Identification information setting device, battery system, and program

Abstract

To easily set identification information of each battery module in a case where exchange of a battery module or the like is performed.SOLUTION: A battery system comprises a plurality of battery modules 10 that have a battery pack 11 and a monitoring unit 12 which monitors the battery pack 11. A battery ECU 20 is provided to be able to communicate with a monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10, and individually set a module ID for each battery module 10. The battery ECU 20 comprises: a communication determination unit that performs collation of a communication ID determined for each monitoring unit 12 at starting time of the battery ECU 20 and determines whether or not the communication is established on the basis of the collation result; and a setting unit that sets the module ID on the basis of a result in which it is determined that the communication is not established by the communication determination unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an identification information setting device, a battery system, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In a battery system having multiple battery modules (battery packs), a technology is known in which an identification number is assigned to each battery module (for example, Patent Document 1). The identification information of each battery module is assigned when each battery module is mounted on a vehicle, for example, during vehicle manufacturing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5735098 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when a battery module in a battery system such as a vehicle is replaced in the market, it becomes necessary to reset the identification information of each battery module. However, with existing technology, it is considered difficult to reset the identification information of a battery module when, for example, a user of a vehicle replaces a battery module. Similarly, when a battery module is removed from a battery system, charged, or otherwise reattached, problems may arise when resetting the identification information of the battery module. In this regard, there is thought to be room for improvement.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an identification information setting device, a battery system, and a program that can easily set the identification information of each battery module when a battery module is replaced, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides The present invention is applied to a battery system having a plurality of battery modules each having a storage battery and a monitoring unit that monitors the storage battery, an identification information setting device that is provided to be able to communicate with the monitoring unit and sets module identification information individually for each of the battery modules, a communication determination unit that, when the identification information setting device is started, collates communication identification information determined for each of the monitoring units and determines whether communication has been established based on the result of the collating; a setting unit that sets the module identification information based on the determination by the communication determination unit that communication has not been established; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0007] In the battery system having the above-described configuration, in which the monitoring unit of each battery module and the identification information setting device are capable of communicating with each other, when the identification information setting device is started up, the communication identification information is collated for each monitoring unit, and whether or not communication has been established is determined based on the collation result. In this case, if the communication identification information of each monitoring unit is correctly recognized in the identification information setting device, it is determined that communication has been established.

[0008] Furthermore, in a battery system in which such communication determination is performed, if a battery module is replaced, the communication identification information in the battery module is in an unset state (e.g., an initial state), and the communication identification information is not correctly recognized when the identification information setting device is started, resulting in a determination that communication has not been established. In this case, the determination result that communication cannot be established makes it possible to know that a battery module has been replaced, etc. Therefore, the module identification information is set based on the determination that communication has not been established when the identification information setting device is started. This allows the module identification information to be set correctly and easily, even if the user replaces the battery module, etc. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a battery system. [Figure 2] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a connection state of each battery module. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of battery modules are mounted in a vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the mounting state of each battery module. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for setting an ID in each battery module. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a module ID setting process. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for setting an exchange history flag. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a module ID setting process in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a process for setting an exchange history flag in another example. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a module ID setting process in another example. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an on-board battery system and a battery storage system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a specific configuration of a battery system mounted on an electrically powered vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to the aspects of the embodiment, and can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the following embodiments and modifications, identical or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and the explanations of the parts with the same reference numerals are incorporated herein.

[0011] [First embodiment] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a battery system according to the present embodiment. The battery system includes a plurality of battery modules 10 mounted on a vehicle, and a battery ECU 20 that controls the plurality of battery modules 10.

[0012] Each battery module 10 includes a battery pack 11 consisting of a plurality of cells, a monitoring unit 12 that monitors the state of the battery pack 11, and a housing 13 that houses the battery pack 11 and the monitoring unit 12. The battery pack 11 is a secondary battery (storage battery) such as a lithium-ion battery. The battery pack 11 of each battery module 10 is used as a power source for a rotating electric machine 31, which is a power source for running the vehicle. For example, as shown in FIG. 2( a), the battery pack 11 of each battery module 10 is connected in series to the rotating electric machine 31. More specifically, the rotating electric machine 31 has an inverter that controls the current of each phase. A positive power supply line 32 extending from a positive terminal of the plurality of battery packs 11 (the most positive terminal of the series-connected battery packs 11) and a negative power supply line 33 extending from a negative terminal of the plurality of battery packs 11 (the most negative terminal of the series-connected battery packs 11) are connected to the positive and negative sides of the inverter, respectively. Each power supply line 32, 33 is provided with a power switch 34, and turning on the power switch 34 enables current to flow between each battery pack 11 and the rotating electrical machine 31. However, as shown in FIG. 2(b), the battery packs 11 of each battery module 10 may be connected in parallel to the rotating electrical machine 31.

[0013] The monitoring unit 12 is made up of a microcomputer equipped with a CPU and various memories, and detects or calculates the terminal voltage of each cell, charge / discharge current, temperature, SOC (state of charge), and SOH (state of health) as the state of the battery pack 11. The monitoring unit 12 constitutes a BMU (Battery Management Unit). A low-voltage battery (+B) is connected to the monitoring unit 12, and the monitoring unit 12 operates by power supplied from the low-voltage battery.

[0014] The battery ECU 20 is composed of a microcomputer equipped with a CPU and various memories, and is connected to the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10 via a communication line 21 that enables, for example, CAN communication. The battery ECU 20 appropriately performs processes related to charging and discharging in each battery module 10, as well as processes related to overheating, deterioration, communication abnormalities, etc. in each battery module 10. For example, the battery ECU 20 calculates the amount of power that can be charged and discharged in the battery system based on battery status information received from the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10, and notifies the other on-board ECUs of this amount of power that can be charged and discharged. The battery ECU 20 also notifies the other on-board ECUs of abnormality diagnosis results for various abnormalities in each battery module 10, such as overheating, deterioration, and communication abnormalities.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of battery modules 10 are mounted on a vehicle 40, and FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the state in which each battery module 10 is mounted.

[0016] 3, a vehicle 40 includes a rack 41 as a mounting portion on which a plurality of battery modules 10 are mounted. The rack 41 has a plurality of battery housing sections 42, and each battery module 10 is housed in one of the battery housing sections 42. The vehicle 40 allows users, including the driver, to mount and remove the battery modules 10; for example, each battery module 10 is mounted and removed individually from the side of the vehicle. In other words, the plurality of battery modules 10 are individually replaceable.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 4 , a module connector 14 is provided on the housing 13 of the battery module 10, and a rack connector 43 is provided on the rack 41. These connectors 14, 43 are connectable to each other, and are connected to each other when the battery module 10 is attached to the rack 41. When the connectors 14, 43 are connected, the monitoring unit 12 and the battery ECU 20 can communicate with each other via the communication line 21. Also, when the connectors are connected, +B power is supplied to the monitoring unit 12. That is, when the battery module 10 is attached to the rack 41, a power supply voltage (+B voltage) is applied to the monitoring unit 12, and when the battery module 10 is removed from the rack 41, the application of the power supply voltage to the monitoring unit 12 is cut off. Therefore, the monitoring unit 12 is activated by the application of the power supply voltage associated with the attachment of the battery module 10 to the rack 41.

[0018] Although not illustrated, when the battery modules 10 are mounted on the rack 41, the vehicle's power supply power lines (e.g., power supply lines 32 and 33 shown in FIG. 2) are electrically connected to the assembled batteries 11 of each battery module 10. The power supply connector may be provided integrally with, for example, the module connector 14 and the rack connector 43. By connecting the power supply connector, the assembled batteries 11 of each battery module 10 are connected in series or parallel in the vehicle 40.

[0019] This system is also provided with a locking device 50 that prevents or makes it difficult to remove the battery module 10 when the battery module 10 is attached. The locking device 50 has locking members 51, 52 provided on the battery module 10 side and the rack 41 side, respectively, and outputs different lock signals to the battery ECU 20 depending on whether the locking device 50 is in a locked state or an unlocked state. The battery ECU 20 determines whether the locking device 50 is in a locked state based on the locking signal from the locking device 50.

[0020] In this battery system, a module ID and a communication ID are set as identification information for each battery module 10, in other words, for each monitoring unit 12. The module ID corresponds to module identification information, and the communication ID corresponds to communication identification information. The identification information of the battery module 10 is stored in the memory of the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10 and in the memory of the battery ECU 20. The battery ECU 20 recognizes each battery module 10 to be controlled based on the identification information of each battery module 10, and appropriately performs charge / discharge control, abnormality diagnosis, etc. for each battery module 10. The battery ECU 20 receives the communication ID from the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10 via the communication line 21, and compares the received communication ID with the communication ID recognized by the battery ECU 20, and determines whether communication with the monitoring unit 12 has been established based on the comparison result.

[0021] The identification information (module ID and communication ID) of each battery module 10 is initialized before the battery module 10 is attached to the vehicle 40, and is set after the battery module 10 is attached to the vehicle 40. Specifically, when the stored power of the battery pack 11 decreases or the battery module 10 deteriorates, the battery module 10 is replaced with another battery module 10, or is temporarily removed from the vehicle 40 to be charged by an external charging device, and is then reattached after charging. In this case, when the battery module 10 is replaced, a battery module 10 in an ID-initialized state is attached to the vehicle 40, and after attachment, identification information is set for each battery module 10. When the battery modules 10 are shipped from the factory, common identification information is set for all battery modules 10 as the ID initial value.

[0022] When the battery modules 10 are externally charged, the battery modules 10 are removed from the vehicle 40 and attached to an external charging device such as a charging station, and in this state, the identification information is initialized in each monitoring unit 12. Assuming that the battery modules 10 will be used while attached to the vehicle 40, it is preferable that the identification information be initialized in the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10 based on the fact that the battery module 10 is attached to a different device than during normal use. Then, after the battery modules 10 are attached to the vehicle 40, the identification information is set for each battery module 10.

[0023] It is also possible to configure the monitoring unit 12 to initialize the identification information when the battery module 10 is removed from the vehicle 40 (rack 41) based on the disconnection of the connector.

[0024] In this embodiment, the identification information of each battery module 10 is set based on the PWM signal output from the battery ECU 20 to each monitoring unit 12, and an example of the configuration for ID setting will be described below. This ID setting is performed by the battery ECU 20 when the battery module 10 is attached to the vehicle 40, such as when replacing the battery module 10. In this embodiment, the battery ECU 20 corresponds to the identification information setting device.

[0025] 1, the battery ECU 20 and the monitoring units 12 of each battery module 10 are connected by a communication line 22 for PWM communication. This communication line 22 is provided to connect the monitoring units 12 of each battery module 10 in series. In the following description, to distinguish between the communication lines 21 and 22, the communication line 21 for CAN communication will be referred to as the CAN communication line 21, and the communication line 22 for PWM communication will be referred to as the PWM communication line 22. The battery ECU 20 transmits a PWM signal of a predetermined duty to the first monitoring unit 12 of the n monitoring units 12 that are connected in series, and receives a PWM signal from the last n-th monitoring unit 12.

[0026] Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for setting the ID for each battery module 10. In Fig. 5, the number of battery modules 10 is four, and the module IDs for each battery module 10 are all set to their initial values ​​(unset state). When all battery modules 10 in the vehicle 40 have been replaced, all module IDs are set to their initial values. When some of the battery modules 10 in the vehicle 40 have been replaced, all module IDs are initialized based on the fact that some of the module IDs are set to their initial values.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 5(a), in the ID setting start process, the battery ECU 20 transmits an ID setting request to each monitoring unit 12 via the CAN communication line 21, and each monitoring unit 12 enters a preparation state for ID setting. The battery ECU 20 also outputs a PWM signal with a duty ratio a via the PWM communication line 22. At this time, each monitoring unit 12 in the preparation state outputs the input PWM signal as is to the monitoring unit 12 lower in the series. As a result, the lowest monitoring unit 12 outputs a PWM signal with a duty ratio a to the battery ECU 20. By receiving the PWM signal with duty ratio a, the battery ECU 20 recognizes that all monitoring units 12 have entered a preparation state. For example, the duty ratio a is 64%.

[0028] 5(b), in the ID setting process, the battery ECU 20 outputs a PWM signal for ID setting to the PWM communication line 22, while each monitoring unit 12 changes the duty ratio of the input PWM signal by a predetermined value and outputs it to the monitoring unit 12 below. In this case, a module ID is set for each monitoring unit 12 based on the input duty, which is the duty ratio of the input PWM signal.

[0029] The monitoring unit 12 calculates an output duty by adding or subtracting a predetermined value to the input duty, and outputs the output duty to the monitoring unit 12 on the lower stage. The duty ratio of the PWM signal output by the battery ECU 20 is b0, The duty ratio of the PWM signal output by the first-stage monitoring unit 12 is b1, The duty ratio of the PWM signal output by the second-stage monitoring unit 12 is b2, The duty ratio of the PWM signal output by the third stage monitoring unit 12 is b3, The duty ratio of the PWM signal output by the fourth-stage monitoring unit 12 is b4. The PWM signal (duty ratio b4) output from the monitoring unit 12 in the fourth row (bottom row) is input to the battery ECU 20. For example, the duty ratio b0 is 60%, the duty ratio b1 is 56%, the duty ratio b2 is 52%, the duty ratio b3 is 48%, and the duty ratio b4 is 44%.

[0030] Each monitoring unit 12 recognizes its own module ID based on the input duty (duty ratios b0 to b3) of the PWM signal and stores it in memory. Specifically, each monitoring unit 12 sets ID1 to ID4 as the module ID based on the duty ratios b0 to b3, which are the input duties. Also, each monitoring unit 12 sets a communication ID corresponding to the module ID.

[0031] On the other hand, the battery ECU 20 determines that the input duty from the fourth-stage monitoring unit 12 is duty ratio b4, and therefore that module IDs have been set in all monitoring units 12. The battery ECU 20 also recognizes that ID1 to ID4 have been set as module IDs in each battery module 10.

[0032] Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 5(c), in the ID setting completion process, the battery ECU 20 transmits a setting completion signal to each monitoring unit 12 via the CAN communication line 21. As a result, each monitoring unit 12 cancels the ID setting preparation state and returns to the normal state.

[0033] In this embodiment, when the battery ECU 20 is started, the battery ECU 20 checks the communication IDs set for the monitoring units 12 of each battery module 10, determines whether communication has been established based on the check result, and sets the module ID based on the determination that communication has not been established (hereinafter, this process is referred to as the first setting process). In this case, if a battery module 10 has been replaced or the like immediately before the current ECU start-up, the communication ID of the battery module 10 is in an unset state (initial value), and the communication ID is not correctly recognized, and it is determined that communication has not been established. The battery ECU 20 sets the module ID based on the determination that communication cannot be established. Note that the monitoring units 12 are preferably configured not to send or receive the communication ID when the communication ID is initialized.

[0034] In addition, in this embodiment, a second setting process described below is performed in addition to the first setting process described above. In the second setting process, the battery ECU 20 determines whether or not a battery module 10 has been replaced (reinstalled by removal and installation) at least after the module ID of each battery module 10 has been set for the first time, and sets the module ID based on the determination result that a battery module 10 has been replaced.

[0035] The second setting process directly detects whether a battery module 10 has been replaced or not, and sets the module ID based on the history. Here, it is considered that the replacement or re-installation of the battery module 10 is performed with the IG switch of the vehicle 40 in an OFF state (with the vehicle stopped), i.e., with the battery ECU 20 in a stopped state. The monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10 is activated by the application of a power supply voltage (more specifically, by the connection of the module connector 14) associated with the installation of the battery module 10 in the rack 41. In this case, when the battery ECU 20 is activated (activated during system off) in response to the activation of the monitoring unit 12 associated with the installation of the battery module 10 in the IG off state, it is determined that the battery module 10 has been reinstalled based on the occurrence of the activation during system off.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the module ID setting process, which is executed by the battery ECU 20.

[0037] 6, in step S11, it is determined whether or not a replacement history flag indicating that the battery module 10 has been replaced or the like is 0. At this time, if the battery module 10 has not been replaced or the like (reinstalled), the replacement history flag is 0, and step S11 is answered in the affirmative. On the other hand, if the battery module 10 has been replaced, the replacement history flag is 1, and step S11 is answered in the negative.

[0038] The replacement history flag setting process will now be described with reference to the flowchart of Figure 7. This process is executed by the battery ECU 20 at startup.

[0039] 7, in step S31, it is determined whether the current startup of the battery ECU 20 is a startup corresponding to the startup of the monitoring unit 12 accompanying the installation of the battery module 10 (startup while the system is off). If it is a startup while the system is off, the process proceeds to step S32, where it is assumed that the battery module 10 has been replaced, and the replacement history flag is set to 1. If it is not a startup while the system is off, the replacement history flag remains 0.

[0040] Returning to the explanation of FIG. 6, if the replacement history flag is 1, the process proceeds to step S12. In step S12, the processing mode is shifted to an ID setting mode in which a module ID is set. In other words, the replacement history flag being 1 means that it is directly known that a battery module 10 has been replaced, etc. In this case, the module ID is set. That is, with the shift to the ID setting mode, the module ID of each battery module 10 is set based on the PWM signal output from the battery ECU 20 as described above (see FIGS. 5(a) to (c)).

[0041] In step S13, the process waits until the ID setting is completed, and once the ID setting is completed, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the replacement history flag is reset to 0. After that, in step S21, the process transitions from the ID setting mode to the normal mode.

[0042] If the replacement history flag is 0, the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, a communication diagnostic mask is implemented. According to this communication diagnostic mask, even if an abnormality is determined in the communication abnormality diagnosis, the determination result is temporarily suspended. Then, in step S16, CAN communication with each monitoring unit 12 is started.

[0043] In step S17, it is determined whether communication with the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10 has been established. Specifically, the battery ECU 20 compares the communication ID received from each monitoring unit 12 via the communication line 21 with the communication ID recognized by the battery ECU 20, and determines whether communication with the monitoring unit 12 has been established based on the comparison result. In this case, if replacement or the like has been performed on any of the battery modules 10 immediately before the current ECU startup, this will include a monitoring unit 12 with a mismatched communication ID, and it is determined that communication has not been established. It is preferable to determine that communication has not been established based on the fact that the communication ID of the monitoring unit 12 is set to its initial value.

[0044] If communication has not been established with all of the monitoring units 12, the process proceeds to step S18 and transitions to the ID setting mode. Note that, since the diagnostic mask is being executed as described above, even if it is determined that communication has not been established, the determination that there is a communication abnormality is temporarily suspended.

[0045] If communication with all the monitoring units 12 has been established, the process proceeds to step S21 and transitions to the normal mode. That is, if communication with all the monitoring units 12 is possible at the time of startup of the battery ECU 20, control in the normal mode is started. In this step S21, the communication diagnostic mask is released.

[0046] In step S18, the module IDs are set in the ID setting mode. That is, with the transition to the ID setting mode, the module IDs of the battery modules 10 are set based on the PWM signals output from the battery ECU 20 as described above (see FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c)).

[0047] In step S19, the process waits until the ID setting is completed, and once the ID setting is completed, the process proceeds to step S20.

[0048] In step S20, it is determined whether the module ID has been set correctly in the ID setting process. If communication between the battery ECU 20 and each monitoring unit 12 is not established, the reason for this non-establishment of communication may be due to ID initialization due to, for example, replacing the battery module 10, or it may be due to an actual communication abnormality such as a malfunction of the communication device or a poor connection of the communication connector. If an actual communication abnormality has occurred, the series of ID setting processes may not be performed correctly, and as a result, the module ID may not be set correctly.

[0049] In step S19, once the series of ID setting processes has been performed, or if a predetermined time has elapsed during the period in which the ID setting processes have been performed, the process proceeds to the next step S20 regardless of whether the module ID has been set correctly or not.

[0050] If it is determined in step S20 that the module ID has been set correctly, the process proceeds to step S21. In step S21, it is determined that the communication state is normal, and the ID setting mode is switched to the normal mode. In this step S21, the communication diagnostic mask is released.

[0051] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S20 that the module ID was not set correctly, the process proceeds to step S22. In step S22, the communication state is determined to be abnormal, and a predetermined fail-safe process is performed. As the fail-safe process, the battery ECU 20, for example, notifies the user to check the installation state of the battery module 10. If communication between the battery ECU 20 and each monitoring unit 12 is not established and this is due to a communication abnormality, it is possible that the cause is an improper battery module 10 replacement operation by the user. In this regard, by notifying the user as described above, even if communication is not established due to an improper battery module 10 replacement operation, the situation can be corrected. In this case, it is preferable to re-install the battery module 10 and then execute the process of FIG. 6 again.

[0052] According to the present embodiment described above in detail, the following excellent effects can be obtained.

[0053] In a battery system in which the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10 and the battery ECU 20 can communicate with each other, the communication ID is collated for each monitoring unit 12 when the battery ECU 20 is started, and whether communication has been established is determined based on the collation result. In a battery system in which such communication determination is performed, if a battery module 10 is replaced, the communication ID of the battery module 10 is in an unset state (e.g., an initial state), and the communication ID is not correctly recognized when the battery ECU 20 is started, resulting in a determination that communication has not been established. In this case, the determination that communication cannot be established makes it possible to know that a battery module 10 has been replaced, for example. Therefore, the module ID is set based on the determination that communication has not been established when the battery ECU 20 is started. This allows the module ID to be set correctly and easily, even if the user replaces a battery module 10 themselves.

[0054] When the battery module 10 is removed from the rack 41, specifically when the battery module 10 is being charged by an external charging device, the communication ID is initialized in the monitoring unit 12. In this case, in the communication ID verification process at startup, the communication ID of the monitoring unit 12 is set to the initial value, resulting in communication being unestablished. This makes it possible to appropriately determine that the battery module 10 has been replaced, for example.

[0055] When the battery ECU 20 is started and it is determined that communication with each monitoring unit 12 has not been established, the determination of a communication abnormality is temporarily suspended, and during this suspension period (communication diagnostic mask period), the module ID is set. This allows the transition to the ID setting mode to be performed appropriately, assuming that the lack of communication is due to the replacement of the battery module 10 or the like, i.e., the initialization of the communication ID due to the module replacement or the like.

[0056] When communication between the battery ECU 20 and each monitoring unit 12 is not established, the reason for this non-establishment of communication may be due to ID initialization such as replacement of the battery module 10, or may be due to an actual communication abnormality such as a malfunction of the communication device or a poor connection of the communication connector. Taking this into consideration, after the module ID setting process is performed, it is determined whether the module ID was set correctly. If it is determined that the module ID was set correctly, it is determined that the communication state is normal. If it is determined that the module ID was not set correctly, it is determined that the communication state is abnormal. This prevents an actual communication abnormality from being overlooked.

[0057] If it is determined that the module ID was not set correctly after the module ID setting process has been performed, a fail-safe feature is provided, which is to notify the user to check the installation state of the battery module 10. This allows the situation to be corrected if communication has not been established due to an improper replacement of the battery module 10 or the like.

[0058] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0059] In this embodiment, the difference from the first embodiment is that if the module ID is not set correctly after it has been set, the battery module 10 for which the module ID was not set correctly is set to an unusable state, and the remaining battery modules 10 are set to an usable state, provided that multiple battery modules 10 are connected in parallel.

[0060] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure for setting a module ID, and this process is executed by replacing the process in Figure 6. The process in Figure 8 is a partial modification of the process in Figure 6, and the same steps as in Figure 6 are assigned the same step numbers and their explanations are omitted.

[0061] 8, when communication with the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10 has not been established, a module ID is set in ID setting mode, and it is determined whether the module ID has been set correctly (steps S17 to S20). If it is determined in step S20 that the module ID has not been set correctly, the process proceeds to step S41. In step S41, it is determined whether the assembled batteries 11 of the multiple battery modules 10 are connected in series in this battery system. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2(a), if the assembled batteries 11 of each battery module 10 are connected in series, the process proceeds to step S22, where, as a fail-safe process, a notification is issued to the user urging them to check the installation status of the battery modules 10.

[0062] 2(b), if the assembled batteries 11 of the battery modules 10 are connected in parallel, the process proceeds to step S42, where the battery modules 10 for which the module ID was not set correctly are set to an unusable state, and the remaining battery modules 10 are set to a usable state. In this case, assuming that the vehicle 40 can run even if some of the battery modules 10 are disabled, the battery modules 10 for which the module ID setting failed are not used, and the vehicle is run using the remaining battery modules 10. Note that if the process of step S22 is considered to be the first fail-safe process, the process of step S42 corresponds to the second fail-safe process.

[0063] If it is determined that the module IDs have not been set correctly, the battery modules 10 whose module IDs have not been set correctly are set to an unusable state, and the remaining battery modules 10 are set to a usable state, provided that the assembled batteries 11 of each battery module 10 are connected in parallel. This allows the vehicle to be driven as soon as possible after replacing the battery modules 10, even while some of the battery modules 10 are not in use.

[0064] (Other embodiments) The above embodiment may be modified as follows, for example.

[0065] The following process may be performed as the ID setting process (second setting process) for setting the module ID based on the history of the battery module 10 being reinstalled.

[0066] 9(a), the battery ECU 20 determines whether the battery module 10 has been reinstalled using a lock signal output from the lock device 50 provided on the rack 41. In this case, the battery ECU 20 acquires the lock signal output from the lock device 50 (step S51), and determines whether the lock device 50 has transitioned from a locked state to an unlocked state based on the lock signal (step S52). If it is determined that the lock device 50 has transitioned from a locked state to an unlocked state, the battery ECU 20 sets the replacement history flag to 1 (step S53). It is also possible to set the replacement history flag to 1 if it is determined that the lock device 50 has transitioned from an unlocked state to a locked state.

[0067] That is, when a battery module 10 is replaced or otherwise performed, the locking device 50 provided on the rack 41 is unlocked and locked. By focusing on this point, it is determined that the battery module 10 has been reinstalled based on the detection that the locking device 50 has transitioned from one of the locked and unlocked states to the other. This makes it possible to appropriately determine that a battery module 10 has been replaced or otherwise performed.

[0068] 9(b), in a configuration in which the monitoring units 12 of the battery modules 10 are connected in series by a series connection line, it is determined that the battery module 10 has been reinstalled based on an input signal input to the series connection line and an output signal output from the series connection line. For example, the PWM communication line 22 shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to the series connection line. In this case, it is preferable that the battery ECU 20 is activated at a predetermined cycle while the IG is off, and a PWM signal with a predetermined duty is output to the PWM communication line 22. The PWM signal is returned to the battery ECU 20 via each monitoring unit 12.

[0069] 9(b), the battery ECU 20 outputs a PWM signal to the monitoring unit 12 at the highest stage in the series via the PWM communication line 22 (step S61), and determines whether the PWM signal input from the monitoring unit 12 at the lowest stage in the series is the same PWM signal as when it was output (whether the duty ratios match) (steps S62, S63). If it is determined that the output and input PWM signals in the battery ECU 20 do not match, the replacement history flag is set to 1 (step S64).

[0070] Note that a connection line other than the PWM communication line 22 may be used as the series connection line. Specifically, the monitoring units 12 are connected in series between the output terminal and input terminal of the battery ECU 20 by connection lines, and a predetermined voltage signal is output from the output terminal of the battery ECU 20. In this case, it is preferable that a predetermined voltage signal (i.e., a voltage equal to or greater than a threshold) is normally input to the input terminal of the battery ECU 20, and when the battery module 10 is removed for replacement or the like, a voltage signal of 0 V (i.e., a voltage less than the threshold) is input to the input terminal of the battery ECU 20.

[0071] When a battery module 10 is replaced or otherwise performed, the transmission signal transmitted through the series connection line (such as the PWM communication line 22) is interrupted in one of the monitoring units 12 connected in series by the series connection line. When the transmission signal transmitted through the series connection line is interrupted, the relationship between the input signal and the output signal of the battery ECU 20 differs from when the transmission signal is not interrupted. Focusing on this point, it is determined that the battery module 10 has been reinstalled based on the input signal input to the series connection line and the output signal output from the series connection line. This makes it possible to suitably determine that a battery module 10 has been replaced or otherwise performed.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the battery ECU 20 and the monitoring units 12 of each battery module 10 are capable of communicating with each other via a CAN communication line, but this may be modified so that the battery ECU 20 and each monitoring unit 12 are capable of wireless communication with each other. In this case, for example, information regarding +B activation of the monitoring unit 12, module replacement history, etc. may be transmitted to the battery ECU 20 via wireless communication.

[0073] In the vehicle 40, after a battery module 10 is removed from the rack 41, it is conceivable that another battery module 10 is reinstalled, or that the battery module 10 that was removed this time (the same battery module 10) is reinstalled after charging, etc. In this case, when the battery module 10 is reinstalled, the ID setting process may be different depending on whether a different battery module 10 or the same battery module 10 is installed.

[0074] Specifically, when the battery ECU 20 is started, the battery ECU 20 may execute the process shown in the flowchart of Fig. 10. In Fig. 10, in step S71, it is determined whether the replacement history flag is 1, and in the subsequent step S72, it is determined whether the battery module 10 removed previously and the battery module 10 installed this time are the same. In this case, whether the battery modules 10 installed at the time of removal are the same as those at the time of installation may be recognized, for example, by an operational input by the user. For example, during a series of battery module 10 replacement operations, the user may be asked, "Are the battery modules 10 the same?" and the battery ECU 20 may determine whether the battery modules 10 are the same based on the operational input in response. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which past ID history is stored in the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10, and the battery ECU 20 may determine whether the battery modules 10 are the same based on the ID history. Furthermore, when the same battery module 10 is reattached after being charged by an external charging device, it is recommended that the identification information (module ID, communication ID) of the monitoring unit 12 not be initialized during charging. In this case, when the ECU is started immediately after reattachment, the same identification information as before removal will be recognized.

[0075] If the battery modules 10 are the same, the process proceeds to step S73, where the original module ID is used without reassigning the module ID. On the other hand, if the battery modules 10 are different, the process proceeds to step S74, where the system transitions to ID setting mode to reassign the module ID. After steps S73 and S74, the system transitions to normal mode (step S75).

[0076] Note that cases where the battery module 10 is the same when removed and when installed include when the battery module 10 is reinstalled without being charged, and when the battery module 10 is reinstalled after being charged. For example, the former case may be when the battery module 10 is temporarily removed for inspection or the like. In both cases where the battery modules 10 are the same, the module ID is not reassigned and the original module ID is used as is. However, when the battery module 10 is reinstalled without being charged, the module ID is not reassigned and the original module ID is used as is, whereas when the battery module 10 is reinstalled after being charged, the module ID may be reassigned.

[0077] When it is determined that the battery module 10 has been reinstalled, the module ID setting mode is changed depending on whether the reinstalled battery module 10 is the same as the battery module 10 that was previously removed. This allows an appropriate ID setting process to be performed depending on whether the module ID needs to be reset.

[0078] It is also conceivable that in the vehicle 40, the storage locations of at least two battery modules 10 are swapped without changing the combination of all battery modules 10 stored in the rack 41. In this case, it is determined whether or not the battery modules 10 have been swapped based on the past ID history in each monitoring unit 12, and if the re-installation of the battery modules 10 is a battery module 10 swap, the original module IDs may be used as they are without reassigning the module IDs.

[0079] In the above embodiments, the identification information of each battery module 10 is set based on the PWM signal output from the battery ECU 20 to each monitoring unit 12, but the ID setting method is not limited to this, and other methods may be used. For example, the monitoring units 12 may be connected in series, a predetermined voltage may be applied to the topmost monitoring unit 12, and module IDs may be set in order from top to bottom based on the divided voltage of each monitoring unit 12.

[0080] In the above embodiments, the battery ECU 20 is configured to be able to perform both a first setting process, which sets a module ID based on the fact that communication between the battery ECU 20 and each monitoring unit 12 has not been established, and a second setting process, which sets a module ID based on a history of the battery module 10 being reinstalled, when the battery ECU 20 is started up. However, this may be changed. The battery ECU 20 may be configured to perform only the first setting process (i.e., to perform steps S11 to S14 and S21 in FIG. 6 as the ID setting process). Alternatively, the battery ECU 20 may be configured to perform only the second setting process (i.e., to perform steps S15 to S22 in FIG. 6 as the ID setting process).

[0081] In the second setting process, when the monitoring unit 12 is started up in response to the re-installation of the battery module 10 in the vehicle 40 (when the monitoring unit 12 is started up +B), the replacement history flag may be set in the monitoring unit 12, and the replacement history flag may be transmitted from the monitoring unit 12 to the battery ECU 20.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the battery ECU 20 in the battery system is the identification information setting device, but this configuration may be changed to include an identification information setting device separate from the battery ECU 20. For example, a provisioning device for ID setting (ID assignment) may be provided as the identification information setting device.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the battery system has been described as a battery system for a vehicle, but it may also be a battery system for a mobile body other than a vehicle, such as an aircraft or a ship. It may also be a battery system for a non-mobile body, i.e., a stationary battery system. Specifically, the ID setting method of the present invention can be applied to a battery system attached to a building such as a house, a store, or a public facility. Furthermore, in a battery storage system that stores battery modules 10, ID setting may be performed as described above for battery modules 10 that are in storage.

[0084] The rack for each battery module 10 may have a plurality of storage shelves for accommodating the battery modules 10, a housing portion that is open on one side, and an opening / closing portion (door portion) that can be opened and closed at the opening of the housing portion. The monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10 may be capable of wireless communication within the housing portion. The housing portion may be provided with a ventilation portion for heat dissipation or a cooling portion that performs cooling using a refrigerant. The housing portion or the opening / closing portion may be provided with a waveguide and a radio wave absorber.

[0085] A first battery system for using the power of the battery modules 10 and a second battery system for storing the battery modules 10 may be provided, and the battery modules 10 may be interchangeable between the first battery system and the second battery system. Specifically, the system shown in FIG. 11 may be considered. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an on-board battery system as a first battery system including a plurality of battery modules 10 and a battery ECU 20, and a battery storage system as a second battery system including a plurality of battery modules 10 and a management ECU 60. In the battery storage system, a rack 61 serving as a mounting portion houses a plurality of battery modules 10. Although not shown, the rack 61 is provided with a rack connector and a locking device, similar to the rack 41. The battery modules 10 housed in each rack 41, 61 are interchangeable between the systems.

[0086] The number of modules housed in the racks 41, 61 may differ between the on-board battery system and the battery storage system, and for example, the battery storage system may be configured to house more modules than the on-board battery system. Note that a group of battery modules in the rack 61 may be assigned to each vehicle 40. Also, the number of modules housed in the racks 41, 61 may be the same between the on-board battery system and the battery storage system.

[0087] As described above, the battery ECU 20 performs an ID setting process when the battery module 10 is replaced, and the management ECU 60 also performs an ID setting process when the battery module 10 is replaced, etc. In other words, each ECU 20, 60 has a communication function of the same communication format, and each time a battery module 10 is reinstalled in the on-board battery system or in the battery storage system, each ECU 20, 60 sets the ID of each battery module 10 using the method described above.

[0088] When each ECU 20, 60 determines that a battery module 10 has been replaced, it may notify the user or worker of this by displaying a message on the screen, making a sound, or the like. In this case, it may notify which battery module 10 in the rack 41, 61 has been replaced, based on the module ID. This allows the user or the like to be notified that the battery module 10 has been properly replaced. Furthermore, if a battery module 10 has been fraudulently replaced, it is possible to notify the user or the like that this fraudulent act has occurred. In other words, the ID setting function of the present invention can be used to implement fraud prevention measures.

[0089] Furthermore, if the battery modules 10 are stored in the battery storage system for a long period of time, the amount of stored electricity in the battery modules 10 may decrease due to natural discharge, and the battery life may be shortened due to deterioration. Therefore, it is desirable to monitor the battery modules 10 in storage using the management ECU 60. It is also desirable for the management ECU 60 to periodically activate the monitoring unit 12 of each battery module 10.

[0090] In this case, if each battery module 10 housed in the rack 61 is assigned a module ID, the position of the battery module 10 in the rack 61 can be ascertained. Therefore, when a decrease in the amount of stored power or deterioration occurs in a battery module 10 in the battery storage system, it is possible to easily identify the corresponding battery module 10. This improves maintainability. Also, in the battery storage system, each battery module 10 may be chargeable while attached to the rack 61. In such a configuration, it is possible to selectively charge the battery module 10 that is to be charged.

[0091] Furthermore, the ECUs 20, 60 of each system are capable of wireless communication with an external server 70. When each ECU 20, 60 determines that a battery module 10 has been replaced, it may transmit that information to the external server 70. This allows the external server 70 to easily and appropriately manage battery replacement in each system.

[0092] The battery module 10 can be interchanged between the in-vehicle battery system and the battery storage system, and the module ID can be set in the same manner in each of these systems. This allows the proper module ID to be set both when the battery module 10 is in use and when it is in storage, and ultimately allows the battery module 10 to be continuously monitored properly.

[0093] The controller and methods described herein may be implemented by a special-purpose computer configured with a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied in a computer program. Alternatively, the controller and methods described herein may be implemented by a special-purpose computer configured with a processor configured with one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the controller and methods described herein may be implemented by one or more special-purpose computers configured with a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions in combination with a processor configured with one or more hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored as instructions executed by a computer on a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium.

[0094] The technical ideas extracted from the above-described embodiments will be described below. [Configuration 1] The present invention is applied to a battery system having a plurality of battery modules (10) each having a storage battery (11) and a monitoring unit (12) that monitors the storage battery, an identification information setting device (20) that is provided to be able to communicate with the monitoring unit and sets module identification information individually for each of the battery modules, a communication determination unit that, when the identification information setting device is started, collates communication identification information determined for each of the monitoring units and determines whether communication has been established based on the result of the collating; a setting unit that sets the module identification information based on the determination by the communication determination unit that communication has not been established; An identification information setting device comprising: [Configuration 2] the communication identification information of the monitoring unit is initialized when the battery module is removed from the battery system, The identification information setting device according to configuration 1, wherein the communication determination unit determines that communication has not been established if the communication identification information of the monitoring unit is set to an initial value during a process of verifying the communication identification information at startup. [Configuration 3] In the battery system, the plurality of battery modules are used in a state where they are attached to predetermined attachment portions (41), and can be charged by an external charging device in a state where they are detached from the attachment portions, When the battery module is charged by the external charging device, the communication identification information is initialized in the monitoring unit, The identification information setting device according to configuration 1, wherein the communication determination unit determines that communication has not been established if the communication identification information of the monitoring unit is set to an initial value during a process of verifying the communication identification information at startup. [Configuration 4] An identification information setting device described in any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein when the communication determination unit determines that communication has not been established, the determination that there is a communication abnormality is temporarily suspended, and during that suspension period, the setting unit is caused to set the module identification information. [Configuration 5] a correctness determining unit that determines whether the module identification information has been set correctly after the setting unit has set the module identification information, The communication determination unit When it is determined that communication has not been established, if the correctness determining unit determines that the module identification information has been set correctly, the communication state is determined to be normal; An identification information setting device described in any one of configurations 1 to 4, which determines that the communication state is abnormal when the correct / incorrect determination unit determines that the module identification information was not set correctly under circumstances where it is determined that communication has not been established. [Configuration 6] The identification information setting device according to configuration 5, wherein, when the correctness determining unit determines that the module identification information has not been set correctly, a notification is issued to prompt the user to check the installation state of the battery module. [Configuration 7] a correctness determining unit that determines whether the module identification information has been set correctly after the setting unit has set the module identification information, The identification information setting device of any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein, when the correct / incorrect determination unit determines that the module identification information was not set correctly, the battery module for which the module identification information was not set correctly is set to an unusable state, and the remaining battery modules are set to a usable state, provided that the storage batteries of each battery module are connected in parallel. [Configuration 8] the battery system includes a first battery system intended to use the power of the battery modules and a second battery system intended to store the battery modules, and the battery modules can be interchanged between the first battery system and the second battery system; The battery system, wherein the first battery system and the second battery system each have the identification information setting device (20, 60) according to any one of configurations 1 to 7. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 10... battery module, 11... battery pack, 12... monitoring unit, 20... battery ECU.

Claims

1. The present invention is applied to a battery system having a plurality of battery modules (10) each having a storage battery (11) and a monitoring unit (12) that monitors the storage battery, an identification information setting device (20) that is provided to be able to communicate with the monitoring unit and sets module identification information individually for each of the battery modules, a communication determination unit that, when the identification information setting device is started, collates communication identification information determined for each of the monitoring units and determines whether communication has been established based on the result of the collating; a setting unit that sets the module identification information based on the determination by the communication determination unit that communication has not been established; An identification information setting device comprising:

2. the communication identification information of the monitoring unit is initialized when the battery module is removed from the battery system, 2. The identification information setting device according to claim 1, wherein the communication determination unit determines that communication has not been established if the communication identification information of the monitoring unit is set to an initial value during a process of verifying the communication identification information at startup.

3. In the battery system, the plurality of battery modules are used in a state where they are attached to predetermined attachment portions (41), and can be charged by an external charging device in a state where they are detached from the attachment portions, When the battery module is charged by the external charging device, the communication identification information is initialized in the monitoring unit, 2. The identification information setting device according to claim 1, wherein the communication determination unit determines that communication has not been established if the communication identification information of the monitoring unit is set to an initial value during a process of verifying the communication identification information at startup.

4. 2. The identification information setting device according to claim 1, wherein when the communication determination unit determines that communication has not been established, the determination that there is a communication abnormality is temporarily suspended, and during that suspension period, the setting unit is caused to set the module identification information.

5. a correctness determining unit that determines whether the module identification information has been set correctly after the setting unit has set the module identification information, The communication determination unit When it is determined that communication has not been established, if the correctness determining unit determines that the module identification information has been set correctly, the communication state is determined to be normal; The identification information setting device described in claim 1, which determines that the communication state is abnormal when the correct / incorrect determination unit determines that the module identification information was not set correctly under a situation where communication is determined not to be established.

6. The identification information setting device according to claim 5 , wherein when the correctness determining unit determines that the module identification information has not been set correctly, a notification is issued to prompt the user to check the installation state of the battery module.

7. a correctness determining unit that determines whether the module identification information has been set correctly after the setting unit has set the module identification information, 2. The identification information setting device according to claim 1, wherein, when the correct / incorrect determination unit determines that the module identification information was not set correctly, the battery module for which the module identification information was not set correctly is set to an unusable state and the remaining battery modules are set to a usable state, provided that the storage batteries of each battery module are connected in parallel.

8. the battery system includes a first battery system intended to use the electric power of the battery modules and a second battery system intended to store the battery modules, and the battery modules can be interchanged between the first battery system and the second battery system; A battery system, wherein the first battery system and the second battery system each have an identification information setting device (20, 60) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. In a battery system having a plurality of battery modules (10) each having a storage battery (11) and a monitoring unit (12) that monitors the storage battery, a program executed by an identification information setting device (20) that is provided to be able to communicate with the monitoring unit and that sets module identification information individually for each of the battery modules, a communication determination step of verifying communication identification information determined for each of the monitoring units when the identification information setting device is started, and determining whether communication has been established based on the verification result; a setting step of setting the module identification information based on the determination that communication has not been established in the communication determination step; A program that includes:

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