Battery module and method for determining state of current sensor thereof

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a battery module of an electronic device may comprise: a battery pack; a current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by the battery pack; and a battery controller configured to control the battery pack and determine whether the current sensor is abnormal, on the basis of a measurement result of the current sensor, wherein one end of the current detection resistor is connected to the battery pack and the other end of the current detection resistor is connected to a ground line of the battery controller.

Description

Method for determining the status of a battery module and its current sensor

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technology for determining the status of a battery module and a current sensor included in the battery module, and more particularly, to a technology for detecting a short-circuit status of a current sensor including a current detection resistor (e.g., a shunt resistor).

[0002] Typically, two current sensors can be used to assess the validity of a battery pack's current. In this case, current sensors are connected to each terminal of the battery pack (i.e., the positive and negative terminals), and the difference in measurement results between the two current sensors is used to assess the validity of the battery pack's current. However, using two current sensors can be costly and make it difficult to miniaturize the battery module.

[0003] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a technical problem is to simply and accurately determine whether the current sensor is abnormal while determining the validity of the current of a battery pack through one current sensor.

[0004] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a technical problem is to determine whether a current sensor is abnormal by measuring the current consumption of a battery management system (BMS).

[0005] A battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a battery pack; a current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by the battery pack; and a battery controller configured to control the battery pack and determine whether the current sensor is abnormal based on a measurement result of the current sensor, wherein one end of the current detection resistor may be connected to the battery pack, and the other end of the current detection resistor may be connected to a ground line of the battery controller.

[0006] According to one embodiment, the battery controller may be configured to determine that the current sensor is in an abnormal state in response to a measurement result of the current sensor being below a threshold value.

[0007] A battery module according to one embodiment, wherein the battery controller is configured to notify an automobile controller of an abnormal state of the current sensor in response to determining that the current sensor is in an abnormal state.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the battery controller may be configured to control a relay to open at least a portion of a current path of the battery pack in response to the current sensor determining that the current sensor is in an abnormal state.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the threshold value may be determined based on the current consumption of the battery controller.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the expected current consumption range of the battery controller can be set for each operating mode of the battery pack.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the battery controller may be configured to determine an operation mode of the battery pack based on a measurement result of the current sensor, confirm an expected current consumption range of the battery controller corresponding to the operation mode of the battery pack, correct the measurement result of the current sensor based on the confirmed expected current consumption range, and notify the corrected measurement result to the vehicle controller.

[0012] The battery controller according to one embodiment may be configured to determine that the current sensor is in a normal state in response to a measurement result of the current sensor exceeding the threshold value, and to control the battery pack so that power is supplied to the vehicle in response to determining that the current sensor is in a normal state.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the battery controller may be configured to obtain information about a battery state by applying the measurement results of the current sensor to a SoX algorithm.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the SoX algorithm may include at least one of a SoC algorithm, a SoP algorithm, and a SoH algorithm, and the information about the battery state may include at least one of a battery state of charge (SoC), a battery state of health (SoH), and a battery state of power (SoP).

[0015] In one embodiment, the current detection resistor may be a shunt resistor.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the battery controller may be configured to control a relay so that a current path of the battery pack forms a closed circuit before supplying a large amount of power to a motor of the vehicle, and to determine a state of the current sensor based on a measurement result of the current sensor while the motor of the vehicle is not driven.

[0017] A method for determining a state of a current sensor by a battery controller included in a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes the steps of: receiving a measurement result of a current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by a battery pack; and determining whether the current sensor is abnormal based on the measurement result of the current sensor, wherein one end of the current detection resistor may be connected to the battery pack, and the other end of the current detection resistor may be connected to a ground line of the battery controller.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to simply and accurately determine whether the current sensor is abnormal while determining the validity of the current of a battery pack through one current sensor.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to determine whether a current sensor is abnormal by measuring the current consumption of a battery management system (BMS).

[0020] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 3 is a processing flowchart of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 4 is a processing flowchart of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a processing flowchart of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 6 is a processing flowchart of a battery module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] The terms used in the embodiments have been selected from widely used and common terms, taking into account the functions of the present disclosure. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Furthermore, in certain cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, in which case their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should not be defined simply as names of terms, but rather based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present disclosure.

[0027] When a part of the specification is said to "include" a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather implies the inclusion of other components, unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, terms such as "part" and "module" used in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0028] The expression “at least one of a, b, and c” described throughout the specification may encompass “a alone,” “b alone,” “c alone,” “a and b,” “a and c,” “b and c,” or “all of a, b, and c.”

[0029] Below, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0031] In describing the embodiments, descriptions of technical details that are well-known in the technical field to which the present invention pertains and are not directly related to the present invention will be omitted. This is to avoid obscuring the gist of the present invention by omitting unnecessary explanations and to convey it more clearly.

[0032] For the same reason, some components in the attached drawings are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted. Furthermore, the dimensions of each component do not entirely reflect its actual size. Identical or corresponding components in each drawing are assigned the same reference numbers.

[0033] The advantages and features of the present invention, and the methods for achieving them, will become clearer with reference to the embodiments described in detail below together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided only to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

[0034] At this time, it will be understood that each block of the processing flow diagrams and combinations of the flow diagrams can be performed by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be installed in a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment create a means for performing the functions described in the flow diagram block(s). These computer program instructions can also be stored in a computer-available or computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement the functions in a specific manner, so that the instructions stored in the computer-available or computer-readable memory can also produce a manufactured item that includes an instruction means for performing the functions described in the flow diagram block(s). Since the computer program instructions may be installed on a computer or other programmable data processing device, a series of operational steps may be performed on the computer or other programmable data processing device to create a computer-executable process, and the instructions that cause the computer or other programmable data processing device to perform the steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s) may also provide steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s).

[0035] Additionally, each block may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that contains one or more executable instructions for performing a specific logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementation examples, the functions described in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, two blocks depicted in succession may actually be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on their respective functions.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, the battery module (100) is a module that includes a battery pack (110) that stores electric energy to supply power to a vehicle (e.g., an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle), a battery controller (120) for managing and controlling the battery pack (110), and other components necessary for supplying current, and may be referred to as a battery system. In the present disclosure, the number of battery packs (110) included in the battery module (100) is illustrated as one, but the invention is not limited thereto, and the battery module (100) may include two or more battery packs (110).

[0037] According to one embodiment, a battery module (100) may include a battery pack (110), a battery controller (120), and a current sensor (130). At least one of the components included in the battery module (100) may be omitted, or another component may be added to the battery module (100). Additionally or alternatively, some of the components may be implemented in an integrated manner, or may be implemented as a single or multiple entities. At least some of the components within the battery module (100) may be implemented in an integrated manner, or may be implemented as a single or multiple entities. At least some of the components within the battery module (100) may be connected to each other via a controller area network (CAN), a bus, a general purpose input / output (GPIO), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), or a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), and may exchange data and / or signals.

[0038] A battery pack (110) according to one embodiment may include a plurality of battery modules connected in series. The number of battery modules included in the battery pack (110) may be two or more. Each battery module may include a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel. The number of battery cells included in each battery module may be two or more. The battery pack (110) may be connected to a load through a positive terminal and a negative terminal to perform a charging or discharging operation. The plurality of battery cells and the plurality of battery modules may be connected in parallel and in series in various ways to meet the specifications of a power consuming device. The battery cells may be, for example, lithium ion battery cells.

[0039] A battery pack (110) may be an electrical energy source that supplies electrical energy to a power-consuming device to drive the device. The power-consuming device may include, for example, a vehicle such as an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or an electric scooter. The battery pack (110), under the control of a battery controller (120), may supply power to the vehicle and may also receive power from a charging device.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) may be a battery management system (BMS) that manages and controls the battery pack (110). The battery controller (120) may also be referred to as a BMS, a battery control circuit, or a battery monitoring integrated circuit. The battery controller (120) may be connected to the battery pack (110) and may obtain voltage signals measured from both ends of the battery pack (110). For example, the battery controller (120) may be connected to each of a plurality of battery modules included in the battery pack (110).

[0041] According to one embodiment, the current sensor (130) may be a sensor including a current detection resistor. The current detection resistor may be, for example, a shunt resistor. That is, the current sensor (130) includes a shunt resistor and a high-speed amplifier, and has the advantages of being simple to mount in a current path and easy to handle. According to one embodiment, the current sensor (130) including the shunt resistor can measure the total current value flowing in the current sensor (130) by connecting the shunt resistor in parallel to a constant current circuit (ammeter). That is, by using a current sensor (130) with a shunt resistor connected in parallel, the current measurement range can be expanded. According to another embodiment, the current sensor (130) including the shunt resistor can detect a voltage drop across both terminals of the shunt resistor by connecting the shunt resistor in series to the ammeter, and use the voltage drop to measure the current value flowing in the circuit. The battery controller (120) can measure the current of the battery pack (110) by converting the voltage measured by the current sensor (130) using the shunt resistor into current. That is, since the resistance value of the shunt resistor is known in advance, when the voltage values ​​at both ends of the shunt resistor are measured, the current sensor (130) can calculate the current value flowing through the shunt resistor, and this current value can be said to be the current value flowing in the charge / discharge path of the battery pack (110). The method of measuring the current value is based on Ohm's law, and an accurate current value can be measured by utilizing the law that the voltage changes in proportion to the current.

[0042] According to one embodiment, a current sensor (130) including a current detection resistor may be electrically connected to a current path formed by a battery pack (110). For example, the current sensor (130) may be installed on a current path connected to a negative terminal (i.e., a (-) pole) among both ends of the battery pack (110). The current sensor (130) may be connected to a battery controller (120) and may transmit measurement results to the battery controller (120).

[0043] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) can control or manage the battery pack (110). The battery controller (120) can monitor the voltage, current, and temperature of the battery pack (110). The battery controller (120) can perform abnormal diagnosis, cell balancing, and estimation of the State of Charge (SoC), State of Health (SoH), and State of Power (SoP) for the battery pack (110). The SoC is a percentage of the current state of the battery, the SoH is a percentage of the current state of the battery, and the SoP is a percentage of the current state of the battery. The battery controller (120) can receive a measurement result from the current sensor (130) and diagnose the current state of the battery pack (110) based on the measurement result. The battery controller (120) can also diagnose the state of the current sensor (130) based on the measurement result of the current sensor (130). In this document, a specific method for a battery controller (120) to diagnose the status of a current sensor (130) is disclosed.

[0044] The battery module (100) according to one embodiment may further include a relay (not shown). The relay, under the control of the battery controller (120), may open at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack (110) to prevent current from flowing, or may connect the current path of the battery pack (110) to form a closed circuit.

[0045] According to one embodiment, a battery controller (120) may transmit information regarding a battery pack (110) to a vehicle controller (not shown). The vehicle controller may be, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU). The vehicle controller may refer to a control device that controls various states of the vehicle. The battery controller (120) may include a communication module for communicating with other systems (e.g., a vehicle controller) within the vehicle. The communication module of the battery controller (120) may communicate with other systems within the vehicle using a controller area network (CAN). Components within the battery controller (120) may also be connected to each other via the CAN bus. CAN communication refers to a standard communication standard designed for controllers or devices to communicate with each other within a vehicle without a host computer. CAN communication is a message-based network protocol in a non-host bus method primarily used for communication between controllers, and may be primarily used in vehicles. The communication module of the battery controller (120) may include a buffer for temporarily storing data received from other modules or systems.

[0046] The battery controller (120) according to one embodiment can notify the vehicle controller of information about the battery pack (110), including, for example, voltage, current, temperature, SoC, SoH, and SoP of the battery pack (110). The battery controller (120) can notify the status of components included in the battery module (100). For example, when the battery controller (120) detects an abnormal state of the battery pack (110), it can notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the battery pack (110). For example, when the battery controller (120) detects an abnormal state of the current sensor (130), it can notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the current sensor (130).

[0047] FIGS. 2A and 2B are drawings illustrating a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] FIG. 2a relates to an embodiment in which the ground line of the battery controller (120) is directly connected to the negative terminal of the battery pack (110), and FIG. 2b relates to an embodiment in which the ground line of the battery controller (120) is installed in a path including the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130). The battery module (100) illustrated in FIGS. 2a and 2b may include a battery pack (110), a battery controller (120), a current sensor (130), and a relay (140). The battery pack (110) may include a plurality of battery modules (110a, 110b, 110c). The plurality of battery modules (110a, 110b, 110c) may be connected in series with each other. Each of the plurality of battery modules (110a, 110b, 110c) may include a plurality of battery cells. The plurality of battery cells may be connected in parallel with each other.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 2A, a current sensor (130) according to one embodiment may be electrically connected to a current path formed by a battery pack (110) and may include a current detection resistor. A battery controller (120) may be connected to the battery pack (110) to monitor and estimate information regarding various states of the battery pack (110). A ground line of the battery controller (120) may be directly connected to a negative terminal of the battery pack (110). That is, the ground line of the battery controller (120) may be connected between the negative terminal of the battery pack (110) and the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130).

[0050] That is, according to the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 2A, the battery controller (120) is directly connected to both ends (i.e., the positive terminal and the negative terminal) of the battery pack (110) to monitor the status of the battery pack (110). In the above case, the current sensor (130) can measure the current (i.e., the charge / discharge current) coming from or entering the battery pack (110). However, in the above case, the current sensor (130) cannot measure the current consumption of the battery controller (120) itself. For example, in the above case, if the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130) is short-circuited and the current value cannot be properly measured, the measurement value of the current sensor (130) may be 0 A. Meanwhile, even when the battery pack (110) is not in use (e.g., in a sleep state), the measurement value of the current sensor (130) may be 0 A since no current flows in the battery pack (110).

[0051] Here, the current consumption of the battery controller (120) may refer to the current required for the battery controller (120) to operate. The current consumption of the battery controller (120) may be, for example, 100 to 200 mA. According to one embodiment, the expected current consumption range of the battery controller (120) may be set for each operation mode of the battery pack (110). For example, when the battery pack (110) is in sleep mode, the expected current consumption range of the battery controller (120) may be set to 100 to 200 mA, and when the battery pack (110) is in discharge mode, the expected current consumption range of the battery controller (120) may be set to 200 to 300 mA. Accordingly, when the detection result of the current sensor (130) is 110 mA, it may be determined that the current consumption of the battery controller (120) is 110 mA and that the battery pack (110) is currently in sleep mode. The above-mentioned current consumption values ​​are exemplary and may vary depending on the battery type and vehicle type. The specific method for determining the operating mode will be described later.

[0052] That is, in the present embodiment, when the measurement value of the current sensor (130) is 0A, it may simply be a normal state in which the battery pack (110) is not being used, or it may be an abnormal state in which the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130) is short-circuited. In the present embodiment, it is not possible to clearly determine whether the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130) is short-circuited using only the measurement result of the current sensor (130). In the present embodiment, whether the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130) is short-circuited can be determined only by synthesizing the measurement result of the current sensor (130), the voltage of the battery cell, and external information.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 2b, the ground line of the battery controller (120) according to the present embodiment may be installed in a current path including a current detection resistor of a current sensor (130) rather than being directly connected to the negative terminal of the battery pack (110). That is, one end of the current detection resistor may be connected to the battery pack (110), and the other end of the current detection resistor may be connected to the ground line of the battery controller (120).

[0054] That is, according to the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 2B, since the battery controller (120) is connected to a path including the battery pack (110) and the current sensor (130), the current sensor (130) can measure not only the charge / discharge current of the battery pack (110) but also the current consumption of the battery controller (120). In the above case, the battery controller (120) can not only monitor the state of the battery pack (110) but also monitor the state of the current sensor (130). For example, in the present embodiment, when the battery pack (110) is not in use (e.g., sleep state), no current flows in the battery pack (110), but since the battery controller (120) is in a normally operating state, the measured value of the current sensor (130) can be the current consumption value of the battery controller (120) (e.g., 100 to 200 mA). However, in a situation where the current detection resistance of the current sensor (130) is short-circuited and the current value cannot be properly measured, the measurement value of the current sensor (130) may be 0 A. In other words, the battery controller (120) according to the present embodiment can determine whether the current detection resistance of the current sensor (130) is short-circuited using only the measurement result of the current sensor (130).

[0055] FIG. 3 is a processing flowchart of a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Referring to processing flowchart 300, the battery controller (120) of the battery module (100) according to one embodiment may receive a measurement result of the current sensor (130) in step 310. The battery controller (120) may receive a measurement result regarding the current measured by the current sensor (130).

[0057] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) of the battery module (100) may determine, in step 320, that the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state in response to the measurement result of the current sensor (130) being less than or equal to a threshold value. The threshold value is a value set for determining whether the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state and may be determined based on the current consumption of the battery controller (120). For example, if the current consumption of the battery controller (120) is 120 mA, the user may determine the threshold value to be 100 mA. The above value is exemplary and may be set in various ways within a range capable of determining whether the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state. If the measurement result of the current sensor (130) is less than or equal to the threshold value, the battery controller (120) may determine that the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state in which it cannot measure the current consumption of the battery controller (120), i.e., that the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130) is short-circuited.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) may control a relay to open at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack (110) in step 330. In response to the current sensor (130) determining that the current sensor is in an abnormal state, the battery controller (120) may control a relay (e.g., relay (140) of FIG. 2B) to open at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack (110). That is, when the battery controller (120) determines that the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state, the battery controller (120) may open the current path so that current does not flow in the battery pack (110). Through this, a battery accident can be prevented in advance.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) may, at step 340, notify the vehicle controller of an abnormal state of the current sensor (130). If the battery controller (120) determines that the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state, it may notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the current sensor (130). That is, the battery controller (120) may notify the vehicle controller of the fact that there is an abnormality in the current sensor (130), thereby enabling immediate follow-up procedures to be performed.

[0060] Fig. 4 is a processing flowchart of a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Any details overlapping with those described in Fig. 3 will be omitted.

[0061] Referring to the processing flowchart 400, the battery controller (120) of the battery module (100) according to one embodiment may receive a measurement result of the current sensor (130) at step 410. The battery controller (120) according to one embodiment may compare the measurement result received from the current sensor (130) with a threshold value at step 420. The threshold value is a value set to determine whether the current sensor (130) is abnormal, and may be determined based on the current consumption of the battery controller (120).

[0062] If the measurement result is less than or equal to the threshold value, the process branches to step 430 (420-Yes), and the battery controller (120) according to one embodiment may determine that the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state. In response to the measurement result being less than or equal to the threshold value, the battery controller (120) may determine that the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state in which a short circuit occurs. In step 440, the battery controller (120) according to one embodiment may control the relay so that at least a portion of the current path of the battery pack (110) is opened in response to determining that the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state. In step 450, the battery controller (120) according to one embodiment may notify the vehicle controller of the abnormal state of the current sensor (130) in response to determining that the current sensor (130) is in an abnormal state.

[0063] If the measurement result exceeds the threshold value, the process branches to step 460 (420-No), and the battery controller (120) according to one embodiment can determine that the current sensor (130) is in a normal state. That is, the battery controller (120) can determine the measurement result of the current sensor (130) as the current consumption of the battery controller (120) and determine that the current sensor (130) is in a normal state with no abnormality. In step 470, the battery controller (120) according to one embodiment can control the battery pack (110) so that power is supplied to the vehicle in response to determining that the current sensor (130) is in a normal state. In the above case, when the battery controller (120) receives a request for the required power corresponding to the required torque from the vehicle controller, the battery controller (120) can control the battery pack (110) so that the required power corresponding to the required torque is output to the motor of the vehicle.

[0064] In addition, when the current sensor (130) is in a normal state, the battery controller (120) can obtain information about the battery state by applying the measurement result of the current sensor (130) to the SoX algorithm. The SoX algorithm may include, for example, at least one of the SoC algorithm, the SoP algorithm, and the SoH algorithm. The information about the battery state may include at least one of the battery state of charge (SoC), the battery state of health (SoH), and the battery state of power (SoP). The SoX algorithm may include various known algorithms. For example, the battery controller (120) can obtain information about the battery state of charge by applying the measurement result of the current sensor (130) to the SoC algorithm.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) controls a relay so that a current path of the battery pack (110) forms a closed circuit before supplying a large amount of power to the motor of the vehicle, and while the motor of the vehicle is not driven, the battery controller (120) can determine the state of the current sensor (130) based on the measurement result of the current sensor (130). That is, the battery controller (120) can form a closed circuit for power supply even before supplying a large amount of power to the motor of the vehicle, and can determine the state of the current sensor (130) in advance before the motor is driven.

[0066] FIG. 5 is a processing flowchart of a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] Referring to the processing flowchart 500, the battery controller (120) of the battery module (100) according to one embodiment can receive the measurement result of the current sensor (130) in step 510.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) may determine the operating mode of the battery pack (110) in step 520. The operating mode of the battery pack (110) may include, for example, a sleep mode, a discharge mode, and a charge mode. The sleep mode may refer to a mode in which the vehicle does not request power output from the battery pack (110) when the vehicle is not started, and may mean a mode in which the battery pack (110) does not operate. That is, in the sleep mode, no current is charged or discharged from the battery pack (110). Meanwhile, even when the battery pack (110) is in the sleep mode, monitoring of the battery pack (110) must be performed, and thus, the battery controller (120) may operate, which may result in current consumption.

[0069] The discharge mode is a mode in which power is output from the battery pack (110), and may refer to a mode in which the vehicle controller requests the battery controller (120) to output the required power according to the required torque at the user's request while the vehicle is driving, and outputs the required power accordingly. That is, in the discharge mode, a current discharged from the battery pack (110) and a consumption current used by the battery controller (120) may be generated. The charge mode is a mode in which the battery pack (110) is charged, and may refer to a mode in which the battery pack (110) is charged through an external charging device or the battery pack (110) is charged according to regenerative braking.

[0070] The battery controller (120) can determine the current operating mode of the battery pack (110). That is, since the battery controller (120) monitors the battery pack (110) in real time, it can know what the current operating mode of the battery pack (110) is.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) can check the expected current consumption range of the battery controller (120) corresponding to the operation mode of the battery pack (110) in step 530. The current consumption of the battery controller (120) may be different for each operation mode of the battery pack (110). Therefore, the range of the expected current consumption of the battery controller (120) may be set for each operation mode of the battery pack (110). For example, when the battery pack (110) is in sleep mode, the range of the expected current consumption of the battery controller (120) may be set to 100 to 200 mA, when the battery pack (110) is in discharge mode, the range of the expected current consumption of the battery controller (120) may be set to 200 to 300 mA, and when the battery pack (110) is in charge mode, the range of the expected current consumption of the battery controller (120) may be set to 250 to 350 mA. For example, the battery controller (120) can determine that the expected current consumption is 200 to 300 mA when the current operating mode of the battery pack (110) is the discharge mode. In this embodiment, the expected current consumption range is described as being set, but it is of course possible to set it to a specific value rather than a range.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) can correct the measurement result of the current sensor (130) in step 540. The battery controller (120) can correct the measurement result of the current sensor (130) by subtracting the expected current consumption confirmed above from the measurement result of the current sensor (130). That is, the pure charge / discharge current of the battery pack (110) in which the current consumption of the battery controller (120) is not reflected can be calculated. According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) can notify the vehicle controller of the corrected measurement result in step 550.

[0073] Figure 6 is a processing flowchart of a battery module (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] Referring to the processing flowchart 600, the battery controller (120) of the battery module (100) according to one embodiment can receive the measurement result of the current sensor (130) in step 610.

[0075] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) can diagnose the open state of the current sensor (130) in step 620. In a situation where the voltages of a plurality of battery cells included in the battery pack (110) do not rise or fall sharply, the battery controller (120) can determine whether the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130) is open based on the detection result of the current sensor (130). If the battery controller (120) determines that the current sensor (130) is open, it can determine that an abnormality exists and control the relay so that at least a part of the current path of the battery pack (110) is opened.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the battery controller (120) can diagnose a short-circuit state of the current sensor (130) at step 630. The battery controller (120) can determine whether the current detection resistor of the current sensor (130) is short-circuited based on the measurement result of the current sensor (130). The method for diagnosing the short-circuit state of the current sensor (130) is the same as the method described in FIGS. 3 and 4. If the battery controller (120) determines that the current sensor (130) is short-circuited, it can determine that there is an abnormality and control the relay so that at least a part of the current path of the battery pack (110) is opened.

[0077] If the battery controller (120) determines that the current detection resistance of the current sensor (130) is not open or short-circuited, the battery controller (120) determines that the current sensor (130) is in a normal state and controls the battery pack (110) so that power is supplied to the vehicle in response to the required torque.

[0078] Meanwhile, the present specification and drawings disclose preferred embodiments of the present invention. Although specific terms have been used, they are used in a general sense only to easily explain the technical contents of the present invention and to assist in understanding the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modified examples based on the technical concept of the present invention are possible in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0079] The device or terminal according to the above-described embodiments may include a processor, a memory for storing and executing program data, permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communication port for communicating with an external device, a user interface device such as a touch panel, a key, a button, etc. The methods implemented as software modules or algorithms may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium as computer-readable codes or program commands that can be executed on the processor. Here, the computer-readable recording medium includes a magnetic storage medium (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a floppy disk, a hard disk, etc.) and an optical reading medium (e.g., a CD-ROM, a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)). The computer-readable recording medium may be distributed to computer systems connected through a network, so that the computer-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The medium is readable by a computer, stored in a memory, and executed by a processor.

[0080] The present embodiment may be represented by functional block configurations and various processing steps. These functional blocks may be implemented by various hardware and / or software configurations that perform specific functions. For example, the embodiment may employ integrated circuit configurations such as memory, processing, logic, look-up tables, etc., which may perform various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, the present embodiment may be implemented in a programming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, assembler, Python, etc., including various algorithms implemented as a combination of data structures, processes, routines, or other programming configurations. Functional aspects may be implemented as algorithms that execute on one or more processors. Furthermore, the present embodiment may employ conventional techniques for electronic configuration, signal processing, and / or data processing. Terms such as "mechanism," "element," "means," and "composition" can be used broadly and are not limited to mechanical or physical structures. These terms can also encompass a series of software routines, such as those associated with a processor.

[0081] The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and other embodiments may be implemented within the scope of the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. In the battery module, battery pack; A current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by the battery pack; and A battery controller is included that is set to control the battery pack and determine whether the current sensor is abnormal based on the measurement results of the current sensor. A battery module, wherein one end of the current detection resistor is connected to the battery pack, and the other end of the current detection resistor is connected to the ground line of the battery controller.

2. In paragraph 1, The above battery controller, A battery module configured to determine that the current sensor is in an abnormal state in response to a measurement result of the current sensor being below a threshold value.

3. In paragraph 2, The above battery controller, A battery module configured to notify an automobile controller of an abnormal state of the current sensor in response to determining that the current sensor is in an abnormal state.

4. In paragraph 2, The above battery controller, A battery module configured to control a relay to open at least a portion of a current path of the battery pack in response to the current sensor determining that the current sensor is in an abnormal state.

5. In paragraph 2, A battery module, wherein the threshold value is determined based on the current consumption of the battery controller.

6. In paragraph 2, A battery module in which the expected current consumption range of the battery controller is set for each operation mode of the battery pack.

7. In paragraph 6, The above battery controller, Based on the measurement results of the current sensor, the operation mode of the battery pack is determined, Check the expected current consumption range of the battery controller corresponding to the operating mode of the above battery pack, Based on the expected current consumption range confirmed above, the measurement results of the current sensor are corrected, A battery module set to notify the vehicle controller of the above-mentioned corrected measurement results.

8. In paragraph 2, The above battery controller, In response to the measurement result of the current sensor exceeding the threshold value, the current sensor is determined to be in a normal state, A battery module configured to control the battery pack to supply power to the vehicle in response to the current sensor determining that the current sensor is in a normal state.

9. In paragraph 1, The above battery controller, A battery module configured to obtain information on a battery state by applying the measurement results of the above current sensor to the SoX algorithm.

10. In paragraph 9, The above SoX algorithm includes at least one of a SoC algorithm, a SoP algorithm, and a SoH algorithm, A battery module, wherein the information about the battery status includes at least one of a battery state of charge (SoC), a battery state of health (SoH), and a battery state of power (SoP).

11. In paragraph 1, The above current detection resistor is a shunt resistor, a battery module.

12. In paragraph 1, The above battery controller, Before supplying a large amount of power to the motor of the car, the relay is controlled so that the current path of the battery pack forms a closed circuit, A battery module configured to determine the status of the current sensor based on the measurement results of the current sensor while the motor of the vehicle is not driven.

13. A method for determining the status of a current sensor by a battery controller included in a battery module, A step of receiving a measurement result of a current sensor including a current detection resistor electrically connected to a current path formed by a battery pack; and A step of determining whether the current sensor is abnormal based on the measurement result of the current sensor is included, A method for determining the status of a current sensor, wherein one end of the current detection resistor is connected to the battery pack, and the other end of the current detection resistor is connected to a ground line of the battery controller.

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