Battery management device and method

Abstract

A battery management device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a profile line obtaining unit configured to obtain a differential profile line representing a correspondence between a voltage and a differential capacity of a battery; and a control unit configured to determine a feature point included in a preset reference voltage section of the differential profile line and determine a state of the battery based on a determination result of the feature point.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0105530, filed on August 7, 2024, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This disclosure relates to battery management apparatus and methods, and more particularly to battery management apparatus and methods for determining the state of a battery. Background Technology

[0003] In recent years, with the rapid increase in demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, cameras and mobile phones, and the full maturity of the development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots and satellites, research on high-performance batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged is actively underway.

[0004] Currently commercially available batteries include nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), nickel-zinc (NiZn), and lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries have attracted attention due to their advantages, such as: almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries, free charging and discharging, very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0005] While much research is being conducted on these batteries in terms of high capacity and high density, improving lifespan and safety is also important. To improve battery safety, techniques for accurately determining the current state of the battery are needed. In particular, as batteries increasingly contain not only single active materials but also mixtures of multiple active materials, accurately determining the battery's state becomes even more crucial. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] This disclosure is designed to address the problems of the related technologies, and therefore aims to provide a battery management device and method that can more accurately determine the state of a battery.

[0008] These and other objects and advantages of this disclosure will be understood from the following detailed description and will become more fully apparent from the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. Moreover, 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 battery management device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include: a profile obtaining unit configured to obtain a differential profile representing the correspondence between the battery voltage and differential capacity; and a control unit configured to determine feature points included in a preset reference voltage segment of the differential profile and determine the state of the battery based on the determination result of the feature points.

[0011] The control unit can be configured to detect peaks and inflection points in the reference voltage segment of the differential profile and to identify the detected peaks and inflection points as feature points.

[0012] The control unit can be configured to determine a target voltage segment within a reference voltage segment where the voltage is higher than or equal to the peak and to detect inflection points within the target voltage segment.

[0013] The control unit can be configured to identify the battery as a first battery containing a first active material or a second battery containing a second active material when only a peak is detected as a feature point.

[0014] The control unit can be configured to classify the reference voltage segment into a first reference voltage segment and a second reference voltage segment.

[0015] The control unit can be configured to identify the battery as the first battery when the detected peak is included in the first reference voltage range.

[0016] The control unit can be configured to identify the battery as the second battery when the detected peak is included in the second reference voltage range.

[0017] The control unit can be configured to identify the battery as a third battery containing a first active material and a second active material when peaks and inflection points are detected as characteristic points.

[0018] The control unit can be configured to calculate the differential capacity ratio of the peak and the inflection point, and to calculate the mixing ratio of the first active material and the second active material included in the third battery based on the calculated differential capacity ratio.

[0019] The control unit can be configured to set the upper limit voltage of the battery based on the determination results of feature points.

[0020] The control unit can be configured to set the upper limit voltage to a preset voltage value corresponding to the battery type when a defined characteristic point is present.

[0021] The control unit can be configured to calculate the differential capacity ratio between multiple feature points when two defined feature points exist, and to set an upper limit voltage by adding the differential capacity ratio to a voltage value preset to correspond to the type of battery having a corresponding feature point.

[0022] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a battery pack may include a battery management device according to one aspect of this disclosure.

[0023] A battery management method according to another aspect of this disclosure may include: a profile obtaining step, which obtains a differential profile representing the correspondence between the battery voltage and differential capacity; a feature point determining step, which determines feature points included in a preset reference voltage segment of the differential profile; and a battery state determining step, which determines the battery state based on the result of the feature point determination.

[0024] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium may store a computer program for performing a battery management method, the battery management method comprising: a profile obtaining step, which obtains a differential profile representing the correspondence between the voltage and differential capacity of a battery; a feature point determining step, which determines feature points included in a preset reference voltage segment of the differential profile; and a battery state determining step, which determines the state of the battery based on the determination result of the feature points.

[0025] Beneficial effects

[0026] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the battery management device has the advantage of being able to effectively detect the composition of the active materials included in the battery as state information about the battery based on the battery's micro-section.

[0027] In addition, the battery management device has the following advantages: it prevents the battery from being overcharged by setting an upper limit voltage optimized for the battery based on the composition of the battery's active materials, thereby increasing the battery's lifespan.

[0028] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned 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

[0029] 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.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a battery management device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a battery cross-section according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figures 3 to 7 This is a schematic diagram of the differential profile according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a battery management method according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0035] It should be understood that the terms used in the specification and appended claims should not be construed as limited to their general 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 define the terms appropriately for the best interpretation.

[0036] Therefore, the description presented herein is merely a preferred example for illustrative purposes and is 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.

[0037] In addition, when describing this disclosure, a detailed description of a known element or function is omitted in this document if it is considered to obscure the key subject matter of the disclosure.

[0038] Terms including ordinal numbers such as “first” and “second” can be used to distinguish one element from another among various elements, but are not intended to limit these elements by terminology.

[0039] 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.

[0040] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when one part is referred to as "connected" to another part, it is not limited to the case where they are "directly connected," but also includes the case where they are "indirectly connected," in which another element is inserted between them.

[0041] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a battery management device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] refer to Figure 1 The battery management device 100 may include a profile obtaining unit 110 and a control unit 120.

[0044] 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. Furthermore, the type of battery can be cylindrical, prismatic, or pouch-shaped. Additionally, a battery can refer to a battery bank, battery module, or battery pack in which multiple battery 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.

[0045] The profile obtaining unit 110 can be configured to obtain a differential profile representing the correspondence between the battery voltage and differential capacity.

[0046] For example, a battery profile BP is a line representing the relationship between voltage (V) and capacity (Q) as the battery's SOC increases from a preset starting charge SOC or 0% charge to a preset ending charge SOC or 100%. As another example, a battery profile BP can represent the relationship between voltage (V) and capacity (Q) as the battery's SOC increases from a preset starting discharge SOC or 100% discharge to a preset ending discharge SOC or 0%.

[0047] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a battery cross-section BP according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 In this embodiment, the battery profile BP can be represented as an XY curve, where the X-axis is set to capacity (Q) and the Y-axis is set to voltage (V). However, it should be noted that... Figure 2 The battery profile BP is represented as a graph for ease of explanation only, and there are no restrictions on the format in which the battery profile BP is represented, as long as the correspondence between the battery capacity and voltage is shown.

[0048] For example, there is no specific limitation on the C rate during the charging or discharging process used to generate the battery profile BP. However, preferably, the battery should be charged or discharged at a low rate to obtain a more accurate battery profile BP and differential profile. For example, the battery profile BP can be generated during the process of charging or discharging the battery at 0.05 C.

[0049] Then, by differentiating the battery profile BP with respect to voltage, a differential profile can be generated that represents the correspondence between differential capacity (dQ / dV) and voltage (V). Here, differential capacity refers to the value obtained by differentiating the capacity with respect to voltage. In other words, the differential profile can be considered as a profile obtained by differentiating the battery profile BP with respect to voltage.

[0050] Figures 3 to 7 This is a schematic diagram of the micro-section according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 3 to 7In this embodiment, the differential profile can be represented as an XY curve, where the X-axis is set to voltage (V) and the Y-axis is set to differential capacity (dQ). Note that, similar to the battery profile BP, there are no restrictions on the format in which the battery profile BP can be represented, as long as the correspondence between the battery's differential capacity and voltage is shown.

[0051] For example, the profile obtaining unit 110 can directly receive the micro-profiles of the battery from the outside. That is, the profile obtaining unit 110 can obtain the micro-profiles by connecting to the outside via wired and / or wireless means and receiving the micro-profiles.

[0052] As another example, the profile acquisition unit 110 can directly receive the battery profile BP from an external source. Then, the profile acquisition unit 110 can generate a differential profile by differentiating the battery profile BP relative to the voltage. That is, the profile acquisition unit 110 can obtain the differential profile by receiving the battery profile BP externally via a wired and / or wireless connection, and directly generate the differential profile based on the battery profile BP.

[0053] As another example, the profile acquisition unit 110 can receive battery information regarding the battery's voltage and capacity. Then, the profile acquisition unit 110 can generate a battery profile BP based on the received battery information, and can generate a differential profile based on the generated battery profile BP. In other words, the profile acquisition unit 110 can obtain a differential profile by directly generating a differential profile based on the battery information.

[0054] The profile acquisition unit 110 can be connected to the control unit 120 to enable communication with it. For example, the profile acquisition unit 110 can be connected to the control unit 120 via wired and / or wireless means. The profile acquisition unit can transmit the acquired differential profiles to the control unit 120.

[0055] The control unit 120 can be configured to determine the feature points included in a preset reference voltage segment R of the differential profile.

[0056] Specifically, the reference voltage segment R may correspond to a portion of the entire voltage segment of the micro-section. Furthermore, the state of the battery can be determined by the feature points included in the reference voltage segment R. Therefore, the control unit 120 can determine the feature points of the reference voltage segment R within the voltage segment of the micro-section.

[0057] More specifically, the control unit 120 can be configured to detect peaks and inflection points in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile.

[0058] Here, a peak represents the largest point (a point with an upwardly convex shape) included in the differential profile. In other words, the rate of change of the differential capacitance with respect to the voltage at the peak is 0, and the rate of change of the differential capacitance with respect to the voltage can change from positive to negative based on the peak. For example, the control unit 120 can detect the peak corresponding to the largest point in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile.

[0059] Furthermore, the inflection point represents the point where the direction of curvature changes within the differential profile. Specifically, the inflection point of the differential profile (V-dQ / dV profile) represents a peak (e.g., a maximum point) included in the second-order differential profile (Vd(dQ)dV profile) obtained by differentiating the differential profile relative to the voltage. For example, the control unit 120 can detect the peak corresponding to the maximum point in the reference voltage segment R of the second-order differential profile of the differential profile, and detect the inflection point of the differential profile based on the detected peak.

[0060] The control unit 120 can be configured to identify the detected peaks and detected inflection points as feature points.

[0061] Specifically, if a peak is detected in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile, the control unit 120 can identify the detected peak as a feature point. Similarly, if an inflection point is detected in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile, the control unit 120 can identify the detected inflection point as a feature point. In other words, a feature point can include both the detected peak and the detected inflection point.

[0062] For example, if both a peak and an inflection point are detected in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile, the control unit 120 can identify both the detected peak and inflection point as feature points.

[0063] As another example, if a peak is detected in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile but no inflection point is detected, the control unit 120 can identify the detected peak as a feature point.

[0064] As another example, if an inflection point is detected in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile but no peak is detected, the control unit 120 may not determine the feature point. Preferably, if no peak is detected, the control unit 120 may not determine the feature point even if an inflection point is detected.

[0065] As another example, if neither peak nor inflection point is detected in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile, the control unit 120 may not determine the feature point.

[0066] The control unit 120 can be configured to determine the state of the battery based on the determination results of feature points.

[0067] Specifically, the control unit 120 can determine the state of the battery by determining the type of active material included in the battery based on the determination results of feature points. Preferably, the control unit 120 can determine whether the battery includes a single active material or a mixed active material containing multiple active materials. For example, the control unit 120 can determine the state of the battery as a battery containing a first active material, a battery containing a second active material, or a battery containing both a first active material and a second active material.

[0068] Specifically, the first active material and the second active material can be positive electrode active materials. Here, positive electrode active materials include nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and manganese (Mn), and the first active material and the second active material can be distinguished based on the nickel content.

[0069] For example, the nickel content of the first active material is more than 80% of that of the positive electrode active material, and the battery containing the first active material includes the NCM811 (Ni:Co:Mn = 8:1:1) battery.

[0070] As another example, the nickel content of the second active material is less than 70% of that of the positive electrode active material, and the batteries containing the second active material include NCM712 (Ni:Co:Mn = 7:1:2) batteries, NCM721 (Ni:Co:Mn = 7:2:1) batteries, NCM622 (Ni:Co:Mn = 6:2:2) batteries, NCM523 (Ni:Co:Mn = 5:2:3) batteries and NCM532 (Ni:Co:Mn = 5:3:2) batteries.

[0071] In other words, the battery management device 100 has the following advantages: it can non-destructively detect the composition of the active materials included in the battery based on the battery's micro-section as information about the battery's state.

[0072] Meanwhile, the profile acquisition unit 110 and control unit 120 provided in the battery management 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 in software, the profile acquisition unit 110 and control unit 120 can be implemented as a collection of program modules. In this case, the program modules can be stored in memory and executed by the profile acquisition unit 110 and control unit 120. The memory can be located internally or externally to the profile acquisition unit 110 and control unit 120, and can be connected to the profile acquisition unit 110 and control unit 120 by various known means.

[0073] In addition, the battery management device 100 may also include a storage unit 130. The storage unit 130 may store data required for the operation and function of each component of the battery management device 100, data generated during the execution of operations or functions, etc. The type of storage unit 130 is not particularly limited, 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 130 may store program code defining processes that can be executed by each component of the battery management device 100.

[0074] In the following text, see references Figures 3 to 7 The embodiment in which the control unit 120 determines the peaks and inflection points in the micro profile is described in detail. Here, the first to fifth micro profiles DP1, DP2, DP3, DP4, and DP5 are micro profiles of different batteries.

[0075] Preferably, the control unit 120 can be configured to determine a target voltage segment within the reference voltage segment that has a voltage higher than or equal to the peak.

[0076] Specifically, the control unit 120 can first detect the peak in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile. When a peak is detected, the control unit 120 can determine the voltage segment in the reference voltage segment R that is higher than or equal to the peak voltage as the target voltage segment.

[0077] Here, the reference voltage range R is a voltage range that is preset to include both the peak and the inflection point, and is typically applied to the battery (or microprofile) to be diagnosed. That is, even if the microprofile is for different batteries, the reference voltage range R is used as a common voltage range. The reference voltage range R can be set to a voltage range from a preset starting voltage (Va) to a preset upper limit voltage (Vb). For example, the reference voltage range R can be preset to 4.0 [V] to 4.35 [V].

[0078] The target voltage range can be defined as the voltage range from the peak voltage to a preset upper limit voltage. For example, assuming the peak voltage is Vp[V] and the preset upper limit voltage is 4.35[V], the target voltage range can be defined as Vp[V] to 4.35[V].

[0079] In addition, the control unit 120 can be configured to detect inflection points in the target voltage range.

[0080] Specifically, the control unit 120 can detect inflection points only for the regions included in the target voltage segment within the differential profile.

[0081] exist Figure 3In one embodiment, the control unit 120 can detect a first peak p1 in the reference voltage segment R of the first differential profile DP1. Then, the control unit 120 can determine a voltage segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the first peak p1 as a target voltage segment. That is, the first target voltage segment TR1 of the first differential profile DP1 can be determined as a segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the first peak p1 and lower than or equal to 4.35 [V]. However, since the first target voltage segment TR1 does not include an inflection point, the control unit 120 may not be able to detect an inflection point in the first target voltage segment TR1. Therefore, the control unit 120 can determine the first peak p1 as a characteristic point of the battery.

[0082] exist Figure 4 In one embodiment, the control unit 120 can detect the second peak p2 in the reference voltage segment R of the second differential profile DP2. Then, the control unit 120 can determine a voltage segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the second peak p2 as a target voltage segment. That is, the second target voltage segment TR2 of the second differential profile DP2 can be determined as a segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the second peak p2 and lower than or equal to 4.35 [V]. However, since the second target voltage segment TR2 does not include an inflection point, the control unit 120 may not be able to detect an inflection point in the second target voltage segment TR2. Therefore, the control unit 120 can determine the second peak p2 as a characteristic point of the battery.

[0083] exist Figure 5 In this embodiment, the control unit 120 can detect the third peak p3 in the reference voltage segment R of the third differential profile DP3. Furthermore, the control unit 120 can define a voltage segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the third peak p3 as a target voltage segment. That is, the third target voltage segment TR3 of the third differential profile DP3 can be defined as a segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the third peak p3 and lower than or equal to 4.35 [V]. Here, since the third target voltage segment TR3 includes an inflection point, the control unit 120 can detect the third inflection point i3 within the third target voltage segment TR3. Therefore, the control unit 120 can define the third peak p3 and the third inflection point i3 as characteristic points of the battery.

[0084] exist Figure 6In this embodiment, the control unit 120 can detect the fourth peak p4 in the reference voltage segment R of the fourth differential profile DP4. Furthermore, the control unit 120 can define a voltage segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the fourth peak p4 as a target voltage segment. That is, the fourth target voltage segment TR4 of the fourth differential profile DP4 can be defined as a segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the fourth peak p4 and lower than or equal to 4.35 [V]. Here, since the fourth target voltage segment TR4 includes an inflection point, the control unit 120 can detect the fourth inflection point i4 within the fourth target voltage segment TR4. Therefore, the control unit 120 can define the fourth peak p4 and the fourth inflection point i4 as characteristic points of the battery.

[0085] exist Figure 7 In this embodiment, the control unit 120 can detect the fifth peak p5 in the reference voltage segment R of the fifth differential profile DP5. Furthermore, the control unit 120 can determine a voltage segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the fifth peak p5 as a target voltage segment. That is, the fifth target voltage segment TR5 of the fifth differential profile DP5 can be determined as a segment with a voltage higher than or equal to the fifth peak p5 and lower than or equal to 4.35 [V]. Here, since the fifth target voltage segment TR5 includes an inflection point, the control unit 120 can detect the fifth inflection point i5 within the fifth target voltage segment TR5. Therefore, the control unit 120 can determine the fifth peak p5 and the fifth inflection point i5 as characteristic points of the battery.

[0086] In the above embodiments, the reference voltage segment R is the same as the voltage segment from 4.0 [V] to 4.35 [V], but the first to fifth target voltage segments TR5 can be determined to be the same or different from each other depending on the voltages (Vp1, Vp2, Vp3, Vp4, Vp5) of the first to fifth peaks p1, p2, p3, p4, p5.

[0087] The following describes in detail an embodiment in which the control unit 120 determines the state of the battery based on the determined feature points.

[0088] In one embodiment, the control unit 120 may be configured to identify the battery as a first battery containing a first active material or a second battery containing a second active material when only a peak is detected as a feature point.

[0089] Specifically, if a peak is detected in the reference voltage segment R but no inflection point is detected in the target voltage segment, the feature point may consist only of the peak. In this case, the control unit 120 can determine that the battery contains a single active material. Therefore, the control unit 120 can determine the battery as either a first battery containing a first active material or a second battery containing a second active material.

[0090] Here, the first and second batteries can be distinguished based on the voltage of the corresponding peaks. That is, the battery can be classified as the first or the second battery according to the magnitude of the voltage of the peaks included in the reference voltage range R.

[0091] More specifically, the control unit 120 can be configured to classify the reference voltage segment R into a first reference voltage segment R1 and a second reference voltage segment R2.

[0092] The control unit 120 can classify a reference voltage segment R into a first reference voltage segment R1 and a second reference voltage segment R2 based on a preset reference voltage. Here, the reference voltage is the voltage set to classify the reference voltage segment R into the first reference voltage segment R1 and the second reference voltage segment R2. In particular, the reference voltage is typically applied to the battery (or micro-profile) to be diagnosed. That is, even if the micro-profile is used for different batteries, the reference voltage is applied as a common voltage value.

[0093] For example, suppose the reference voltage range R is a voltage range that is higher than or equal to the starting voltage (Va) and lower than or equal to the upper limit voltage (Vb), and the reference voltage is Vr[V]. Here, the relationship Va[V] is established. <Vr[V]<Vb[V]。

[0094] The control unit 120 can set a voltage range that is higher than or equal to Va[V] and lower than or equal to Vr[V] as a first reference voltage range R1, and set a voltage range that is higher than or equal to Vr[V] and lower than or equal to Vb[V] as a second reference voltage range R2.

[0095] For example, control unit 120 can be configured to identify the battery as the first battery if the detected peak is included in the first reference voltage segment R1. As another example, control unit 120 can be configured to identify the battery as the second battery if the detected peak is included in the second reference voltage segment R2.

[0096] For ease of explanation, it is assumed that the reference voltage is preset to 4.2V in the following text. That is, the control unit 120 can classify the reference voltage range (R, 4.0V to 4.35V) into a first reference voltage range (R1, 4.0V to 4.2V) and a second reference voltage range (R2, 4.2V to 4.35V) based on the reference voltage (4.2V).

[0097] exist Figure 3 In this embodiment, since the voltage of the first peak p1 is less than the reference voltage (4.2 [V]), the first peak p1 can be included in the first reference voltage segment R1. Therefore, the control unit 120 can identify the battery as a first battery containing the first active material.

[0098] exist Figure 4 In this embodiment, since the voltage of the second peak p2 is greater than the reference voltage (4.2 [V]), the second peak p2 can be included in the second reference voltage segment R2. Therefore, the control unit 120 can identify the battery as a second battery containing the second active material.

[0099] In another embodiment, the control unit 120 may be configured to identify the battery as a third battery containing a first active material and a second active material when peaks and inflection points are detected as feature points.

[0100] Specifically, when a peak is detected in the reference voltage range R and an inflection point is detected in the target voltage range, the control unit 120 can determine the battery as a third battery containing both a first active material and a second active material. Here, the third battery contains an active material that is a blend of the first and second active materials.

[0101] exist Figure 5 In one embodiment, the reference voltage segment R includes a third peak p3, and the third target voltage segment TR3 includes a third inflection point i3. Here, the voltage at the third inflection point i3 is Vi3 [V]. Therefore, the control unit 120 can... Figure 5 The battery in the embodiment is identified as the third battery.

[0102] exist Figure 6 In this embodiment, the fourth peak p4 is included in the reference voltage segment R, and the fourth inflection point i4 is included in the fourth target voltage segment TR4. Here, the voltage of the fourth inflection point i4 is Vi4 [V]. Therefore, the control unit 120 can... Figure 6 The battery in the embodiment is identified as the third battery.

[0103] exist Figure 7 In one embodiment, the reference voltage segment R includes a fifth peak p5, and the fifth target voltage segment TR5 includes a fifth inflection point i5. Here, the voltage at the fifth inflection point i5 is Vi5 [V]. Therefore, the control unit 120 can... Figure 7 The battery in the embodiment is identified as the third battery.

[0104] According to a battery management device 100 of an embodiment of the present disclosure, the type of battery with unknown composition can be distinguished by analyzing micro-profiles or the composition of the manufactured battery can be verified in a non-destructive manner.

[0105] The following describes in detail an embodiment in which the control unit 120 calculates the mixing ratio of the first active material and the second active material included in the third battery.

[0106] The control unit 120 can be configured to calculate the differential capacity ratio of peaks and inflection points.

[0107] Specifically, the control unit 120 can calculate the differential capacity ratio by calculating the ratio between the differential capacity of the peak and the differential capacity of the inflection point. For example, the control unit 120 can calculate the differential capacity ratio by calculating the ratio between the differential capacity of the inflection point and the differential capacity of the peak.

[0108] Assume the differential capacitance of the peak is dQp and the differential capacitance of the inflection point is dQi. Preferably, since the differential capacitance of the peak is greater than the differential capacitance of the inflection point, the control unit 120 can calculate the differential capacitance ratio using the formula "dQi ÷ dQp". Here, the inflection point refers to the point where the curve of the differential profile changes from concave (upward convex shape) to convex (downward convex shape). In the reference voltage segment R, the upward convex point is detected as a peak, and since the voltage at the inflection point is greater than the voltage at the peak, the differential capacitance of the inflection point is less than the differential capacitance of the peak.

[0109] exist Figure 5 In this embodiment, the differential capacity of the third peak p3 is dQp3, and the differential capacity of the third inflection point i3 is dQi3. The control unit 120 can calculate the formula "dQi3 ÷ dQp3" to derive the differential capacity ratio of the battery.

[0110] exist Figure 6 In this embodiment, the differential capacity of the fourth peak p4 is dQp4, and the differential capacity of the fourth inflection point i4 is dQi4. The control unit 120 can calculate the formula "dQi4 ÷ dQp4" to derive the differential capacity ratio of the battery.

[0111] exist Figure 7 In this embodiment, the differential capacity of the fifth peak p5 is dQp5, and the differential capacity of the fifth inflection point i5 is dQi5. The control unit 120 can calculate the formula "dQi5 ÷ dQp5" to derive the differential capacity ratio of the battery.

[0112] The control unit 120 can be configured to calculate the mixing ratio of the first active material and the second active material in the third battery based on the calculated differential capacity ratio.

[0113] Specifically, the control unit 120 can calculate the differential capacity ratio as the ratio of the first active material to the second active material. For example, if the differential capacity ratio is 50%, the mixing ratio of the first active material to the second active material is 5:5. As another example, if the differential capacity ratio is 60%, the mixing ratio of the first active material to the second active material is 6:4.

[0114] The battery management device 100 can calculate the mixing ratio of the first active material and the second active material included in the battery by calculating the differential capacity ratio of the peak and the inflection point. In other words, since the battery management device 100 can non-destructively calculate the mixing ratio of various active materials by analyzing the differential profile, it has the advantage of being able to effectively confirm and verify the composition of the battery.

[0115] The control unit 120 can be configured to set the upper limit voltage of the battery based on the determination result of the characteristic point. Here, the upper limit voltage is the maximum voltage set to terminate the charging of the battery and is the voltage set to prevent the accelerated deterioration of the battery.

[0116] In one embodiment, the control unit 120 can be configured to set the upper limit voltage to a voltage value corresponding to the type of the battery when there is one determined characteristic point.

[0117] Specifically, the case where there is one characteristic point means that the characteristic point only includes a peak. In this case, the battery is the first battery containing the first active material or the second battery containing the second active material. Therefore, the upper limit voltage of the battery can be set to the upper limit voltage preset for the type of active material included in the battery. For example, if the battery is the first battery, the control unit 120 can set the upper limit voltage of the battery to 4.25 [V]. As another example, if the battery is the second battery, the control unit 120 can set the upper limit voltage of the battery to 4.35 [V].

[0118] In another embodiment, when there are two determined characteristic points, the control unit 120 can be configured to calculate the differential capacity ratio between the multiple characteristic points. In addition, the control unit 120 can be configured to set the upper limit voltage by adding the differential capacity ratio to the voltage value preset to correspond to the type of the battery having one corresponding characteristic point.

[0119] As described above, the differential capacity ratio of the peak and the inflection point can correspond to the mixing ratio of the first active material and the second active material included in the battery. Therefore, the control unit 120 can set the upper limit voltage of the battery by adding the calculated differential capacity ratio to the voltage set for the first active material and the voltage set for the second active material.

[0120] Assume that the voltage set for the first active material is Vs [V], the voltage set for the second active material is Vt [V], and the calculated differential capacity ratio is k%. Here, the relationship Vs [V] <Vt [V] is established. The control unit 120 can set the upper limit voltage of the battery by using the calculation formula "Vt [V] - (Vt [V] - Vs [V]) × k%".

[0121] For example, suppose the voltage set for the first active material is 4.25 [V], the voltage set for the second active material is 4.35 [V], and the calculated differential capacity ratio is 60%. That is, the mixing ratio of the first active material and the second active material is 6:4. The control unit 120 can set the upper limit voltage of the battery to 4.29 [V] using the calculation formula "4.35 - (4.35 - 4.25) × 0.6". In other words, as the mixing ratio of the first active material increases, the upper limit voltage can get closer to the voltage set for the first active material, and as the mixing ratio of the second active material increases, the upper limit voltage can get closer to the voltage set for the second active material.

[0122] The battery management device 100 can not only detect the battery composition, but also set an optimized upper limit voltage for the battery based on its composition. By setting the optimized upper limit voltage, overcharging of the battery can be prevented, thereby extending its lifespan.

[0123] The battery management device 100 according to this disclosure can be applied to a BMS (Battery Management System). That is, the BMS according to this disclosure may include the aforementioned battery management device 100. In this configuration, at least some components of the battery management device 100 can be implemented by supplementing or adding the functionality of components included in a conventional BMS. For example, the profile acquisition unit 110 and the control unit 120 of the battery management device 100 can be implemented as components of the BMS.

[0124] Furthermore, the battery management device 100 according to this disclosure can be disposed in a battery pack. That is, the battery pack according to this disclosure may include the aforementioned battery management device 100 and one or more individual battery cells. In addition, the battery pack may also include electrical devices (relays, fuses, etc.) and a housing.

[0125] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a battery pack 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0126] The positive terminal of battery 11 can be connected to the positive terminal P+ of battery pack 10, and the negative terminal of battery 11 can be connected to the negative terminal P- of battery pack 10.

[0127] The measuring unit 12 can be connected to a first sensing line SL1, a second sensing line SL2, and a third sensing line SL3. Specifically, the measuring unit 12 can be connected to the positive terminal of the battery 11 via the first sensing line SL1 and to the negative terminal of the battery 11 via the second sensing line SL2. The measuring unit 12 can measure the voltage of the battery 11 based on the voltage measured at each of the first sensing line SL1 and the second sensing line SL2.

[0128] Furthermore, the measurement unit 12 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 current and discharging current of the battery 11. The measurement unit 12 can measure the charging current of the battery 11 via the third sensing line SL3 to calculate the amount of charge. Additionally, the measurement unit 12 can measure the discharging current of the battery 11 via the third sensing line SL3 to calculate the amount of discharge.

[0129] For example, the profile acquisition unit 110 can receive battery information about the battery's voltage and current from the measurement unit 12. Then, the profile acquisition unit 110 can generate a battery profile BP and a differential profile based on the battery information.

[0130] As another example, the profile acquisition unit 110 can receive the battery profile BP from the measurement unit 12. Then, the profile acquisition unit 110 can generate a differential profile based on the battery profile BP.

[0131] As yet another example, the profile acquisition unit 110 can receive differential profiles from the measurement unit 12.

[0132] External devices can be connected to the positive terminal P+ and the negative terminal P- of the battery pack 10. For example, the external device can be a charging device or a load. In addition, the positive terminal of the battery module 11, the positive terminal P+ of the battery pack 10, the external device, the negative terminal P- of the battery pack 10, and the negative terminal of the battery module 11 can be electrically connected.

[0133] A battery pack according to one embodiment of this disclosure can be included in a vehicle such as an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid vehicle (HV). Furthermore, the battery pack can supply power to a motor via an inverter located in the vehicle to drive the vehicle. Here, the battery pack may include a battery management device. That is, the vehicle may include a battery management device 100. In this case, the battery management device 100 may be an on-board device included in the vehicle.

[0134] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a battery management method according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0135] refer to Figure 9 The battery management method may include a profile acquisition step (S100), a feature point determination step (S200), and a battery state determination step (S300).

[0136] Preferably, each step of the battery management method can be performed by the battery management device 100. In the following description, for ease of explanation, content overlapping with the previously described content will be omitted or briefly described.

[0137] The profile obtaining step (S100) is a step of obtaining a differential profile that represents the correspondence between the battery voltage and differential capacity, and can be performed by the profile obtaining unit 110.

[0138] For example, the profile acquisition unit 110 can directly receive the micro-profiles of the battery from the outside. That is, the profile acquisition unit 110 can acquire the micro-profiles by receiving the micro-profiles while being connected to the outside via wired and / or wireless means.

[0139] As another example, the profile acquisition unit 110 can directly receive the battery profile BP from an external source. Then, the profile acquisition unit 110 can generate a differential profile by differentiating the battery profile BP relative to the voltage. That is, the profile acquisition unit 110 can obtain the differential profile by receiving the battery profile BP externally via a wired and / or wireless connection, and directly generate the differential profile based on the battery profile BP.

[0140] As another example, the profile acquisition unit 110 can receive battery information regarding the battery's voltage and capacity. Then, the profile acquisition unit 110 can generate a battery profile BP based on the received battery information, and can generate a differential profile based on the generated battery profile BP. In other words, the profile acquisition unit 110 can obtain a differential profile by directly generating a differential profile based on the battery information.

[0141] The feature point determination step (S200) is a step of determining the feature points included in the preset reference voltage segment R of the micro-section, and can be executed by the control unit 120.

[0142] The control unit 120 can be configured to detect peaks and inflection points in the reference voltage segment R of the differential profile, and to identify the detected peaks and inflection points as feature points.

[0143] Specifically, the control unit 120 can detect peaks in the reference voltage segment R. Then, the control unit 120 can determine a target voltage segment in the reference voltage segment R corresponding to a voltage higher than or equal to the peak. Subsequently, the control unit 120 can be configured to detect inflection points in the target voltage segment.

[0144] The battery state determination step (S300) is a step to determine the battery state based on the determination results of feature points, and can be executed by the control unit 120.

[0145] Specifically, the control unit 120 can determine the state of the battery by determining the type of active material included in the battery based on the determination results of feature points.

[0146] In addition, the control unit 120 can detect the composition of the battery and set an upper limit voltage optimized for the battery based on the composition of the battery.

[0147] Another embodiment of this disclosure may provide a computer-readable storage medium having programs recorded thereon for executing the various embodiments described above on a computer.

[0148] The program can be implemented as hardware components, software components, and / or a combination of hardware and software components. The program can be executed by any system capable of executing computer-readable instructions.

[0149] Software may include computer programs, code, instructions, or combinations thereof, which may configure processing equipment to perform desired operations or may independently or jointly command processing equipment.

[0150] Software can be implemented as a computer program that includes instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. Examples of computer-readable storage media include magnetic storage media (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optically readable media (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD: digital multifunction disc). Computer-readable storage media can be distributed across network-connected computer systems, allowing computer-readable code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The storage medium can be read by a computer, stored in memory, and executed by a processor.

[0151] Computer-readable storage media may be provided in the form of non-transitory storage media. Here, the term "non-transitory storage media" simply means that it is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently on the storage medium and cases where data is temporarily stored. For example, a "non-transitory storage medium" may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.

[0152] In addition, the program can be provided as part of a computer program product. The computer program product can be traded as a commodity between a seller and a buyer.

[0153] Computer program products may include software programs and computer-readable storage media for storing the software programs. For example, a computer program product may include a product in the form of software programs (e.g., downloadable applications) distributed electronically by an electronic device manufacturer or through an electronic marketplace. For electronic distribution, at least a portion of the software program may be stored on a storage medium or temporarily generated. In this case, the storage medium may be the storage medium of a server belonging to the electronic device manufacturer, a server of an electronic marketplace, or a relay server temporarily storing the software program.

[0154] This disclosure has been described in detail. However, 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 from the detailed description.

[0155] 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.

[0156] (Explanation of the labels in the attached diagram)

[0157] 10: Battery Pack

[0158] 11: Battery

[0159] 12: Measurement Unit

[0160] 100: Battery Management Device

[0161] 110: Sectioning to obtain unit

[0162] 120: Control Unit

[0163] 130: Storage unit

Claims

1. A battery management device, comprising: A profile obtaining unit is configured to obtain a differential profile representing the correspondence between the battery's voltage and differential capacity. as well as A control unit is configured to determine feature points included in a preset reference voltage segment of the micro-section and to determine the state of the battery based on the determination of the feature points.

2. The battery management device according to claim 1, in, The control unit is configured to detect peaks and inflection points in the reference voltage segment of the micro-section and to identify the detected peaks and inflection points as the feature points.

3. The battery management device according to claim 2, in, The control unit is configured to determine a target voltage segment within the reference voltage segment that has a voltage higher than or equal to the peak and to detect the inflection point within the target voltage segment.

4. The battery management device according to claim 2, in, The control unit is configured to determine the battery as a first battery containing a first active material or a second battery containing a second active material when only the peak is detected as the feature point.

5. The battery management device according to claim 4, in, The control unit is configured to: The reference voltage segment is classified into a first reference voltage segment and a second reference voltage segment. When the detected peak is included in the first reference voltage range, the battery is identified as the first battery, and The battery is identified as the second battery when the detected peak is included in the second reference voltage range.

6. The battery management device according to claim 2, in, The control unit is configured to identify the battery as a third battery containing a first active material and a second active material when the peak and the inflection point are detected as the feature points.

7. The battery management device according to claim 6, in, The control unit is configured to calculate the differential capacity ratio between the peak and the inflection point, and to calculate the mixing ratio of the first active material and the second active material included in the third battery based on the calculated differential capacity ratio.

8. The battery management device according to claim 1, in, The control unit is configured to set the upper limit voltage of the battery based on the determination result of the feature points.

9. The battery management device according to claim 8, in, The control unit is configured to set the upper limit voltage to a preset voltage value corresponding to the type of battery when a defined feature point is present.

10. The battery management device according to claim 8, in, The control unit is configured to: When two definite feature points exist, calculate the differential capacity ratio among multiple feature points, and The upper limit voltage is set by adding the differential capacity ratio to a voltage value that is preset to correspond to the type of battery having a corresponding feature point.

11. A battery pack comprising a battery management device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A battery management method, comprising: The profile obtaining step obtains a differential profile representing the relationship between the battery voltage and differential capacity; The feature point determination step determines the feature points included in a preset reference voltage segment of the differential profile; and A battery state determination step, wherein the battery state determination step determines the battery state based on the determination result of the feature points.

13. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for performing a battery management method, the battery management method comprising: The profile obtaining step obtains a differential profile representing the relationship between the battery voltage and differential capacity; The feature point determination step determines the feature points included in a preset reference voltage segment of the differential profile; and A battery state determination step, wherein the battery state determination step determines the battery state based on the determination result of the feature points.

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