Apparatus for diagnosing a battery of a vehicle, method thereof and vehicle

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus for diagnosing a battery of a vehicle, a method thereof, and a vehicle. The system includes a high-voltage battery installed in the vehicle to supply power, a power converter installed in the vehicle to convert direct current (DC) power supplied to the high-voltage battery, and a battery diagnosis apparatus connected to the power converter to perform discharging and charging of the high-voltage battery and diagnose a state of the high-voltage battery.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0046329, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on April 9, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to a system and method for diagnosing a vehicle battery, and more specifically, to techniques for diagnosing whether a vehicle battery is abnormal and the current state of the battery. Background Technology

[0004] The descriptions in this background section are intended only to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure and should not be construed as an admission that they correspond to prior art known to those skilled in the art.

[0005] Vehicles that use electricity as a power source, such as electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles, are equipped with batteries that store and output electrical energy. Typically, the battery can be an 800V high-voltage battery, which may include multiple battery modules. Each of these battery modules may consist of multiple battery cells. These battery cells convert chemical energy into electrical energy to supply electrical energy (discharging) or convert externally supplied electrical energy into chemical energy to store chemical energy (charging).

[0006] To diagnose whether a high-voltage battery is malfunctioning, a Battery Management System (BMS) can be installed in the vehicle. The BMS can determine if the battery is malfunctioning based on sensor data and diagnostic conditions at a given diagnostic point in time. However, it may be difficult to set diagnostic conditions for the BMS. Specifically, the BMS may not be able to diagnose battery faults, which could lead to fatal events (e.g., fires). Furthermore, even if the vehicle is in a repair shop, if a battery malfunction occurs, the battery can be diagnosed using only past event data and data from the diagnostic point in time, even at the repair shop. Therefore, the BMS may not be able to perform diagnostics effectively and reliably.

[0007] Using maintenance networks (such as Bluetooth) can address the shortcomings of BMS, but access barriers are significant for individual business owners. An 800V high-voltage charging / discharging facility among multiple actual measurement devices used for battery diagnostics can involve substantial administrative costs (e.g., unit cost, installation cost, installation space, or operating manpower).

[0008] Consider technologies that can solve the above problems and effectively diagnose whether a vehicle's battery is malfunctioning in advance. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This disclosure has been made to address the aforementioned issues.

[0010] Embodiments of this disclosure provide an apparatus and method for diagnosing whether a vehicle battery is abnormal and the current state of the battery.

[0011] Another embodiment of this disclosure provides an apparatus and method for diagnosing a vehicle's battery at low cost using an inverter installed in the vehicle.

[0012] The technical problems to be solved by this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0013] According to this disclosure, an apparatus may include a communication interface configured to be coupled to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle may include a battery configured to supply power to the vehicle and a power converter configured to convert the direct current (DC) power of the battery. The apparatus may further include processor circuitry configured, when coupled to the power converter, to perform discharging and charging of the battery, wherein discharging of the battery is performed using the power converter, the state of the battery is diagnosed based on the performance of the discharging and charging of the battery, and a signal indicating the diagnostic state of the battery is output.

[0014] The device may further include a load connected to a power converter and configured to discharge the battery based on at least one charging and discharging mode, controlled by a processor circuit, wherein the communication interface is configured to send and receive data from the battery, and wherein the processor circuit is configured to control the operation of the power converter and the load, and to diagnose the state of the battery based on at least one diagnostic mode.

[0015] The device may further include a human-machine interface configured to receive at least one diagnostic mode and at least one charging and discharging mode selected by the user, and output the results of the battery diagnosis.

[0016] The power converter may include at least one switch and at least one diode, wherein the at least one switch and the at least one diode are configured to operate the power converter based on the at least one charging and discharging mode.

[0017] The processor circuit can be configured to send voltage and current distributions for charging voltage to the vehicle while the processor circuit is coupled to the vehicle.

[0018] The processor circuitry can be configured to control the operation of the load to generate a voltage path and control the application of a charging voltage from the battery to the load via the voltage path to discharge the battery.

[0019] The processor circuit can be configured to control the application of the charging voltage from an external power source to the load via the voltage path to charge the battery when the power converter is coupled to the load.

[0020] At least one charging and discharging mode may include a first discharging mode, a second discharging mode, and a third discharging mode, wherein in the first discharging mode, a charging voltage is applied to the load and the battery discharges while maintaining a constant power of the load; in the second discharging mode, a charging voltage is applied to the load and the battery discharges while controlling the current to give the load a constant resistance value; and in the third discharging mode, a charging voltage is applied to the load and the battery discharges while maintaining a constant current of the load.

[0021] At least one charging and discharging mode may include a first charging mode, a second charging mode, and a third charging mode, wherein in the first charging mode, a charging voltage is applied to the load and charges the battery while keeping the load power constant; in the second charging mode, a charging voltage is applied to the load and charges the battery while controlling the current to make the load have a constant resistance value; and in the third charging mode, a charging voltage is applied to the load and charges the battery while keeping the load current constant.

[0022] At least one diagnostic mode can be determined based on the battery's preset charging conditions, preset discharging conditions, preset rest time, and preset state of charge (SOC).

[0023] According to this disclosure, the method can be performed by a vehicle-associated device. The method may include coupling the device to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle may include a battery and a power converter, and during the coupling of the device to the vehicle, controlling the power converter to convert direct current (DC) power from the battery into converted power, performing discharge and charge of the battery, wherein the discharge of the battery is performed using the power converter, diagnosing the state of the battery through the processor circuitry of the device, and outputting a signal indicating the diagnostic state of the battery.

[0024] Diagnosing the battery status may include: charging and discharging the battery based on at least one charging and discharging mode by the load of the device when the load is coupled to the power converter; sending and receiving battery data through a communication interface; controlling the operation of the power converter and the load; and determining the battery status based on at least one diagnostic mode.

[0025] According to this disclosure, a vehicle may include: a battery configured to store electrical energy and provide electrical energy for operation of the vehicle; a power converter configured to convert direct current (DC) power from the battery into converted power; at least one switch configured to control charging and discharging of the battery via the power converter; and a battery diagnostic device coupled to the vehicle, wherein the battery diagnostic device may include processor circuitry configured to control the at least one switch to apply a diagnostic charging mode or a diagnostic discharging mode, wherein the diagnostic charging mode or diagnostic discharging mode may include at least one of a constant power mode, a constant resistance mode, and a constant current mode, measuring voltage and current during the diagnostic charging mode or diagnostic discharging mode, determining at least one condition of the battery based on the measured voltage and current, and outputting a signal indicating the state of the battery based on the at least one condition of the battery.

[0026] The battery diagnostic device is detachably coupled to the vehicle, and the processor circuitry, when coupled to the power converter, can be configured to enable the vehicle to monitor voltage deviations between battery cells during diagnostic charging or diagnostic discharging modes.

[0027] The processor circuitry can be configured to enable the vehicle to calculate the battery's state of charge based on measured voltage and current.

[0028] The processor circuitry can be configured to enable the vehicle to determine the battery temperature deviation during diagnostic charging or diagnostic discharging modes.

[0029] The processor circuitry can be configured to enable the vehicle to estimate the degree of battery degradation based on the rate of change of the battery's state of charge. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 An example of a system for diagnosing a vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 An embodiment of the configuration of a system for diagnosing a vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 3 This is an embodiment of a battery diagnostic device according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 4A and Figure 4B This is an embodiment of a circuit for a system used to diagnose a vehicle's battery; Figure 5 An embodiment of a method for diagnosing a vehicle's battery is shown; Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 9, Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is an exemplary flowchart for describing at least one diagnostic mode in detail; and Figure 13 An embodiment of the computing system is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0031] In the following, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the exemplary accompanying drawings. It should be noted that when reference numerals are affixed to the constituent components of the various drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same constituent component if it is shown in other drawings. Furthermore, in describing embodiments of the present disclosure, detailed descriptions of well-known features or functions will be excluded so as not to unnecessarily obscure the spirit of the disclosure.

[0032] In describing the components of embodiments of this disclosure, terms such as first, second, "A", "B", (a), (b), etc., may be used. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another and do not limit the corresponding components, regardless of the order or priority of the corresponding components. Furthermore, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Terms as defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning equivalent to that in the context of the relevant field and should not be interpreted as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless explicitly defined as having an ideal or overly formal meaning in this application.

[0033] As used in this specification, the terms "module" or "unit" refer to software and / or hardware components, and a "module" or "unit" performs certain operations / functions / roles. However, a "module" or "unit" is not to be construed as limited to software or hardware. A "module" or "unit" may be configured to reside in addressable storage media or to execute on one or more processors. Thus, as an example, a "module" or "unit" may include at least one of the following components: software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, attributes, programs, subroutines, program code segments, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, or variables. The functionality provided in a component, "module," or "unit" may be combined into a smaller number of components, "modules," or "units" or further divided into additional components, "modules," or "units."

[0034] In this disclosure, a “module” or “unit” can be implemented as a processor and memory. “Processor” should be broadly interpreted to include general-purpose processors, central processing units (CPUs), microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), microcontrollers, state machines, etc. In some contexts, “processor” can refer to application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). For example, “processor” can refer to a combination of processing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such combination. Furthermore, “memory” should be broadly interpreted to include any electronic component capable of storing electronic information. “Memory” can refer to various types of processor-readable media, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, magnetic or optical data storage devices, and registers. The memory can be in a state of electronic communication with the processor when the processor can read information from the memory and / or record information in the memory. Memory integrated into the processor is in a state of electronic communication with the processor.

[0035] One or more features described herein can be provided as a computer program stored in a computer-readable recording medium for execution on a computer. The medium may continuously store a computer-executable program or temporarily store a program for execution or download. Furthermore, the medium can be a variety of recording or storage devices in the form of a single hardware device or multiple combined hardware devices, and is not limited to media directly connected to certain computer systems, but may also be distributed across a network. Examples of such media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, or magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs or DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floppy disks; and ROMs, RAMs, or flash memory configured to store program instructions. Additional embodiments of such media include media or storage media managed by application stores that distribute applications or by different other sites or servers that provide or distribute software.

[0036] In a hardware implementation, the processing unit for performing these techniques may be implemented within one or more ASICs, DSPs, digital signal processing devices, programmable logic devices, field-programmable gate arrays, processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, or computers or combinations thereof, designed to perform the functions described in this disclosure.

[0037] For the purposes of this application and claims, the exemplary phrases “at least one of A; B; or C” or “at least one of A, B, or C” are used, which means “at least one A, or at least one B, or at least one C, or at least one A, at least one B, and at least one C.” Furthermore, as used herein, exemplary phrases such as “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” etc., may represent each listed item or all possible combinations of listed items. For example, “at least one of A or B” may refer to (1) at least one A; (2) at least one B; or (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0038] According to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the automation levels of autonomous vehicles can be classified as follows: At Level 0, the SAE classification corresponds to "No Automation," where the autonomous driving system temporarily handles emergencies (e.g., automatic emergency braking) and / or only provides warnings (e.g., blind spot warning, lane departure warning, etc.) and expects the driver to operate the vehicle. At Level 1, the SAE classification corresponds to "Driver Assistance," where the system performs some driving functions (e.g., steering, acceleration, braking, lane centering, adaptive cruise control, etc.) when the driver operates the vehicle in normal operating conditions, and expects the driver to determine the system's operating status and / or timing, perform other driving functions, and handle (e.g., resolve) emergencies. At Level 2, the SAE classification corresponds to "Partial Automation," where the system performs steering, acceleration, and / or braking under driver supervision, and expects the driver to determine the system's operating status and / or timing, perform other driving functions, and handle (e.g., resolve) emergencies. At Level 3 of Automated Driving, the SAE classification standard can correspond to "Conditional Automation," where the system drives the vehicle under constrained conditions (e.g., performing driving functions such as steering, acceleration, and / or braking), but transfers driving control to the driver when the desired conditions are not met. The driver is expected to determine the system's operating state and / or timing and take over control in emergency situations, but not otherwise operate the vehicle (e.g., steering, acceleration, and / or braking). At Level 4 of Automated Driving, the SAE classification standard can correspond to "High Automation," where the system performs all driving functions and the driver is expected to control the vehicle only in emergency situations. At Level 5 of Automated Driving, the SAE classification standard can correspond to "Full Automation," where the system performs all driving functions without any assistance from the driver, including in emergency situations, and the driver is not expected to perform any driving functions other than determining the system's operating state. While this disclosure applies the SAE classification standard to the classification of automated driving, other classification methods and / or algorithms may be used in one or more configurations described herein.

[0039] One or more features associated with autonomous driving control can be activated based on configured autonomous driving control settings (e.g., based on at least one of the following: autonomous driving classification, selection of the vehicle's autonomous driving level, etc.). Vehicle operation can be controlled based on one or more features described herein (e.g., features using the vehicle's inverter and multi-mode control vehicle battery diagnostics). Vehicle control can include various operational controls associated with the vehicle (e.g., autonomous driving control, sensor control, braking control, braking timing control, acceleration control, acceleration rate of change control, warning timing control, forward collision warning timing control, etc.).

[0040] One or more auxiliary devices (e.g., engine braking, exhaust braking, hydraulic decelerators, electric decelerators, regenerative braking, etc.) can also be controlled, for example, based on one or more features described herein (e.g., features of vehicle battery diagnostics using the vehicle's inverter and multi-mode control). For example, if vehicle battery diagnostics detects a warning or critical condition (e.g., high internal resistance, abnormal SOC drift, or battery overheating), the control system can adjust auxiliary braking functions, such as increasing regenerative braking to safely reduce the load on the battery, prioritizing mechanical brakes over resistive hysteresis, or adjusting engine braking to minimize further battery stress while maintaining vehicle stability.

[0041] For example, based on one or more features described herein (e.g., features of vehicle battery diagnostics using the vehicle's inverter and multi-mode control), one or more communication devices (e.g., modems, network adapters, radio transceivers, antennas, etc.) capable of communicating via one or more wired or wireless communication protocols such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth, Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G New Radio (NR), Vehicle to Everything (V2X), etc.) can also be controlled. For example, when vehicle battery diagnostics indicate a warning or critical condition (e.g., cell imbalance, abnormal SOC change rate, or thermal anomaly), the communication devices can prioritize or restrict certain functions, such as sending diagnostic alerts to a remote server, reducing high-bandwidth unnecessary data traffic (e.g., video streaming), or triggering V2X messages to warn nearby vehicles of reduced autonomy.

[0042] Minimum Risk Maneuvering (MRM) operations can also be controlled, for example, based on one or more features described herein (e.g., features of vehicle battery diagnostics using the vehicle's inverter and multi-mode control). Minimum Risk Maneuvering operations (e.g., minimum risk handling, minimum risk control) can be vehicle maneuvering operations designed to minimize (e.g., reduce) the risk of collisions with surrounding vehicles in order to achieve a reduced (e.g., minimum) risk state. Minimum Risk Maneuvering can be an operation activated during autonomous driving when the driver is unable to respond to an intervention request. During Minimum Risk Maneuvering, one or more processors in the vehicle can control the vehicle's driving operations for a set time period. For example, if vehicle battery diagnostics detects critical conditions (e.g., severe voltage deviation, excessive temperature rise, or abnormal SOC change rate) using the inverter and multi-mode control, MRM operations can be triggered to guide the vehicle to perform controlled deceleration, lane centering, and steer to a safe position (such as a shoulder or emergency lane), while alerting the driver and surrounding vehicles.

[0043] For example, biased driving operations can also be controlled based on one or more features described herein (e.g., features of vehicle battery diagnostics using the vehicle's inverter and multi-mode control). A driving control unit can perform biased driving control. To perform biased driving, the driving control unit can control the vehicle to drive within a lane by maintaining a lateral distance between the vehicle's center position and the center of the lane. For example, the driving control unit can control the vehicle to remain in the lane but not in the center of the lane. The driving control unit can identify or determine a target lateral distance for biased driving control. For example, the target lateral distance for bias can include an intentionally adjusted lateral distance that the vehicle can maintain from a reference point (such as the center of the lane or another vehicle) during maneuvers such as lane changes. This adjustment can be made to improve the vehicle's stability, safety, and / or performance under changing driving conditions. For example, during lane changes, the driving control system can bias the lateral distance to maintain a safer clearance with adjacent vehicles, taking into account factors such as vehicle speed, road conditions, and / or the presence of obstacles. For example, if the battery diagnostics detects a warning condition (such as abnormal SOC drift, temperature rise, or cell imbalance), it can adjust the bias driving operation to maintain a greater lateral distance from adjacent vehicles or obstacles, providing additional safety margins while still allowing the vehicle to continue with limited autonomous driving.

[0044] One or more sensors (e.g., IMU sensors, cameras, LiDAR, RADAR, blind spot monitoring sensors, lane departure warning sensors, parking sensors, light sensors, rain sensors, traction control sensors, anti-lock braking system sensors, tire pressure monitoring sensors, seat belt sensors, airbag sensors, fuel sensors, emission sensors, throttle position sensors, inverters, converters, motor controllers, power distribution units, high-voltage wiring and connectors, auxiliary power modules, charging interfaces, etc.) can also be controlled, for example, based on one or more features described herein (e.g., features of vehicle battery diagnostics using the vehicle's inverter and multi-mode control). Operational control for autonomous vehicles may include various driving controls of the vehicle by vehicle control equipment (e.g., acceleration, deceleration, steering control, shift control, braking system control, traction control, stability control, cruise control, lane keeping assist control, collision avoidance system control, emergency braking assist control, traffic sign recognition control, adaptive headlight control, etc.). For example, one or more sensors can be controlled by features of vehicle battery diagnostics using the vehicle's inverter and multi-mode control to adjust or limit sensing operations based on battery status (e.g., reducing the LiDAR duty cycle to save power, disabling high-power RADAR modules, limiting continuous camera operation, or limiting the heater operation of the rain sensor, etc.).

[0045] Autonomous driving activation / deactivation can be controlled based on one or more features described herein (e.g., features of vehicle battery diagnostics using the vehicle's inverter and multi-mode control). Specifically, the diagnostic control unit can perform charging and discharging operations on the high-voltage battery via the vehicle's inverter and determine the battery's condition in multiple diagnostic modes (e.g., constant power, constant resistance, or constant current). When the battery condition is normal (e.g., voltage and current signals within the expected range across diagnostic modes), autonomous driving can be enabled. When the battery condition is warned (e.g., detected deviations in state of charge, temperature imbalances, or cell voltage drift), autonomous driving can be limited (e.g., speed / acceleration limits, route constraints, or a reduced set of features), and a driver takeover request can be prepared. When the battery condition is critical (e.g., significant degradation, abnormal rate of change of state of charge, or voltage deviation exceeding a threshold), autonomous driving can be deactivated and minimum-risk maneuvers can be initiated (e.g., controlled deceleration, lane keeping to the shoulder, or safe stop), while issuing warnings including battery diagnostic information.

[0046] According to this disclosure, vehicle batteries can be diagnosed at low cost and with improved reliability by utilizing an inverter already installed in the vehicle and a battery diagnostic device connected via a charging port. The battery diagnostic device can selectively charge and discharge the high-voltage battery in controlled modes such as constant power, constant resistance, or constant current while monitoring parameters including voltage, current, state of charge, and temperature. Based on the measured data, it can be determined whether the battery is abnormal, its current state, and the degree of degradation. By achieving diagnostics without requiring bulky external equipment, this disclosure improves safety by allowing early detection of potential faults and enhances the accessibility and convenience of vehicle maintenance.

[0047] In the following text, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 13 The embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail.

[0048] Figure 1 An embodiment of a system 1 for diagnosing a vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0049] refer to Figure 1 The system 1 for diagnosing batteries may include a vehicle EV and a battery diagnostic device 10.

[0050] Here, we assume that an electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that uses a high-voltage battery to drive an electric motor. Therefore, an electric vehicle (EV) can include a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), an electric vehicle (EV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), or another type of electric vehicle (e.g., a range-extended EV, a car / bus, an electric forklift, or an electric motorcycle).

[0051] Diagnosing the condition of a vehicle's (EV) high-voltage battery may involve maintenance work involving the removal of various controllers, inverters, cables, the high-voltage battery, or other related components (e.g., sensors, cooling modules, or wiring harnesses). Therefore, maintenance can proceed after the high-voltage battery has been discharged for safety reasons before any further maintenance work is performed on the EV. For example, the EV's high-voltage battery can be discharged using equipment that includes electronic loads (e.g., programmable DC loads, resistive load banks, or regenerative load systems).

[0052] The battery diagnostic device 10 can also be connected via a coupler to a charger for charging the high-voltage battery of the vehicle EV. The coupler can be a charging cable for connecting the vehicle EV to the charger, and can refer to a charging facility (e.g., a CCS connector, a CHAdeMO connector, or a Type 2 connector, etc.) that includes a connection port connector and a charging connection port inlet of the charger.

[0053] If the battery diagnostic device 10 is connected to the vehicle EV via a coupler, it can receive data from the high-voltage battery (e.g., voltage, current, temperature, or state of charge data) from the vehicle EV at predetermined intervals.

[0054] The battery diagnostic device 10 can discharge or charge the high-voltage battery and diagnose the state of the high-voltage battery based on data measured during discharge or charge. Therefore, the battery diagnostic device 10 can include fault diagnosis equipment for the vehicle EV, such as Global Diagnostic System (GDS) diagnostics (e.g., on-board diagnostic tools, dealer diagnostic platforms, or remote telematics-based diagnostics).

[0055] Figure 2 An embodiment of the configuration of a system 1 for diagnosing a vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0056] The vehicle EV may include a high-voltage battery 20, a power converter 21, a battery management system (BMS) 22, a vehicle charging management system (VCMS) 23, and an electric vehicle communication controller (EVCC) 24.

[0057] The battery diagnostic device 10 may include a load module 110 and a communication module 120.

[0058] In this embodiment, the high-voltage battery 20 can be installed in a vehicle EV to supply power to the vehicle EV. For example, the high-voltage battery 20 can be configured such that multiple battery cells are connected in series or in parallel with each other. The high-voltage battery 20 can supply drive power to the vehicle EV's drive system, such as an electric motor and / or a generator (e.g., a traction motor, an auxiliary motor, or a starter generator, etc.).

[0059] The high voltage can be stored in the high-voltage battery 20 to supply drive power to the driver. Furthermore, the high-voltage battery 20 can be charged using the voltage generated by the motor during regenerative braking. If the high-voltage battery 20 is connected to a charger, it can be charged using the voltage and current supplied from the charger. Here, the rated voltage of the high-voltage battery 20 can be assumed to be, but is not limited to, 800 V (e.g., 400 V, 600 V, or 1000 V systems could also be used).

[0060] In one embodiment, the power converter 21 may be installed in the vehicle EV to convert direct current (DC) power supplied to the high-voltage battery 20 into alternating current (AC) power. For example, the power converter 21 can convert DC power supplied from the high-voltage battery 20 into AC power to drive the electric motor of the vehicle EV. Here, the power converter 21 may include a multi-inverter (e.g., a three-phase inverter, a dual inverter, or a modular inverter, etc.). Alternatively, when the vehicle EV is connected to a charger, the power converter 21 may also convert the magnitude of the DC power supplied to the high-voltage battery 20. The power converter 21 can convert the 800 V rated voltage of the high-voltage battery 20 to a 400 V rated voltage to perform fast charging.

[0061] The power converter 21 may include at least one switching element and at least one diode. The power converter 21 may include, but is not limited to, a three-phase inverter circuit structure. For example, the power converter 21 can convert the DC voltage of the high-voltage battery 20 into a three-phase AC voltage to drive a motor. The high-voltage battery 20 can be discharged by the motor's operation (e.g., during acceleration, hill climbing, or continuous highway driving).

[0062] If the high-voltage battery 20 needs to be discharged to diagnose the state of the high-voltage battery 20 of the vehicle EV, the power converter 21 and the battery diagnostic device 10 can be connected to each other. For example, if the battery diagnostic device 10 and the vehicle EV are connected to each other via a coupler, the high-voltage battery 20 can transmit power to the load module 110 via the power converter 21. Alternatively, if the high-voltage battery 20 needs to be charged to diagnose the state of the high-voltage battery 20 of the vehicle EV, the power converter 21 and the battery diagnostic device 10 can also be connected to each other. For example, if the battery diagnostic device 10 and the vehicle EV are connected to each other via a coupler, the load module 110 can send power to the high-voltage battery 20 via the power converter 21. Here, the load module 110 can be connected to an external power source (e.g., grid power, renewable energy, or a portable generator, etc.) to transmit power from the external power source to the high-voltage battery 20.

[0063] The detailed configuration of the power converter 21 will be provided below. Figure 4A and Figure 4B The description is detailed in the description.

[0064] In this embodiment, BMS 22 may be a battery management system capable of measuring the current and voltage of each battery cell in the operating region of the high-voltage battery 20. BMS 22 may manage the state of charge (SOC) of the cells of the high-voltage battery 20 based on the detection results. Here, SOC may refer to the state of charge of the high-voltage battery 20 and may be expressed as a percentage (%) of the remaining battery capacity by dividing the currently usable battery capacity by the total capacity. Typically, BMS 22 may calculate SOC to optimize the performance and lifespan of the high-voltage battery 20. In this case, BMS 22 may calculate SOC based on the voltage distribution of the high-voltage battery 20. Alternatively, BMS 22 may measure the current of the high-voltage battery 20 and may integrate the measured current over time to calculate SOC. However, this is merely one embodiment and is not limited thereto (e.g., SOC may also be estimated using a Kalman filter, neural network, or equivalent algorithm, etc.).

[0065] In this embodiment, VCMS 23 can send and receive data with BMS 22 and EVCC 24. VCMS 23 can control the charging and discharging voltage of the high-voltage battery 20 to prevent shortened lifespan when the charging and discharging voltage is over-discharged to less than or equal to the limit voltage or overcharged to greater than or equal to the limit voltage (e.g., below 2.5 V / cell or above 4.2 V / cell, etc.).

[0066] In this example, EVCC 24 can send and receive data with VCMS 23 and battery diagnostic device 10. Therefore, EVCC 24 may include a power line communication (PLC) modem. For example, EVCC 24 can perform PLC in real time to send and receive data with communication module 120 of battery diagnostic device 10 via a charging cable. Therefore, communication module 120 may also include a PLC modem. Furthermore, the standard charging communication protocol between EVCC 24 and communication module 120 may include the standard charging communication protocol between EVCC 24 and charger (e.g., ISO 15118, fast charging protocol, etc.).

[0067] EVCC 24 can prevent overcharging of the vehicle EV in advance and can detect symptoms of the high-voltage battery 20 at an early stage (e.g., abnormal temperature rise, abnormal voltage deviation or unexpected current spikes).

[0068] In one embodiment, the load module 110 of the battery diagnostic device 10 can discharge or charge the high-voltage battery 20. Thereafter, the battery diagnostic device 10 can diagnose the high-voltage battery 20 based on data measured during discharge or charge. Therefore, the battery diagnostic device 10 may include GDS diagnostics. Here, GDS diagnostics may be a device for diagnosing faults in a vehicle EV, which can be configured by connecting to the load module 110. Alternatively, GDS diagnostics may be configured as a separate device from the load module 110 included in the battery diagnostic device 10. In this case, the load module 110 and GDS diagnostics can send and receive data via separate communications. However, this is merely one embodiment and is not limited thereto (e.g., other diagnostic interfaces may include OBD-II, UDS, or proprietary CAN-based tools, etc.).

[0069] In Figure 3 The description details the configuration of the battery diagnostic device 10.

[0070] As described above, the battery diagnostic system 1 according to this disclosure can improve the reliability of the battery diagnostic device at low cost by using an inverter installed in the vehicle. Furthermore, the battery diagnostic system 1 can diagnose whether the vehicle's battery is abnormal, preventing safety incidents (e.g., thermal runaway, fire, or sudden shutdown). In addition, the battery diagnostic system 1 can diagnose the vehicle's battery to improve the accessibility and convenience for users during vehicle maintenance (e.g., by allowing remote diagnostics, simplified service procedures, or reduced downtime).

[0071] Figure 3 This is an embodiment of the battery diagnostic device 10 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4A and Figure 4B This is an embodiment of the circuitry of a system 1 for diagnosing a vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] refer to Figure 3 The battery diagnostic device 10 may include a load module 110, a communication module 120, a processor 130, and a human-machine interface (HMI) module 140 (e.g., a touch screen, physical button, or voice input interface).

[0073] In this embodiment, the load module 110 may include at least one relay and a charging load device. Here, the charging load device may be a device for implementing power electronic devices (e.g., a programmable electronic load, a bidirectional converter, or a resistive load bank, etc.).

[0074] In this embodiment, the communication module 120 can send and receive data from the high-voltage battery 20. For example, if the battery diagnostic device 10 is connected to the vehicle EV via a coupler, the communication module 120 can communicate with the EVCC of the vehicle EV to send and receive data. In this case, the battery diagnostic device 10 can receive data from the high-voltage battery 20 from the EVCC at predetermined intervals (e.g., every 100ms, 500ms, or 1 second).

[0075] In this embodiment, the processor 130 can control the operation of the power converter 21 and the load module 110 (e.g., start, stop, or switch between diagnostic modes).

[0076] Processor 130 may include a processor for GDS diagnostics. Here, GDS diagnostics may be a device for diagnosing faults in a vehicle (EV), which can be configured by connection to load module 110. Alternatively, GDS diagnostics may be configured as a separate device from the load module 110 to be included in the battery diagnostic device 10. In this case, load module 110 and GDS diagnostics may send and receive data via separate communications (e.g., CAN bus, Ethernet, or wireless link). However, this is merely one embodiment and is not a limitation.

[0077] If the vehicle EV is connected to the battery diagnostic device 10, the processor 130 can send the voltage and current distributions for charging voltage to the EVCC. For example, the processor 130 can send a command signal via the communication module 120 to identify the connection between the vehicle EV and the charger. Simultaneously, the processor 130 can send the voltage and current distributions for the load module 110 to the EVCC. The vehicle EV's VCMS can then receive the command signals from the EVCC and notify the systems located in the vehicle EV (e.g., vehicle controller unit (VCU), microcontroller unit (MCU), battery management unit (BMU), or body control module (BCM)) that the charger is connected. The VCMS can then send a control request to the MCU, causing the power converter 21 to perform a charging operation based on the voltage and current distributions of the load module 110. The MCU can control the power converter 21 in response to the control request. The power converter 21 can then receive control signals from the processor 130 via the MCU to control the voltage and current output according to at least one of a first discharge mode, a second discharge mode, or a third discharge mode (e.g., constant power, constant resistance, or constant current). Alternatively, the power converter 21 may control the voltage and current output according to at least one of a first charging mode, a second charging mode, or a third charging mode (e.g., fast charging, trickle charging, or regenerative charging). However, this is merely one embodiment and is not limited thereto.

[0078] Next, the processor 130 can control the operation of at least one switch (not shown) to generate a high-voltage path for the load module 110. For example, the processor 130 can control a switch connected to the charging load device B-PE of the load module 110 to form a high-voltage path. Thereafter, the processor 130 can control the supply of charging voltage to the charging load device B-PE via the high-voltage path. Here, the charging voltage can be, but is not limited to, 400 V (e.g., 200 V, 600 V, or 1000 V, etc.).

[0079] Voltage can be applied from the high-voltage battery 20 to the charging load device B-PE of the load module 110. Simultaneously, the high-voltage battery 20 can be discharged. Conversely, voltage can be applied from an external power source G to the charging load device B-PE of the load module 110. The charging load device B-PE can apply voltage to the high-voltage battery 20 via a high-voltage path. Simultaneously, the high-voltage battery 20 can be charged (e.g., from the grid, from renewable energy sources, or from a portable generator, etc.).

[0080] refer to Figure 4A and Figure 4B In this embodiment, the power converter 21 may include at least one switching device (S1 to S6). Here, the switching device (S1 to S6) may include at least one switching element and at least one diode. For example, the switching element may include a power semiconductor. Here, a power semiconductor may refer to a switching element used for converting electrical forms such as voltage, current, frequency, or direct current / alternating current (DC / AC). Therefore, the switching element may include, but is not limited to, at least one of an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a thyristor, a gate-turn-off thyristor (GTO), or a triode alternating current transistor (TRIAC) (e.g., in a single package, module, or discrete device). Furthermore, the at least one diode may be, but is not limited to, an anti-parallel diode (e.g., a fast recovery diode, a Schottky diode, or a silicon carbide diode).

[0081] The switching devices (S1 to S6) can short-circuit or open based on the control signal output from the processor 130 by turning the control signal on or off. For example, the switching devices (S1 to S6) can receive the control signal from the processor 130 via the MCU and can be operated based on at least one charging and discharging mode via the control signal. Here, the charging and discharging modes may include first to third discharging modes and first to third charging modes (e.g., constant power, constant resistance, or constant current control, etc.).

[0082] The power converter 21 can be connected to each of the motor M and the load module 110. For example, the power converter 21 can be a three-phase inverter circuit structure and can control all three phases of the motor M. In other words, the switching devices (S1 to S6) can operate such that the terminal voltage of each phase of the motor M has 12 The phase difference. For example, the direction of the phase current can be controlled based on whether the switching devices (S1 to S3) located at the upper part of the power converter 21 are short-circuited or whether the switching devices (S4 to S6) located at the lower part of the power converter 21 are short-circuited. In this case, the power converter 21 can be composed of switching devices S1 to S6, which include six switching elements. Two switching elements of the power converter 21 can be connected to one phase of the motor M. Therefore, the motor M can operate by applying a three-phase AC voltage to the power converter 21 to generate driving force. Figure 4A and Figure 4B The "n" shown can be the center point of the motor M, and g can be grounded (GND). Figure 4A and Figure 4B In the attached diagram, reference numerals a, b, and c denote the corresponding phase connection nodes of motor M. However, Figure 4A and Figure 4B The circuit structure of the power converter 21 shown is only an example, but is not limited thereto (for example, other topologies such as Vienna rectifiers, dual active bridges or matrix converters may also be applied).

[0083] refer to Figure 4A The voltage V_pack and current I_pack of the high-voltage battery 20 can be applied to the charging load device B-PE via the power converter 21. In other words, as the voltage V_inv and current I_inv flow through the processor 130 via the high-voltage path in the charging load device B-PE, the high-voltage battery 20 can be discharged. Here, the charging load device B-PE can support bidirectional charging schemes (e.g., vehicle-to-grid (V2G), vehicle-to-home (V2H), or vehicle-to-load (V2L), etc.). For example, power from the high-voltage battery 20 can be transferred to the charging load device B-PE. Simultaneously, the charging load device B-PE can transfer power from the external power source G to the high-voltage battery 20 via the processor 130.

[0084] In this embodiment, the load module 110 may be connected to the power converter 21 to discharge the high-voltage battery 20 based on at least one charging and discharging mode. For example, the load module 110 can discharge the high-voltage battery 20 when a voltage is applied from the high-voltage battery 20 to the load of the load module 110 (i.e., the charging load device B-PE). Here, the at least one charging and discharging mode may include a first discharging mode, a second discharging mode, and a third discharging mode (e.g., constant power, constant resistance, or constant current, etc.). At this time, an appropriate voltage can be applied to the charging load device B-PE via the control of the power converter 21, so that an appropriate power capacity is sent to the charging load device B-PE.

[0085] In this embodiment, during the first to third discharge modes, a charging voltage may be applied to the charging load device B-PE. Here, the charging voltage may be a rated voltage for charging, which may be, but is not limited to, 400 V (e.g., 200 V, 600 V, or 1000 V, etc.).

[0086] refer to Figure 4B Voltage V_pack and current I_pack can be applied to the high-voltage battery 20 from an external power source G via power converter 21. Here, the external power source can be, but is not limited to, three-phase AC power (e.g., single-phase AC, DC from a fast charger, or renewable energy input, etc.). The charging load device B-PE of load module 110 can be connected to the external power source G. In other words, voltage V_inv and current I_inv output from charging load device B-PE via a high-voltage path through processor 130 can be applied to power converter 21. As voltage V_inv and current I_inv flow in power converter 21, the high-voltage battery 20 can be charged.

[0087] In this embodiment, the load module 110 may be connected to the power converter 21 to charge the high-voltage battery 20 based on at least one charging and discharging mode. For example, the load module 110 can charge the high-voltage battery 20 by applying voltage from an external power source G connected to the charging load device B-PE of the load module 110. Here, the at least one charging and discharging mode may include a first charging mode, a second charging mode, and a third charging mode (e.g., constant power, constant resistance, or constant current). At this time, an appropriate voltage can be applied to the charging load device B-PE via the control of the power converter 21, so that an appropriate power capacity is sent to the charging load device B-PE.

[0088] In the embodiments, during the first to third charging modes, the charging voltage can be applied to the charging load device B-PE. Here, the charging voltage can be the rated voltage for charging, which can be, but is not limited to, 400 V (e.g., 200 V, 600 V, or 1000 V, etc.).

[0089] In this embodiment, the processor 130 can send a command signal via the communication module 120 to identify the connection between the vehicle EV and the charger. In other words, since the battery diagnostic device 10 is not a charger, the processor 130 can generate a command signal via the communication module 120 to instruct the load module 110 to generate a specific voltage. Therefore, the vehicle EV can identify a 400V charger connected. Simultaneously, the processor 130 can send the voltage and current distribution data for the load module 110 to the EVCC. Furthermore, the processor 130 can receive data (e.g., voltage, current, SOC, or temperature) from each of the high-voltage battery 20 and the power converter 21 via the communication module 120. Subsequently, the processor 130 can send control signals to the power converter 21 via the MCU to operate at least one of the first to third discharge modes and the first to third charging modes.

[0090] The processor 130 can set the voltage distribution V_EVSEMax to be no greater than the allowable capacity P_PEmax [kW] of the charging load device B-PE. At this time, the power P_PEmax corresponding to the voltage distribution V_EVSEMax can be less than the power P_PEpresent sent by the power converter 21 to the load module 110. Here, the power P_PEpresent sent by the power converter 21 satisfies the following equation: P_PEpresent = V_invref × I_invref. Here, V_invref can be the reference voltage of the circuit of the power converter 21, and can be the voltage applied to the high-voltage battery 20. Therefore, the processor 130 can use the above equation to calculate the reference voltage V_invref. Afterwards, the processor 130 can multiply the reference voltage V_invref by the reciprocal of the constant C_maxtoinv to determine the voltage distribution V_EVSEMax. In other words, the voltage distribution V_EVSEMax can satisfy the following equation: V_EVSEMax = V_invref × 1 / C_maxtoinv. Here, the constant C_maxtoinv can take a specific value (e.g., 0.8, 0.9, or 1.0, etc.) depending on the type of vehicle EV. For example, the constant C_maxtoinv can be, but is not limited to, 0.9. Afterwards, the processor 130 can send the calculated voltage distribution V_EVSEMax to the EVCC. Next, the EVCC can send the voltage distribution V_EVSEMax to the MCU. The MCU can control the magnitude of the reference voltage V_invref of the power converter 21 to be less than the magnitude of the voltage distribution V_EVSEMax.

[0091] Next, the processor 130 can control the operation of the charging load device B-PE to generate a high-voltage path for the load module 110. For example, if the processor 130 executes the first to third discharge modes, a voltage as a rated voltage of 400 V (e.g., 200 V, 600 V, or 1000 V, etc.) can be applied from the high-voltage battery 20 to the charging load device B-PE of the load module 110 via the high-voltage path. Furthermore, if the processor 130 executes the first to third charging modes, a rated voltage of 400 V can be applied to the charging load device B-PE of the load module 110 from an external power source G (e.g., three-phase AC, DC fast charging, or solar-based power supply, etc.) via the high-voltage path. Moreover, a voltage can be applied to the charging load device B-PE, and current can flow simultaneously in the charging load device B-PE.

[0092] Next, the processor 130 can control the load module 110 based on the initial charging voltage of the high-voltage battery 20 from multiple data points received via the PLC. At this time, the processor 130 can first control the constant current (CC) applied to the power converter 21. The processor 130 can secondarily control the constant voltage (CV) applied to the power converter 21. The processor 130 can prevent simultaneous control of the voltage of the external power supply G and the voltage of the high-voltage battery 20 via the aforementioned control. The processor 130 can allow the vehicle EV to recognize the power converter 21 as a voltage source and the charging load device B-PE as a current source. Before the charging load device B-PE is used as a current source, the processor 130 can control the charging load device B-PE to output a voltage level similar to the voltage applied to the power converter 21 during a specific time period. In other words, the processor 130 can minimize the voltage deviation between the charging load device B-PE and the power converter 21, so that the connection between the vehicle EV and the battery diagnostic device 10 is stably maintained. For example, the processor 130 can control the constant voltage of the charging load device B-PE. The constant voltage can have a voltage value similar to the reference voltage V_invref (e.g., within ±5V, ±10V, or ±20V). In other words, before the power converter 21 and the charging load device B-PE are connected to each other, the processor 130 can control the charging load device B-PE to output a constant voltage based on zero input current. Thereafter, if the power converter 21 and the charging load device B-PE are connected to each other, the processor 130 can control the charging load device B-PE to output a constant current based on zero input current. At this time, the processor 130 can control the constant current based on at least one charging and discharging mode (e.g., CP, CR, or CC).

[0093] As an example, the first discharge mode and the first charging mode can be referred to as constant power (CP) mode. In CP mode, the high-voltage battery 20 can be charged while maintaining a constant current in the charging load device B-PE. For example, in the first discharge mode, the processor 130 can control the constant current to remain within a range not exceeding the maximum current and maximum voltage (e.g., 200A, 400A, or 600A) of the charging load device B-PE. Simultaneously, the power converter 21 can be controlled to a constant voltage by a control signal from the MCU. For example, the power P_inv of the power converter 21 can be a value obtained by multiplying the voltage V_inv by the current I_inv. Here, since the voltage value V_inv and the current value I_inv are constant values, the power P_inv of the power converter 21 can also be a constant value. Therefore, when a constant power load is formed in the charging load device B-PE, the high-voltage battery 20 can be discharged or charged.

[0094] As an example, the second discharge mode and the second charging mode can be referred to as the constant resistance (CR) mode. In the CR mode, the high-voltage battery 20 can be charged while the current of the charging load device B-PE is controlled to be constant, so that the charging load device B-PE has a constant resistance value. For example, in the second charging mode, the processor 130 can control the constant current within a range that is not greater than the maximum current and maximum voltage of the charging load device B-PE (e.g., 200 A, 400 A, or 600 A, etc.). For example, the power P_inv of the power converter 21 can be a value obtained by dividing the square of the voltage V_inv by the resistance value of the resistor. Here, the resistor can be a virtual resistance of the charging load device B-PE, which can have a certain value (e.g., 1Ω, 2Ω, 5Ω, etc.). The processor 130 can control the constant current of the charging load device B-PE based on the real-time received data of the current, voltage, and power of the power converter 21, so that the virtual resistor has a constant value (or constant resistance). Therefore, the high-voltage battery 20 can be discharged or charged when a varying constant current flows in the charging load device B-PE.

[0095] As an example, the third discharge mode and the third charging mode can be referred to as constant current (CC) mode. In CC mode, the high-voltage battery 20 can be charged while the current of the charging load device B-PE is controlled to be constant. In other words, in the third charging mode, the processor 130 can control the constant current within a range that is not greater than the maximum current and maximum voltage of the charging load device B-PE (e.g., 200 A, 400 A, or 600 A, etc.). For example, the power P_inv of the power converter 21 can be a value obtained by multiplying the voltage V_inv by the current I_inv. Furthermore, the current of the charging load device B-PE can be a value obtained by multiplying the voltage V_pack of the high-voltage battery 20 and the current I_pack by dividing the voltage V_inv of the power converter 21. Here, the voltage value of V_inv can be a constant value. Thus, the processor 130 can control the constant current to flow in the charging load device B-PE based on the real-time received data on the current, voltage, and power of the power converter 21. Therefore, the high-voltage battery 20 can be discharged or charged when a varying constant current flows in the charging load device B-PE.

[0096] In the CR and CC modes described above, if maximum power is generated at the maximum voltage of the high-voltage battery 20, the processor 130 can pre-calculate whether the charging load device B-PE can transmit the maximum power. In other words, the processor 130 can control the power of the charging load device B-PE to not exceed the maximum power based on the results of the previous calculations (e.g., reducing the power to 80%, 90%, or 95% of the maximum capacity, etc.).

[0097] As an example, the second discharge mode and the second charge mode (i.e., CR mode) can be modes that can operate even if the power converter 21 is not installed in the vehicle. Meanwhile, the CP mode and CC mode can be modes that can only operate when the power converter 21 is installed in the vehicle (e.g., EVs equipped with inverters, plug-in hybrid vehicles, or fuel cell EVs, etc.).

[0098] In this embodiment, the processor 130 can diagnose the state of the high-voltage battery 20 based on at least one diagnostic mode. Here, at least one diagnostic mode can be determined based on preset charging conditions, discharging conditions, rest time, and state of charge (SOC) of the high-voltage battery 20. The at least one diagnostic mode may include a manual discharge mode, a manual charging mode, a manual charging and discharging mode, a charging diagnostic mode, a SOC monitoring mode, a state diagnostic mode, and a lifespan diagnostic mode (e.g., it may also include an additional predictive mode or an adaptive mode, etc.).

[0099] As an example, in the manual discharge mode, manual charging mode, and manual charging and discharging mode, the discharge time of the high-voltage battery 20, the rest time of the high-voltage battery 20, and the SOC or similar parameters of the high-voltage battery 20 when the discharge ends (e.g., temperature threshold, current limit, or cycle count, etc.) can be set in detail by the user. The manual discharge mode, manual charging mode, and manual charging and discharging mode can be diagnostic modes in which the user manually inputs diagnostic conditions before diagnosing the high-voltage battery 20.

[0100] As an example, in the charging diagnostic mode, the state of the high-voltage battery 20 can be diagnosed based on data from the high-voltage battery 20 during slow or fast charging. In the SOC monitoring mode, the voltage deviation between the battery cells of the high-voltage battery 20 can be monitored. In the state diagnostic mode, whether the high-voltage battery 20 is abnormal can be diagnosed by data measured while the high-voltage battery 20 is being discharged (e.g., abnormal IR drop, overheating, or rapid voltage decay). In the life diagnostic mode, the degree of degradation of the battery cells can be calculated based on a specific SOC change rate, and the life of the high-voltage battery 20 can be determined based on the calculated degree of degradation (e.g., expressed as equivalent full cycle, % capacity decay, or remaining service life estimate).

[0101] In an embodiment, the HMI module 140 may be a human-machine interface, referring to a module in which the user can ensure the operational visibility of the battery diagnostic device 10 in real time. For example, the HMI module 140 may receive at least one diagnostic mode and at least one charging and discharging mode selected by the user (e.g., via a touchscreen, keypad, or remote control). Simultaneously, the HMI module 140 may output the results of the diagnostics of the high-voltage battery 20 to the user (e.g., on a display, via an audible alarm, or via a mobile application).

[0102] As described above, the battery diagnostic system 1 according to this disclosure can improve the reliability of the battery diagnostic device at low cost by using an inverter installed in the vehicle. Furthermore, the battery diagnostic system 1 can diagnose whether the vehicle's battery is abnormal, preventing safety accidents (e.g., thermal runaway, fire, or unexpected shutdown). In addition, the battery diagnostic system 1 can diagnose the vehicle's battery, improving user accessibility and convenience during vehicle maintenance.

[0103] Furthermore, the infrastructure enabling pre-diagnosis of batteries using the battery diagnostic system 1 according to this disclosure can be expanded. Therefore, the quality of services for vehicle maintenance can be improved, and costs can be reduced to enhance customer satisfaction.

[0104] Figure 5 An embodiment of a method for diagnosing a vehicle battery according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5 It shows Figure 2An embodiment of the operation of system 1 for diagnosing batteries.

[0105] refer to Figure 5 S510 to S540 can be descriptions Figure 2 The steps in the system used to diagnose a vehicle's battery are to discharge the vehicle's high-voltage battery.

[0106] In S510, vehicles and Figure 2 Battery diagnostic devices can be connected to each other. For example, a battery diagnostic device and a vehicle can be connected to each other via a coupler.

[0107] In S520, voltage and current distributions for charging can be sent to the vehicle. In this document, the rated voltage of the high-voltage battery can be 800 V and the charging voltage can be 400 V, but is not limited to these. For example, the processor of the battery diagnostic device can send command signals via the communication module to identify the vehicle's connection to the charger. Simultaneously, the processor can send voltage and current distributions for the load module to the EVCC.

[0108] In the S530, the operation of the load module can be controlled to generate a high-voltage path. For example, the processor can control the operation of the load module to generate a high-voltage path.

[0109] In S540, discharging or charging of the high-voltage battery can be performed via a high-voltage path according to at least one charging and discharging mode. For example, the processor can control the charging voltage applied from the high-voltage battery to the load module via the high-voltage path. Subsequently, the processor can discharge the high-voltage battery based on at least one of a first discharge mode, a second discharge mode, or a third discharge mode. Alternatively, the processor can control the charging voltage applied from the power source to the load module via the high-voltage path. Subsequently, the processor can charge the high-voltage battery based on at least one of a first charging mode, a second charging mode, or a third charging mode.

[0110] Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is an exemplary flowchart for describing in detail at least one diagnostic mode according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0111] refer to Figure 6 S610 to S650 are flowcharts for describing the operation of a manual discharge mode in at least one diagnostic mode (e.g., manual charging, manual charging and discharging, or SOC monitoring, etc.).

[0112] In S610, the user can select and input the manual discharge mode. For example, the user can... Figure 3 The battery diagnostic device's HMI module (e.g., via a touchscreen, keyboard, or remote device) inputs a manual discharge mode. The battery diagnostic device's processor can then execute the manual discharge mode.

[0113] In S620, the pause time before the start of discharge and the pause time after the end of discharge of the high-voltage battery can be input. For example, the user can input each of the pause time before the start of discharge and the pause time after the end of discharge via the HMI module. Alternatively, the pause time can be a predetermined time (e.g., 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or 1 hour, etc.).

[0114] In S630, the SOC of the high-voltage battery at the end of discharge can be input. For example, the user can input the SOC set to end discharge (e.g., 20%, 40%, or 50%) via the HMI module.

[0115] In S640, at least one of a first discharge mode, a second discharge mode, or a third discharge mode can be selected. For example, the user can select at least one of the first discharge mode, the second discharge mode, or the third discharge mode via the HMI module based on the diagnostic type of the high-voltage battery (e.g., constant power, constant resistance, or constant current). Alternatively, the user can select at least one of the first discharge mode, the second discharge mode, or the third discharge mode based on at least one selected diagnostic mode. Alternatively, the processor of the battery diagnostic device can select at least one of the first discharge mode, the second discharge mode, or the third discharge mode based on at least one diagnostic mode selected by the user.

[0116] In S650, the high-voltage battery can be discharged according to the selected discharge mode. For example, the processor can control the load module of the battery diagnostic device, causing the high-voltage battery to discharge according to at least one of a first discharge mode, a second discharge mode, or a third discharge mode. Simultaneously, the processor can send control signals to the vehicle's EVCC according to at least one of the first, second, or third discharge modes, and can send control signals for controlling the operation of switching devices to the vehicle's power converters (e.g., IGBTs, MOSFETs, or thyristors).

[0117] refer to Figure 7 S710 to S750 are flowcharts for describing the operation of a manual charging mode in at least one diagnostic mode (e.g., manual discharge, charging diagnostics, or lifespan diagnostics).

[0118] In the S710, the user can select and input the manual charging mode. For example, the user can do so via... Figure 3The HMI module of the battery diagnostic device inputs a manual charging mode (e.g., by pressing a physical button, selecting a menu on the display, or using a wireless control application). The processor of the battery diagnostic device can then execute the manual charging mode.

[0119] In the S720, the pause time before charging begins and the pause time after charging ends can be input. For example, the user can input each of the pause time before charging begins and the pause time after charging ends via the HMI module. Alternatively, the pause time can be a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or 45 minutes, etc.).

[0120] In the S730, the SOC of the high-voltage battery at the end of charging can be input. For example, the user can input the SOC set to end charging (e.g., 80%, 90%, or 95%) via the HMI module.

[0121] In S740, at least one of a first charging mode, a second charging mode, or a third charging mode can be selected. For example, the user can select at least one of the first charging mode, a second charging mode, or a third charging mode via the HMI module based on the diagnostic type of the high-voltage battery (e.g., CP mode, CR mode, or CC mode). Alternatively, the user can select at least one of the first charging mode, a second charging mode, or a third charging mode based on at least one selected diagnostic mode. Alternatively, the processor of the battery diagnostic device can select at least one of the first charging mode, a second charging mode, or a third charging mode based on at least one diagnostic mode selected by the user.

[0122] In the S750, charging of the high-voltage battery can be performed according to the selected charging mode. For example, the processor can control the load module of the battery diagnostic device so that the high-voltage battery is charged according to at least one of a first charging mode, a second charging mode, or a third charging mode (e.g., constant power, constant resistance, or constant current). Simultaneously, the processor can send control signals to the vehicle's EVCC according to at least one of the first, second, or third charging modes, and can send control signals for controlling the operation of switching devices (e.g., IGBTs, MOSFETs, or thyristors) to the vehicle's power converter.

[0123] refer to Figure 8 S810 to S870 are flowcharts describing the operation of manual charging and discharging modes in at least one diagnostic mode. In other words, S810 to S870 are flowcharts describing the operation of controlling the charging and discharging of the high-voltage battery in a diagnostic mode (e.g., charging → rest → discharging, or discharging → rest → charging, etc.).

[0124] In the S810, the user can select and input manual charging and discharging modes. For example, the user can do so via... Figure 3 The battery diagnostic device's HMI module (e.g., using a touchscreen, physical button, or remote interface) inputs the manual charging and discharging modes. The battery diagnostic device's processor can then execute these manual charging and discharging modes.

[0125] In the S820, at least one of the processes of charging and discharging the high-voltage battery and discharging and then charging the high-voltage battery can be selected. For example, the user can select and input at least one of the processes of charging and then discharging and discharging and then charging via the HMI module (e.g., for thermal regulation, capacity checking, or equalization).

[0126] In S830, the pause time before charging of the high-voltage battery begins and the pause time after charging ends can be input. Simultaneously, the pause time before discharging of the high-voltage battery begins and the pause time after discharging ends can also be input. For example, the user can input each of the pause times before charging begins and after charging ends, as well as the pause times before discharging begins and after discharging ends, via the HMI module. Alternatively, the pause time can be a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or 30 minutes, etc.).

[0127] In S840, the SOC of the high-voltage battery for the end of charging and the SOC of the high-voltage battery for the end of discharging can be input. For example, the user can input the SOC set to the end of charging and the SOC set to the end of discharging (e.g., charging to 80% and discharging to 30%, etc.) via the HMI module.

[0128] In the S850, at least one of the first charging mode, the second charging mode, or the third charging mode can be selected (e.g., CP, CR, or CC).

[0129] In S860, at least one of a first discharge mode, a second discharge mode, or a third discharge mode (e.g., CP, CR, or CC) can be selected.

[0130] In the S870, charging and discharging of the high-voltage battery can be performed according to the selected charging mode and the selected discharging mode (e.g., charging with CC, pausing, and then discharging with CP, etc.).

[0131] refer to Figure 9S910 to S970 are flowcharts describing the operation of a charging diagnostic mode in at least one diagnostic mode. Here, the charging diagnostic mode may be a diagnostic mode selected by the user if the SOC of the high-voltage battery of the vehicle being diagnosed is higher than a threshold. In other words, if the user selects the charging diagnostic mode, the high-voltage battery with a high SOC can be discharged to a suitable SOC for diagnosis. Thereafter, the high-voltage battery can be recharged to a diagnostic mode for diagnosing whether the high-voltage battery is abnormal (e.g., by observing cell voltage deviation, temperature rise, or current response, etc.).

[0132] In the S910, the user can select and input the charging diagnostic mode. For example, the user can... Figure 3 The battery diagnostic device's HMI module inputs the charging diagnostic mode (e.g., selecting the "Charging Diagnostics" menu or shortcut). Therefore, Figure 3 The processor of the battery diagnostic device can execute a charging diagnostic mode.

[0133] In S920, the minimum SOC required for diagnostic charging can be calculated. For example, the processor can calculate the minimum SOC required for diagnostic charging based on received high-voltage battery data (e.g., current SOC, temperature, or internal resistance). Alternatively, the processor can receive the minimum SOC from the vehicle's EVCC.

[0134] In the S930, the high-voltage battery can be discharged up to a minimum SOC. For example, the processor can send control signals to the load module and EVCC of the battery diagnostic device to discharge the high-voltage battery up to a minimum SOC (e.g., 20%, 30%, or 40%, etc.).

[0135] In S940, the maximum SOC required for diagnostic charging can be calculated. For example, the processor can calculate the maximum SOC required for diagnostic charging based on received data from the high-voltage battery. Alternatively, the processor can receive the maximum SOC (e.g., 80%, 90%, or 95%, etc.) from the vehicle's EVCC.

[0136] In the S950, the high-voltage battery can be charged up to its maximum state of charge (SOC). For example, the processor can send control signals to the load module and EVCC of the battery diagnostic device to enable the high-voltage battery to be charged up to its maximum SOC. Here, the processor can control the high-voltage battery to be charged slowly or quickly (e.g., Level 2 AC, DC fast charging, or regenerative charging, etc.).

[0137] In S960, the voltage deviation of the high-voltage battery can be calculated. For example, the processor can calculate the voltage deviation when the high-voltage battery is discharging and the voltage deviation when the high-voltage battery is charging. Here, voltage deviation can refer to the voltage deviation between the battery cells of the high-voltage battery (e.g., maximum-minimum cell voltage spread, or standard deviation, etc.). Alternatively, the vehicle's BMS, VCMS, and EVCC can calculate the voltage deviation when the high-voltage battery is discharging and when it is charging. The processor can receive the calculated voltage deviation.

[0138] In the S970, diagnostic results can be output based on voltage deviation. For example, if the calculated voltage deviation deviates from the normal range, the processor can diagnose an anomaly in the high-voltage battery (e.g., suspected imbalance, degradation, or a faulty cell). This diagnostic result can be output via the HMI module (e.g., display, audible alarm, or output report).

[0139] refer to Figure 10 S1010 to S1060 are flowcharts describing the operation of a SOC monitoring mode in at least one diagnostic mode (e.g., manual discharge, charge diagnostics, or life diagnostics).

[0140] In S1010, the user can select and input the SOC monitoring mode. For example, the user can do so via... Figure 3 The battery diagnostic device's HMI module is input in SOC monitoring mode. Therefore, Figure 3 The processor of the battery diagnostic device can execute SOC monitoring mode.

[0141] In S1020, the minimum SOC of the high-voltage battery can be calculated. For example, the processor can calculate the minimum SOC of the high-voltage battery based on received high-voltage battery data (e.g., voltage, current, temperature, or past cycle history). Alternatively, the processor can receive the minimum SOC from the vehicle's EVCC.

[0142] In S1030, the high-voltage battery can be discharged up to a minimum SOC. For example, the processor can send control signals to the load module of the battery diagnostic device and the EVCC to discharge the high-voltage battery up to a minimum SOC (e.g., 20%, 30%, or 40%, etc.).

[0143] In S1040, the voltage deviation of the high-voltage battery can be calculated. For example, the processor can calculate the voltage deviation when the high-voltage battery is discharging. Alternatively, the vehicle's BMS, VCMS, and EVCC can calculate the voltage deviation while the high-voltage battery is discharging. The processor can receive the calculated voltage deviation (e.g., maximum-minimum cell voltage, average deviation, or standard deviation, etc.).

[0144] In the S1050, diagnostic results can be output based on voltage deviation. For example, if the calculated voltage deviation deviates from the normal range, the processor can diagnose an anomaly in the high-voltage battery (e.g., imbalance, early degradation, or a faulty battery). This diagnostic result can be output via the HMI module (e.g., on a display, audible alarm, or wireless notification).

[0145] In S1060, the high-voltage battery can be charged to a suitable SOC. Here, the suitable SOC can be the SOC required to complete the diagnostics and release the vehicle. The suitable SOC can vary depending on the vehicle type and can be preset in the vehicle's BMS, VCMS, EVCC, or other controllers (e.g., VCU or BMU). For example, the suitable SOC of the high-voltage battery can be included in the high-voltage battery data, which is received by the processor. Alternatively, the processor can receive the suitable SOC (e.g., 60%, 70%, or 80%, etc.) from the vehicle's EVCC in real time. The processor can then send control signals to the load module of the battery diagnostic device and the EVCC to perform charging of the high-voltage battery until the suitable SOC is reached.

[0146] refer to Figure 11 S1110 to S1170 are flowcharts for describing the operation of at least one state diagnostic mode (e.g., SOC monitoring or life diagnostics).

[0147] In S1110, the user can select and input the status diagnostic mode. For example, the user can... Figure 3 The battery diagnostic device's HMI module inputs a status diagnostic mode. Therefore, Figure 3 The processor of the battery diagnostic device can execute a status diagnostic mode.

[0148] In S1120, a first SOC of the high-voltage battery can be calculated. Here, the first SOC can be the SOC of the high-voltage battery at the start of discharge for diagnostic purposes. For example, the processor can calculate the first SOC of the high-voltage battery based on received data from the high-voltage battery (e.g., voltage distribution, coulomb count, or estimated model values). Alternatively, the processor can receive the first SOC from the vehicle's EVCC.

[0149] In S1130, a second SOC of the high-voltage battery can be calculated. In this document, the second SOC can be the SOC of the high-voltage battery under discharge completion conditions for diagnostic purposes. For example, the processor can calculate the second SOC of the high-voltage battery based on received high-voltage battery data. Alternatively, the processor can receive the second SOC from the vehicle's EVCC (e.g., after discharging to 20% or 30% SOC, etc.).

[0150] In S1140, the maximum temperature deviation of the high-voltage battery can be calculated. For example, the processor can calculate the maximum temperature deviation of the high-voltage battery (e.g., maximum-minimum cell temperature, average deviation, or rate of rise, etc.) based on the received high-voltage battery data. Alternatively, the processor can receive the maximum temperature deviation from the vehicle's EVCC.

[0151] In S1150, the high-voltage battery can be discharged in the first SOC interval and the second SOC interval. For example, the processor can send control signals to the load module of the battery diagnostic device and the EVCC to discharge the high-voltage battery in the first SOC interval and the second SOC interval (e.g., 80%-60% SOC and 40%-20% SOC, etc.).

[0152] In S1160, diagnostic results can be output based on the maximum temperature deviation during discharge. For example, the processor can receive the maximum temperature deviation from the EVCC during discharge. For example, if the maximum temperature deviation deviates from the normal range, the processor can diagnose an anomaly in the high-voltage battery (e.g., cooling failure, thermal imbalance, or internal short circuit). This diagnostic result can be output via the HMI module.

[0153] In S1170, the high-voltage battery can be charged to a suitable SOC. For example, the processor can send control signals to the load module and EVCC of the battery diagnostic device to enable the high-voltage battery to be charged until a suitable SOC (e.g., 50%, 70%, or 90%).

[0154] refer to Figure 12 S1210 to S1270 are flowcharts describing the operation of a lifetime diagnostic mode in at least one diagnostic mode (e.g., condition diagnostics or SOC detection).

[0155] In S1210, the user can select and input the life diagnostic mode. For example, the user can... Figure 3 The battery diagnostic device's HMI module (e.g., menu, dedicated button, or application-based command) inputs the life diagnostic mode. Thus, Figure 3 The processor of the battery diagnostic device can execute a life diagnostic mode.

[0156] In S1220, the high-voltage battery can be shut down during a threshold time period before discharge begins. In this document, the threshold time can be, but is not limited to, 30 minutes (e.g., 20 minutes, 45 minutes, or 1 hour, etc.). For example, the processor can send a control signal to the vehicle's EVCC to shut down the high-voltage battery.

[0157] In S1230, the SOC change rate for diagnosing lifetime can be calculated. For example, the processor can calculate the SOC change rate required for diagnosing lifetime based on received high-voltage battery data (e.g., current integral, voltage drop, or model-based estimation). Alternatively, the processor can receive the SOC change rate for diagnosing lifetime from the EVCC.

[0158] In S1240, the high-voltage battery can be discharged until the State of Charge (SOC) rate of change is met. For example, the processor can send control signals to the load module and EVCC of the battery diagnostic device, causing the high-voltage battery to be discharged until the SOC rate of change is met.

[0159] In S1250, a pause for the high-voltage battery can be performed during a threshold time period before the end of discharge. In this document, the threshold time can be, but is not limited to, 30 minutes (e.g., 15 minutes, 25 minutes, or 40 minutes, etc.). For example, the processor can send a control signal to the vehicle's EVCC to perform the pause for the high-voltage battery.

[0160] In S1260, diagnostic results can be output based on the current and voltage distribution of the high-voltage battery. For example, the processor can receive the current and voltage distribution of the high-voltage battery when discharging and pausing from the EVCC, and can calculate the degree of degradation of the high-voltage battery based on the current and voltage distribution (e.g., increased resistance, reduced capacity, or abnormal hysteresis).

[0161] In S1270, the high-voltage battery can be charged to a suitable SOC. The processor can send control signals to the load module of the battery diagnostic device and the EVCC to enable the high-voltage battery to be charged until the appropriate SOC (e.g., 60%, 70%, or 80%).

[0162] As described above, the method for diagnosing a vehicle battery according to this disclosure can improve the reliability of the battery diagnostic device at low cost by using an inverter installed in the vehicle. Furthermore, the method for diagnosing the battery can diagnose whether the vehicle battery is abnormal to prevent safety accidents (e.g., thermal runaway, fire, or sudden shutdown). In addition, the method for diagnosing the battery enables low-cost diagnosis of vehicle batteries, improving user accessibility and convenience during vehicle maintenance (e.g., predictive maintenance, reduced downtime, or remote diagnostics).

[0163] Figure 13 An example of a computing system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0164] refer to Figure 13The computing system 1000 may include at least one processor 1100, memory 1300, user interface input device 1400, user interface output device 1500, storage device 1600, and network interface 1700 connected to each other via a bus 1200 (e.g., PCI bus, system-on-chip interconnect, or high-speed serial bus).

[0165] Processor 1100 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device (e.g., a GPU, DSP, or microcontroller) that processes instructions stored in memory 1300 and / or storage device 1600. Memory 1300 and storage device 1600 may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, memory 1300 may include read-only memory (ROM) 1310 and random access memory (RAM) 1320 (e.g., DRAM, SRAM, or SDRAM).

[0166] Therefore, the operation of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the examples disclosed in the specification can be directly implemented using hardware modules, software modules, or a combination of hardware and software modules, which are executed by processor 1100. Software modules may reside on storage media (i.e., memory 1300 and / or storage device 1600), such as RAM, flash memory, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, registers, hard disk, removable disk, solid-state drive (SSD), or optical media (e.g., DVD or Blu-ray, etc.) or CD-ROM.

[0167] An exemplary storage medium may be coupled to processor 1100. Processor 1100 may read information from and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated with processor 1100. The processor and storage medium may reside in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may reside within a user terminal (e.g., a smartphone, vehicle infotainment system, or wearable device). In another scenario, the processor and storage medium may reside as separate components in the user terminal.

[0168] User interface input device 1400 may include input devices (e.g., keyboard, touch screen, microphone, steering wheel buttons, or gesture sensors) that receive user input.

[0169] User interface output device 1500 may include a display for showing various information related to driving and / or functions of the vehicle and a speaker for outputting various sounds (e.g., warning sounds, navigation prompts, or multimedia playback) related to driving and / or functions of the vehicle.

[0170] Here, the display provides a user interface that allows passengers and the vehicle to interact with each other. For example, the display may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and / or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (e.g., OLED, AMOLED, or microLEDs).

[0171] The display can provide various information to the user based on control signals from the processor 1100. For example, the display can be located in the central instrument panel, which is the central area of ​​the dashboard in a vehicle. The display can be a component of the speaker head unit or a component of a navigation device set up independently of the speaker head unit. In this document, the speaker head unit can process and output audio and video signals and can perform navigation functions. Therefore, the speaker head unit can be referred to as an audio-visual navigation (AVN) device. For example, the display can show route guidance screens, i.e., the screens required to perform navigation functions. Furthermore, the display can further display screens necessary for performing audio functions, video functions, dialing functions, or vehicle diagnostics (e.g., SOC status, maintenance alarms, or efficiency data, etc.).

[0172] Network interface 1700 may include long-range communication modules and / or short-range communication modules for transmitting and receiving data with external devices (e.g., servers or user terminals). For example, network interface 1700 may refer to a communication module capable of performing wireless Internet communication, such as wireless LAN (WLAN), wireless broadband (Wibro), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), global microwave interconnection access (WiMAX), or high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) (e.g., LTE, 5G NR, Bluetooth, or NFC).

[0173] For example, a user can input a destination via user interface input device 1400 (e.g., voice command, touch input, or keypad input), and user interface output device 1500 can provide a route to the destination (e.g., visual navigation map, step-by-step voice guidance, or haptic feedback).

[0174] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a system for diagnosing a vehicle battery may include: a high-voltage battery installed in the vehicle to provide power; a power converter installed in the vehicle to convert the direct current (DC) power supplied to the high-voltage battery; and a battery diagnostic device connected to the power converter to perform discharging and charging of the high-voltage battery and diagnose the state of the high-voltage battery.

[0175] In an embodiment, the battery diagnostic device may include: a load module connected to a power converter to charge and discharge a high-voltage battery based on at least one charging and discharging mode; a communication module for sending and receiving data from the high-voltage battery; and a processor for controlling the operation of the power converter and the load module and diagnosing the state of the high-voltage battery based on at least one diagnostic mode.

[0176] In an embodiment, the battery diagnostic device may further include a human-machine interface (HMI) module, which receives at least one diagnostic mode and at least one charging and discharging mode selected by the user and outputs the results of the high-voltage battery diagnostic.

[0177] In one embodiment, the power converter may include a switching device comprising at least one switching element and at least one diode. The switching device may operate based on at least one charging and discharging mode.

[0178] In one embodiment, if the vehicle is connected to a battery diagnostic device, the processor can send the voltage and current distributions for charging voltage to the vehicle.

[0179] In one embodiment, the processor can control the operation of the load module to generate a high-voltage path, and can control the charging voltage to be applied from the high-voltage battery to the load module via the high-voltage path to discharge the high-voltage battery.

[0180] The processor can control the operation of the load module to generate a high-voltage path, and can control the charging voltage to be applied to the load module from an external power source via the high-voltage path to charge the high-voltage battery.

[0181] In an embodiment, at least one charging and discharging mode may include a first discharging mode in which a charging voltage is applied to the load module and the high-voltage battery is discharged while maintaining a constant current in the load module; a second discharging mode in which the charging voltage is applied to the load module and the high-voltage battery is discharged while the constant current is controlled to give the load module a constant resistance value; and a third discharging mode in which the charging voltage is applied to the load module and the high-voltage battery is discharged while the constant current in the load module is controlled.

[0182] In an embodiment, at least one charging and discharging mode may include a first charging mode in which a charging voltage is applied to the load module and charges the high-voltage battery while maintaining a constant current in the load module; a second charging mode in which the charging voltage is applied to the load module and charges the high-voltage battery while controlling the constant current to give the load module a constant resistance value; and a third charging mode in which the charging voltage is applied to the load module and charges the high-voltage battery while controlling the constant current in the load module.

[0183] In an embodiment, at least one diagnostic mode can be determined based on the charging conditions, discharging conditions, rest time, and state of charge (SOC) of the high-voltage battery, wherein the charging conditions, discharging conditions, rest time, and SOC are preset.

[0184] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, a method for diagnosing a vehicle battery may include: supplying power through a high-voltage battery installed in the vehicle; converting the direct current (DC) power supplied to the high-voltage battery through a power converter installed in the vehicle; and performing discharge and charge of the high-voltage battery and diagnosing the state of the high-voltage battery through a processor connected to the power converter.

[0185] In another embodiment, diagnosing the state of a high-voltage battery may include: connecting a load module to a power converter to charge and discharge the high-voltage battery based on at least one charging and discharging mode; generating and receiving data from the high-voltage battery by a communication module; and controlling the operation of the power converter and the load module by a processor and diagnosing the state of the high-voltage battery based on at least one diagnostic mode by the processor.

[0186] In another embodiment, diagnosing the state of the high-voltage battery may further include receiving at least one diagnostic mode and at least one charging and discharging mode selected by the user via the HMI module, and outputting the results of diagnosing the high-voltage battery via the HMI module.

[0187] In another embodiment, the power converter may include a switching device comprising at least one switching element and at least one diode. Diagnosing the state of the high-voltage battery may further include operating the switching device based on at least one charging and discharging mode.

[0188] In another embodiment, diagnosing the state of the high-voltage battery may further include sending the voltage distribution and current distribution used for charging voltage to the vehicle.

[0189] In another embodiment, diagnosing the state of the high-voltage battery may further include: controlling the load module to generate a high-voltage path; controlling the charging voltage applied from the high-voltage battery to the load module via the high-voltage path; and discharging the high-voltage battery.

[0190] In another embodiment, diagnosing the state of the high-voltage battery may further include: controlling the load module to generate a high-voltage path; controlling the charging voltage to be applied to the load module from an external power source via the high-voltage path; and charging the high-voltage battery.

[0191] In another embodiment, at least one charging and discharging mode may include a first discharging mode in which a charging voltage is applied to the load module and the high-voltage battery discharges while maintaining a constant current in the load module; a second discharging mode in which a charging voltage is applied to the load module and the high-voltage battery discharges while controlling the constant current to give the load module a constant resistance value; and a third discharging mode in which a charging voltage is applied to the load module and the high-voltage battery discharges while controlling the constant current in the load module.

[0192] In another embodiment, at least one charging and discharging mode may include a first charging mode in which a charging voltage is applied to the load module and charges the high-voltage battery while maintaining a constant current in the load module; a second charging mode in which a charging voltage is applied to the load module and charges the high-voltage battery while controlling the constant current to give the load module a constant resistance value; and a third charging mode in which a charging voltage is applied to the load module and charges the high-voltage battery while controlling the constant current in the load module.

[0193] In another embodiment, at least one diagnostic mode can be determined based on the charging conditions, discharging conditions, rest time, and state of charge (SOC) of the high-voltage battery, wherein the charging conditions, discharging conditions, rest time, and SOC are preset.

[0194] This technology can improve the reliability of battery diagnostic devices at a low cost by using an inverter installed in the vehicle.

[0195] In addition, this technology can pre-diagnose vehicle batteries to prevent safety accidents.

[0196] In addition, this technology can diagnose vehicle batteries at low cost, improving accessibility and convenience for users during vehicle maintenance.

[0197] In addition, various effects that can be directly or indirectly determined through this disclosure may be provided.

[0198] While this disclosure has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings, it is not limited thereto. Various modifications and alterations may be made by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure as claimed in the appended claims.

[0199] Therefore, the embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the technical spirit of this disclosure, but are provided for illustrative purposes only. The scope of this disclosure should be interpreted based on the appended claims, and all technical concepts within the scope of the claims should be included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for diagnosing a vehicle battery, the apparatus comprising: A communication interface is configured to be coupled to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes: The battery is configured to supply power to the vehicle, and A power converter is configured to convert the DC power from the battery. The processor circuitry, when coupled to the power converter, is configured as follows: The battery is discharged and charged, wherein the battery is discharged using the power converter. Based on the battery's discharge and charge performance, the state of the battery is diagnosed, and Output a signal indicating the diagnostic status of the battery.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A load module, connected to the power converter and configured to charge and discharge the battery based on at least one charging and discharging mode, according to control of the processor circuitry. The communication interface is configured to send and receive data from the battery, and The processor circuit is configured as follows: Controlling the operation of the power converter and the load module, and The state of the battery is diagnosed based on at least one diagnostic mode.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: The human-machine interface is configured to receive at least one diagnostic mode and at least one charging and discharging mode selected by the user, and Output the diagnostic results for the battery.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The power converter includes: At least one switch and at least one diode, and The at least one switch and the at least one diode are configured to operate the power converter based on the at least one charging and discharging mode.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The processor circuit is configured as follows: During the period when the processor circuit is coupled to the vehicle, the voltage distribution and current distribution for charging voltage are sent to the vehicle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, The processor circuit is configured as follows: Controlling the operation of the load module to generate a voltage path, and The charging voltage is applied from the battery to the load module via the voltage path to discharge the battery.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The processor circuit is configured as follows: When the power converter is coupled to the load module, the control applies the charging voltage from an external power source to the load module via the voltage path to charge the battery.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The at least one charging and discharging mode includes: In the first discharge mode, the charging voltage is applied to the load module and the battery discharges while maintaining a constant power of the load module. In the second discharge mode, the charging voltage is applied to the load module and the battery discharges, while the current is controlled to maintain a constant resistance value in the load module; and In the third discharge mode, the charging voltage is applied to the load module and the battery discharges while maintaining a constant current in the load module.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one charging and discharging mode includes: In the first charging mode, the charging voltage is applied to the load module and charges the battery while maintaining a constant power of the load module. In the second charging mode, the charging voltage is applied to the load module and charges the battery, while the current is controlled to maintain a constant resistance value in the load module; and In the third charging mode, the charging voltage is applied to the load module and charges the battery while keeping the current of the load module constant.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one diagnostic mode is determined based on: The preset charging conditions of the battery, The preset discharge conditions of the battery, The preset rest time of the battery, and The preset state of charge of the battery.

11. A method performed by a device for diagnosing a vehicle battery, the method comprising: The device is coupled to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a battery and a power converter; and During the coupling of the device to the vehicle: The power converter is controlled to convert the DC power from the battery into converted power. Perform the discharging and charging of the battery, wherein the discharging of the battery is performed using the power converter; The processor circuitry of the device diagnoses the state of the battery; and Output a signal indicating the diagnostic status of the battery.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Diagnosing the condition of the battery includes: When the load module of the device is coupled to the power converter, the battery is charged and the battery is discharged via the load module based on at least one charging and discharging mode. Data from the battery is sent and received through the communication interface of the device; Controlling the operation of the power converter and the load module; and The state of the battery is determined based on at least one diagnostic mode.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, Diagnosing the condition of the battery also includes: The device receives at least one diagnostic mode and at least one charging and discharging mode via its human-machine interface, wherein the at least one diagnostic mode and at least one charging and discharging mode are selected by the user; and The diagnostic results of the battery are output through the human-machine interface.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The power converter includes: At least one switch and at least one diode, and The diagnosis of the battery status also includes: The at least one switch and the at least one diode are operated based on the at least one charging and discharging mode.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein, Diagnosing the condition of the battery also includes: The voltage and current distributions used for charging voltage are sent to the vehicle.

16. A vehicle comprising: The battery is configured to store electrical energy and provide said electrical energy for the operation of the vehicle; A power converter is configured to convert the DC power from the battery into converted power. At least one switch is configured to control the charging and discharging of the battery via the power converter; as well as A battery diagnostic device, coupled to the vehicle, wherein the battery diagnostic device includes: The processor circuitry is configured as follows: The at least one switch is controlled to apply a diagnostic charging mode or a diagnostic discharging mode, wherein the diagnostic charging mode or diagnostic discharging mode includes at least one of a constant power mode, a constant resistance mode, and a constant current mode. Voltage and current are measured during the diagnostic charging mode or diagnostic discharging mode. Determine at least one condition of the battery based on measured voltage and current, and Based on the at least one condition of the battery, a signal indicating the state of the battery is output.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein, The battery diagnostic device is detachably coupled to the vehicle, and wherein, when the processor circuit is coupled to the power converter, the processor circuit is configured to cause the vehicle to monitor the voltage deviation between the battery cells during the diagnostic charging mode or diagnostic discharging mode.

18. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein, The processor circuit is configured to enable the vehicle to calculate the state of charge of the battery based on measured voltage and current.

19. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein, The processor circuit is configured to enable the vehicle to determine the temperature deviation of the battery during the diagnostic charging mode or diagnostic discharging mode.

20. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein, The processor circuitry is configured to enable the vehicle to estimate the degree of battery degradation based on the rate of change of the battery's state of charge.

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