Battery pack and method of operating the same

Abstract

A battery pack according to embodiments of the present document can include a conversion unit that converts a total voltage output from first and second battery units into an intermediate voltage, a switching circuit unit that switches electrical connections between the conversion unit and the first battery unit and a load, and a controller that controls operations of the switching circuit unit to charge the first battery unit using the intermediate voltage and supply power to the load.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0028246, filed on February 27, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0004] The embodiments disclosed in this document relate to a battery pack and its operation method. Background Technology

[0005] Recently, research and development on rechargeable batteries have been actively pursued. Here, a rechargeable battery is a battery capable of being charged and discharged, and can be interpreted as including traditional Ni / Cd batteries, Ni / MH batteries, and more recently, lithium-ion batteries. The application of lithium-ion batteries has recently expanded to include power sources for electric vehicles, and lithium-ion batteries are attracting attention as a next-generation energy storage medium.

[0006] Electric vehicles receive electricity from external sources to charge battery cells / modules, and then discharge these cells / modules to drive the motor and obtain power. During production and use, battery cells / modules undergo internal deformation and transformation through various charging and discharging processes, resulting in changes to their physicochemical properties. Due to this degradation and deterioration, technologies are needed to manage the operation of battery cells and modules.

[0007] Traditional commercial battery packs used in electric vehicles have the following problems: they cannot supply power to loads with various rated voltages because they do not include conversion units within the battery pack. Furthermore, when battery packs are modified to supply power to loads with various rated voltages, there are issues with shortened battery pack lifespan and increased fire risk due to over-discharge of specific battery cells within the pack. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] The purpose of the embodiments disclosed in this document is to provide a battery pack and a method of operating the same, the battery pack including a conversion unit inside the battery pack to supply power to loads having various rated voltages.

[0010] The purpose of the embodiments disclosed in this document is to provide a battery pack and a method for operating the same, which can manage the charging and discharging of multiple battery cells included in the battery pack.

[0011] The technical problems of the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the above-described technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0012] Technical solution

[0013] A battery pack according to an embodiment of this document may include: a conversion unit that converts the total voltage output from a first battery cell and a second battery cell into an intermediate voltage; a switching circuit unit that switches the electrical connection between the conversion unit and the first battery cell and a load; and a controller that controls the operation of the switching circuit unit to charge the first battery cell using the intermediate voltage and to supply power to the load.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the switching circuit unit may include a first switch for the electrical connection between the switching unit and the first battery unit, and a second switch for the electrical connection between the switching unit and the load.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the controller can short-circuit the second switch when power needs to be supplied to the load.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the battery pack may further include an acquisition unit for acquiring the voltages of the first battery cell and the second battery cell, and the controller may compare the voltage of the first battery cell with the voltage of the second battery cell, and may short-circuit the first switch when the difference between the voltage of the second battery cell and the voltage of the first battery cell is greater than or equal to a threshold.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the controller can short-circuit the first switch until the difference becomes less than a threshold value.

[0018] According to an embodiment, the controller can receive a status signal from each of the first battery unit, the second battery unit, and the conversion unit, and can determine that the first battery unit, the second battery unit, or the conversion unit is in a fault state if no status signal is received within a predetermined time.

[0019] According to an embodiment, the controller can disconnect the first switch when it determines that the first battery cell is in a fault state, and can disconnect the first switch and the second switch when it determines that the switching unit or the second battery cell is in a fault state.

[0020] According to an embodiment, the conversion unit, the switching circuit unit, and the controller can be configured as a single integrated circuit.

[0021] Operating a battery pack according to an embodiment in this document may include the following steps: converting the total voltage output from a first battery cell and a second battery cell into an intermediate voltage via a conversion unit; switching the electrical connection between the conversion unit and the first battery cell and a load via a switching circuit unit; and controlling the operation of the switching circuit unit to charge the first battery cell using the intermediate voltage and supply power to the load.

[0022] According to an embodiment, the switching circuit unit may include a first switch for the electrical connection between the switching unit and the first battery unit, and a second switch for the electrical connection between the switching unit and the load.

[0023] According to an embodiment, the switching step may include short-circuiting the second switch when power needs to be supplied to the load.

[0024] According to an embodiment, the operation method may further include the step of acquiring the voltages of the first battery cell and the second battery cell, and the switching step may include the following steps: comparing the voltage of the first battery cell with the voltage of the second battery cell, and short-circuiting the first switch when the difference between the voltage of the second battery cell and the voltage of the first battery cell is greater than or equal to a threshold.

[0025] According to an embodiment, the first switch can be short-circuited until the difference becomes less than a threshold value.

[0026] According to an embodiment, the operation method may further include the following steps: receiving a status signal from each of the first battery unit, the second battery unit, and the conversion unit, and determining that the first battery unit, the second battery unit, or the conversion unit is in a fault state when no status signal is received within a predetermined time.

[0027] According to an embodiment, the operation method may further include the following steps: when it is determined that the first battery cell is in a fault state, disconnect the first switch, and when it is determined that the switching unit or the second battery cell is in a fault state, disconnect the first switch and the second switch.

[0028] According to an embodiment, the steps of the battery pack operation method can be executed in a single integrated circuit.

[0029] Beneficial effects

[0030] The battery packs and their operating methods disclosed in this document can supply power to loads with various rated voltages by using the conversion units included within the battery packs.

[0031] The battery pack and its operating methods disclosed in this document can manage the charging and discharging of multiple battery cells included in the battery pack.

[0032] In addition, various effects that can be directly or indirectly identified through this document can be provided. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0034] Figure 2a This is a graph illustrating the voltages of the first and second battery cells according to embodiments disclosed in this document.

[0035] Figure 2b This is a graph illustrating the voltages of the first and second battery cells according to embodiments disclosed in this document.

[0036] Figure 3 This is a circuit diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0037] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a battery pack according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0038] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computing system for performing a battery pack operation method according to an embodiment disclosed in this document. Detailed Implementation

[0039] In the following description, embodiments described in this document are illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the disclosure of this document to the specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and / or substitutions to the embodiments described in this document.

[0040] The various embodiments and terminology used in this document are not intended to limit the technical features described herein to the specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of the embodiments. Similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related parts in conjunction with the description of the accompanying drawings. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the said items unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0041] In this document, each of the phrases “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B or C,” “at least one of A, B and C,” and “at least one of A, B or C” can include any one of the items listed together in that phrase or all possible combinations thereof. Unless otherwise specifically stated, terms such as “first,” “second,” “first,” “second,” “A,” “B,” “(a),” or “(b)” may be used only to distinguish one part from another and do not limit the parts in any other respect (e.g., in terms of importance or order).

[0042] In this document, when a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as “connected,” “coupled,” or “joined” to another component (e.g., a second component), and has or does not have the terms “functionally” or “communically,” it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., via a wired connection), wirelessly, or via a third component.

[0043] According to embodiments, methods according to various embodiments disclosed in this document can be provided by including them in a computer program product. The computer program product can be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product can be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., an optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or distributed online through an app store (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) or directly between two user devices. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product can be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an app store's server, or a relay server.

[0044] According to various embodiments, each of the above-described components (e.g., modules or programs) may include one or more entities, and some of the multiple entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more of the above-described components or operations may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as the functions performed by corresponding components among the multiple components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by modules, programs, or other components may be performed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more operations may be performed in a different order, omitted, or performed by adding one or more other operations.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment disclosed in this document. Figure 1 The diagram schematically illustrates a battery control system including a battery pack 1 and an upper-level controller 2 included in the upper system. Figure 2a and Figure 2b This is a graph illustrating the voltages of the first and second battery cells according to embodiments disclosed in this document.

[0046] First, refer to Figure 1The battery pack 1 may include multiple battery cells 10, an acquisition unit 20, a conversion unit 30, a switching circuit unit 40, and a controller 50. In this case, the battery pack 1 may be equipped with multiple battery cells 10, acquisition units 20, conversion units 30, and switching circuit units 40 in a plurality of forms.

[0047] According to an embodiment, multiple battery cells 10 can supply power to a target device (not shown). For this purpose, the multiple battery cells 10 can be electrically connected to the target device. Here, the target device can include electrical, electronic, or mechanical devices that operate by receiving power from the battery pack 1. For example, the target device can be an electric vehicle (EV) or an energy storage system (ESS), but is not limited thereto.

[0048] According to an embodiment, the plurality of battery cells 10 may include a first battery cell 11 and a second battery cell 12. According to an embodiment, the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12 may be connected in series. In this case, the first battery cell 11 may refer to a battery cell connected to a ground terminal or a battery cell located at the bottom.

[0049] According to an embodiment, the first battery unit 11 and the second battery unit 12 may each include at least one battery cell capable of being charged and discharged, and the battery cell may be a basic unit of a battery cell capable of transmitting electrical energy through charging and discharging. For example, the battery cell may be a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, a lithium-ion polymer (Li-ion polymer) battery, a nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery, a nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery, etc., but is not limited thereto. For example, each of the first battery unit 11 and the second battery unit 12 may be a battery module, a battery bank, or a collection of battery cells. According to an embodiment, each of the first battery unit 11 and the second battery unit 12 may include four battery cells.

[0050] According to an embodiment, multiple battery cells 10 can supply power to one or more loads. Here, when the target device is an electric vehicle, the load can refer to electronic devices inside the vehicle. According to an embodiment, the rated voltage of each of the multiple loads included inside the vehicle can vary depending on the load. For example, the rated voltage of the first load can be 12V, and the rated voltage of the second load can be 24V.

[0051] According to various embodiments, conventional commercial battery packs for electric vehicles may not include the conversion unit 30 within the battery pack. Therefore, when multiple loads are present, a conventional battery pack may only supply power to loads with the same rated voltage. Consequently, users need to install separate power conversion devices to use electrical devices with different rated voltages. This results in increased installation costs for the power conversion devices and reduced safety of the battery pack.

[0052] However, according to the embodiment, the battery pack 1 includes a conversion unit 30 within the battery pack 1, such that the battery pack 1 can provide a voltage corresponding to the rated voltage of each of a plurality of loads with different rated voltages by using the voltage converted by the conversion unit 30 without a separate power conversion device. For example, the battery pack 1 may include a switching circuit unit 40 that switches the electrical connection between the conversion unit 30 and each of the plurality of loads. Thus, when the conversion unit 30 is in a faulty state, the battery pack 1 can maintain its safety by cutting off the power supply to the loads.

[0053] Furthermore, the battery pack 1 according to the embodiment includes a conversion unit 30 inside the battery pack 1, and therefore the first battery cell 11 can be charged using the voltage converted by the conversion unit 30. For this, see reference... Figure 2a and Figure 2b , Figure 2a The diagram illustrates the voltage behavior of the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12 in a typical battery pack, and... Figure 2b The diagram illustrates the voltage behavior of the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12 in the battery pack 1, which includes the conversion unit 30.

[0054] refer to Figure 2a In the case of a typical commercial battery pack used in electric vehicles, power can be supplied to a load with a rated voltage of 12V using the voltage output from the first battery cell 11. Therefore, as... Figure 2a As shown, in the discharged state of the battery pack, the voltage V_11 of the first battery cell 11 can be lower than the voltage V_12 of the second battery cell 12, and as the discharge time of the battery pack 1 increases, the difference between the voltage V_11 of the first battery cell 11 and the voltage V_12 of the second battery cell 12 may become larger. Therefore, there is a problem that the voltage of the first battery cell 11 at the bottom is lower than the voltage of the second battery cell 12 located at the top.

[0055] In comparison, reference Figure 2b In the discharged state of the battery pack 1, including the conversion unit 30 according to the embodiment, the battery pack 1 can charge the first battery cell 11 using the voltage converted by the conversion unit 30. Therefore, the voltage V_11 of the first battery cell 11 can be managed to have a value corresponding to the voltage V_12 of the second battery cell 12.

[0056] Additionally, according to an embodiment, the battery pack 1 may include a switching circuit unit 40 that switches the electrical connection between the switching unit 30 and each of the first battery unit 11 and the second battery unit 12. Thus, when the first battery unit 11 needs to be charged, the battery pack 1 can charge the first battery unit 11 by connecting the switching unit 30 to the first battery unit 11, and can disconnect when charging is not needed. Furthermore, even when the switching unit 30 or the first battery unit 11 and the second battery unit 12 are in a faulty state, the battery pack 1 can control the switching circuit unit 40 to maintain the safety of the battery pack 1.

[0057] According to an embodiment, the acquisition unit 20 can acquire information related to the plurality of battery cells 10. According to an embodiment, the acquisition unit 20 can acquire values ​​(or information) related to the state of each of the plurality of battery cells 10. In an embodiment, the state-related values ​​may include one or more values ​​of voltage, current, resistance, state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), or temperature, or combinations thereof, of the individual battery cells included in the plurality of battery cells 10. For example, the acquisition unit 20 can acquire the voltage of the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the acquisition unit 20 can acquire the voltage of the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12 in each unit time. According to an embodiment, the acquisition unit 20 can continuously acquire voltage data of multiple battery cells during charging periods, rest periods after charging, discharging periods, and / or rest periods after discharging. According to an embodiment, the acquisition unit 20 may include a voltage monitoring circuit or a sensor.

[0059] According to an embodiment, the conversion unit 30 can convert the voltage output from multiple battery cells 10. For example, the conversion unit 30 may include a DC-DC converter. According to an embodiment, the conversion unit 30 can convert the total voltage output from the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12 into an intermediate voltage. Here, when the conversion unit 30 operates as a rise converter, the intermediate voltage may be greater than the total voltage. Conversely, when the conversion unit 30 operates as a fall converter, the intermediate voltage may be less than the total voltage.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the conversion unit 30 can convert the voltage output from a generator (not shown) included in an electric vehicle into an intermediate voltage. For example, when multiple battery cells 10 are discharging, the conversion unit 30 can convert the power from the generator. Thus, the conversion unit 30 can charge the first battery cell 11 or supply power to a load even when the battery cells are discharging.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the switching circuit unit 40 can switch the connection between the battery pack 1 and one or more loads. In addition, the switching circuit unit 40 can switch the electrical connections between other components included in the battery pack 1 (e.g., multiple battery cells 10, first battery cell 11 and second battery cell 12, acquisition unit 20, conversion unit 30 and controller 50).

[0062] According to an embodiment, the switching circuit unit 40 may include a device for controlling the current flow for charging or discharging the plurality of battery cells 10. For example, depending on the specifications of the battery pack 1, the switching circuit unit 40 may include at least one relay and / or magnetic contactor, etc. According to an embodiment, the switching circuit unit 40 may include an electronic switch, such as a field-effect transistor (FET).

[0063] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can control or manage the battery pack 1 to prevent overcharging and over-discharging by monitoring the voltage, current, temperature, etc. of the battery pack 1. Here, the controller 50 can perform the functions of a battery management system (BMS).

[0064] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 may include multiple terminals that receive the various types of information described above from the acquisition unit 20, and circuitry connected to these terminals and processing the received values. Additionally, the controller 50 may control the acquisition unit 20, the conversion unit 30, and / or the switching circuit unit 40. For example, the controller 50 may be connected to multiple battery cells 10 to monitor the state of each of the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12, and to control the operation of switches such as relays or FETs.

[0065] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can perform on / off control on the electrical connection between the conversion unit 30 and at least one battery cell, or the electrical connection between the conversion unit 30 and at least one load, through the switching circuit unit 40. For example, the controller 50 can control the operation of the switching circuit unit 40 to charge the first battery cell 11 using an intermediate voltage and supply power to the load. Thus, the controller 50 can operate the load based on the converted intermediate voltage and simultaneously charge the first battery cell 11.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the operation of controller 50 can be performed by a battery management system (BMS) in the vehicle, and can also be performed in various devices such as servers, cloud, chargers, or chargers / dischargers.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the upper-level controller 2 can send control signals for the multiple battery cells 10 to the controller 50. Therefore, the operation of the controller 50 can be controlled based on the signals applied from the upper-level controller 2.

[0068] Figure 3This is a circuit diagram illustrating a battery pack according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0069] refer to Figure 3 The conversion unit 30 can convert the voltage input to the conversion unit 30 into a voltage with a value corresponding to half the amplitude of the input voltage. Alternatively, the intermediate voltage can have a value corresponding to half the voltage input to the conversion unit 30. For example, when the voltage of the first battery unit 11 is 12V and the voltage of the second battery unit 12 is 12V, the conversion unit 30 can convert the 24V output voltage from the first battery unit 11 and the second battery unit 12 into a 12V intermediate voltage. Furthermore, when the generator's output voltage is 28V, the conversion unit 30 can convert the 28V voltage into a 14V intermediate voltage.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can apply an intermediate voltage of 12V or 14V to a load with a rated voltage of 12V and a first battery cell 11 with a rated voltage of 12V. Alternatively, the controller 50 can apply a 24V voltage output from the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12 to a load with a rated voltage of 24V without conversion. Furthermore, by converting a 28V voltage to an intermediate voltage of 24V in the conversion unit 30, the controller 50 can apply a 24V voltage to a load with a rated voltage of 24V. Thus, the battery pack 1 can supply power to various loads or charge the first battery cell 11 based on the voltage output from the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12 or the voltage output from the generator.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the switching circuit unit 40 may include at least one switch, which connects the on / off switching unit 30 to each of the plurality of battery units 10, or connects the on / off switching unit 30 to each of the plurality of loads. According to an embodiment, the controller 50 may control the on / off operation of the switch included in the switching circuit unit 40.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the switching circuit unit 40 may include a first switch S1 that switches the electrical connection between the switching unit 30 and the first battery unit 11. Additionally, the switching circuit unit 40 may include a second switch S2 that switches the electrical connection between the switching unit 30 and a load. Here, when multiple loads are present, the second switch S2 may include multiple second switches S2 connecting the switching unit 30 and each load. For example, second switch S2(A) may switch the connection between the switching unit 30 and load A, and second switch S2(B) may switch the connection between the switching unit 30 and load B. Here, the rated voltages of load A and load B may be different.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can control the second switch S2 based on whether power needs to be supplied to the load. For example, when power needs to be supplied to the load, the controller 50 can short-circuit the second switch S2. Conversely, when power does not need to be supplied to the load, the controller 50 can disconnect the second switch.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can control the first switch S1 based on whether charging of the first battery cell 11 is required. For example, when charging of the first battery cell 11 is required, the controller 50 can short-circuit the first switch S1. Conversely, when charging of the first battery cell 11 is not required, the controller 50 can disconnect the first switch S1.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can determine whether the first battery cell 11 needs to be charged based on the voltage difference between the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12. For example, when the voltage of the first battery cell 11 is lower than the voltage of the second battery cell 12, the controller 50 can determine that the first battery cell 11 needs to be charged. Furthermore, the controller 50 can use an intermediate voltage to charge the first battery cell 11, so that the voltage of the first battery cell 11 has a value corresponding to the voltage of the second battery cell 12. Thus, the controller 50 can maintain the voltage levels of the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12 at the same level.

[0076] Conversely, according to an embodiment, when the voltage of the first battery cell 11 is the same as the voltage of the second battery cell 12, the controller 50 can determine that the first battery cell 11 does not need to be charged.

[0077] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can compare the voltage of the first battery cell 11 and the voltage of the second battery cell 12. Furthermore, when the difference between the voltage of the second battery cell 12 and the voltage of the first battery cell 11 is greater than or equal to a threshold, the controller 50 can short-circuit the first switch S1. Here, the threshold can refer to an error range within which the voltage of the first battery cell 11 can be considered the same as the voltage of the second battery cell 12. For example, the threshold can be 0.1V, but is not limited to this, and can vary depending on the voltages of the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can short-circuit the first switch S1 until the difference between the voltage of the second battery cell 12 and the voltage of the first battery cell 11 becomes less than a threshold value. Thus, the controller 50 can charge the first battery cell 11 using an intermediate voltage until the voltage of the first battery cell 11 becomes a value corresponding to the voltage of the second battery cell 12.

[0079] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can receive status signals from each of the first battery cell 11, the second battery cell 12, and the conversion unit 30. Here, the status signal may be a signal indicating that each component included in the battery pack 1 is operating normally. For example, the status signal may refer to a health signal. According to an embodiment, when the controller 50 receives a status signal from a specific component (e.g., the conversion unit 30) at regular time intervals, the controller 50 can determine that the specific component is in a normal state.

[0080] According to an embodiment, when no status signal is received from the component within a predetermined time period, the controller 50 can determine that the specific component is in a fault state. Here, the component may refer to the first battery unit 11, the second battery unit 12, or the conversion unit 30. Thus, the controller 50 can check whether the first battery unit 11, the second battery unit 12, or the conversion unit 30 included in the battery pack 1 are operating normally.

[0081] According to an embodiment, when the controller 50 determines that a specific component is in a fault state, the controller 50 can control the switching circuit unit 40 to disconnect the electrical connection between the specific component and other components. For example, when the controller 50 determines that the first battery unit 11 is in a fault state, the controller 50 can disconnect the first switch S1. Thus, the controller 50 can protect the switching unit 30 and the first battery unit 11 by cutting off the power supplied from the switching unit 30 to the first battery unit 11.

[0082] Additionally, for example, when the controller 50 determines that the conversion unit 30 or the second battery unit 12 is in a faulty state, the controller 50 can disconnect the first switch S1 and the second switch S2. Thus, the controller 50 can protect the conversion unit 30 and the first battery unit 11 by cutting off the power supply from the conversion unit 30 to the first battery unit 11. Furthermore, the controller 50 can protect the load by cutting off the power supply from the conversion unit 30 to the load.

[0083] According to an embodiment, when a fault is detected in the first battery cell 11, the second battery cell 12, or the conversion unit 30, the controller 50 can provide the user with information about the faulty component. For example, the controller 50 can provide information about the faulty component to a user terminal via a communication circuit (not shown), and can also provide information about the faulty component via a display equipped in the vehicle or charger, etc.

[0084] According to an embodiment, the controller 50 can provide the user with information about the voltage of each of the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12. Additionally, the controller 50 can provide the user with information about the intermediate voltage converted by the conversion unit 30 and the ratio of the intermediate voltage supplied to the load and the first battery cell 11. For example, the controller 50 can provide voltage information to a user terminal via a communication circuit (not shown), and can also provide voltage information via a display equipped in a vehicle or charger, etc.

[0085] According to an embodiment, the conversion unit 30, the switching circuit unit 40, and the controller 50 can be configured as integrated circuits. Here, an integrated circuit can refer to a microcontroller unit (MCU) with multiple cores. Therefore, a single integrated circuit can perform the functions of the controller 50, the conversion unit 30, and the switching circuit unit 40. This integrated circuit design can reduce system complexity by reducing wiring between components (e.g., BMS, conversion unit 30, and switching circuit unit 40). Furthermore, the integrated circuit design can reduce the size of the battery pack 1 and suppress temperature rise in the battery pack 1 by reducing heat emitted from each component.

[0086] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a battery pack according to an embodiment disclosed in this document. Reference Figures 1 to 3 Understandable Figure 4 The operating steps.

[0087] refer to Figure 4 The battery pack can convert the total voltage output from the first battery cell and the second battery cell into an intermediate voltage through the conversion unit (S101), switch the electrical connection between the conversion unit and the first battery cell and the load through the switching circuit unit (S102), and control the operation of the switching circuit unit to charge the first battery cell and supply power to the load using the intermediate voltage (S103).

[0088] In step S101, the battery pack 1 can convert the total voltage output from the first battery cell 11 and the second battery cell 12 into an intermediate voltage through the conversion unit 30 (S101).

[0089] In step S102, the battery pack 1 can switch the electrical connection between the switching unit 30 and the first battery unit 11 and the load via the switching circuit unit 40 (S102). According to an embodiment, the switching circuit unit 40 may include a first switch S1 for switching the electrical connection between the switching unit 30 and the first battery unit 11 and a second switch S2 for switching the electrical connection between the switching unit 30 and the load.

[0090] In step S103, the battery pack 1 can control the operation of the switching circuit unit 40 to charge the first battery unit 11 using the intermediate voltage and supply power to the load (S103).

[0091] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computing system for performing a battery pack operation method according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0092] refer to Figure 5 The computing system 200 according to the embodiments disclosed in this document may include an MCU 210, a memory 220, an input / output I / F 230, and a communication I / F 240.

[0093] MCU 210 can be a processor that executes various programs stored in memory 220 (e.g., battery cell data collection programs, graphics generation programs, data analysis programs, data decomposition algorithms, standardization programs, and battery cell diagnostic programs, etc.). These programs process various information, including battery cell characteristic data and latent variables, and execute reference... Figures 1 to 4 The function of battery pack 1 is described.

[0094] The memory 220 can store various programs, such as battery cell data collection programs, graph generation programs, data analysis programs, data decomposition algorithms, normalization programs, and cell diagnostic programs.

[0095] Multiple such memories 220 can be provided as needed. Memory 220 can be volatile or non-volatile memory. As volatile memory, memory 220 can use RAM, DRAM, SRAM, etc. As non-volatile memory, memory 220 can use ROM, PROM, EAROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, etc. The examples of memory 220 listed above are merely examples, and memory 1020 is not limited to these examples.

[0096] The input / output I / F 230 can provide an interface for connecting input devices (not shown), such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel, and output devices (not shown), such as a display, to the MCU 210 to send and receive data between them.

[0097] The communication I / F 240 can be configured to send and receive various types of data to and from a server, and can be various devices capable of supporting wired or wireless communication. For example, the battery management device 100 can send and receive various types of information, including the shape model of a battery cell, from a separately provided external server via the communication I / F 240.

[0098] In this way, a computer program according to the embodiments disclosed in this document can be implemented for execution, for example, by being recorded in memory 220 and processed by MCU 210. Figure 4 The diagram shows the modules for each function.

[0099] In the foregoing, although all components constituting the embodiments disclosed in this document have been described as operating in combination or in combination, the embodiments disclosed in this document are not necessarily limited to these embodiments. That is, within the scope of the purposes of the embodiments disclosed in this document, all components can be operated by selectively combining one or more of them.

[0100] Unless otherwise stated, the terms “comprising,” “configured,” or “having” above mean that they may include the corresponding components and should therefore be construed as further including, rather than excluding, other components. Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical or scientific terms have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments disclosed in this document pertain. Commonly used terms, such as those defined in dictionaries, should be interpreted as consistent with the meaning in the context of the relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined in this document.

[0101] The foregoing disclosure outlines features of some embodiments, enabling those skilled in the art to better understand various aspects of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure can readily serve as a basis for designing or modifying other structures to perform the same purposes or achieve the same advantages as the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that such equivalent configurations do not depart from the scope of this disclosure, and that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0102] [Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures]

[0103] 1: Battery pack

[0104] 2: Upper-level controller

[0105] 10: Multiple battery cells

[0106] 11: First battery unit

[0107] 12: Second battery unit

[0108] 20: Acquisition Unit

[0109] 30: Conversion Unit

[0110] 40: Switching circuit unit

[0111] 50: Controller

[0112] 200: Computing System

[0113] 210: MCU

[0114] 220: Memory

[0115] 230: Input / Output I / F

[0116] 240: Communication I / F

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising: A conversion unit that converts the total voltage output from the first battery cell and the second battery cell into an intermediate voltage; A switching circuit unit that switches the electrical connection between the conversion unit and the first battery unit and the load; as well as A controller that controls the operation of the switching circuit unit to charge the first battery unit using the intermediate voltage and to supply power to the load.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein, The switching circuit unit includes: A first switch, which switches the electrical connection between the conversion unit and the first battery unit; and The second switch switches the electrical connection between the conversion unit and the load.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein, The controller: when it needs to supply power to the load, short-circuits the second switch.

4. The battery pack according to claim 2, further comprising: The acquisition unit is used to acquire the voltages of the first battery cell and the second battery cell. The controller compares the voltage of the first battery cell with the voltage of the second battery cell, and short-circuits the first switch when the difference between the voltage of the second battery cell and the voltage of the first battery cell is greater than or equal to a threshold.

5. The battery pack according to claim 4, wherein, The controller short-circuites the first switch until the difference becomes less than the threshold value.

6. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein, The controller receives status signals from each of the first battery cell, the second battery cell, and the conversion unit, and If the status signal is not received within a predetermined time, it is determined that the first battery unit, the second battery unit, or the conversion unit is in a fault state.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein, The controller: when it determines that the first battery cell is in the fault state, disconnects the first switch, and When it is determined that the conversion unit or the second battery unit is in the fault state, the first switch and the second switch are disconnected.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein, The conversion unit, the switching circuit unit, and the controller are configured as a single integrated circuit.

9. A method for operating a battery pack, the method comprising the following steps: The conversion unit converts the total voltage output from the first battery cell and the second battery cell into an intermediate voltage. The electrical connection between the conversion unit and the first battery unit and the load is switched by the switching circuit unit; and The operation of the switching circuit unit is controlled to charge the first battery cell using the intermediate voltage and to supply power to the load.

10. The operating method according to claim 9, wherein, The switching circuit unit includes: A first switch, which switches the electrical connection between the conversion unit and the first battery unit; and The second switch switches the electrical connection between the conversion unit and the load.

11. The operating method according to claim 10, wherein, The switching steps include: short-circuiting the second switch when power needs to be supplied to the load.

12. The operating method according to claim 10, further comprising: The step of obtaining the voltages of the first battery cell and the second battery cell. The switching process includes the following steps: Compare the voltage of the first battery cell with the voltage of the second battery cell; and When the difference between the voltage of the second battery cell and the voltage of the first battery cell is greater than or equal to a threshold, the first switch is short-circuited.

13. The operating method according to claim 12, wherein, The first switch is short-circuited until the value of the difference becomes less than the threshold value.

14. The operating method according to claim 10 further includes the following steps: Receive a status signal from each of the first battery cell, the second battery cell, and the conversion unit; and If the status signal is not received within a predetermined time, it is determined that the first battery unit, the second battery unit, or the conversion unit is in a fault state.

15. The operating method according to claim 14, further comprising the following steps: When it is determined that the first battery cell is in the fault state, the first switch is disconnected; and When it is determined that the conversion unit or the second battery unit is in the fault state, the first switch and the second switch are disconnected.

16. The operating method according to claim 9, wherein, The steps of the operation method of the battery pack are performed in a single integrated circuit.

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