An ethernet-based battery swapping cabinet and cabinet method and system

Abstract

The application provides an Ethernet-based battery replacement cabinet and cabinet method and system, and belongs to the technical field of battery replacement. The battery replacement cabinet and cabinet method comprises the following steps: battery replacement cabinet networking: a plurality of battery replacement cabinets are connected in series through Ethernet ports to form a battery replacement cabinet group; battery replacement cabinet state synchronization: starting from the first battery replacement cabinet, the local device state data is transmitted one by one until the first battery replacement cabinet receives the data information returned by the last battery replacement cabinet, and the state synchronization of all battery replacement cabinets in this round is completed; master battery replacement cabinet election: the master battery replacement cabinet is elected according to the performance of each battery replacement cabinet in the battery replacement cabinet group, and the other battery replacement cabinets are slave battery replacement cabinets, and then the master battery replacement cabinet information is broadcast to all battery replacement cabinets; master battery replacement cabinet detection: after the master battery replacement cabinet is confirmed, all battery replacement cabinets still maintain state synchronization, and the slave battery replacement cabinets synchronize all data to the master battery replacement cabinet; battery replacement. The application can realize high-speed transmission of a large amount of storage position data and battery data, and has high real-time performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery swapping cabinet technology, and specifically to a method and system for paralleling battery swapping cabinets based on Ethernet. Background Technology

[0002] During the operation of battery swapping stations, the number of users can vary significantly across different regions and at different times. This variation can be influenced by various factors, including population distribution, economic development level, weather conditions, time of day, and holidays. By consolidating stations, the number of bays can be flexibly adjusted based on user demand and traffic flow, thereby improving the utilization rate of the battery swapping stations.

[0003] There are generally two methods for paralleling existing battery swapping cabinets: one is through RS-485 communication, and the other is through CAN bus communication.

[0004] The advantages of using RS-485 for parallel cabinet communication are long transmission distance and high communication speed (up to 10Mbps), making it suitable for high-speed data transmission. The disadvantages are relatively poor real-time performance. The RS-485 bus uses a single-host network topology, which does not allow for flexible host switching; if the host fails, the entire parallel cabinet system becomes unusable. Furthermore, due to communication latency, real-time performance is relatively poor.

[0005] The advantages of using CAN bus for parallel communication are strong real-time performance, a multi-master network topology, a large number of node devices, and easy expansion. However, its disadvantages are that the communication bandwidth of CAN bus is relatively low, which may not meet the needs of high-speed, large-data-volume transmission when there are many parallel communication devices.

[0006] During parallel communication, the battery swapping cabinet controller needs to transmit a large amount of warehouse location data and battery data at high speed. Simultaneously, to improve system availability, if the main controller fails, other main controllers need to continue providing service to minimize downtime. Therefore, how to enable flexible switching of main controllers during parallel communication while simultaneously meeting the demands for high-speed, high-volume data transmission is a pressing challenge that current technologies need to address. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the technical problems of poor real-time performance of RS-485 communication and the inability of CAN bus to meet the requirements of high-speed and large data transmission in existing technologies, this invention provides a method for paralleling battery swapping cabinets based on Ethernet, and also provides a battery swapping cabinet paralleling system using the aforementioned method.

[0008] The present invention provides a method for paralleling battery swapping cabinets based on Ethernet, comprising the following steps:

[0009] S1: Battery swapping cabinet networking: Several battery swapping cabinets are connected in series via Ethernet ports to form a battery swapping cabinet group;

[0010] S2: Battery swapping cabinet status synchronization: Starting from the first battery swapping cabinet, the status data of the local equipment is transmitted one by one until the first battery swapping cabinet receives the data information returned by the last battery swapping cabinet, thus completing the status synchronization of all battery swapping cabinets in this round.

[0011] S3: Main battery swapping cabinet election: Based on the performance of each battery swapping cabinet in the battery swapping cabinet group, the main battery swapping cabinet is elected, and the other battery swapping cabinets are slave battery swapping cabinets. Then the main battery swapping cabinet information is broadcast to all battery swapping cabinets.

[0012] S4: Main battery swapping cabinet detection: After the main battery swapping cabinet is confirmed, all battery swapping cabinets remain in synchronized status, and all data is synchronized from the battery swapping cabinets to the main battery swapping cabinet;

[0013] S5: Battery swapping: The main battery swapping cabinet and the server complete the battery swapping interaction to realize the battery swapping function.

[0014] Furthermore, in step S5, during the battery swapping process, the slave battery swapping cabinet periodically checks whether the master battery swapping cabinet is functioning properly. If an abnormality is detected, the slave battery swapping cabinet abandons the current master battery swapping cabinet information and waits for the broadcast of new master battery swapping cabinet information.

[0015] Furthermore, if the main power swapping cabinet malfunctions, the electing power swapping cabinet will elect a new main power swapping cabinet based on the performance of each power swapping cabinet, and then broadcast the new main power swapping cabinet information to each power swapping cabinet in the power swapping cabinet group.

[0016] Furthermore, in a network of several battery swapping cabinets connected in series, if a battery swapping cabinet within the group experiences a network anomaly such as disconnection or reconnection, the network topology will change. The handling method for such network changes is as follows:

[0017] If a network connection to the battery swapping cabinet is lost due to an abnormality, the original battery swapping cabinet group will be split into multiple device groups, and each device group will execute steps S2-S5 to achieve cabinet merging.

[0018] If the battery swapping cabinet reconnects, the multiple split device groups are re-networked into a single battery swapping cabinet group, and then steps S2-S5 are executed to achieve cabinet merging.

[0019] Furthermore, in step S1, the number of battery swapping cabinets in the battery swapping cabinet group can be dynamically adjusted based on the DHCP server. The DHCP server monitors the network port device status in real time. When a new battery swapping cabinet is detected to be connected, it can automatically identify the battery swapping cabinet and assign it an IP address. The newly connected battery swapping cabinet joins the battery swapping cabinet group based on the IP address.

[0020] Furthermore, in step S3, the selected battery swapping cabinet is the first battery swapping cabinet.

[0021] Furthermore, the method for electing the master battery swapping cabinet for the first battery swapping cabinet is as follows:

[0022] S301: The first battery swapping cabinet receives the device status dataset that includes data information from all battery swapping cabinets;

[0023] S302: Assign a certain weight to each data point based on the data information of each battery swapping cabinet;

[0024] S303: Calculate the battery swapping cabinet with the highest weighted value based on each data value and its corresponding weight;

[0025] S304: Elect the node with the highest weighted value as the master battery swapping cabinet.

[0026] Furthermore, in step S4, the selected battery swapping cabinet monitors the status of all devices in real time and determines whether there is a host in the battery swapping cabinet group that is more suitable to be the main battery swapping cabinet than the current main battery swapping cabinet. If so, the more suitable battery swapping cabinet is elected as the main battery swapping cabinet, and then the new main battery swapping cabinet information is broadcast to the battery swapping cabinets in the battery swapping cabinet group.

[0027] The present invention also provides a battery swapping cabinet paralleling system that uses the aforementioned Ethernet-based battery swapping cabinet paralleling method to achieve paralleling of cabinets, including a DHCP server and several battery swapping cabinets connected in series via Ethernet ports, wherein the battery swapping cabinets are networked into a battery swapping cabinet group based on the DHCP server.

[0028] Furthermore, the battery swapping cabinet assembly includes:

[0029] One power swapping cabinet is selected by the DHCP server: to realize the synchronization of power swapping cabinet status and the election of the main power swapping cabinet;

[0030] One main battery swapping cabinet: the entry and exit point for interacting with the upper-level server, used to realize the battery swapping function of the battery swapping cabinet group;

[0031] Several slave battery swapping cabinets: Other battery swapping cabinets in the battery swapping cabinet group besides the main battery swapping cabinet communicate with the main battery swapping cabinet and synchronize all data information to the main battery swapping cabinet.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: by connecting each battery swapping cabinet in series via Ethernet ports and physical cables, since Ethernet communication has a very high transmission speed, the present invention can achieve high-speed transmission of a large amount of warehouse data and battery data, with high real-time performance;

[0033] Instead of designating one battery swapping unit as the main battery swapping unit, the configuration is more flexible and can effectively avoid the inability to swap batteries due to the main battery swapping unit malfunctioning and needing to be reset.

[0034] The selection method based on the performance of the battery swapping cabinet takes into account the actual situation of each device. It can help the system to distribute tasks and loads more evenly, thereby improving overall performance and reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the solutions in this invention or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the method of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the battery swapping cabinet network within the battery swapping cabinet group in this invention;

[0038] Figure 3 Here is a flowchart of the state synchronization method;

[0039] Figure 4 Flowchart of the method for selecting the main power swapping cabinet;

[0040] Figure 5 Flowchart of the main battery swapping cabinet testing method;

[0041] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the network changes when a battery swapping cabinet network experiences an abnormal disconnection within the cabinet group.

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the network changes after the disconnected battery swapping cabinets in the original battery swapping cabinet group have been reconnected. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains; the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention; the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, or foregoing drawings are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a particular order.

[0044] In this invention, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment to other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this invention can be combined with other embodiments.

[0045] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] Since Ethernet communication has a very high transmission speed, it can meet the high-speed transmission requirements of a large amount of warehouse data and battery data. In order to realize Ethernet-based battery swapping, this invention provides a method for paralleling battery swapping cabinets based on Ethernet.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the Ethernet-based battery swapping cabinet paralleling method of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0048] Step S1: Battery swapping cabinet networking: Several battery swapping cabinets are connected in series via Ethernet ports to form a battery swapping cabinet group;

[0049] Step S2: Battery swapping cabinet status synchronization: Starting from the first battery swapping cabinet, the status data of the local equipment is transmitted one by one until the first battery swapping cabinet receives the data information transmitted back from the last battery swapping cabinet, thus completing the status synchronization of all battery swapping cabinets in this round.

[0050] Step S3: Main battery swapping cabinet election: Based on the performance of each battery swapping cabinet in the battery swapping cabinet group, the main battery swapping cabinet is elected, and the other battery swapping cabinets are slave battery swapping cabinets. Then the main battery swapping cabinet information is broadcast to all battery swapping cabinets.

[0051] Step S4: Main battery swapping cabinet detection: After the main battery swapping cabinet is confirmed, all battery swapping cabinets remain in synchronized status, and all data is synchronized from the battery swapping cabinets to the main battery swapping cabinet;

[0052] Step S5: Battery swapping: The main battery swapping cabinet and the server complete the battery swapping interaction to realize the battery swapping function.

[0053] This invention can flexibly adjust the number of battery swapping bays based on user demand and traffic flow to improve utilization. The multi-host network topology, through algorithmic automatic host election, effectively avoids battery swapping failures caused by single points of failure, thus improving the stability and reliability of the battery swapping service.

[0054] The following provides a detailed explanation of each step.

[0055] Step S1: Networking of the battery swapping cabinet

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, each battery swapping cabinet in this invention is equipped with two Ethernet ports, which are then connected one by one in a cascading manner. One of the ports of each battery swapping cabinet is connected to the previous battery swapping cabinet via an Ethernet cable, and the other port is connected to the next battery swapping cabinet via an Ethernet cable.

[0057] In this invention, newly detected devices automatically form a network. Specifically, DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is the main protocol for implementing this function. The DHCP server listens for DHCP requests on the network and assigns IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateways, DNS servers, and other information to newly connected devices.

[0058] In this example, the DHCP server has an automated script that monitors the network port device status in real time. When a new device is detected, it will seamlessly connect to the network based on the IP address assigned to it by the DHCP service.

[0059] Step S2: Synchronize the status of the battery swapping cabinet

[0060] As an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, in this invention, the battery swapping cabinet located at the end is designated as battery swapping cabinet No. 1 (referred to as device 1). Device 1 determines whether there is a device behind it. If not, the device status statistics end. If so, device 1 adds its own device status to the device status dataset and sends it to device 2. Assuming there are N+1 devices in this invention, after device 2 to device N+1 determine that there is a device behind it, they add their own status to the dataset level by level, and then pass the device status data down to the last device. After passing the data to the last device, the data is sent back to device 1. Device 1 completes the current round of device status synchronization upon receiving the device status data.

[0061] In this example, after the normal battery swapping begins, a new round of status synchronization will be performed when a new battery swapping cabinet device joins or leaves. As another embodiment of the invention, this example can also send the status information of the new battery swapping cabinet device directly to the No. 1 battery swapping cabinet and the main battery swapping cabinet via Ethernet, thereby improving the efficiency of status synchronization and battery swapping data synchronization.

[0062] Step S3: Main power swapping cabinet election

[0063] like Figure 4 As shown, in this example, since the state synchronization starts from the No. 1 battery swapping cabinet, device 1 can obtain the state synchronization information of each battery swapping cabinet in a timely manner. Therefore, in this example, device 1 of the No. 1 battery swapping cabinet is preferred as the electing battery swapping cabinet. In this example, device 1 automatically performs host election according to the host election algorithm.

[0064] Specifically, each device in Device 1 is assigned a weight based on its processing power, memory size, network bandwidth, response time, and other factors. Once the weights are determined, Device 1 will conduct an election, and the node with the highest weight will be elected as the master power swapping cabinet (referred to as the host). This weight-based election method takes into account the actual situation of each device, which can help the system distribute tasks and loads more evenly, improving overall performance and reliability.

[0065] During communication, device 1 will monitor the host status in real time, and will re-elect the host if an abnormality is detected.

[0066] Step S4: Main power swapping cabinet inspection

[0067] like Figure 5 As shown, after the master election is completed, all devices maintain synchronized device states. Slave devices synchronize all data to the master in real time, while simultaneously checking the master's heartbeat. If the master's heartbeat is abnormal, the slave device will relinquish its current master information and wait for a new master information broadcast. Device 1 monitors the status of all devices in real time; if a device is more suitable to be the master than the current master based on its weight value, it will broadcast the new master information.

[0068] Step S5: Battery swapping

[0069] Once the host is determined, the slave cabinet controllers in the battery swapping unit transmit the bay location data and battery data to the host via Ethernet. The entire battery swapping unit communicates with the battery swapping server through the host to complete the battery swapping interaction and realize the battery swapping function.

[0070] During the battery swapping process, the slave battery swapping cabinet periodically checks whether the master battery swapping cabinet is functioning properly. If an abnormality is detected, the slave battery swapping cabinet abandons the current master battery swapping cabinet information and waits for a new master battery swapping cabinet information to be broadcast. The battery swapping cabinet election process selects a new master battery swapping cabinet based on the performance of each battery swapping cabinet, and then broadcasts the new master battery swapping cabinet information to each battery swapping cabinet in the battery swapping cabinet group.

[0071] Since the devices are connected in series via network ports, depending on the actual situation, during data communication, one or more battery swapping cabinets may inevitably experience network failures, or the network connection may be restored after a network outage. In such cases, the network topology will change.

[0072] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the method for handling changes in the network topology in this example is as follows:

[0073] If a network connection to the battery swapping cabinet is lost due to an abnormality, the original battery swapping cabinet group will be split into multiple device groups, and each device group will execute steps S2-S5 to achieve cabinet merging.

[0074] If the battery swapping cabinet reconnects, the multiple split device groups are re-networked into a single battery swapping cabinet group, and then steps S2-S5 are executed to achieve cabinet merging.

[0075] The present invention also provides a battery swapping cabinet paralleling system that uses the aforementioned Ethernet-based battery swapping cabinet paralleling method to achieve paralleling of cabinets, including a DHCP server and several battery swapping cabinets connected in series via Ethernet ports, wherein the battery swapping cabinets are networked into a battery swapping cabinet group based on the DHCP server.

[0076] The battery swapping cabinet group includes:

[0077] One power swapping cabinet is selected by the DHCP server: to realize the synchronization of power swapping cabinet status and the election of the main power swapping cabinet;

[0078] One main battery swapping cabinet: the entry and exit point for interacting with the upper-level server, used to realize the battery swapping function of the battery swapping cabinet group;

[0079] Several slave battery swapping cabinets: Other battery swapping cabinets in the battery swapping cabinet group besides the main battery swapping cabinet communicate with the main battery swapping cabinet and synchronize all data information to the main battery swapping cabinet.

[0080] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following outstanding advantages:

[0081] 1. This invention connects each battery swapping cabinet in series via Ethernet ports and physical cables. Since Ethernet communication has a very high transmission speed, this invention can achieve high-speed transmission of a large amount of warehouse data and battery data, with high real-time performance.

[0082] 2. This invention selects the main battery swapping cabinet based on the performance of each battery swapping cabinet, rather than designating one battery swapping cabinet as the main battery swapping cabinet. This configuration is more flexible and can effectively avoid the phenomenon of being unable to swap batteries due to the main battery swapping cabinet malfunctioning and needing to be reset.

[0083] 3. The election method of the present invention takes into account the actual situation of each device, which can allocate tasks and loads more evenly and improve the overall performance and reliability of the battery swapping system.

[0084] 4. This invention can realize the separate networking of multiple device groups and the recovery networking of multiple device groups according to the actual situation. In addition, it can also be compatible with the seamless access of new devices, thereby improving the stability of battery swapping in the battery swapping cabinet.

[0085] The specific embodiments described above are preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the specific scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, these specific embodiments. All equivalent changes made in accordance with the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for paralleling battery swapping cabinets based on Ethernet, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Battery swapping cabinet networking: Several battery swapping cabinets are connected in series via Ethernet ports to form a battery swapping cabinet group; S2: Battery swapping cabinet status synchronization: Starting from the first battery swapping cabinet, the status data of the local equipment is transmitted one by one until the first battery swapping cabinet receives the data information returned by the last battery swapping cabinet, thus completing the status synchronization of all battery swapping cabinets in this round. S3: Main battery swapping cabinet election: Based on the performance of each battery swapping cabinet in the battery swapping cabinet group, the main battery swapping cabinet is elected, and the other battery swapping cabinets are slave battery swapping cabinets. Then the main battery swapping cabinet information is broadcast to all battery swapping cabinets. S4: Main battery swapping cabinet detection: After the main battery swapping cabinet is confirmed, all battery swapping cabinets remain in synchronized status, and all data is synchronized from the battery swapping cabinets to the main battery swapping cabinet; S5: Battery swapping: The main battery swapping cabinet and the server complete the battery swapping interaction to realize the battery swapping function.

2. The Ethernet-based battery swapping cabinet paralleling method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S5, during the battery swapping process, the slave battery swapping cabinet periodically checks whether the master battery swapping cabinet is functioning properly. If an abnormality is detected, the slave battery swapping cabinet abandons the current master battery swapping cabinet information and waits for the broadcast of new master battery swapping cabinet information.

3. The Ethernet-based battery swapping cabinet paralleling method according to claim 2, characterized in that: If the main battery swapping cabinet malfunctions, the electing battery swapping cabinet will elect a new main battery swapping cabinet based on the performance of each battery swapping cabinet, and then broadcast the new main battery swapping cabinet information to each battery swapping cabinet in the battery swapping cabinet group.

4. The Ethernet-based battery swapping cabinet paralleling method according to claim 3, characterized in that: In a network of several battery swapping cabinets connected in series, if a battery swapping cabinet in the group experiences a network anomaly such as disconnection or reconnection, the network topology will change. The handling method for network changes is as follows: If a network connection to the battery swapping cabinet is lost due to an abnormality, the original battery swapping cabinet group will be split into multiple device groups, and each device group will execute steps S2-S5 to achieve cabinet merging. If the battery swapping cabinet reconnects, the multiple split device groups are re-networked into a single battery swapping cabinet group, and then steps S2-S5 are executed to achieve cabinet merging.

5. The Ethernet-based method for paralleling battery swapping cabinets according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: In step S1, the number of battery swapping cabinets in the battery swapping cabinet group can be dynamically adjusted based on the DHCP server. The DHCP server monitors the status of network port devices in real time. When a new battery swapping cabinet is detected, it can automatically identify the battery swapping cabinet and assign it an IP address. The newly connected battery swapping cabinet joins the battery swapping cabinet group based on the IP address.

6. The Ethernet-based method for paralleling battery swapping cabinets according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: In step S3, the selected battery swapping cabinet is the first battery swapping cabinet.

7. The Ethernet-based battery swapping cabinet paralleling method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The method for electing the main power swapping cabinet for the first power swapping cabinet is as follows: S301: The first battery swapping cabinet receives the device status dataset that includes data information from all battery swapping cabinets; S302: Assign a certain weight to each data point based on the data information of each battery swapping cabinet; S303: Calculate the battery swapping cabinet with the highest weighted value based on each data value and its corresponding weight; S304: Elect the node with the highest weighted value as the master battery swapping cabinet.

8. The Ethernet-based method for paralleling battery swapping cabinets according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: In step S4, the power swapping cabinet monitors the status of all devices in real time and determines whether there is a host in the power swapping cabinet group that is more suitable to be the main power swapping cabinet than the current main power swapping cabinet. If so, the more suitable power swapping cabinet is elected as the main power swapping cabinet, and then the new main power swapping cabinet information is broadcast to the power swapping cabinets in the power swapping cabinet group.

9. A battery swapping cabinet paralleling system, characterized in that: The device includes a DHCP server and several battery swapping cabinets connected in series via Ethernet ports. The battery swapping cabinets are networked together based on the DHCP server to form a battery swapping cabinet group. The battery swapping cabinet group is connected using the Ethernet-based battery swapping cabinet connection method described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. The battery swapping cabinet parallel system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The battery swapping cabinet group includes: The first battery swapping cabinet designated by the DHCP server: realizes the synchronization of battery swapping cabinet status and the election of the main battery swapping cabinet; One main battery swapping cabinet: the entry and exit point for interacting with the upper-level server, used to realize the battery swapping function of the battery swapping cabinet group; Several slave battery swapping cabinets: Other battery swapping cabinets in the battery swapping cabinet group besides the main battery swapping cabinet communicate with the main battery swapping cabinet and synchronize all data information to the main battery swapping cabinet.

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