Multi-battery pack stacking management system and charging and discharging management method for oxygen generator

Abstract

The invention provides a multi-battery pack stacking management system and a charging and discharging management method for an oxygen generator, and belongs to the technical field of multi-battery power supply equipment. Each modular battery pack in the system comprises a second ideal diode unit, a third ideal diode unit, a communication address automatic distribution unit and a battery stack number feedback unit. The second ideal diode unit is used for controlling on-off of a charging path based on voltage comparison; the third ideal diode unit is used for switching a discharging mode based on load power and battery pack electric quantity; the automatic communication address distribution unit is used for generating incremental communication address signals through the hardware adder circuit; the battery stack number feedback unit is used for taking a communication address signal of the last modular battery pack as a stack number signal through the channel selector; and the main control module is electrically connected with each modular battery pack and is used for carrying out charging and discharging management on at least one modular battery pack based on the communication address signal and the stacking number signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of multi-battery power supply equipment, and in particular to a multi-battery stacking management system and a charge and discharge management method for an oxygen concentrator. Background Art

[0002] A portable oxygen concentrator is an oxygen concentrator that is easy to carry or transport. It can meet the needs of multiple scenarios such as high-altitude travel and accident scenes. Therefore, the capacity of a single battery pack (usually less than 100Wh) can no longer meet its long-term battery life requirements. The stacking and parallel connection of multiple battery packs has become an important way to expand capacity.

[0003] Currently, stacked battery applications in the market mostly employ a "bidirectional power supply + software master control" architecture. While bidirectional power supplies enable multiple battery packs to be connected in parallel, they rely on master control software to dynamically manage the battery packs. The master control participates in processes such as assigning communication addresses and sensing the number of stacked batteries. This stacking method suffers from low battery pack energy conversion efficiency and an inability to automatically balance the voltages of each pack, impacting charge and discharge efficiency. Furthermore, hardware-level state sensing and control capabilities are insufficient. This makes stacked battery packs difficult to meet the high-reliability and scalability requirements of portable oxygen concentrators. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a multi-battery stack management system and a charge and discharge management method for an oxygen concentrator, which are used to solve the technical problems of low charge and discharge efficiency of stacked batteries and insufficient hardware-level state perception and control capabilities, which make it difficult to meet the requirements of portable oxygen concentrators for a high-reliability and high-scalability power supply system.

[0005] In one aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator, the system comprising: a power management module, at least one modular battery pack, and a main control module;

[0006] The power management module includes an adapter, a charging unit and a first ideal diode unit, wherein the first ideal diode unit is connected to the adapter and the load end, and is used to realize the priority power supply of the adapter and prevent current backflow;

[0007] Each modular battery pack includes a second ideal diode unit, a third ideal diode unit, a communication address automatic allocation unit, and a battery stack quantity feedback unit; the second ideal diode unit is electrically connected to the charging unit and is used to control the on / off of the charging path based on voltage comparison; the third ideal diode unit is electrically connected to the load end and is used to switch the discharge mode based on the load power and the battery pack power; the communication address automatic allocation unit is used to generate an incremental communication address signal through a hardware adder circuit; the battery stack quantity feedback unit is used to use the communication address signal of the last modular battery pack as the stack quantity signal through a channel selector;

[0008] The main control module is electrically connected to each of the modular battery packs and is used to manage the charge and discharge of the at least one modular battery pack based on the communication address signal and the stacking quantity signal.

[0009] In one implementation of the present application, the first ideal diode unit includes: a first voltage comparator, a first NMOS transistor, and a second NMOS transistor;

[0010] The first voltage comparator is electrically connected to the adapter, the first NMOS transistor and the second NMOS transistor respectively, and is used to compare the load voltage value of the load end with a first preset threshold value, and turn on the first NMOS transistor and the second NMOS transistor when the load voltage value of the load end is less than the first preset threshold value;

[0011] The drain of the first NMOS transistor is connected to the drain of the second NMOS transistor to form an anti-backflow circuit for preventing current from flowing back.

[0012] In one implementation of the present application, the second ideal diode unit includes: a second voltage comparator, a third NMOS transistor and a fourth NMOS transistor;

[0013] The second voltage comparator is electrically connected to the main control module, the battery cell unit of the same modular battery pack, and the charging unit, respectively, and is used to respond to the adapter access signal from the main control module and the voltage comparison signal indicating that the battery voltage value of the battery cell unit is less than a second preset threshold, turn on the third NMOS transistor and the fourth NMOS transistor, so that the charging unit and the battery cell unit establish a charging path;

[0014] The drain of the third NMOS tube is connected to the drain of the fourth NMOS tube, and is connected between the battery cell unit and the charging unit to form an anti-reverse circuit for preventing current backflow.

[0015] In one implementation of the present application, the third ideal diode unit includes: a third voltage comparator, a fifth NMOS transistor, a sixth NMOS transistor, and a discharge switching controller;

[0016] The third voltage comparator is electrically connected to the charging unit, the discharge switching controller, the fifth NMOS transistor, and the sixth NMOS transistor, respectively, and is used to:

[0017] When the adapter is connected, controlling the fifth NMOS transistor and the sixth NMOS transistor to be turned off so that the adapter is powered first;

[0018] When the adapter is not connected, in response to a discharge mode signal obtained by comparing the load power with the battery voltage value of each modular battery pack and a battery pack power detection signal from the discharge switching controller, turning on the fifth NMOS transistor and the sixth NMOS transistor to establish a discharge path for the corresponding modular battery pack, or turning off the fifth NMOS transistor and the sixth NMOS transistor to switch the downstream modular battery pack to discharge, or stopping the discharge of each modular battery pack;

[0019] The drain of the fifth NMOS transistor is connected to the drain of the sixth NMOS transistor to form an anti-backflow circuit for preventing current from flowing back.

[0020] In one implementation of the present application, the communication address automatic allocation unit includes: an address input interface, a hardware adder circuit, and an address output interface;

[0021] The address input interface is electrically connected to the address output interface or device address interface of the upstream modular battery pack, and is used to receive the communication address signal of the upstream modular battery pack or device address interface;

[0022] The hardware adder circuit includes at least one XOR gate and a NAND gate, and is used to perform an increment operation on the communication address signal received by the address input interface to obtain an incremented communication address signal as the communication address signal of the current modular battery pack;

[0023] The address output interface is electrically connectable to an address input interface of a downstream modular battery pack for transmitting an incremented communication address signal to the downstream modular battery pack.

[0024] In one implementation of the present application, the battery stack quantity feedback unit includes: a quantity signal input interface, a channel selector, and a quantity signal output interface;

[0025] The quantity signal input interface is electrically connected to the quantity signal output interface of the downstream modular battery pack, and is used to receive the stack quantity signal from the downstream modular battery pack;

[0026] The input end of the channel selector is connected to the address output interface of the modular battery pack and the quantity signal input interface, and is used to receive the stacking quantity signal of the downstream modular battery pack according to the connection state of the quantity signal input interface, or use the communication address signal of the address output interface as the stacking quantity signal;

[0027] The quantity signal output interface is electrically connected to the quantity signal input interface of the upstream modular battery pack or to the main control module, and is used to output the stack quantity signal.

[0028] In one implementation of the present application, the system further includes an alarm trigger circuit;

[0029] The alarm trigger circuit is electrically connected to the battery stack quantity feedback unit and is used to detect whether the stack quantity signal changes, so as to output an alarm signal when the stack quantity signal changes; the alarm signal includes at least a sound signal.

[0030] In one implementation of the present application, the system further includes: a load power monitoring unit;

[0031] The load power monitoring unit is used to collect the load current and the load voltage of the load end to determine the load power according to the load current and the load voltage.

[0032] In one implementation of the present application, the address input interface, the address output interface, the quantity signal input interface, and the quantity signal output interface in the modular battery pack each have N pins; the N satisfies 2 N ≥M, where M is the maximum number of modular battery packs connected in cascade.

[0033] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application further provides a multi-battery pack charge and discharge management method, which is applicable to the multi-battery pack stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator described above, and the method includes:

[0034] Charging management steps:

[0035] The main control module determines the communication address signal and the stacking quantity signal of each modular battery pack in response to the adapter access signal, and determines the battery voltage value corresponding to each of the modular battery packs connected in cascade according to each of the communication address signals and the stacking quantity signals;

[0036] Determine the modular battery pack corresponding to the minimum battery voltage value among the battery voltage values, and turn on the corresponding second ideal diode unit to charge the modular battery pack until each modular battery pack reaches a fully charged state;

[0037] Discharge management steps:

[0038] When the adapter is not connected, determining the battery voltage value of each modular battery pack according to each communication address signal and each stacking quantity signal;

[0039] Determine a discharge mode of each modular battery pack based on the voltage value of each battery and the load power from the load power monitoring unit; wherein the discharge mode includes at least a common discharge mode and a sequential discharge mode;

[0040] According to the discharge mode and the battery capacity of each modular battery pack, a charging path between the corresponding modular battery pack and the load end is conducted.

[0041] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following significant effects:

[0042] The present application uses the multi-battery stacking management system for oxygen concentrators provided above to manage the charge and discharge of multiple battery packs in the charging management stage and the discharge management stage of the portable oxygen concentrator. At the same time, the modular battery pack can realize communication address allocation and stacking quantity perception without the participation of the main control module, and accurately feedback when the main control module is working. Pure hardware realizes battery pack communication address allocation and battery stacking quantity feedback, and no longer relies solely on the main control software to dynamically participate in battery pack management. At the same time, the charge and discharge management of multiple battery packs can be completed without adopting an energy-consuming bidirectional power supply method, which improves the charge and discharge efficiency of the stacked batteries and the hardware-level state perception and control capabilities. In addition, through the modular battery pack design, the portable oxygen concentrator can also replace or stack battery packs without stopping the machine, increase the single-start-up battery life, and meet the user's long-term battery life requirements. The multi-battery stacking management and charge and discharge management technical solutions corresponding to the modular battery pack can fully meet the needs of portable oxygen concentrators for high reliability and high scalability power supply systems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system structure of a multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the peripheral topology of a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal topology of a modular battery pack of a multi-battery pack stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a schematic circuit diagram of a modular battery pack connector in a multi-battery pack stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a device terminal connector circuit in a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 6 This is a circuit schematic diagram of a first ideal diode unit in a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 7 This is a circuit schematic diagram of a second ideal diode unit in a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 8 This is a circuit schematic diagram of a third ideal diode unit in a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Figure 9 This is a circuit schematic diagram of an automatic communication address allocation unit in a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 10 This is a circuit schematic diagram of a battery stack quantity feedback unit in a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 11 This is a circuit schematic diagram of an alarm trigger circuit in a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figure 12 This is a circuit schematic diagram of a load power monitoring unit in a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of a flow chart of a multi-battery charge and discharge management method for an oxygen concentrator in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of this application more clear, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the specific embodiments of this application and the corresponding drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0058] A portable oxygen concentrator is an oxygen concentrator that is easy to carry or transport. It is generally used in scenarios such as high-altitude travel and accident scenes where oxygen supply is required. These scenarios are not convenient for charging and require long-lasting battery life for the portable oxygen concentrator. Currently, the single battery pack of a portable oxygen concentrator (usually less than 100Wh) is no longer sufficient to meet user needs. The existing multi-battery stacking solution has low energy conversion efficiency and insufficient hardware-level sensing capabilities, making it difficult to directly apply it to portable oxygen concentrators and meet the portable oxygen concentrator's requirements for a highly reliable and scalable power system.

[0059] Based on this, the embodiments of the present application provide a multi-battery stacking management system and a charge and discharge management method for an oxygen concentrator, which are used to solve the technical problems of low charging and discharging efficiency of current stacked batteries, insufficient hardware-level state perception and control capabilities, and difficulty in meeting the requirements of portable oxygen concentrators for a high-reliability and high-scalability power supply system.

[0060] The following describes in detail various embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0061] The embodiment of the present application provides a multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator, such as Figure 1 As shown, the multi-battery stack management system 100 for an oxygen concentrator may include the following parts: a power management module 110 , at least one modular battery pack 120 and a main control module 130 .

[0062] The power management module 110 includes an adapter 111, a charging unit 112, and a first ideal diode unit 113. The first ideal diode unit 113 connects the adapter 111 to the load terminal 140 to provide priority power to the adapter 111 and prevent current backflow. Each modular battery pack 120 includes a second ideal diode unit 121, a third ideal diode unit 122, an automatic communication address allocation unit 123, and a battery stack quantity feedback unit 124. The second ideal diode unit 121 is electrically connected to the charging unit 121 and is used to control the on / off of the charging path based on voltage comparison. The third ideal diode unit 122 is electrically connected to the load terminal 140 and is used to switch the discharge mode based on the load power and battery pack power. The automatic communication address allocation unit 123 is used to generate an incremental communication address signal through a hardware adder circuit. The battery stack quantity feedback unit 124 is used to use the communication address signal of the last modular battery pack as the stack quantity signal through a channel selector. The main control module 130 is electrically connected to each modular battery pack 120 and is used to manage the charge and discharge of at least one modular battery pack 120 based on the communication address signal and the stacking quantity signal.

[0063] Among them, the portable oxygen concentrator of the present application can have multiple modular battery packs in parallel, such as modular battery pack 1, modular battery pack 2...modular battery pack M, where M is a natural number, and the charging management of all modular battery packs can be completed using a power management module (including 1 charging management chip). An ideal diode unit is used to realize charging and discharging current sharing, and at the same time realize the circuit anti-reverse function. At the same time, the battery pack with modular design realizes battery stacking quantity feedback and communication address allocation in a pure hardware manner, without relying on a bidirectional power supply and main control software, meeting the requirements of the portable oxygen concentrator for a high reliability and high scalability power supply system. The main control module can be a microcontroller unit (MCU). The specific model of the main control module MCU is not specifically limited in this application. In addition to the MCU, the main control module can also use other chips or terminals, and this application does not make specific restrictions on this.

[0064] This application is applied to portable oxygen concentrators, Figure 2 The diagram below is a peripheral topology diagram of a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator. Figure 2As shown, the adapter 111 can select the appropriate output voltage and output power according to the number and capacity of the battery cells in the modular battery pack 120 during actual use. This application does not make specific restrictions on this. The adapter is used to connect to an external power supply, such as an AC power supply. The charging unit 112 is used to convert the adapter voltage to the voltage required for charging the modular battery pack. The first ideal diode unit 113 is used to disconnect the circuit path between the load and the adapter when the adapter is inserted; when it is not inserted, it disconnects the circuit path between the load and the adapter. The number of modular battery packs 120 can be selected according to user needs. The first modular battery pack can receive the initial address provided by the device, perform a hardware +1 operation on the address, and then output the address to the next battery; at the same time, the modular battery pack receives the stacking number signal fed back by the stacked battery below and feeds the information back to the device. When the stacking number changes, it can also trigger the alarm trigger circuit 150 to perform actions such as voice alarm.

[0065] Figure 3 The internal topology diagram of a single modular battery pack in a multi-battery pack stack management system for an oxygen concentrator is shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown, the modular battery pack includes a second ideal diode unit 121 , a cell capacity monitoring unit 125 , a cell unit 126 , a third ideal diode unit 122 , a communication address automatic allocation unit 123 , and a battery stack quantity feedback unit 124 . Among them, the battery cell capacity monitoring unit 125 is used to balance the capacity between each battery cell unit to achieve overcurrent and overtemperature protection functions of the entire battery pack. The present application does not specifically limit the specific topology number of the battery cell unit. In actual application scenarios, it can be adjusted according to the requirements of the portable oxygen concentrator or the factory parameters of the portable oxygen concentrator. The embodiment of the present application adopts a 4-cell series topology, which is only an example; the third ideal diode unit 122 is connected to the load. When the second ideal diode unit 121 has no input, the circuit is opened; the communication address automatic allocation unit is used for the battery pack to determine the communication address of the battery cell capacity monitoring unit according to the stacking position, so that the main control module can identify the capacity, health status and other information of the corresponding battery pack. It also performs address allocation through hardware, can realize address allocation of battery quantity changes, and trigger voice alarm prompts; the battery stack quantity feedback unit 124 is used to inform the main control module of the change in stack quantity and can trigger a voice alarm action.

[0066] The communication address mentioned above refers to the identification bit of the chip on the bus, which changes in real time according to the battery stack position. The acquisition of the communication address in this application is a pure hardware circuit. This is beneficial for the device master to quickly locate the abnormal battery pack when the stacked battery pack is abnormal, while not affecting the communication of other battery packs on the bus.

[0067] The modular battery pack also contains 2 connectors and 1 imported connector, the pins are defined as: charging voltage, discharge voltage, communication interface, N(2 N ≥M) address input interfaces for address selection, N(2 N ≥M) number signal output interface for current battery stack number feedback; 1 export connector, whose pins constitute the address output interface, the pins are defined as: charging voltage, discharging voltage, communication interface, N(2 N ≥M) address output interfaces for outputting incremental communication address signals, N(2 N ≥M) number signal input interfaces for receiving a stacking number signal fed back by the next modular battery pack.

[0068] That is to say, the address input interface, address output interface, quantity signal input interface and quantity signal output interface in the modular battery pack have N pins respectively. N satisfies 2 N ≥M, where M is the maximum number of modular battery packs connected in cascade.

[0069] Figure 4 The schematic diagram of the modular battery pack connector circuit is as follows: Figure 4 As shown, P200 is the import connector; P201 is the export connector. CHARGE_PW is the charge voltage corresponding to the charging power rail; PACK- is the negative terminal of the battery pack; DISCHARGE_PW is the discharge voltage corresponding to the discharge power rail; GAUGE_SCL and GAUGE_SDA are communication interfaces; ADDR_IO1_IN and ADDR_IO2_IN are the address input interfaces when the modular battery pack has a maximum of 4 cells; NUM_IO1_OUT and NUM_IO2_OUT are the number signal output interfaces when the modular battery pack has a maximum of 4 cells; ADDR_IO1_OUT and ADDR_IO2_OUT are the address output interfaces when the modular battery pack has a maximum of 4 cells; NUM_IO1_IN and NUM_IO2_IN are the number signal input interfaces when the modular battery pack has a maximum of 4 cells. The above communication interfaces can be I2C communication bus interfaces, or can be RS485 or CAN bus interfaces, which are not specifically limited in this application.

[0070] Accordingly, a connector should also be provided on the device side (i.e., the body of the portable oxygen concentrator) for connecting the first modular battery pack. Figure 5 As shown, it is used to dock the first modular battery pack as shown Figure 4 The P200 inlet connector of battery pack 2 is connected to the outlet connector of battery pack 1; the inlet connector of battery pack 3 is connected to the outlet connector of battery pack 2, and so on.

[0071] In real-world scenarios, when traveling with a portable oxygen concentrator in high altitude areas, users can connect the modular battery pack to the concentrator at any time. If only one modular battery pack is currently connected to the concentrator and the connected modular battery pack is running low, one or more unconnected modular battery packs with power can be connected to the outlet connector of the connected modular battery pack. This allows the portable oxygen concentrator to be replaced or stacked without shutting down, extending the concentrator's single-use battery life and meeting user needs for extended battery life.

[0072] The charging unit may include a step-up / step-down circuit, and the charging unit may select different charging management chips according to different battery voltages. This application does not impose any specific restrictions on this.

[0073] refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 4 is a circuit schematic diagram of the first ideal diode unit in an embodiment of the present application, including: a first voltage comparator U404, a first NMOS transistor MOS401 and a second NMOS transistor MOS402.

[0074] The first voltage comparator U404 is electrically connected to the adapter, the first NMOS transistor MOS401, and the second NMOS transistor MOS402, respectively. It is configured to compare the load voltage at the load end with a first preset threshold value and, if the load voltage at the load end is less than the first preset threshold value, conduct the first NMOS transistor MOS401 and the second NMOS transistor MOS402. The drain of the first NMOS transistor MOS401 is connected to the drain of the second NMOS transistor MOS402 to form an anti-backflow circuit to prevent current backflow.

[0075] That is, when the adapter is present, the adapter voltage DC_IN is supplied to the load through SUM_OUT. When the load voltage value at SUM_OUT exceeds the first preset threshold, U404 controls MOS401 and MOS402 to turn off through the fifth pin GATE, thereby preventing current from flowing backward. When the load voltage value at SUM_OUT is less than the first preset threshold, U404 controls MOS401 and MOS402 to turn on through the fifth pin GATE. The first preset threshold is set by the user or developer based on the actual usage scenario and is not specifically limited here.

[0076] refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 : is a circuit schematic diagram of the second ideal diode unit in an embodiment of the present application, including: a second voltage comparator U206, a third NMOS transistor MOS202 and a fourth NMOS transistor MOS203.

[0077] The second voltage comparator U206 is electrically connected to the main control module 130, the battery cells of the same modular battery pack, and the charging unit, respectively. In response to an adapter access signal from the main control module and a voltage comparison signal indicating that the battery voltage of the battery cell is less than a second preset threshold, the second voltage comparator U206 conducts current between the third NMOS transistor MOS202 and the fourth NMOS transistor MOS203, thereby establishing a charging path between the charging unit and the battery cell. The drain of the third NMOS transistor MOS202 is connected to the drain of the fourth NMOS transistor MOS203, and is connected between the battery cell and the charging unit to form an anti-reverse circuit to prevent current backflow.

[0078] Specifically, the CHG_VBAT_CTR pin corresponding to the 3rd pin EN of the second voltage comparator U206 is connected to the chip of the battery capacity monitoring unit. The chip model of the battery capacity monitoring unit can be selected during actual use and is not specifically limited in this application. It is electrically connected to the main control module and the charging unit through the GAUGE_SCL and GAUGE_SDA communication interfaces and is controlled by the main control module. The CHARGE_PW corresponding to its 6th pin IN is electrically connected to the battery unit through MOS202 and MOS203. When the main control module detects that the adapter is inserted and the charging unit is working properly, it controls CHG_VBAT_CTR to be pulled high through GAUGE_SCL and GAUGE_SDA, and CHARGE_PW is connected to PACK+ (the voltage of the battery cell unit) through MOS202 and MOS203. When the battery voltage value of PACK+ exceeds the second preset threshold, for example, the second preset threshold is set to CHARGE_PW voltage value 50mV, MOS202 and MOS203 are turned off, disconnecting CHARGE_PW and PACK+ to prevent battery current from flowing back into the charging circuit; when PACK+ is less than the second preset threshold, MOS202 and MOS203 are turned on, so that the charging unit and the battery cell unit establish a charging path, realizing modular battery pack charging. The second preset threshold can be set by the user or developer according to actual use, and this application does not make specific restrictions on this.

[0079] Among them, the chip of the battery capacity monitoring unit can communicate transparently by adding an MCU, or by other means, which is not specifically limited in this application, so that the chip can change the chip communication address according to different IO levels, thereby enabling the main control module to perform software polling IO levels to determine the communication address of the modular battery pack.

[0080] In addition, when there are multiple modular battery packs, when the adapter is connected for charging, the device main control module needs to query the voltages of all battery packs through GAUGE_SCL and GAUGE_SDA first, record the lowest voltage and its corresponding position, and then the main control module controls the CHG_VBAT_CTR of the battery pack at that position to be pulled high to turn on the charging circuit, while the remaining battery packs are pulled low to turn off the charging circuit; then the main control module controls the charging unit to charge. When the main control module confirms that the battery pack with the lowest voltage is charging, it controls the CHG_VBAT_CTR of the remaining battery packs to be pulled high to turn on all charging circuits; at this time, the PACK+ of the remaining battery packs is higher than CHARGE_PW by 50mV, and MOS202 and MOS203 are in the off state; as the voltage of the lowest battery pack gradually increases due to charging, the battery packs will turn on the charging circuit in turn until all are finally charged and all charging is completed, and each modular battery pack reaches a fully charged state.

[0081] refer to Figure 8 , Figure 8 : is a circuit schematic diagram of the third ideal diode unit in the embodiment of the present application, including: a third voltage comparator U205, a fifth NMOS transistor MOS200, a sixth NMOS transistor MOS201, and a discharge switching controller U207.

[0082] The third voltage comparator U205 is electrically connected to the charging unit, the discharge switching controller U207, the fifth NMOS transistor MOS200, and the sixth NMOS transistor MOS201, respectively. When an adapter is connected, the third voltage comparator U205 controls the fifth and sixth NMOS transistors MOS200 and MOS201 to be turned off, allowing the adapter to receive power first. When an adapter is not connected, the third voltage comparator U205 switches on the fifth and sixth NMOS transistors MOS200 and MOS201 to establish a discharge path for the corresponding modular battery pack, switches off the fifth and sixth NMOS transistors MOS200 and MOS201 to switch the discharge of the downstream modular battery pack, or stops the discharge of each modular battery pack, in response to a discharge mode signal derived from a comparison of the load power and the battery voltage values ​​of each modular battery pack, and a battery pack power detection signal from the discharge switching controller U207. The drain of the fifth NMOS transistor MOS200 is connected to the drain of the sixth NMOS transistor MOS201 to form an anti-reverse circuit to prevent current backflow.

[0083] Specifically, the discharge switching controller U207 is a hysteresis comparator. During sequential discharge, if the discharging battery pack is dead or unplugged, the device can immediately draw current from other battery packs, preventing device shutdown in this situation. The third ideal diode unit operates when the modular battery pack is discharging to power the load. When the battery charging power rail CHARGE_PW has voltage, the third voltage comparator U205 controls the fifth NMOS transistor MOS200 and the sixth NMOS transistor MOS201 to turn off. That is, when the adapter is plugged in, the modular battery pack has no discharge capability, and the adapter powers the load. When the battery is low, the modular battery pack is charged by the adapter, which is connected to an external power source.

[0084] When the battery charging power rail CHARGE_PW has no voltage, the modular battery pack defaults to controlling the VBAT_OUT_CTR pin to be pulled low, thereby turning on the fifth NMOS transistor MOS200 and the sixth NMOS transistor MOS201, connecting the positive terminal PACK+ of the battery cell to DISCHARGE_PW, and the modular battery pack defaults to the discharge state. The main control module compares the load power with a preset power threshold, where the preset power threshold can be calculated based on the battery voltage value of one or more modular battery packs to determine whether the power supply of a modular battery pack can meet the load power, for example, set to 20% of the total battery capacity. When the main control module detects that the load power is less than the preset power threshold through the load power monitoring unit, it enters the sequential discharge mode, and identifies the communication address level as 01, i.e., the first modular battery pack, through the address output interface of the modular battery pack, such as ADDR_IO1_OUT and ADDR_IO2_OUT. A discharge path for the first modular battery pack is established and discharge is performed. The discharge control pins VBAT_OUT_CTR of other modular battery packs are pulled high, so that the discharge control NMOS tube Q201 is turned on, and the 3rd pin of the third voltage comparator U205 is pulled low, so that the fifth NMOS tube MOS200 and the sixth NMOS tube MOS201 are turned off. The power of the modular battery pack is detected in real time according to the battery pack power detection signal from the discharge switching controller, and the discharge of the first modular battery pack is detected to be completed. The voltage of its battery discharge power rail DISCHARGE_PW drops, and the discharge switching controller U207 immediately pulls down the 4th pin to cut off Q201, and the U205 enable pin (3rd pin) is pulled high, and MOS200 and MOS201 are turned on. At this time, due to the uncertainty of which one or more battery packs open the discharge circuit at the same time due to multiple batteries, the second downstream modular battery pack, that is, the modular battery pack with a communication address level of 10, needs to be pulled down in sequence. Its VBAT_OUT_CTR is pulled low, and all VBAT_OUT_CTRs of modular battery packs except 10 are pulled high to continue to execute the above working logic.

[0085] Furthermore, if the load power, based on the comparison of the load power with the battery voltage values ​​of each modular battery pack, is greater than a preset power threshold, the discharge paths of all modular battery packs can be controlled to open, implementing a common discharge mode. The preset power threshold can be set by the user or developer based on actual usage scenarios and is not specifically limited in this application.

[0086] refer to Figure 9 , Figure 9 This is a circuit schematic diagram of the communication address automatic allocation unit in an embodiment of the present application, including: an address input interface (such as ADDR_IO1_IN, ADDR_IO2_IN), a hardware adder circuit (including U200, U201, U202), and an address output interface (such as ADDR_IO1_OUT, ADDR_IO2_OUT).

[0087] The address input interface is electrically connected to the address output interface or device address interface of the upstream modular battery pack, and is used to receive the communication address signal of the upstream modular battery pack or device address interface (from the connector on the device end). The hardware adder circuit includes at least one XOR gate and NAND gate, which is used to perform an increment operation on the communication address signal received by the address input interface to obtain an incremented communication address signal, which is used as the communication address signal of the current modular battery pack. The address output interface can be electrically connected to the address input interface of the downstream modular battery pack, and is used to transmit the incremented communication address signal to the downstream modular battery pack.

[0088] The table lists the level changes of the level signal after it passes through a hardware adder circuit constructed with two XOR gates and a NAND gate. This level is used to form the communication address signal. The working logic of the communication address automatic allocation unit is as follows:

[0089] 1. The address input interfaces ADDR_IO1_IN and ADDR_IO2_IN are left floating, with the default input of 00. At this time, after passing through the hardware adder circuit, the address output interfaces ADDR_IO1_OUT and ADDR_IO2_OUT output 01, which are transmitted to the address input interface of the downstream modular battery pack;

[0090] 2. The input level of the address input interface ADDR_IO1_IN and ADDR_IO2_IN is 01, and the output of ADDR_IO1_OUT and ADDR_IO2_OUT is 10;

[0091] 3. The input level of ADDR_IO1_IN and ADDR_IO2_IN is 10. At this time, the output of ADDR_IO1_OUT and ADDR_IO2_OUT is 11.

[0092] The cell capacity monitoring unit of the modular battery pack can switch different communication addresses according to the different levels of ADDR_IO1_IN and ADDR_IO2_IN, so that the main control module can communicate with each modular battery pack through the communication interfaces GAUGE_SCL and GAUGE_SDA; and then the levels of the charging control pin CHG_VBAT_CTR in the second ideal diode unit and the discharge control pin VBAT_OUT_CTR in the third ideal diode unit can be controlled to control the opening of the charging switch and the discharging switch.

[0093] refer to Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a circuit schematic diagram of the battery stack quantity feedback unit in an embodiment of the present application, including: a quantity signal input interface (including NUM_IO1_IN, NUM_IO2_IN), a channel selector (including U203, U204), and a quantity signal output interface (including NUM_IO1_OUT, NUM_IO2_OUT).

[0094] The quantity signal input interface is electrically connected to the quantity signal output interface of the downstream modular battery pack and is used to receive the stack quantity signal from the downstream modular battery pack. The input end of the channel selector is connected to the address output interface and the quantity signal input interface of the modular battery pack and is used to receive the stack quantity signal from the downstream modular battery pack or use the communication address signal from the address output interface as the stack quantity signal based on the connection status of the quantity signal input interface. The quantity signal output interface is electrically connected to the quantity signal input interface of the upstream modular battery pack or to the main control module and is used to output the stack quantity signal.

[0095] The specific working logic is as follows: When the outlet connector is suspended, that is, the modular battery pack here is the last section of the stacked battery, the number signal input interfaces NUM_IO1_IN and NUM_IO2_IN are suspended, the default level is 00, and the SEL of the channel selectors U203 and U204 are low, the third pin B0 is connected to the fourth pin A, and the number signal output interfaces ADDR_IO1_OUT and ADDR_IO2_OUT are transmitted to the number signal input interfaces NUM_IO1_OUT and NUM_IO2_OUT; and when the outlet connector is not suspended, that is, the voltage here is If the battery pack is not the last cell in a stack, the voltage levels of the number signal input interfaces NUM_IO1_IN and NUM_IO2_IN, which correspond to the voltage levels of the number signal output interfaces NUM_IO1_OUT and NUM_IO2_OUT of the last cell, will not be 00. At this time, the SEL level of channel selectors U203 and U204 is high, and pin 1 B1 is connected to pin 4 A, transmitting the voltage level of the number signal input interfaces NUM_IO1_IN and NUM_IO2_IN to the voltage level of the number signal output interfaces NUM_IO1_OUT and NUM_IO2_OUT. If the inlet connector is connected to a device-side connector, the voltage level of the number signal output interfaces NUM_IO1_OUT and NUM_IO2_OUT will accurately transmit the number of cells in the stack to the device. Furthermore, changes in the number of cells can trigger an alarm trigger circuit.

[0096] Through the above solution, the modular battery pack can realize real-time monitoring of the communication address and the number of battery stacks without the participation of the main control module, without relying on software to complete the battery pack management process of communication address allocation and battery stack number perception.

[0097] For example, when a portable oxygen concentrator is plugging in or unplugging a modular battery pack, the modular battery pack will automatically assign communication addresses and count the number of batteries stacked. Even if the portable oxygen concentrator's main control is not working, the battery pack stacking status can be accurately known, allowing for more reliable battery pack management.

[0098] In the embodiment of the present application, the multi-battery stack management system for the oxygen concentrator further includes an alarm trigger circuit 150 .

[0099] The alarm trigger circuit is electrically connected to the battery stack quantity feedback unit and is used to detect whether the stack quantity signal changes, and output an alarm signal when the stack quantity signal changes. The alarm signal includes at least a sound signal.

[0100] refer to Figure 11This alarm trigger circuit is located on the device and electrically connected to the battery stack count feedback unit via a connector. It generates an alarm when the stack count signal changes level. When the device is in shutdown mode, inserting the adapter or any battery pack causes SUM_OUT to connect to VSYS_IN for 6 seconds. This allows the MCU to control the speaker to sound an alarm. After 6 seconds, SUM_OUT disconnects from VSYS_IN, and the device remains in shutdown mode.

[0101] This circuit primarily implements the following functions: When KEY_PW_SW is pulled low by a key, SUM_OUT and VSYS_IN are connected. The MCU detects this key press via MCU_KEY_PW_SW and pulls MCU_PW_CTR high, maintaining the connection between SUM_OUT and VSYS_IN, keeping the device operational. When the device is shut down, changes in the adapter DC_IN and the number of batteries inserted cause changes in the levels of NUM_IO1 and NUM_IO2 (three battery packs are used as an example here). The U400, U401, and U402 programmable voltage monitoring chips pull their outputs low for six seconds, thereby controlling the connection between SUM_OUT and VSYS_IN for six seconds.

[0102] The setting of the alarm trigger circuit can remind the user when the battery pack is connected or disconnected when the portable oxygen concentrator is used with multiple battery packs stacked, and promptly inform the user of the connection status changes of the multiple battery packs of the portable oxygen concentrator without the need for the user to check by themselves, providing a user-friendly portable oxygen concentrator usage experience.

[0103] In the embodiment of the present application, the multi-battery stack management system for the oxygen concentrator further includes: a load power monitoring unit, the circuit schematic of which is as follows: Figure 12 shown.

[0104] The load power monitoring unit is used to collect the load current and load voltage at the load end to determine the load power according to the load current and load voltage.

[0105] The VSYS_I_ADC pin of the load power monitoring unit is the load current detection pin, and VSYS_V_ADC is the load voltage detection pin. The multiplication of the two can be used to obtain the current load power. By obtaining the average power within 30 seconds, if it is less than the preset power threshold, such as 20% of the battery capacity, the battery pack is controlled to enter the sequential discharge mode; otherwise, the battery pack is controlled to enter the common discharge mode and enter the shared discharge current state.

[0106] This application uses the multi-battery stacking management system for oxygen concentrators provided above to manage the charge and discharge of multiple battery packs in the charge management stage and the discharge management stage. At the same time, the modular battery pack can realize communication address allocation and stack quantity perception without the participation of the main control module, and accurately feedback when the main control module is working. Pure hardware realizes battery pack communication address allocation and battery stack quantity feedback, and no longer relies solely on the main control software to dynamically participate in battery pack management. At the same time, the charge and discharge management of multiple battery packs can be completed without the use of energy-consuming bidirectional power supply methods, thereby improving the charge and discharge efficiency of stacked batteries and the hardware-level state perception and control capabilities. This application adopts the multi-battery stacking management and charge and discharge management technical solutions corresponding to the above-mentioned modular battery packs, which can fully meet the needs of portable oxygen concentrators for high reliability and high scalability power supply systems.

[0107] In addition, through the modular battery pack design, the portable oxygen concentrator can replace or stack battery packs without stopping the machine, increasing the single-start battery life and meeting the user's long-term battery life needs.

[0108] Figure 13 This is a flow chart of a multi-battery pack charge and discharge management method for an oxygen concentrator provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method is applicable to the multi-battery pack stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator described above, such as Figure 13 As shown, the method includes steps S100-S200:

[0109] S100, charging management steps:

[0110] S101, the main control module determines the communication address signal and the stacking quantity signal of each modular battery pack in response to the adapter access signal, and determines the battery voltage value corresponding to each modular battery pack connected in cascade according to each communication address signal and each stacking quantity signal.

[0111] S102 , determining a modular battery pack corresponding to a minimum battery voltage value among the battery voltage values, and turning on its corresponding second ideal diode unit to charge the modular battery pack until each modular battery pack reaches a fully charged state.

[0112] S200, discharge management steps:

[0113] S201 , when the adapter is not connected, determining the battery voltage value of each modular battery pack according to each communication address signal and each stacking quantity signal.

[0114] S202 : Determine a discharge mode of each modular battery pack based on the voltage value of each battery and the load power from the load power monitoring unit.

[0115] The discharge mode includes at least a common discharge mode and a sequential discharge mode.

[0116] S203 , connecting a charging path between the corresponding modular battery pack and the load end according to the discharge mode and the battery pack capacity of each modular battery pack.

[0117] That is to say, through the multi-battery stacking management system for oxygen concentrators provided above, the charging management method and the discharge management method can be executed in the charging management stage and the discharge management stage. The main control module determines whether to charge by monitoring the adapter access signal, and when determining charging, it allocates the communication address and senses the number of stacks through the modular battery pack hardware, and charges the modular battery pack according to the battery voltage value, while being able to power the load through the external power supply of the adapter. When the adapter is not connected, the discharge mode of multiple modular battery packs can be further switched according to the battery voltage value and load power of the modular battery pack, so that the modular battery pack can be flexibly called to discharge while meeting the power supply demand for the load.

[0118] The various embodiments in this application are described in a progressive manner. Similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to in conjunction with each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences between the other embodiments. In particular, the method embodiments are generally similar to the system embodiments, so the description is relatively simple. For relevant parts, refer to the partial description of the system embodiments.

[0119] The method and system provided in the embodiment of the present application are one-to-one corresponding, and therefore, the method also has similar beneficial technical effects to its corresponding system. Since the beneficial technical effects of the system have been described in detail above, the beneficial technical effects of the method will not be repeated here.

[0120] It should also be noted that the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, commodity, or apparatus that includes a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or includes elements inherent to such process, method, commodity, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprises a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, commodity, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0121] The foregoing is merely an embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application may have various changes and variations. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application should all be included within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator, characterized in that: The system includes: a power management module, at least one modular battery pack and a main control module; The power management module includes an adapter, a charging unit and a first ideal diode unit, wherein the first ideal diode unit is connected to the adapter and the load end, and is used to realize the priority power supply of the adapter and prevent current backflow; Each modular battery pack includes a second ideal diode unit, a third ideal diode unit, a communication address automatic allocation unit, and a battery stack quantity feedback unit; the second ideal diode unit is electrically connected to the charging unit and is used to control the on / off of the charging path based on voltage comparison; the third ideal diode unit is electrically connected to the load end and is used to switch the discharge mode based on the load power and the battery pack power; the communication address automatic allocation unit is used to generate an incremental communication address signal through a hardware adder circuit; the battery stack quantity feedback unit is used to use the communication address signal of the last modular battery pack as the stack quantity signal through a channel selector; The main control module is electrically connected to each of the modular battery packs and is used to manage the charge and discharge of the at least one modular battery pack based on the communication address signal and the stacking quantity signal.

2. A multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first ideal diode unit includes: a first voltage comparator, a first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor; The first voltage comparator is electrically connected to the adapter, the first NMOS transistor and the second NMOS transistor respectively, and is used to compare the load voltage value of the load end with a first preset threshold value, and turn on the first NMOS transistor and the second NMOS transistor when the load voltage value of the load end is less than the first preset threshold value; The drain of the first NMOS transistor is connected to the drain of the second NMOS transistor to form an anti-backflow circuit for preventing current from flowing back.

3. The multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second ideal diode unit includes: a second voltage comparator, a third NMOS transistor and a fourth NMOS transistor; The second voltage comparator is electrically connected to the main control module, the battery cell unit of the same modular battery pack, and the charging unit, respectively, and is used to respond to the adapter access signal from the main control module and the voltage comparison signal indicating that the battery voltage value of the battery cell unit is less than a second preset threshold, turn on the third NMOS transistor and the fourth NMOS transistor, so that the charging unit and the battery cell unit establish a charging path; The drain of the third NMOS tube is connected to the drain of the fourth NMOS tube, and is connected between the battery cell unit and the charging unit to form an anti-reverse circuit for preventing current backflow.

4. The multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The third ideal diode unit includes: a third voltage comparator, a fifth NMOS transistor, a sixth NMOS transistor, and a discharge switching controller; The third voltage comparator is electrically connected to the charging unit, the discharge switching controller, the fifth NMOS transistor, and the sixth NMOS transistor, respectively, and is used to: When the adapter is connected, controlling the fifth NMOS transistor and the sixth NMOS transistor to be turned off so that the adapter is powered first; When the adapter is not connected, in response to a discharge mode signal obtained by comparing the load power with the battery voltage value of each modular battery pack and a battery pack power detection signal from the discharge switching controller, turning on the fifth NMOS transistor and the sixth NMOS transistor to establish a discharge path for the corresponding modular battery pack, or turning off the fifth NMOS transistor and the sixth NMOS transistor to switch the downstream modular battery pack to discharge, or stopping the discharge of each modular battery pack; The drain of the fifth NMOS transistor is connected to the drain of the sixth NMOS transistor to form an anti-backflow circuit for preventing current from flowing back.

5. The multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The communication address automatic allocation unit includes: an address input interface, a hardware adder circuit, and an address output interface; The address input interface is electrically connected to the address output interface or device address interface of the upstream modular battery pack, and is used to receive the communication address signal of the upstream modular battery pack or device address interface; The hardware adder circuit includes at least one XOR gate and a NAND gate, and is used to perform an increment operation on the communication address signal received by the address input interface to obtain an incremented communication address signal as the communication address signal of the current modular battery pack; The address output interface is electrically connectable to an address input interface of a downstream modular battery pack for transmitting an incremented communication address signal to the downstream modular battery pack.

6. A multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator according to claim 5, characterized in that: The battery stack quantity feedback unit includes: a quantity signal input interface, a channel selector, and a quantity signal output interface; The quantity signal input interface is electrically connected to the quantity signal output interface of the downstream modular battery pack, and is used to receive the stack quantity signal from the downstream modular battery pack; The input end of the channel selector is connected to the address output interface of the modular battery pack and the quantity signal input interface, and is used to receive the stacking quantity signal of the downstream modular battery pack according to the connection state of the quantity signal input interface, or use the communication address signal of the address output interface as the stacking quantity signal; The quantity signal output interface is electrically connected to the quantity signal input interface of the upstream modular battery pack or to the main control module, and is used to output the stack quantity signal.

7. The multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The system also includes an alarm trigger circuit; The alarm trigger circuit is electrically connected to the battery stack quantity feedback unit and is used to detect whether the stack quantity signal changes, so as to output an alarm signal when the stack quantity signal changes; the alarm signal includes at least a sound signal.

8. The multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The system further comprises: a load power monitoring unit; The load power monitoring unit is used to collect the load current and the load voltage of the load end to determine the load power according to the load current and the load voltage.

9. A multi-battery stacking management system for an oxygen concentrator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The address input interface, address output interface, quantity signal input interface and quantity signal output interface of the modular battery pack each have N pins; the N satisfies 2 N ≥M, where M is the maximum number of modular battery packs connected in cascade.

10. A multi-battery charge and discharge management method, characterized in that: The method is applicable to a multi-battery stack management system for an oxygen concentrator according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the method comprises: Charging management steps: The main control module determines the communication address signal and the stacking quantity signal of each modular battery pack in response to the adapter access signal, and determines the battery voltage value corresponding to each of the modular battery packs connected in cascade according to each of the communication address signals and the stacking quantity signals; Determine the modular battery pack corresponding to the minimum battery voltage value among the battery voltage values, and turn on the corresponding second ideal diode unit to charge the modular battery pack until each modular battery pack reaches a fully charged state; Discharge management steps: When the adapter is not connected, determining the battery voltage value of each modular battery pack according to each communication address signal and each stacking quantity signal; Determine a discharge mode of each modular battery pack based on the voltage value of each battery and the load power from the load power monitoring unit; wherein the discharge mode includes at least a common discharge mode and a sequential discharge mode; According to the discharge mode and the battery capacity of each modular battery pack, a charging path between the corresponding modular battery pack and the load end is conducted.

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