Battery module and method for determining state of current sensor thereof

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery module of an electronic device may include: a battery pack; a current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by the battery pack; and a battery controller configured to control the battery pack and determine whether the current sensor is abnormal based on a measurement result of the current sensor, in which one end of the current detection resistor is connected to the battery pack and the other end of the current detection resistor is connected to a ground line of the battery controller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery module and a technology for determining a state of a current sensor included in the battery module, and particularly, to a technology for detecting a short-circuit state of a current sensor including a current detection resistor (eg, a shunt resistor). Background Art

[0002] Typically, two current sensors can be used to evaluate the current efficiency of a battery pack. In this case, a current sensor is connected to each terminal of the battery pack (in other words, the positive terminal and the negative terminal), and the difference in the measurement results of the two current sensors is used to evaluate the current efficiency of the battery pack. However, the method of using two current sensors is expensive and may have the problem of difficulty in miniaturizing the size of the battery module. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Technical issues

[0004] According to example embodiments of the present disclosure, a technical challenge is to simply and accurately determine whether the current sensor is abnormal while determining the effectiveness of the current of a battery pack through one current sensor.

[0005] According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, a technical challenge is to determine whether a current sensor is abnormal by measuring a consumption current of a battery management system (BMS).

[0006] Technical Solution

[0007] A battery module according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a battery pack; a current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by the battery pack; and a battery controller configured to control the battery pack and determine whether the current sensor is abnormal based on a measurement result of the current sensor, wherein the current detection resistor has one end connected to the battery pack and the other end of the current detection resistor has the ground line connected to the battery controller.

[0008] The battery controller according to example embodiments may be configured to determine that the current sensor is in an abnormal state in response to a measurement result of the current sensor being equal to or lower than a threshold value.

[0009] According to the battery module of the example embodiment, wherein the battery controller may be configured to notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the current sensor in response to determining that the current sensor is in the abnormal state.

[0010] The battery controller according to example embodiments may be configured to control a relay to disconnect at least a portion of a current path of the battery pack in response to determining that the current sensor is in an abnormal state.

[0011] The threshold value according to an example embodiment may be determined based on a consumption current of the battery controller.

[0012] According to example embodiments, an expected consumption current range of the battery controller may be set for each operation mode of the battery pack.

[0013] According to an example embodiment, the battery controller can be configured to determine the operating mode of the battery pack based on the measurement results of the current sensor, identify the expected consumption current range of the battery controller corresponding to the operating mode of the battery pack, correct the measurement results of the current sensor based on the identified expected consumption current range, and notify the vehicle controller of the corrected measurement results.

[0014] The battery controller according to example embodiments may be configured to determine that the current sensor is in a normal state in response to a measurement result of the current sensor exceeding a threshold value, and control the battery pack to supply power to the vehicle in response to determining that the current sensor is in the normal state.

[0015] The battery controller according to example embodiments may be configured to obtain information on a battery state by applying a measurement result of a current sensor to a SoX algorithm.

[0016] According to example embodiments, the SoX algorithm may include at least one of a state of charge (SoC) algorithm, a state of power (SoP) algorithm, and a state of health (SoH) algorithm, and the information about the battery state may include at least one of a battery SoC, a battery SoH, and a battery SoP.

[0017] According to example embodiments, the current detection resistor may be a shunt resistor.

[0018] The battery controller according to the example embodiment may be configured to control the relay so that the current path of the battery pack forms a closed circuit before supplying a large amount of power to the motor of the vehicle, and determine the state of the current sensor based on the measurement result of the current sensor when the motor of the vehicle is not running.

[0019] A method for determining the state of a current sensor by a battery controller included in a battery module according to an example embodiment, the method comprising the following steps: receiving a measurement result of the current sensor, the current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by a battery pack; and determining whether the current sensor is abnormal based on the measurement result of the current sensor, wherein the current detection resistor has one end connected to the battery pack and the current detection resistor has the other end connected to a ground line of the battery controller.

[0020] Beneficial effects

[0021] According to the exemplary embodiment, when the validity of the current of the battery pack is determined by one current sensor, it is possible to simply and accurately determine whether the current sensor is abnormal.

[0022] According to example embodiments, it may be determined whether the current sensor is abnormal by measuring consumption of the BMS. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a battery module according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 2a and Figure 2b is a diagram illustrating a battery module according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 3 is a process flow chart of a battery module according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 4 is a process flow chart of a battery module according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 5 is a process flow chart of a battery module according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 6 is a process flow chart of a battery module according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The terms used in the example embodiments are selected from currently widely used general terms as much as possible while taking into account the functions in the present disclosure. However, these terms may vary according to the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in some cases, there are terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in such cases, the meaning will be described in detail in the corresponding description. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should be defined based on the meaning of the terms and the content of the present disclosure rather than the simple names of the terms.

[0030] Throughout the specification, when a part is described as “including or comprising” a component, unless otherwise specified, it does not exclude another component but may further include another component. In addition, terms such as “… unit”, “… group”, and “… module” described in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation and can be implemented as hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

[0031] The expression “at least one of a, b, and c” described throughout the specification may include “a alone,” “b alone,” “c alone,” “a and b,” “a and c,” “b and c,” or “all of a, b, and c.”

[0032] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. However, the present disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0033] Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] When describing the exemplary embodiments, descriptions of technical contents that are well known in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs and are not directly related to the present disclosure will be omitted. This is to convey the main points of the present disclosure more clearly by omitting unnecessary descriptions without obscuring the main points of the present disclosure.

[0035] For the same reason, some elements are enlarged, omitted or schematically illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In addition, the size of each element does not fully reflect the actual size. In each figure, the same or corresponding elements are assigned the same reference numerals.

[0036] The advantages and features of the present disclosure, as well as methods for achieving the advantages and features, will become apparent with reference to the example embodiments described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the example embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in a variety of different forms. The example embodiments are provided only to complete the present disclosure and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the present disclosure of its scope. The present disclosure is limited only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0037] It will be understood that each block of the flowchart and the combination of the flowchart can be performed by computer program instructions. The computer program instructions can be embodied in the processor of a general-purpose computer or a special-purpose computer, or can be embodied in the processor of other programmable data processing devices. Therefore, the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device can generate a part for performing the functions described in the flowchart block. In order to implement the functions in a specific manner, the computer program instructions can also be stored in a computer-usable memory or a computer-readable memory that can guide the computer or other programmable data processing device. Therefore, the instructions stored in the computer-usable memory or the computer-readable memory can be produced as an article including the instruction portion for performing the functions described in the flowchart block. The computer program instructions can be embodied in a computer or other programmable data processing device. Therefore, a series of operations can be performed in a computer or other programmable data processing device to create a computer-implemented process, and the computer or other programmable data processing device can provide steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block.

[0038] Additionally, each block may represent a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for performing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions described in the blocks may not occur in order. For example, two blocks shown one after the other may be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order according to the corresponding functions.

[0039] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a battery module 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, the battery module 100 may also be referred to as a battery system as a module including a battery pack 110 that stores electrical energy to power a vehicle (e.g., an electric vehicle and a hybrid vehicle), a battery controller 120 for managing and controlling the battery pack 110, and necessary components required to supply other currents. In the present disclosure, the number of battery packs 110 included in the battery module 100 is shown as one, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the battery module 100 may include two or more battery packs 110.

[0040] The battery module 100 according to an example embodiment may include a battery pack 110, a battery controller 120, and a current sensor 130. At least one of the components included in the battery module 100 may be omitted, or other components may be added to the battery module 100. Additionally or alternatively, some components may be implemented in an integrated manner, or may be implemented as a single entity or multiple entities. At least some of the components within the battery module 100 may be implemented in an integrated manner, or may be implemented as a single entity or multiple entities. At least some of the components within the battery module 100 may be interconnected via a controller area network (CAN), a bus, a general purpose input / output (GPIO), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), or a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), and may send and receive data and / or signals.

[0041] The battery pack 110 according to the example embodiment may include a plurality of battery modules connected in series. The number of battery modules included in the battery pack 110 may be two or more. Each battery module may include a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel. The number of battery cells included in each battery module may be two or more. The battery pack 110 can perform a charging operation or a discharging operation by being connected to a load via a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The plurality of battery cells and the plurality of battery modules may be connected in parallel and in series in various ways to meet the specifications of the power consumption device. The battery cells may be, for example, lithium-ion battery cells.

[0042] The battery pack 110 may be an electrical energy source that provides electrical energy to power consumption devices. Power consumption devices may include, for example, mobility devices such as electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and electric scooters. The battery pack 110 may supply power to the vehicle under the control of the battery controller 120 and may also be powered by a charging device.

[0043] The battery controller 120 according to an example embodiment may be a battery management system (BMS) that manages and controls the battery pack 110. The battery controller 120 may be referred to as a BMS, a battery control circuit, or a battery monitoring integrated circuit. The battery controller 120 is connected to the battery pack 110 and may obtain voltage signals measured from both ends of the battery pack 110. For example, the battery controller 120 may be connected to each of a plurality of battery modules included in the battery pack 110.

[0044] According to an example embodiment, the current sensor 130 may be a sensor including a current detection resistor. The current detection resistor may be, for example, a shunt resistor. In other words, the current sensor 130 is a current sensor 130 including a shunt resistor and a high-speed amplifier, and has the advantages of being easy to install in a current path and convenient to operate. According to an example embodiment, the current sensor 130 including a shunt resistor can measure the total current value flowing through the current sensor 130 by connecting the shunt resistor in parallel to a constant current circuit (ammeter). In other words, the current measurement range can be extended by using a current sensor 130 with a shunt resistor connected in parallel. According to another example embodiment, the current sensor 130 including a shunt resistor can detect the voltage drop across the two terminals of the shunt resistor by connecting the shunt resistor in series with the ammeter, and the current sensor 130 including the shunt resistor can also be used to measure the current flowing in the circuit. The battery controller 120 can measure the current of the battery pack 110 by converting the voltage measured by the current sensor 130 using the shunt resistor into current. In other words, since the resistance value of the shunt resistor is known in advance, when the voltage value across the shunt resistor is measured, the current sensor 130 can calculate the current value flowing through the shunt resistor, and this current value can be referred to as the current value flowing in the charge / discharge path of the battery pack 110. The method of measuring the current value is based on Ohm's law, and can measure an accurate current value by using the law that voltage changes proportionally to current.

[0045] According to an example embodiment, a current sensor 130 including a current detection resistor may be electrically connected to a current path formed by the battery pack 110. For example, the current sensor 130 may be installed on a current path connected to a negative terminal (or (-) terminal) among two terminals of the battery pack 110. The current sensor 130 is connected to the battery controller 120 and may transmit a measurement result to the battery controller 120.

[0046] According to an example embodiment, the battery controller 120 may control or manage the battery pack 110. The battery controller 120 may monitor the voltage, current, and temperature of the battery pack 110. The battery controller 120 may perform abnormality diagnosis, cell balancing, and estimate the state of charge (SoC), state of health (SoH), and state of power (SoP) of the battery pack 110. SoC is a percentage expression of the current state of charge of the battery, and SoH is a percentage expression of the current state of degradation of the battery, and SoP is a ratio expressing the current state of power of the battery. The battery controller 120 may receive a measurement result from the current sensor 130, and based on the measurement result, may detect the current state of the battery pack 110. The battery controller 120 may also detect the state of the current sensor 130 based on the measurement result of the current sensor 130. This document discloses a specific method for causing the battery controller 120 to detect the state of the current sensor 130.

[0047] The battery module 100 according to the example embodiment may further include a relay (not shown) that can disconnect at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack 110 under the control of the battery controller 120 to prevent current flow and can also be used to connect the current path of the battery pack 110 to form a closed circuit.

[0048] The battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment can send information about the battery pack 110 to a vehicle controller (not shown). The vehicle controller can be, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU). The vehicle controller can refer to a control device that controls various states of the vehicle. The battery controller 120 may include a communication module for communicating with other systems in the vehicle (e.g., a vehicle controller). The communication module of the battery controller 120 may communicate with other systems in the vehicle using a controller area network (CAN). The components within the battery controller 120 may also be connected to each other via a CAN bus. CAN communication refers to a standard communication specification designed to allow controllers or devices to communicate with each other in a vehicle without a host computer. As a network protocol based on non-host bus messages that is mainly used for communication between each controller, CAN communication can be mainly used in vehicles. The communication module of the battery controller 120 may include a buffer for temporarily storing data received from other modules or systems.

[0049] For example, the battery controller 120 according to an example embodiment may notify the vehicle controller of information about the battery pack 110, including the voltage, current, temperature, SoC, SoH, and SoP of the battery pack 110. The battery controller 120 may also notify the vehicle controller of the status of the components included in the battery module 100. For example, when an abnormal state of the battery pack 110 is detected, the battery controller 120 may notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the battery pack 110. For example, when the battery controller 120 detects an abnormal state of the current sensor 130, the battery controller 120 may notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the current sensor 130.

[0050] Figure 2a and Figure 2b is a diagram illustrating a battery module 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 2a Regarding an example embodiment in which the ground line of the battery controller 120 is directly connected to the negative terminal of the battery pack 110, Figure 2b This relates to an example embodiment in which the ground line of the battery controller 120 is installed in a path including the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 . Figure 2a and Figure 2b The battery module 100 shown may include a battery pack 110, a battery controller 120, a current sensor 130, and a relay 140. The battery pack 110 may include a plurality of battery modules 110a, 110b, and 110c. The plurality of battery modules 110a, 110b, and 110c may be connected in series with each other. Each of the plurality of battery modules 110a, 110b, and 110c may include a plurality of battery cells. The plurality of battery cells may be connected in parallel with each other.

[0052] Reference Figure 2a Regarding the current sensor 130 according to an example embodiment, the current sensor 130 including a current detection resistor may be electrically connected to a current path formed by the battery pack 110. The battery controller 120 is connected to the battery pack 110 and may monitor and estimate information regarding various states of the battery pack 110. A ground line of the battery controller 120 may be directly connected to the negative terminal of the battery pack 110. In other words, the ground line of the battery controller 120 may be connected between the negative terminal of the battery pack 110 and the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130.

[0053] In other words, according to Figure 2aIn the example embodiment disclosed in , the battery controller 120 may be directly connected to both ends of the battery pack 110 (in other words, the positive terminal and the negative terminal) and monitor the state of the battery pack 110. In this case, the current sensor 130 may measure the current (or charging current / discharging current) coming from or entering the battery pack 110. However, in this case, the current sensor 130 may not measure the current consumption of the battery controller 120 itself. For example, in this case, if the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is short-circuited and the current value cannot be measured correctly, the measured value of the current sensor 130 may be 0A. In addition, even if the battery pack 110 is in a state in which it is not used (for example, sleep mode), since the current does not flow out of the battery pack 110, the measured value of the current sensor 130 may be 0A.

[0054] Here, the consumption current of the battery controller 120 may refer to the current required for the operation of the battery controller 120. The consumption current of the battery controller 120 may be, for example, 100 mA to 200 mA. According to an example embodiment, the expected consumption current range of the battery controller 120 may be set for each operating mode of the battery pack 110. For example, when the battery pack 110 is in sleep mode, the expected consumption current range of the battery controller 120 may be set to 100 mA to 200 mA, and when the battery pack 110 is in discharge mode, the expected current consumption range of the battery controller 120 may be set to 200 mA to 300 mA. Therefore, if the detection result of the current sensor 130 is 110 mA, the current consumption of the battery controller 120 is 110 mA, and it can be determined that the battery pack 110 is currently in sleep mode. The consumption current values ​​described are exemplary and may obviously vary depending on the type of battery and the type of vehicle. The specific method for determining the operating mode will be described later.

[0055] In other words, in the example embodiment, if the measurement value of the current sensor 130 is 0 A, it may simply be in a normal state where the battery pack 110 is not in use, or it may be an abnormal state where the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is short-circuited. In the example embodiment, it is not possible to clearly determine whether the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is short-circuited using only the measurement result of the current sensor 130. In the example embodiment, whether the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is short-circuited can be determined only by combining the measurement result of the current sensor 130, the battery cell voltage, and external information.

[0056] Reference Figure 2b, the ground line of the battery controller 120 according to this embodiment is not directly connected to the negative terminal of the battery pack 110, but may be installed in a current path including a current detection resistor of the current sensor 130. In other words, one end of the current detection resistor may be connected to the battery pack 110, and the other end of the current detection resistor may be connected to the ground line of the battery controller 120.

[0057] In other words, according to Figure 2b In the example embodiment disclosed in

[15] , since the battery controller 120 is connected to a path including the battery pack 110 and the current sensor 130, the current sensor 130 can measure the charge current and discharge current of the battery pack 110 and the current consumption of the battery controller 120. In this case, the battery controller 120 can monitor not only the state of the battery pack 110, but also the state of the current sensor 130. For example, in the example embodiment, when the battery pack 110 is in its unused state (e.g., sleep mode), current does not flow from the battery pack 110, but the battery controller 120 is in a normal operating state, and therefore the measurement value of the current sensor 130 can be the current consumption value of the battery controller 120 (e.g., 100 mA to 200 mA). However, when the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is short-circuited and cannot correctly measure the current value, the measurement value of the current sensor 130 may be 0 A. In other words, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment can determine whether the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is short-circuited using only the measurement result of the current sensor 130.

[0058] Figure 3 is a process flow chart of the battery module 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] 3. Referring to the process flow chart 300, the battery controller 120 of the battery module 100 according to the example embodiment may receive a measurement result of the current sensor 130 in operation 310. The battery controller 120 may receive a measurement result regarding a current measured by the current sensor 130.

[0060] In operation 320, in response to the measurement result of the current sensor 130 being equal to or lower than the threshold value, the battery controller 120 of the battery module 100 according to the example embodiment may determine that the current sensor 130 is in an abnormal state. The threshold value is a value set to determine whether the current sensor 130 is abnormal, and may be determined based on the current consumption of the battery controller 120. For example, if the consumption current of the battery controller 120 is 120 mA, the user may determine the threshold value to be 100 mA. The above numerical values ​​are exemplary, and the numerical values ​​may be set in various ways within a range capable of determining whether the current sensor 130 is abnormal. If the measurement result of the current sensor 130 is equal to or lower than the threshold value, the battery controller 120 may determine an abnormal state in which the current sensor 130 cannot measure the consumption current of the battery controller 120, or a state in which the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is short-circuited.

[0061] In operation 330, the battery controller 120 according to an example embodiment may control the relay so that at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack 110 is disconnected. In response to determining that the current sensor 130 is in an abnormal state, the battery controller 120 may control the relay (e.g., Figure 2b The relay 140 in the battery pack 110 is used to disconnect at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack 110. In other words, when it is determined that the current sensor 130 is in an abnormal state, the battery controller 120 can disconnect the current path to prevent current from flowing in the battery pack 110. As a result, battery accidents can be prevented in advance.

[0062] In operation 340, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment may notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the current sensor 130. When determining that the current sensor 130 is in an abnormal state, the battery controller 120 may notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the current sensor 130. In other words, the battery controller 120 may notify the vehicle controller of the fact that there is a problem with the current sensor 130 so that an immediate subsequent procedure can be performed.

[0063] Figure 4 is a process flow chart of the battery module 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 The content described is duplicate content.

[0064] Referring to the process flow chart 400, the battery controller 120 of the battery module 100 according to the example embodiment may receive a measurement result of the current sensor 130 in operation 410. In operation 420, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment may compare the measurement result received from the current sensor 130 with a threshold value. The threshold value is a value set to determine whether the current sensor 130 is abnormal and may be determined based on the current consumption of the battery controller 120.

[0065] If the measurement result is equal to or lower than the threshold, the process branches to operation 430 (420-Yes), and the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment may determine that the current sensor 130 is in an abnormal state. In response to the measurement result being equal to or lower than the threshold, the battery controller 120 may determine that the current sensor 130 is in an abnormal state in which the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is short-circuited. In operation 440, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment may control the relay to disconnect at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack 110 in response to determining that the current sensor 130 is in an abnormal state. In operation 450, in response to determining that the current sensor 130 is in an abnormal state, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment may notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the current sensor 130.

[0066] When the measurement result exceeds the threshold value, the process branches to operation 460 (420-No), and the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment can determine that the current sensor 130 is in a normal state. In other words, the battery controller 120 can use the current consumption of the battery controller 120 to determine the measurement result of the current sensor 130, and can determine that the current sensor 130 is in a normal state. In operation 470, in response to determining that the current sensor 130 is in a normal state, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment can control the battery pack 110 so that power is supplied to the vehicle. In this case, when the required power corresponding to the required torque is requested from the vehicle controller, the battery controller 120 can control the battery pack 110 to output the required power corresponding to the torque required by the motor of the vehicle.

[0067] Furthermore, when the current sensor 130 is in a normal state, the battery controller 120 may obtain information about the battery state by applying the measurement result of the current sensor 130 to a SoX algorithm. For example, the SoX algorithm may include at least one of a SoC algorithm, a SoP algorithm, and a SoH algorithm. The information about the battery state may include at least one of the battery SoC, the battery SoH, and the battery SoP. The SoX algorithm may include various known algorithms. For example, the battery controller 120 may obtain information about the battery SoC by applying the measurement result of the current sensor 130 to the SoC algorithm.

[0068] According to an example embodiment, before a large amount of power is supplied to the motor of the vehicle, the battery controller 120 may control the relay so that the current path of the battery pack 110 forms a closed circuit, and when the motor of the vehicle is not operating, the battery controller 120 may determine the state of the current sensor 130 based on the measurement result of the current sensor 130. In other words, even before a large amount of power is supplied to the motor of the vehicle, the battery controller 120 may form a closed circuit for power supply and predetermine the state of the current sensor 130 before the motor is driven.

[0069] Figure 5 is a process flow chart of the battery module 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0070] Referring to the process flow diagram 500 , the battery controller 120 of the battery module 100 according to an example embodiment may receive a measurement result of the current sensor 130 in operation 510 .

[0071] In operation 520, the battery controller 120 according to an example embodiment may determine the operating mode of the battery pack 110. For example, the operating mode of the battery pack 110 may include a sleep mode, a discharge mode, and a charge mode. The sleep mode is a mode in which there is no request from the vehicle to output power to the battery pack 110 when the vehicle is not started, and the sleep mode may indicate a mode in which the battery pack 110 is not operating. In other words, in the sleep mode, the battery pack 110 is not charged or discharged by current. In addition, even when the battery pack 110 is in the sleep mode, it is necessary to perform monitoring of the battery pack 110, and thus the battery controller 120 may operate and current consumption may occur accordingly.

[0072] The discharge mode is a mode in which power is output from the battery pack 110. This mode may indicate a mode in which, while the vehicle is traveling, the vehicle controller, in response to a user's request, requests the battery controller 120 to output the required power according to the required torque, and the required power is output accordingly. In other words, in the discharge mode, current may be discharged from the battery pack 110 and current may be consumed by the battery controller 120. The charge mode is a mode for charging the battery pack 110. This mode may indicate a mode in which the battery pack 110 is charged by an external charging device or by regenerative braking.

[0073] The battery controller 120 may determine the current operation mode of the battery pack 110. In other words, since the battery controller 120 monitors the battery pack 110 in real time, the battery controller 120 may know what the current operation mode of the battery pack 110 is.

[0074] In operation 530, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment may identify an expected current consumption range of the battery controller 120 corresponding to the operating mode of the battery pack 110. The current consumption of the battery controller 120 may vary depending on the operating mode of the battery pack 110. Therefore, the range of the expected current consumption of the battery controller 120 may be set for each operating mode of the battery pack 110. For example, when the battery pack 110 is in sleep mode, the expected current consumption range of the battery controller 120 is set to 100 mA to 200 mA, when the battery pack 110 is in discharge mode, the expected current consumption range of the battery controller 120 may be set to 200 mA to 300 mA, and when the battery pack 110 is in charge mode, the expected current consumption range of the battery controller 120 may be set to 250 mA to 350 mA. For example, if the current operating mode of the battery pack 110 is discharge mode, the battery controller 120 may identify that the current consumption is 200 mA to 300 mA. In the example embodiment, it is explained that the range of the expected consumption current is set, but it is obvious that the expected consumption current may be set to a specific value instead of the range.

[0075] In operation 540, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment may correct the measurement result of the current sensor 130. The battery controller 120 may correct the measurement result of the current sensor 130 by subtracting the identified expected consumption current from the measurement result of the current sensor 130. In other words, the pure charge current / discharge current of the battery pack 110 that does not reflect the consumption current of the battery controller 120 may be calculated. In operation 550, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment may notify the vehicle controller of the corrected measurement result.

[0076] Figure 6 is a process flow chart of the battery module 100 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] Referring to the process flow diagram 600 , the battery controller 120 of the battery module 100 according to an example embodiment may receive a measurement result of the current sensor 130 in operation 610 .

[0078] In operation 620, the battery controller 120 according to an example embodiment may detect an open circuit state of the current sensor 130. In a case where the voltages of the plurality of battery cells included in the battery pack 110 do not suddenly rise or fall, the battery controller 120 may determine whether the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is open circuit based on the detection result of the current sensor 130. When it is determined that the current sensor 130 is open circuit, the battery controller 120 may determine that an abnormal state exists and may control the relay so that at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack 110 is disconnected.

[0079] In operation 630, the battery controller 120 according to the example embodiment may detect a short circuit state of the current sensor 130. Based on the measurement result of the current sensor 130, the battery controller 120 may determine whether the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is short-circuited. Figure 3 and Figure 4 If it is determined that the current sensor 130 is short-circuited, the battery controller 120 may determine that an abnormal state exists and may control the relay so that at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack 110 is disconnected.

[0080] When determining that the current detection resistor of the current sensor 130 is not open or short-circuited, the battery controller 120 may determine that the current sensor 130 is in a normal state and control the battery pack 110 such that power is supplied to the vehicle in response to the required torque.

[0081] In addition, in the present disclosure and the accompanying drawings, example embodiments are disclosed and certain terms are used. However, these terms are used only in a general sense to easily describe the technical content of the present disclosure and to help understand the present disclosure, but do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that in addition to the example embodiments disclosed herein, other modifications based on the technical spirit of the present disclosure can also be implemented.

[0082] The device or terminal according to the above-mentioned example embodiment may include a processor, a memory for storing and executing program data, a permanent memory such as a disk drive, a communication port for communicating with an external device, and a user interface device such as a touch panel, a key and a button. The method implemented as a software module or an algorithm is a computer-readable code or program instruction that can be executed on a processor and can be stored on a computer-readable recording medium. Here, a computer-readable recording medium includes a magnetic storage medium (for example, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a floppy disk and a hard disk) and an optically readable medium (for example, a CD-ROM, a digital versatile disc (DVD)). The computer-readable recording medium can be distributed between networked computer systems so that the computer-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The medium can be read by a computer, stored in a memory, and executed on a processor.

[0083] Example embodiments can be represented by functional block elements and various processing steps. Functional blocks can be implemented in any number of hardware and / or software configurations that perform specific functions. For example, example embodiments can use integrated circuit configurations such as memory, processing, logic, and / or lookup tables that can perform various functions by controlling one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Similar to elements that can be implemented as software programming or software elements, example embodiments can be implemented in programming or scripting languages ​​such as C, C++, Java, assembler, Python, etc., including various algorithms implemented as combinations of data structures, processes, routines, or other programming constructs. Functional aspects can be implemented in algorithms that operate on one or more processors. In addition, example embodiments can use existing technologies for electronic environment settings, signal processing, and / or data processing. Terms such as "mechanism," "element," "device," and "configuration" can be used broadly and are not limited to mechanical elements and physical elements. These terms can include the meaning of a series of software routines associated with a processor, etc.

[0084] The exemplary embodiments described above are merely examples and other embodiments may be implemented within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising: Battery pack; a current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by the battery pack; as well as a battery controller configured to control the battery pack based on a measurement result of the current sensor and determine whether the current sensor is abnormal, The current detection resistor has one end connected to the battery pack and the other end connected to a ground line of the battery controller.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The battery controller is configured to determine that the current sensor is in an abnormal state in response to a measurement result of the current sensor being equal to or lower than a threshold value.

3. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: The battery controller is configured to, in response to determining that the current sensor is in an abnormal state, notify a vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the current sensor.

4. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: The battery controller is configured to control a relay to disconnect at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack in response to determining that the current sensor is in an abnormal state.

5. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: The threshold value is determined based on a consumption current of the battery controller.

6. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: An expected consumption current range of the battery controller is set for each operation mode of the battery pack.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein: The battery controller is configured to: determining an operating mode of the battery pack based on a measurement result of the current sensor; identifying an expected consumption current range of the battery controller corresponding to an operating mode of the battery pack; and Correcting the measurement result of the current sensor based on the identified expected current consumption range; and The vehicle controller is informed of the corrected measurement results.

8. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: The battery controller is configured to: In response to the measurement result of the current sensor exceeding the threshold, determining that the current sensor is in a normal state; and In response to determining that the current sensor is in a normal state, the battery pack is controlled to supply power to the vehicle.

9. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The battery controller is configured to: By applying the measurement results of the current sensor to the SoX algorithm, information about the battery state is obtained.

10. The battery module according to claim 9, in, The SoX algorithm includes at least one of a state of charge (SoC) algorithm, a state of power (SoP) algorithm, and a state of health (SoH) algorithm. The information about the battery status includes at least one of battery SoC, battery SoH, and battery SoP.

11. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The current sensing resistor is a shunt resistor.

12. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: The battery controller is configured to: controlling a relay so as to form a closed circuit in the current path of the battery pack before supplying a large amount of electric power to a motor of the vehicle; and When the electric motor of the vehicle is not operating, a state of the current sensor is determined based on the measurement result of the current sensor.

13. A method for determining, by a battery controller included in a battery module, a state of a current sensor, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a measurement result of a current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by the battery pack; as well as determining whether the current sensor is abnormal based on the measurement result of the current sensor, The current detection resistor has one end connected to the battery pack and the other end connected to a ground line of the battery controller.

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