Charging protocol setting device and method

Abstract

A charging protocol setting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a charging unit configured to charge a battery such that the battery repeats a charging state and a rest state; a measurement unit configured to measure a voltage of the battery while the battery is being charged; a temperature adjusting unit configured to adjust a temperature of the battery while the battery is being charged; and a control unit configured to control the charging unit such that the battery is charged at a preset first C-rate, calculate a resistance of the battery at each SOC (state of charge) based on a voltage drop in a rest state, determine a first charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C-rate based on the SOC and the resistance, and charge the battery at the first C-rate based on the determined first charging upper limit SOC. And setting a charging protocol including a correspondence relationship between the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0190291, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on December 22, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This disclosure relates to a charging protocol setting apparatus and method, and more specifically to a charging protocol setting apparatus and method for setting a battery charging protocol. Background Technology

[0003] Recently, demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, cameras, and mobile phones has increased dramatically, and electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, and satellites have seen significant development. Therefore, high-performance batteries that allow for repeated charging and discharging are being actively researched.

[0004] Currently available batteries include nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), nickel-zinc (NiZn), and lithium-ion batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries have attracted significant attention due to their near-absence of memory effect, free charging and discharging, very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density compared to nickel-based batteries.

[0005] With the commercialization of electric vehicles, electric motorcycles, and electric bicycles, the demand for high-capacity and high-performance batteries is increasing. However, as battery capacity increases, the time required to charge the battery also increases, which is a drawback. To address this issue, technologies for fast charging batteries are being developed, but there are concerns that fast charging may accelerate battery degradation. Therefore, to prevent battery degradation due to fast charging, a fast charging protocol that can efficiently charge batteries is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] This disclosure is designed to solve problems in the related art, and therefore aims to provide a charging protocol setting apparatus and method for setting a charging protocol.

[0008] These and other objects and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description and will become even more fully apparent from exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. Furthermore, it will be readily understood that the objects and advantages of this disclosure can be achieved by the means and combinations thereof as shown in the appended claims.

[0009] Technical solution

[0010] A charging protocol setting apparatus according to one aspect of this disclosure may include: a charging unit configured to charge a battery, such that the battery repeatedly enters a charging state and a resting state; a measuring unit configured to measure the battery voltage while the battery is being charged; a temperature regulating unit configured to regulate the battery temperature while the battery is being charged; and a control unit configured to control the charging unit to charge the battery at a preset first C rate, calculate the battery resistance at each SOC (state of charge) based on the voltage drop in the resting state, determine a first charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C rate based on the SOC and the resistance, and set a charging protocol including the correspondence between the first C rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0011] The control unit can be configured to control the charging unit such that the battery is charged at a second C rate different from the first C rate, determine a second charging upper limit SOC of the battery corresponding to the second C rate, and include the correspondence between the second C rate and the second charging upper limit SOC in the charging protocol.

[0012] When the first C rate is lower than the second C rate, the second charging upper limit SOC can be configured to be lower than the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0013] When the first C rate exceeds the second C rate, the second charging upper limit SOC can be configured to exceed the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0014] The temperature regulation unit can be configured to allow the cooling medium to flow so that the battery temperature is maintained at or below a preset threshold temperature.

[0015] The measurement unit can be configured to further measure the temperature of the battery.

[0016] The temperature regulation unit can be configured to increase at least one of the amount and flow rate of the cooling medium as the battery temperature approaches a threshold temperature.

[0017] The control unit can be configured to set a resistance curve representing the correspondence between resistance and SOC, select a target point that meets predetermined conditions in the resistance curve, and determine the SOC corresponding to the selected target point as the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0018] The control unit can be configured to select the feature point with the maximum corresponding SOC from the feature points included in the resistance curve as the target point.

[0019] The control unit can be configured to identify the maximum point included in the resistance curve as a feature point.

[0020] The control unit can be configured to determine the first charge upper limit (SOC) when there is no target point in the resistance curve that meets predetermined conditions.

[0021] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the charging control device can be configured to control the charging of the battery to be charged based on a charging protocol set by a charging protocol setting device according to one aspect of this disclosure.

[0022] The battery pack according to another aspect of this disclosure may include a charging control device according to another aspect of this disclosure.

[0023] The vehicle according to another aspect of this disclosure may include a charging control device according to another aspect of this disclosure.

[0024] A charging protocol setting method according to another aspect of this disclosure may include: a resistance calculation step based on SOC, which calculates the resistance of the battery at each SOC based on the voltage drop in the rest state while the battery is being charged through repeated charging states and rest states at a preset first C rate; a charging upper limit SOC determination step, which determines a first charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C rate based on the SOC and the resistance; and a charging protocol setting step, which sets a charging protocol including the correspondence between the first C rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0025] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the charging protocol setting method can be configured to perform a SOC-based resistance calculation step, a charging upper limit SOC determination step, and a charging protocol setting step based on a second C rate different from the first C rate, such that the correspondence between the second C rate and the second charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the second C rate is included in the charging protocol.

[0026] Beneficial effects

[0027] According to one aspect of this disclosure, by preventing battery degradation due to charging, the battery can be charged safely and its expected lifespan can be increased.

[0028] In other words, the charging protocol setting device has the advantage of being able to set a charging protocol that can increase the expected lifespan of the battery by preventing unnecessary battery degradation.

[0029] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art based on the description of the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the foregoing disclosure, serve to provide a further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure; therefore, the present disclosure is not to be construed as limited to the drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging protocol setting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a diagram schematically illustrating the charging process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the resistance at each state of charge (SOC) of a first battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the temperature at each state of charge (SOC) of a first battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a comparative example of the resistance at each state of charge (SOC) of a second battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a comparative example of the temperature at each SOC of a second battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a first charging protocol and a second charging protocol according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging control device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery pack according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging device according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging protocol setting method according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0043] It should be understood that the terms used in the specification and appended claims should not be construed as limited to their ordinary and dictionary meanings, but rather as being interpreted based on their meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical aspects of this disclosure, on the basis of the principle that the inventors are allowed to properly define the terms for the best interpretation.

[0044] Therefore, the descriptions presented herein are merely preferred examples for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. It should be understood that other equivalents and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0045] In addition, when describing this disclosure, a detailed description of a relevant known element or function is omitted herein when it is considered that such a detailed description obscures the key subject matter of the disclosure.

[0046] Ordinal terms such as “first” and “second” can be used to distinguish one element from another among various elements, but are not intended to limit elements by terminology.

[0047] Throughout this specification, when a section is referred to as “comprising” or “including” any element, it means that the section may further include other elements without excluding them, unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0048] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when one part is referred to as "connected" to another part, this is not limited to the case where they are "directly connected," but also includes the case where they are "indirectly connected" when another element is inserted between them.

[0049] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging protocol setting device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] refer to Figure 1 The charging protocol setting device 100 may include a charging unit 110, a measuring unit 120, a temperature regulating unit 130, and a control unit 140.

[0052] The charging unit 110 can be configured to charge the battery, allowing the battery to repeatedly enter a charging state and a resting state.

[0053] Here, a battery refers to a single, physically separable cell with negative and positive terminals. For example, a lithium-ion battery or a lithium polymer battery can be considered a battery. Additionally, the type of battery can be cylindrical, prismatic, or pouch-shaped. Furthermore, a battery can refer to a battery bank, battery module, or battery pack in which multiple cells are connected in series and / or parallel. Below, for ease of explanation, a battery will be interpreted as referring to a single, independent cell.

[0054] Specifically, the charging unit 110 can charge the battery with a constant current (CC) and / or a constant power (CP). For example, when the charging unit 110 receives a charging command for the battery from the control unit 140, the charging unit 110 can charge the battery. Here, the charging command may include C-rate information for charging. For example, when the charging command includes C-rate information of 1C, the charging unit 110 can charge the battery at 1C.

[0055] Furthermore, the charging unit 110 can enter a rest state during charging. Here, the rest state is a state where charging is stopped. For example, when the charging unit 110 is in the rest state, the battery is in an unloaded state. That is to say, during the battery charging process, the charging period and the rest period can be repeated.

[0056] Preferably, the charging unit 110 can enter a rest state whenever the battery's SOC (State of Charge) increases by a preset unit SOC. Here, the rest period can be a preset unit of time.

[0057] For example, whenever the battery's SOC increases by 1%, the charging unit 110 can remain in a paused state for 1 second. Afterward, the charging unit 110 can recharge the battery until the battery's SOC increases by 1%.

[0058] Figure 2 This is a diagram schematically illustrating the charging process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] exist Figure 2 In this embodiment, the charging unit 110 can charge the battery. Here, the charging current is Ic. The charging unit 110 is in a charging state before Ts and after Td, and in a resting state during the period from Ts to Td. That is, the charging period is the period before Ts and the period after Td, and the resting period is the period from Ts to Td. During the resting period, the battery voltage can decrease from Vs to Vd. Thereafter, as the state of the charging unit 110 is switched back to the charging state, the battery voltage can increase again.

[0060] The measuring unit 120 can be configured to measure the battery voltage while the battery is being charged.

[0061] Specifically, the measuring unit 120 can measure the voltage across the battery terminals. The measuring unit 120 can be connected to the positive terminal of the battery to measure the positive voltage, and can be connected to the negative terminal of the battery to measure the negative voltage. Additionally, the measuring unit 120 can measure the battery voltage by calculating the difference between the positive and negative voltages.

[0062] For example, the measurement unit 120 can measure the battery voltage according to a preset voltage measurement cycle. Additionally, when the charging unit 110 is in a resting state, the measurement unit 120 can measure the voltage of the battery in an unloaded state.

[0063] Preferably, the measuring unit 120 can measure the battery voltage during the charging period according to a preset voltage measurement cycle. Furthermore, the measuring unit 120 can measure the battery voltage at the beginning and end of the rest period.

[0064] For example, in Figure 2 In one embodiment, the measurement unit 120 can measure the battery voltage according to a preset voltage measurement cycle during the charging period (the period before Ts and the period after Td). Then, the measurement unit 120 can measure the battery voltage as Vs[V] at Ts, where Ts is the start of the rest period, and measure the battery voltage as Vd[V] at Td, where Td is the end of the rest period.

[0065] The temperature regulation unit 130 can be configured to regulate the temperature of the battery while it is being charged.

[0066] Specifically, the temperature regulating unit 130 can be configured to allow the cooling medium to flow, thereby maintaining the battery temperature at or below a preset threshold temperature. For example, the temperature regulating unit 130 can maintain the battery temperature at or below the threshold temperature by allowing at least one of a coolant, antifreeze, insulating oil, and cooling gas to flow.

[0067] Preferably, the temperature regulation unit 130 can maintain the battery temperature at or below a threshold temperature during the battery charging process. For example, during the battery charging process, the charging unit 110 can alternate between a charging state and a rest state, but the temperature regulation unit 130 can maintain the battery temperature at or below the threshold temperature even when the charging unit 110 is in a rest state.

[0068] For example, in Figure 2 In one embodiment, the temperature regulation unit 130 can cause the cooling medium to flow so that the temperature of the battery is maintained at or below the threshold temperature at time points before Ts, between Ts and Td, and after Td.

[0069] At the same time, as long as the temperature regulation unit can control the battery temperature through the cooling medium, the structure, shape, and connection relationship between the temperature regulation unit and the battery are not particularly restricted.

[0070] The control unit 140 can be configured to control the charging unit 110 so that the battery is charged at a preset first C rate.

[0071] Specifically, the control unit 140 can send a charging command to the charging unit 110. Here, the charging command may include C-rate information.

[0072] The control unit 140 can be configured to calculate the battery's resistance based on its state of charge (SOC) based on the voltage drop during rest.

[0073] Specifically, the control unit 140 can be connected to the measuring unit 120 to enable wired and / or wireless communication. The control unit 140 can receive battery voltage information from the measuring unit 120.

[0074] Furthermore, the control unit 140 can calculate the battery resistance based on the voltage drop according to the received voltage information. That is, the control unit 140 can calculate the battery resistance based on the voltage drop during the rest period. Specifically, the control unit 140 can calculate the battery resistance whenever the charging unit 110 enters a rest state.

[0075] For example, control unit 140 can calculate the battery resistance by taking into account the charging current and voltage drop during the rest period. Assuming that charging unit 110 enters a rest state whenever the battery's SOC increases by 1%, control unit 140 can calculate the resistance corresponding to each SOC of the battery.

[0076] For example, in Figure 2 In this embodiment, the voltage drop is Vs-Vd and the charging current is Ic. The control unit 140 can calculate the formula "(Vs - Vd) ÷ Ic" to derive the resistance corresponding to the state of charge (SOC).

[0077] The control unit 140 can be configured to determine a first charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C rate based on SOC and resistance.

[0078] Specifically, the control unit 140 can be configured to set a resistance curve representing the correspondence between resistance and state of charge (SOC). Here, the resistance curve is a curve representing the correspondence between SOC and resistance. For example, when the X-axis is set to SOC and the Y-axis is set to resistance, the resistance curve can be represented as a two-dimensional graph.

[0079] The control unit 140 can be configured to select a target point in the resistance curve that meets predetermined conditions. Here, the target point is a point in the resistance curve that meets the predetermined conditions, and the SOC of the target point can be determined as the upper limit SOC of charging corresponding to the first C rate.

[0080] Specifically, the control unit 140 can be configured to select the feature point with the maximum corresponding SOC from the feature points included in the resistance curve as the target point.

[0081] More specifically, the control unit 140 can be configured to identify the maximum point included in the resistance curve as a feature point. Here, the maximum point is a point in the resistance curve where the instantaneous rate of change of resistance relative to state of charge (SOC) is 0 and has an upward convex shape. That is, the slope of the SOC immediately preceding the maximum point is positive, and the slope of the SOC immediately following the maximum point is negative. In other words, the control unit 140 can select the feature point with the maximum SOC from at least one maximum point included in the resistance curve as the target point.

[0082] Preferably, the resistance curve may include one or more feature points. Furthermore, the control unit 140 may select a target point from among the one or more feature points included in the resistance curve.

[0083] For example, if the resistance curve includes a feature point, the control unit 140 can select that feature point as the target point.

[0084] As another example, when the resistance curve includes multiple feature points, the control unit 140 can select the feature point with the largest corresponding SOC from the multiple feature points as the target point.

[0085] The control unit 140 can be configured to determine the SOC corresponding to the selected target point as a first charging upper limit SOC. Here, the first charging upper limit SOC refers to the SOC at which the battery ends charging when the battery is charged at a first C rate.

[0086] Typically, during fast charging, lithium plating can occur due to non-uniform reactions within the battery, resulting in the deposition of lithium metal. Specifically, the target point on the resistance curve is the point where the battery resistance decreases, and this decrease is due to lithium metal deposition. In other words, the target point on the resistance curve can be considered the point where lithium plating begins. Therefore, the first upper limit of the State of Charge (SOC) as the target point refers to the upper limit of the SOC during the first C-rate charging process, or the SOC at the end of charging.

[0087] The control unit 140 can be configured to set a charging protocol that includes the correspondence between a first C rate and a first charging upper limit SOC.

[0088] Specifically, the control unit 140 can set the charging protocol by mapping the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC. That is, the charging protocol can include mapping information between the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0089] For example, when the battery is charged at a first C rate according to the charging protocol, the charging of the battery can be terminated when the battery's SOC reaches a first charging upper limit SOC.

[0090] The charging protocol setting device 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure can effectively prevent lithium plating during the charging process by determining a maximum state of charge (SOC) for each C rate. Therefore, battery degradation due to charging is prevented, allowing the battery to be charged safely and increasing its expected lifespan.

[0091] Meanwhile, the control unit 140 included in the charging protocol setting device 100 may optionally include processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), other chipsets, logic circuits, registers, communication modems, data processing devices, etc., known in the art, to execute the various control logics performed in this disclosure. Furthermore, when the control logic is implemented as software, the control unit 140 can be implemented as a set of program modules. In this case, the program modules can be stored in memory and executed by the control unit 140. The memory can be internal or external to the control unit 140 and can be connected to the control unit 140 by various known means.

[0092] Additionally, the charging protocol setting device 100 may also include a storage unit 150. The storage unit 150 may store data required for the operation and function of each component of the charging protocol setting device 100, data generated during the execution of operations or functions, etc. There are no particular limitations on the type of storage unit 150, as long as it is a known information storage device capable of recording, erasing, updating, and retrieving data. As examples, the information storage device may include RAM, flash memory, ROM, EEPROM, registers, etc. Furthermore, the storage unit 150 may store program code, which defines the processes that can be executed by the control unit 140.

[0093] For example, battery voltage information, resistance curve, and charging protocol can be stored in storage unit 150.

[0094] Specifically, the control unit 140 can set charging protocols corresponding to multiple C-rates. That is, the control unit 140 can set charging protocols that indicate the correspondence between multiple C-rates and multiple charging upper limits (SOC).

[0095] The control unit 140 can be configured to control the charging unit 110 so that the battery is charged at a second C rate different from the first C rate.

[0096] Preferably, the control unit 140 can send a charging command to the charging unit 110, causing the battery to be charged at a second C rate after a charging protocol based on a first C rate is set. The charging unit 110, receiving the charging command, can charge the battery at the second C rate through a repetitive charging state and a rest state.

[0097] For example, when a charging protocol based on a first C rate is set, the battery can be in a fully charged state. Here, a fully charged state means that the battery is fully charged until its State of Charge (SOC) reaches a preset end-of-charge SOC or SOC 100%. Therefore, the battery can be discharged until its SOC reaches a preset end-of-discharge SOC or SOC 0%. In one embodiment, the battery can rest for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 minutes) after discharge is complete, and then enter a steady state. Thereafter, the battery can be charged at a second C rate.

[0098] The control unit 140 can be configured to determine a second charge upper limit (SOC) of the battery corresponding to the second C rate.

[0099] The control unit 140 can generate a resistance curve representing the relationship between the battery's state of charge (SOC) and resistance. Furthermore, the control unit 140 can select a target point from the resistance curve and determine the SOC of the selected target point as a second upper limit for charging.

[0100] The control unit 140 can be configured to include the correspondence between the second C rate and the second charging upper limit SOC in the charging protocol.

[0101] Preferably, the C-rate and the upper limit of the State of Charge (SOC) can be inversely proportional. That is, as the C-rate increases, the corresponding upper limit of the SOC can decrease. Conversely, as the C-rate decreases, the corresponding upper limit of the SOC can increase.

[0102] For example, if the first charging rate is lower than the second charging rate, the second charging upper limit SOC can be lower than the first charging upper limit SOC. Conversely, if the first charging rate exceeds the second charging rate, the second charging upper limit SOC can exceed the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0103] Figure 3 This is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the resistance at each state of charge (SOC) of a first battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Figure 3 It is a graph showing six resistance curves set by charging the first battery at 0.5C, 1C, 1.5C, 2C, 2.5C and 3C respectively.

[0104] Figure 4 This is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the temperature at each state of charge (SOC) of the first battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, the temperature regulating unit 130 can regulate the temperature of the first battery such that the temperature of the first battery is maintained at or below a threshold temperature (K) during the charging process of the first battery. Therefore, during the charging process according to each C rate, the temperature of the first battery is maintained at or below the threshold temperature (K).

[0105] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment, the target point of each resistance curve is determined by " The target SOC is s1 when the first battery is charged at 0.5C, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 0.5C is s1. When the first battery is charged at 1C, the target SOC is s2, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 1C is s2. When the first battery is charged at 1.5C, the target SOC is s3, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 1.5C is s3. When the first battery is charged at 2C, the target SOC is s4, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 2C is s4. When the first battery is charged at 2.5C, the target SOC is s5, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 2.5C is s5. When the first battery is charged at 3C, the target SOC is s6, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 3C is s6.

[0106] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a comparative example of the resistance at each state of charge (SOC) of a second battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Figure 5 It is a graph showing six resistance curves set by charging the second battery at 0.5C, 1C, 1.5C, 2C, 2.5C and 3C respectively.

[0107] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a comparative example of the temperature at each state of charge (SOC) of a second battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, unlike the first battery, the temperature of the second battery is not regulated to be maintained at or below a threshold temperature (K) during the charging process. Therefore, the higher the charge rate, the higher the temperature measured at each SOC.

[0108] exist Figure 5 In the comparison examples, the target point of each resistance curve is determined by " The target SOC is c1 when the second battery is charged at 0.5C, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 0.5C is c1. When the second battery is charged at 1C, the target SOC is c2, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 1C is c2. When the second battery is charged at 1.5C, the target SOC is c3, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 1.5C is c3. When the second battery is charged at 2C, the target SOC is c4, so the upper limit SOC corresponding to 2C is c4. When the second battery is charged at 2.5C or 3C, the upper limit SOC is not determined because there is no target point.

[0109] Specifically, if the battery temperature is not controlled during the charging process, the battery resistance may increase due to heat generation. Furthermore, since the battery temperature may continue to increase due to heat generation, the battery resistance may also continue to increase as charging progresses. That is, the target point is selected as one of the characteristic points included in the resistance curve (e.g., the maximum point), but if the resistance continues to increase due to battery heat generation, the characteristic point may not exist. Therefore, if the temperature is not controlled during the battery charging process, the characteristic point may not be included in the resistance curve.

[0110] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a first charging protocol P1 and a second charging protocol P2 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, the first charging protocol P1 is a charging protocol set for a first battery, and the second charging protocol P2 is a charging protocol set for a second battery. Since the second charging protocol P2 includes a charging upper limit SOC affected by the heat generation of the second battery, it does not include the charging upper limit SOC corresponding to 2.5C and 3C.

[0111] Furthermore, the upper limit SOC included in the first charging protocol P1 and the second charging protocol P2 differs at 0.5C, 1C, and 2C. Specifically, at 0.5C, the upper limit SOC according to the first charging protocol P1 is s1, and the upper limit SOC according to the second charging protocol P2 is c1. At 1C, the upper limit SOC according to the first charging protocol P1 is s2, and the upper limit SOC according to the second charging protocol P2 is c2. At 1.5C, the upper limit SOC according to the first charging protocol P1 is s3, and the upper limit SOC according to the second charging protocol P2 is c3.

[0112] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the charging protocol setting device 100 can determine the upper limit of the state of charge (SOC) for each C-rate that minimizes the impact of battery heat generation by maintaining the battery temperature at or below a threshold temperature during the charging process. Therefore, since an optimal upper limit of the charge SOC for which lithium deposition does not occur can be determined for each C-rate, the battery can be safely charged according to the charging protocol set by the charging protocol setting device 100.

[0113] Meanwhile, the measuring unit 120 can be configured to further measure the temperature of the battery.

[0114] The temperature regulation unit 130 can be configured to increase at least one of the amount and flow rate of the cooling medium as the battery temperature approaches a threshold temperature.

[0115] Specifically, because the battery temperature rises during charging, it may not be possible to maintain the temperature at or below the threshold temperature by controlling the battery temperature to be kept at a constant level.

[0116] For example, in Figure 5 In the comparative examples, if the battery temperature is not controlled during charging, the battery temperature can continue to increase. Specifically, the temperature increase in the low SOC segment is steeper than that in the high SOC segment. In other words, the rate of temperature increase in the low SOC segment is greater than the rate of temperature increase in the high SOC segment.

[0117] Therefore, the temperature regulation unit 130 can be configured to increase at least one of the amount and flow rate of the cooling medium as the battery temperature approaches a threshold temperature. That is, the temperature regulation unit 130 can increase the total amount of cooling medium so that more cooling medium can affect the battery, or it can increase the flow rate of the cooling medium so that the cooling medium can affect the battery more frequently.

[0118] For example, suppose the temperature regulation unit 130 controls the battery temperature via a cooling medium. The temperature regulation unit 130 can control the battery temperature at or below the threshold temperature by increasing the amount and / or flow rate of the cooling medium as the battery temperature approaches the threshold temperature.

[0119] As another example, the temperature regulation unit 130 can control the battery temperature by adding cooling gas while using a cooling medium to control the battery temperature.

[0120] The charging protocol setting device 100 can set a charging protocol that minimizes the effects of heat generation by controlling the battery temperature during the charging process. Therefore, since the battery can be safely charged according to the charging protocol set by the charging protocol setting device 100, unintentional battery degradation due to charging can be prevented. In other words, the charging protocol setting device 100 has the advantage of setting a charging protocol that increases the expected lifespan of the battery by preventing unnecessary battery degradation.

[0121] Meanwhile, the control unit 140 can be configured to determine the first charging upper limit SOC if there is no target point in the resistance curve that meets the predetermined conditions.

[0122] When the temperature regulation unit 130 regulates the battery temperature, the resistance curve generated by the control unit 140 is a resistance curve that minimizes the impact of battery heating. Therefore, preferably, the resistance curve may include at least one feature point, making it possible to determine the upper limit of the charge state (SOC) corresponding to the C-rate.

[0123] However, if the battery deteriorates severely or rapidly, the resistance at each state of charge (SOC) may continue to increase, even if not due to battery heat. In this case, since the resistance curve represents the relationship between SOC and resistance, it may not include characteristic points.

[0124] If the battery temperature is controlled during the charging process, but a target point cannot be selected from the resistance curve, the control unit 140 may be unable to determine the upper limit of the charge state (SOC) corresponding to the corresponding C-rate. In other words, because information about the corresponding C-rate is excluded from the charging protocol, the battery may not be able to be charged at the corresponding C-rate according to the charging protocol.

[0125] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging control device 200 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0126] refer to Figure 8 The charging control device 200 may include a memory 210 and a processor 220.

[0127] Specifically, the charging protocol set by the charging protocol setting device 100 can be stored in the memory 210. Then, when the processor 220 needs to control the charging of the target battery, the processor 220 can access the memory 210 to obtain the stored charging protocol. The processor 220 can then be configured to control the charging of the target battery based on the charging protocol.

[0128] Preferably, since the charging protocol is one that minimizes the impact of heat generation on the battery, there is no need to specially control the temperature of the battery to be charged during the charging process of the charging control device 200 charging the battery according to the charging protocol.

[0129] Meanwhile, the processor 220 included in the charging control device 200 may optionally include processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), other chipsets, logic circuits, registers, communication modems, data processing devices, etc., known in the art, to execute the various control logics performed in this disclosure. Furthermore, when the control logic is implemented as software, the processor 220 may be implemented as a set of program modules. In this case, the program modules may be stored in memory and executed by the processor 220. The memory may be internal or external to the processor 220 and may be connected to the processor 220 by various known means.

[0130] Furthermore, the memory 210 included in the charging control device 200 can store data necessary for the operation and function of each component of the charging control device 200, data generated during the execution of operations or functions, etc. There are no particular limitations on the type of memory 210, as long as it is a known information storage device capable of recording, erasing, updating, and retrieving data. As examples, the information storage device may include RAM, flash memory, ROM, EEPROM, registers, etc. Additionally, the memory 210 can store program code, which defines the procedures that can be executed by the processor 220.

[0131] Furthermore, the charging control device 200 according to this disclosure can be disposed in the battery pack 1. That is, the battery pack 1 according to this disclosure may include the aforementioned charging control device 200 and at least one battery cell. In addition, the battery pack 1 may also include electrical components (relays, fuses, etc.) and a housing.

[0132] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery pack 1 according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0133] The positive terminal of battery 10 can be connected to the positive terminal P+ of battery pack 1, and the negative terminal of battery 10 can be connected to the negative terminal P- of battery pack 1.

[0134] The measuring unit 20 can be connected to a first sensing line SL1, a second sensing line SL2, and a third sensing line SL3. Specifically, the measuring unit 20 can be connected to the positive terminal of the battery 10 via the first sensing line SL1 and to the negative terminal of the battery 10 via the second sensing line SL2. The measuring unit 20 can measure the voltage of the battery 10 based on the voltage measured at each of the first sensing line SL1 and the second sensing line SL2.

[0135] Furthermore, the measurement unit 20 can be connected to the current measurement unit A via the third sensing line SL3. For example, the current measurement unit A can be an ammeter or a shunt resistor capable of measuring the charging and discharging currents of the battery 10. The measurement unit 20 can measure the charging and discharging currents of the battery 10 via the third sensing line SL3.

[0136] Battery information measured by the measurement unit 20 can be sent to the charging control device 200. For example, the measurement unit 20 and the charging control device 200 can be connected to enable wired or wireless communication. Battery information received from the measurement unit 20 can be stored in the memory 210 and input to the processor 220. Additionally, the processor 220 can access the memory 210 to obtain the stored battery information.

[0137] The charging device 2 can be connected to the positive terminal P+ and the negative terminal P- of the battery pack 1. Here, the charging device 2 is a device used to charge the battery 10.

[0138] Processor 220 can be connected to charging device 2 via communication line CL to enable wired and / or wireless communication. For example, processor 220 can perform power line communication (PLC) with charging device 2. Processor 220 can determine whether the state of charge (SOC) of battery 10 has reached the upper limit SOC corresponding to the current charging rate (C rate) based on the charging protocol stored in memory 210. If the SOC of battery 10 has reached the upper limit SOC, processor 220 can command charging device 2 to reduce the charging rate. Preferably, processor 220 can select a C rate lower than the current C rate in the charging protocol and command charging device 2 to charge at the selected C rate.

[0139] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging device according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0140] Battery pack 1 may include battery 10, measurement unit 20, and BMS (30, battery management system). Here, BMS 30 is a battery management system that diagnoses the state of the battery and controls the charging and discharging of the battery. For example, BMS 30 may be a configuration that has been widely used in the past.

[0141] The charging device 2 may include a charging control device 200. For example, the charging device 2 may output a charging current at a rate C set by the charging control device 200.

[0142] The battery management system (BMS) 30 can be connected to the charging device 2 via a communication line CL to enable wired and / or wireless communication. Preferably, the charging device 2 can receive battery information from the BMS 30. This battery information can then be stored in the memory 210 and input to the processor 220. Additionally, the processor 220 can access the memory 210 to retrieve the stored battery information.

[0143] Processor 220 can determine whether the State of Charge (SOC) of battery 10 has reached the upper limit SOC corresponding to the current C-rate based on the charging protocol stored in memory 210. If the SOC of battery 10 has reached the upper limit SOC, processor 220 can reduce the charging C-rate. That is, processor 220 can reduce the charging current output from charging device 2. Preferably, processor 220 can select a C-rate lower than the current C-rate in the charging protocol and change the C-rate of the charging current output from charging device 2 to the selected C-rate. Therefore, charging device 2 can output a charging current to battery 10 corresponding to the reduced C-rate.

[0144] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0145] refer to Figure 11 The battery pack 1110 according to embodiments of this disclosure can be included in a vehicle 1100, such as an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid vehicle (HV). Furthermore, the battery pack 1110 can supply power to a motor in the vehicle 1100 via an inverter disposed in the vehicle 1100 to drive the vehicle 1100. Here, the battery pack 1110 may include a charging control device. That is, the vehicle 1100 may include a charging control device.

[0146] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging protocol setting method according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0147] refer to Figure 12 The charging protocol setting method may include a resistance calculation step based on SOC (S100), a charging upper limit SOC determination step (S200), and a charging protocol setting step (S300).

[0148] Preferably, each step of the charging protocol setting method can be performed by the charging protocol setting device 100. In the following text, for ease of explanation, content overlapping with the above will be omitted or briefly described.

[0149] The SOC-based resistance calculation step (S100) is a step that calculates the resistance of the battery at each SOC based on the voltage drop in the rest state while the battery is being charged by repeatedly charging and resting at a preset first C rate, and can be executed by the control unit 140.

[0150] Specifically, the charging unit 110 can charge the battery based on a command signal received from the control unit 140. Additionally, the measuring unit 120 can measure the battery voltage while it is being charged. The control unit 140 can receive voltage information about the battery from the measuring unit 120 and calculate the battery's resistance based on its state of charge (SOC) based on the voltage drop during rest periods.

[0151] The charging upper limit SOC determination step (S200) is a step of determining the first charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C rate based on the SOC and the resistance, and can be executed by the control unit 140.

[0152] Specifically, the control unit 140 can generate a resistance curve representing the correspondence between SOC and resistance. Then, the control unit 140 can select a target point from the resistance curve and determine the SOC of the selected target point as the upper limit SOC of the charge corresponding to the corresponding C rate.

[0153] The charging protocol setting step (S300) is a step for setting a charging protocol that includes the correspondence between the first C rate and the first charging upper limit SOC, and can be executed by the control unit 140.

[0154] Specifically, the control unit 140 can set the charging protocol by mapping the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC. That is, the charging protocol can include mapping information between the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0155] The charging protocol setting method can perform a resistance calculation step based on SOC (S100), a charging upper limit SOC determination step (S200), and a charging protocol setting step (S300) based on a second C rate, so that the correspondence between the second C rate, which is different from the first C rate, and the second charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the second C rate is included in the charging protocol.

[0156] Specifically, the control unit 140 can set charging protocols corresponding to multiple C-rates. That is, the control unit 140 can set charging protocols that represent the correspondence between multiple C-rates and multiple charging upper limits (SOC).

[0157] For example, the control unit 140 can include the mapping information between multiple C rates and the charging upper limit SOC in the charging protocol by performing a resistance calculation step based on SOC (S100), a charging upper limit SOC determination step (S200), and a charging protocol setting step (S300) for multiple C rates.

[0158] The embodiments of this disclosure described above can be implemented not only by apparatus and methods, but also by a program that implements functions corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of this disclosure, or a recording medium on which the program is recorded. Those skilled in the art can readily implement the program or recording medium from the description of the above embodiments.

[0159] This disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate preferred embodiments of this disclosure, they are given by way of illustration only, as various changes and modifications within the scope of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art based on this detailed description.

[0160] Furthermore, without departing from the technical aspects of this disclosure, those skilled in the art can make many substitutions, modifications and changes to the disclosure described above, and this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and drawings, and each embodiment can be selectively combined in part or in whole to allow various modifications.

[0161] (Explanation of the labels in the attached diagram)

[0162] 1: Battery pack

[0163] 2: Charging equipment

[0164] 10: Battery

[0165] 20: Measurement Unit

[0166] 30: BMS

[0167] 100: Charging protocol setting device

[0168] 110: Charging unit

[0169] 120: Measurement Unit

[0170] 130: Temperature control unit

[0171] 140: Control Unit

[0172] 150: Storage unit

[0173] 200: Charging control equipment

[0174] 210: Memory

[0175] 220: Processor

[0176] 1100: Vehicles

[0177] 1110: Battery Pack

Claims

1. A charging protocol setting device, comprising: A charging unit configured to charge a battery, allowing the battery to repeatedly enter a charging state and a resting state. A measuring unit configured to measure the voltage of the battery while the battery is being charged; A temperature regulation unit configured to regulate the temperature of the battery while the battery is being charged; as well as A control unit is configured to control the charging unit such that the battery is charged at a preset first C rate, calculate the resistance of the battery at each state of charge (SOC) based on the voltage drop in the resting state, determine a first charging upper limit (SOC) corresponding to the first C rate based on the SOC and the resistance, and set a charging protocol that includes the correspondence between the first C rate and the first charging upper limit (SOC).

2. The charging protocol setting device according to claim 1, in, The control unit is configured to control the charging unit such that the battery is charged at a second C rate different from the first C rate, determine a second charging upper limit SOC of the battery corresponding to the second C rate, and include the correspondence between the second C rate and the second charging upper limit SOC in the charging protocol.

3. The charging protocol setting device according to claim 2, in, When the first C rate is lower than the second C rate, the second charging upper limit SOC is configured to be lower than the first charging upper limit SOC, and when the first C rate exceeds the second C rate, the second charging upper limit SOC is configured to exceed the first charging upper limit SOC.

4. The charging protocol setting device according to claim 1, in, The temperature regulation unit is configured to allow the cooling medium to flow, thereby maintaining the temperature of the battery at or below a preset threshold temperature.

5. The charging protocol setting device according to claim 4, in, The measuring unit is configured to further measure the temperature of the battery, and The temperature regulating unit is configured to increase at least one of the amount and flow rate of the cooling medium as the temperature of the battery approaches the threshold temperature.

6. The charging protocol setting device according to claim 1, in, The control unit is configured to set a resistance curve representing the correspondence between the resistance and the SOC, select a target point that meets predetermined conditions in the resistance curve, and determine the SOC corresponding to the selected target point as the first charging upper limit SOC.

7. The charging protocol setting device according to claim 6, in, The control unit is configured to select the feature point with the largest corresponding SOC from the feature points included in the resistance curve as the target point.

8. The charging protocol setting device according to claim 7, in, The control unit is configured to identify the maximum point included in the resistance curve as the feature point.

9. The charging protocol setting device according to claim 6, in, The control unit is configured to determine the first charging upper limit SOC when there is no target point in the resistance curve that satisfies the predetermined condition.

10. A charging control device configured to control the charging of a battery to be charged based on a charging protocol set by a charging protocol setting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A battery pack comprising the charging control device according to claim 10.

12. A vehicle comprising the charging control device according to claim 10.

13. A charging protocol setting method, comprising: The SOC-based resistance calculation step calculates the resistance of the battery at each SOC based on the voltage drop in the rest state while the battery is being charged through repeated charging and rest states at a preset first C rate. The charging upper limit SOC determination step determines a first charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C rate based on the SOC and the resistor. as well as The charging protocol setting step sets a charging protocol that includes the correspondence between the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

14. The charging protocol setting method according to claim 13, in, The SOC-based resistance calculation step, the charging upper limit SOC determination step, and the charging protocol setting step are performed based on a second C rate different from the first C rate, such that the correspondence between the second C rate and the second charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the second C rate is included in the charging protocol.

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