Method for operating a battery of an at least partially electrically operated/driven functional device, corresponding battery, and functional device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10991995-B2
Application number	US-202016782407-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2020
Priority date	Feb 18, 2019
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A method for operating a battery of an at least partially electrically operated/driven functional device, a corresponding battery, and a corresponding functional device. A control unit of the battery receives measurement signals relating to a respective parameter of the battery cells from a plurality of switchable battery cells of the battery. The control unit prepares a location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter within the battery on the basis of the measurement signals. By activating the switching elements of the switchable battery cells according to a predetermined switching rule, the control unit produces a pattern of battery cells switched to active and passive. A predetermined location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter is fulfilled and at least one predetermined secondary condition relating to an operation of the functional device and/or the battery is maintained.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating a battery of an at least partially electrically operated functional device, comprising:
the battery includes multiple electrically interconnected switchable battery cells, wherein each of the switchable battery cells includes at least one switching element for alternately switching to active and switching to passive the respective battery cell and a monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit comprises at least one measuring unit for measuring a respective cell parameter, wherein the respective measuring unit transmits a measurement signal relating to the respective cell parameter to the monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit relays the respective measurement signal to a control unit of the battery, wherein the control unit receives the respective measurement signal and, based on the respective measurement signals of the battery cells as a whole, prepares a predetermined distribution function of the respective cell parameter, and produces a respective switching configuration for defining battery cells switched to active and passive by activating the at least one switching element of the battery cells according to a predetermined switching rule, wherein the switching rule prescribes that the predetermined distribution function of the respective cell parameter is fulfilled and at least one predetermined secondary condition relating to an operation of the functional device and/or the battery is maintained by producing the respective switching configuration.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit adaptively adapts the respective switching configuration according to the predetermined switching rule to a change of the respective measurement signal and in this way an error between the actually measured and the predetermined distribution function is reduced.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the switching rule prescribes that the control unit activates the switching elements of the battery cells according to a predetermined cycling rule, by which it changes between at least two switching configurations in a predetermined cycle.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one secondary condition is predetermined by an operating mode of the functional device and relates to a minimum power requirement and/or a maximum power requirement of the battery.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one secondary condition is predetermined by a charging operating mode and determines a maximization of a charging current.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the battery operates a temperature control device, wherein the temperature control device includes a battery-cell-comprehensive temperature control body, which is designed to accommodate a temperature control medium and to have the temperature control medium flow through it.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the temperature control body thermally contacts each of the battery cells of the battery for a respectively equal proportion, wherein the switching configuration is designed to alternately provide a battery cell switched to active and one switched to passive along the through flow direction to the temperature control medium as it flows through the temperature control device.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the temperature control device includes a central temperature control medium feed point and a central temperature control medium discharge point.

9. A battery, which is designed to carry out a method for operating the battery of an at least partially electrically operated functional device, comprising:
the battery includes multiple electrically interconnected switchable battery cells, wherein each of the switchable battery cells includes at least one switching element for alternately switching to active and switching to passive the respective battery cell and a monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit comprises at least one measuring unit for measuring a respective cell parameter, wherein the respective measuring unit transmits a measurement signal relating to the respective cell parameter to the monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit relays the respective measurement signal to a control unit of the battery, wherein the control unit receives the respective measurement signal and, based on the respective measurement signals of the battery cells as a whole, prepares a predetermined distribution function of the respective cell parameter, and produces a respective switching configuration for defining battery cells switched to active and passive by activating the at least one switching element of the battery cells according to a predetermined switching rule, wherein the switching rule prescribes that the predetermined distribution function of the respective cell parameter is fulfilled and at least one predetermined secondary condition relating to an operation of the functional device and/or the battery is maintained by producing the respective switching configuration.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Hinterberger Michael
• Hellenthal Berthold
• Gyulai Tamas

Classifications

• H01M10/486 Primary

  for measuring temperature · CPC title

• H01M10/48

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M10/4285 Primary

  Testing apparatus · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title