Battery module including a battery management system capable of history tracking.

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a battery module includes a plurality of battery cells, including a first battery cell and a second battery cell; a master battery management system (BMS) including a master memory for managing the plurality of battery cells; and a bus bar connecting the plurality of battery cells and electrically connected to the master BMS. The first battery cell includes a first cell controller disposed within the first battery cell and configured to communicate with the master BMS via the bus bar, and a first cell memory operatively coupled to the first cell controller. The first cell controller is configured to generate first history information about the history of the first battery cell, record the generated first history information in the first cell memory, and transmit a first signal including the generated first history information to the master BMS via the bus bar. When the master BMS receives the first signal from the first cell controller, the master BMS is configured to record the first history information included in the first signal in the master memory.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates to a battery module including a battery management system capable of history tracking. [Background technology]

[0002] A battery module may consist of multiple electrically connected battery cells. These battery cells may be connected in series and / or parallel. Each of the battery cells may age at a different rate. When reusing a battery module or replacing battery cells, assurance of the battery module's reliability may be necessary.

[0003] A battery module may include a battery management system (BMS) for monitoring the status of multiple battery cells. The battery management system can monitor the multiple battery cells that make up the battery module and can send and receive data signals to and from multiple battery cells in order to control the operation of the battery cells. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] To reuse a battery module, its condition must be understood. The requirements for reused battery modules may vary depending on the purpose of reuse. For example, battery modules reused in electric vehicles may require a relatively high level of battery module condition for safety reasons. Similarly, when replacing battery cells within a battery module, it may be necessary to understand the condition of the replaced battery cells. When reusing battery cells or battery modules, it may be necessary to provide historical information about the reused battery cells or battery modules.

[0005] The technical problems to be addressed herein are not limited to those described herein, and other technical problems not described herein will be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A battery module according to one embodiment may include a plurality of battery cells, including a first battery cell and a second battery cell; a master battery management system (BMS) for managing the plurality of battery cells, including a master memory; and a bus bar connecting the plurality of battery cells and electrically connected to the master BMS. The first battery cell may include a first cell controller located within the first battery cell and configured to communicate with the master BMS via the bus bar; and a first cell memory operationally coupled to the first cell controller. The first cell controller may be configured to generate first history information about the history of the first battery cell, record the generated first history information in the first cell memory, and transmit a first signal containing the generated first history information to the master BMS via the bus bar. When the master BMS receives the first signal from the first cell controller, it may be configured to record the first history information contained in the first signal in the master memory.

[0007] A battery module according to one embodiment may include a plurality of battery cells, a master battery management system (BMS), and a busbar. The plurality of battery cells may include a first battery cell and a second battery cell. The master BMS may be configured to manage the plurality of battery cells. The busbar can connect the plurality of battery cells. The busbar can be electrically connected to the master BMS. The first battery cell may include a first cell controller. The first cell controller may be located within the first battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to monitor the state of health (SOH) of the first battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to acquire a signal including a numeric value for indicating the SOH of the first battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to transmit the signal to the master BMS via the busbar. The master BMS may be configured to estimate the SOH of the first battery cell based on at least a portion of the signal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In one embodiment, the battery module allows the master BMS and each of the multiple battery cells to communicate via a busbar, thus eliminating the need for a separate wire harness. According to this embodiment, omitting the wire harness simplifies the design and reduces weight. The battery module according to this embodiment provides reliability during reuse by providing history information for the battery module and each of the multiple battery cells contained within it.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the State of Health (SOH) for each of the multiple battery cells included in the battery module can be estimated, and the SOH of each of the multiple battery cells can be determined relatively.

[0010] The effects obtained by this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned above will be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a schematic block diagram of a battery module according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic block diagram of a cell controller according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] An example of a first battery cell constituting a battery module according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 4] An example of a data packet of signals transmitted and received via a cell controller of a battery module according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 5] This shows an example of the transmission and reception operation of data signals from multiple battery cells in a battery module according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of a battery module according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] [Figure 7A] This figure shows an example of a battery module being reused according to one embodiment. [Figure 7B] This figure shows an example of a battery module having its battery cells replaced according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation for managing the history of a battery module according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the master BMS when the battery cells of a battery module are replaced according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] This diagram schematically illustrates a blockchain network designed to prevent the forgery and alteration of historical data. [Figure 11]It is a flowchart of an example of the operations of the master BMS and a plurality of cell controllers. [Figure 12] [FIG. 12A] It is a graph showing the voltage change with respect to time during the discharge of a battery cell. [FIG. 12B] It is a flowchart in which the master BMS determines the deterioration of a battery cell based on the voltage change with respect to time. [Figure 13] It is a graph showing the voltage change with respect to time during the discharge of a battery cell. [Figure 14] It is a graph showing the voltage change with respect to time during the charging of a battery cell.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a battery module according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a cell controller according to an embodiment.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, a battery module 100 according to an embodiment can include a plurality of battery cells 120 connected in series with each other, and a master battery management system (BMS) 110 operatively coupled to the plurality of battery cells 120. The plurality of battery cells 120 can be connected in series with each other to form the battery module 100. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of battery cells 120 can be connected to a load via an inverter or a pulse generator and operate as a driving source of the load. The circuits described below may mean a circuit including circuit elements interconnected to provide a specific function.

[0014] According to one embodiment, multiple battery cells 120 may be connected in series with each other. Referring to Figure 1, the first battery cell 120-1 may be connected to the master BMS 110. The second battery cell 120-2 may be connected to the first battery cell 120-2. The third battery cell 120-3 may be connected to the second battery cell 120-2. According to one embodiment, the first battery cell 120-1 to the nth battery cell 120-n can be connected in series sequentially in a first direction D1. For example, the negative terminal of the first battery cell 120-1 can be electrically connected to the positive terminal of the second battery cell 120-2. The negative terminal of the second battery cell 120-2 can be electrically connected to the positive terminal of the third battery cell 120-3. When multiple battery cells 120 are connected in series with each other, the voltage of the entire system can be set as the sum of the voltages of each of the battery cells 120 that make up the multiple battery cells 120. In Figure 1, multiple battery cells 120 are shown aligned in a first direction D1, but this is for illustrative purposes only and is not limited to illustrating the electrical connections between the multiple battery cells 120. For example, a battery module 100 can be formed by stacking and assembling multiple battery cells 120 together.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the master BMS 110 can be configured to control the overall operation of multiple battery cells 120. According to one embodiment, the master BMS 110 can be configured to communicate with multiple cell controllers 200 of multiple battery cells 120 via a busbar (e.g., busbar 500 in Figure 6) for connecting the multiple battery cells 120, without a separate wire harness. The master BMS 110 may be configured to acquire information about the state of health (SOH) of each of the multiple battery cells 120 via the busbar. For example, the master BMS 110 may be configured to acquire information about the voltage and / or current of each of the multiple battery cells 120 via the busbar. For example, the master BMS 110 can be configured to acquire information about the state of health (SOH), such as the remaining capacity (state of charge, SOC), SOH, and temperature of each of the multiple battery cells 120 via the busbar. For example, the master BMS 110 can be configured to send signals via busbars to multiple cell controllers 200 located within the multiple battery cells 120 to request charging and / or discharging for each of the multiple battery cells 120.

[0016] A master BMS 110 according to one embodiment may include a plurality of cell controllers 200 located in each battery cell 120 to collect information regarding the state of a plurality of battery cells 120. For example, a first battery cell 120-1 may include a first cell controller 200-1 located within the first battery cell 120-1. A second battery cell 120-2 may include a second cell controller 200-2 located within the second battery cell 120-2. For example, the plurality of cell controllers 200 may be located on the power lines within the plurality of battery cells 120. The plurality of cell controllers 200 may be configured to transmit and / or receive data using the power lines as a transmission medium. According to one embodiment, the plurality of battery cells 120 can transmit signals containing information about each state to the master BMS 110 using the plurality of cell controllers 200. The master BMS 110 can transmit signals to each of the multiple battery cells 120 to request the operation of each of the multiple battery cells 120 and / or signals to request information regarding the State of Health (SOH) of each of the multiple battery cells 120, using multiple cell controllers 200.

[0017] Referring to Figure 2, the master BMS 110 can include a communication circuit 210, a charge / discharge control circuit 220, a monitoring circuit 230, a notification circuit 240, and a memory 119.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the communication circuit 210 can transmit and / or receive signals via busbars to the cell communication modules 125 of a plurality of battery cells 120. The communication circuit 210 may be connected to a power line for data signal transmission and power supply to the battery cells 120.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the charge / discharge control circuit 220 can control the charging and / or discharging of a plurality of battery cells 120. For example, the charge / discharge control circuit 220 can perform functions to monitor the voltage and remaining capacity (state of charge, SOC) of the secondary batteries (e.g., secondary battery 121 in Figure 3) within the plurality of battery cells 120, functions to control the charging and discharging of the plurality of battery cells 120, and functions to prevent overcharging and over-discharging.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the monitoring circuit 230 may be configured to monitor the status of multiple battery cells 120. When an abnormal condition occurs, the monitoring circuit 230 can notify the system of the abnormality of the battery cells 120 via the notification circuit 240. For example, the notification circuit 240 can be connected to a display or LED (Light Emitting Diode) that emits a visual signal. For example, the notification circuit 240 can be connected to a speaker that emits an auditory signal. However, it is not limited to these.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the memory 119 may be configured to store various information relating to a plurality of battery cells 120. For example, the memory 119 can store a unique ID and status for each of the plurality of battery cells 120. For example, the memory 119 can store an ID table of the battery cells 120, which will be described later. For example, the memory 119 can store information regarding the charge / discharge record, charge capacity, and remaining lifespan of the battery cells 120.

[0022] According to one embodiment, an ID can be assigned to each of the multiple battery cells 120. Signals transmitted from the master BMS 110 and signals transmitted from the battery cells 120 can include information about the ID assigned to each of the multiple battery cells 120. According to one embodiment, when a signal is received by multiple cell controllers 200 from the master BMS 110, the multiple cell controllers 200 may be configured to identify the information about the ID contained in the signal. Based on the identified information about the ID, the multiple cell controllers 200 may be configured to identify the battery cell to which the signal received from the master BMS 110 is to be received.

[0023] For example, when the master BMS 110 sends a signal to the third battery cell 120-3 to request a specified operation, the master BMS 110 may send a signal to the first battery cell 120-1 that includes information about the ID assigned to the third battery cell 120-3. A first cell controller 200-1 located within the first battery cell 120-1 may be configured to receive the signal and identify the information about the ID contained in the signal. The first cell controller 200-1 may identify that the information about the ID contained in the signal does not match the information about the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1, and based on that identification, may send the signal to the second battery cell 120-2. A second cell controller 200-2 located within the second battery cell 120-2 may be configured to receive the signal and identify the information about the ID contained in the signal. The second cell controller 200-2 may identify that the ID information contained in the signal does not match the ID information assigned to the second battery cell 120-2, and based on that identification, transmit the signal to the third battery cell 120-3. The third cell controller 200-3, located within the third battery cell 120-3, may be configured to receive the signal and identify the ID information contained in the signal. The third cell controller 200-3 may identify that the ID information contained in the signal matches the ID information assigned to the third battery cell 120-3, and based on that identification, can identify the specified operation contained in the signal. The third cell controller 200-3 may be configured to perform at least one operation corresponding to the specified operation in order to perform the specified operation.

[0024] For example, if a signal containing information about the state of the first battery cell 120-1 is transmitted to the master BMS 110, the master BMS 110 can identify that the signal relates to the first battery cell 120-1 through the information about the ID contained in the signal. For example, if multiple battery cells 120 receive a signal containing information about the charging and / or discharging signals of the first battery cell 120-1, the multiple battery cells 120 can identify that the signal relates to the first battery cell 120-1 through the information about the ID contained in the signal.

[0025] In one embodiment, the battery module 100 can communicate via a busbar connecting multiple battery cells 120, so the design for transmitting and / or receiving communication between the master BMS 110 and the multiple battery cells 120 can be simplified.

[0026] According to one embodiment, when the master BMS 110 transmits a signal to a specific battery cell (e.g., a second battery cell 120-2), the signal can be transmitted through other battery cells (e.g., a first battery cell 120-1) other than the battery cell that is receiving the signal (e.g., a second battery cell 120-2). Furthermore, when a specific battery cell (e.g., a second battery cell 120-2) transmits a signal to the master BMS 110, the signal can be transmitted to the master BMS 110 through at least one other battery cell (e.g., a first battery cell 120-1).

[0027] For example, if the master BMS 110 sends a signal to the third battery cell 120-3 requesting information about the status of the third battery cell 120-3, the master BMS 110 will send a signal S to the first battery cell 120-1 connected to the master BMS 110. 01 The signal S can be transmitted. 01 The signal S may be transmitted in the first direction D1. 01After being transmitted to the first battery cell 120-1 connected to the master BMS 110, the signal S is transmitted from the first battery cell 120-1 to the second battery cell 120-2. 12 It can be changed to. The signal S transmitted from the first battery cell 120-1 to the second battery cell 120-2 12 After being transmitted to the second battery cell 120-2, the signal S is transmitted from the second battery cell 120-2 to the third battery cell 120-3. 23 It can be changed to.

[0028] For example, when the third battery cell 120-3 transmits a signal including information about the state of the third battery cell 120-3 to the master BMS 110, the signal can be transmitted in the second direction D2. The signal S transmitted from the third battery cell 120-3 to the second battery cell 120-2 32 May be transmitted to the second battery cell 120-2. The signal S transmitted from the third battery cell 120-3 to the second battery cell 120-2 32 After being transmitted to the second battery cell 120-2, the signal S is transmitted from the second battery cell 120-2 to the first battery cell 120-1. 21 It can be changed to. The signal S transmitted from the second battery cell 120-2 to the first battery cell 120-1 21 After being transmitted to the first battery cell 120-1, the signal S is transmitted from the first battery cell 120-1 to the master BMS 110. 10 It can be changed to. The master BMS 110 receives the signal S 10 And can obtain the information about the state of the third battery cell included in the signal S 10

[0029] ​As a signal passes through the battery cells 120 sequentially, the internal impedance of each battery cell (e.g., the internal resistance of the battery cell) can reduce the signal strength. Since the signal strength decreases each time the signal passes through a battery cell 120, it is necessary to maintain signal strength when transmitting a signal through multiple battery cells 120. Also, since signal collisions can occur if signals are transmitted in different directions, it is necessary to set the direction of signal transmission.

[0030] Figure 3 shows an example of a first battery cell constituting a battery module according to one embodiment. The components described below for the first battery cell 120-1 can be similarly applied to other battery cells.

[0031] Referring to Figure 3, the first battery cell 120-1 may include a secondary battery 121, a protection circuit 123, and a first cell controller 200-1.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the secondary battery 121 can store electrical energy. The secondary battery 121 can be charged with electrical energy and discharge the charged electrical energy and may include a negative electrode material, a positive electrode material, a separator membrane, and an electrolyte. According to one embodiment, the first battery cell 120-1 may include at least one secondary battery 121.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the protection circuit module (PCM) 123 is a protection circuit for the secondary battery 121 that can prevent over-discharge, over-charge, and overcurrent of the secondary battery 121. Overcharging of the secondary battery 121 can cause internal overheating and swelling, potentially damaging the secondary battery 121. Over-discharging of the secondary battery 121 can damage the electrodes, potentially causing failure of the secondary battery 121. To prevent damage and / or failure of the secondary battery 121, the protection circuit 123 can shut off the charging circuit based on its detection of the voltage of the secondary battery 121 reaching the charging limit voltage, and can shut off the discharge circuit based on its detection of the voltage of the secondary battery 121 reaching the discharge limit voltage. According to one embodiment, the protection circuit 123 can acquire information regarding the state of the secondary battery 121 and provide the acquired information to the first cell controller 200-1.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the first cell controller 200-1 is connected between the protection circuit 123 and the secondary battery 121 and can be configured to receive signals from or transmit signals from the master BMS 110. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may, but is not limited to, be connected to the power lines in the first battery cell 120-1.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the first cell controller 200-1 can obtain information regarding the state of the secondary battery 121 from the protection circuit 123. For example, the information regarding the state of the secondary battery 121 may include, but is not limited to, information regarding the voltage, current, and temperature of the secondary battery 121. The first cell controller 200-1 is electrically coupled to the protection circuit 123 and can receive information regarding the state of the secondary battery 121 from the protection circuit 123. The first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to transmit the received information regarding the state of the secondary battery 121 to the master BMS 110.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the first cell controller 200-1 can receive a signal from the master BMS 110 via a busbar (e.g., busbar 500 in Figure 6). When the first cell controller 200-1 receives a signal from the master BMS 110, the signal is transmitted through a plurality of interconnected battery cells (e.g., a plurality of first battery cells 120-1 in Figure 1), so that the signal strength can be reduced. For example, when a signal is transmitted from the master BMS 110 to a third battery cell 120-3, the signal can be transmitted to the third battery cell 120-3 by passing through the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2. When the signal is transmitted, the internal impedance of the first battery cell 120-1 and the internal impedance of the second battery cell 120-2 can reduce the signal strength.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the first cell controller 200-1 can identify whether the target of a signal received from the master BMS 110 is the first battery cell 120-1. The signal may include information about a target ID, which is information about the ID of the first battery cell 120-1 that is the target of the signal reception. The first cell controller 200-1 can compare the target ID included in the signal received from the master BMS 110 with an ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1. Based on identifying that the target ID corresponds to an ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1, the first cell controller 200-1 can perform an operation corresponding to the signal. Based on identifying that the target ID does not correspond to an ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to amplify the signal and then transmit it to a second battery cell connected to the first battery cell 120-1 (for example, the second battery cell 120-2 in Figure 1).

[0038] For example, if the master BMS 110 sends a signal to the first battery cell 120-1 requesting information about the state of the first battery cell 120-1, the first cell controller 200-1 of the first battery cell 120-1, which is connected in series with the master BMS 110, can receive the signal. The signal may include information about a target ID set to the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1. The first cell controller 200-1 of the first battery cell 120-1 can identify the target ID included in the received signal and determine whether the identified target ID corresponds to the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1. If it determines that the identified target ID corresponds to the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1, the first cell controller 200-1 can generate a signal containing information about the state of the first battery cell 120-1 and be configured to send the generated signal to the master BMS 110.

[0039] For example, if the master BMS 110 sends a signal to the second battery cell 120-2 requesting information about the status of the second battery cell 120-2, the first cell controller 200-1 of the first battery cell 120-1 connected in series with the master BMS 110 can receive the signal. The first cell controller 200-1 of the first battery cell 120-1 can identify the target ID included in the received signal and determine whether the identified target ID corresponds to the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1. If it determines that the identified target ID does not correspond to the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to amplify the signal and then transmit it to the second battery cell 120-2 connected in series with the first battery cell 120-1. A second cell controller of the second battery cell 120-2 (for example, the second cell controller 200-2 in Figure 1) can generate a signal containing information about the state of the second battery cell 120-2, based on the identification that the target ID included in the signal corresponds to the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2. The second cell controller 200-2 may be configured to transmit the generated signal to the master BMS 110.

[0040] Referring to Figure 3, the first cell controller 200-1 may include a microprocessor 201 that controls the transmission and / or reception of signals, an amplification circuit 202 for amplifying the signals transmitted and / or received by the microprocessor 201, and a switch SW for controlling the signal transmission path.

[0041] According to one embodiment, a signal transmitted to and / or received by the first cell controller 200-1 can be transmitted and / or received after being amplified via the amplification circuit 202. When a signal is received from outside the first cell controller 200-1, a switch SW can be closed to allow the signal to be received by the microprocessor 201, thereby providing a signal receiving path. When a signal is transmitted from the first cell controller 200-1, a switch SW can be closed to allow the signal to be transmitted from the microprocessor 201, thereby providing a signal transmission path.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the first cell controller 200-1 can be connected between the protection circuit 123 and the secondary battery 121. Referring to Figure 3, the first cell controller 200-1 may include a first stage 125a connected to the positive electrode tab 121a of the secondary battery 121 and the first stage 123a of the protection circuit 123, and a second stage 125b connected to the negative electrode tab 121b of the secondary battery 121 and the second stage 123b of the protection circuit 123. Signals to be transmitted to the first battery cell 120-1 can be transmitted to the first cell controller 200-1 via the first stage 125a of the first cell controller 200-1. The first cell controller 200-1 can identify signals received from the master BMS 110 based on the potential difference V2-V1 between the second stage 125b of the first cell controller 200-1 and the first stage 125a of the first cell controller 200-1. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 can detect the potential V2 of the second stage 125b of the first cell controller 200-1 and the potential V1 of the first stage 125a of the first cell controller 200-1, identify a signal by the potential difference V2-V1, and receive and / or transmit the signal.

[0043] According to one embodiment, if the target ID included in the received signal does not correspond to the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1, the first cell controller 200-1 may apply an amplified signal to the first stage 125a of the first cell controller 200-1 in order to transmit the signal to the second battery cell 120-2. The amplified signal applied to the first stage 125a of the first cell controller 200-1 can be transmitted to the second battery cell 120-2 via the secondary battery 121. Therefore, even if the signal passes through the first battery cell 120-1, it is amplified by the first stage 125a of the first cell controller 200-1, so the signal can maintain a constant strength while passing through a plurality of interconnected battery cells 120.

[0044] In one embodiment, the battery module 100, with its multiple interconnected battery cells 120, simplifies the transmission and / or reception structure of communication signals between battery cells, ensuring stable power supply while maintaining signal strength using multiple cell controllers 200.

[0045] Figure 4 shows an example of a data packet of signals transmitted and received via a cell controller of a battery module according to one embodiment.

[0046] Signals transmitted and received via multiple cell controllers 200 of a battery module according to one embodiment (for example, the battery module 100 in Figure 1) may include information for setting the direction. Referring to Figure 4, the data packet 300 of the signal may include information regarding the start of header (SOH) 301, the direction of signal transmission (DIR) 302, the target ID (TAR_ID) 303, the transmit ID (TX_ID) 304, the string length (LEN) 305, the command (CMD) 306 indicating the instruction for the actual operation, the payload 307 which is the data to be transmitted, and the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) 308 for checking for errors. For example, if DIR 302 is 0, the direction of signal transmission may be the first direction in Figure 1 (for example, the first direction D1 in Figure 1), and if DIR 302 is 1, the direction of signal transmission may be the second direction in Figure 1 (for example, the second direction D2 in Figure 1). However, it is not limited thereto. TX_ID304 indicates the ID assigned to the battery management system that transmitted the signal (e.g., the master BMS110 in Figure 1) or to the multiple battery cells (e.g., the multiple battery cells 120 in Figure 1). TAR_ID303 may indicate the ID assigned to the master BMS110 or the multiple battery cells 120 that received the signal.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the CMD306 included in the data packet 300 may include information related to a specific operation. Referring to Figure 4, the CMD306 may include packet 306a containing information for requesting the assignment of an ID to each of the multiple battery cells 120, and packet 306b containing information for requesting the reset of preassigned IDs to the multiple battery cells 120. For example, the multiple battery cells 120 may send a data signal to the master BMS 110 in which packet 306a is input as 1 in order to request the assignment of an ID. In addition to packets 306a and 306b, the CMD306 may include packet 306c containing various information. For example, the master BMS 110 may send a data signal to the first battery cell (e.g., the first battery cell 120-1 in Figure 1) containing information requesting information about the state of the first battery cell 120-1. Based on receiving the data signal, the first battery cell 120-1 can transmit information regarding its status to the master BMS 110.

[0048] According to one embodiment, when a signal is transmitted to any of the multiple battery cells 120, a cell controller located in one of the multiple cell controllers (for example, the multiple cell controllers 200 in Figure 1) can compare the DIR 302 with the ID assigned to any of the battery cells.

[0049] For example, if DIR302 is 0, and the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2 does not match TAR_ID303, and the battery cell having the ID corresponding to TAR_ID303 is located in the first direction D1 more than the battery cell having the ID corresponding to TX_ID304, the second cell controller 200-2 may ignore the received signal. In the above example, the signal is mistakenly transmitted in the opposite direction to the transmission direction of the signal, so the second cell controller 200-2 may ignore the received signal.

[0050] For example, if DIR302 is 1, and the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2 does not match TAR_ID303, and the battery cell having the ID corresponding to TAR_ID303 is located in the second direction D2 more than the battery cell having the ID corresponding to TX_ID304, the second cell controller 200-2 can transmit the signal in the second direction D2. As mentioned above, the second cell controller 200-2 can transmit the signal after amplifying it. In the above example, since the signal is transmitted in the transmission direction of the signal, the second cell controller 200-2 can amplify the received signal and then transmit it in the second direction D2 so that it can be transmitted to the battery cell having the ID matching TAR_ID303. The signals are transmitted sequentially until the battery cell whose ID matches TAR_ID303 is reached, and the corresponding operation can be performed in the corresponding battery cell.

[0051] For example, if the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2 matches TAR_ID303, the second cell controller 200-2 can perform the specified operation based on the CMD306 included in the signal data packet 300.

[0052] According to one embodiment, in a battery module 100 including a plurality of battery cells 120 connected to each other, signals can be smoothly transmitted and received between the master BMS 110 and the plurality of battery cells 120. Through signals including information on the direction of signal transmission and target ID, the battery module 100 according to one embodiment can prevent signal collisions due to series connection.

[0053] Figure 5 shows an example of the data signal transmission and reception operation of multiple battery cells in a battery module according to one embodiment.

[0054] The operation shown in Figure 5 assumes that IDs are assigned sequentially to multiple battery cells 120 connected in series to the master BMS 110. In the operation shown in Figure 5, it is assumed that the ID assigned to the master BMS 110 is 0 (ID=0), the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1 is 1 (ID=1), the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2 is 2 (ID=2), and the ID assigned to the third battery cell 120-3 is 3 (ID=3).

[0055] Referring to Figure 5, the master BMS 110 can generate a data signal 401a to transmit a data signal to the third battery cell 120-3, and transmit the generated data signal 401a to the first battery cell 120-1. The data signal 401a may include information about the target ID, information about the transmission ID, and information about the transmission direction. Referring to Figure 5, the data signal 401a may include information that the target ID is 3, the transmission ID is 0, and the transmission direction is the first direction D1.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the first battery cell 120-1 can receive a data signal 401b from the master BMS 110. The first cell controller of the first battery cell 120-1 (for example, the first cell controller 200-1 in Figure 1) can identify the information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 401b and compare it with the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1. Since the information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 401b is 3, the first cell controller 200-1 of the first battery cell 120-1 can identify that the target ID does not correspond to the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1 and can transmit a data signal 402a to the second battery cell 120-2. The data signal 402a may include information that the target ID is 3, the transmission ID is 1, and the transmission direction is the first direction D1.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the second battery cell 120-2 can receive a data signal 402b from the first battery cell 120-1. The second cell controller of the second battery cell 120-2 (for example, the second cell controller 200-2 in Figure 1) can identify information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 402b and compare it with the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2. Since the information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 402b is 3, the second cell controller 200-2 of the second battery cell 120-2 can identify that the target ID does not correspond to the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2 and can transmit a data signal 403a to the third battery cell 120-3. The data signal 403a may include information that the target ID is 3, the transmission ID is 2, and the transmission direction is the first direction D1.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the third battery cell 120-3 can receive a data signal 403b from the second battery cell 120-2. The third cell controller of the third battery cell 120-3 (for example, the third cell controller 200-3 in Figure 1) can identify information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 403b and compare it with the ID assigned to the third battery cell 120-3. Since the information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 403b is 3, the third cell controller 200-3 of the third battery cell 120-3 can identify that the target ID corresponds to the ID assigned to the third battery cell 120-3 and can perform an operation corresponding to the data signal 403b.

[0059] According to one embodiment, when the first battery cell 120-1 receives a data signal 403b from the second battery cell 120-2, the first cell controller 200-1 can check the information contained in the data signal 403b. Since the transmission ID contained in the data signal 403b is 2 and the transmission direction is the first direction D1, the first cell controller 200-1 of the first battery cell 120-1 may ignore the data signal 403b.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the third battery cell 120-3 can perform an operation corresponding to the information contained in the data signal 403b. If the information contained in the data signal 403b includes a request for information regarding the state of the third battery cell 120-3, the third battery cell 120-3 can transmit a data signal 404a containing information regarding the state of the third battery cell 120-3 to the second battery cell 120-2. The data signal 404a may include information regarding the target ID, information regarding the transmission ID, and information regarding the transmission direction. Referring to Figure 5, the data signal 404a may include information that the target ID is 0, the transmission ID is 3, and the transmission direction is the second direction D2.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the second battery cell 120-2 can receive a data signal 404b from the third battery cell 120-3. The second cell controller 200-2 of the second battery cell 120-2 can identify information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 404b and compare it with the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2. Since the information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 404b is 0, the second cell controller 200-2 of the second battery cell 120-2 can identify that the target ID does not correspond to the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2 and can transmit a data signal 405a to the first battery cell 120-1. The data signal 405a may include information that the target ID is 0, the transmission ID is 2, and the transmission direction is the second direction D2.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the first battery cell 120-1 can receive a data signal 405b from the second battery cell 120-2. The first cell controller 200-1 of the first battery cell 120-1 can identify information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 405b and compare it with the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1. Since the information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 405b is 0, the first cell controller 200-1 of the first battery cell 120-1 can identify that the target ID does not correspond to the ID assigned to the first battery cell 120-1 and can transmit a data signal 406a to the master BMS 110. The data signal 406a may include information that the target ID is 0, the transmission ID is 1, and the transmission direction is the second direction D2.

[0063] According to one embodiment, when the third battery cell 120-3 receives a data signal 405b from the second battery cell 120-2, the third cell controller 200-3 of the third battery cell 120-3 can check the information contained in the data signal 405b. Since the transmission ID contained in the data signal 405b is 2 and the transmission direction is the second direction D2, the third cell controller 200-3 of the third battery cell 120-3 may ignore the data signal 405b.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the master BMS 110 can receive a data signal 406b from the first battery cell 120-1. The master BMS 110 can identify information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 406b and compare it with the ID assigned to the master BMS 110. Since the information regarding the target ID contained in the data signal 406b is 0, the master BMS 110 can identify that the target ID corresponds to the ID assigned to the master BMS 110. The master BMS 110 can receive the data signal 406b.

[0065] According to one embodiment, when the second battery cell 120-2 receives a data signal 406b from the first battery cell 120-1, the second cell controller 200-2 of the second battery cell 120-2 can check the information contained in the data signal 406b. Since the transmission ID contained in the data signal 406b is 1 and the transmission direction is the second direction D2, the second cell controller 200-2 of the second battery cell 120-2 may ignore the data signal 406b.

[0066] As described above, the signal transmission structure of multiple battery cells 120 connected to each other via multiple cell controllers (for example, multiple cell controllers 200 in Figure 1) can be easily implemented. According to one embodiment, the information contained in the transmitted and received signals can prevent errors in signal transmission and improve accuracy.

[0067] Figure 6 shows an example of a battery module according to one embodiment. Figure 7A shows an example of a battery module being reused according to one embodiment. Figure 7B shows an example of a battery module in which the battery cells are replaced according to one embodiment.

[0068] Referring to Figure 6, one embodiment of the battery module 100 may include a plurality of battery cells 120, a master battery management system (BMS) 110, a busbar 500, and a switch 600.

[0069] A battery module 100 according to one embodiment may include a master BMS 110 for managing the state of health (SOH) of multiple battery cells 120. The multiple battery cells 120 and master BMS 110 may refer to the multiple battery cells 120 and master BMS 110 described above. The explanations given with reference to Figures 1 to 5 can be applied similarly, so redundant explanations are omitted.

[0070] In one embodiment, the busbar 500 can connect multiple battery cells 120. For example, if multiple battery cells 120 are connected in series, the busbar 500 can connect the positive terminal of one battery cell to the negative terminal of another battery cell. The busbar 500 shown in Figure 6 is shown as part of the connection line between multiple battery cells 120, but it may be placed over the entire connection line between multiple battery cells 120. The busbar 500 can be electrically connected to a master BMS 110. For example, the master BMS 110 and at least some of the multiple battery cells 120 can be connected to each other via the busbar 500. However, it is not limited to this.

[0071] In one embodiment, the master BMS 110 may be configured to communicate with a plurality of cell controllers 200 via the busbar 500. The master BMS 110 can transmit signals to the plurality of cell controllers 200 via the busbar 500, and the plurality of cell controllers 200 can transmit signals to the master BMS 110 via the busbar 500. For example, when the master BMS 110 transmits a signal to the second battery cell 120-2, the signal can be transmitted to the second battery cell 120-2 via the busbar 500. As shown in Figure 1, when the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2 are connected in series, the signal can be transmitted to the second battery cell 120-2 by passing through the first battery cell 120-1. The signal may include information about the ID assigned to the second battery cell 120-2 that receives the signal (e.g., TAR_ID303 in Figure 3). The first cell controller 200-1 can identify the information, amplify the received signal, and then transmit it to the second battery cell 120-2. As shown in Figure 6, when the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2 are connected in parallel, the signal can be transmitted directly from the master BMS 110 to the second battery cell 120-2. However, it is not limited to this. The operation of transmitting and / or receiving the signal can be described by referring to the operation described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, so redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0072] In one embodiment, the switch 600 may be configured to electrically connect or disconnect one of the plurality of battery cells 120 from the remaining battery cells. In one embodiment, the switch 600 can electrically connect or disconnect the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the multiple battery cells 120 contained in the battery module 100 are replaceable and / or reusable. Referring to Figure 7A, the battery module 100 can be reused in a second device 1002, which is different from the first device 1001, after being used in a first device 1001 (e.g., an electric vehicle). The battery module 100 that was placed in and used in the first device 1001 may need to be replaced after a certain period of use. The operating conditions of the battery module 100 used to operate the load of the first device 1001 may differ from those of the battery module 100 used to operate the load of the second device 1002. For example, if the first device 1001 is an electric vehicle and the second device 1002 is an energy storage system (ESS), the conditions of the battery module 100 may differ. In the case of an electric vehicle, the operating conditions of the battery module 100 may be strict due to safety issues during operation. A battery module 100 used in an electric vehicle can be reused in an electric vehicle after being removed, provided it meets the requirements for use in an electric vehicle (e.g., the state of health (SOH) and remaining capacity of the battery module 100). However, if the battery module 100 used in an electric vehicle does not meet the requirements for use in an electric vehicle, it can be used in an ESS (Electric System) after being removed. Even if the battery module 100 does not meet the requirements for use in an electric vehicle, it can still be used in an ESS, thus saving resources through reuse.

[0074] Referring to Figure 7B, some of the battery cells 120 within the battery module 100 are replaceable. For example, the aging rates of the multiple battery cells 120 may differ. For example, the operating environments of each of the multiple battery cells 120 may differ, resulting in different aging rates. Depending on the aging state of each of the multiple battery cells 120, it may be necessary to replace some of the multiple battery cells 120. For example, if the first battery cell 120-1 has aged and is deemed unusable, only the first battery cell 120-1 can be replaced without needing to replace the entire battery module 100.

[0075] According to one embodiment, each of the multiple cell controllers 200 may be configured to acquire data for each of the multiple battery cells 120's SOH and transmit the acquired data to the master BMS 110 via the bus bar 500.

[0076] For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell 120-1. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to acquire data on at least one of the following: voltage, current, temperature, and SOC changes due to charging and / or discharging of the first battery cell 120-1. The first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to acquire the data regardless of whether the first battery cell 120-1 is activated or not. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to measure the temperature, operating voltage, and / or operating current of the first battery cell 120-1 when it is activated (e.g., in a turn-on state), and to acquire data on the measured temperature, operating voltage, and / or operating current. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to measure the open-circuit voltage of the first battery cell 120-1 when the first battery cell 120-1 is in an inactive state (e.g., slip state, turn-off state) and to acquire data about the measured open-circuit voltage. The data described above is illustrative and not limited thereto. The first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell 120-1 based on at least a portion of the data. The first cell controller 200-1 can transmit data about the SOH of the first battery cell 120-1 to the master BMS 110. The operation of the first cell controller 200-1 can be applied substantially similarly to the remaining cell controllers (e.g., the second cell controller 200-2).

[0077] For example, when the master BMS 110 obtains data on the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell 120-1 from the first cell controller 200-1, it may be configured to identify the state of the first battery cell 120-1 and determine whether it can be replaced. For example, the master BMS 110 can identify whether the first battery cell 120-1 needs to be replaced by comparing it with predetermined reference data and the data on the SOH of the first battery cell 120-1. If the master BMS 110 determines that the first battery cell 120-1 needs to be replaced, it may be configured to notify the user of the need to replace the first battery cell 120-1. For example, the master BMS 110 can provide the user with a visual signal and / or an auditory signal via a display and / or speaker to inform the user that the first battery cell 120-1 needs to be replaced. The user can recognize from the signal that the first battery cell 120-1 needs to be replaced.

[0078] For example, if the battery module 100 is reused or the first battery cell 120-1 of the battery module 100 is replaced, it is necessary to manage the usage history. For example, it may be necessary to know whether the battery module 100 was used in the first device 1001 or the second device 1002, the manufacturing information of the multiple battery cells 120, and information about the charging and / or discharging history.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the first battery cell 120-1 may include a first cell memory 126 operationally coupled to a first cell controller 200-1. The first cell controller 200-1 can generate first history information about the history of the first battery cell 120-1 and record the generated first history information in the first cell memory 126. The master BMS may be configured to manage the usage history of the first battery cell 120-1 based on the first history information recorded in the first cell memory 126. Although the above description illustrates the first battery cell 120-1, it can be applied substantially similarly to other battery cells. For example, the second battery cell 120-2 may include a second cell memory configured to store second history information about the second battery cell 120-2.

[0080] For example, if the entire battery module 100 is reused in another device (e.g., an ESS), the master BMS 110 of the battery module 100 can provide the user with the history information of each of the multiple battery cells 120. For example, the user can determine, based on the history information of the multiple battery cells 120, whether the battery module 100 used in the first device 1001 can be used in the second device 1002. For example, the master BMS 110 can determine, based on the history information of the multiple battery cells 120, whether the battery module 100 used in the first device 1001 can be used in the second device 1002.

[0081] For example, if the first battery cell 120-1 is replaced, the master BMS 110 can request the first history information from the first cell controller 200-1 of the replaced first battery cell 120-1. In response to receiving a signal from the master BMS 110 requesting the first history information, the first cell controller 200-1 can transmit the first history information stored in the first cell memory 126 to the master BMS 110 via the busbar 500. The master BMS 110 receives the first history information of the replaced first battery cell 120-1 and can provide the received first history information to the user. The method by which the master BMS 110 provides the first history information to the user can be varied and without limitation. For example, the first history information can be provided as visual and / or auditory information via a display device and / or speaker. For example, the master BMS 110 can transmit the first history information to the user's user terminal (e.g., smartphone, tablet, PC). Based on the first history information, the master BMS 110 can determine whether the replaced first battery cell 120-1 is usable.

[0082] The following describes the operation for managing the history of battery cells.

[0083] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation for managing the history of a battery module according to one embodiment. The operation shown in Figure 8 may be the operation when the master BMS 110, the first battery cell 120-1, and the second battery cell 120-2 are connected in sequence.

[0084] Referring to Figure 8, in operation 801, the master BMS 110 can generate a signal containing information about a device. A device may refer to a device in which the battery module 100 is used (e.g., the first device 1001 in Figure 7A, the second device 1002 in Figure 7A). For example, the master BMS 110 may be configured to generate a signal containing information about an electric vehicle if the battery module 100 is used in an electric vehicle. For example, the master BMS 110 may be configured to generate a signal containing information about an ESS if the battery module 100 is used in an ESS.

[0085] In operation 802, the master BMS 110 can transmit a signal containing information about the device to the first cell controller 200-1. For example, the master BMS 110 can transmit a signal containing information about the device in which the battery module 100 is used to the first cell controller 200-1 via the busbar 500. When the first cell controller 200-1 receives the signal, it can store the device information contained in the signal in the first cell memory 126.

[0086] In operation 803, if the first cell controller 200-1 receives a signal containing information about the device from the master BMS 110, it may transmit the signal to the second cell controller 200-2. The first cell controller 200-1 may amplify the signal received from the master BMS 110 and then transmit it to the second cell controller 200-2. The amplification of the signal can compensate for the signal intensity that is attenuated as the signal containing information about the device passes through the first battery cell 120-1. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to amplify the signal by an amount that would be attenuated as the signal passes through the first battery cell 120-1, based on the internal impedance of the first battery cell 120-1, and then transmit it to the second cell controller 200-2.

[0087] In operation 804, the first cell controller 200-1 can generate first history information about the history of the first battery cell 120-1. The first history information may include information about at least one of the following: the manufacturer of the first battery cell 120-1, the manufacturing date, the pre-use state, the state of health (SOH) of the first battery cell 120-1, the charging history, the discharging history, and the repair history. The manufacturer of the first battery cell 120-1 may include information about the manufacturer of the first battery cell 120-1. The manufacturing date of the first battery cell 120-1 may include information about the date when the manufacturing of the first battery cell 120-1 was completed. The pre-use state of the first battery cell 120-1 may include information about the state of the first battery cell 120-1 immediately after manufacturing (e.g., capacity). The SOH of the first battery cell 120-1 may include information about the change in the SOH of the first battery cell 120-1 over time and the current SOH of the first battery cell 120-1. The charging history of the first battery cell 120-1 may include information about the number of charges, charge amount, charging voltage, and charging current of the first battery cell 120-1. The discharging history of the first battery cell 120-1 may include information about the number of discharges, discharge amount, discharge voltage, and discharge current of the first battery cell 120-1. The repair history of the first battery cell 120-1 may include information about the repair details, repair company, and repair date of the first battery cell 120-1. The first cell controller 200-1 can generate the first history information each time an event occurs. For example, the event may include events such as the manufacture of the first battery cell 120-1, the charging of the first battery cell 120-1, the discharging of the first battery cell 120-1, the use of the first battery cell 120-1, and the repair of the first battery cell 120-1. In addition to the above, the first history information may include various other information about the use of the first battery cell 120-1.

[0088] In operation 805, the second cell controller 200-2 can generate second history information about the history of the second battery cell 120-2. Operation 805 may be substantially identical to operation 804. The description of operation 804 can be applied substantially similarly to operation 805.

[0089] In operation 806, the first cell controller 200-1 can record the first history information in the first cell memory 126. The first cell controller 200-1 can record the generated first history information in the first cell memory 126 each time the first history information is generated. For example, if the first battery cell 120-1 is repaired, the first cell controller 200-1 can generate first history information including information about the repair of the first battery cell 120-1, and record the generated first history information in the first cell memory 126. The first cell memory 126 may be configured to store the first history information.

[0090] In operation 807, the second cell controller 200-2 can record the second history information in the second cell memory. Operation 807 may be substantially identical to operation 806. The description of operation 806 can be applied substantially similarly to operation 807.

[0091] In operation 808, the master BMS 110 may request the first cell controller 200-1 and the second cell controller 200-2 to transmit a first signal containing stored first history information and / or a second signal containing second history information. The signals may be transmitted from the master BMS 110 to the first cell controller 200-1 and the second cell controller 200-2 via the busbar 500 (for example, busbars 500, 500 in Figure 6). For example, the master BMS 110 may transmit the signals to the first cell controller 200-1 and the second cell controller 200-2 at intervals specified by the user. For example, the master BMS 110 may transmit the signals to the first cell controller 200-1 and the second cell controller 200-2 when a specified event occurs.

[0092] According to one embodiment, operation 808 can be omitted. If operation 808 is omitted, the first cell controller 200-1 and / or the second cell controller 200-2 can execute operations 809, 810, and 811 described later, without receiving a separate request from the master BMS 110. According to one embodiment, operation 808 can be executed based on the state of the first battery cell 120-1 and / or the second battery cell 120-2. According to one embodiment, while the first battery cell 120-1 and / or the second battery cell 120-2 are operating, the first cell controller 200-1 and / or the second cell controller 200-2 may be configured to transmit the first history information stored in the first cell memory 126 and / or the second history information stored in the second cell memory to the master BMS 110 via the bus bar 500 without receiving a separate request signal from the master BMS 110. When the first battery cell 120-1 and / or the second battery cell 120-2 are operating, it may mean that the first battery cell 120-1 and / or the second battery cell 120-2 are supplying power to the load.

[0093] In one embodiment, when the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2 are in a turn-off state, low-power operation state, or slip state where they are not supplying power to the load, the master BMS 110 may be configured to send a signal to the first cell controller 200-1 and / or the second cell controller 200-2 to request the transmission of first history information and / or second history information. In the above case, since it may be necessary to minimize the power consumption of the first battery cell 120-1, the first cell controller 200-1 and / or the second cell controller 200-2 may be configured to transmit the first history information and the second history information to the master BMS 110 based on the reception of the signal. For example, if the first cell controller 200-1 and the second cell controller 200-2 continuously perform the operation of sending a signal to the master BMS 110 in a situation where there is insufficient power to drive the load, a situation may occur where the load cannot be driven due to insufficient power. The first cell controller 200-1 and / or the second cell controller 200-2 can minimize the power consumption of the first battery cell 120-1 and / or the second battery cell 120-2 due to the data transmission.

[0094] In operation 809, the first cell controller 200-1 may transmit a first signal containing first history information to the master BMS 110. The first signal may be transmitted to the master BMS 110 via the busbar 500. For example, if the first cell controller 200-1 receives a signal from the master BMS 110 requesting the transmission of a first signal, it may transmit a first signal containing first history information stored in the first cell memory 126 to the master BMS 110. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may transmit a first signal to the master BMS 110 at intervals specified by the user. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may transmit a first signal to the master BMS 110 when an event occurs.

[0095] In operation 810, the second cell controller 200-2 can transmit a second signal containing second history information to the first cell controller 200-1. Operation 810 may be substantially identical to operation 809. The description of operation 809 can be applied substantially similarly to operation 810.

[0096] In operation 811, if the first cell controller 200-1 receives a second signal from the second cell controller 200-2, it can transmit the received second signal to the master BMS 110. The first cell controller 200-1 can amplify the second signal received from the second cell controller 200-2 and then transmit it to the master BMS 110. The amplification of the signal can compensate for the signal intensity that is attenuated as the second signal, which includes the second history information, passes through the first battery cell 120-1. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to amplify the second signal by an amount that is attenuated as the signal passes through the first battery cell 120-1, based on the internal impedance of the first battery cell 120-1, and then transmit it to the master BMS 110.

[0097] In operation 812, when the master BMS 110 receives a first signal containing first history information and / or a second signal containing second history information, it can record the first and second history information in the master memory (for example, the master memory 115 in Figure 2). The master memory 115 may be configured to store history information for each of the multiple battery cells 120. When the master BMS 110 receives the first signal, it can update the history information for the first battery cell 120-1 by recording the first history information contained in the first signal in the master memory 115. When the master BMS 110 receives the second signal, it can update the history information for the second battery cell 120-2 by recording the second history information contained in the second signal in the master memory 115. The information for each of the multiple battery cells 120 stored in the master memory 115 can be continuously updated.

[0098] According to one embodiment, when a battery module 100 is reused, the master BMS 110 can provide history information for the multiple battery cells 120 that constitute the battery module 100. For example, when a battery module 100 is separated from the first device 1001 and reused in the second device 1002, the master BMS 110, by being connected to the second device 1002, can provide history information for each of the multiple battery cells 120. For example, a user can obtain history information for each of the multiple battery cells 120 stored in the master memory 115 via the master BMS 110 and determine whether the battery module 100 can be reused based on the information. According to one embodiment, when at least one of the multiple battery cells 120 is replaced, history information for the replaced battery cell can be provided. For example, when the first battery cell 120-1 is separated and connected to another battery module 100, the master BMS 110 in the newly connected battery module 100 can obtain the first history information stored in the first cell memory 126 of the first battery cell 120-1. The master BMS 110 can obtain information about the first battery cell 120-1 by acquiring the first history information. For example, the master BMS 110 of a new battery module 100 can identify whether the first battery cell 120-1 is reusable, and whether the usage history of the first battery cell 120-1 is suitable for reuse. In one embodiment, the battery module 100 is capable of history management for each of the multiple battery cells 120, thus providing high reliability for the battery module 100 when it is reused.

[0099] In operation 813, the master BMS 110 can transmit the first history information and / or the second history information to the blockchain network. By storing the first history information and / or the second history information on the blockchain network, forgery and alteration of the first history information and / or the second history information can be prevented. For example, the first history information and / or the second history information can be distributed and stored across multiple nodes 701 within the blockchain network.

[0100] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the master BMS when the battery cells of the battery module 100 are replaced according to one embodiment.

[0101] Referring to Figure 9, in operation 901, the master BMS 110 can identify the replacement of the first battery cell 120-1. For example, the master BMS 110 can identify that the first battery cell 120-1 has been replaced if it identifies that the first battery cell 120-1 has been disconnected and a new first battery cell 120-1 has been connected. However, it is not limited to this.

[0102] In operation 902, the master BMS 110 can obtain first history information from the first cell controller 200-1 of the replaced first battery cell 120-1. For example, when the master BMS 110 identifies the replacement of the first battery cell 120-1, it can send a signal to the first cell controller 200-1 requesting the transmission of a signal containing the first history information. When the first cell controller 200-1 receives the request signal, it can send a signal containing the first history information to the master BMS 110 via the busbar 500.

[0103] In operation 903, the master BMS 110 can identify the state of the first battery cell 120-1 based on the first history information received from the first cell controller 200-1. For example, the master BMS 110 may be configured to identify the state of the first battery cell 120-1 based on the State of Health (SOH), charge history, and / or discharge history of the first battery cell 120-1 included in the first history information.

[0104] In operation 904, the master BMS 110 can determine whether the state of the identified first battery cell 120-1 corresponds to a reference range. The master BMS 110 can compare the state of the first battery cell 120-1 with a predetermined reference range. The predetermined reference range can be determined based on the device to which the battery module 100 is connected. For example, the reference range when the battery module 100 is connected to an electric vehicle may differ from the reference range when the battery module 100 is connected to an ESS. The reference range for an electric vehicle may be stricter than the reference range for an ESS. For example, the reference range for an electric vehicle may be that the SOH of the first battery cell 120-1 is approximately 80% or more of that of the first battery cell 120-1 immediately after manufacture. The reference range for an ESS may be that the SOH of the first battery cell 120-1 is approximately 60% or more of that of the first battery cell 120-1 immediately after manufacture. The master BMS 110 can determine whether the state of the replaced first battery cell 120-1 corresponds to a predetermined reference range.

[0105] In operation 905, the master BMS 110 can identify that the replaced first battery cell 120-1 is available if it identifies that the state of the first battery cell 120-1 corresponds to a reference range. If the first battery cell 120-1 is available, the master BMS 110 can supply power to the load via the first battery cell 120-1.

[0106] In operation 906, if the master BMS 110 identifies that the state of the first battery cell 120-1 is outside the reference range, it can identify that the replaced first battery cell 120-1 is unavailable. If the first battery cell 120-1 is unavailable, the master BMS 110 can interrupt the supply of load power and signal that the first battery cell 120-1 is unavailable. For example, the master BMS 110 can provide visual and / or auditory information that the replaced first battery cell 120-1 is unavailable via a display device and / or speaker. For example, the master BMS 110 can transmit a signal to the user's user terminal (e.g., smartphone, tablet, PC) to inform the user that the replaced first battery cell 120-1 is unavailable. The user can then recognize that the replaced first battery cell 120-1 is unavailable from the notification. In one embodiment, the battery module 100 can provide safe reuse of battery cells by determining whether the replaced battery cells are usable when at least some of the multiple battery cells 120 are replaced, and using them accordingly. For example, the battery module 100 can prevent safety accidents (e.g., fire) that may occur when unusable battery cells are reused.

[0107] Figure 10 schematically illustrates a blockchain network designed to prevent the forgery and alteration of historical information.

[0108] Referring to Figure 10, the master BMS 110 can transmit the first history information and / or the second history information received from the first battery cell 120-1 and / or the second battery cell 120-2 to the blockchain network 700. For example, the master BMS 110 can receive the first history information and / or the second history information from the first cell controller 200-1 and / or the second cell controller 200-2 via the busbar 500. The master BMS 110 can transmit the received first history information and / or the second history information to the blockchain network 700. For example, multiple devices 1001, 1001' can transmit signals containing the first history information and / or the second history information to the blockchain network 700. The blockchain network 700 can distribute and store the first history information and / or the second history information contained in the received signals to the nodes 701 that constitute the blockchain network 700. By storing the first and / or second historical information on the blockchain network 700, forgery and / or alteration of the first and / or second historical information can be prevented.

[0109] For example, when a battery module 100 is replaced, the master BMS 110 can provide the user with first history information and / or second history information. Since the first history information and / or second history information are stored in a distributed manner within node 701 of the blockchain network 700, forgery and / or alteration can be prevented. When reusing the battery module 100, the reliability of the first history information and / or second history information can be guaranteed, thereby ensuring the safety and reliability of reuse.

[0110] For example, when the first battery cell 120-1 in the battery module 100 is replaced, the master BMS 110 can provide the user with first history information. Since the first history information is stored in a distributed manner within node 701 of the blockchain network 700, forgery and / or alteration can be prevented. When the first battery cell 120-1 is reused, the reliability of the first history information can be guaranteed, thus ensuring the safety and reliability of reuse. According to one embodiment, since the reliability of reuse can be provided without separate authentication procedures, the battery module 100 and the first battery cell 120-1 can be easily reused. According to one embodiment, by promoting the reuse of the battery module 100, resource reuse can be stimulated and resource waste can be reduced.

[0111] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the master BMS and multiple cell controllers. The operation of the first cell controller 200-1 and the second cell controller 200-2, as described with reference to Figure 11, can be similarly applied to the cell controllers of the remaining battery cells.

[0112] In operation 1101, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell (e.g., the first battery cell 120-1 in Figure 6). For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to acquire data on at least one of the following: voltage, current, temperature, and SOC changes due to charging and / or discharging of the first battery cell 120-1. The first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to acquire the data regardless of whether the first battery cell 120-1 is activated or not. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to measure the temperature, operating voltage, and / or operating current of the first battery cell 120-1 when it is activated, and to acquire data on the measured temperature, operating voltage, and / or operating current. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to measure the open-circuit voltage of the first battery cell 120-1 when the first battery cell 120-1 is inactive (e.g., slip state, turn-off state) and to acquire data on the measured open-circuit voltage. The data described above is illustrative and not limited thereto. The first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell 120-1 based on at least a portion of the data.

[0113] In operation 1102, the second cell controller 200-2 may be configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the second battery cell (e.g., the second battery cell 120-2 in Figure 6). Operation 1102 may be substantially identical to operation 1101. Operation 1102 can be performed independently of operation 1101.

[0114] In operation 1103, the first cell controller 200-1 can generate a first signal including a first numerical value for indicating the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell 120-1. For example, the first signal can indicate the change in voltage of the first battery cell 120-1 with respect to the discharge current during discharge of the first battery cell 120-1. For example, the first signal can indicate the change in voltage of the first battery cell 120-1 with respect to the charge time during charging of the first battery cell 120-1. For example, the first signal can indicate the change in voltage of the first battery cell 120-1 with respect to the discharge time during discharge of the first battery cell 120-1. However, it is not limited to these.

[0115] In operation 1104, the second cell controller 200-2 may generate a second signal containing a second numerical value for indicating the State of Health (SOH) of the second battery cell 120-2. Operation 1104 may be substantially identical to operation 1103. Operation 1104 can be performed independently of operation 1103.

[0116] In operation 1105, the first cell controller 200-1 can transmit the generated first signal to the master BMS 110 via a busbar (e.g., busbar 500 in Figure 6). For example, in a first state in which the first battery cell 120-1 is operating, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to transmit the generated first signal to the master BMS 110 via busbar 500 without receiving any separate request signal from the master BMS 110. For example, the first cell controller 200-1 can transmit the first signal to the master BMS 110 at specified intervals. The first state may mean that the first battery cell 120-1 is supplying power to a load. In the first state, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to transmit acquired data to the master BMS 110, but is not limited thereto. For example, in a second state distinct from the first state, if the first cell controller 200-1 receives a signal from the master BMS 110 requesting the transmission of the first signal, it can transmit the first signal to the master BMS 110. The second state may mean a turn-off state, a low-power operation state, or a slip state in which the first battery cell 120-1 is not supplying power to the load. In the second state of the first battery cell 120-1, the master BMS 110 may be configured to transmit a signal to the first cell controller 200-1 requesting the transmission of the first signal. In the second state, it may be necessary to minimize the power consumption of the first battery cell 120-1, so when the signal is received, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to transmit the data to the master BMS 110. For example, if the first cell controller 200-1 continuously transmits data to the master BMS 110 when there is insufficient power to drive the load, a situation may arise where the load cannot be driven due to insufficient power. The first cell controller 200-1 can minimize the power consumption of the first battery cell 120-1 due to the data transmission.

[0117] In operation 1106, the second cell controller 200-2 can transmit the generated second signal to the first cell controller 200-1 via the busbar 500. Operation 1106 may be substantially identical to operation 1105.

[0118] In operation 1107, the first cell controller 200-1 can transmit the second signal received from the second cell controller 200-2 to the master BMS 110. The first cell controller 200-1 can amplify the second signal and then transmit it to the master BMS 110. The amount of amplification of the signal can be set based on the intensity of the second signal as it passes through the first battery cell 120-1. For example, the amount of amplification can be set based on the internal impedance of the first battery cell 120-1.

[0119] In operation 1108, the master BMS 110 may be configured to estimate the state of the first battery cell 120-1 based on a first signal and to estimate the state of health (SOH) of the second battery cell 120-2 based on a second signal. For example, the master BMS 110 may be configured to identify whether the difference between the first and second values ​​falls within a predetermined reference range. If the master BMS 110 identifies that the difference falls within the reference range, it can determine that the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2 are in a normal state. If the master BMS 110 identifies that the difference falls outside the reference range, it can determine that at least one of the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2 is in a degraded state.

[0120] In operation 1109, the master BMS 110 can estimate the performance of a battery module (e.g., battery module 100 in Figure 6) based on the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2. For example, if the SOH of the identified first battery cell 120-1 is 100% and the SOH of the identified second battery cell 120-2 is 100%, the master BMS 110 can estimate the performance of battery module 100 to be 100%. For example, if the SOH of the identified first battery cell 120-1 is 90% and the SOH of the identified second battery cell 120-2 is 90%, the master BMS 110 can estimate the performance of battery module 100 to be 90%. For example, if the State of Health (SOH) of the identified first battery cell 120-1 is 100% and the SOH of the identified second battery cell 120-2 is 80%, the master BMS 110 can estimate the performance of the battery module 100 to be 90%.

[0121] Figure 12A is a graph showing the voltage change over time during battery cell discharge. Figure 12B is a flowchart showing how the master BMS determines battery cell degradation based on the voltage change over time.

[0122] Referring to Figure 12A, Graph 1201 shows the voltage change over time during the initial discharge of a battery cell immediately after manufacturing. A battery cell immediately after manufacturing means a battery cell that has been manufactured but has not yet been used. Initial discharge means the first discharge of a battery cell immediately after manufacturing.

[0123] The second graph 1202 shows the voltage change over time during the discharge of the first battery cell 120-1. The third graph 1203 shows the voltage change over time during the discharge of the second battery cell 120-2. It is assumed that the discharge currents in the first graph 1201, the second graph 1202, and the third graph 1203 are all constant.

[0124] As battery cells degrade, their internal resistance can increase. For example, in lithium-ion battery cells, during charging and discharging, lithium ions move between the positive and negative electrodes via a separator membrane. As battery cells degrade, internal impurities are generated, and these impurities can precipitate on the separator membrane. Because lithium ions cannot move actively due to these impurities, the internal resistance can increase. Therefore, during constant-current charging and discharging, the voltage increases due to the increased resistance, thus reducing the discharge time.

[0125] Referring to Graph 1201, when a newly manufactured battery cell is discharged for the first time, the time it takes to discharge from 4.2V to 3.8V may be a. Referring to Graph 2202, when the first battery cell 120-1 is discharged, the time it takes to discharge from 4.2V to 3.8V may be b. b may be less than a (a>b). Referring to Graph 3203, when the second battery cell 120-2 is discharged, the time it takes to discharge from 4.2V to 3.8V may be c. c may be less than b (b>c).

[0126] According to one embodiment, the first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to generate a first signal including a first numerical value indicating the amount of voltage change of the first battery cell 120-1 over time when the first battery cell 120-1 is discharged. The first cell controller 200-1 may be configured to transmit the first signal to the master BMS 110 via the busbar 500. In this case, the first numerical value may be a numerical value corresponding to b. The second cell controller 200-2 may be configured to generate a second signal including a second numerical value indicating the amount of voltage change of the second battery cell 120-2 over time when the second battery cell 120-2 is discharged. The second cell controller 200-2 may be configured to transmit the second signal to the master BMS 110 via the busbar 500. In this case, the second numerical value may be a numerical value corresponding to c.

[0127] Referring to Figure 12B, in operation 1201, the master BMS 110 can receive the first and second signals via the busbar 500. The first signal may be transmitted from the first cell controller 200-1 to the master BMS 110. The second signal may be transmitted from the second cell controller 200-2 to the first cell controller 200-1, and then transmitted by the first cell controller 200-1 to the master BMS 110.

[0128] In operation 1202, the master BMS 110 can identify the difference (e.g., bc) between a first numerical value and a second numerical value. The master BMS 110 can identify the first numerical value contained in the first signal. The master BMS 110 can identify the second numerical value contained in the second signal. The master BMS 110 can calculate the difference between the first numerical value and the second numerical value and obtain the calculation result.

[0129] In operation 1203, the master BMS 110 can determine whether the difference falls within a predetermined reference range. For example, the reference range can be specified as a range obtained by converting the difference between a first numerical value and a second numerical value into a percentage relative to a larger number. For example, if the first numerical value is 100 and the second numerical value is 90, the difference is 10 and the percentage may be 90%. For example, the reference range can be determined to be 80-100%, but is not limited to this.

[0130] In operation 1204, the master BMS 110 can determine that the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2 are in a normal state if it identifies the difference within the reference range. For example, the master BMS 110 can determine that the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2 are in a normal state if it identifies that the percentage obtained based on the difference falls within the reference range of 80-100%. The master BMS 110 can determine that there are no particularly degraded battery cells because the difference in the time it takes for the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2 to discharge is not large.

[0131] In operation 1205, the master BMS 110 may be configured to determine a battery cell having a smaller value than the first and second values ​​when it identifies the difference outside the reference range. For example, if the first value is 100 and the second value is 50, the difference is 50, and the percentage may be 50%. In the example above, the master BMS 110 can determine that the second battery cell 120-2, which has the smaller value, is in a degraded state. The master BMS 110 can determine that the second battery cell 120-2, which has a faster discharge time, is degraded because there is a large difference in the time it takes for the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2 to discharge. The values ​​are merely illustrative examples for illustrative purposes and are not limited thereto. When determining the degradation of a battery cell by the method described above, the presence or absence of degradation can be detected by comparing multiple battery cells relatively. When determining whether or not degradation has occurred based on absolute standards, it may not be appropriate for the device or situation in which the battery module is applied. Therefore, in this embodiment, by determining whether or not degradation has occurred based on relative standards, it is possible to appropriately identify degraded battery cells.

[0132] Figure 13 is a graph showing the voltage change over time during the discharge of a battery cell.

[0133] The first graph 1301 in Figure 13 shows the change in voltage over a certain time (t) during the discharge of the first battery cell 120-1. The second graph 1302 shows the change in voltage over a certain time (t) during the discharge of the second battery cell 120-2. Referring to the first graph 1301, the voltage of the first battery cell 120-1 decreases from 4.2V to aV during time (t). Referring to the second graph 1302, the voltage of the second battery cell 120-2 decreases from 4.2V to bV during time (t). aV may be greater than bV.

[0134] Referring to Figure 13, when discharging the first battery cell 120-1, the voltage change of the first battery cell 120-1 with respect to the discharge time (4.2V-aV / t) may be smaller than the voltage change of the second battery cell 120-2 with respect to the discharge time (4.2V-bV / t) when discharging the second battery cell 120-2. A degraded battery cell may have a slower charging speed and a faster discharge speed due to its high internal resistance. The first cell controller 200-1 can generate a first signal including a numerical value obtained based on the voltage change of the first battery cell 120-1 with respect to the discharge time, and can transmit the generated first signal to the master BMS 110. The second cell controller 200-2 can generate a second signal including a numerical value obtained based on the voltage change of the second battery cell 120-2 with respect to the discharge time, and can transmit the generated second signal to the master BMS 110.

[0135] In one embodiment, the master BMS 110 may be configured to compare a first numerical value included in the first signal with a predetermined reference value and estimate the SOH of the first battery cell 120-1 based on the ratio of the numerical value to the reference value. The master BMS 110 may also be configured to compare a second numerical value included in the second signal with a predetermined reference value and estimate the SOH of the second battery cell 120-2 based on the ratio of the numerical value to the reference value. The reference value can be determined based on the change in voltage with respect to discharge time during the initial discharge of the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2.

[0136] According to one embodiment, the master BMS 110 may include a memory (not shown) for storing data about the discharge of battery cells immediately after manufacturing. This data may be data about the voltage change over time when the battery cells discharge immediately after manufacturing. A predetermined reference value can be determined based on this data.

[0137] For example, the master BMS 110 can estimate the SOH of the first battery cell 120-1 to be 100% if the ratio of the first numerical value to the reference value is 100%. For example, the master BMS 110 can estimate the SOH of the second battery cell 120-2 to be 90% if the ratio of the second numerical value to the reference value is 90%. Referring to Figure 13, it can be seen that the second battery cell 120-2 is more degraded than the first battery cell 120-1.

[0138] Figure 14 is a graph showing the voltage change over time during battery cell charging.

[0139] The first graph 101 in Figure 14 shows the change in voltage over a certain time (t) during the charging of the first battery cell 120-1. The second graph 102 shows the change in voltage over a certain time (t) during the charging of the second battery cell 120-2. Referring to the first graph 101, over time (t), the voltage of the first battery cell 120-1 increases from 3.8V to aV. Referring to the second graph 102, over time (t), the voltage of the second battery cell 120-2 increases from 3.8V to bV. aV may be greater than bV.

[0140] Referring to Figure 14, when charging the first battery cell 120-1, the voltage change of the first battery cell 120-1 with respect to the charging time (aV - 3.8V / t) may be greater than the voltage change of the second battery cell 120-2 with respect to the discharge time (bV - 3.8V / t) when discharging the second battery cell 120-2. A degraded battery cell may have a slower charging speed and a faster discharge speed due to its high internal resistance. The first cell controller 200-1 can generate a first signal including a numerical value obtained based on the voltage change of the first battery cell 120-1 with respect to the charging time, and can transmit the generated first signal to the master BMS 110. The second cell controller 200-2 can generate a second signal including a numerical value obtained based on the voltage change of the second battery cell 120-2 with respect to the charging time, and can transmit the generated second signal to the master BMS 110.

[0141] In one embodiment, the master BMS 110 may be configured to compare a first numerical value included in the first signal with a predetermined reference value and estimate the SOH of the first battery cell 120-1 based on the ratio of the numerical value to the reference value. The master BMS 110 may also be configured to compare a second numerical value included in the second signal with a predetermined reference value and estimate the SOH of the second battery cell 120-2 based on the ratio of the numerical value to the reference value. The reference value can be determined based on the change in voltage with respect to the charging time during the initial charging of the first battery cell 120-1 and the second battery cell 120-2.

[0142] According to one embodiment, the master BMS 110 may include a memory (not shown) for storing data about the charging of battery cells immediately after manufacturing. This data may be data about the voltage change over time when the battery cells are charged immediately after manufacturing. A predetermined reference value can be determined based on this data.

[0143] For example, the master BMS 110 can estimate the SOH of the first battery cell 120-1 to be 100% if the ratio of the first numerical value to the reference value is 100%. For example, the master BMS 110 can estimate the SOH of the second battery cell 120-2 to be 90% if the ratio of the second numerical value to the reference value is 90%. Referring to Figure 14, it can be seen that the second battery cell 120-2 is more degraded than the first battery cell 120-1.

[0144] A battery module according to one embodiment (for example, battery module 100 in Figure 6) may include a plurality of battery cells (for example, a plurality of battery cells 120 in Figure 6), a master battery management system (BMS) (for example, master BMS 110 in Figure 6), and a busbar (for example, busbar 500 in Figure 6). The plurality of battery cells may include a first battery cell (for example, first battery cell 120-1 in Figure 6) and a second battery cell (for example, second battery cell 120-2 in Figure 6). The master BMS may be configured to manage the plurality of battery cells. The busbar can connect the plurality of battery cells. The busbar can be electrically connected to the master BMS. The first battery cell may include a first cell controller (for example, first cell controller 200-1 in Figure 6). The first cell controller may be located within the first battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to monitor the state of health (SOH) of the first battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to acquire a signal including a numeric value for indicating the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to transmit the signal to the master BMS via the busbar. The master BMS may be configured to estimate the SOH of the first battery cell based on at least a portion of the signal.

[0145] According to one embodiment, the second battery cell may include a second cell controller (for example, the second cell controller 200-2 in Figure 6). The second cell controller may be located within the second battery cell. The second cell controller may be configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the second battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to transmit a first signal, including a first numerical value indicating the time relative to the voltage change of the first battery cell, via the busbar to the master BMS when the first battery cell is discharged. The second cell controller may be configured to transmit a second signal, including a second numerical value indicating the time relative to the voltage change of the second battery cell, via the busbar to the master BMS when the second battery cell is discharged. The master BMS may be configured to estimate the SOH of the first and second battery cells based on the difference between the first and second numerical values.

[0146] According to one embodiment, the master BMS may be configured to identify whether the difference falls within a predetermined reference range. If the master BMS identifies the difference within the reference range, it may be configured to determine that the first battery cell and the second battery cell are in a normal state. If the master BMS identifies the difference outside the reference range, it may be configured to determine that the battery cell having the smaller of the first and second numerical values ​​is in a degraded state.

[0147] According to one embodiment, the first cell controller can generate a signal that includes a numerical value obtained based on the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the charging time during charging of the first battery cell, or the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the discharge time during discharging of the first battery cell. The master BMS may be configured to compare the numerical value included in the received signal with a predetermined reference value. The master BMS may be configured to estimate the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell based on the ratio of the numerical value to the reference value.

[0148] According to one embodiment, the reference value can be determined based on the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the charging time during the first charge of the first battery cell, or the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the discharge time during the first discharge of the first battery cell.

[0149] A battery module according to one embodiment may include a plurality of battery cells, including a first battery cell and a second battery cell; a master battery management system (BMS) for managing the plurality of battery cells, including a master memory; and a bus bar connecting the plurality of battery cells and electrically connected to the master BMS. The first battery cell may include a first cell controller located within the first battery cell and configured to communicate with the master BMS via the bus bar; and a first cell memory operationally coupled to the first cell controller. The first cell controller may be configured to generate first history information about the history of the first battery cell, record the generated first history information in the first cell memory, and transmit a first signal containing the generated first history information to the master BMS via the bus bar. When the master BMS receives the first signal from the first cell controller, it may be configured to record the first history information contained in the first signal in the master memory.

[0150] According to one embodiment, the first history information may include at least one of the following: the manufacturer of the first battery cell, the manufacturing date, the pre-use condition, the state of health (SOH) of the first battery cell, the charging history, the discharging history, and the repair history.

[0151] According to one embodiment, the master BMS may be configured to, when replacing the first battery cell among the plurality of battery cells, acquire the first history information stored in the first cell memory in the first cell controller via the busbar, identify the state of the first battery cell based on the acquired first history information, compare the identified state of the first battery cell with a predetermined reference range, identify that the replaced first battery cell is usable if it identifies that the state of the first battery cell is different from the reference range, and identify that the replaced first battery cell is unusable if it identifies that the state of the first battery cell is different from the reference range.

[0152] According to one embodiment, the second battery cell may include a second cell controller located within the second battery cell and configured to communicate with the master BMS via the busbar, and a second cell memory operationally coupled to the second cell controller. The second cell controller may be configured to generate second history information about the history of the second battery cell, record the generated second history information in the second cell memory, and transmit a second signal containing the generated second history information to the first battery cell via the busbar. The first cell controller may be configured to receive the second signal received from the second cell controller, amplify the received second signal, and then transmit it to the master BMS. When the master BMS receives the second signal from the first cell controller, it may be configured to record the second history information contained in the second signal in the master memory.

[0153] According to one embodiment, the master BMS may be configured to transmit the received first history information to the blockchain network when it receives the first history information. The first history information may be stored within the blockchain network.

[0154] A battery module according to one embodiment (for example, battery module 100 in Figure 6) may include a plurality of battery cells (for example, a plurality of battery cells 120 in Figure 6), a master battery management system (BMS) (for example, master BMS 110 in Figure 6), and a busbar (for example, busbar 500 in Figure 6). The plurality of battery cells may include a first battery cell (for example, first battery cell 120-1 in Figure 6) and a second battery cell (for example, second battery cell 120-2 in Figure 6). The master BMS may be configured to manage the plurality of battery cells. The busbar can connect the plurality of battery cells. The busbar can be electrically connected to the master BMS. The first battery cell may include a first cell controller (for example, first cell controller 200-1 in Figure 6). The first cell controller may be located within the first battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to monitor the state of health (SOH) of the first battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to acquire a signal including a numeric value for indicating the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to transmit the signal to the master BMS via the busbar. The master BMS may be configured to estimate the SOH of the first battery cell based on at least a portion of the signal.

[0155] According to one embodiment, the second battery cell may include a second cell controller (for example, the second cell controller 200-2 in Figure 6). The second cell controller may be located within the second battery cell. The second cell controller may be configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the second battery cell. The first cell controller may be configured to transmit a first signal, including a first numerical value indicating the time relative to the voltage change of the first battery cell, via the busbar to the master BMS when the first battery cell is discharged. The second cell controller may be configured to transmit a second signal, including a second numerical value indicating the time relative to the voltage change of the second battery cell, via the busbar to the master BMS when the second battery cell is discharged. The master BMS may be configured to estimate the SOH of the first and second battery cells based on the difference between the first and second numerical values.

[0156] According to one embodiment, the master BMS may be configured to identify whether the difference falls within a predetermined reference range. If the master BMS identifies the difference within the reference range, it may be configured to determine that the first battery cell and the second battery cell are in a normal state. If the master BMS identifies the difference outside the reference range, it may be configured to determine that the battery cell having the smaller of the first and second numerical values ​​is in a degraded state.

[0157] According to one embodiment, the first cell controller can generate a signal that includes a numerical value obtained based on the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the charging time during charging of the first battery cell, or the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the discharge time during discharging of the first battery cell. The master BMS may be configured to compare the numerical value included in the received signal with a predetermined reference value. The master BMS may be configured to estimate the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell based on the ratio of the numerical value to the reference value.

[0158] According to one embodiment, the reference value can be determined based on the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the charging time during the first charge of the first battery cell, or the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the discharge time during the first discharge of the first battery cell.

[0159] The various embodiments and the terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described herein to any particular embodiment, but rather to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of those embodiments. In the description of the drawings, similar or related components may be given similar reference numbers. A singular noun corresponding to an item may include one or more items unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context. In this specification, each of the phrases such as “A or B,” “A and B at least one,” “A or B at least one,” “A, B or C,” “A, B and C at least one,” and “A, B or C at least one” may include any of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or any possible combination thereof. Terms such as “first,” “second,” or “first,” or “second” may be used merely to distinguish a component from other corresponding components and not to limit that component to other aspects (e.g., importance or order). When one component (for example, the first) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another component (for example, the second), either in combination with or without such terms, it means that one component may be connected to another component directly (for example, by wire), wirelessly, or via the third component.

[0160] Various embodiments of this specification can be implemented as software (e.g., a program) containing one or more instructions stored in a machine-readable storage medium (internal or external memory). For example, the machine's processor can call and execute at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium. This allows the machine to operate to perform at least one function in accordance with the one or more instructions called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory" simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily.

[0161] According to one embodiment, the methods according to the 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 a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or from an application store (Play Store). TM The computer program product may be distributed online (e.g., by download or upload) via a server or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated on a storage medium readable by equipment such as the memory 130 of the manufacturer's server, the application store server, or an intermediary server.

[0162] According to various embodiments, each component of the aforementioned components (e.g., a module or program) may include one or more individuals, and some of the individuals may be separated and arranged in different components. According to various embodiments, 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 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 they were performed by the respective components before integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be performed sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or empirically, or one or more of the operations may be performed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

1. A battery module, It includes a plurality of battery cells, including a first battery cell and a second battery cell; a master battery management system (BMS) for managing the plurality of battery cells, including a master memory; and a bus bar connecting the plurality of battery cells and electrically connected to the master BMS. The first battery cell includes a first cell controller disposed within the first battery cell and configured to communicate with the master BMS via the busbar, and a first cell memory operationally coupled with the first cell controller. The first cell controller is configured to generate first history information about the history of the first battery cell, record the generated first history information in the first cell memory, and transmit a first signal containing the generated first history information to the master BMS via the busbar. The master BMS is configured to record the first history information contained in the first signal in the master memory when it receives the first signal from the first cell controller. The second battery cell includes a second cell controller located within the second battery cell and configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the second battery cell. The first cell controller transmits a first signal, including a first numerical value indicating the time relative to the voltage change of the first battery cell, to the master BMS via the busbar when the first battery cell is discharged. The second cell controller transmits a second signal, including a second numerical value indicating the time relative to the voltage change of the second battery cell, to the master BMS via the busbar when the second battery cell is discharged. The master BMS is configured to estimate the State of Health (SOH) of the first and second battery cells based on the difference between the first and second values. Battery module.

2. The first history information includes at least one of the following: the manufacturer of the first battery cell, the manufacturing date, the condition before use, the state of health (SOH) of the first battery cell, the charging history, the discharging history, and the repair history. The battery module according to claim 1.

3. The master BMS is configured such that, when replacing the first battery cell among the plurality of battery cells, it obtains the first history information stored in the first cell memory within the first cell controller via the busbar, identifies the state of the first battery cell based on the obtained first history information, compares the identified state of the first battery cell with a predetermined reference range, identifies that the replaced first battery cell is usable if it identifies that the state of the first battery cell is different from the reference range, and identifies that the replaced first battery cell is unusable if it identifies that the state of the first battery cell is different from the reference range. The battery module according to claim 1.

4. The second cell controller is configured to communicate with the master BMS via the busbar, The second battery cell includes a second cell memory that is operationally coupled to the second cell controller. The second cell controller is configured to generate second history information about the history of the second battery cell, record the generated second history information in the second cell memory, and transmit the generated second history information to the first battery cell via the busbar. The first cell controller is configured to transmit the second history information received from the second cell controller to the master BMS. The master BMS is configured to record the second history information in the master memory when it receives the second history information from the first cell controller. The battery module according to claim 1.

5. The master BMS is configured to transmit the received first history information to the blockchain network when it receives the first history information. The first historical information is stored within the blockchain network. The battery module according to claim 1.

6. The first cell controller is configured to acquire a signal including a numerical value for indicating the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell, and to transmit the signal to the master BMS via the busbar. The master BMS is configured to estimate the state of health (SOH) of the first battery cell based on at least a portion of the signal. The battery module according to claim 1.

7. The master BMS is configured to identify whether the difference falls within a predetermined reference range, and if the difference falls within the reference range, it determines that the first battery cell and the second battery cell are in a normal state. If the difference falls outside the reference range, it determines that the battery cell with the smaller value among the first and second values ​​is in a deteriorated state. The battery module according to claim 1.

8. The first cell controller generates a signal that includes a numerical value obtained based on the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the charging time when the first battery cell is being charged, or based on the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the discharge time when the first battery cell is being discharged. The master BMS is configured to compare the numerical value included in the received signal with a predetermined reference value and to estimate the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell based on the ratio of the numerical value to the reference value. The aforementioned reference value is determined based on the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the charging time during the first charge of the first battery cell, or the change in voltage of the first battery cell with respect to the discharge time during the first discharge of the first battery cell. The battery module according to claim 6.

9. A battery module, The system includes a plurality of battery cells, including a first battery cell and a second battery cell; a master battery management system (BMS) for managing the plurality of battery cells; and a bus bar connecting the plurality of battery cells and electrically connected to the master BMS. The first battery cell includes a first cell controller disposed within the first battery cell and configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell. The first cell controller is configured to acquire a signal including a numerical value for indicating the State of Health (SOH) of the first battery cell, and to transmit the signal to the master BMS via the busbar. The master BMS is configured to estimate the state of health (SOH) of the first battery cell based on at least a portion of the signal. The second battery cell includes a second cell controller located within the second battery cell and configured to monitor the State of Health (SOH) of the second battery cell. The first cell controller transmits a first signal, including a first numerical value indicating the time relative to the voltage change of the first battery cell, to the master BMS via the busbar when the first battery cell is discharged. The second cell controller transmits a second signal, including a second numerical value indicating the time relative to the voltage change of the second battery cell, to the master BMS via the busbar when the second battery cell is discharged. The master BMS is configured to estimate the State of Health (SOH) of the first and second battery cells based on the difference between the first and second values. Battery module.

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