occurring in the first cell unit; and
the second control circuit is further configured to direct the second cell unit to terminate discharging or charging the in response to a failure occurring in the second cell unit.

17. The UAV according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
generate an alarm i

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zheng Dayang
• Zhan Juncheng
• Wang Lei
• Wang Wentao
• Xu Baigao

Classifications

• H02J7/65

  against overtemperature · CPC title

• H02J7/61

  against overcharge · CPC title

• H02J7/663

  using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/64

  against overvoltage · CPC title

• H02J7/63

  against overdischarge · CPC title