Control system and control method

Abstract

According to some embodiments disclosed herein, the control system includes a plurality of battery racks, each including a plurality of battery packs and an intermediate management device configured to acquire battery data associated with the plurality of battery packs; and a higher-level control device configured to process calculations related to management functions for the plurality of battery racks based on the battery data, generate control commands that control the application of the management functions to the plurality of battery racks based on the results of the calculations, and provide the control commands to the intermediate management device.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0114944 filed on August 30, 2023, and all contents disclosed in the document of said patent application are incorporated as a part of the present specification. Embodiments disclosed in this document relate to a control system and a control method. [Background Art]

[0002] In recent years, research and development on secondary batteries have been actively conducted. Here, secondary batteries are batteries capable of charging and discharging, and can be interpreted to include all of conventional Ni / Cd batteries, Ni / MH batteries, and the like, as well as modern lithium-ion batteries. Among secondary batteries, lithium-ion batteries have higher energy density than conventional Ni / Cd batteries, Ni / MH batteries, and the like, and can be manufactured to be small and lightweight, so they can have high applicability as a power source for mobile devices. In recent years, the application scope of lithium-ion batteries has been expanded to power sources for electric vehicles, and they are attracting attention as next-generation energy storage media.

[0003] Secondary batteries can be utilized in power grids in the form of ESS (energy storage system). Surplus power from the power grid is stored in ESS battery packs, and when there is a power shortage in other areas, the ESS battery packs can supply power to the power grid. Meanwhile, in order to maintain and manage a plurality of battery packs and / or battery racks constituting a power grid ESS, it is necessary to continuously update the firmware or software of the management device. Therefore, when a plurality of management devices are provided for managing an ESS, significant costs may be incurred for this. [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] One objective of the embodiments disclosed herein is to reduce the cost of maintaining power grid ESSs and to provide a control system and control method that can directly and immediately control ESS batteries.

[0005] The technical objectives of the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to some embodiments disclosed herein, the control system includes a plurality of battery racks, each of which comprises a plurality of battery packs and an intermediate management device configured to acquire battery data related to the plurality of battery packs; and a higher-level control device configured to process calculations related to management functions for the plurality of battery racks based on the battery data, generate control commands that control the application of the management functions to the plurality of battery racks based on the results of the calculations, and provide the control commands to the intermediate management device.

[0007] According to some embodiments, the intermediate management device includes a gateway module for interfacing with the higher-level control device and a plurality of functional modules for performing the management functions in accordance with the control commands.

[0008] According to some embodiments, each of the plurality of battery packs includes a plurality of battery modules and a subordinate management device, the subordinate management device is configured to perform the management function for the plurality of battery modules in accordance with the control commands transmitted from the intermediate management device.

[0009] According to some embodiments, the control system further includes a plurality of contactors configured to contact the plurality of battery racks, each for energy exchange with the power grid.

[0010] According to some embodiments, the higher-level control device is configured to perform a status diagnostic function for the plurality of battery racks based on the battery data, and to generate a contactor isolation command to isolate at least a portion of the plurality of contactors from the plurality of battery racks based on the results of the status diagnostic function.

[0011] According to some embodiments, each of the plurality of battery racks further includes a circuit breaker, and the higher-level control device is configured to generate, along with the contactor isolation command, an open command to open the circuit breaker of the battery rack corresponding to at least some of the contactors to be isolated from the plurality of battery racks.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the higher-level control device is configured to update the battery management software that provides the management function via a FOTA (firmware over the air) method through a remote management server.

[0013] According to some embodiments disclosed herein, the control method includes the steps of: acquiring battery data related to a plurality of battery packs in a plurality of battery racks via an intermediate management device for each battery rack; processing calculations related to a management function for the plurality of battery racks based on the battery data via a higher-level control device; generating a control command via the higher-level control device that controls the application of the management function to the plurality of battery racks based on the results of the calculations; and providing the control command to the intermediate management device via the higher-level control device.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the intermediate management device includes a gateway module for interfacing with the higher-level control device, and a plurality of functional modules for performing the management functions in accordance with the control commands.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the control method further includes the step of performing the management function for a plurality of battery modules of each battery pack in accordance with the control commands transmitted from the intermediate management device via a lower-level management device of each of the plurality of battery packs.

[0016] According to some embodiments, the control method further includes the step of contacting each of the multiple battery racks via a plurality of contactors for energy exchange with the power grid.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the control method further includes the steps of: performing a status diagnostic function for the plurality of battery racks based on the battery data via the higher-level control device; and generating a contactor isolation command via the higher-level control device to isolate at least a portion of the plurality of contactors from the plurality of battery racks based on the results of the status diagnostic function.

[0018] According to some embodiments, each of the plurality of battery racks further includes a circuit breaker, and the step of generating the contactor isolation command includes, together with the contactor isolation command, a step of generating an open command to open the circuit breaker of the battery rack corresponding to at least some of the contactors to be isolated from the plurality of battery racks.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the control method further includes the step of updating battery management software that provides the management function via a remote management server in a FOTA manner, via the higher-level control device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] The embodiments disclosed herein provide a control system and control method that can reduce the cost of maintaining power grid ESSs and directly and immediately control ESS batteries.

[0021] The technical effects of the embodiments disclosed in the present document are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the disclosure of the present document. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] Shows elements constituting a power grid system according to some embodiments. [Figure 2] Shows elements constituting a control system according to some embodiments. [Figure 3] Shows elements constituting a battery rack according to some embodiments. [Figure 4] Shows a structure in which a plurality of contactors are further included in a control system according to some embodiments. [Figure 5] Shows a conventional intermediate management device provided with its own calculation processing function. [Figure 6] Shows an intermediate management device not provided with a calculation processing function according to some embodiments. [Figure 7] Shows a gateway block of an intermediate management device according to some embodiments. [Figure 8] Shows steps constituting a control method according to some embodiments. Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments described in the present document will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the disclosure of the present document to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that it includes various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives to the embodiments described in the present document.

[0024] The embodiments and terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described herein to any particular embodiment, but should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of such embodiments. In relation to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more such items unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0025] In this document, each phrase such as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C” may include any one of the items listed together with the applicable phrase, or any possible combination thereof. Terms such as “first,” “second,” “first,” “second,” “A,” “B,” “(a),” or “(b)” may be used merely to distinguish one component from other components and, unless otherwise stated, do not limit the component in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

[0026] Wherever a component (e.g., the first) is referred to as being "coupled," "linked," or "connected" to another component (e.g., the second), with or without such terms, it means that the first component may be connected to the other component directly (e.g., by wire or wirelessly) or indirectly (e.g., via the third component).

[0027] Methods according to various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a commodity between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of an instrument-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory, CD-ROM) or online (e.g., download or upload) via an application store or directly between two user devices. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily generated in an instrument-readable storage medium such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store server, or an intermediary server.

[0028] According to the embodiments disclosed herein, each of the aforementioned components (e.g., a module or a program) may include one or more individuals, and some of the individuals may be separated and arranged in other components. According to the embodiments disclosed herein, one or more of the aforementioned components or operations may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the components of the multiple components before the integration. According to the embodiments disclosed herein, operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be performed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be performed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0029] Figure 1 shows the components that make up a power grid system according to one embodiment. Referring to Figure 1, the power grid system 10 may include a remote management server 100, a control system 200, and a power grid 300. However, it is not limited to this, and some components may be omitted from the power grid system 10, and other general-purpose components may be further included in the power grid system 10.

[0030] In the power grid system 10, power from an energy storage device (ESS) can be transmitted to the power grid 300, or power can be transmitted from the power grid 300 to the energy storage device (ESS). Energy exchange between the energy storage device (ESS) and the power grid 300 can be controlled by a control system 200.

[0031] The electric grid 300 may include power generation facilities, transmission facilities, substations, and distribution facilities, and can be implemented in the form of a smart grid that makes power distribution intelligent and advanced. The electric grid 300 can obtain power from and supply power to energy storage devices (ESSs). According to the embodiment, the energy storage device (ESS) may include multiple battery racks.

[0032] The control system 200 can control the overall operation of the energy storage device (ESS). The control system 200 can control the charging or discharging of the energy storage device (ESS) and manage energy exchange with the power grid 300. The control system 200 may include a control unit that performs energy management functions for the energy storage device (ESS). The control unit of the control system 200 can perform energy management functions by running firmware and / or software.

[0033] The control system 200 can manage the energy storage system (ESS) through a minimum number of control devices. According to one embodiment, the control system 200 may include one top-level control device and several auxiliary control devices instead of having multiple independent devices. In this case, the control structure of the control system 200 is simplified, and the cost of maintaining it can be reduced.

[0034] The remote management server 100 can remotely manage the energy management functions performed by the control system 200. According to one embodiment, the energy management functions can be provided by the execution of energy management software / firmware, and the remote management server 100 can manage updates to the energy management software / firmware. According to another embodiment, the remote management server 100 can update the management software / firmware of the control system 200 using the FOTA (firmware over the air) method.

[0035] While the FOTA method can provide convenient update functionality even when the control system 200 is equipped with multiple control devices, high-cost MCUs and peripherals are required for multiple control devices to support FOTA while meeting security and stability requirements. Therefore, from a cost perspective, it may be insufficient for the control system 200 to be equipped with multiple independent control devices. In contrast, if the control system 200 includes one top-level control device and multiple auxiliary management devices, cost efficiency can be improved, and the lower-level battery elements of the energy storage device (ESS) can be directly and immediately controlled by one top-level control device.

[0036] Figure 2 shows the elements that constitute a control system according to one embodiment. Referring to Figure 2, the control system 200 may include a higher-level control unit 210 and multiple battery racks 220. However, it is not limited to this, and some components may be omitted from the control system 200, and other general-purpose components may be further included in the control system 200.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the higher-level control device 210 and the multiple battery racks 220 in the control system 200 can be electrically connected to each other via an inter-device communication method. The inter-device communication method can include a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), MIPI (mobile industry processor interface), and the like.

[0038] The higher-level control unit 210 may have a structure for executing instructions that realize the operation of the control system 200. The higher-level control unit 210 can be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates for processing various calculations or as a general-purpose microprocessor, and can consist of a single processor or multiple processors. For example, the higher-level control unit 210 can be implemented in at least one form from among a microprocessor, CPU, GPU, and AP.

[0039] The higher-level control unit 210 can operate with memory configured to store various data, instructions, software, mobile applications, computer programs, etc. The memory can be configured separately from or integrated with the higher-level control unit 210. The higher-level control unit 210 can execute instructions stored in memory to process various calculations. For example, the memory can be implemented as a non-volatile device such as ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, PRAM, MRAM, RRAM, FRAM (registered trademark), or a volatile device such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, PRAM, and can be implemented in the form of HDD, SSD, SD, Micro-SD, or a combination thereof.

[0040] Multiple battery racks 220 can realize an energy storage system (ESS). According to the embodiment, each battery rack of the multiple battery racks 220 may include multiple battery modules and intermediate control devices. The connection relationships between the multiple battery racks 220 may be a combination of one or more series connections and one or more parallel connections. According to the embodiment, all of the multiple battery racks 220 can be connected in series. Multiple battery racks 220 can be connected to a power grid 300 via multiple contactors.

[0041] Multiple battery racks 220 may each include an intermediate management device configured to acquire multiple battery packs and battery data associated with those multiple battery packs. Multiple battery packs in each battery rack can be managed by the intermediate management device, which can operate according to control commands from a higher-level control device 210. The intermediate management device may include sensors for acquiring battery data from the multiple battery packs. According to the embodiment, the battery data may include voltage data, current data, temperature data, etc., and the sensors in the intermediate management device may include voltage sensors, current sensors, temperature sensors, etc.

[0042] The higher-level control unit 210 can be configured to process calculations related to management functions for multiple battery racks based on battery data. When battery data acquired from the intermediate management device is provided to the higher-level control unit 210, the higher-level control unit 210 can process calculations related to management functions based on the battery data. According to one embodiment, the higher-level control unit 210 can process calculations to estimate the State of Charge (SOC) and / or State of Health (SOH) of multiple battery packs and / or multiple battery racks 220 based on voltage data.

[0043] The higher-level control unit 210 can be configured to generate control commands that control the application of a management function to multiple battery racks 220 based on the results of calculations. For example, if the management function is an output voltage limit for multiple battery packs and / or multiple battery racks 220 based on SOC (State of Charge) and / or SOH (State of Health), the higher-level control unit 210 can generate a control command that sets an upper limit on the output voltage.

[0044] The higher-level control device 210 can be configured to provide control commands to the intermediate management device. For example, the higher-level control device 210 can provide the intermediate management device with a control command to set an upper limit on the output voltage, and the intermediate management device can respond by limiting the voltage output by the multiple battery packs to below the upper limit.

[0045] Thus, the intermediate management device can perform various management functions for multiple battery packs based on control commands provided by the higher-level control unit 210, without possessing its own processing functions. Therefore, multiple intermediate management devices can have a relatively simple structure, do not require periodic software updates, and the simplified control structure allows for direct and immediate control of multiple battery packs.

[0046] Figure 3 shows elements that constitute a battery rack according to one embodiment. Referring to Figure 3, the multiple battery racks 220 can include the first battery rack 221 to the fourth battery rack 224. Here, the number of battery racks is four, and the multiple battery racks 220 can include five or more battery racks.

[0047] Each of the multiple battery racks 220 may include an intermediate control device and multiple battery packs. For example, the first battery rack 221 may include an intermediate control device 2210 and the first battery pack 2211 to the fourth battery pack 2244. Similarly, the first battery rack 221 may include five or more battery packs. The connection relationships between the multiple battery packs may be a combination of one or more series connections and one or more parallel connections.

[0048] According to the embodiment, each battery pack in a plurality of battery packs may include a plurality of battery modules and a lower-level management device, and the lower-level management device may be configured to perform management functions for the plurality of battery modules in accordance with control commands transmitted from the intermediate management device. Such a pack-module control command transmission structure can further embody the rack-pack control command transmission structure. With this embodying of the control command transmission structure, in addition to controlling the battery pack unit through the control commands of the higher-level control device 210, it is possible to manage the battery module unit in an integrated manner.

[0049] Figure 4 shows a structure in which a control system according to one embodiment further includes multiple contactors. Referring to Figure 4, the control system 200 may further include a plurality of contactors 230. According to the embodiment, the plurality of contactors 230 may be configured to contact a plurality of battery racks 220, respectively, for energy exchange with the power grid 300.

[0050] Each of the multiple contactors 230 can be connected to multiple battery racks 220. The first contactor 231 is connected to the first battery rack 221, the second contactor 232 is connected to the second battery rack 222, and the remaining contactors can also be connected to their corresponding battery racks.

[0051] The higher-level control device 210 can control the opening and closing of multiple contactors 230. For example, when connecting the first battery rack 221 to the power grid 300, the higher-level control device 210 can control the first contactor 231 to connect the first battery rack 221 to the power grid 300. According to the embodiment, if a malfunction occurs in any one of the multiple battery racks 220 and the power grid 300, the higher-level control device 210 can isolate the multiple contactors 230 to electrically protect the remaining one.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the higher-level control device 210 can be configured to perform a status diagnostic function on a plurality of battery racks 220 based on battery data, and to generate a contactor isolation command to isolate at least some of the plurality of contactors 230 from the plurality of battery racks 220 based on the results of the status diagnostic function. For example, if it is determined based on battery data that an abnormality in voltage behavior has occurred in the second battery rack 222, the higher-level control device 210 can provide a control command to the intermediate management device of the second battery rack 222 to isolate the second contactor 232.

[0053] According to the embodiment, each of the multiple battery racks 220 may further include a circuit breaker, and the higher-level control device 210 may be configured to generate open commands, along with contactor isolation commands, for opening the circuit breakers of the battery racks corresponding to at least some of the contactors that are isolated from the multiple battery racks 220. For example, when the higher-level control device 210 generates a contactor isolation command for isolating the second contactor 232, it may also generate an open command for opening the circuit breaker of the second battery rack 222, and can provide the contactor isolation command and the open command to the intermediate control device.

[0054] Figure 5 shows a conventional intermediate management device equipped with its own computing processing function. Referring to Figure 5, a conventional intermediate control device 500 equipped with its own computing function is shown. The conventional intermediate control device 500 includes various functional blocks, and in particular, it may include an MCU block 512 related to computing functions.

[0055] In addition to the MCU block 512, the conventional intermediate management device 500 may include a power block 502, an Ethernet block 504, a memory block 506, an upper-level interface block 508, a lower-level interface block 510, a control block 514, a sensing block 516, a fan control block 518, an LED control block 520, an emergency stop block 522, and a hardwire block 524.

[0056] If the conventional intermediate management device 500 includes the MCU block 512, there will be an excessive number of MCUs on the power grid ESS control system, which can increase maintenance costs. In particular, providing FOTA-based software / firmware updates can incur significant costs as multiple MCUs will need to be equipped with hardware that supports the FOTA method.

[0057] Figure 6 shows an intermediate management device that does not have a calculation processing function according to one embodiment. Referring to Figure 6, an intermediate control device 600 without calculation processing capabilities is shown. The intermediate control device 600 does not perform its own calculation processing and can operate based on the calculation processing results of the higher-level control device 210.

[0058] Compared to the conventional intermediate management device 500, the intermediate management device 600 does not need to include the MCU block 512, nor does it need to include the associated memory block 506 and upper-level interface block 508. In the intermediate management device 600, the conventional Ethernet block 504 may be replaced by the gateway block 604. In particular, compared to the conventional power block 502, the power block 602 of the intermediate management device 600 can be significantly downsized.

[0059] According to the embodiment, the intermediate management device 600 may include a gateway module (gateway block) 604 for interfacing with the higher-level control device 210, and a plurality of functional modules for performing management functions in accordance with control commands. For example, the plurality of functional modules may include a control block 614, a sensing block 616, a fan control block 618, an LED control block 620, an emergency stop block 622, and a hardwire block 624. Instead of providing active control functions, the plurality of functional modules may only perform simple functions such as on / off in accordance with control commands from the higher-level control device 210.

[0060] According to the embodiment, the intermediate management device 600 may further include a power module 602 which is simplified by omitting the calculation processing function. Compared to a conventional power block 502, the power block (power module) 602 can be significantly downsized by omitting the MCU block 512. According to the embodiment, the capacity of the power module 602 may be less than 50%, less than 30%, less than 20%, less than 10%, or less than 5% of the capacity of a conventional power block 502.

[0061] Figure 7 shows a gateway block of an intermediate management device according to one embodiment. Referring to Figure 7, the structure and function of the gateway block 604 of the intermediate control device 600 are shown. The gateway block 604 can be implemented in the form of a gateway IC.

[0062] The gateway IC can primarily provide communication functions, and incidentally may also include memory functions, control functions, sensing functions, etc. The memory function may be omitted. The gateway block 604 can operate based on externally supplied power. For example, surplus power from the omission of the MCU block 512 can be supplied to the gateway IC, and any additional surplus power can be fed back to the outside of the gateway IC.

[0063] The gateway IC can be equipped with main communication and slave communication, and the main communication can be performed via the gateway IC's communication module. In addition, it can provide CAN communication and communication monitoring functions. In relation to control and sensing functions, control signals and feedback signals for contactors, fans, LEDs, fuses, etc., can be transmitted to the intermediate control device 600 via the gateway IC, and signals related to current measurement, etc., can also be transmitted to the intermediate control device 600.

[0064] Figure 8 shows the steps that constitute a control method according to some embodiments. Referring to Figure 8, the control method 800 may include steps 810 to 840. However, it is not limited to these steps, and some steps may be omitted or other general steps may be added. The steps of the control method 800 can be performed in an order different from that shown.

[0065] The control method 800 can consist of steps processed sequentially in the control system 200. Therefore, even if some details are omitted below, the information described above regarding the control system 200 can be applied similarly to the control method 800.

[0066] Steps 810 to 840 of the control method 800 can be carried out by the higher-level control device 210 and the multiple battery racks 220 of the control system 200.

[0067] In step 810, the control system 200 can acquire battery data related to multiple battery packs in each of the multiple battery racks via an intermediate management device for each battery rack.

[0068] In step 820, the control system 200 can process calculations related to management functions for multiple battery racks based on battery data, via a higher-level control unit.

[0069] In step 830, the control system 200 can generate control commands via a higher-level control unit to control the application of management functions to multiple battery racks based on the results of the calculations. In step 840, the control system 200 can provide control commands to the intermediate management device via a higher-level control device.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the control method 800 can be implemented in the form of a computer program stored on a computer-readable storage medium. That is, the computer program may include instructions for implementing the control method 800, and the instructions of the program may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The computer program may include a mobile application.

[0071] According to the embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute computer program instructions, such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memory. Computer program instructions may include machine code produced by a compiler and high-level language code executable by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

[0072] The terms “contain,” “constitute,” or “have,” as used above, mean “may contain,” and should not be interpreted as meaning that they may contain, unless otherwise specified, other components, rather than excluding them. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, should have the same meaning as that generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments disclosed herein belong, unless otherwise specified. Commonly used terms, such as those defined in dictionaries, should be interpreted to be consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0073] The above description is merely illustrative of the technical concept disclosed herein, and any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments disclosed herein belong can make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of the embodiments disclosed herein. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes only, not to limit the technical concept of the embodiments disclosed herein, and the scope of the technical concept disclosed herein is not limited by such embodiments. The scope of protection of the technical concept disclosed herein must be interpreted according to the claims described below, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of this document. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 10: Power grid system 100: Remote management server 200: Control System 300: Power grid 210: Higher-level control unit 220: Multiple battery packs 230: Multiple Contactors 600: Intermediate management device 604: Gateway Module 800: Control Method

Claims

1. A plurality of battery racks, each of which comprises a plurality of battery packs and an intermediate management device configured to acquire battery data related to the plurality of battery packs, A higher-level control device is configured to process calculations related to the management function for the plurality of battery racks based on the battery data, generate control commands to control the application of the management function to the plurality of battery racks based on the results of the calculations, and provide the control commands to the intermediate management device. A control system including...

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate management device includes a gateway module for interfacing with the higher-level control device and a plurality of functional modules for performing the management functions in accordance with the control commands.

3. Each of the aforementioned plurality of battery packs includes a plurality of battery modules and a subordinate management device, The control system according to claim 1, wherein the subordinate management device is configured to perform the management function on the plurality of battery modules in accordance with the control commands transmitted from the intermediate management device.

4. The control system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of contactors configured to contact each of the plurality of battery racks for energy exchange with the power grid.

5. The higher-level control device performs a status diagnostic function for the plurality of battery racks based on the battery data. The control system according to claim 4, configured to generate a contactor isolation command for separating at least a portion of the plurality of contactors from the plurality of battery racks based on the results of the execution of the state diagnosis function.

6. Each of the aforementioned plurality of battery racks further includes a circuit breaker, The control system according to claim 5, wherein the higher-level control device is configured to generate, together with the contactor isolation command, an open command for opening the circuit breaker of a battery rack corresponding to at least some of the contactors that are separated from the plurality of battery racks.

7. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the higher-level control device is configured to update the battery management software that provides the management function via a remote management server using a FOTA (firmware over the air) method.

8. The steps include: acquiring battery data related to multiple battery packs in each battery rack via an intermediate management device for each battery rack in a group of battery racks; The steps include processing calculations related to management functions for the plurality of battery racks based on the battery data via a higher-level control device, The steps include generating a control command via the higher-level control device to control the application of the management function to the plurality of battery racks based on the processing result of the calculation, The steps include providing the control command to the intermediate management device via the higher-level control device, A control method including

9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein the intermediate management device includes a gateway module for interfacing with the higher-level control device, and a plurality of functional modules for performing the management functions in accordance with the control commands.

10. The control method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of performing the management function for a plurality of battery modules of each battery pack in accordance with the control command transmitted from the intermediate management device via a lower-level management device of each of the plurality of battery packs.

11. The control method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of contacting each of the multiple battery racks via a plurality of contactors for energy exchange with a power grid.

12. The steps include: performing a status diagnostic function for the plurality of battery racks based on the battery data via the above-level control device; The control method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of generating a contactor isolation command via the higher-level control device to isolate at least a portion of the plurality of contactors from the plurality of battery racks based on the result of executing the state diagnostic function.

13. Each of the aforementioned plurality of battery racks further includes a circuit breaker, The control method according to claim 12, wherein the step of generating the contactor isolation command includes, together with the contactor isolation command, generating an open command for opening the circuit breaker of a battery rack corresponding to at least some of the contactors to be isolated from the plurality of battery racks.

14. The control method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of updating battery management software that provides the management function via a remote management server using a FOTA method via the higher-level control device.

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