Battery thermal runaway alarm system, method, device and equipment and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery thermal runaway alarm system, method, device and equipment and a vehicle, relates to the technical field of batteries, and aims to solve the technical problem that thermal runaway alarm cannot be performed when the battery thermal runaway alarm system performs OTA upgrading. The system comprises a main controller, a battery management controller and a thermal runaway sensor, the thermal runaway sensor is in communication connection with the battery management controller; the battery management controller and the main controller are connected through a first communication link; the thermal runaway sensor is connected with the main controller through a second communication link; under the condition that the system is subjected to OTA upgrading, the thermal runaway sensor sends thermal runaway information to the main controller based on the second communication link; and when the main controller determines that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operation data of the battery is abnormal, OTA upgrading is stopped, so that thermal runaway alarming can be carried out when the battery thermal runaway alarming system carries out OTA upgrading.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of batteries, and particularly to a battery thermal runaway alarm system, method, device, equipment and vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the new energy industry, batteries, as key components for energy storage, have been widely used in fields such as electric vehicles, energy storage power stations, and consumer electronic devices. The application of a large number of batteries has made battery safety issues the focus of attention. To improve the safety of battery applications, the electric vehicle industry requires that a thermal runaway alarm signal be provided 5 minutes before a single battery thermal runaway causes diffusion and then poses a danger to the passenger compartment.

[0003] One method first analyzes the smoke concentration data of the battery through a vehicle controller to determine whether to issue a first thermal runaway early warning instruction, and then sends the thermal runaway information to a cloud server. The cloud server analyzes the thermal runaway information to determine whether to issue a second thermal runaway early warning instruction, and then determines whether to perform a thermal runaway alarm based on the first thermal runaway early warning instruction and the second thermal runaway early warning instruction.

[0004] Another method analyzes the thermal runaway sensor signals received by a thermal runaway controller (battery management controller). Once it is confirmed that there is a risk of thermal runaway, it sends a high-level signal through a hard wire connection to activate the vehicle control unit (main controller), and the vehicle control unit will perform operations such as alarm according to the established program.

[0005] However, the basis for implementing these methods not only requires the application program for the controller itself to judge whether thermal runaway occurs to be complete and running normally, but also requires smooth communication between the controllers (between the battery management controller and the main controller). However, during the Over-the-Air (OTA) upgrade of the battery thermal runaway alarm system, the controllers cannot communicate, so the main controller cannot receive the thermal runaway signal to issue an alarm. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a battery thermal runaway alarm system, method, device, equipment and vehicle, aiming to solve the technical problem that thermal runaway alarm cannot be performed during the OTA upgrade of the battery thermal runaway alarm system.

[0007] To achieve the above purpose, the technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of the present application are as follows: In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery thermal runaway alarm system, which includes: a main controller, a battery management controller, and a thermal runaway sensor; the thermal runaway sensor is communicatively connected to the battery management controller; the battery management controller and the main controller are connected through a first communication link; the thermal runaway sensor and the main controller are connected through a second communication link; in the case of OTA upgrade of the system, the thermal runaway sensor is configured to send thermal runaway information to the main controller based on the second communication link; the main controller is configured to stop the OTA upgrade when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal.

[0008] Advantageous effects of the present invention: During the OTA upgrade of the system, communication between the battery management controller and the main controller is unavailable. If the battery undergoes thermal runaway, the battery management controller is also unable to send a signal to notify the main controller for alarm. In the present application, the thermal runaway sensor monitors the operating data of the battery and sends the thermal runaway information to the main controller through the second communication link. When the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, by stopping the OTA upgrade, communication between the battery management controller and the main controller is restored. Subsequently, the battery management controller can send a signal to the main controller based on the first communication link, and the main controller can perform alarm based on this signal. This solves the problem that the system cannot perform thermal runaway alarm during OTA upgrade.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the above-mentioned main controller is further configured to send a communication restoration instruction to the first controller after stopping the OTA upgrade; the communication restoration instruction is used to enable the controller on the first communication link to resume receiving and sending communication packets; the first controller is the controller on the first communication link that is performing OTA upgrade.

[0010] It can be understood that during the OTA upgrade process, in order to ensure the stability of the upgrade and the integrity of the data, the communication between the first controller and the main controller may be temporarily interrupted. By sending the communication restoration instruction, the main controller can enable the first controller to resume its normal working state, re-engage in data interaction and collaborative work with other system components, and ensure the normal operation of the entire system.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the above-mentioned battery management controller is configured to determine a thermal runaway detection result based on the thermal runaway information detected by the thermal runaway sensor; the battery management controller is further configured to send the thermal runaway detection result to the main controller through the first communication link; the main controller is further configured to perform a thermal runaway alarm when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway.

[0012] It can be understood that the battery management controller analyzes and judges based on the thermal runaway information, can accurately determine the thermal runaway detection result, and quickly sends it to the main controller through the first communication link. After receiving the thermal runaway detection result from the battery management controller, the main controller can promptly start the thermal runaway alarm program to give an alarm.

[0013] In a possible implementation manner, the above system further includes: a cockpit controller; the cockpit controller is communicatively connected to the main controller; the main controller is further configured to send a thermal runaway alarm signal to the cockpit controller when it is confirmed that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway; the cockpit controller is configured to perform a thermal runaway alarm based on the thermal runaway alarm signal sent by the main controller.

[0014] It can be understood that the cockpit controller can use a variety of in-vehicle devices to give a thermal runaway alarm, and can present the alarm information to the user in an intuitive and convenient manner. By ensuring with multiple sensory stimuli that the vehicle occupants can promptly detect the thermal runaway situation, the safety of the personnel is maximally guaranteed.

[0015] In a possible implementation manner, the above main controller is further configured to, when the thermal runaway detection result is that no thermal runaway has occurred, control the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset duration.

[0016] It can be understood that the setting of the preset duration is to ensure that the system remains in a stable state for a period of time. During this period, the system can fully check and confirm whether the thermal runaway situation really has not occurred, avoiding misjudgment caused by short-term detection errors or interference. Resuming the OTA upgrade process after the preset duration can ensure that the upgrade is carried out in a relatively stable and reliable environment, reducing the possibility of interruption or error during the upgrade process, thereby ensuring the integrity of the upgrade.

[0017] In a possible implementation manner, when the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a sleep state, the main controller is further configured to receive the thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor through the second communication link; when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, switch its own state to the working state, and send a wake-up signal to the battery management controller, and the wake-up signal is used to control the battery management controller to be in the working state.

[0018] It can be understood that the system is usually in a sleep state, which can reduce energy consumption and extend the service life of devices such as the main controller. It can also quickly respond and work together when the battery operating data is abnormal, without affecting the monitoring and handling of battery thermal runaway, taking into account both the energy saving and reliability of the system.

[0019] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for battery thermal runaway alarm, which is applied to the main controller of a battery thermal runaway alarm system, including: when the system is performing OTA upgrade, receiving thermal runaway information sent by a thermal runaway sensor to the main controller based on a second communication link; when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, stopping the OTA upgrade.

[0020] In a possible implementation manner, the above method further includes: after stopping the OTA upgrade, sending a communication restoration instruction to a first controller; the communication restoration instruction is used to enable the controller on the first communication link to resume receiving and sending communication messages; the first controller is the controller that is performing OTA upgrade on the first communication link.

[0021] In a possible implementation manner, the above method further includes: receiving a thermal runaway detection result determined based on the thermal runaway information sent by a battery management controller through the first communication link; when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred, performing a thermal runaway alarm.

[0022] In a possible implementation manner, the above method further includes: when it is confirmed that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred, sending a thermal runaway alarm signal to a cockpit controller.

[0023] In a possible implementation manner, the above method further includes: when the thermal runaway detection result is that thermal runaway has not occurred, after a preset duration, controlling the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process.

[0024] In a possible implementation manner, when the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a sleep state, the above method further includes: receiving thermal runaway information sent by a thermal runaway sensor through the second communication link; when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, switching its own state to a working state, and sending a wake-up signal to a battery management controller, the wake-up signal is used to control the battery management controller to be in a working state.

[0025] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery thermal runaway alarm device, including: a receiving unit, configured to receive thermal runaway information sent by a thermal runaway sensor to the main controller based on a second communication link when the system is performing OTA upgrade; a processing unit, configured to stop the OTA upgrade when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal.

[0026] In a fourth aspect, an electronic device is provided, including: a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store executable instructions of the processor; wherein, the processor is configured to execute the instructions to implement the method according to the second aspect and any possible implementation manner thereof.

[0027] In a fifth aspect, a vehicle is provided, including: the battery thermal runaway alarm system of the first aspect above, or the electronic device of the fourth aspect above.

[0028] In a sixth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. When instructions in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device can execute the method of the second aspect and any possible implementation manner thereof.

[0029] In a seventh aspect, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes computer instructions. When the computer instructions run on an electronic device, the electronic device executes the method of the second aspect and any possible implementation manner thereof.

[0030] It should be noted that for the technical effects brought by any implementation manner in the second aspect to the seventh aspect, reference can be made to the technical effects brought by the corresponding implementation manner in the first aspect, which will not be elaborated here.

[0031] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit this application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The drawings here are incorporated into the specification and form a part of this specification, showing the embodiments consistent with this application, and are used together with the specification to explain the principles of this application, and do not constitute an improper limitation to this application.

[0033] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a battery thermal runaway alarm system provided by an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of another battery thermal runaway alarm system provided by an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 It is a schematic flowchart of a battery thermal runaway alarm method provided by an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of a battery thermal runaway alarm device provided by an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Reference Signs: Main controller 10; Battery management controller 20; Thermal runaway sensor 30; First communication module 201; Second communication module 202; Cockpit controller 40. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0035] To enable those of ordinary skill in the art to better understand the technical solution of this application, the technical solution in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and do not necessarily have to be used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged under appropriate circumstances so that the embodiments of this application described here can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described here. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. On the contrary, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0037] In the embodiments of this application, the term "comprising", "including" or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, article or device including a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, article or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the statement "including one..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, article or device including that element.

[0038] In the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to mean an example, illustration or explanation. Any embodiment or design solution described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or having more advantages than other embodiments or design solutions. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0039] For ease of understanding, the battery thermal runaway alarm system, method, device, equipment and vehicle provided by this application will be specifically introduced below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] As Figure 1 shown, the embodiments of this application provide a battery thermal runaway alarm system, which includes: a main controller 10, a battery management controller 20, and a thermal runaway sensor 30. The thermal runaway sensor 30 is communicatively connected to the battery management controller 20, the battery management controller 20 is connected to the main controller 10 through a first communication link, and the thermal runaway sensor 30 is connected to the main controller 10 through a second communication link.

[0041] The main controller 10 is the core control unit of the entire battery thermal runaway alarm system. It is responsible for coordinating and managing the work of each component within the system, receiving information from the battery management controller 20 and the thermal runaway sensor 30, and performing thermal runaway early warning based on the information from the battery management controller 20 and the thermal runaway sensor 30.

[0042] In one implementation, in the battery thermal runaway alarm system, the main controller 10 can also, when determining that the battery has experienced thermal runaway, perform safety protection actions such as cutting off the charging and discharging circuit of the battery pack to protect the battery and avoid greater danger. The main controller 10 can also reasonably adjust the operating mode of the vehicle according to the battery state and the thermal runaway situation.

[0043] The battery management controller 20 is responsible for the management and monitoring of the battery. In the thermal runaway alarm system, the battery management controller 20 will judge whether the battery has experienced thermal runaway based on the thermal runaway information of the battery.

[0044] The thermal runaway sensor 30 is used to detect the thermal runaway information of the battery. It can real-time monitor the changes in battery data related to thermal runaway such as the air pressure, smoke, temperature, voltage, etc. of the battery. When it detects that the thermal runaway information of the battery appears abnormal, which may indicate that thermal runaway may be about to occur or has already occurred, the thermal runaway sensor 30 will send out a signal in a timely manner.

[0045] In one implementation, battery thermal runaway refers to a series of intense chemical reactions occurring inside the battery under certain special conditions, resulting in a sharp increase in battery temperature, an increase in pressure, and possibly phenomena such as smoke generation and voltage abnormality. Therefore, it is possible to judge whether the operating data of the battery appears abnormal based on any one or more parameters related to thermal runaway such as the air pressure, smoke, temperature, voltage, etc. of the battery.

[0046] In some embodiments, the thermal runaway sensor 30 and the battery management controller 20 are communicatively connected. The battery management controller 20 and the main controller 10 are connected through a first communication link. Both between the thermal runaway sensor 30 and the battery management controller 20 and between the battery management controller 20 and the main controller 10 can communicate through a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus.

[0047] The thermal runaway sensor 30 and the main controller 10 are connected through a second communication link, and the second communication link can be a hard wire. Since the hard wire has stronger anti-interference ability than the bus, the thermal runaway information of the thermal runaway sensor 30 is less likely to be affected.

[0048] It should be noted that the thermal runaway sensor 30 can be integrated inside the battery management controller 20. When the thermal runaway sensor 30 is integrated inside the battery management controller 20, the thermal runaway sensor 30 serves as a functional module of the battery management controller 20. The battery management controller 20 can directly detect thermal runaway information, and at the same time, the second communication link is connected between the battery management controller 20 and the main controller 10.

[0049] In some embodiments, in the case of OTA upgrade of the system, the thermal runaway sensor 30 is configured to send thermal runaway information to the main controller 10 based on the second communication link; the main controller 10 is configured to stop the OTA upgrade when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates an abnormality in the operating data of the battery.

[0050] The OTA upgrade of the battery thermal runaway alarm system means that the controller in the battery thermal runaway alarm system performs OTA upgrade. The controller establishes a communication connection with the OTA server, and the OTA server sends the upgrade package of the controller to the controller. The controller completes the OTA upgrade by parsing and installing the upgrade package.

[0051] It should be understood that during the OTA upgrade of the controller in the battery thermal runaway alarm system, the controller will timely feedback information such as the upgrade status information (upgrade progress, status) of the controller to the main controller 10. At this time, the first communication link will be occupied by the OTA upgrade task. If a thermal runaway occurs in the battery at this time, the battery management controller 20 cannot send the thermal runaway detection result to the main controller 10, and the main controller 10 cannot perform thermal runaway alarm.

[0052] In one implementation, the OTA upgrade of the battery thermal runaway alarm system can be the OTA upgrade of the battery management controller 20 in the battery thermal runaway alarm system. For example, the updated software may improve the battery charging algorithm to make the charging process faster and safer; or optimize the battery power estimation function to provide a more accurate remaining power display.

[0053] In another implementation, as Figure 2 shown, the OTA upgrade of the battery thermal runaway alarm system can be the OTA upgrade of other controllers on the communication bus between the battery management controller 20 and the main controller 10 in the battery thermal runaway alarm system. For example, the vehicle's power system controller, body control system controller, infotainment system controller, etc.

[0054] As a possible implementation, during the operation of the battery thermal runaway alarm system, the thermal runaway sensor 30 continuously sends thermal runaway information to the main controller 10 via the second communication link. When the thermal runaway information is normal, the second communication link maintains a low level state, and the thermal runaway information received by the main controller 10 is a low-level signal. When the thermal runaway information is abnormal, the level on the second communication link is high, and the thermal runaway information received by the main controller 10 is a high-level signal.

[0055] In the case of OTA upgrade of the system, if the thermal runaway information detected by the thermal runaway sensor 30 is abnormal, the level of the second communication link will immediately switch to high. The main controller 10 receives the high-level signal, and the main controller 10 determines whether the operation data of the battery indicated by the thermal runaway information is abnormal by identifying the level of the received thermal runaway information.

[0056] In one implementation, the main controller 10 sets a specific flag bit in its internal register or memory to indicate that the operation data of the battery is abnormal. When the main controller 10 determines that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operation data of the battery is abnormal, the main controller 10 immediately sends a message containing the flag bit to the controller that is performing OTA upgrade. After receiving the message sent by the main controller 10, the controller that is performing OTA upgrade will parse the flag bit information therein. After determining that the flag bit indicates that the operation data of the battery is abnormal, it executes an interrupt program to stop the ongoing OTA upgrade operation.

[0057] In one implementation, as Figure 2 shown, the battery management controller 20 is a controller that supports dual partitioning of APP storage, that is, the storage of the battery management controller 20 is divided into two independent areas, and both partitions can store complete application programs and related data. During OTA upgrade, while keeping area A 203 running normally to monitor the thermal runaway state, the battery management controller 20 receives new APP software data through a specific communication interface (such as CAN bus, serial port, etc.) and writes it into area B 204. During this process, the APP software in area A 203 continues to run to ensure that the various functions of the battery management controller 20 are not affected, while area B 204 performs software flashing operations in the background. After the battery management controller 20 determines that the flag bit indicates that the operation data of the battery is abnormal, it interrupts the flashing operation of area B 204.

[0058] In another implementation, when the flashing operation is performed in area B 204, the process of area A 203 receiving the thermal runaway information and monitoring the thermal runaway state operates normally. Therefore, the battery management controller 20 can also stop the OTA upgrade by itself. When the thermal runaway information received by the battery management controller 20 in area A 203 indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, the flashing operation in area B 204 is stopped.

[0059] Thus, when the system performs an OTA upgrade, communication between the battery management controller and the main controller is unavailable. If a battery thermal runaway occurs, the battery management controller cannot send a signal to notify the main controller to give an alarm. In this application, the thermal runaway sensor monitors the operating data of the battery and sends the thermal runaway information to the main controller via the second communication link. When the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, by stopping the OTA upgrade, communication between the battery management controller and the main controller is restored. Furthermore, the battery management controller can send a signal to the main controller based on the first communication link, and the main controller can give an alarm according to this signal. This solves the problem that the system cannot give a thermal runaway alarm during OTA upgrade.

[0060] Figure 2 In the shown battery management controller 20, there are also a first communication module 201 and a second communication module 202. The first communication module 201 is used to communicate with the main controller 10, and the second communication module 202 is used to communicate with the thermal runaway sensor 30.

[0061] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned main controller 10 is further configured to send a communication restoration instruction to the first controller after stopping the OTA upgrade.

[0062] Among them, the communication restoration instruction is used to enable the controllers on the first communication link to resume receiving and sending communication messages. The first controller is the controller that is performing the OTA upgrade on the first communication link.

[0063] In one implementation, the communication restoration instruction can be a Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) instruction. The main controller 10 sends a UDS instruction to inform all the controllers on the first communication link that they can start the operation of sending and receiving application messages on the first communication link.

[0064] Exemplarily, when the first controller is the battery management controller, the battery management controller 20 stops the OTA upgrade, and the main controller 10 sends a communication restoration instruction to the battery management controller 20 so that the battery management controller 20 resumes receiving and sending communication messages.

[0065] Therefore, during the OTA upgrade process, in order to ensure the stability of the upgrade and the integrity of the data, the communication between the first controller and the main controller may be temporarily interrupted. The main controller can enable the first controller to resume its normal working state by sending a communication restoration instruction, and the first controller can then resume data interaction and collaborative work with other system components to ensure the normal operation of the entire system.

[0066] In some embodiments, the battery management controller 20 is configured to determine a thermal runaway detection result based on the thermal runaway information detected by the thermal runaway sensor 30; the battery management controller 20 is further configured to send the thermal runaway detection result to the main controller 10 via a first communication link; the main controller 10 is further configured to perform a thermal runaway alarm when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway.

[0067] As a possible implementation, the battery management controller 20 determines a first thermal runaway detection result based on the thermal runaway information, the cloud server determines a second thermal runaway detection result based on the thermal runaway information, and sends the second thermal runaway detection result to the battery management controller 20. The battery management controller 20 determines the thermal runaway detection result based on the first thermal runaway detection result and / or the second thermal runaway detection result.

[0068] In one implementation, when both the first thermal runaway detection result and the second thermal runaway detection result indicate a thermal runaway, the battery management controller 20 determines that the thermal runaway detection result is that the battery has a thermal runaway; if one of the results indicates a thermal runaway and the other result shows normal, the battery management controller 20 will further analyze the two results to determine the thermal runaway detection result.

[0069] In another implementation, different weights are assigned according to the reliability of the first thermal runaway detection result and the second thermal runaway detection result, and then a thermal runaway risk index is obtained by means of weighted averaging. If the thermal runaway risk index exceeds a certain threshold, it is determined that the battery has a thermal runaway risk index; otherwise, it is considered that the battery is in a normal state.

[0070] In some other embodiments, when determining the thermal runaway detection result based on the thermal runaway information, the thermal runaway detection result can be determined according to one or more battery operating data related to thermal runaway, such as the air pressure, smoke, temperature, voltage, etc. of the battery.

[0071] Air pressure: When a battery has a thermal runaway, gas may be generated inside due to chemical reactions, resulting in an increase in air pressure. When the air pressure exceeds the thermal runaway air pressure threshold, the battery may have a thermal runaway.

[0072] Smoke: During the thermal runaway process of the battery, smoke may be generated because the materials inside the battery decompose, burn, or undergo other chemical reactions at high temperatures. The smoke sensor can detect the smoke particles in the air. Once the detected smoke concentration exceeds the thermal runaway smoke concentration threshold, the battery may experience thermal runaway.

[0073] Temperature: When the battery undergoes thermal runaway, its temperature will rise rapidly. During normal use, the temperature of the battery generally remains within a certain range. If the temperature rises sharply within a short period to exceed the thermal runaway temperature threshold, the battery may experience thermal runaway.

[0074] Voltage: During the thermal runaway process of the battery, the internal electrochemical state will change, which may lead to abnormal changes in the battery voltage. For example, the battery voltage may suddenly drop or show unstable fluctuations. When the battery voltage significantly deviates from the normal range, the battery may experience thermal runaway.

[0075] It should be noted that although it is possible to determine whether the battery has experienced thermal runaway based on a single parameter, there may be misjudgments. For example, the increase in temperature may be due to too high ambient temperature or a malfunction in the battery cooling system, rather than thermal runaway; voltage fluctuations may also be caused by problems in the external circuit. However, when multiple parameters show abnormalities simultaneously, the likelihood of thermal runaway increases significantly. Multiple parameters can reflect the internal state of the battery from different angles, corroborating and complementing each other, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the judgment.

[0076] In one implementation, thermal runaway alarm can be carried out by means of audible alarm. The main controller 10 can be connected to a buzzer or other sound - emitting devices. When the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred, an electrical signal is sent to the buzzer through the control circuit to make it emit an alarm sound.

[0077] In one implementation, thermal runaway alarm can be carried out by means of visual alarm. The main controller 10 can be connected to a display screen to display clear text information on the screen, such as "Thermal runaway alarm: The battery is abnormal", and at the same time, relevant thermal runaway data can also be displayed, such as the current temperature and voltage of the battery.

[0078] In some embodiments, in addition to giving an alarm, the main controller can also trigger other operations, such as starting a cooling system to reduce the temperature of the battery and storing the operating data of the battery.

[0079] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2As shown, the above system also includes: a cockpit controller 40; the cockpit controller 40 is communicatively connected to the main controller 10; the main controller 10 is also configured to send a thermal runaway alarm signal to the cockpit controller 40 when it is confirmed that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred; the cockpit controller 40 is configured to perform a thermal runaway alarm based on the thermal runaway alarm signal sent by the main controller 10.

[0080] Among them, the way in which the cockpit controller 40 issues an alarm can refer to the alarm way of the above-mentioned main controller 10, which will not be repeated here.

[0081] It should be noted that when the main controller 10 is a domain controller, a module capable of realizing the functions of the cockpit controller 40 is integrated in the main controller 10. Therefore, when the main controller 10 is a domain controller, the cockpit controller 40 does not need to be set in the system.

[0082] In some embodiments, the main controller 10 is further configured to, when the thermal runaway detection result is that no thermal runaway has occurred, control the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset period of time.

[0083] The preset duration is a pre-set time interval. Based on battery stability considerations, although the current thermal runaway detection result shows that thermal runaway has not occurred, considering the suddenness and severity of thermal runaway accidents, for example, although the current battery temperature has not reached the thermal runaway threshold, if the battery has poor heat dissipation, the subsequent battery temperature will continue to rise, and the battery may experience thermal runaway. Therefore, it is necessary to observe for a period of time to confirm that the battery has not experienced thermal runaway.

[0084] As a possible implementation, after a preset time, the main controller 10 sends a command to the first controller to restart the OTA upgrade process that may have been suspended due to thermal runaway detection. After receiving the command, the first controller will continue to complete the upgrade according to the predetermined upgrade steps.

[0085] In some embodiments, when the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a dormant state, the main controller 10 is further configured to receive thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor 30 through a second communication link; when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that there is an abnormality in the operating data of the battery, the main controller 10 switches its own state to a working state, and sends a wake-up signal to the battery management controller 20, wherein the wake-up signal is used to control the battery management controller 20 to be in a working state.

[0086] The battery thermal runaway alarm system will enter the sleep state in order to save energy or when the system does not need continuous monitoring. In the sleep state, most components of the system (the main controller 10, the battery management controller 20, and the cockpit controller 40) are in the sleep state, and the thermal runaway sensor 30 is in a low-power operating state, but still maintains a certain monitoring ability to be able to respond to potential thermal runaway events in a timely manner.

[0087] In one implementation, when the thermal runaway sensor 30 identifies that the parameters related to thermal runaway are abnormal, the thermal runaway sensor 30 continuously sends thermal runaway information to the battery management controller 20 and at the same time pulls the level on the second communication link to a high level. The main controller 10 is awakened by the high-level signal and enters the working state. After the main controller 10 starts working, it sends a wake-up signal to wake up the battery management controller 20 and the cockpit controller 40.

[0088] After the battery management controller 20 is awakened, it determines the thermal runaway detection result according to the thermal runaway information and sends it to the main controller 10. When the main controller 10 determines that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway, it sends an alarm signal to the cockpit controller 40, and the cockpit controller 40 alarms the vehicle occupants after receiving the alarm signal.

[0089] In another implementation, when the main controller 10 determines that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that no thermal runaway has occurred, after a period of time, it controls the battery thermal runaway alarm system to enter the sleep state.

[0090] In some embodiments, the execution subject of the battery thermal runaway alarm method provided in the embodiments of the present application may be the main controller of the above-mentioned battery thermal runaway alarm. The main controller may be a vehicle control unit (VCU), an electronic control unit, or a functional module with thermal management functions. The embodiments of the present application do not make any limitations in this regard.

[0091] As Figure 3 shown, the battery thermal runaway alarm method provided by the present application includes the following steps: S301. When the system is performing OTA upgrade, receive the thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor to the main controller based on the second communication link.

[0092] S302. When it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operation data of the battery is abnormal, stop the OTA upgrade.

[0093] In some embodiments, the above method further includes: after stopping the OTA upgrade, sending a communication restoration instruction to the first controller; the communication restoration instruction is used to enable the controller on the first communication link to resume receiving and sending communication messages; the first controller is the controller on the first communication link that is undergoing OTA upgrade.

[0094] In a possible implementation manner, the above method further includes: receiving a thermal runaway detection result determined based on thermal runaway information sent by the battery management controller through the first communication link; in the case where it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway, performing a thermal runaway alarm.

[0095] In a possible implementation manner, the above method further includes: in the case where it is confirmed that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway, sending a thermal runaway alarm signal to the cockpit controller.

[0096] In a possible implementation manner, the above method further includes: in the case where the thermal runaway detection result is that no thermal runaway occurs, after a preset time period, controlling the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process.

[0097] In a possible implementation manner, when the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a sleep state, the above method further includes: receiving thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor through the second communication link; in the case where it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, switching its own state to the working state, and sending a wake-up signal to the battery management controller, the wake-up signal is used to control the battery management controller to be in the working state.

[0098] It should be noted that the implementation process of the battery thermal runaway alarm method in the embodiments of the present application can refer to the description of the above battery thermal runaway alarm system, and will not be elaborated here.

[0099] The above mainly introduces the solution provided by the embodiments of the present application from the perspective of the method. To implement the above functions, the battery thermal runaway alarm device or electronic device includes corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should easily realize that, combined with the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed in this article, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a certain function is executed in the way of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional technicians can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of the present application.

[0100] Embodiments of the present application can, according to the above method, exemplarily divide the functional modules of a battery thermal runaway alarm device or an electronic device. For example, the battery thermal runaway alarm device or the electronic device may include respective functional modules corresponding to each functional division, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module. The above integrated module can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software functional module. It should be noted that the division of modules in the embodiments of the present application is illustrative, merely a logical functional division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation.

[0101] Referring to Figure 4 , embodiments of the present application provide a battery thermal runaway alarm device. The battery thermal runaway alarm device 400 includes: A receiving unit 401, configured to receive thermal runaway information sent by a thermal runaway sensor to a main controller via a second communication link when the system performs an OTA upgrade.

[0102] A processing unit 402, configured to stop the OTA upgrade when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal.

[0103] In a possible implementation manner, the above processing unit is further configured to send a communication recovery instruction to a first controller after stopping the OTA upgrade; the communication recovery instruction is used to cause the controller on the first communication link to resume receiving and sending communication messages; the first controller is the controller performing the OTA upgrade on the first communication link.

[0104] In a possible implementation manner, the above processing unit is further configured to receive a thermal runaway detection result determined based on the thermal runaway information sent by a battery management controller via the first communication link; and perform a thermal runaway alarm when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway.

[0105] In a possible implementation manner, the above processing unit is further configured to send a thermal runaway alarm signal to a cockpit controller when it is confirmed that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway.

[0106] In a possible implementation manner, the above processing unit is further configured to control the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset duration when the thermal runaway detection result is that no thermal runaway has occurred.

[0107] In a possible implementation, when the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a sleep state, the above processing unit is further configured to receive thermal runaway information sent by a thermal runaway sensor through a second communication link; when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, switch its own state to a working state, and send a wake-up signal to the battery management controller, where the wake-up signal is used to control the battery management controller to be in a working state.

[0108] Regarding the device in the above embodiment, the specific manners in which each module performs operations have been described in detail in the embodiment related to the method, and will not be elaborated here.

[0109] As Figure 5 shown, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, and the electronic device 500 includes but is not limited to: a processor 501 and a memory 502.

[0110] Among them, the above-mentioned memory 502 is used to store executable instructions of the above-mentioned processor 501. It can be understood that the above-mentioned processor 501 is configured to execute instructions to implement the battery thermal runaway alarm method in the above embodiment.

[0111] It should be noted that those skilled in the art can understand that Figure 5 the structure of the electronic device shown in Figure 5 does not constitute a limitation on the electronic device, and the electronic device may include more or fewer components than

[0112] shown, or combine some components, or have different component arrangements.

[0113] The memory 502 can be used to store software programs and various data. The memory 502 mainly includes a program storage area and a data storage area. Among them, the program storage area can store an operating system, application programs required by at least one functional module (such as a determination unit, a processing unit, etc.). In addition, the memory 502 can include high-speed random access memory, and can also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one magnetic disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage devices.

[0114] In an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle is further provided, including the above-mentioned electronic device or battery thermal runaway alarm system.

[0115] In an exemplary embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium including instructions is further provided, such as the memory 502 including instructions. The above instructions can be executed by the processor 501 of the electronic device 500 to implement the method in the above embodiment.

[0116] In actual implementation, Figure 4 the functions of the receiving unit 401 and the processing unit 402 in Figure 5 can both be implemented by the processor 501 in

[0117] calling the computer program stored in the memory 502. The specific execution process can refer to the description of the method part in the above embodiment, which will not be elaborated here.

[0118] In an exemplary embodiment, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product including one or more instructions, and the one or more instructions can be executed by the processor 501 of the electronic device to complete the method in the above embodiment.

[0119] It should be noted that when the instructions in the above computer-readable storage medium or the one or more instructions in the computer program product are executed by the processor of the electronic device, each process of the above method embodiment is implemented, and the same technical effect as the above method can be achieved. To avoid repetition, it will not be elaborated here.

[0120] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and brevity of description, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be allocated to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0121] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed device and method can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of modules or units is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another device, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the displayed or discussed coupling or direct coupling or communication connection between each other can be through some interfaces. The indirect coupling or communication connection of the device or unit can be in electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0122] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated. The components displayed as units may be one physical unit or multiple physical units, that is, they can be located in one place, or they can be distributed to multiple different places. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0123] In addition, each functional unit in the various embodiments of the present application can be integrated in a processing unit, or each unit can exist physically alone, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit. The above integrated units can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units.

[0124] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiments of the present application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for causing a device (which can be a single-chip microcomputer, a chip, etc.) or a processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods in the various embodiments of the present application. The foregoing storage medium includes: various media such as USB flash drives, mobile hard disks, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks or optical discs that can store program codes.

[0125] The above is only the specific implementation manner of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application shall be covered by the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery thermal runaway alarm system, characterized in that, Comprising: A main controller, a battery management controller, and a thermal runaway sensor; The thermal runaway sensor and the battery management controller are communicatively connected; The battery management controller and the main controller are connected via a first communication link; The thermal runaway sensor and the main controller are connected via a second communication link; In the case where the system performs over-the-air (OTA) upgrade, the thermal runaway sensor is configured to send thermal runaway information to the main controller based on the second communication link; The main controller is configured to stop the OTA upgrade when determining that the thermal runaway information indicates an abnormality in the operating data of the battery.

2. The battery thermal runaway alarm system according to claim 1, wherein The main controller is further configured to, After stopping the OTA upgrade, send a communication recovery instruction to a first controller; the communication recovery instruction is used to enable the controller on the first communication link to resume receiving and sending communication messages; the first controller is the controller performing OTA upgrade on the first communication link.

3. The battery thermal runaway alarm system according to claim 1, wherein The battery management controller is configured to determine a thermal runaway detection result based on the thermal runaway information detected by the thermal runaway sensor; The battery management controller is further configured to send the thermal runaway detection result to the main controller via the first communication link; The main controller is further configured to perform a thermal runaway alarm when determining that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway.

4. The battery thermal runaway alarm system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The system further includes: a cockpit controller; the cockpit controller is communicatively connected to the main controller; The main controller is further configured to send a thermal runaway alarm signal to the cockpit controller when confirming that the thermal runaway detection result indicates a thermal runaway; The cockpit controller is configured to perform a thermal runaway alarm based on the thermal runaway alarm signal sent by the main controller.

5. The battery thermal runaway alarm system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The main controller is further configured to, When the thermal runaway detection result is that no thermal runaway occurs, control the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset duration.

6. The battery thermal runaway alarm system according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the case where the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a sleep state, the main controller is further configured to, Receive the thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor via the second communication link; When determining that the thermal runaway information indicates an abnormality in the operating data of the battery, switch its own state to the working state and send a wake-up signal to the battery management controller, the wake-up signal is used to control the battery management controller to be in the working state.

7. A method for battery thermal runaway alarm, characterized in that, For the main controller applied to the battery thermal runaway alarm system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the method includes: In the case where the system performs OTA upgrade, receive the thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor to the main controller based on the second communication link; When determining that the thermal runaway information indicates an abnormality in the operating data of the battery, stop the OTA upgrade.

8. The battery thermal runaway alarm method according to claim 7, wherein The method further includes: After stopping the OTA upgrade, send a communication recovery instruction to the first controller; the communication recovery instruction is used to enable the controller on the first communication link to resume receiving and sending communication messages; the first controller is the controller in the system that is performing the OTA upgrade.

9. The battery thermal runaway alarm method according to claim 7, wherein The method further includes: In the case where the thermal runaway detection result is that thermal runaway has not occurred, after a preset duration, control the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process.

10. A battery thermal runaway alarm device, characterized in that, Applied to the main controller of the battery thermal runaway alarm system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, including: A receiving unit, configured to receive thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor to the main controller based on the second communication link when the system is performing an OTA upgrade; A processing unit, configured to stop the OTA upgrade when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that, Including: A processor; A memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; Wherein, the processor is configured to execute the instructions to implement the battery thermal runaway alarm method according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

12. A vehicle, characterized in that, Including: The battery thermal runaway alarm system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, or the electronic device according to claim 11.

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