Battery pack equalization control method, battery pack, system and readable storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a battery pack equalization control method, a battery pack, a system and a readable storage medium. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system; determining a target battery pack to be equalized in the battery pack system according to the battery voltage of each battery pack, wherein the target battery pack is a battery pack with a battery voltage greater than the equalization voltage of the battery pack system; and controlling the discharging circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the equalization voltage. The above method can realize equalization control of the battery pack in the power supply equipment upgraded from lead to lithium in the case that the space of the battery compartment is limited, thereby improving the performance of the power supply equipment upgraded from lead to lithium and reducing the upgrading cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a battery pack equalization control method, battery pack, system, and readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing application of lithium batteries, new power supply equipment is designed with lithium batteries in mind. However, many older power supply devices still use lead-acid batteries. Due to the low energy density of lead-acid batteries, to replace individual lead-acid batteries in older power supply equipment, multiple lithium iron phosphate battery packs are often connected in series to form a single battery pack – a process known as "lead-to-lithium conversion." In lead-acid battery systems, multiple lead-acid batteries are often connected in series to increase the power supply voltage. This results in unequal capacities and voltages among the lithium battery packs, reducing the overall capacity of the power supply equipment (including the multiple lithium battery packs) and thus lowering its performance. In lead-acid battery systems, since lead-acid batteries are not managed by a BMS (Battery Management System) or undergo battery balancing, the batteries are connected in series only using power lines. Currently, for power supply equipment upgraded from lead-acid to lithium-ion, the relevant technology involves connecting each battery with a communication harness and using an external equalization control board as the BMS (Battery Management System) to perform equalization control on each battery pack. However, due to the limited battery compartment space in many power supply equipment, there is no space reserved for the communication harness and the external equalization control board. Therefore, this solution is only suitable for power supply equipment with ample battery compartment space. For power supply equipment with limited battery compartment space, it is impossible to use the communication harness and the external equalization control board for equalization control, which will reduce the performance of the power supply equipment.

[0003] Therefore, given the limited space in the battery compartment of power supply equipment, improving the performance of power supply equipment upgraded from lead to lithium has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a battery pack balancing control method, a battery pack, a system, and a computer-readable storage medium, which can achieve balancing control of the battery pack in a lead-to-lithium power supply equipment with limited battery compartment space, thereby not only improving the performance of the lead-to-lithium power supply equipment but also reducing the upgrade cost.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a battery pack balancing control method applied to a main battery pack in a power supply device, wherein the main battery pack and at least one other battery pack are wirelessly networked to form a battery pack system, the method comprising: Obtain the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system; Based on the battery voltage of each battery pack, a target battery pack to be balanced in the battery pack system is determined. The target battery pack is the battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the balancing voltage of the battery pack system. The discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack is controlled to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the equalization voltage.

[0006] In one embodiment, the target battery pack includes at least two cells connected in series, and the discharge circuit includes a discharge unit connected to each of the cells; controlling the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack includes: A discharge signal is sent to the target battery pack, the discharge signal being used to instruct the target battery pack to control the discharge unit to discharge the cells connected to the discharge unit.

[0007] In one embodiment, the target battery pack is the main battery pack, the main battery pack includes at least two cells connected in series, and the discharge circuit corresponding to the main battery pack includes a discharge unit connected to each of the cells; controlling the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack includes: Obtain the cell voltage of each cell in the main battery pack; Based on the cell voltage of each of the cells, a target cell to be discharged in the main battery pack is determined. The target cell is a cell whose cell voltage is greater than the average cell voltage of the main battery pack, or the target cell is a cell with the highest cell voltage in the main battery pack. The discharge unit connected to the target battery cell is controlled to discharge the target battery cell.

[0008] In one embodiment, the discharge unit includes a first resistor, a switching transistor, a second resistor, a first port, and a second port. The positive terminal of the target battery cell is connected to the first port, the negative terminal of the target battery cell is connected to the second port, the first end of the switching transistor is connected to the second port through the first resistor, the second end of the switching transistor is connected to the positive terminal of the target battery cell through the second resistor, and the third end of the switching transistor is connected to the negative terminal of the target battery cell.

[0009] In one embodiment, the discharge unit controlling the connection of the target battery cell discharges the target battery cell, including: A discharge signal is input to the second port so that the switching transistor conducts the connection between the positive and negative terminals of the target cell according to the discharge signal.

[0010] In one embodiment, the main battery pack includes a wireless communication module; the method further includes: The main battery pack is controlled to perform a wireless search operation through the wireless communication module to obtain the identification information of the searched battery pack; If it is determined based on the battery pack's identification information that the battery pack is not in the battery pack system, then the main battery pack is controlled to initiate a network connection with the sending battery pack through the wireless communication module, so as to add the battery pack to the battery pack system.

[0011] In one embodiment, each battery pack in the battery pack system includes a wireless communication module; obtaining the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system includes: The main battery pack is controlled to send a battery parameter detection command to each battery pack in the battery pack system through the wireless communication module. The battery parameter detection command is used to instruct each battery pack to detect and report battery parameters.

[0012] Secondly, this application also provides a battery pack, which includes a memory, a processor, and a communication module; The memory is used to store computer programs; The communication module is used to establish a wireless communication connection with an external battery pack; The processor is configured to implement the battery pack equalization control method described above when executing the computer program.

[0013] Thirdly, this application also provides a battery pack balancing control system, the system comprising: Electronic devices; A power supply device, comprising a battery pack system formed by wireless networking of at least two battery packs, wherein the power supply device is configured to configure one of the battery packs in the battery pack system as a main battery pack according to a host configuration command sent by the electronic device; The main battery pack is used for: Obtain the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system; Based on the battery voltage of each battery pack, a target battery pack to be balanced in the battery pack system is determined. The target battery pack is the battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the balancing voltage of the battery pack system. The discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack is controlled to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the equalization voltage.

[0014] Fourthly, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the battery pack equalization control method described above.

[0015] This application provides a battery pack balancing control method, a battery pack, a system, and a computer-readable storage medium. The method includes: configuring a main battery pack to wirelessly network with at least one other battery pack to form a battery pack system; acquiring the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system; determining a target battery pack to be balanced in the battery pack system based on the battery voltage of each battery pack; and controlling the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the balancing voltage. This method, by configuring multiple battery packs in the power supply equipment to automatically network wirelessly and utilizing the main battery pack to perform balancing control on each battery pack in the battery pack system, eliminates the need for additional communication harnesses and external balancing control boards. It is not limited by the space constraints of the battery compartment in the power supply equipment, enabling balancing control of battery packs in lead-to-lithium conversion power supply equipment even with limited battery compartment space. This not only improves the performance of the lead-to-lithium conversion power supply equipment but also reduces upgrade costs. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery pack equalization control system provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery pack provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of a battery pack equalization control method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another battery pack structure provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of the sub-steps of a battery pack equalization control method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another battery pack structure provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0019] The flowchart shown in the attached diagram is for illustrative purposes only and does not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor does it necessarily have to be performed in the order described. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, combined, or partially merged, so the actual execution order may change depending on the actual situation.

[0020] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the application. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0021] It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0022] In lead-acid battery systems, because lead-acid batteries are not managed by a BMS (Battery Management System) and do not undergo battery balancing, the series connection between batteries is only achieved using power lines. However, in lithium-ion conversion systems, due to space and wiring constraints, the BMS in each battery pack only manages the lithium batteries within its own pack, making it impossible to achieve balancing control between individual battery packs.

[0023] Currently, for power supply equipment upgraded from lead-acid to lithium-ion, the relevant technology involves connecting each battery with a communication harness and using an external equalization control board as the BMS (Battery Management System) to perform equalization control on each battery pack. However, due to the limited battery compartment space in many power supply equipment, there is no space reserved for the communication harness and the external equalization control board. Therefore, this solution is only suitable for power supply equipment with ample battery compartment space. For power supply equipment with limited battery compartment space, it is impossible to use the communication harness and the external equalization control board for equalization control, which will reduce the performance of the power supply equipment.

[0024] To address this, this application provides a battery pack balancing control method, a battery pack, a system, and a computer-readable storage medium. By configuring multiple battery packs in a power supply device to automatically network wirelessly, and utilizing the main battery pack to perform balancing control on each battery pack in the battery pack system, this method eliminates the need for additional communication harnesses and external balancing control boards. It is not limited by the space constraints of the battery compartment in the power supply device, enabling balancing control of battery packs in lead-to-lithium conversion power supply devices even with limited battery compartment space. This not only improves the performance of lead-to-lithium conversion power supply devices but also reduces upgrade costs.

[0025] For example, the power supply equipment may include, but is not limited to, start-stop power supplies, emergency jump starters, outdoor energy storage devices, or home energy storage devices. For instance, the power supply equipment could be a start-stop power supply for a vehicle. Another example is an emergency jump starter.

[0026] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0027] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack equalization control system 100 provided in an embodiment of this application. The battery pack equalization control system 100 may include an electronic device 10 and a power supply device 20, wherein the power supply device 20 includes a battery pack system 200 formed by at least two battery packs wirelessly networking. The power supply device 20 is used to configure one of the battery packs in the battery pack system 200 as a master battery pack and the remaining battery packs as slave battery packs according to the host configuration command sent by the electronic device 10.

[0028] For example, electronic device 10 may include, but is not limited to, smartphones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, smart glasses, smart bracelets, and other devices.

[0029] For example, the electronic device 10 and the power supply device 20 can be connected wirelessly or wiredly.

[0030] It should be noted that in the power supply device 20, all unnetworked battery packs are in slave mode. When a user sets one of the battery packs as the master battery pack through the electronic device 10, the master battery pack is in a master-slave integrated state. The slave battery pack can broadcast data packets, while the master battery pack (i.e., the master battery pack) can search for nearby slave devices and also broadcast data packets. In this embodiment, after establishing a communication connection between the electronic device 10 and the power supply device 20, the user can view the battery packs in the power supply device 20 on the APP of the electronic device 10 and set one of them as the master battery pack. The master battery pack is used to perform equalization control on the battery packs in the battery pack system, for example, to equalize the battery voltage of each battery pack so that the voltage difference between the battery packs is less than a preset threshold. The preset threshold can be set according to actual conditions, and the specific value is not limited here. For example, the preset threshold can be 20mV. The master battery pack is also used to detect the battery parameters of each battery pack in the battery pack system in real time and synchronize them to the electronic device 10.

[0031] In some embodiments, the main battery pack is used to: acquire the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system; determine the target battery pack to be balanced in the battery pack system based on the battery voltage of each battery pack, wherein the target battery pack is the battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the equalization voltage of the battery pack system; and control the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the equalization voltage.

[0032] It should be noted that by performing equalization control on each battery pack in the battery pack system, the battery pack with excessively high voltage can be controlled to discharge, so that the battery voltage reaches the equal voltage. This can prevent the capacity and voltage of multiple battery packs in the battery pack system from being unequal, which would reduce the overall capacity of the power supply equipment 20, thereby improving the performance of the power supply equipment 20.

[0033] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery pack 200 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the battery pack 200 may include a processor 201, a memory 202, and a communication module 203, wherein the processor 201, the memory 202, and the communication module 203 can be connected via a bus, which can be any applicable bus such as an Inter-integrated Circuit (I2C) bus.

[0034] It is understood that any battery pack in the battery pack system can be configured as a master battery pack to perform equalization control on the battery packs in the system, with the remaining battery packs acting as slave battery packs. That is, when any battery pack in the battery pack system is configured as a master battery pack, that battery pack can execute the battery pack equalization control method described in any embodiment.

[0035] For example, the battery pack 200 may also include at least two cells connected in series ( Figure 2 (not shown in the image), for example, at least two lithium battery cells connected in series.

[0036] For example, the communication module 203 may be a wireless communication module, which may include a Bluetooth module, an RF module, a Wi-Fi module, a 4G module, a 5G module, an NB-IoT module, or a LoRa module. Each battery pack may include a wireless communication module.

[0037] In this embodiment, by configuring the communication module 203 as a wireless communication module, multiple battery packs can communicate with each other through the wireless communication module without the need to add communication harnesses between multiple battery packs. This allows normal communication between multiple battery packs without occupying extra space in the battery compartment, and enables lead-to-lithium conversion upgrades for power supply equipment 20 with a single battery pack that is the same size as the original lead-acid battery.

[0038] The memory 202 may include a storage medium and internal memory. The storage medium may be a non-volatile storage medium or a volatile storage medium. The storage medium may store an operating system and computer programs, while the internal memory provides an environment for the execution of the computer programs stored in the storage medium. The computer programs include program instructions that, when executed, cause the processor 201 to perform the battery pack equalization control method described in any embodiment.

[0039] The processor 201 provides computing and control capabilities to support the operation of the entire battery pack 200.

[0040] The processor 201 can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), but it can also be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor, or it can be any conventional processor.

[0041] In one embodiment, the processor 201 is configured to run a computer program stored in the memory 202 to perform the following steps: Obtain the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system; based on the battery voltage of each battery pack, determine the target battery pack to be balanced in the battery pack system, the target battery pack being the battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the balance voltage of the battery pack system; control the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the balance voltage.

[0042] In one embodiment, the target battery pack includes at least two cells connected in series, and the discharge circuit includes a discharge unit connected to each cell; when the processor 201 controls the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack, it is used to: A discharge signal is sent to the target battery pack. The discharge signal is used to instruct the target battery pack to control the discharge unit to discharge the cells connected to the discharge unit.

[0043] In one embodiment, the target battery pack is a main battery pack, which includes at least two cells connected in series, and the discharge circuit corresponding to the main battery pack includes a discharge unit connected to each cell; when the processor 201 controls the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack, it is used to implement: Obtain the cell voltage of each cell in the main battery pack; based on the cell voltage of each cell, determine the target cell to be discharged in the main battery pack. The target cell is the cell whose cell voltage is greater than the average cell voltage of the main battery pack, or the target cell is the cell with the highest cell voltage in the main battery pack; control the discharge unit connected to the target cell to discharge the target cell.

[0044] In one embodiment, when the processor 201 discharges the target battery cell via a discharge unit connected to the target battery cell, it is configured to: A discharge signal is input to the second port so that the switching transistor conducts the connection between the positive and negative terminals of the target cell according to the discharge signal.

[0045] In one embodiment, the main battery pack includes a wireless communication module; the processor 201 is also configured to implement: The main battery pack is controlled to perform a wireless search operation through the wireless communication module to obtain the identification information of the found battery packs. If it is determined from the identification information that the battery pack is not in the battery pack system, the main battery pack is controlled to initiate a network connection with the sending battery pack through the wireless communication module to add the battery pack to the battery pack system.

[0046] In one embodiment, each battery pack in the battery pack system includes a wireless communication module; the processor 201, when acquiring the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system, is configured to: The main control battery pack sends battery parameter detection commands to each battery pack in the battery pack system via a wireless communication module. The battery parameter detection commands are used to instruct each battery pack to detect and report battery parameters.

[0047] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a battery pack balancing control method provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 As shown, the battery pack equalization control method may include steps S301 to S303.

[0048] Step S301: Obtain the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system.

[0049] In this embodiment, the main battery pack can acquire the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system via wireless communication. The following will describe in detail how to acquire the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system.

[0050] In some embodiments, each battery pack in the battery pack system includes a wireless communication module; obtaining the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system may include: controlling the main battery pack to send a battery parameter detection instruction to each battery pack in the battery pack system through the wireless communication module, wherein the battery parameter detection instruction is used to instruct each battery pack to detect and report battery parameters.

[0051] For example, each battery pack can detect its own battery parameters, as well as the parameters of each individual cell within the battery pack. Battery parameters may include the total voltage, total current, temperature, etc., of the battery pack. Cell parameters may include the voltage, current, temperature, etc., of each cell. The total voltage can be the sum of the voltages of all cells connected in series.

[0052] For example, the main battery pack can control each battery pack in the battery pack system to detect battery parameters and report these parameters to the main battery pack via a wireless communication module. The main battery pack can extract the battery voltage from the battery parameters, i.e., the total voltage of the battery pack, determine which battery pack has an excessively high voltage based on the battery voltage, and then adjust the voltage of the battery pack with the excessively high voltage.

[0053] For example, the wireless communication module includes a Bluetooth module, an RF module, a Wi-Fi module, a 4G module, a 5G module, an NB-IoT module, or a LoRa module. For instance, the main battery pack can establish a communication connection with other battery packs in the battery pack system via the Bluetooth module, and send battery parameter detection commands to each battery pack in the system via the Bluetooth module.

[0054] In the above embodiment, by controlling the main battery pack to send battery parameter detection commands to each battery pack in the battery pack system through the wireless communication module, the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system can be collected without adding a communication harness.

[0055] In some embodiments, the battery pack equalization control method provided in this application may further include: controlling the main battery pack to perform a wireless search operation through a wireless communication module to obtain the identification information of the searched battery pack; if it is determined based on the identification information of the battery pack that the battery pack is not in the battery pack system, then controlling the main battery pack to initiate a network formation to the sending battery pack through the wireless communication module to add the battery pack to the battery pack system.

[0056] For example, the wireless communication module could be a Bluetooth module. The main battery pack can perform a wireless search operation via the Bluetooth module to discover other battery packs or other devices in the vicinity. When other battery packs or other devices are discovered, they send an advertising packet to the main battery pack to inform it. This advertising packet may include key fields such as identification information and device type.

[0057] For example, the main battery pack can determine whether a battery pack is in the battery pack system based on the identification information of the found battery packs, and can also determine the distance between the battery pack and the main battery pack based on the signal strength, thereby determining whether the battery pack is nearby. If it is determined from the battery pack identification information that the battery pack is not in the battery pack system, and the distance between the battery pack and the main battery pack is determined from the signal strength of the battery pack to be less than a preset distance threshold, then the main battery pack is controlled to initiate network formation to the sending battery pack through the wireless communication module.

[0058] The identification information can be a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) or a MAC (Media Access Control) address, used to uniquely identify the battery pack. The distance threshold can be set according to actual conditions; the specific value is not limited here. It should be noted that by determining the distance between the battery pack and the main battery pack based on the battery pack's signal strength, battery packs near the main battery pack can be added to the battery pack system, avoiding the addition of irrelevant battery packs that are too far away.

[0059] It should be noted that network setup can include operations such as device connection and device authentication. Specifically, for the Bluetooth module, after device discovery, the main battery pack will attempt to establish a Bluetooth connection with nearby battery packs. After successful connection, the main battery pack needs to authenticate the connected battery pack to determine if it is qualified to be added to the battery pack system. The authentication process includes steps such as device handshake, identity verification, and certificate verification.

[0060] In the above embodiment, by controlling the main battery pack to perform a wireless search operation through the wireless communication module to obtain the identification information of the searched battery pack, and when it is determined that the battery pack is not in the battery pack system based on the identification information, the main battery pack is controlled to initiate a network formation to the sending battery pack through the wireless communication module. Without manual operation, it can automatically add the battery pack that is not in the network to the battery pack system, thereby enabling balanced control of each battery pack in the battery pack system.

[0061] Step S302: Based on the battery voltage of each battery pack, determine the target battery pack to be balanced in the battery pack system. The target battery pack is the battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the balancing voltage of the battery pack system.

[0062] For example, the equalization voltage can be calculated based on the battery voltage of each battery pack. The equalization voltage can be the average voltage of all battery packs in the battery pack system, or it can be the median voltage of all battery packs in the battery pack system.

[0063] For example, a battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the equalization voltage of the battery pack system can be identified as the target battery pack to be equalized.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the target battery pack to be balanced is determined by the battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the equalization voltage of the battery pack system. Subsequently, equalization control can be implemented for battery packs with excessively high voltage, thereby avoiding excessive voltage differences between battery packs in the battery pack system that would reduce the performance of the power supply equipment.

[0065] Step S303: Control the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the equalization voltage.

[0066] For example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the target battery pack 200 includes at least two cells 204 connected in series, and the discharge circuit 205 includes a discharge unit 2050 connected to each cell 204. The discharge unit 2050 is used to discharge the corresponding cell 204.

[0067] In some embodiments, controlling the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack may include: sending a discharge signal to the target battery pack, the discharge signal being used to instruct the target battery pack to control the discharge unit to discharge the cells connected to the discharge unit.

[0068] For example, the main battery pack can send a discharge signal to the target battery pack via a wireless communication module. This discharge signal may include a discharge command and an equalization voltage. The target battery pack can control the discharge unit to discharge the cells according to the discharge command until the target battery pack detects that its total voltage has reached the equalization voltage. Alternatively, the discharge command may only include the discharge command itself, without the equalization voltage. The target battery pack can still control the discharge unit to discharge the cells according to the discharge command until the main battery pack detects that its total voltage has reached the equalization voltage.

[0069] The above embodiments, by sending a discharge signal to the target battery pack based on the wireless communication module, can discharge battery packs with excessively high voltages. This avoids excessive voltage differences between battery packs in the battery pack system, which could reduce the performance of the power supply equipment. At the same time, without the need to add communication harnesses and external equalization control boards, it is possible to upgrade and equalize power supply equipment with individual battery packs of the same size as the original lead-acid batteries, without being limited by the space of the battery compartment of the power supply equipment. This not only improves the performance of the lead-to-lithium upgraded power supply equipment, but also reduces the upgrade cost.

[0070] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, balancing control can be performed on each battery pack in the battery pack system; that is, balancing control can be performed on the main battery pack or on other battery packs besides the main battery pack. For ease of explanation, the main battery pack will be used as an example below to explain in detail how to perform balancing control on the main battery pack. It can be understood that the balancing control process for other battery packs is the same as the balancing control process for the main battery pack.

[0071] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the sub-steps of a battery pack balancing control method provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 5As shown, step S303, which controls the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack, may include steps S3031 to S3033.

[0072] Step S3031: Obtain the cell voltage of each cell in the main battery pack.

[0073] For example, the target battery pack is a main battery pack, which includes at least two cells connected in series. The discharge circuit of the main battery pack includes a discharge unit connected to each cell; that is, each cell is connected to a discharge unit. The circuit structure of the discharge unit will be described in detail below.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the discharge unit 2050 may include a first resistor R1, a switch Q1, a second resistor R2, a first port C1, and a second port C2. The positive terminal of the target battery cell is connected to the first port C1, the negative terminal of the target battery cell (e.g., battery cell 1) is connected to the second port C2, the first terminal of the switch Q1 is connected to the second port C2 through the first resistor R1, the second terminal of the switch Q1 is connected to the positive terminal of the target battery cell through the second resistor R2, and the third terminal of the switch Q1 is connected to the negative terminal of the target battery cell. Adjacent discharge units may share a port; for example, port C2 may serve as the second port of the discharge unit connected to battery cell 1, or as the first port of the discharge unit connected to battery cell 2.

[0075] For example, the switching transistor Q1 can be, but is not limited to, a transistor, a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOS), an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a relay, and an optocoupler, etc. For instance, the switching transistor Q1 can be a transistor. As another example, the switching transistor Q1 can be a MOS transistor.

[0076] For example, the first resistor R1 is a current-limiting resistor used to limit the current at the first terminal of the switching transistor Q1. The second resistor R2 is a current-limiting resistor used to limit the current discharging into the target cell.

[0077] In some implementations, the main battery pack can collect the cell voltage of each cell individually. For example, the cell voltage can be obtained by acquiring the voltage difference between the first and second ports using a voltage acquisition circuit. The circuit structure of the voltage acquisition circuit can be found in related technologies and is not limited here.

[0078] Step S3032: Based on the cell voltage of each cell, determine the target cell to be discharged in the main battery pack. The target cell is the cell whose cell voltage is greater than the average cell voltage of the main battery pack, or the target cell is the cell with the largest cell voltage in the main battery pack.

[0079] For example, after obtaining the cell voltage of each cell in the main battery pack, the target cell to be discharged in the main battery pack can be determined based on the cell voltage of each cell. For instance, the cell with a cell voltage greater than the average cell voltage of the main battery pack can be identified as the target cell. As another example, the cell with the highest cell voltage in the main battery pack can be identified as the target cell.

[0080] By identifying cells with voltages greater than the average cell voltage of the main battery pack or the cell with the highest cell voltage in the main battery pack as target cells, priority can be given to discharging cells with excessively high cell voltages. This not only avoids excessive voltage differences between cells but also allows the overall battery voltage of the main battery pack to reach a balanced voltage as quickly as possible, thus improving the efficiency of the equalization control.

[0081] Step S3033: Control the discharge unit connected to the target cell to discharge the target cell.

[0082] In some embodiments, controlling the discharge unit connected to the target cell to discharge the target cell may include: inputting a discharge signal to the second port so that the switching transistor conducts the connection between the positive and negative terminals of the target cell according to the discharge signal.

[0083] For example, such as Figure 6 As shown, the switching transistor Q1 can be an N-type transistor, and the discharge signal can be a high-level signal. When the switching transistor Q1 receives a high-level signal, it connects the positive and negative terminals of the target battery cell. At this time, the target battery cell (e.g., battery cell 1), the second resistor R2, and the switching transistor Q1 form a discharge circuit, thereby discharging the target battery cell and reducing its voltage. It should be noted that when the switching transistor Q1 is an N-type transistor, since the second port C2 is connected to the negative terminal of the target battery cell, the second port C2 is pulled down to a low level. Therefore, the switching transistor Q1 is normally in the off state. It can only be turned on when a high-level signal is input to the second port C2.

[0084] In one embodiment, after the discharge unit connected to the target cell discharges the target cell, if the cell voltage of the target cell is detected to be no greater than the average cell voltage of the main battery pack, it is determined whether the battery voltage of the target battery pack has reached the equalization voltage. If the battery voltage of the target battery pack has reached the equalization voltage, the discharge unit connected to the target cell stops discharging the target cell. If the battery voltage of the target battery pack has not reached the equalization voltage, a new target cell to be discharged in the main battery pack is determined, and the discharge unit connected to the target cell stops discharging the target cell. This process continues until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the equalization voltage. The discharge unit connected to the target cell stops discharging the target cell by inputting a stop discharge signal to the second port, causing the switch to disconnect the connection between the positive and negative terminals of the target cell according to the stop discharge signal. For example, the stop discharge signal can be a low-level signal; when the switch Q1 receives the low-level signal, it disconnects the connection between the positive and negative terminals of the target cell.

[0085] In the above embodiments, by controlling the discharge unit connected to the target cell to discharge the target cell, not only can the voltage difference between the cells be avoided to be too large, but the overall battery voltage of the main battery pack can also reach the equalization voltage as soon as possible, thus improving the efficiency of equalization control.

[0086] This application provides a battery pack balancing control method that automatically networks multiple battery packs in a power supply device using a wireless network. The main battery pack then performs balancing control on each battery pack in the system. This eliminates the need for additional communication harnesses and external balancing control boards, and is not limited by the space constraints of the power supply device's battery compartment. It enables balancing control of battery packs in a lead-to-lithium power supply device with limited battery compartment space, thereby improving the performance of the lead-to-lithium power supply device while reducing upgrade costs.

[0087] The embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which includes program instructions. A processor executes the program instructions to implement any of the battery pack equalization control methods provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0088] For example, when the program is loaded by the processor, it can perform the following steps: Obtain the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system; based on the battery voltage of each battery pack, determine the target battery pack to be balanced in the battery pack system, the target battery pack being the battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the balance voltage of the battery pack system; control the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the balance voltage.

[0089] The computer-readable storage medium can be an internal storage unit of the power supply device described in the foregoing embodiments, such as the hard drive or memory of the power supply device. Alternatively, the computer-readable storage medium can be an external storage device of the power supply device, such as a plug-in hard drive, smart media card (SMC), secure digital card (SD card), flash card, etc., provided on the power supply device.

[0090] Furthermore, a computer-readable storage medium may primarily include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area may store the operating system, programs required for at least one function, etc.; and the data storage area may store data created according to each program, etc.

[0091] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A battery pack balancing control method, characterized in that, A main battery pack used in power supply equipment, wherein the main battery pack is wirelessly networked with at least one other battery pack to form a battery pack system, the method comprising: Obtain the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system; Based on the battery voltage of each battery pack, a target battery pack to be balanced in the battery pack system is determined. The target battery pack is the battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the balancing voltage of the battery pack system. The discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack is controlled to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the equalization voltage.

2. The battery pack equalization control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The target battery pack includes at least two cells connected in series, and the discharge circuit includes a discharge unit connected to each of the cells; controlling the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack includes: A discharge signal is sent to the target battery pack, the discharge signal being used to instruct the target battery pack to control the discharge unit to discharge the cells connected to the discharge unit.

3. The battery pack equalization control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The target battery pack is the main battery pack, which includes at least two cells connected in series, and the discharge circuit corresponding to the main battery pack includes a discharge unit connected to each of the cells. The step of controlling the discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack to discharge the target battery pack includes: Obtain the cell voltage of each cell in the main battery pack; Based on the cell voltage of each of the cells, a target cell to be discharged in the main battery pack is determined. The target cell is a cell whose cell voltage is greater than the average cell voltage of the main battery pack, or the target cell is a cell with the highest cell voltage in the main battery pack. The discharge unit connected to the target battery cell is controlled to discharge the target battery cell.

4. The battery pack equalization control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The discharge unit includes a first resistor, a switching transistor, a second resistor, a first port, and a second port. The positive terminal of the target battery cell is connected to the first port, the negative terminal of the target battery cell is connected to the second port, the first end of the switching transistor is connected to the second port through the first resistor, the second end of the switching transistor is connected to the positive terminal of the target battery cell through the second resistor, and the third end of the switching transistor is connected to the negative terminal of the target battery cell.

5. The battery pack equalization control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The discharge unit that controls the connection of the target battery cell discharges the target battery cell, including: A discharge signal is input to the second port so that the switching transistor conducts the connection between the positive and negative terminals of the target cell according to the discharge signal.

6. The battery pack equalization control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main battery pack includes a wireless communication module; the method further includes: The main battery pack is controlled to perform a wireless search operation through the wireless communication module to obtain the identification information of the searched battery pack; If it is determined based on the battery pack's identification information that the battery pack is not in the battery pack system, then the main battery pack is controlled to initiate a network connection with the sending battery pack through the wireless communication module, so as to add the battery pack to the battery pack system.

7. The battery pack equalization control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each battery pack in the battery pack system includes a wireless communication module; obtaining the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system includes: The main battery pack is controlled to send a battery parameter detection command to each battery pack in the battery pack system through the wireless communication module. The battery parameter detection command is used to instruct each battery pack to detect and report battery parameters.

8. A battery pack, characterized in that, The battery pack includes a memory, a processor, and a communication module; The memory is used to store computer programs; The communication module is used to establish a wireless communication connection with an external battery pack; The processor is configured to implement the battery pack equalization control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 when executing the computer program.

9. A battery pack balancing control system, characterized in that, The system includes: Electronic devices; A power supply device, comprising a battery pack system formed by wireless networking of at least two battery packs, wherein the power supply device is configured to configure one of the battery packs in the battery pack system as a main battery pack according to a host configuration command sent by the electronic device; The main battery pack is used for: Obtain the battery voltage of each battery pack in the battery pack system; Based on the battery voltage of each battery pack, a target battery pack to be balanced in the battery pack system is determined. The target battery pack is the battery pack whose battery voltage is greater than the balancing voltage of the battery pack system. The discharge circuit corresponding to the target battery pack is controlled to discharge the target battery pack until the battery voltage of the target battery pack reaches the equalization voltage.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the battery pack equalization control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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