Battery system of vehicle using replaceable auxiliary battery and control method thereof

Abstract

A battery system of a vehicle using a replaceable auxiliary battery and a control method thereof include: a main battery configured to be selectively connected to a load of the vehicle using a first switch; a battery jar providing a space into which the auxiliary battery is inserted and connected to a load of the vehicle using a second switch; and a controller configured to turn off the first switch and turn on the second switch in response to the auxiliary battery being inserted into the battery compartment.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0101495 filed on August 3, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a battery system for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a battery system for a vehicle using a replaceable auxiliary battery and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0004] The following description merely provides background information related to the present embodiment and does not constitute prior art.

[0005] Generally, an environmentally friendly vehicle (hybrid vehicle, electric vehicle, fuel cell vehicle, etc.) equipped with an electric motor to provide driving force for wheels includes a high-voltage battery to provide high-voltage energy for driving the electric motor.

[0006] The price of high-voltage batteries greatly affects the cost competitiveness of environmentally friendly vehicles, and in order to minimize the price of high-voltage batteries, some technologies have been developed in the direction of reducing capacity and reducing voltage. However, this reduction in the capacity of high-voltage batteries has the problem of reducing the driving distance of the vehicle and reducing the output power of the motor / inverter.

[0007] As a method for solving this problem, there is provided a method of arranging one or more replaceable auxiliary batteries inside a vehicle and charging a main battery using the one or more replaceable batteries.

[0008] Although the main battery and the auxiliary battery may have the same maximum voltage, they have flexible voltage ranges according to the state of charge (SOC) of the battery.

[0009] Conventionally, a method of using a main battery in preference to an auxiliary battery or a method of using both batteries is used. In the current situation, since the main battery is used, although the auxiliary battery is replaceable, there is a problem in that the life of the main battery is rapidly reduced due to repeated charging and discharging of the main battery.

[0010] In addition, when the main battery and the auxiliary battery are connected in a simple short-circuit structure, there is a risk of fire and burning of components due to the voltage difference.

[0011] Furthermore, in the related art, even when energy remains in the auxiliary battery, the auxiliary battery is replaced with a new auxiliary battery, so there is a problem that the power of the auxiliary battery cannot be fully utilized.

[0012] Therefore, it is necessary to study a battery system that solves the above problems.

[0013] The information disclosed in this Background section of the present invention is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. Summary of the invention

[0014] Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a battery system for a vehicle. The battery system includes: a main battery configured to be selectively connected to a load of the vehicle using a first switch; a battery slot providing a space for inserting an auxiliary battery therein and connected to the load of the vehicle using a second switch; and a controller configured to turn off the first switch and turn on the second switch in response to the auxiliary battery being inserted into the battery slot.

[0015] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for controlling a battery system of a vehicle is provided. The method includes determining whether an auxiliary battery is inserted into a battery slot. The method further includes turning off a first switch connecting a load of the vehicle and a main battery in response to the auxiliary battery being inserted into the battery slot. The method also includes turning on a second switch connecting the load of the vehicle and the auxiliary battery.

[0016] The methods and apparatus of the present disclosure have other features and advantages that will be apparent from or set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description incorporated herein, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of batteries in a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a battery system connected to a load of a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining charging between batteries according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a battery system connected to a load of a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a battery system connected to a load of a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 6is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a battery system according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] It will be appreciated that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and that they present somewhat simplified representations of various features illustrating the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein (including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes) will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

[0024] In the drawings, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present disclosure throughout the several figures of the drawing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. Although the present invention will be described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the present invention to those exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. On the other hand, the present invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, but also various replacements, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0026] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a battery system of a vehicle using a replaceable auxiliary battery and a control method thereof.

[0027] A main object of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a battery system of a vehicle and a control method thereof that prolongs the life of a main battery and provides a large amount of power by preferentially using a replaceable auxiliary battery rather than a main battery.

[0028] An object of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a battery system of a vehicle for preventing components from being damaged by sparks according to a voltage difference between batteries when power of a main battery and power of an auxiliary battery are supplied together, and a control method thereof.

[0029] Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure aims to provide a battery system of a vehicle for maximizing power utilization of an auxiliary battery by transferring surplus power in the auxiliary battery to a main battery when replacing a replaceable auxiliary battery, and a control method thereof.

[0030] Problems solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0031] Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail using exemplary drawings. When adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that although the same components are shown in different drawings, the same components have the same reference numerals as much as possible. In addition, when describing the present disclosure, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related known configuration or function may make the subject of the present disclosure unclear, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0032] When describing the components according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, symbols such as first, second, i), ii), a), b), etc. may be used. These symbols are only used to distinguish components from other components, and the nature, sequence or order of the corresponding components are not limited by the symbols. In this specification, when a component is referred to as "include" or "comprise" a certain component, it means that it can further include other components, rather than excluding other components, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0033] Each component of the device or method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented as hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. In addition, the function of each component can be implemented as software, and implemented so that a microprocessor can execute the function of the software corresponding to each component.

[0034] Figure 1 2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of batteries in a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0035] Reference Figure 1 , the vehicle 10 basically includes an on-board charger (OBC) 110 and a main battery 130 as a battery system. The OBC 110 is a converter device for charging the main battery 130 from an external power source. The main battery 130 is a high-voltage battery and can supply main power to the vehicle 10. Considering the center of gravity, the main battery 130 may be fixed to the vehicle 10 and may be located at a central portion of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 may be shipped with the main battery 130 installed.

[0036] However, when the vehicle 10 includes only the main battery 130 , the main battery 130 may have problems in supplying power required by the vehicle 10 due to limitations on the capacity and life of the main battery 130 .

[0037] Therefore, in order to supply power to the vehicle 10 while extending the life of the main battery 130 , the vehicle 10 may further include auxiliary batteries 121 , 123 , 125 , and 127 and a power distribution controller (PDC) 140 .

[0038] Specifically, the vehicle 10 may include battery slots into which the auxiliary batteries 121 , 123 , 125 , and 127 may be inserted, and a PDC 140 for controlling power of the batteries.

[0039] The auxiliary batteries 121, 123, 125, and 127 are high-voltage batteries that are replaceable in the battery slot of the vehicle 10 and can be inserted into or separated from the battery slot. In addition, the auxiliary batteries 121, 123, 125, and 127 can be replaced by a person or a robot. In addition, the auxiliary batteries 121, 123, 125, and 127 can be charged by the OBC 110.

[0040] The auxiliary batteries 121, 123, 125, and 127 may be disposed on the left, right, front, and rear sides of the vehicle in consideration of the center of gravity of the vehicle 10. The auxiliary batteries 121, 123, 125, and 127 may be disposed on the bottom of the vehicle 10 for easy replacement.

[0041] The PDC 140 is a device for transmitting power from the main battery 130 or the auxiliary batteries 121, 123, 125, and 127 to the motor of the vehicle 10. The PDC 140 may be referred to as a partition converter integrated controller or a partition power distribution controller (partition PDC). The PDC 140 appropriately utilizes the power of each battery according to the charge state or weight of the main battery 130 and the auxiliary batteries 121, 123, 125, and 127. Specifically, the vehicle 10 preferentially utilizes the power of the auxiliary batteries 121, 123, 125, and 127 to prevent the life of the main battery 130 from being reduced due to charging and discharging.

[0042] In addition, the PDC 140 may perform functions such as switching control for cell voltage balancing, battery charging control, power stabilization, fault diagnosis, and the like.

[0043] In the present manner, the vehicle 10 may be supplied with a large amount of electric power through replacement of the auxiliary batteries 121 , 123 , 125 , and 127 while protecting the main battery 130 by using the auxiliary batteries 121 , 123 , 125 , and 127 .

[0044] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a battery system connected to a load of a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0045] Reference Figure 2 , the battery system of the vehicle includes a controller 210 and a power supply unit 220. Here, the controller 210 may represent the PDC 140.

[0046] The power supply unit 220 includes a main battery 221, a battery slot 223, and switches, and stores energy to be supplied to a load 230 of the vehicle. Here, the battery slot 223 provides a space into which an auxiliary battery 225 is inserted. These switches may be transistors such as MOSFET or BJT.

[0047] The load 230 is a component that consumes the power of the vehicle, and includes at least one of a high-voltage load 231, a low DC / DC converter (LDC) 233, a low-voltage battery 235, and a low-voltage load 237. The high-voltage load 231 represents a device that requires a high input voltage. For example, the high-voltage load 231 may be provided with an input voltage of 174V from the power supply unit 220. At the same time, the LDC 233 is a converter that converts the high voltage of the power supply unit 220 into a low voltage and transmits the low voltage to the low-voltage battery 235 or the low-voltage load 237. For example, the LDC reduces the voltage of 174V of the power supply unit 220 to 12V, and then applies the 12V voltage to the low-voltage battery 235, or reduces the voltage of 174V to 60V, and then applies the 60V voltage to the low-voltage load 237. In addition, the load 230 may further include a device that requires power of the vehicle.

[0048] The controller 210 transmits the energy stored in the main battery 221 or the auxiliary battery 225 to the load 230 by controlling the switch of the power supply unit 220. Specifically, the controller 210 preferentially connects the auxiliary battery 225 to the load 230 instead of the main battery 221. To this end, the controller 210 may include at least one memory containing instructions and at least one processor.

[0049] The power supply unit 220 supplies power to the load 230 based on switching control of the controller 210 .

[0050] Specifically, the main battery 221 in the power supply unit 220 is connected in parallel to the load 230 using the first switch SW1. The first switch SW1 connects the main battery 221 and the load 230. To this end, one end of the first switch SW1 is connected to the main battery 221, and the other end of the first switch SW1 is connected to the load 230. One end of the main battery 221 is connected to the first switch SW1, and the other end of the main battery 221 is connected to the load 230 through a resistance component R.

[0051] The battery tank 223 is connected in parallel to the load 230 using the second switch SW2 and the third switch SW3. The second switch SW2 and the third switch SW3 connect the battery tank 223 to the load 230. To this end, one end of the second switch SW2 is connected to the other end of the first switch SW1 and the load 230, and the other end of the second switch SW2 is connected to one end of the battery tank 223. In addition, the other end of the battery tank 223 is connected to the load 230 using the third switch SW3, and is connected to the main battery 221 using the third switch SW3 and the resistance component R. However, in other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the third switch SW3 and the resistance component R may be omitted.

[0052] Meanwhile, the controller 210 detects that the auxiliary battery 225 is inserted into the battery slot 223. When the auxiliary battery 225 is not inserted into the battery slot 223, the controller 210 connects the main battery 221 to the load 230 by turning on the first switch SW1 and turning off the second switch SW2 or the third switch SW3.

[0053] On the other hand, when the auxiliary battery 225 is inserted into the battery slot 223, the controller 210 connects the auxiliary battery 225 (rather than the main battery 221) to the load 23 by turning off the first switch SW1 and turning on the second switch SW2 and the third switch SW3. Because the auxiliary battery 225 is replaceable, the controller 210 can protect the main battery 221 by preferentially using the power of the auxiliary battery 225 rather than the power of the main battery 221.

[0054] The auxiliary battery 225 connected to the load 230 supplies power to the load 230 instead of the main battery 221 .

[0055] At the same time, the controller 210 compares the power level required by the load 230 with the maximum power level of the auxiliary battery 225. Here, the power level of the auxiliary battery 225 is a value calculated based on the voltage and current of the auxiliary battery 225. For example, since a voltage of 174V should be applied to the load 230, the power level of the auxiliary battery 225 can be calculated based on the voltage of 174V and the current that can be output from the auxiliary battery 225.

[0056] For example, when the motor of the vehicle temporarily requires a strong torque, the required power level of the load 230 increases. At this time, the controller 210 may be configured to determine that the maximum power level of the auxiliary battery 225 is lower than the required power level. As another example, when the driving distance according to the charging state of the auxiliary battery is shorter than the distance to the preset destination, the controller 210 may be configured to determine that the required power level of the load is higher than the maximum power level of the auxiliary battery. The driving distance according to the charging state of the auxiliary battery may be calculated by the controller 210 or an external device, and the distance to the preset destination may be calculated by the navigation system of the vehicle.

[0057] The controller 210 additionally connects the main battery 221 to the load 230 according to the comparison result. Specifically, when the required power level of the load 230 is higher than the maximum power level of the auxiliary battery 225, the controller 210 may turn on the first switch SW1 to supply power to the load 230 using the main battery 221 and the auxiliary battery 225 together. When the first switch SW1, the second switch SW2, and the third switch SW3 are all turned on, the load 230, the main battery 221, and the auxiliary battery 225 are connected in parallel. As described above, when the charge state of the replaceable auxiliary battery 225 is insufficient, the controller 210 may provide necessary power together using the energy of the main battery 221.

[0058] Meanwhile, when the first switch SW1 of the main battery 221 is turned on immediately while the auxiliary battery 225 is connected to the load 230 , sparks may occur according to a voltage difference.

[0059] Therefore, the controller 210 according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is configured to perform cell voltage balancing by controlling at least one of the second switch SW2 and the third switch SW3 before turning on the first switch SW1 .

[0060] Specifically, the controller 210 detects and compares the voltages of the main battery 221 and the auxiliary battery 225. When the voltage at both ends of the main battery 221 is higher than the voltage at both ends of the auxiliary battery 225, the controller 210 is configured to control the third switch SW3 to generate the voltage at both ends of the third switch SW3. The controller 210 can control the current flowing through the third switch SW3 or the voltage of the third switch SW3 by adjusting the voltage applied to the gate terminal or the base terminal of the third switch SW3 or adjusting the switching duty cycle. For example, in the linear control part of the third switch SW3, the voltage is generated by the internal resistance and the current between the source and the drain. The controller 210 can control the third switch SW3 so that the sum of the voltage of the third switch SW3 and the voltage of the auxiliary battery 225 corresponds to the voltage of the main battery 221. Therefore, the sum of the voltage of the auxiliary battery 225 and the voltage of the third switch SW3 can be equal to the voltage of the main battery 221. That is, the main battery 221 and the auxiliary battery 225 are voltage balanced.

[0061] Meanwhile, in another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 210 may perform cell voltage balancing by controlling the second switch SW2 instead of the third switch SW3 .

[0062] After the battery voltages are balanced, the controller 210 may connect both the main battery 221 and the auxiliary battery 225 to the load 230 in parallel without sparks by turning on the first switch SW1 .

[0063] As described above, the controller 210 and the power supply unit 220 preferentially use the auxiliary battery 225 to supply power to the load 230, and can also use the main battery 221 to supply power according to the required power level. In addition, before connecting the main battery 221, damage to the device caused by electric sparks can be prevented by battery voltage balancing.

[0064] Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining charging between batteries according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0065] Reference Figure 3 The battery system of the vehicle includes a controller 310 and a power supply unit 320. The power supply unit 320 includes a main battery 321, a battery tank 323, an auxiliary battery 325, a converter 327, and a switch, and is connected to a load 330. The load 330 can be connected to Figure 2 The load 230 is the same as that of the battery system. Figure 2 The functions of the components are the same, so their detailed description will be omitted.

[0066] The auxiliary battery 325 is a replaceable battery and can be replaced with another auxiliary battery according to the charge state of the auxiliary battery 325. Currently, although a sufficient amount of charge remains in the auxiliary battery 325, the auxiliary battery 325 can be replaced with a fully charged new auxiliary battery. In the current situation, the vehicle user does not use all the energy remaining in the auxiliary battery 325.

[0067] Therefore, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the power supply unit 320 charges the main battery 321 from the auxiliary battery 325 using the converter 327 before separating the auxiliary battery 325 from the battery slot 323. Here, the converter 327 includes at least one switching element and a transformer.

[0068] Specifically, the controller 310 may receive a separation request signal for the auxiliary battery 325 from an external battery replacement center or a battery replacement system in the vehicle. To this end, a communication interface such as an antenna may be provided in the controller 310 .

[0069] The controller 310 may transfer power from the auxiliary battery 325 to the main battery 321 by controlling switches in the converter 327. Specifically, when the power of the auxiliary battery 325 is greater than that of the main battery 321, the controller 310 may transfer the power of the auxiliary battery 325 to the main battery 321.

[0070] Furthermore, in another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 310 may transfer the power of the main battery 321 to the auxiliary battery 325 as needed using the converter 327 .

[0071] When the power of the main battery 321 is greater than or equal to the power of the auxiliary battery 325, or when the power of the auxiliary battery 325 is exhausted, the controller 310 can send a signal notifying the auxiliary battery 325 that it is in a removable state to an external battery replacement center or a battery replacement system.

[0072] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a battery system connected to a load of a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0073] Reference Figure 4 The battery system of the vehicle includes a controller 410 and a power supply unit 420. The power supply unit 420 includes a main battery 421, a battery tank 423, an auxiliary battery 425, a converter 427, and a switch, and is connected to a load 430. The load 430 can be connected to Figure 2 The load 230 is the same. Since the function of the component is Figure 2 The functions of the components are the same, so their detailed description will be omitted.

[0074] However, with Figure 2 Different, in Figure 4 In the embodiment, switches SW1 and SW2 are connected to both ends of the main battery 421. The main battery 421 is connected to the load 430 in parallel using the first switch SW1 and the second switch SW2, and the battery tank 423 is connected to the load 430 in parallel using the third switch SW3 and the fourth switch SW4.

[0075] The first switch SW1 and the second switch SW2 may be used as switches for respectively separating and coupling the main battery 421 and the battery tank 423. The third switch SW3 and the fourth switch SW4 may be used as switches for cell voltage balancing.

[0076] Here, although the controller 410 may perform cell voltage balancing using the third switch SW3 or the fourth switch SW4 , it may also perform cell voltage balancing using the second switch SW2 .

[0077] That is, the controller 410 may control the second switch SW2 so that the sum of the voltage of the main battery 421 and the voltage of the second switch SW2 is equal to the voltage of the auxiliary battery 425. When the second switch SW2 is a MOSFET device, the controller 410 may perform voltage balancing by adjusting the magnitude or duty cycle of the input voltage of the gate terminal of the second switch SW2.

[0078] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a battery system connected to a load of a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0079] Reference Figure 5The battery system of the vehicle includes a controller 510 and a power supply unit 520. The power supply unit 520 includes a main battery 521, a first battery slot 523, a first auxiliary battery 525, a second battery slot 527, a second auxiliary battery 529 and a switch, and is connected to a load 530. The load 530 can be connected to Figure 2 The load 230 is the same. Since the function of the component is Figure 2 The functions of the components are the same, so their detailed description will be omitted.

[0080] A vehicle's battery system may include one or more auxiliary batteries.

[0081] The power supply unit 520 may further include a first battery slot 523 , a second battery slot 527 , and an additional battery slot.

[0082] The number of battery slots may be determined in consideration of the weight of the vehicle, the amount of power required, and the like.

[0083] The power supply unit 520 may protect the main battery 521 and provide a large amount of energy by preferentially using a plurality of auxiliary batteries rather than the main battery 521 .

[0084] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a battery system according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0085] The battery system of the vehicle includes a controller and a power supply unit, and the power supply unit includes a main battery, a battery slot and a switch. The main battery in the power supply unit is connected to the load of the vehicle using a first switch. The battery slot is connected to the load of the vehicle using a second switch. Specifically, the first end of the first switch is connected to the main battery, and the second end of the first switch is connected to the first end of the second switch and the load of the vehicle. The other end of the second switch is connected to one end of the battery slot. The second end of the battery slot is connected to the load of the vehicle and the main battery using a third switch.

[0086] The controller detects that the auxiliary battery is inserted into the battery slot (S610).

[0087] For example, the battery of the vehicle can be replaced by an operator or a robot at a battery replacement center. After the battery is replaced, a replacement completion signal is sent from the operator or the robot to the vehicle, and when the replacement completion signal is received, the controller can determine that the auxiliary battery has been inserted.

[0088] In response to the auxiliary battery being inserted into the battery slot, the controller turns off a first switch connecting a load of the vehicle and the main battery (S620).

[0089] In addition, the controller turns on a second switch connecting the load of the vehicle and the auxiliary battery (S630).

[0090] That is, when the auxiliary battery is inserted into the battery slot, the controller disconnects the main battery from the load of the vehicle and establishes a connection between the auxiliary battery and the load of the vehicle. The auxiliary battery is connected to the battery slot, and the battery slot is connected to the load of the vehicle through the second switch. Through this, the controller can preferentially supply the power of the auxiliary battery to the vehicle rather than the power of the main battery.

[0091] Thereafter, the controller may determine whether a required power level of a load of the vehicle is higher than a maximum power level of the auxiliary battery while the vehicle is traveling, and may turn on the first switch accordingly.

[0092] For example, when the driving distance according to the charging state of the auxiliary battery is shorter than the distance to the destination of the vehicle, the controller may be configured to determine that the required power level of the load of the vehicle is higher than the maximum power level of the auxiliary battery. In the present case, the controller turns on the first switch.

[0093] However, when the first switch is turned on without considering the voltage difference between the main battery and the auxiliary battery, components may be damaged by sparks.

[0094] Before turning on the first switch, the controller according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is configured to perform battery voltage balancing by controlling at least one of the second switch and the third switch. Specifically, the controller is configured to control at least one of the second switch and the third switch so that the sum of the voltage of at least one of the second switch and the third switch and the voltage of the auxiliary battery corresponds to the voltage of the main battery.

[0095] Thereafter, when the vehicle's travel is completed or the auxiliary battery needs to be replaced, the controller may receive a signal requesting the auxiliary battery to be separated. For example, after the vehicle enters a battery exchange center, the controller may receive a signal requesting the auxiliary battery to be separated.

[0096] At this time, in order to make full use of the remaining power of the auxiliary battery, the controller uses the auxiliary battery to charge the main battery. Specifically, the controller compares the charging state of the auxiliary battery with the charging state of the main battery. Based on the result of the comparison, the controller uses a converter connected to the main battery and the battery slot to transfer the energy stored in the auxiliary battery to the main battery. For example, when the power of the auxiliary battery is greater than the power of the main battery, the controller uses the converter to transfer the energy of the auxiliary battery to the main battery.

[0097] As described above, according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, by preferentially using a replaceable auxiliary battery rather than a main battery, it is possible to extend the life of the main battery and provide a large amount of power.

[0098] According to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, when power of a main battery and power of an auxiliary battery are supplied together, components may be prevented from being damaged due to sparks according to a voltage difference between batteries.

[0099] According to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, when a replaceable auxiliary battery is replaced, the power of the auxiliary battery can be used to the maximum extent by transferring the power remaining in the auxiliary battery to the main battery.

[0100] The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood from the following description by those skilled in the art.

[0101] Various implementation examples of the systems and techniques described in this specification can be implemented as digital electronic circuits, integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementation examples may include implementations as one or more computer programs that can be executed on a programmable system. A programmable system includes at least one programmable processor (which may be a dedicated processor or a general-purpose processor) coupled to receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmits data and instructions to them. A computer program (also referred to as a program, software, software application, or code) includes instructions for a programmable processor and is stored in a "computer-readable recording medium".

[0102] Computer-readable recording media include all types of recording devices storing data that can be read by a computer system. The computer-readable recording medium may be a non-volatile or non-temporary medium, such as a ROM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a memory card, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a storage device, etc., and further, it may further include a temporary medium, such as a data transmission medium. In addition, the computer-readable recording medium may be distributed in computer systems connected via a network, and the computer-readable code may be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

[0103] Although the sequential execution steps are described in the flowchart or timing diagram of this specification, this merely describes the technical spirit of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure as an example. In other words, without departing from the basic features of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, since those skilled in the art can change and modify the order described in the flowchart or timing diagram to perform the steps differently or perform one or more steps in parallel to apply, the flowchart or timing diagram is not limited to the timing sequence.

[0104] In addition, terms related to control devices such as "controller", "control device", "control unit", "control device", "control module", or "server" refer to hardware devices including a memory and a processor configured to execute one or more steps interpreted as an algorithm structure. The memory stores the algorithm steps, and the processor executes the algorithm steps to perform one or more processes of the method according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The control device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented by a non-volatile memory and a processor, the non-volatile memory is configured to store an algorithm for controlling the operation of various components of the vehicle or data about software commands for executing the algorithm, and the processor is configured to perform the above operations using data stored in the memory. The memory and the processor may be separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor may be integrated in a single chip. The processor may be implemented as one or more processors. The processor may include various logic circuits and operating circuits, may process data according to a program provided from the memory, and may be configured to generate a control signal according to the processing results.

[0105] The control device may be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program, and the predetermined program may include a series of commands for executing the methods disclosed in the above-described various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0106] The foregoing invention may also be embodied as a computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data that can be subsequently read by a computer system and store and execute program instructions that can subsequently be read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state disks (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and the like, as well as implementations as carrier waves (e.g., transmissions over the Internet). Examples of program instructions include machine language codes (such as machine language codes generated by a compiler) and high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

[0107] In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the operations described above may be performed by a control device, and the control device may be configured by a plurality of control devices or an integrated single control device.

[0108] In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the memory and the processor may be provided as one chip, or provided as separate chips.

[0109] In different exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the scope of the present disclosure includes software or machine-executable commands (e.g., operating systems, applications, firmware, programs, etc.) for enabling operations of methods according to different embodiments to be executed on a device or computer, and non-transitory computer-readable media having such software or commands stored thereon and executable on a device or computer.

[0110] In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the control device may be implemented in the form of hardware or software, or may be implemented in a combination of hardware and software.

[0111] In addition, terms such as “unit”, “module”, etc. disclosed in the specification mean a unit for processing at least one function or operation, which can be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

[0112] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle may be referred to as being based on a concept including various vehicles. In some cases, a vehicle may be interpreted as being based on not only various land vehicles (such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses) traveling on roads but also various vehicles such as airplanes, drones, ships, etc.

[0113] For ease of explanation and accurate definition of the appended claims, the terms "up", "down", "inside", "outside", "upward", "downward", "upward", "downward", "front", "rear", "rear", "inside", "outside", "inside", "outside", "inside", "outside", "forward", and "rearward" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the locations of such features shown in the drawings. It should be further understood that the term "connected" or its derivatives refer to both direct and indirect connections.

[0114] The term "and / or" may include any combination of the multiple related listed items or the multiple related listed items. For example, "A and / or B" includes all three cases, such as "A", "B" and "A and B".

[0115] In this specification, unless otherwise stated, a singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0116] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, “at least one of A and B” may refer to “at least one of A or B” or “at least one of a combination of at least one of A and B”. Furthermore, “one or more of A and B” may refer to “one or more of A or B” or “one or more of a combination of one or more of A and B”.

[0117] In the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that terms such as “including” or “having” are intended to specify the presence of features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, parts, or a combination thereof described in the specification, and do not exclude the possibility of adding or existing one or more other features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, parts, or a combination thereof.

[0118] According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, components may be combined with each other to be implemented as one, or some components may be omitted.

[0119] For the purpose of illustration and description, the foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure has been presented. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed, and it is apparent that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. In order to illustrate the intended principles of the present invention and its practical application, exemplary embodiments have been selected and described to enable other persons skilled in the art to carry out and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and various substitutions and modifications thereof. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A battery system for a vehicle, the battery system comprising: a main battery configured to be selectively connected to a load of the vehicle using a first switch; a battery slot providing space for at least one auxiliary battery to be inserted therein and connected to said load of said vehicle using a second switch; as well as A controller is configured to turn off the first switch and turn on the second switch in response to the at least one auxiliary battery being inserted into the corresponding battery slot.

2. The battery system according to claim 1, in, A first terminal of the first switch is connected to the main battery, wherein the second end of the first switch is connected to the first end of the second switch and the load of the vehicle, The second end of the second switch is connected to the first end of the battery slot, and The second end of the battery tank is connected to the load and the main battery of the vehicle using a third switch.

3. The battery system according to claim 2, wherein: A resistance component is connected between the main battery and the third switch.

4. The battery system according to claim 2, wherein: The controller is further configured to turn on the first switch in response to a required power level of the load of the vehicle being higher than a maximum power level of the auxiliary battery.

5. The battery system according to claim 4, wherein: The controller is further configured to perform cell voltage balancing by controlling at least one of the second switch and the third switch before turning on the first switch.

6. The battery system according to claim 5, wherein: The controller is further configured to control at least one of the second switch and the third switch so that a sum of a voltage of at least one of the second switch and the third switch and a voltage of the at least one auxiliary battery corresponds to a voltage of the main battery.

7. The battery system according to claim 4, wherein: In response to a driving distance of the vehicle based on a state of charge of the at least one auxiliary battery being shorter than a distance to a destination of the vehicle, the controller is further configured to determine that a required power level of the load of the vehicle is higher than the maximum power level of the auxiliary battery. 8 . The battery system according to claim 1 , further comprising a converter configured to transfer energy stored in the at least one auxiliary battery to the main battery based on control of the controller.

9. The battery system according to claim 8, wherein: The controller is further configured to: in response to receiving a detach request signal for the at least one auxiliary battery, comparing a state of charge of the at least one auxiliary battery with a state of charge of the main battery; as well as The converter is controlled according to a result of the comparison.

10. The battery system according to claim 9, wherein: In response to a charge level of the at least one auxiliary battery being greater than a charge level of the main battery, the controller is configured to transfer energy from the at least one auxiliary battery to the main battery using the converter.

11. A computer-implemented method for controlling a battery system of a vehicle, the method comprising: determining, by a controller, whether at least one auxiliary battery is inserted into the battery slot; in response to the at least one auxiliary battery being inserted into the battery slot, turning off, by the controller, a first switch connecting a load of the vehicle and a main battery; as well as A second switch connecting the load of the vehicle and the at least one auxiliary battery is turned on by the controller.

12. The method according to claim 11, in, A first terminal of the first switch is connected to the main battery, wherein the second end of the first switch is connected to the first end of the second switch and the load of the vehicle, The second end of the second switch is connected to the first end of the battery slot, and The second end of the battery tank is connected to the load and the main battery of the vehicle using a third switch.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: A resistance component is connected between the main battery and the third switch.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: The first switch is closed by the controller in response to a required power level of the load of the vehicle being higher than a maximum power level of the at least one auxiliary battery.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: Before turning on the first switch, cell voltage balancing is performed by the controller by controlling at least one of the second switch and the third switch.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein: Performing the cell voltage balancing includes controlling at least one of the second switch and the third switch so that a sum of a voltage of at least one of the second switch and the third switch and a voltage of the at least one auxiliary battery corresponds to a voltage of the main battery.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein: Turning on the first switch includes determining that a required power level of the load of the vehicle is higher than the maximum power level of the at least one auxiliary battery in response to a travel distance of the vehicle according to a state of charge of the at least one auxiliary battery being shorter than a distance to a destination of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: receiving, by the controller, a separation request signal for the at least one auxiliary battery; comparing, by the controller, a state of charge of the at least one auxiliary battery with a state of charge of the main battery; as well as Energy stored in the at least one auxiliary battery is transferred to the main battery by the controller using a converter connected to the main battery and the battery tank based on a result of the comparison.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein: In response to a charge level of the at least one auxiliary battery being greater than a charge level of the main battery, the controller is configured to transfer the energy of the at least one auxiliary battery to the main battery using the converter.

Images