Battery pack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201634-A1
Application number	US-201514817644-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 4, 2015
Priority date	Jan 8, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery pack including a battery, a sensor, a controller, and a self-discharge circuit. The battery includes at least one battery cell connected between a pair of external terminals. The at least one battery cell is used for an engine-start attempt. The sensor detects a temperature of the battery. The controller compares the temperature of the battery with a reference temperature value and outputs a self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value. The self-discharge circuit is connected between the pair of external terminals in parallel with the battery and performs self-discharge the battery based on the self-discharge signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery pack, comprising:
a battery including at least one battery cell connected between a pair of external terminals, the at least one battery cell to be used for an engine-start attempt; a sensor to detect a temperature of the battery; a controller to compare the temperature of the battery with a reference temperature value and to output a self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value; and a self-discharge circuit connected between the pair of external terminals in parallel with the battery, the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery based on the self-discharge signal.

2 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor is to detect a current of the battery, and the controller is to determine that an engine-start attempt was made when the current of the battery becomes higher than a reference current value.

3 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor is to detect a current and a voltage of the battery, and the controller is to detect that an engine-start attempt was made but failed when the voltage of the battery is lower than a reference voltage value and the current of the battery becomes higher than a reference current value.

4 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the controller is to:
detect that an engine-start attempt was made when the current of the battery exceeds the reference current value; detect that the engine-start attempt failed when the voltage of the battery is lower than the reference voltage value and the current of the battery becomes higher than the reference current value; detect that the engine-start attempt was completed when the current of the battery becomes lower than the reference current value; compare the temperature of the battery with the reference temperature value; and output a self-discharge signal to the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value.

5 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor is to detect a current and a voltage of the battery, and the controller is to: detect that an engine-start attempt was made when the current of the battery becomes higher than a reference current value and then falls below the reference current value; determine whether the engine-start attempt has succeeded by comparing a first voltage of the battery measured before the current of the battery becomes higher than the reference current value with a second voltage of the battery measured after the current of the battery becomes lower than the reference current value; determine that the engine-start attempt has failed when the second voltage is lower than the first voltage; compare the temperature of the battery with the reference temperature value; and output a self-discharge signal to the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value.

6 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller is to:
monitor the temperature of the battery while outputting the self-discharge signal, and stop outputting the self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery becomes equal to or higher than the reference temperature value.

7 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller is to output the self-discharge signal and stop outputting the self-discharge signal after a predetermined time period based on an initial temperature of the battery compared with the reference temperature value.

8 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 7 , wherein:
the battery is self-discharged to generate heat during the predetermined time period, and the heat to be generated in a sufficient amount that the temperature of the battery is equal to or higher than the temperature reference value after the predetermined time period.

9 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the controller is to store information indicative of the predetermined time period during which the self-discharge signal is output based on the initial temperature of the battery.

10 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the self-discharge circuit includes a self-discharge switch to connect the pair of external terminals based on the self-discharge signal.

11 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the self-discharge circuit includes a self-discharge switch and a self-discharge resistor that are connected in series between the pair of external terminals, and the self-discharge switch is to be turned on or off based on the self-discharge signal.

12 . A battery pack, comprising:
a battery including at least one battery cell connected between a pair of external terminals; a sensor to detect a temperature of the battery; a controller to perform control based on an engine-start preparation signal received through a signal terminal, the controller to compare the temperature of the battery with a reference temperature value and to output a self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature value; and a self-discharge circuit connected between the pair of external terminals in parallel with the battery, the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery based on the self-discharge signal.

13 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the controller is to stop outputting the self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery becomes equal to or higher than the reference temperature value.

14 . The battery pack as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the self-discharge circuit includes a self-discharge switch to connect the pair of external terminals based on the self-discharge signal.

15 . A vehicle comprising the battery pack of as claimed in claim 1 .

16 . An apparatus, comprising:
an interface; and a controller to control an engine-start attempt, the controller to compare a temperature of a battery for the engine-start attempt with a reference temperature and to generate a self-discharge signal when the temperature of the battery is lower than the reference temperature, the self-discharge signal to be output through the interface to control a self-discharge circuit for the battery.

17 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the controller receives instructions for the engine-start attempt from a storage area in or coupled to the controller.

18 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the self-discharge signal is to control the self-discharge circuit to self-discharge the battery for a period of time until the temperature of the battery equals or exceeds the reference temperature.

19 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the period of time includes a period for heat generated by self-discharge of the battery to raise the temperature of the battery to equal or exceed the reference temperature.

20 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the reference temperature is based on a temperature range in which the battery is unable to output sufficient voltage for the engine-start attempt.

Assignees

• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Sangkyou
• Ji Sejin
• Baek Woonseong
• Jeong Hyeoncheol

Classifications

• H02J2105/30

  the load networks being external to vehicles, i.e. exchanging power with vehicles · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/585

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

• H02J7/977

  of the battery · CPC title

• H01M10/443

  in response to temperature · CPC title