Wireless battery management system and method for protecting battery pack using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11165263-B2
Application number	US-201816611735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2018
Priority date	Nov 24, 2017
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed are a wireless battery management system and a method for protecting a battery pack using the same. The battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules and at least one relay. The wireless battery management system includes a plurality of slave controllers electrically coupled to the plurality of battery modules one-to-one, and a master controller wirelessly coupled to each slave controller so as to be able to communicate with each slave controller. Each slave controller measures an operational parameter of the battery module electrically coupled thereto. Each slave controller wirelessly transmits a fault signal to the master controller when the measured operational parameter is outside of a predetermined normal range. The master controller turns off the at least one relay when the fault signal is received.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless battery management system for protecting a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules and at least one relay, the wireless battery management system comprising:
a plurality of slave controllers electrically coupled to the plurality of battery modules one-to-one; and
a master controller wirelessly coupled to each slave controller so as to be able to communicate with each slave controller,
wherein each slave controller includes:
an operational parameter measurement circuit configured to measure an operational parameter of the battery module electrically coupled to said slave controller;
a power supply configured to output an operating voltage using electrical energy stored in the battery module electrically coupled to said slave controller;
a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly transmit a sensing signal indicating the measured operational parameter to the master controller using the operating voltage; and
one or more processors operably coupled to the operational parameter measurement circuit, the power supply and the wireless communication circuit, and configured to control outputting a first control signal to the wireless communication circuit when the measured operational parameter is outside of a predetermined normal range,
wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit a fault signal to the master controller when the first control signal is received, and
wherein the master controller is configured to turn off the at least one relay when the fault signal is received from at least one of the plurality of slave controllers,
wherein the one or more processors are configured to output a second control signal to a power supply when the measured operational parameter is outside of a predetermined safety range, the safety range being wider than the normal range, and
wherein the second control signal is configured to stop the power supply from outputting the operating voltage to inactivate a wireless communication function with the master controller.

2. The wireless battery management system according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply includes:
a converter configured to convert a module voltage of the battery module into the operating voltage; and
a switch electrically coupled between the converter and the wireless communication circuit, and configured to supply the operating voltage from the converter to the wireless communication circuit while the switch is in a turn-on state, and
wherein the switch is configured to be turned off in response to the second control signal.

3. The wireless battery management system according to claim 1 , wherein the operational parameter is a temperature of the battery module, a module voltage of the battery module or a cell voltage of each battery cell included in the battery module.

4. A battery pack comprising the wireless battery management system according to claim 1 .

5. A wireless battery management system for protecting a battery pack including a plurality of battery modules and at least one relay, the wireless battery management system comprising:
a plurality of slave controllers electrically coupled to the plurality of battery modules one-to-one; and
a master controller wirelessly coupled to each slave controller so as to be able to communicate with each slave controller,
wherein each slave controller includes:
an operational parameter measurement circuit configured to measure an operational parameter of the battery module electrically coupled to said slave controller;
a power supply configured to output an operating voltage using electrical energy stored in the battery module electrically coupled to said slave controller;
a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly transmit a sensing signal indicating the measured operational parameter to the master controller using the operating voltage; and
one or more processors operably coupled to the operational parameter measurement circuit, the power supply and the wireless communication circuit, and configured to control outputting a first control signal to the wireless communication circuit when the measured operational parameter is outside of a predetermined normal range,

wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit a fault signal to the master controller when the first control signal is received, and
wherein the master controller is configured to:
calculate a number of slave controllers capable of wireless communication with the master controller from the plurality of slave controllers, and
turn off the at least one relay when the calculated number is equal to or less than a threshold number.

6. The wireless battery management system according to claim 5 , wherein the master controller is configured to:
increase a count for each slave controller each time a wireless communication function of each slave controller is determined to be inactivated, and
turn off the at least one relay when the increased count is larger than a threshold count.

7. The wireless battery management system according to claim 6 , wherein the master controller is configured to determine the threshold count based on the calculated number when the calculated number is larger than the threshold number.

8. The wireless battery management system according to claim 5 , wherein the operational parameter is a temperature of the battery module, a module voltage of the battery module or a cell voltage of each battery cell included in the battery module.

9. A battery pack comprising the wireless battery management system according to claim 5 .

10. A method for protecting a battery pack using a wireless battery management system for the battery pack including a plurality of battery modules and at least one relay, the wireless battery management system including a plurality of slave controllers electrically coupled to the plurality of battery modules one-to-one, and a master controller wirelessly coupled to each slave controller so as to be able to communicate with each slave controller, the method comprising:
measuring, by each slave controller, an operational parameter of the battery module;
wirelessly transmitting, by each slave controller, a sensing signal indicating the measured operational parameter to the master controller using electrical energy stored in the battery module;
wirelessly transmitting, by each slave controller, a fault signal to the master controller when the measured operational parameter is outside of a predetermined normal range;
inactivating, by each slave controller, a wireless communication function of each slave controller when the measured operational parameter is outside of a predetermined safety range, the safety range being wider than the normal range; and
turning off, by the master controller, the at least one relay when the fault signal is received from at least one of the plurality of slave controllers or when the wireless communication function of at least one of the plurality of slave controllers is inactivated for a time corresponding to a threshold count or longer.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Sung Chang-Hyun
• Park Jae-Dong
• Lee Sang-Hoon
• Choi Yean-Sik

Classifications

• H02J7/84

  Control of state of health [SOH] · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/80

  including monitoring or indicating arrangements · CPC title

• H02J7/65

  against overtemperature · CPC title

• H02J7/64

  against overvoltage · CPC title