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

Abstract

The present application relates to a battery thermal runaway alarm system, method, device, equipment, and vehicle, and relates to the field of battery technology. The application aims to solve the technical problem of the inability to perform a thermal runaway alarm during an OTA upgrade of a battery thermal runaway alarm system. The system comprises: 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; when the system is undergoing an OTA upgrade, the thermal runaway sensor sends thermal runaway information to the main controller based on the second communication link; if the main controller determines that the thermal runaway information indicates an abnormality in the battery's operating data, the OTA upgrade is stopped, thereby enabling a thermal runaway alarm to be performed during an OTA upgrade of the battery thermal runaway alarm system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular 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 electric vehicles, energy storage power stations, consumer electronics, and other fields. The widespread use of batteries has made battery safety a key concern. To improve battery safety, the electric vehicle industry requires a thermal runaway warning signal to be provided five minutes before a single battery cell thermal runaway condition spreads and poses a hazard to the passenger compartment.

[0003] One method first analyzes the battery's smoke concentration data through the vehicle controller to determine whether to issue a first thermal runaway warning instruction, 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 warning instruction, and then determines whether to issue a thermal runaway alarm based on the first thermal runaway warning instruction and the second thermal runaway warning instruction.

[0004] Another method is to analyze the received thermal runaway sensor signal through the thermal runaway controller (battery management controller). Once the risk of thermal runaway is confirmed, it will send a high-level signal through a hard-wired connection to activate the vehicle control unit (main controller). The vehicle control unit will then perform alarms and other operations according to established procedures.

[0005] However, these methods require not only a complete and functioning application program for the controller to determine whether thermal runaway has occurred, but also smooth communication between the controllers (between the battery management controller and the main controller). However, during an over-the-air (OTA) upgrade of the battery thermal runaway warning system, inter-controller communication is lost, preventing the main controller from receiving a thermal runaway signal and issuing 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 the battery thermal runaway alarm system cannot perform a thermal runaway alarm when performing an OTA upgrade.

[0007] In order to achieve the above objectives, the technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of the present application are as follows:

[0008] 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 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; when the system is undergoing an 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 if it determines that the thermal runaway information indicates that there is an abnormality in the battery's operating data.

[0009] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: when the system is undergoing an OTA upgrade, the battery management controller and the main controller cannot communicate with each other. If the battery experiences thermal runaway, the battery management controller cannot send a signal to notify the main controller to issue an alarm. In this application, the thermal runaway sensor monitors the operating data of the battery and sends thermal runaway information to the main controller via a second communication link. When the thermal runaway information indicates that there is an abnormality in the operating data of the battery, the OTA upgrade is stopped, so that the battery management controller and the main controller resume communication. Then, the battery management controller can send a signal to the main controller based on the first communication link, and the main controller can issue an alarm based on the signal. This solves the problem of the system being unable to issue a thermal runaway alarm when undergoing an OTA upgrade.

[0010] In one possible embodiment, the above-mentioned main controller is also configured to send a communication recovery instruction to the first controller after stopping the OTA upgrade; 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 that is performing the OTA upgrade on the first communication link.

[0011] It is understandable that during the OTA upgrade process, communication between the first controller and the main controller may be temporarily interrupted to ensure upgrade stability and data integrity. The main controller can restore normal operation of the first controller by sending a communication restoration command, allowing it to resume data exchange and collaboration with other system components, ensuring the normal operation of the entire system.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the battery management controller is configured to determine a thermal runaway detection result based on thermal runaway information detected by the thermal runaway sensor; the battery management controller is also configured to send the thermal runaway detection result to the main controller through a first communication link; and the main controller is further configured to issue a thermal runaway alarm when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred.

[0013] It is understood that the battery management controller can analyze and determine the thermal runaway information based on it, accurately determine the thermal runaway detection result, and quickly transmit it to the main controller via the first communication link. After receiving the thermal runaway detection result from the battery management controller, the main controller can promptly activate the thermal runaway alarm program to issue an alarm.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the above system also 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 that thermal runaway has occurred; the cockpit controller is configured to issue a thermal runaway alarm based on the thermal runaway alarm signal sent by the main controller.

[0015] It is understandable that the cockpit controller can utilize multiple devices within the vehicle to issue thermal runaway warnings, presenting warning information to users in an intuitive and convenient manner. Using multiple sensory stimulations, it ensures that occupants can promptly detect thermal runaway conditions, maximizing personal safety.

[0016] In a possible implementation, the main controller is further configured to, when the thermal runaway detection result indicates that no thermal runaway has occurred, control the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset time period.

[0017] It's understandable that the preset duration is designed to ensure the system remains stable for a period of time. During this time, the system can fully verify and confirm that thermal runaway has not occurred, avoiding misjudgments due to brief detection errors or interference. Resuming the OTA upgrade process after the preset duration ensures that the upgrade is carried out in a relatively stable and reliable environment, reducing the possibility of interruptions or errors during the upgrade process, thereby ensuring the integrity of the upgrade.

[0018] In one possible implementation, when the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a dormant state, the main controller is further configured to receive thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor 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 switches its own state to an operating state, and sends 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 an operating state.

[0019] Understandably, the system is usually dormant, which reduces energy consumption and extends the life of the main controller and other devices. When battery operating data is abnormal, it can quickly respond and work together without affecting the monitoring and handling of battery thermal runaway, thus balancing energy conservation and reliability.

[0020] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery thermal runaway alarm method, which is applied to the main controller of a battery thermal runaway alarm system, including: when the system is undergoing an OTA upgrade, receiving thermal runaway information sent by a thermal runaway sensor to the main controller based on a second communication link; and stopping the OTA upgrade when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that there is an abnormality in the battery's operating data.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the above method also includes: after stopping the OTA upgrade, sending 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 that is performing the OTA upgrade on the first communication link.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving a thermal runaway detection result determined based on thermal runaway information and sent by the battery management controller via the first communication link; and issuing a thermal runaway alarm when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending a thermal runaway alarm signal to a cabin controller when confirming that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred.

[0024] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: when the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has not occurred, controlling the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset time period.

[0025] In one possible implementation, when the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a dormant state, the above method further includes: receiving thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor 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, switching its own state to an operating state, and sending 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 an operating state.

[0026] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery thermal runaway alarm device, comprising: a receiving unit, for receiving thermal runaway information sent by a thermal runaway sensor to a main controller based on a second communication link when the system is undergoing an OTA upgrade; and a processing unit, for stopping the OTA upgrade when it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that there is an abnormality in the operating data of the battery.

[0027] In a fourth aspect, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions to implement the method of the above-mentioned second aspect and any possible implementation method thereof.

[0028] In a fifth aspect, a vehicle is provided, comprising: the battery thermal runaway warning system of the first aspect, or the electronic device of the fourth aspect.

[0029] In a sixth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. When the instructions in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device is enabled to execute the method in the above-mentioned second aspect and any possible implementation method thereof.

[0030] In a seventh aspect, a computer program product is provided, which includes computer instructions. When the computer instructions are executed on an electronic device, the electronic device executes the method of the above-mentioned second aspect and any possible implementation method thereof.

[0031] It should be noted that the technical effects brought about by any implementation method in the second to seventh aspects can refer to the technical effects brought about by the corresponding implementation method in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0032] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The drawings herein are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application, and together with the specification are used to explain the principles of the present application, and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application.

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a battery thermal runaway alarm system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of another battery thermal runaway alarm system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 3 A flowchart of a battery thermal runaway alarm method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a battery thermal runaway alarm device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0039] Reference numerals:

[0040] Main controller 10 ; battery management controller 20 ; thermal runaway sensor 30 ; first communication module 201 ; second communication module 202 ; cockpit controller 40 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In order to enable ordinary people in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of this application and the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate so that the embodiments of the application described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present application. Instead, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present application, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0043] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, article, or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, article, or device. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not preclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, article, or device comprising the element.

[0044] In the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be interpreted as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0045] To facilitate understanding, the battery thermal runaway warning system, method, device, equipment and vehicle provided in this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides 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 via a first communication link, and the thermal runaway sensor 30 is connected to the main controller 10 via a second communication link.

[0047] 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 various components within the system, receiving information from the battery management controller 20 and the thermal runaway sensor 30, and issuing thermal runaway warnings based on the information from the battery management controller 20 and the thermal runaway sensor 30.

[0048] In one implementation, within the battery thermal runaway warning system, the main controller 10 can also, upon determining that a battery is experiencing thermal runaway, execute safety protection actions, such as shutting off the battery pack's charge and discharge circuits, to protect the battery and prevent further danger. The main controller 10 can also appropriately adjust the vehicle's operating mode based on the battery status and thermal runaway situation.

[0049] The battery management controller 20 is responsible for managing and monitoring the battery. In the thermal runaway alarm system, the battery management controller 20 determines whether the battery has thermal runaway based on the thermal runaway information of the battery.

[0050] The thermal runaway sensor 30 is used to detect battery thermal runaway signals. It monitors changes in battery data related to thermal runaway, such as pressure, smoke, temperature, and voltage, in real time. If an abnormality in battery thermal runaway information is detected, it may indicate that thermal runaway is imminent or has already occurred, and the thermal runaway sensor 30 will promptly issue a signal.

[0051] In one implementation, battery thermal runaway refers to a series of violent chemical reactions occurring within the battery under certain conditions, leading to a sharp increase in battery temperature and pressure, possibly accompanied by smoke generation and voltage anomalies. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the battery's operating data is abnormal based on any one or more parameters related to thermal runaway, such as pressure, smoke, temperature, and voltage.

[0052] In some embodiments, the thermal runaway sensor 30 is communicatively connected to the battery management controller 20, and the battery management controller 20 is connected to the main controller 10 via a first communication link. The thermal runaway sensor 30 and the battery management controller 20, as well as the battery management controller 20 and the main controller 10, can communicate via a controller area network (CAN) bus.

[0053] The thermal runaway sensor 30 and the main controller 10 are connected via a second communication link, which may be a hardwire. Since hardwires have stronger anti-interference capabilities than buses, thermal runaway information from the thermal runaway sensor 30 is less susceptible to influence.

[0054] It should be noted that the thermal runaway sensor 30 can be integrated into the battery management controller 20. When the thermal runaway sensor 30 is integrated into 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. At the same time, the second communication link is connected between the battery management controller 20 and the main controller 10.

[0055] In some embodiments, when the system is undergoing an OTA upgrade, 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 if it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that there is an abnormality in the battery's operating data.

[0056] The battery thermal runaway alarm system is upgraded via OTA, that is, the controller in the battery thermal runaway alarm system is upgraded via OTA. The controller establishes a communication connection with the OTA server. 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.

[0057] It should be understood that during the OTA upgrade of the controller in the battery thermal runaway alarm system, the controller will promptly feed back information such as the controller's upgrade status (upgrade progress, status) to the main controller 10. At this time, the first communication link will be occupied by the OTA upgrade task. If the battery thermally runs away at this time, the battery management controller 20 will not be able to send the thermal runaway detection results to the main controller 10, and the main controller 10 will not be able to issue a thermal runaway alarm.

[0058] In one implementation, the battery thermal runaway alarm system is upgraded via OTA, and the battery management controller 20 in the battery thermal runaway alarm system can be upgraded via OTA. 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.

[0059] In another implementation, Figure 2 As shown, the battery thermal runaway alarm system is OTA upgraded, and OTA upgrades can be performed on other controllers on the communication bus between the battery management controller 20 in the battery thermal runaway alarm system and the main controller 10, such as the vehicle's power system controller, body control system controller, infotainment system controller, etc.

[0060] As a possible implementation method, during the operation of the battery thermal runaway alarm system, the thermal runaway sensor 30 will continue to send thermal runaway information to the main controller 10 through the second communication link. When there is no abnormality in the thermal runaway information, 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 an abnormality occurs in the thermal runaway information, 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.

[0061] When the system is undergoing OTA upgrade, 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 a high level, and the main controller 10 will receive the high-level signal. The main controller 10 will determine whether the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal by identifying the level of the received thermal runaway information.

[0062] In one implementation, the main controller 10 sets a specific flag in its internal register or memory to indicate an abnormality in the battery operating data. If the main controller 10 determines that the thermal runaway information indicates an abnormality in the battery operating data, it immediately sends a message containing the flag to the controller performing the OTA upgrade. After receiving the message from the main controller 10, the controller performing the OTA upgrade parses the flag information. After determining that the flag indicates an abnormality in the battery operating data, it executes an interrupt routine to stop the ongoing OTA upgrade operation.

[0063] In one implementation, Figure 2 As shown, the battery management controller 20 supports dual-partition APP storage. Specifically, the battery management controller 20's storage is divided into two independent areas, both capable of storing complete applications and related data. During an OTA upgrade, the battery management controller 20 maintains normal operation in area A 203 to monitor for thermal runaway conditions while receiving new APP software data via a specific communication interface (such as a CAN bus or serial port) and writing it to area B 204. During this process, the APP software in area A 203 continues to run, ensuring that the functions of the battery management controller 20 are not affected, while area B 204 performs the software flashing operation in the background. The battery management controller 20 interrupts the flashing operation in area B 204 after determining that the flag indicates an abnormal battery operating data.

[0064] In another implementation, while zone B 204 is performing a flash operation, zone A 203 is receiving thermal runaway information and monitoring the thermal runaway state while the process is operating normally. Therefore, the battery management controller 20 can also automatically stop the OTA upgrade. If the thermal runaway information received by zone A 203 indicates that the battery operating data is abnormal, the battery management controller 20 stops the flash operation in zone B 204.

[0065] Therefore, when the system is undergoing an OTA upgrade, the battery management controller and the main controller cannot communicate with each other. If the battery experiences thermal runaway, the battery management controller cannot send a signal to notify the main controller to issue an alarm. In this application, the thermal runaway sensor monitors the battery's operating data and sends thermal runaway information to the main controller via a second communication link. When the thermal runaway information indicates that the battery's operating data is abnormal, the OTA upgrade is stopped, allowing the battery management controller and the main controller to resume communication. The battery management controller can then send a signal to the main controller based on the first communication link, and the main controller can issue an alarm based on the signal. This solves the problem of the system being unable to issue a thermal runaway alarm when undergoing an OTA upgrade.

[0066] Figure 2 The battery management controller 20 shown further includes 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 .

[0067] In some embodiments, the main controller 10 is further configured to send a communication recovery instruction to the first controller after stopping the OTA upgrade.

[0068] The communication recovery instruction is used to enable the controller on the first communication link to resume receiving and sending communication messages, and the first controller is the controller on the first communication link that is undergoing OTA upgrade.

[0069] In one implementation, the communication recovery instruction may be a Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) instruction. The main controller 10 sends the UDS instruction to inform all controllers on the first communication link that they can start sending and receiving application messages on the first communication link.

[0070] Exemplarily, when the first controller is a battery management controller, the battery management controller 20 stops performing OTA upgrades, and the main controller 10 sends a communication recovery instruction to the battery management controller 20 so that the battery management controller 20 resumes receiving and sending communication messages.

[0071] Therefore, during the OTA upgrade process, communication between the first controller and the main controller may be temporarily interrupted to ensure upgrade stability and data integrity. The main controller can restore normal operation of the first controller by sending a communication recovery command, allowing it to resume data exchange and collaboration with other system components, ensuring the normal operation of the entire system.

[0072] 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 also configured to send the thermal runaway detection result to the main controller 10 through the first communication link; the main controller 10 is also configured to issue a thermal runaway alarm when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred.

[0073] As a possible implementation method, 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, and 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.

[0074] In one implementation, when both the first thermal runaway detection result and the second thermal runaway detection result indicate that thermal runaway has occurred, the battery management controller 20 determines that the thermal runaway detection result is that thermal runaway has occurred in the battery; if one of the results indicates that thermal runaway has occurred and the other result shows that it is normal, the battery management controller 20 will further analyze the two results to determine the thermal runaway detection result.

[0075] In another implementation, different weights are assigned based on the reliability of the first and second thermal runaway detection results. A thermal runaway risk index is then derived through a weighted average. If the thermal runaway risk index exceeds a certain threshold, the battery is considered to have a thermal runaway risk index; otherwise, the battery is considered to be in a normal state.

[0076] In other embodiments, when determining the thermal runaway detection result based on the thermal runaway information, the thermal runaway detection result can be determined based on one or more battery operating data related to thermal runaway, such as the battery's gas pressure, smoke, temperature, and voltage.

[0077] Gas pressure: When a battery experiences thermal runaway, chemical reactions may generate gas inside the battery, causing the gas pressure to rise. When the gas pressure exceeds the thermal runaway pressure threshold, the battery may experience thermal runaway.

[0078] Smoke: During thermal runaway, batteries may generate smoke because the materials inside the battery decompose, burn, or undergo other chemical reactions at high temperatures. Smoke sensors can detect smoke particles in the air. If the smoke concentration exceeds the thermal runaway smoke concentration threshold, the battery may be in thermal runaway.

[0079] Temperature: When a battery experiences thermal runaway, its temperature rises rapidly. During normal use, the battery temperature generally remains within a certain range. However, if the temperature rises rapidly within a short period of time, exceeding the thermal runaway threshold, the battery may experience thermal runaway.

[0080] Voltage: During thermal runaway, a battery's internal electrochemical state changes, potentially causing abnormal changes in the battery voltage. For example, the battery voltage may suddenly drop or fluctuate erratically. When the battery voltage significantly deviates from the normal range, thermal runaway may occur.

[0081] It's important to note that while a single parameter can be used to determine whether a battery is experiencing thermal runaway, misjudgment is possible. For example, a temperature rise may be due to excessively high ambient temperature or a malfunction in the battery's cooling system, not necessarily thermal runaway; voltage fluctuations may also be caused by external circuit issues. However, when multiple parameters exhibit abnormalities simultaneously, the likelihood of thermal runaway increases significantly. Multiple parameters can reflect the internal state of the battery from different perspectives, corroborating and complementing each other, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the judgment.

[0082] In one implementation, a thermal runaway alarm may be provided by way of an auditory alarm. The main controller 10 may be connected to a buzzer or other sound-generating device. When the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred, an electrical signal is sent to the buzzer through the control circuit, causing it to sound an alarm.

[0083] In one implementation, a thermal runaway alarm can be provided by way of a 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: battery abnormality", and can also display relevant thermal runaway data, such as the current battery temperature, voltage, etc.

[0084] In some embodiments, in addition to issuing an alarm, the main controller may also trigger other operations, such as starting a cooling system to lower the temperature of the battery and storing the operating data of the battery.

[0085] In some embodiments, 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 issue a thermal runaway alarm based on the thermal runaway alarm signal sent by the main controller 10.

[0086] 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.

[0087] 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 into the main controller 10 . Therefore, when the main controller 10 is a domain controller, the cockpit controller 40 does not need to be set up in the system.

[0088] In some embodiments, the main controller 10 is further configured to, when the thermal runaway detection result indicates that no thermal runaway has occurred, control the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset time period.

[0089] The preset duration is a pre-set time interval. Considering battery stability, although the current thermal runaway detection result indicates no thermal runaway has occurred, given the suddenness and severity of thermal runaway accidents, for example, even if the current battery temperature has not reached the thermal runaway threshold, if the battery's heat dissipation is poor, the battery's temperature will continue to rise, potentially leading to thermal runaway. Therefore, it is necessary to observe for a period of time to confirm that the battery has not experienced thermal runaway.

[0090] 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 paused due to thermal runaway detection. After receiving the command, the first controller will continue to complete the upgrade according to the predetermined upgrade steps.

[0091] 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, where the wake-up signal is used to control the battery management controller 20 to be in a working state.

[0092] The battery thermal runaway warning system enters a dormant state to conserve energy or when continuous monitoring is not required. In this state, most system components (main controller 10, battery management controller 20, and cabin controller 40) remain dormant, while the thermal runaway sensor 30 operates at low power consumption. However, it maintains a certain level of monitoring capability to enable timely response to potential thermal runaway events.

[0093] In one implementation, when the thermal runaway sensor 30 detects an abnormality in parameters related to thermal runaway, it continuously transmits thermal runaway information to the battery management controller 20 while simultaneously raising the level on the second communication link to a high level. This high-level signal awakens the main controller 10, putting it into operation. Once operational, the main controller 10 transmits a wakeup signal to awaken the battery management controller 20 and the cabin controller 40.

[0094] After the battery management controller 20 is awakened, it determines the thermal runaway detection result based on 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 that thermal runaway has occurred, it sends an alarm signal to the cabin controller 40. After receiving the alarm signal, the cabin controller 40 alerts the people in the vehicle.

[0095] In another implementation, when the main controller 10 determines that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has not occurred, the main controller 10 controls the battery thermal runaway alarm system to enter a dormant state after a period of time.

[0096] In some embodiments, the executor 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 function. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0097] like Figure 3 As shown, the battery thermal runaway alarm method provided by this application includes the following steps:

[0098] S301 : When the system is undergoing an OTA upgrade, receiving thermal runaway information sent by a thermal runaway sensor to a main controller via a second communication link.

[0099] S302: When it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, stop the OTA upgrade.

[0100] In some embodiments, the above method also includes: after stopping the OTA upgrade, sending 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 that is performing the OTA upgrade on the first communication link.

[0101] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: receiving a thermal runaway detection result determined based on thermal runaway information and sent by the battery management controller via the first communication link; and issuing a thermal runaway alarm when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred.

[0102] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: sending a thermal runaway alarm signal to a cabin controller when confirming that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred.

[0103] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: when the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has not occurred, controlling the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset time period.

[0104] In one possible implementation, when the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a dormant state, the above method further includes: receiving thermal runaway information sent by the thermal runaway sensor 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, switching its own state to an operating state, and sending 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 an operating state.

[0105] It should be noted that the implementation process of the battery thermal runaway alarm method in the embodiment of the present application can refer to the description of the battery thermal runaway alarm system mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0106] The above mainly introduces the solution provided by the embodiment of the present application from the perspective of the method. In order to realize the above functions, the battery thermal runaway alarm device or electronic device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. It should be easy for those skilled in the art to realize that, in combination with the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0107] The embodiments of the present application can, according to the above method, exemplarily divide the functional modules of the battery thermal runaway alarm device or electronic device. For example, the battery thermal runaway alarm device or electronic device can include various functional modules corresponding to the various functional divisions, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The above-mentioned integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. It should be noted that the division of modules in the embodiments of the present application is schematic and is only a logical functional division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation.

[0108] Reference Figure 4 The embodiment of the present application provides a battery thermal runaway alarm device, the battery thermal runaway alarm device 400 comprising:

[0109] The receiving unit 401 is 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 undergoing OTA upgrade.

[0110] The processing unit 402 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.

[0111] In one possible implementation, the above-mentioned processing unit is also used to send a communication recovery instruction to the first controller after stopping the OTA upgrade; 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 that is performing OTA upgrade on the first communication link.

[0112] In one possible implementation, the processing unit is further configured to receive a thermal runaway detection result determined based on thermal runaway information and sent by the battery management controller via the first communication link; and to issue a thermal runaway alarm when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred.

[0113] In a possible implementation, the processing unit is further configured to send a thermal runaway alarm signal to the cabin controller when confirming that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred.

[0114] In a possible implementation, the processing unit is further configured to control the first controller to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset time period when the thermal runaway detection result indicates that no thermal runaway has occurred.

[0115] In one possible implementation, when the battery thermal runaway alarm system is in a dormant state, the 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 there is an abnormality in the operating data of the battery, the processing unit switches its own state to an operating state, and sends 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 an operating state.

[0116] Regarding the apparatus in the above embodiment, the specific manner in which each module performs operations has been described in detail in the embodiment of the method, and will not be elaborated here.

[0117] like Figure 5 As 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.

[0118] The memory 502 is used to store executable instructions of the processor 501. It is understandable that the processor 501 is configured to execute instructions to implement the battery thermal runaway alarm method in the above embodiment.

[0119] It should be noted that those skilled in the art can understand that Figure 5 The electronic device structure shown in the figure does not limit the electronic device, and the electronic device may include Figure 5 More or fewer components may be shown, or certain components may be combined, or the components may be arranged differently.

[0120] The processor 501 is the control center of the electronic device. It connects the various parts of the entire electronic device using various interfaces and lines. By running or executing software programs and / or modules stored in the memory 502 and accessing data stored in the memory 502, it performs various functions of the electronic device and processes data, thereby monitoring the electronic device as a whole. The processor 501 may include one or more processing units. Optionally, the processor 501 may integrate an application processor and a modem processor, wherein the application processor mainly processes the operating system, user interface, and application programs, and the modem processor mainly handles wireless communications. It is understood that the modem processor may not be integrated into the processor 501.

[0121] Memory 502 can be used to store software programs and various data. Memory 502 may primarily include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store an operating system and application programs required by at least one functional module (such as a determination unit, a processing unit, etc.). Furthermore, memory 502 may include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage device.

[0122] In an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle is also provided, comprising the above-mentioned electronic device or battery thermal runaway warning system.

[0123] In an exemplary embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium including instructions is further provided, such as a memory 502 including instructions. The instructions can be executed by the processor 501 of the electronic device 500 to implement the method in the above embodiment.

[0124] In actual implementation, Figure 4 The functions of the receiving unit 401 and the processing unit 402 can be represented by Figure 5 The processor 501 in the embodiment calls the computer program stored in the memory 502. The specific execution process can be referred to the description of the method part in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0125] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium may be a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium, for example, the non-temporary computer-readable storage medium may be a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device, etc.

[0126] In an exemplary embodiment, the present application also provides a computer program product including one or more instructions, which can be executed by the processor 501 of the electronic device to implement the method in the above embodiment.

[0127] It should be noted that when the instructions in the above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium or one or more instructions in the computer program product are executed by the processor of the electronic device, the various processes of the above-mentioned method embodiment are implemented and the same technical effect as the above-mentioned method can be achieved. To avoid repetition, they will not be repeated here.

[0128] Through the description of the above implementation methods, technical personnel in the relevant field can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, only the division of the above-mentioned functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above-mentioned functions can be assigned 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.

[0129] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of modules or units is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as 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 mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0130] Units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and components shown as units may be one physical unit or multiple physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed in multiple places. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the present embodiment.

[0131] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present application may be integrated into a single processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into a single unit. The aforementioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional units.

[0132] If the integrated unit is implemented as 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 embodiment of the present application, or the part that contributes to the existing technology, 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 a number of instructions for causing a device (which can be a single-chip microcomputer, chip, etc.) or a processor to execute all or part of the steps of the various embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, ROM, RAM, disk or optical disk, etc. Various media that can store program code.

[0133] The above are only specific embodiments of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery thermal runaway alarm system, characterized in that: include: Main controller, battery management controller, thermal runaway sensor and other controllers; The thermal runaway sensor is communicatively connected to the battery management controller; The battery management controller, the other controllers 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 a case where the first controller on the first communication link is upgraded over the air (OTA), the thermal runaway sensor is configured to send thermal runaway information to the main controller based on the second communication link; The first controller is at least one of the battery management controller and the other controllers; The main controller is configured to stop the OTA upgrade if it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal; After stopping the OTA upgrade, a communication recovery instruction is sent 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.

2. The battery thermal runaway warning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: 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 a thermal runaway detection result to the main controller via the first communication link; The main controller is further configured to issue a thermal runaway alarm when it is determined that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred.

3. The battery thermal runaway warning system according to claim 2, 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 cabin controller if it is confirmed that the thermal runaway detection result indicates that thermal runaway has occurred; The cockpit controller is configured to issue a thermal runaway alarm based on the thermal runaway alarm signal sent by the main controller.

4. The battery thermal runaway warning system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The main controller is further configured to: When the thermal runaway detection result shows that no thermal runaway has occurred, the first controller is controlled to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset time period.

5. The battery thermal runaway warning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the battery thermal runaway warning system is in a dormant state, the main controller is further configured to: receiving 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, the battery management controller switches its own state to the working state, and sends 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 the working state.

6. A battery thermal runaway alarm method, characterized in that: The method applied to the main controller of the battery thermal runaway warning system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 comprises: When an OTA upgrade is performed on a first controller on a first communication link, receiving thermal runaway information sent by a thermal runaway sensor to the main controller based on a second communication link; the first controller is at least one of the battery management controller and the other controllers; If it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal, stopping the OTA upgrade; After stopping the OTA upgrade, a communication recovery instruction is sent 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.

7. The battery thermal runaway alarm method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the thermal runaway detection result shows that no thermal runaway has occurred, the first controller is controlled to resume the OTA upgrade process after a preset time period.

8. A battery thermal runaway alarm device, characterized in that: A main controller applied to a battery thermal runaway alarm system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising: 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 an OTA upgrade is performed on a first controller on a first communication link; the first controller being at least one of the battery management controller and the other controllers; A processing unit is configured to stop the OTA upgrade if it is determined that the thermal runaway information indicates that the operating data of the battery is abnormal; 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.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: processor; a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor; The processor is configured to execute the instructions to implement the battery thermal runaway alarm method according to any one of claims 6 to 7.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: include: The battery thermal runaway warning system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, or the electronic device according to claim 9.

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