Battery balancing module, battery balancing device, vehicle, method, apparatus, medium and product

Abstract

This invention discloses a battery balancing module, a battery balancing device, a vehicle, a method, an apparatus, a medium, and a product, applicable to the field of power electronics technology. The battery balancing module includes a switching matrix circuit and a bidirectional conversion module. The first terminal of the switching matrix circuit is adapted to selectively connect to any battery cell in a battery module. One terminal of the bidirectional conversion module is connected to the second terminal of the switching matrix circuit, and the other terminal is adapted to connect to the balancing battery. The bidirectional conversion module controls the balancing battery to perform charging and discharging operations on any battery cell in the battery module, thereby achieving voltage balancing of any battery cell in the battery module. Through the switching matrix circuit and the bidirectional conversion module, precise energy transfer between the balancing battery and the connected battery cells can be achieved, realizing voltage balancing of any battery cell in the battery module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of power electronics technology, and particularly relates to a battery balancing module, a battery balancing device, a vehicle, a battery balancing method, an electronic device, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program method. Background Technology

[0002] In modern society, battery modules, composed of multiple battery cells, serve as the core power supply unit and are widely used in many fields such as electric vehicles, energy storage power stations, and portable electronic devices. However, due to subtle differences in battery manufacturing processes, varying usage environments, and the complexity of the charging and discharging process, inconsistent voltages can occur among the individual battery cells within a battery module during use.

[0003] Inconsistent voltages among the battery cells in a battery module can cause some cells to reach full charge or over-discharge during charging and discharging, while others fail to perform at their full potential. Over time, this reduces the overall energy efficiency of the battery module, accelerates its aging, and severely impacts its lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this application proposes a battery balancing module, a battery balancing device, a vehicle, a battery balancing method, an electronic device, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program method, which can realize the transfer of electrical energy between the battery module and the balancing battery, and achieve voltage balancing of the battery module.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a battery balancing module, comprising:

[0006] A switch matrix circuit, wherein the first terminal of the switch matrix circuit is adapted to selectively connect to any battery cell of the battery module;

[0007] A bidirectional conversion module is provided, one end of which is connected to the second end of the switch matrix circuit, and the other end is adapted to be connected to the equalizing battery. The bidirectional conversion module controls the equalizing battery to charge and discharge any battery cell of the battery module so as to equalize the voltage of any battery cell of the battery module.

[0008] Secondly, this application provides a battery balancing device, including a controller, a balancing battery, and the aforementioned battery balancing device and controller. The battery pack includes multiple battery modules; the controller is connected to each of the balancing modules.

[0009] Thirdly, this application provides a vehicle that includes a battery pack and the aforementioned battery balancing device. The battery pack includes battery modules, and the battery balancing device is connected to the battery modules.

[0010] Fourthly, this application provides a battery balancing method applied to the aforementioned battery balancing device, wherein the battery balancing device is connected to a battery module, and the battery balancing method includes:

[0011] Obtain battery information for each battery cell in the battery module;

[0012] Based on the battery information of each battery cell, the target battery cell to be balanced is determined;

[0013] The equalizing battery controls the charging and discharging operation of the connected target battery cell to achieve voltage equalization among the battery cells of the battery module.

[0014] Fifthly, this application provides an electronic device including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the above-mentioned battery balancing method.

[0015] Sixthly, this application provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described battery balancing method.

[0016] Seventhly, this application provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described battery balancing method.

[0017] The battery balancing module, battery balancing device, vehicle, battery balancing method, electronic device, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and computer program product provided in this application, when voltage inconsistencies occur among battery cells in a battery module, can selectively connect any battery cell requiring voltage balancing to a balancing battery via a switching matrix circuit. The balancing battery then charges or discharges the individual battery cells requiring voltage balancing, ensuring that the voltage of each battery cell in the battery module remains consistent. This achieves voltage balancing of the individual battery cells in the battery module, improves the overall energy utilization of the battery module, slows down battery aging, and extends the battery module's lifespan.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of embodiments of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the battery balancing module provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the battery balancing module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the battery balancing device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of the battery balancing method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the battery equalization sub-device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0028] Battery balancing module 100, switch matrix circuit 10, bidirectional conversion module 20, control unit 21, first PWM signal 22, second PWM signal 23, converter circuit 30, first circuit 31, second circuit 32, first switch 33, second switch 34, first sampling resistor 35, second sampling resistor 36, sampling chip 40, isolation device 50, first isolation device 51, second isolation device 52, third isolation device 53, battery balancing device 200, controller 210, balancing battery 220, vehicle 300, battery pack 310, battery module 320, battery unit 321. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0030] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. They can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. They can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of the invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, examples of various specific processes and materials are provided, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of a battery balancing module 100 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery balancing module 100 provided in an embodiment of this application. The battery balancing module 100 will be described in detail below:

[0034] The battery balancing module 100 includes a switch matrix circuit 10 and a bidirectional conversion module 20. The first end of the switch matrix circuit 10 is adapted to selectively connect to any battery cell 321 of the battery module 320. One end of the bidirectional conversion module 20 is connected to the second end of the switch matrix circuit 10, and the other end is adapted to connect to the balancing battery 220. The bidirectional conversion module 20 controls the balancing battery 220 to perform charging and discharging operations on any battery cell 321 of the battery module 320, so as to balance the voltage of any battery cell 321 of the battery module 320.

[0035] The switch matrix circuit 10 includes multiple switches. The first end of the switch matrix circuit 10 is configured to connect to the corresponding battery module 320, and the second end is connected to the bidirectional conversion module 20. By controlling the on / off state of each switch in the switch matrix circuit 10, the first end of the switch matrix circuit 10 can selectively connect to any battery cell 321, where each battery cell 321 includes a single battery cell.

[0036] Optionally, the switching device in the switching matrix circuit 10 can be a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOS transistor), a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), etc., and this application embodiment does not limit it.

[0037] The bidirectional conversion module 20 is used to achieve voltage balancing of each battery cell 321 in each battery module 320. The bidirectional conversion module 20 is configured to connect the balancing battery 220 to the switch matrix circuit 10, keeping the balancing battery 220 connected to the battery cell 321 to be balanced. This allows the balancing battery 220 to charge or discharge the battery cell 321, thereby maintaining a consistent voltage across all battery cells 321 and achieving precise energy balancing among the battery cells 321 in the battery module 320, thus improving battery balancing efficiency.

[0038] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 2 The bidirectional conversion module 20 includes a control unit 21 and a converter circuit 30. The converter circuit 30 includes a first circuit 31 and a second circuit 32. The first circuit 31 is adapted to connect to the equalization battery 220, and the second circuit 32 is connected to the second terminal of the switch matrix circuit 10. The control unit 21 is used to control the duty cycle of the switches of the first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32 to perform charging and discharging operations.

[0039] The control unit 21 is a device used to control the operating state of each component (such as the converter circuit 30) of the bidirectional conversion module 20. Optionally, the control unit 21 can be a microcontroller unit (MCU), a system on chip (SoC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), etc., and this application embodiment does not limit it.

[0040] The converter circuit 30 is used to transfer electrical energy between the device connected to the first circuit 31 and the device connected to the second circuit 32. Optionally, the converter circuit 30 can be a transformer circuit. When electrical energy is transferred from the device connected to the first circuit 31 to the device connected to the second circuit 32, the primary circuit of the transformer circuit is the first circuit 31, and the secondary circuit is the second circuit 32; or, when electrical energy is transferred from the device connected to the second circuit 32 to the device connected to the first circuit 31, the primary circuit of the transformer circuit is the second circuit 32, and the secondary circuit is the first circuit 31. Optionally, the magnetic core of the transformer circuit, as well as the turns ratio of the primary winding and the secondary winding, are not limited.

[0041] Optionally, the converter circuit 30 can also be a bidirectional half-bridge converter, a bidirectional full-bridge converter, a bidirectional single-ended primary inductor converter (i.e., a bidirectional SEPIC converter), or other devices with bidirectional power transmission and conversion capabilities. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0042] The first circuit 31 is connected to the equalizing battery 220; the second circuit 32 is connected to the battery module 320 through the switch matrix circuit 10. Furthermore, the second circuit 32 can be connected to any battery cell 321 in the battery module 320. The first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32 are used to ensure the stable transmission of electrical energy between the equalizing battery 220 and the battery module 320 (or any battery cell 321 therein).

[0043] Both the first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32 include switching components. The control unit 21 can realize the transfer of electrical energy between the first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32 by controlling the switching duty cycle of the switching components of the first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32, thereby realizing the transfer of electrical energy between the equalization battery 220 and the battery module 320 (or any of the battery cells 321 therein).

[0044] The control unit 21 controls the charging and discharging power by controlling the duty cycle of the switches of the first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32. The duty cycle is positively correlated with the charging and discharging power. Furthermore, the control unit 21 determines whether the equalizing battery 220 is charging or discharging by controlling the conduction phase difference of the switches of the first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32 (i.e., the phase of the switch of the first circuit minus the phase of the switch of the second circuit).

[0045] For example, when the switch of the first circuit 31 is turned on before the switch of the second circuit 32 (i.e., the phase difference is positive), the equalizing battery 220 discharges, that is, it releases electrical energy to the battery cell 321 to be equalized; when the switch of the second circuit 32 is turned on before the switch of the first circuit 31 (i.e., the phase difference is negative), the equalizing battery 220 is charged, that is, it obtains electrical energy from the battery cell 321 to be equalized.

[0046] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The battery balancing module 100 also includes a sampling chip 40, which is adapted to connect to each battery cell 321 of the battery module 320 to obtain battery information of each battery cell 321, including voltage.

[0047] The sampling chip 40 is a device used to acquire battery information of each battery cell 321 in the corresponding battery module 320 and generate instructions. The sampling chip 40 is electrically connected to each battery cell 321 in the corresponding battery module 320 (electrical conduction is achieved through conductive media such as wires, copper foil on printed circuit boards, etc.), and the sampling chip 40 can acquire battery information of each battery cell 321 in the corresponding battery module 320 in real time.

[0048] Among them, battery information refers to the electrical parameters of battery cell 321 in battery module 320, including at least voltage.

[0049] Optionally, the sampling chip 40 can be a Battery Information Collection Module (BIC chip, such as Texas Instruments' BQ79616 chip and BQ79718 chip), etc. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0050] Optionally, the sampling chip 40 also includes a related voltage sampling circuit, which assists the sampling chip 40 in achieving accurate sampling.

[0051] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 1 and Figure 2The switch matrix circuit 10 is connected to the sampling chip 40. The switch matrix circuit 10 receives the first control command from the sampling chip 40 to connect the second circuit 32 and the target battery cell to be equalized.

[0052] The target battery cell refers to battery cell 321 that requires voltage balancing due to excessively high or low voltage.

[0053] The sampling chip 40 communicates with the switch matrix circuit 10 via the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) protocol. By sending a first control command to the switch matrix circuit 10, the sampling chip 40 can selectively turn on each switch in the switch matrix circuit 10. Optionally, the SPI communication interface protocol can be replaced with a Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol or other communication protocols.

[0054] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 2 The sampling chip 40 is connected to the control unit. The first circuit 31 includes a first switch 33, and the second circuit 32 includes a second switch 34. The control unit is used for:

[0055] The second control command sent by the sampling chip 40 is received. The second control command includes the equalization direction and the target current. The target current is determined based on the voltage of each battery cell 321 of the battery module 320.

[0056] The balancing direction refers to the direction of energy transfer to the target battery cell. The balancing direction includes two cases: the target battery cell replenishing energy (i.e., the balancing battery 220 charging the target battery cell) and the target battery cell releasing energy (i.e., the target battery cell discharging to the balancing battery 220).

[0057] The target current is the stable current value output during the equalization process of the target battery cell.

[0058] Based on the balance direction and target current, the duty cycle of the first switch 33 and the second switch 34 is adjusted to balance the voltage of each battery cell 321. The first switch 33 controls the on / off state of the first circuit 31, and the second switch 34 controls the on / off state of the second circuit 32. Both the first switch 33 and the second switch 34 are controlled by the control unit 21.

[0059] Optionally, the first switching element 33 and the second switching element 34 can be a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOS transistor), a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), etc., and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0060] The sampling chip 40 communicates with the control unit 21 via communication protocols such as input / output communication (i.e., IO communication) or inter-integrated circuit (IIC communication). The sampling chip 40 and the control unit 21 are functionally independent and can be stacked in structure, with only communication connector interfaces and fixing holes between them reserved, reducing the overall planar area and meeting the structural requirements of cell-to-body (CTB) battery packs.

[0061] The sampling chip 40 can determine the target battery cell to be balanced, the balancing direction (charging or discharging) and target current of the target battery cell based on the battery information collected from each battery cell 321, and then generate a second control command to transmit to the control unit 21 for voltage balancing.

[0062] The target current is determined based on the battery information acquired by the sampling chip 40. Optionally, the target current can be determined based on the battery information of the battery cell 321 in the corresponding battery module 320 acquired by the sampling chip 40, or it can be determined based on the battery information acquired by multiple or all sampling chips 40.

[0063] Adjusting the conduction phase difference between the first switch 33 and the second switch 34 according to the equilibrium direction enables the electrical energy of the first circuit 31 to be transferred to the second circuit 32, or the electrical energy of the second circuit 32 to be transferred to the first circuit 31, thereby realizing the charging or discharging of the target battery cell.

[0064] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 2 The first circuit 31 includes a first sampling resistor 35 and a first switch 33, the second circuit 32 includes a second sampling resistor 36 and a second switch 34, and the control unit 21 is further used for:

[0065] The voltage across the first sampling resistor 35 and the second sampling resistor 36 is collected;

[0066] The first sampling current is determined based on the first voltage across the first sampling resistor 35 and the resistance value of the first sampling resistor 35, and the second sampling current is determined based on the second voltage across the second sampling resistor 36 and the resistance value of the second sampling resistor 36.

[0067] Based on the first sampling current and the second sampling current, the switching duty cycle of the first switching element 33 and the second switching element 34 is adjusted so that the second sampling current and the target current are matched.

[0068] The control unit 21 adjusts the switching duty cycle of the first switch 33 and the second switch 34 in real time according to the first sampling current and the second sampling current collected in real time, so that the second sampling current matches the target current, thereby achieving voltage balancing of the target battery cell.

[0069] The first sampling resistor 35 and the second sampling resistor 36 can be resistors such as metal film resistors, wire-wound resistors, and thin film resistors, and this application embodiment does not limit them.

[0070] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 2 The control unit 21 adjusts the duty cycle of the first switch 33 by adjusting the duty cycle of the first PWM signal 22, and adjusts the duty cycle of the second PWM signal 23 to adjust the duty cycle of the second switch 34.

[0071] The control unit 21 can generate a first PWM signal 22 and transmit it to the first switch 33 to control the on / off state of the first switch 33; the control unit 21 can also generate a second PWM signal 23 and transmit it to the second switch 34 to control the on / off state of the second switch 34. The duty cycle of the first PWM signal 22 directly determines the on / off time ratio of the first switch 33, and the duty cycle of the first switch 33 changes with the change of the duty cycle of the first PWM signal 22.

[0072] For example, the duty cycle of the first PWM signal 22 is 50%, and the first switch 33 has half on and half off time in one cycle. If the duty cycle of the first PWM signal 22 is adjusted to 75%, the on time of the first switch 33 will increase, the off time will decrease, and its duty cycle will change from 50% to 75%. The relationship between the second PWM signal 23 and the second switch 34 is basically similar, and will not be elaborated here to avoid repetition.

[0073] The first PWM signal 22 and the second PWM signal 23 enable the first switching element 33 and the second switching element 34 to conduct complementaryly and have a dead time (i.e., satisfy the complementary dead time condition), which can avoid the first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32 from being short-circuited and ensure the safe and reliable operation of the converter circuit 30.

[0074] Optionally, the first PWM signal 22 and the second PWM signal 23 are pulse width modulation signals (PWM signals for short), or other signals that can change the duty cycle of the on-off switch. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0075] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 2 The control unit 21 is also used to acquire the third voltage of the equalization battery 220 connected to the first circuit 31 and the fourth voltage of the second terminal of the switch matrix circuit 10 connected to the second circuit 32, and based on the third voltage and the fourth voltage, determine the initial duty cycle of the first PWM signal 22 and the second PWM signal 23 so that the current of the second circuit 32 at the initial moment is zero.

[0076] The initial duty cycle is the duty cycle of the PWM signal at the initial moment of voltage equalization of the target battery cell.

[0077] When the bidirectional conversion module 20 connects the equalizing battery 220 and the target battery cell to be equalized, in order to avoid a large current surge at the start of the charging and discharging operation and to start slowly, it is necessary to ensure that the initial current of the second circuit 32 is zero. To ensure that the initial current of the second circuit 32 is zero, the control unit 21 needs to acquire the third voltage V3 and the fourth voltage V4 before the start of the charging and discharging operation, and determine the initial duty cycle of the first PWM signal 22 and the second PWM signal 23 based on the acquired third voltage V3 and fourth voltage V4.

[0078] Furthermore, in some embodiments, please continue to refer to Figure 2 The control unit 21 is also used to determine the initial duty cycle of the first PWM signal 22 and the second PWM signal 23 based on the third voltage, the fourth voltage and the equalization direction, so that the current of the second circuit 32 is zero at the initial moment.

[0079] Specifically, when the balancing direction is to replenish the target battery cell with electrical energy, the calculated initial duty cycle causes the first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32 to be turned on alternately, with the first circuit 31 turning on first, thereby transferring the electrical energy in the balancing battery 220 to the target battery cell; when the balancing direction is to release electrical energy from the target battery cell, the calculated initial duty cycle causes the first circuit 31 and the second circuit 32 to be turned on alternately, with the second circuit 32 turning on first, thereby transferring the electrical energy in the target battery cell to the balancing battery 220.

[0080] In this way, large current surges can be avoided, ensuring the safety and stability of the converter circuit 30.

[0081] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 2 The battery balancing module 100 also includes an isolation device 50, which is connected to the control unit 21 and is used to achieve electrical isolation of the control unit 21.

[0082] Since part of the battery equalization module 100 is located on the high-voltage side and the control unit 21 is located on the low-voltage side (powered by low voltage), in order to ensure the safety and stability of the control unit 21 and to prevent voltage fluctuations and surges on the high-voltage side from damaging the control unit 21 on the low-voltage side, an isolation device 50 is required to protect the control unit 21.

[0083] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 2 The isolation device 50 includes a first isolation device 51, a second isolation device 52 and a third isolation device 53; the first isolation device 51 is located between the control unit 21 and the first sampling resistor 35; the second sampling resistor 36 and the second terminal of the switch matrix circuit 10 are both connected to the control unit 21 through the second isolation device 52; the first switch 33 and the second switch 34 are both connected to the control unit 21 through the third isolation device 53.

[0084] The first isolation device 51 is used to isolate the control unit 21 and the first sampling resistor 35; the second isolation device 52 is used to isolate the control unit 21 and the second sampling resistor 36, and also to isolate the control unit 21 and the second terminal of the switch matrix circuit 10; the first PWM signal 22 and the second PWM signal 23 issued by the control unit 21 are transmitted to the first switch 33 and the second switch 34 respectively through the third isolation device 53.

[0085] The sampling chip 40 is located on the high-voltage side and is communicatively connected to the control unit 21 through the first isolation device 51. Optionally, the sampling chip 40 can also be communicatively connected to the control unit 21 through the second isolation device 52 or the third isolation device 53.

[0086] Optionally, the first isolation device 51, the second isolation device 52, and the third isolation device 53 may be devices such as opto-isolators, magnetic couplers, and isolation transformers, and this application embodiment does not limit them.

[0087] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a battery balancing device 200 provided in an embodiment of this application. The battery balancing device 200 will be described in detail below:

[0088] The battery balancing device 200 includes a controller 210, a balancing battery 220, and a battery balancing module 100 in any of the above embodiments. The battery balancing module 100 is connected to the controller 210 and the balancing battery 220.

[0089] The balancing battery 220 is used to charge or discharge connected devices. After the balancing battery 220 is connected to the battery module 320 through the battery balancing module 100, the balancing battery 220 can selectively connect to any battery cell 321 in the corresponding battery module 320 to charge or discharge any battery cell 321, thereby balancing the voltage of the battery cells 321 in the battery module 320.

[0090] Optionally, the equalizing battery 220 can be a vehicle-mounted 12V small battery, a lithium-ion battery, a lead-acid battery, etc., and this application embodiment does not limit it.

[0091] The controller 210 is used to control the operating conditions of the battery balancing module 100. Furthermore, the controller 210 controls the connected bidirectional conversion modules 20 to perform battery balancing. The description of the bidirectional conversion modules 20 performing battery balancing has been described in the above embodiment of the battery balancing module 100, and will not be repeated here to avoid repetition.

[0092] Optionally, the controller 210 may be a battery sampling and supervision unit (BASU), a microcontroller unit (MCU), or other devices. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0093] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 2 The battery balancing module 100 is adapted to be connected one-to-one with the battery module 320, and the balancing battery 220 is connected to each battery balancing module 100.

[0094] The sampling chip 40 of the battery equalization module 100 is electrically connected to each battery cell 321 in the corresponding battery module 320 (electrical conduction is achieved through conductive media such as wires, copper foil on printed circuit boards, etc.), so that the sampling chip 40 can obtain the battery information of each battery cell 321 in the corresponding battery module 320 in real time.

[0095] The equalizing battery 220 is connected to each battery equalizing module 100, enabling voltage equalization of the battery cells 321 in each battery module 320 connected to each battery equalizing module 100. This achieves voltage equalization of each battery cell 321 within each battery module 320.

[0096] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 3 The controller 210 is connected to the sampling chip 40 in the battery equalization device 200 via a daisy chain.

[0097] The daisy-chain method involves connecting multiple sampling chips 40 sequentially in a chain-like configuration. Daisy-chain offers advantages such as simple wiring, easy expansion, high reliability, low cost, and high communication efficiency. Therefore, it can be easily expanded through cascading, allowing the controller 210 to connect to more sampling chips 40, thereby improving the equalization efficiency of the battery equalization device 200.

[0098] Optionally, the sampling chips 40 can establish communication connections with each other, and the target current can be determined based on the battery information obtained by the sampling chips 40 of multiple or all battery equalization modules 100.

[0099] Optionally, the controller 210 and each sampling chip 40 can also maintain communication through bus connection, star connection, ring connection or other connection methods. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0100] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 3 The battery balancing module 100 includes a sampling chip 40 and a controller 210 for acquiring battery information of each battery cell 321 acquired by the sampling chip 40. Based on the battery information of each battery cell 321, the controller 210 controls the balancing battery 220 to perform charging and discharging operations on the battery cells 321 of the connected battery module 320 through the bidirectional conversion module 20, so as to balance the voltage of each battery cell 321 of the battery module 320.

[0101] The controller 210 controls the connected sampling chips 40 to collect battery information from the corresponding battery cells 321 and feed it back to the controller 210. Based on the acquired battery information, one or more target battery cells to be balanced, as well as the corresponding balancing direction and target current, are determined.

[0102] For example, battery information includes the voltage of each battery cell 321. The controller 210 calculates the average value of all voltages (in the battery pack 310 or a battery module 320), and this average value can be used as the target voltage. The controller 210 selects the battery cells 321 whose absolute value of the difference between their voltage and the average value is greater than a preset threshold as the target battery cells to be balanced.

[0103] For example, when the voltage of the target battery cell is lower than the average voltage, the balancing direction of the target battery cell is that the balancing battery 220 discharges to charge the target battery cell. The controller 210 controls the balancing battery 220 to connect to the target battery cell and charge the target battery cell through the bidirectional conversion module 20, so that the voltage of the target battery cell is restored to the target voltage.

[0104] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 3The controller 210 is used to generate a third control command based on the battery information of each battery cell 321 and send the third control command to the sampling chip 40. The sampling chip 40 is used to receive the third control command and send a first control command or a second control command to the bidirectional conversion module 20. The first control command is used to control the converter circuit 30 of the bidirectional conversion module 20, and the second control command is used to control the switching matrix circuit 10 of the battery equalization module 100.

[0105] The third control command includes the target battery cell, its corresponding balancing direction, and target current. The first control command controls the converter circuit 30 to perform specific charging and discharging operations to achieve voltage balancing of the target battery cell. The second control command controls the switch matrix circuit 10 to connect the target battery cell and the converter circuit 30, thereby connecting the target battery cell to the balancing battery 220 so that the bidirectional conversion module 20 can charge or discharge the target battery cell.

[0106] Optionally, when there are multiple target battery cells and one equalizing battery 220 is connected to multiple bidirectional conversion modules 20, the third control instruction also includes the order information of the charging and discharging operations performed by each bidirectional conversion module 20 on the target battery cells, so as to ensure that each target battery cell completes voltage equalization in sequence without conflict.

[0107] This application embodiment also provides a vehicle 300, including a battery pack 310 and a battery balancing device 200 in any of the above embodiments. The battery pack 310 includes a battery module 320, and the battery balancing device 200 is connected to the battery module 320.

[0108] The battery modules 320 of the battery pack 310 each include multiple battery cells 321. The battery modules 320 in the battery pack 310 are connected to the battery balancing module 100. The battery balancing device 200 enables voltage balancing of each battery cell 321 in each battery module 320 of the battery pack 310.

[0109] Optionally, the battery pack 310 can be a lithium-ion battery pack, a lithium metal battery pack, a lead-acid battery pack, a nickel-metal hydride battery pack, etc., and this application embodiment does not limit this. The type of the battery module 320 is consistent with the type of the battery pack 310. The type of the battery cell 321 is consistent with the type of the battery module 320. The battery cell 321 includes a single battery cell.

[0110] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle 300 provided in an embodiment of this application. The vehicle 300 includes a battery pack 310 and a battery balancing device 200. The battery pack 310 includes multiple battery modules 320 (exemplarily three). The battery balancing module 100 in the battery balancing device 200 is connected to each battery module in a one-to-one correspondence. The controller 210 in the battery balancing device 200 can control the balancing battery 220 to perform voltage balancing on any battery cell 321 in any battery module 320. The specific balancing method has been described in detail in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here to avoid repetition.

[0111] Based on the above description of the battery balancing module 100, the battery balancing device 200, and the vehicle 300, this application embodiment provides a battery balancing method, which will be described in detail below:

[0112] Please see Figure 5 The battery balancing method provided in this application embodiment is implemented by steps 011, 012 and 013, which are described in detail below.

[0113] Step 011: Obtain battery information for each battery cell in the battery module;

[0114] Step 012: Based on the battery information of each battery cell, determine the target battery cell to be balanced;

[0115] Battery information refers to the electrical parameters of the battery cells in the battery module, including at least the voltage.

[0116] The target battery cell refers to the battery cell that requires voltage equalization.

[0117] The balancing direction refers to the direction of energy transfer in the target battery cell, determined based on the battery information of the target battery cell. The balancing direction includes either the balancing battery charging the target battery cell, or the target battery cell discharging into the balancing battery.

[0118] Specifically, each sampling chip is connected to a battery module in a one-to-one correspondence, and each sampling chip collects battery information from each battery cell in the connected battery module. By calculating and filtering the battery information of each battery cell, the target battery cell is identified, and the balancing direction (i.e., charging or discharging the target battery cell) and target current corresponding to the target battery cell are further determined.

[0119] For example, the average voltage of each battery cell is used as the target voltage. If the difference between the voltage of a battery cell and the target voltage is greater than a preset difference threshold, the battery cell is determined to be the target battery cell, and the balancing direction is to discharge the target battery cell. If the difference between the target voltage and the voltage of a battery cell is greater than a preset difference threshold, the battery cell is determined to be the target battery cell, and the balancing direction is to charge the target battery cell.

[0120] Step 013: Control the equalizing battery to charge and discharge the target battery cell to make the voltage of each battery cell in the battery module equal.

[0121] Specifically, when the target battery cell needs to be charged or discharged, a charging command is sent to the battery balancing module corresponding to the target battery cell. The target battery cell is connected to the balancing battery by controlling the switching circuit matrix in the battery balancing module, and then the control unit of the bidirectional conversion module in the battery balancing module is controlled to perform the charging and discharging operation.

[0122] For example, when the target battery cell needs to be charged, the control unit of the bidirectional conversion module collects the first voltage of the equalization battery connected to the first circuit and the second voltage of the second terminal of the switch matrix circuit connected to the second circuit (i.e., the voltage of the target battery cell). Based on the first voltage and the second voltage, the control unit of the equalization module determines the initial duty cycle of the first PWM signal to be output to the first switch and the second PWM signal to be output to the second switch, so as to ensure that the current of the second circuit is zero when the target battery cell is charged and started slowly, avoiding damage to the devices in the circuit by generating a large current at the start time.

[0123] Subsequently, the control unit of the bidirectional conversion module charges and discharges the target battery cell according to the corresponding balancing direction, achieving charging or discharging by controlling the duty cycle of the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal. The phase difference is the phase of the switch in the first circuit minus the phase of the switch in the second circuit. When the phase difference is positive, the balancing battery charges the battery cell to be balanced; when the phase difference is negative, the battery cell to be balanced charges the balancing battery.

[0124] Simultaneously, the control unit of the bidirectional converter module collects the current value of the second circuit in real time, compares the collected current value of the second circuit with the target current, performs closed-loop control, and adjusts the duty cycle of the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal in real time to ensure that the current value of the second circuit is stable at the target current.

[0125] In this way, the voltage of each battery cell can be flexibly adjusted, achieving precise battery balancing between different battery cells in each battery module and improving the efficiency of battery balancing.

[0126] Based on the battery balancing method described in the above embodiments, this application also provides a battery balancing sub-device 400 for performing the steps in the above battery balancing method. Please refer to... Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a battery balancing sub-device 400 provided in an embodiment of this application. The battery balancing sub-device 400 includes:

[0127] The acquisition module 401 is used to acquire battery information of each battery cell in the battery module;

[0128] The determination module 402 is used to determine the target battery cell to be balanced based on the battery information of each battery cell;

[0129] The execution module 403 is used to control the equalization battery to perform charging and discharging operations on the target battery cell so as to balance the voltage of each battery cell in the battery module.

[0130] It should be noted that the specific details of each module unit in the above-mentioned battery balancing sub-device have been described in detail in the embodiments of the above-mentioned battery balancing method, and will not be repeated here.

[0131] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "module" or "unit" refer to a computer program or part of a computer program that has a predetermined function and works with other related parts to achieve a predetermined goal, and can be implemented wholly or partially using software, hardware (such as processing circuitry or memory), or a combination thereof. Similarly, a processor (or multiple processors or memory) can be used to implement one or more modules or units. Furthermore, each module or unit can be part of an overall module or unit that includes the functionality of that module or unit.

[0132] In some embodiments, the battery balancing sub-device in this application can be implemented in hardware, such as an electronic device or a component in an electronic device, such as an integrated circuit or a chip; the battery balancing sub-device can also be implemented in software, such as as an application installed in an electronic device.

[0133] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in the embodiments of this application. The electronic device 500 includes a processor 501 and a memory 502. The memory 502 stores a computer program 503 that can run on the processor 501. When the processor 501 executes the program 503, it implements the various processes of the embodiments of the battery balancing method described above and can achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0134] This application also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the various processes of the above-described battery balancing method embodiments and achieves the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0135] The processor can be the processor in the electronic device described in the above embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium can be a computer read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk, or optical disk, etc.

[0136] Computer-readable media can include computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented by any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media include RAM, ROM, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other solid-state storage technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile optical disc (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic tape cassettes, magnetic tape, disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that computer storage media are not limited to the above-mentioned types.

[0137] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the aforementioned battery balancing method. The processor may be a processor in the electronic device described in the above embodiments. When executed by the processor, the computer program implements various processes of the embodiments of the aforementioned battery balancing method and achieves the same technical effects; therefore, to avoid repetition, these will not be described again here.

[0138] It is understood that in the specific implementation of this application, data related to user identity or characteristics is involved. When the above embodiments of this application are applied to specific products or technologies, user permission or consent is required, and the collection, use and processing of related data must comply with the relevant laws, regulations and standards of the relevant countries and regions.

[0139] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "some embodiments," "in one example," "exemplarily," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0140] Any process or method description in the flowchart or otherwise herein can be understood as representing a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or process, and the scope of the preferred embodiments of this application includes additional implementations in which functions may be performed not in the order shown or discussed, including substantially simultaneously or in reverse order according to the functions involved, as should be understood by those skilled in the art to which embodiments of this application pertain.

[0141] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A battery balancing module, characterized in that, include: A switch matrix circuit, wherein the first terminal of the switch matrix circuit is adapted to selectively connect to any battery cell of the battery module; A bidirectional conversion module is provided, one end of which is connected to the second terminal of the switch matrix circuit, and the other end is adapted to connect to the equalizing battery. The bidirectional conversion module controls the equalizing battery to charge and discharge any battery cell in the battery module, so as to equalize the voltage of any battery cell in the battery module. The bidirectional conversion module includes a control unit and a converter circuit. The converter circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit is adapted to connect to the equalizing battery, and the second circuit is connected to the second terminal of the switch matrix circuit. The first circuit includes a first sampling resistor and a first switch, and the second circuit includes a second sampling resistor and a second switch. The control unit is used to control the duty cycle of the switches of the first circuit and the second circuit to perform the charging and discharging operation. A sampling chip, adapted to connect to each battery cell of the battery module, is provided to obtain battery information for each battery cell, including voltage. A switching matrix circuit is connected to the sampling chip and receives a first control command from the sampling chip to connect a second circuit and the target battery cell to be equalized. The sampling chip is also connected to the control unit. The control unit is used for: The system receives a second control command sent by the sampling chip. The second control command includes an equalization direction and a target current, wherein the target current is determined based on the voltage of each battery cell in the battery module. Based on the equilibrium direction and target current, the switching duty cycle of the first switch and the second switch is adjusted to make the voltage of each battery cell equal. The control unit is also used for: The voltage across the first sampling resistor and the second sampling resistor is collected; The first sampling current is determined based on the first voltage across the first sampling resistor and the resistance value of the first sampling resistor, and the second sampling current is determined based on the second voltage across the second sampling resistor and the resistance value of the second sampling resistor; Based on the first sampling current and the second sampling current, the switching duty cycle of the first switch and the second switch is adjusted so that the second sampling current matches the target current.

2. The battery balancing module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit adjusts the duty cycle of the first switch by adjusting the duty cycle of the first PWM signal, and adjusts the duty cycle of the second PWM signal to adjust the duty cycle of the second switch.

3. The battery balancing module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is also used to acquire the third voltage of the equalization battery connected to the first circuit and the fourth voltage of the second terminal of the switch matrix circuit connected to the second circuit, and based on the third voltage and the fourth voltage, determine the initial duty cycle of the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal so that the current of the second circuit at the initial moment is 0.

4. The battery balancing module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control unit is also configured to determine the initial duty cycle of the first PWM signal and the second PWM signal based on the third voltage, the fourth voltage and the equalization direction, so that the current of the second circuit at the initial moment is 0.

5. The battery balancing module according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an isolation device connected to the control unit for providing electrical isolation to the control unit.

6. The battery balancing module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The isolation device includes: A first isolation device is located between the control unit and the first sampling resistor; The second isolation device is used to connect the control unit to both the second sampling resistor and the second terminal of the switch matrix circuit. The third isolation device is used to connect both the first and second switching devices to the control unit.

7. A battery balancing device, characterized in that, include: Controller; Balanced battery; and The battery balancing module according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the battery balancing module is connected to the controller and the balancing battery.

8. The battery balancing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The controller is connected to the sampling chip in the battery equalization device via a daisy chain.

9. The battery balancing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The controller is used to generate a third control instruction based on the battery information of each battery cell, and send the third control instruction to the sampling chip. The sampling chip is used to receive the third control instruction to issue a first control instruction or a second control instruction to the equalization module. The first control instruction is used to control the converter circuit of the bidirectional conversion module, and the second control instruction is used to control the switching matrix circuit of the equalization module.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: Battery pack, the battery pack including battery modules; and The battery balancing device according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein the battery balancing device is connected to the battery module.

11. A battery balancing method, characterized in that, The battery balancing device according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein the battery balancing device is connected to a battery module, and the battery balancing method comprises: Obtain battery information for each battery cell in the battery module; Based on the battery information of each battery cell, the target battery cell to be balanced is determined; The equalization battery is controlled to charge and discharge the target battery cell, so as to balance the voltage of each battery cell in the battery module.

12. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor, when executing the program, implements the battery balancing method as described in claim 11.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the battery balancing method as described in claim 11.

14. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the battery balancing method as described in claim 11.

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