Split battery for autonomous driving

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10981468-B2
Application number	US-201715701034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2017
Priority date	Sep 11, 2017
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for managing multi-battery systems, such as those utilized in an electric vehicle. Multi-battery systems comprise batteries providing power in parallel, thereby making each battery available to the vehicle and avoiding the weight of transporting a backup battery. The methods and systems provided allow for a fault in one battery, in a parallel configuration with at least one other battery, to be detected and managed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a first battery;
a second battery;
a first battery sensor, the first battery sensor monitors an attribute of the first battery and outputs a first sensor data determined by a sensed attribute of the first battery;
a first battery switch, the first battery switch receives a first control signal and, in response thereto, selectively opens or closes an electrical circuit comprising the first battery and a load;
a main controller; and
wherein the first battery and the second battery are arranged in an electrically parallel configuration to supply power to the load; and
the main controller, upon determining that the first sensor data indicates a fault with the first battery, provides the first control signal to the first battery switch to isolate the first battery from the load while maintaining uninterrupted power to the load with the second battery during a period of time in which the first battery switch is switched to isolate the first battery from the load.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second battery sensor, the second battery sensor monitors an attribute of the second battery and outputs a second sensor data determined by the sensed attribute of the second battery;
a second battery switch, the second battery switch receives a second control signal and, in response thereto, selectively opens or closes an electrical circuit comprising the second battery and the load; and
the main controller, upon determining the second sensor data indicates a fault with the second battery, provides the second control signal to the second battery switch to isolate the second battery from the load.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first battery switch selectively opens or closes the electrical circuit comprising selectively opening or closing both of a positive charge portion of the electrical circuit, electrically connected to a positive terminal of the first battery, and a negative charge portion of the electrical circuit, electrically connected to a negative terminal of the first battery.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first battery switch comprises a relay.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first control unit, the first control unit monitors at least one cell of the first battery and causes the main controller to output the first control signal.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the attribute of the first battery comprises one or more of voltage, temperature, current, isolation resistance, vibration, flex, detachment, internal pressure, and arcing.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the main controller is physically isolated from the first battery.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first battery switch isolates the first battery in an absence of a signal from the main controller.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the main controller further comprises a data output and, thereon, provides a data signal indicating the indicated fault.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the load comprises a motor, the motor configured to provide locomotion to a vehicle, and a computer, the computer providing operational signals for operation of the vehicle.

11. A system, comprising:
a first battery;
a second battery, wherein the first battery and the second battery are arranged in an electrically parallel configuration to supply power to a load;
a first battery sensor that monitors a first attribute of the first battery and outputs first sensor data determined by a sensed first attribute of the first battery;
a second battery sensor that monitors a second attribute of the second battery and outputs second sensor data determined by a sensed second attribute of the second battery,
a first battery switch that receives a first control signal and, in response thereto, selectively opens or closes a first electrical circuit comprising the first battery and the load;
a second battery switch that receives a second control signal and, in response thereto, selectively opens or closes a second electrical circuit comprising the second battery and the load; and
a main controller to, upon determining that the first sensor data indicates a fault with the first battery, provide the first control signal to the first battery switch to isolate the first battery from the load while maintaining interrupted power to the load with the second battery during a period of time in which the first battery switch is switched to isolate the first battery from the load, and to, upon determining that the second sensor data indicates a fault with the second battery, provide the second control signal to the second battery switch to isolate the second battery from the load while maintaining uninterrupted power to the load with the first battery during a period of time in which the second battery switch is switched to isolate the second battery from the load.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first control unit that monitors a third attribute of the first battery; and
a second control unit that monitors a fourth attribute of the second battery.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the third attribute is a different type of attribute than the first attribute, and wherein the fourth attribute is a different type of attribute than the second attribute.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the third attribute is an internal attribute of the first battery, and wherein the fourth attribute is an internal attribute of the second battery.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the third attribute and the fourth attribute are a same type of attribute.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first attribute is an external attribute of the first battery, and wherein the second attribute is an external attribute of the second battery.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the third attribute is an attribute of at least one cell of the first battery, and the fourth attribute is an attribute of at least one cell of the second battery.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first control unit manages charging for the first battery, and wherein the second control unit manages charging for the second battery.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the fault of the first battery is a failure of the first battery, and wherein the fault of the second battery is a failure of the second battery.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first attribute and the second attribute are a same type of attribute of the first and second batteries.

Assignees

• Nio Usa Inc

Inventors

• Newman Austin L
• Smith Alexander J
• Ing Adam H
• Rajaie Rick

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/585

  Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/933

  the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters · CPC title

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title