Flexible battery system for a carrier

Abstract

Configuration instructions associated with configuring a plurality of batteries that power a plurality of motors in a vehicle are received. The batteries are configured as specified by the configuration instructions wherein the batteries are configurable in a plurality of configurations including: a first configuration wherein at least some of the batteries are electrically connected together in parallel; and a second configuration in which at least some of the cells are electrically connected together in series.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application. The invention name of the parent application is “Flexible battery system for vehicles” and the application date is July 17, 2020, the application number is 202080054938.5. Background Art

[0002] New battery-powered vehicles are being developed in new designs and / or configurations. For example, Kitty Hawk has developed a battery-powered multirotor that is capable of taking off from and / or landing on water if desired. What would be desirable is a new battery system and / or architecture that can work within the framework or constraints of such new vehicle designs and / or configurations and also improve some aspects of the use and / or management of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. Figure 1A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a battery powered vehicle; Figure 1B is a side view of one embodiment of a battery powered vehicle; Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring a plurality of batteries that power a plurality of electric motors in a vehicle; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a flexible battery system; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a flexible battery system, wherein the battery and the electric motor are in a parallel configuration; Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring a plurality of batteries, including connecting at least some of the batteries together in parallel in response to a configuration instruction generated in anticipation of vehicle launch; Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a flexible battery system in which batteries are connected in series; Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring a plurality of batteries, including connecting at least some of the batteries together in series in response to configuration instructions generated in anticipation of charging the plurality of batteries; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a flexible battery system in which bad batteries are isolated; Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring a plurality of batteries, including isolating a faulty battery; Fig. 10Ais a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a flexible battery system, wherein one group of batteries are connected together in series and another group of batteries are connected together in parallel; Fig. 10B is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a first set of one or more electric motors powered by a first set of batteries and a second set of one or more electric motors powered by a second set of one or more batteries; Fig.11 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring a first set of one or more electric motors powered by a first set of batteries and a second set of one or more electric motors powered by a second set of one or more batteries. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0004] The present invention may be implemented in a variety of ways, including as a process; an apparatus; a system; a material composition; a computer program product implemented on a computer-readable storage medium; and / or a processor, such as a processor configured to execute instructions stored on and / or provided by a memory coupled to the processor. In this specification, these implementations or any other form that the present invention may take may be referred to as techniques. In general, the order of steps of the disclosed processes may be changed within the scope of the present invention. Unless otherwise stated, a component such as a processor or memory described as being configured to perform a task may be implemented as a general component temporarily configured to perform the task at a given time or as a specific component manufactured to perform the task. As used herein, the term "processor" refers to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores configured to process data such as computer program instructions.

[0005] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the present invention and drawings illustrating the principles of the present invention are provided below. The present invention is described in conjunction with these embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the claims, and the present invention includes many alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. These details are provided for illustrative purposes, and the present invention can be implemented according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the sake of clarity, technical materials known in the technical field related to the present invention are not described in detail so that the present invention will not be unnecessarily obscured.

[0006] Various embodiments of a flexible battery system for use in or by a vehicle are described herein. In some embodiments, configuration instructions associated with configuring a plurality of batteries are received (e.g., by a battery configuration controller) that power a plurality of motors in a vehicle. The plurality of batteries are configured as specified by the configuration instructions, wherein the plurality of batteries can be configured in a variety of configurations, including: (1) a first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are electrically connected together in parallel, and (2) a second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are electrically connected together in series. In some cases, all of the motors in the vehicle are powered by the entire set of batteries. Alternatively, one set of motors may be powered by one set of batteries, while another set of motors may be powered by another set of batteries. As will be described in more detail below, the various configurations may be useful and / or beneficial in various circumstances.

[0007] Figure 1A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a battery powered vehicle. In the example shown, the multirotor (100a) is a battery powered vehicle that is capable of performing takeoff and landing on water if desired. The multirotor has two hollow floats or pontoons (102a) that provide the multirotor with sufficient displacement to allow it to have positive buoyancy and float on water. Alternatively, the multirotor can also take off from or land on solid ground if desired.

[0008] Figure 1B is a side view of one embodiment of a battery powered vehicle. Figure 1B Continued Figure 1A In this example, each float (102b) in the vehicle (100b) is used to hold five batteries 104. This design choice (storing the batteries in the float (102b) rather than in the fuselage (106)) was made in part because it allows for shorter electrical connections to the motors (108) that are dispersed across the top of the float (102b) and the distal end of the boom (110). This also allows the recovery system (e.g., one or more parachutes) to be stored in the fuselage (106) behind the cockpit.

[0009] The design choice of using multiple smaller batteries, as opposed to a single larger battery, also plays into the limited access the vehicle has to the interior of the float. To prevent water intrusion into the float (which also contains other water-sensitive electrical components, such as a printed circuit board that controls the motor), access to the interior of the float is limited to three access ports (112) on the top of the float. With these relatively small access ports, it is easier to insert multiple smaller batteries than a single larger battery.

[0010] In earlier versions of the vehicle, each battery (104) was paired with a corresponding motor (108) such that each battery powered only one motor, and each motor was powered by only one battery. However, as will be described in more detail below, a flexible or configurable battery system (e.g., where the batteries and / or motors can be electrically connected together in a variety of ways) may be desirable for charging purposes, safety, better flight performance, etc. The following figures describe various examples of such flexible battery systems.

[0011] Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring a plurality of batteries to power a plurality of electric motors in a vehicle. Figure 1A and 1B The 10 batteries in the multirotor aircraft 100a and 100b can be configured in various ways to power the 10 electric motors (e.g., Figure 1B 108) in the power supply.

[0012] At 200, configuration instructions associated with configuring a plurality of batteries that power a plurality of electric motors in a vehicle are received. In some embodiments, the configuration instructions are generated based on a state of the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle is charging, corresponding configuration instructions (e.g., such that the batteries are configured in a manner desired for charging) are sent to a controller that controls a configurable electrical connector. Alternatively, if the vehicle is starting (e.g., anticipating takeoff), configuration instructions corresponding to flight and / or facilitating flight performance may be sent to a controller that controls the configurable electrical connector.

[0013] At 202, a plurality of batteries are configured as specified by the configuration instructions, wherein the plurality of batteries can be configured in a plurality of configurations, including: (1) a first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in parallel (e.g., electrically), and (2) a second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in series (e.g., electrically). For example, if at least some of the batteries are connected together in parallel, then this (first) configuration can improve flight performance when one motor draws significantly more power than the other motors. An example of this situation is described in more detail below.

[0014] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a flexible battery system. For simplicity and ease of explanation, this example and some other examples described herein include only two batteries and two motors. Of course, other embodiments may include different numbers of batteries and / or motors.

[0015] The battery configuration controller (300) receives configuration instructions, for example from some other controller such as a flight controller or central controller (e.g., which knows whether the vehicle is on the ground and about to be charged, will take off soon, etc.), and configures the electrical connector (302) accordingly.

[0016] The positive and negative connectors (e.g., B1+, B1-, B2+, and B2-) of the batteries (304a and 304b) are connected to the configurable electrical connector (302). For example, the configurable electrical connector may include one or more switches that allow the battery connections (e.g., B1+, B1-, B2+, and B2-) to be connected together in various ways (e.g., in parallel or in series). The switches in the configurable electrical connector (302) are controlled by the battery configuration controller (300).

[0017] Similarly, the positive and negative power supplies (e.g., M1PS+, M1PS-, M2PS+, and M2PS-) to the motors (306a and 306b) are connected to the configurable electrical connector (302) and can be configured in various ways using the configurable electrical connector (302). For example, the power supplies to the first and second motors (306a and 306b) can be a shared power supply (e.g., B1+ and B2+ are electrically connected, and B1- and B2- are electrically connected), or the power supplies to the two motors can be electrically isolated (e.g., B1+ and B2+ are electrically isolated, and B1- and B2- are electrically isolated).

[0018] Temporarily return to Figure 2 In step 202, during flight when one motor consumes significantly more power than the other motor, a first configuration (in which at least some batteries are connected in parallel) may be desirable. The following figure shows an example of such a configuration, and it may be desirable during flight to improve flight performance.

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a flexible battery system, wherein the battery and the electric motor are in a parallel configuration. For readability, Figure 3 The battery configuration controller (300) and configurable electrical connector (302) shown in FIG. 3 are not shown in this figure. However, it should be understood that the controller (e.g., Figure 3 300) configures one or more configurable electrical connectors (e.g., Figure 3 302), such as a switch, to produce the configuration shown here. Figure 4 An example of a (first) configuration is shown, in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are electrically connected together in parallel (see Figure 2 202 in step 202).

[0020] The configuration shown here may be desirable when the vehicle is flying and one of the motors (in this example, the second motor (406)) consumes more power than the other motor (in this example, the first motor (404)). For example, the propeller attached to the second motor (406) may generate more thrust and / or rotate faster than the propeller attached to the first motor (404).

[0021] In older versions of the vehicle (not shown), the first battery (400) would only power the first motor (404), and the second battery (402) would only power the second motor (406). However, if one of the motors draws heavily from its battery, then it will be limited or otherwise capped by the current limit or other capacity or performance limit of that (single) battery, even if the other batteries in the system are not fully utilized. For example, if the vehicle is turning or rolling, some motors will be working harder than other motors in the vehicle, so some batteries will be more fully utilized than others. By connecting the batteries and motors together in parallel as shown here, more power-hungry motors (e.g., 406) can be accommodated to an extent or limit that exceeds that of a single battery. For example, if each battery is connected to only one motor, then the motor (406) driving the heavier load will be limited to the power cap or limit of 1× the single battery. With the parallel arrangement shown here, the power cap can be increased to a value that is strictly greater than 1× the single battery (e.g., 1.1×, 1.2×, etc.). In other words, by changing the arrangement of the batteries, some of the electric motors can be supplied with more power given the same battery capacity of the individual batteries. This is desirable because it improves flight performance (e.g., better roll or turn) without significantly increasing weight and / or requiring more expensive batteries.

[0022] In some embodiments, prior to takeoff, the flexible battery system is placed in the configuration shown here (or some other similar configuration). The following figures describe this more generally and / or in the form of a flow chart.

[0023] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring a plurality of batteries, including connecting at least some of the batteries together in parallel in response to configuration instructions generated in anticipation of vehicle launch. Figure 2 As in the example of , in some embodiments, the process is performed by some battery configuration controller (e.g., Figure 3 300 in .

[0024] At 500 , configuration instructions associated with configuring a plurality of batteries that power a plurality of electric motors in a vehicle are received, wherein the configuration instructions are generated in anticipation of launching the vehicle.

[0025] For example, there may be some central controller or flight controller that, when the vehicle is in some pre-flight state (e.g., on the ground, ready to take off), generates configuration instructions (e.g., an instruction that the vehicle is about to take off, an instruction that at least some batteries should be placed in a parallel configuration, etc.) and sends them to a battery configuration controller.

[0026] At 502, a plurality of batteries are configured as specified by configuration instructions, wherein the plurality of batteries can be configured in a plurality of configurations including: (1) a first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in parallel, and (2) a second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in series, and in response to receiving a configuration instruction generated in response to an expected vehicle launch, the plurality of batteries are configured in the first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in parallel.

[0027] For example, as above Figure 4 As described in , configuring the battery in this way can make some power-consuming motors (e.g. Figure 4 406) in some cases (e.g., when (one or more) other motors (e.g., Figure 4 404) consuming a smaller amount of power and the battery has available capacity or resources) can access power exceeding that of a single battery to improve flight performance.

[0028] Temporarily return to Figure 2 In step 202, when the battery is charged, a second configuration (in which at least some of the batteries are connected in series) may be desirable. The following figure shows an example of such a configuration, and it may be desirable during charging.

[0029] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a flexible battery system in which batteries are connected in series. For example, Figure 3 The battery configuration controller 300 in the embodiment may be provided with a configurable electrical connector (302), which may include one or more switches to create the electrical configuration shown here. As previously mentioned, for readability, the battery configuration controller (e.g., Figure 3 300) and at least some configurable electrical connectors (e.g., Figure 3 302 in the above).

[0030] In this configuration, two batteries (600 and 602) are connected in series. For example, a switch or other configurable electrical connector may be set or configured so that the negative connector (e.g., B1-) of one battery is electrically connected to the positive connector (e.g., B2+) of the other battery.

[0031] A charger (604) connected in parallel with the series connected batteries (600 and 602) charges the batteries. In this example, to prevent any current from the charger (604) to the motors (606 and 608) during charging, switches (610 and 612) in parallel with diodes (614 and 616) are placed between the charger and each motor. In the state shown here, the switches (610 and 612) are open so that the only possible path from the charger to each motor is via the diodes, and the orientation of the diodes prevents any current from flowing into the motors in this mode.

[0032] exist Figure 3 In the example, the switch ( Figure 6 610 and 612) and diodes ( Figure 6 614 and 616) are included in the configurable electrical connector ( Figure 3 302). Switch ( Figure 6 The state (e.g., open and closed) of 610 and 612 in Figure 3 The battery configuration controller 300 is used to control.

[0033] exist Figure 4 In the example, the battery configuration controller can close the switch ( Figure 6 610 and 612), so that the battery ( Figure 4 400 and 402) can provide power to the motor ( Figure 4 404 and 406) in the power supply.

[0034] Placing the batteries in a series configuration as shown here during charging is helpful because it reduces the cost of the charger and increases the number of commercially available chargers that can be used. For example, in the older fixed arrangements described above where each battery only powers a corresponding motor (and the configuration cannot be changed), a single charger can perform the charging, but commercially available options are few and expensive. If the flexible battery system described above is placed in a series configuration during charging (e.g., see Figure 6 ), then increase the number of commercial “off-the-shelf” charging options.

[0035] Similarly, even if a single charger can be used Figure 4The parallel configuration shown can be used for charging, but the heat generated from the wires and connections will be significantly increased due to the higher required current. This means that such a charger will require more heat-resistant (and expensive) components to accommodate this. Moreover, the higher current required at lower voltage will significantly affect the weight of the wires on the vehicle (e.g., to accommodate the higher current expected to flow through the wires), as well as the thermal performance of many propulsion system components (e.g., which must be able to handle more heat and therefore require more expensive components). In contrast, if the flexible battery system is placed in a series configuration (see e.g. Figure 6 ), the battery system can be charged at a higher voltage using a lower current, which is more desirable for various reasons (e.g., reduced wire weight, cheaper thermal components, etc.).

[0036] In some embodiments, configuration instructions may be generated to place the battery in this configuration in anticipation of charging. The following figures illustrate one example of this more generally and / or in the form of a flow chart.

[0037] Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring a plurality of batteries, including connecting at least some of the batteries in series in response to configuration instructions generated in anticipation of charging the plurality of batteries. In some embodiments, the process is performed by some battery configuration controller (e.g., Figure 3 300 in .

[0038] At 700 , configuration instructions associated with configuring a plurality of batteries that power a plurality of electric motors in a vehicle are received, wherein the configuration instructions are generated in anticipation of charging the plurality of batteries.

[0039] For example, configuration instructions may be generated in response to detecting that a cap or cover on a charging port has been removed, or in response to a charger's (e.g., male) connector being coupled to or inserted into a vehicle's (e.g., female) charging port.

[0040] At 702, a plurality of batteries are configured as specified by a configuration instruction, wherein the plurality of batteries can be configured in a plurality of configurations including: (1) a first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected in parallel, and (2) a second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected in series, and in response to receiving a configuration instruction generated in anticipation of charging the plurality of batteries, the plurality of batteries are configured in the second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected in series.

[0041] For example, see Figure 6 As shown in the configuration. Figure 6 As shown in the example of , in some embodiments, the battery configuration controller (e.g., Figure 3 300) to the motor (eg, Figure 6 One or more switches (e.g., Figure 6 610 and 612) so that no power is supplied to the stationary motor during charging.

[0042] In some cases, the battery configuration controller changes switches and / or configurable electrical connectors to electrically isolate a faulty or bad battery. The following figure describes an example of this situation.

[0043] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a flexible battery system in which bad batteries are isolated. In the example shown, the vehicle is in flight. Prior to the state shown here, the battery and the motor are in Figure 4 1 and 1 . In the configuration shown. In this example, during flight, the second battery (802) fails. If the second battery remains electrically connected to the rest of the system, the good first battery (800) will send current to it due to the lower voltage of the bad second battery (802). However, the additional current to the bad second battery (802) will only cause it to degrade further (e.g., heat up more). To prevent this (or at least mitigate the damage), the battery configuration controller changes the settings of the switches and / or configurable electrical connections so that the second battery is electrically isolated from the rest of the system (i.e., no longer connected), as shown herein. The first battery (800) remains connected to the motors (804 and 806) so that both motors can be used to land the vehicle.

[0044] Additionally, the configuration shown here is helpful because all motors still have access to the battery. In older fixed configurations where each battery only powers a single corresponding motor (and the connection cannot be reconfigured), a bad battery would result in a "motor failure" condition because the corresponding motor (propeller) would lose its battery. Instead of having (as an example) 10 operating motors (propellers), only 9 motors (propellers) would be operational. In contrast, the flexible battery system described herein can isolate a bad battery without losing a motor (propeller).

[0045] Another benefit of this example is that it can isolate a bad battery faster than some other systems. For example, some other systems may attempt to use a passive device, such as a fuse (e.g., one in series with each battery), to electrically isolate a bad battery. When too much current flows through the fuse and the battery, the fuse breaks and the battery is electrically isolated. However, in this example, if a voltage sensor (e.g., across the battery) detects that a given battery has a voltage below a certain voltage threshold, or if a temperature sensor registers a temperature above a certain temperature threshold, then a bad battery is detected or otherwise marked.

[0046] Similarly, in some embodiments, the system can be configured to (quickly) create an open circuit around a motor having a certain type of fault and / or electrically isolate the motor in response to detecting a fault (e.g., in a motor controller, propulsion unit, etc.) Note that this can be accomplished without electrically isolating any batteries, if desired.

[0047] In some embodiments, there are multiple temperature sensors, including one or more external temperature sensors 810 adjacent to the (metal) casing or container of the battery (which are suitable for detecting when a faulty battery is one of the outermost batteries near the casing), and one or more internal temperature sensors 812 between the layers of the battery (for example, which are suitable for detecting when a faulty battery is one of the innermost batteries near the center of the layer).

[0048] Once a battery failure is detected (eg, using temperature thresholds and / or voltage thresholds), appropriate configuration instructions are generated and sent to a battery configuration controller, and switches or other configurable electrical connectors are set accordingly (ie, to isolate the bad battery).

[0049] The following figures describe this more generally and / or in a flow chart format.

[0050] Fig. 9 1 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring multiple batteries, including isolating a faulty battery. In some embodiments, the process is performed by a battery configuration controller (e.g., Figure 3 300 in .

[0051] At 900 , configuration instructions associated with configuring a plurality of batteries that power a plurality of electric motors in a vehicle are received, wherein the configuration instructions are generated in response to detecting a faulty battery in the plurality of batteries.

[0052] For example, a faulty battery may be detected at step 900 using one or more of the following: a voltage threshold or a temperature threshold (as described above). In some embodiments, each battery in the plurality of batteries includes an internal temperature sensor (e.g., inside the battery container, nested between layers of the battery) and an external temperature sensor (e.g., outside the battery container).

[0053] At 902, a plurality of batteries are configured as specified by a configuration instruction, wherein the plurality of batteries can be configured in a plurality of configurations, including: (1) a first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in parallel, and (2) a second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in series, and in response to receiving a configuration instruction generated in response to detecting a faulty battery, the plurality of batteries are configured in a third configuration in which the faulty battery is isolated from other batteries in the plurality of batteries. For example, see Figure 8 .

[0054] Temporarily return to Figure 1A and 1B , a design choice or constraint associated with the exemplary multirotor shown therein is that the propellers are at fixed angles and cannot be tilted. Therefore, if the multirotor is hovering in the air for an extended period of time, this places a heavy burden on the two forward-most engines, considering the center of gravity of the vehicle, the distribution of the propellers, the angle of the propellers, etc. Conversely, during sustained high-speed forward flight of the vehicle shown, the rear-most motor is most stressed. In some embodiments, the flexible battery system configures the batteries and the power supply to the motors (as described) in a manner described by the following figures to better handle long-term operational forward flight (or, alternatively, hovering using a slightly different configuration).

[0055] Fig. 10A is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a flexible battery system in which one set of batteries is connected together in series and another set of batteries is connected together in parallel. As described above, if the multirotor shown here is flown forward at high speed for an extended period of time, this will put stress on the rearmost motor, only one of which (e.g., 1000a) is shown from this view. In this example, to accommodate this, a battery configuration controller (not shown to maintain readability of the drawings) configures one or more switches and / or configurable electrical connectors (similarly not shown to maintain readability) to produce the configuration shown here. In some embodiments, the decision to put the system into this configuration and the configuration change itself are performed prior to takeoff (e.g., because changing the battery configuration in flight can be challenging).

[0056] The first set of batteries (1002a and 1004a) are connected together in series to produce a higher voltage battery, in this case twice the voltage of a single battery. The series connected batteries are then used to power the rearmost motor (1002a) (e.g., left or right) so that the motor has a power supply with twice the voltage of a single battery.

[0057] The remaining batteries (1006a, 1008a, and 1010a) are used to collectively power the four front-most motors (1012a, 1014a, 1016a, and 1018a) on that side of the vehicle. Since the batteries in the group are connected together in parallel, the voltage supplied to the four motors is 1× the voltage of a single battery, rather than 2× the voltage of a single battery.

[0058] Temporarily return to Figure 3It should be noted that the power lines (e.g., M1PS+, M1PS-, M2PS+, and M2PS-) to the motors (306a and 306b) come from the configurable electrical connector (302). This allows the system to have a battery (e.g., Fig. 10A A set of electric motors (e.g., Fig. 10A 1000a) and by another set of batteries (e.g., Fig. 10A Another set of electric motors (e.g., Fig. 10A 1012a, 1014a, 1016a and 1018a).

[0059] The following figure shows the electrical connections more clearly.

[0060] Fig. 10B is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a first set of one or more electric motors powered by a first set of batteries and a second set of one or more electric motors powered by a second set of one or more batteries. Fig. 10B Continued Fig. 10A An example of this more clearly shows Fig. 10A Electrical connections in.

[0061] As described above, the two batteries (1002b and 1004b) are configured to be connected in series with each other, and the series-connected batteries are used to power the rearmost motor (1000b) when the multirotor is in a high-speed forward flight mode for an extended period of time. The benefit of this arrangement is that the higher voltage of the series-connected batteries (1002b and 1004b) means that less current needs to be supplied to the motor (1000b), which in turn means that the motor generates less heat.

[0062] The other three batteries (1006b, ..., 1010b) are connected together in parallel in another electrically independent part of the system. These batteries power the other four motors (1012b, ..., 1018b).

[0063] In some embodiments, the motor (1000b), motor controller, and / or propeller are designed to benefit from the series connected batteries (1002b and 1004b). More specifically, a static motor-propeller combination (i.e., not designed to utilize a voltage boost from 1× to 2×) does not benefit in terms of current draw. The necessary thrust determines the required torque (through the propeller design), and the torque requirement determines the necessary current (through the motor design). Thus, the three-phase current delivered to the motor (e.g., at 0°, 120°, and 240° phases) remains the same, but the current in the DC line feeding the motor controller does decrease in proportion to the voltage increase.

[0064] In contrast, with a dynamic and / or configurable motor and motor controller combination, the torque constant of the motor can be changed dynamically. For example, this can be done with a 6-phase motor (e.g., at 0°, 60°, 120°, ...) and a motor controller with an appropriate control strategy. This will reduce the current on the DC line, the motor controller, and the three-phase line, and therefore reduce thermal stress.

[0065] In one exemplary application, the flexible battery system is configured to be in Figure 4 For example, if the vehicle is in motion, a momentary or temporary surge in the motor (e.g., when the vehicle rolls or performs some other operation) can be caused by Figure 4 This is better satisfied by the configuration shown, in which all batteries and electric motors are connected in parallel with each other in a single electrical pack.

[0066] In contrast, when there is a sustained demand on a single motor (in this example, the rearmost motor), Fig. 10A and 10B The configuration shown may be more suitable. In one example, strong winds may cause a greater workload on certain motors to maintain a static position during hovering, and it is known in advance that the vehicle will hover a lot during its upcoming flight. The exemplary multirotor collects real-time conditions (e.g., wind speed) and compares it to the expected direction and / or speed (e.g., if the flight is autonomous). In response to the predicted loads under field conditions, the system can be configured (e.g., before flight) such that the motor with the highest predicted load is configured with a series battery.

[0067] In some other embodiments, switches or configuration changes are made on the fly. As previously described, real-time conditions such as wind speed and / or desired vehicle speed, attitude, and / or thrust may be measured, with the model using that information to predict which motor(s) will require more power (e.g., based on high winds, sustained winds), and in response, reconfigure the system before reaching maximum power drawn from that motor.

[0068] The following figures describe the above examples more generally and / or in the form of flow charts.

[0069] Fig.11 1 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for configuring a first set of one or more motors powered by a first set of batteries and a second set of one or more motors powered by a second set of one or more batteries. As with the above example, the process described below may be performed by a battery configuration controller.

[0070] At 1100, configuration instructions are received associated with configuring a plurality of batteries that power a plurality of electric motors in a vehicle. For example, if a multirotor is to be hovered in the air for an extended period of time, then Fig. 10A and 10B Such a configuration as shown in may be useful. In some embodiments, when the vehicle hovers for more than a certain (ie, threshold) amount of time, appropriate configuration instructions are generated.

[0071] At 1102, a plurality of batteries are configured as specified by a configuration instruction, wherein the plurality of batteries can be configured in a plurality of configurations, including: (1) a first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in parallel, and (2) a second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in series.

[0072] For example, the positive and negative battery connectors (e.g., B1+, B1-, B2+, and B2-) are connected to Figure 3 The configurable electrical connector 302 in the box, and therefore the switches or other connectors in the box, can be set or configured to achieve the desired series and / or parallel battery connections.

[0073] At 1104, the plurality of motors are configured as specified by the configuration instructions, wherein the plurality of motors are capable of being configured into a configuration in which a first group of one or more motors of the plurality of motors are powered by a first group of one or more batteries of the plurality of batteries, and a non-overlapping second group of one or more motors of the plurality of motors are powered by a non-overlapping second group of one or more batteries of the plurality of batteries.

[0074] As described above, in some embodiments, at step 1104, the first set of batteries (which power the first set of motors) is in a first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected in parallel. Fig. 10B The second set of batteries (which power the second set of motors) may similarly be in a second configuration, wherein at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected in series. For example, see Fig. 10B The series connected batteries 1002b and 1004b.

[0075] In some embodiments, in response to receiving a configuration instruction generated in response to a time associated with the vehicle being in the hover mode exceeding a time threshold, the battery configuration controller Fig.11 At step 1104 in the method, the plurality of batteries are configured in a configuration in which a first group of electric motors is powered by a first group of batteries and a non-overlapping second group of electric motors is powered by a non-overlapping second group of batteries.

[0076] Similarly, in some embodiments, in response to receiving a configuration instruction generated in response to a time associated with the vehicle being in the forward flight mode exceeding a time threshold while the vehicle speed exceeds a speed threshold (e.g., the vehicle has been flying faster than the speed threshold for a longer period than the time threshold), the battery configuration controller Fig.11 At step 1104 in the method, the plurality of batteries are configured in a configuration in which a first group of electric motors is powered by a first group of batteries and a non-overlapping second group of electric motors is powered by a non-overlapping second group of batteries.

[0077] Although the above embodiments have been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, the invention is not limited to the details provided. There are many alternative ways of implementing the invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A system comprising: multiple batteries to power multiple electric motors in the vehicle; and The battery configuration controller is configured to: receiving real-time environmental conditions under which the vehicle is operating or expected to operate; predicting a load of each of the plurality of motors based at least in part on the received real-time environmental conditions, the direction of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle; determining configuration instructions associated with configuring the plurality of batteries, wherein the configuration instructions are determined based at least in part on a predicted load for each of the plurality of motors to provide a second configuration to those motors having one or more highest predicted loads; and The plurality of batteries are configured as specified by the configuration instructions, wherein the plurality of batteries are configured in a plurality of configurations, including a first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are electrically connected together in parallel and a second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are electrically connected together in series.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in anticipation of the vehicle taking off; and In response to receiving the configuration instruction generated in anticipation of launch of the vehicle, the battery configuration controller configures the plurality of batteries to be in the first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in parallel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in anticipation of charging the plurality of batteries; and In response to receiving the configuration instruction generated in anticipation of charging the plurality of batteries, the battery configuration controller configures the plurality of batteries to be in the second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in series.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in response to detecting a faulty battery among the plurality of batteries; as well as In response to receiving the configuration instructions generated in response to detecting the failed battery, the battery configuration controller configures the plurality of batteries to be in a third configuration in which the failed battery is isolated from other batteries of the plurality of batteries.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in response to detecting a faulty battery among the plurality of batteries; Detecting the faulty battery using one or more of: a voltage threshold or a temperature threshold; as well as In response to receiving the configuration instructions generated in response to detecting the failed battery, the battery configuration controller configures the plurality of batteries to be in a third configuration in which the failed battery is isolated from other batteries of the plurality of batteries.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in response to detecting a faulty battery among the plurality of batteries; Detecting the faulty battery using one or more of: a voltage threshold or a temperature threshold; Each battery of the plurality of batteries includes an internal temperature sensor and an external temperature sensor; as well as In response to receiving the configuration instructions generated in response to detecting the failed battery, the battery configuration controller configures the plurality of batteries to be in a third configuration in which the failed battery is isolated from other batteries of the plurality of batteries.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: At least one of the direction of the vehicle or the speed of the vehicle is associated with autonomous flight.

8. A method comprising: Receive real-time environmental conditions for vehicle operation; predicting a load of each of the plurality of motors based at least in part on the received real-time environmental conditions, the direction of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle; determining configuration instructions associated with configuring a plurality of batteries that power a plurality of electric motors in a vehicle, wherein the configuration instructions are determined based at least in part on a predicted load for each of the plurality of electric motors to provide a second configuration to those electric motors having one or more highest predicted loads; and The plurality of batteries are configured as specified by the configuration instructions, wherein the plurality of batteries are configured in a plurality of configurations, including a first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are electrically connected together in parallel and a second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are electrically connected together in series.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in anticipation of the vehicle taking off; and In response to receiving the configuration instruction generated in anticipation of launch of the vehicle, the plurality of batteries are configured to be in the first configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in parallel.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in anticipation of charging the plurality of batteries; as well as In response to receiving the configuration instruction generated in anticipation of charging the plurality of batteries, the plurality of batteries are configured to be in the second configuration in which at least some of the plurality of batteries are connected together in series.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in response to detecting a faulty battery among the plurality of batteries; as well as In response to receiving the configuration instructions generated in response to detecting the failed battery, the plurality of batteries are configured in a third configuration in which the failed battery is isolated from other batteries in the plurality of batteries.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in response to detecting a faulty battery among the plurality of batteries; Detecting the faulty battery using one or more of: a voltage threshold or a temperature threshold; as well as In response to receiving the configuration instructions generated in response to detecting the failed battery, the plurality of batteries are configured in a third configuration in which the failed battery is isolated from other batteries in the plurality of batteries.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The configuration instructions are generated in response to detecting a faulty battery among the plurality of batteries; Detecting the faulty battery using one or more of: a voltage threshold or a temperature threshold; Each battery of the plurality of batteries includes an internal temperature sensor and an external temperature sensor; as well as In response to receiving the configuration instructions generated in response to detecting the failed battery, the plurality of batteries are configured in a third configuration in which the failed battery is isolated from other batteries in the plurality of batteries.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein: At least one of the direction of the vehicle or the speed of the vehicle is associated with autonomous flight.

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