Apparatus and method for managing battery

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for managing a battery, which determine a battery state on the basis of the number of peaks. The apparatus for managing a battery, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a profile acquisition unit for acquiring a differential profile based on the differential voltage and capacity of a battery; and a control unit for calculating the number of peaks included in a target capacity section in the differential profile, and determining the type of the battery according to the calculated number of peaks.

Description

Battery management device and method

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0181134, filed on December 13, 2023, the entire contents of which are disclosed in the specification and drawings of the said application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery management device and method, and more particularly, to a battery management device and method for determining a battery state based on the number of peaks.

[0003] Recently, as the demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, video cameras, and mobile phones has rapidly increased, and the development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, and satellites has been in full swing, research into high-performance batteries capable of repeated charging and discharging is actively being conducted.

[0004] Currently commercialized batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium batteries. Among these, lithium batteries are receiving attention for their advantages of being able to charge and discharge freely, having a very low self-discharge rate, and having a high energy density, as they have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries.

[0005] These batteries exhibit different voltage profiles, indicating the relationship between voltage and capacity, depending on the type of positive and negative electrodes used. If the types of positive and negative electrodes of a battery are unknown, it becomes difficult to specifically define the battery's usage conditions. For example, if a battery that does not require rapid charging is included in a product that requires rapid charging, the battery may deteriorate rapidly with use. Therefore, determining the types of positive and negative electrodes in a battery with unknown positive and negative electrodes can be considered one way to prevent rapid battery degradation.

[0006] However, while a battery's positive electrode can be relatively easily distinguished based on its nickel (Ni) composition, determining whether the negative electrode is made of natural or synthetic graphite is challenging. Therefore, a technology capable of determining a battery's type based on its condition is needed.

[0007] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a battery management device and method for determining a battery state based on the number of peaks.

[0008] Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood through the following description and will be more clearly understood through the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0009] A battery management device according to one aspect of the present invention may include a profile acquisition unit configured to acquire a differential profile based on a differential voltage and capacity of a battery; and a control unit configured to calculate the number of peaks included in a target capacity section from the differential profile and determine the type of the battery based on the calculated number of peaks.

[0010] The above control unit may be configured to compare the number of peaks with a preset reference number and determine the type of the battery based on the comparison result.

[0011] The above control unit may be configured to determine the type of the battery as a natural graphite battery or an artificial graphite battery based on the comparison result.

[0012] The above control unit may be configured to determine the type of the battery as a natural graphite battery if the number of peaks is greater than or equal to a preset first reference number.

[0013] The control unit may be configured to determine the type of the battery as a natural graphite battery or an artificial graphite battery when the number of the peaks is less than the first reference number and equal to a preset second reference number.

[0014] The control unit may be configured to determine the type of the battery as an artificial graphite battery if the number of peaks is less than the second reference number.

[0015] The control unit may be configured to determine the type of the battery as the natural graphite battery or the artificial graphite battery based on the differential voltage of a plurality of peaks when the number of peaks is equal to the second reference number.

[0016] The above control unit may be configured to determine the type of the battery as the natural graphite battery when the corresponding differential voltage is equal to or lower than the corresponding capacity of the plurality of peaks.

[0017] The above control unit may be configured to determine the type of the battery as the artificial graphite battery when the corresponding differential voltage is greater as the corresponding capacity of the plurality of peaks is lower.

[0018] The above control unit may be configured to determine a target capacity corresponding to the lowest differential voltage in the differential profile, and set a capacity section below the determined target capacity as the target capacity section.

[0019] The control unit may be configured to divide the entire capacity section of the battery into a lower capacity section and an upper capacity section, and determine the target capacity in the lower capacity section of the differential profile.

[0020] A battery pack according to another aspect of the present invention may include a battery management device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0021] A battery management method according to another aspect of the present invention may include a profile acquisition step of acquiring a differential profile based on a differential voltage and capacity of a battery; a peak count calculation step of calculating the number of peaks included in a target capacity section from the differential profile; and a battery determination step of determining the type of the battery based on the calculated number of peaks.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is an advantage in that the state of the battery can be determined even without additional measurement or inspection to determine the state of the battery.

[0023] In addition, according to one aspect of the present invention, since the state of the battery is determined based on the number of peaks, there is an advantage in that the state of the battery can be determined in a non-destructive manner.

[0024] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

[0025] The following drawings attached to this specification serve to further understand the technical idea of ​​the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention described below, and therefore the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the matters described in such drawings.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating first to fourth batteries according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first differential profile of a first battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second differential profile of a second battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a third differential profile of a third battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fourth differential profile of a fourth battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery management method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as meanings and concepts that conform to the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term to explain his or her own invention in the best possible manner.

[0035] Accordingly, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace them at the time of filing this application.

[0036] In addition, when describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description is omitted.

[0037] Terms that include ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., are used to distinguish one of the various components from the rest, and are not used to limit the components by such terms.

[0038] Throughout the specification, whenever a part is said to "include" a component, this does not mean that it excludes other components, but rather that it may include other components, unless otherwise stated.

[0039] Additionally, throughout the specification, when we say that a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly connected" but also cases where it is "indirectly connected" with other elements in between.

[0040]

[0041] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0042] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery management device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, the battery management device (100) may include a profile acquisition unit (110) and a control unit (120).

[0044] Here, a battery refers to a physically separate, independent cell having a negative terminal and a positive terminal. For example, a lithium-ion battery or a lithium polymer battery may be considered a battery. Furthermore, a battery may also refer to a battery bank, battery module, or battery pack in which multiple cells are connected in series and / or parallel. For convenience of explanation, the term "battery" will be described below as referring to a single, independent cell.

[0045] The profile acquisition unit (110) can be configured to acquire a differential profile based on the differential voltage and capacity of the battery.

[0046] Specifically, the battery profile is a profile that represents the correspondence between the voltage (V) and capacity (Q) of the battery. For example, the battery profile can be expressed as a two-dimensional graph in which the X-axis is set to capacity and the Y-axis is set to voltage. Then, when the battery profile is differentiated with respect to capacity, a differential profile that represents the correspondence between the differential voltage (dV / dQ) and capacity (Q) can be generated. Here, the differential voltage (dV / dQ) is a value obtained by differentiating the voltage (V) with respect to the capacity (Q), and can represent the instantaneous rate of change of the voltage with respect to the capacity.

[0047] Here, there are no specific restrictions on the C-rate for charging or discharging to generate a battery profile. However, to obtain more accurate battery profiles and differential profiles, it is desirable to charge or discharge the battery at a low rate. For example, a battery profile can be generated by charging or discharging the battery at 0.05C.

[0048] For example, the profile acquisition unit (110) can directly receive the differential profile of the battery from the outside. That is, the profile acquisition unit (110) can acquire the differential profile by receiving the differential profile through a wired and / or wireless connection to the outside.

[0049] As another example, the profile acquisition unit (110) may receive battery information regarding the voltage and capacity of the battery. Furthermore, the profile acquisition unit (110) may generate a battery profile based on the received battery information. The profile acquisition unit (110) may generate a differential profile based on the battery profile. In other words, the profile acquisition unit (110) may directly generate a differential profile based on the battery information, thereby acquiring the differential profile.

[0050] The profile acquisition unit (110) may be connected to the control unit (120) so as to be able to communicate with it. For example, the profile acquisition unit (110) may be connected to the control unit (120) by wire and / or wirelessly. The profile acquisition unit may transmit the acquired differential profile to the control unit (120).

[0051] The control unit (120) may be configured to calculate the number of peaks included in the target capacity section in the differential profile.

[0052] Specifically, the differential profile may include multiple peaks. Here, a peak refers to a point with an upward convex shape among points where the instantaneous rate of change of the differential voltage with respect to the capacity is 0. That is, the instantaneous rate of change of the differential voltage with respect to the capacity on the low-capacity side based on the peak is positive, and the instantaneous rate of change of the differential voltage with respect to the capacity on the high-capacity side is negative. The control unit (120) may calculate the number of peaks included in the target capacity section among the multiple peaks included in the differential profile.

[0053] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating first to fourth batteries according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the number of peaks calculated for the first battery (B1) is 3, the number of peaks calculated for the second battery (B2) is 2, the number of peaks calculated for the third battery (B3) is 2, and the number of peaks calculated for the fourth battery is 1.

[0055] The control unit (120) may be configured to determine the type of battery based on the number of peaks produced.

[0056] Specifically, the control unit (120) may be configured to compare the number of peaks with a preset reference number.

[0057] Here, the reference number may be a preset value corresponding to the type of battery.

[0058] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the number of peaks calculated for the first battery (B1) is 3. The control unit (120) can compare the number of peaks calculated (3) with a preset reference number.

[0059] The control unit (120) may be configured to determine the type of battery based on the comparison result.

[0060] Specifically, the control unit (120) may be configured to determine the type of battery as a natural graphite-based battery or an artificial graphite-based battery. That is, the control unit (120) may determine the type of battery as a battery including a natural graphite-based negative electrode or a battery including an artificial graphite-based negative electrode based on the comparison result.

[0061] Because natural and artificial graphite have different crystal structures and degradation patterns, the type of battery must be specifically assessed for efficient use. For example, artificial graphite batteries are robust against rapid charging, while natural graphite batteries are prone to rapid degradation due to rapid charging.

[0062] Let's assume a situation where a battery is rapidly charged without a specific battery type being determined. If the battery is an artificial graphite battery, rapid charging will not cause rapid degradation. However, if the battery is a natural graphite battery, rapid charging can accelerate degradation. In other words, without determining the battery type, the charging conditions alone can shorten the battery's lifespan.

[0063] Therefore, the battery management device (100) has the advantage of being able to non-destructively determine the type of battery based on the number of peaks included in the differential profile of the battery. Furthermore, the battery management device (100) has the advantage of being able to increase the expected lifespan of the battery by specifically determining the type of battery.

[0064]

[0065] Meanwhile, the control unit (120) provided in the battery management device (100) may optionally include a processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), another chipset, a logic circuit, a register, a communication modem, a data processing device, etc. known in the art to execute various control logics performed in the present invention. In addition, when the control logic is implemented in software, the control unit (120) may be implemented as a set of program modules. At this time, the program modules may be stored in a memory and executed by the control unit (120). The memory may be located inside or outside the control unit (120) and may be connected to the control unit (120) by various well-known means.

[0066] In addition, the battery management device (100) may further include a storage unit (130). The storage unit (130) may store data or programs required for each component of the battery management device (100) to perform operations and functions, or data generated in the process of performing operations and functions. The storage unit (130) is not particularly limited in type as long as it is a known information storage means known to be capable of recording, erasing, updating, and reading data. As an example, the information storage means may include RAM, flash memory, ROM, EEPROM, registers, etc. In addition, the storage unit (130) may store program codes defining processes executable by the control unit (120).

[0067]

[0068] A plurality of reference numbers can be preset. Then, the control unit (120) can compare the number of calculated peaks with the number of reference numbers, and determine the type of battery based on the comparison result.

[0069] Here, the type of battery can be determined based on each of a plurality of criteria. Therefore, preferably, the preset criteria number may be smaller than the number of battery types being determined. For example, if there are two types of batteries being determined, the preset criteria number may be two. In other words, a first criteria number and a second criteria number may be preset.

[0070] The target capacity range of the differential profile may include at least one peak. That is, one of the plurality of reference numbers may be set to distinguish the type of battery corresponding to the minimum value (1) of the number of generated peaks.

[0071] In the following, it is assumed that the first reference number is set to 3 and the second reference number is set to 2. Here, the second reference number can be said to be preset to determine the type of battery corresponding to the minimum number of calculated peaks.

[0072] For example, if the number of peaks is greater than or equal to a first preset reference number, the control unit (120) may determine the type of battery as a natural graphite battery. As another example, if the number of peaks is less than the first reference number and equal to a second preset reference number, the control unit (120) may determine the type of battery as a natural graphite battery or an artificial graphite battery. As yet another example, if the number of peaks is less than the second reference number, the control unit (120) may determine the type of battery as an artificial graphite battery.

[0073] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first differential profile (D1) of a first battery (B1) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the first differential profile (D1) includes a first peak (p1), a second peak (p2), a third peak (p3), a fourth peak (p4), and a fifth peak (p5). Specifically, the target capacity section of the first differential profile (D1) includes a first peak (p1), a second peak (p2), and a third peak (p3). That is, the control unit (120) can calculate the number of peaks corresponding to the first battery (B1) as three. Since the calculated number of peaks is greater than or equal to a preset first reference number, the control unit (120) can determine the type of the first battery (B1) as a natural graphite battery.

[0075] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second differential profile (D2) of a second battery (B2) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the second differential profile (D2) includes a first peak (p1), a second peak (p2), a third peak (p3), and a fourth peak (p4). Specifically, the target capacity section of the second differential profile (D2) includes the first peak (p1) and the second peak (p2). That is, the control unit (120) can calculate the number of peaks corresponding to the second battery (B2) as two. Since the calculated number of peaks is less than the first reference number and equal to the second reference number, the control unit (120) can determine the type of the battery as a natural graphite-based battery or an artificial graphite-based battery.

[0077] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a third differential profile (D3) of a third battery (B3) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the third differential profile (D3) includes a first peak (p1), a second peak (p2), a third peak (p3), and a fourth peak (p4). Specifically, the target capacity section of the third differential profile (D3) includes the first peak (p1) and the second peak (p2). That is, the control unit (120) can calculate the number of peaks corresponding to the third battery (B3) as two. Since the calculated number of peaks is less than the first reference number and equal to the second reference number, the control unit (120) can determine the type of the battery as a natural graphite-based battery or an artificial graphite-based battery.

[0079] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fourth differential profile (D4) of a fourth battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the fourth differential profile (D4) includes a first peak (p1) and a second peak (p2). Specifically, the target capacity section of the fourth differential profile (D4) includes the first peak (p1). That is, the control unit (120) can calculate the number of peaks corresponding to the fourth battery as 1. Since the calculated number of peaks is less than the second reference number, the control unit (120) can determine the type of battery as an artificial graphite battery.

[0081]

[0082] The control unit (120) may be configured to determine the type of battery as a natural graphite battery or an artificial graphite battery based on the differential voltage of a plurality of peaks, if the number of generated peaks is equal to the second reference number.

[0083] Due to the difference in crystal structure between natural graphite and artificial graphite, the peaks included in the differential profile of a natural graphite battery and the peaks included in the differential profile of an artificial graphite battery also have different aspects. For example, in the case of a natural graphite battery, among the peaks included in the target capacity range, the differential voltage of the peak on the low-capacity side is equal to or less than the differential voltage of the peak on the high-capacity side. Conversely, in the case of an artificial graphite battery, among the peaks included in the target capacity range, the differential voltage of the peak on the low-capacity side is greater than the differential voltage of the peak on the high-capacity side. Therefore, if the number of calculated peaks is equal to the second reference number, the control unit (120) can specifically determine the type of battery by considering the differential voltages of the plurality of peaks.

[0084] The control unit (120) can determine the type of the battery as a natural graphite-based battery if the corresponding differential voltage is the same or lower as the corresponding capacity of the plurality of peaks. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the target capacity section of the second differential profile (D2) includes the first peak (p1) and the second peak (p2). That is, the number of peaks included in the target capacity section of the second differential profile (D2) is 2, which is the same as the preset second reference number (2). In addition, since the capacity of the first peak (p1) is lower than the capacity of the second peak (p2), and the differential voltage of the first peak (p1) is lower than the differential voltage of the second peak (p2), the control unit (120) can determine the type of the second battery (B2) as a natural graphite-based battery.

[0085] Conversely, the control unit (120) may determine the type of the battery as an artificial graphite battery if the corresponding differential voltage is higher as the corresponding capacity of the plurality of peaks is lower. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the target capacity section of the third differential profile (D3) includes a first peak (p1) and a second peak (p2). That is, the number of peaks included in the target capacity section of the second differential profile (D2) is 2, which is the same as the preset second reference number (2). In addition, since the capacity of the first peak (p1) is lower than the capacity of the second peak (p2), and the differential voltage of the first peak (p1) is higher than the differential voltage of the second peak (p2), the control unit (120) may determine the type of the third battery (B3) as an artificial graphite battery.

[0086] That is, when the control unit (120) cannot clearly distinguish between a natural graphite battery and an artificial graphite battery based on only the number of generated peaks, the control unit (120) can specifically determine the type of battery by additionally considering the differential voltage of the generated peaks.

[0087]

[0088] Below, an embodiment of setting a target capacity range is specifically described.

[0089] The control unit (120) may be configured to determine a target capacity corresponding to the lowest differential voltage in the differential profile.

[0090] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the lowest differential voltage of the first differential profile (D1) is dV1. The control unit (120) can determine the target capacity corresponding to the lowest differential voltage dV1 as Q1.

[0091] The control unit (120) can be configured to set a capacity section below the determined target capacity as the target capacity section.

[0092] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the control unit (120) can set the Qi to Q1 section as the target capacity section. Similarly, in the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 6, the control unit (120) can determine target capacities (Q2, Q3, Q4) corresponding to the lowest differential voltages (dV2, dV3, dV4) of the second to fourth differential profiles (D4), and set the capacity section below the determined target capacities (Q2, Q3, Q4) as the target capacity section.

[0093] The battery diagnostic device can determine the battery type by calculating the number of peaks within the target capacity range. This eliminates the need to calculate all peaks across the entire capacity range and then separately select only those peaks within the target capacity range. This allows the battery diagnostic device to diagnose the battery condition more quickly and conserve system resources consumed in diagnosing the battery condition.

[0094]

[0095] The control unit (120) can be configured to divide the entire capacity section of the battery into a lower capacity section and an upper capacity section.

[0096] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the entire capacity section is a section from Qi to Qf. The control unit (120) can divide the entire capacity section into two, dividing the lower capacity section into a section from Qi to (Qf-Qi)÷2, and the upper capacity section into a section from (Qf-Qi)÷2 to Qf. Specifically, the control unit (120) can divide the lower capacity section into a section from Qi to (Qf-Qi)÷2 or less, and the upper capacity section into a section from (Qf-Qi)÷2 to Qf or less.

[0097] The control unit (120) may be configured to determine the target capacity in a lower capacity section of the differential profile.

[0098] In general, the point corresponding to the lowest differential voltage in the differential profile is included in the lower capacity section. Therefore, the control unit (120) can more quickly determine the target capacity section by determining the target capacity corresponding to the lowest differential voltage in the lower capacity section of the differential profile.

[0099]

[0100] More specifically, if the number of peaks is greater than or equal to a preset first reference number, the control unit (120) can determine the type of battery as a natural graphite battery in the BOL (Beginning of life) state.

[0101] As another example, if the number of peaks is less than the first reference number and equal to the preset second reference number, the control unit (120) can determine the type of battery as a natural graphite battery in the middle of life (MOL) state or an artificial graphite battery in the BOL state.

[0102] As another example, if the number of peaks is less than the second reference number, the control unit (120) can determine the type of battery as an artificial graphite battery in a MOL state.

[0103] In the embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4, the first battery (B1) is a natural graphite-based battery in a BOL state, and the second battery (B2) is a natural graphite-based battery in a MOL state. In the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the third battery (B3) is an artificial graphite-based battery in a BOL state, and the fourth battery (B4) is an artificial graphite-based battery in a MOL state. That is, in both natural graphite-based batteries and artificial graphite-based batteries, the number of peaks included in the target capacity range may decrease as the battery deteriorates. Therefore, the battery management device (100) has an advantage in that it can specifically determine the state (BOL state or MOL state) and type (natural graphite-based battery or artificial graphite-based battery) of the battery based on the number of peaks included in the target capacity range.

[0104]

[0105]

[0106] The control unit (120) may be configured to set usage conditions for the battery based on the determined type of battery.

[0107] Here, the usage conditions are the optimal conditions under which the battery can be used, and may be conditions set for the battery's charge / discharge C-rate and / or available SOC range.

[0108] The control unit (120) may be configured to set usage conditions for the battery so that the battery is charged and discharged below a predetermined C-rate when the type of battery is determined to be a natural graphite battery. For example, the predetermined C-rate may be set to 1C or higher.

[0109] A battery containing a natural graphite-based negative electrode may degrade faster than a battery containing an artificial graphite-based negative electrode when charged or discharged at a high C-rate. Therefore, if the control unit (120) determines that the battery type is a natural graphite-based battery, it can set the charge / discharge C-rate for the battery to be lower than a predetermined C-rate, thereby slowing down the deterioration of the battery when the battery is actually used.

[0110] The control unit (120) may be configured to set usage conditions for the battery so that the battery is charged and discharged at a predetermined C-rate or higher when the type of battery is determined to be an artificial graphite battery.

[0111] Even when charged or discharged at a high C-rate, artificial graphite batteries may degrade more slowly than natural graphite batteries. Therefore, if the control unit (120) determines that the battery type is an artificial graphite battery, it can set the charge / discharge C-rate for the battery to a predetermined C-rate or higher, thereby improving the charge / discharge efficiency of the battery when the battery is actually used.

[0112] That is, the battery management device (100) has the advantage of being able to prevent rapid deterioration of the battery in an actual use environment by setting the usage conditions for the battery to correspond to the determined type of battery.

[0113] Meanwhile, for example, the usage conditions set for the battery may be stored in the control unit (120) or the storage unit (130). As another example, the usage conditions set for the battery may be transmitted to an external server by the control unit (120), and the external server may store the usage conditions for the battery.

[0114]

[0115] Additionally, the battery management device (100) according to the present invention may be provided in a battery pack. That is, the battery pack according to the present invention may include the battery management device (100) described above and one or more battery cells. Additionally, the battery pack may further include electrical components (relays, fuses, etc.) and a case.

[0116] FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating an exemplary configuration of a battery pack including a battery management device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0117] The positive terminal of the battery (11) can be connected to the positive terminal (P+) of the battery pack (1), and the negative terminal of the battery (11) can be connected to the negative terminal (P-) of the battery pack (1).

[0118] The measuring unit (12) can be connected to a first sensing line (SL1), a second sensing line (SL2), and a third sensing line (SL3). Specifically, the measuring unit (12) can be connected to a positive terminal of the battery (11) through the first sensing line (SL1), and can be connected to a negative terminal of the battery (11) through the second sensing line (SL2). The measuring unit (12) can measure the voltage of the battery (11) based on the voltage measured at each of the first sensing line (SL1) and the second sensing line (SL2).

[0119] And, the measuring unit (12) can be connected to the current measuring unit (A) through the third sensing line (SL3). For example, the current measuring unit (A) can be an ammeter or a shunt resistor capable of measuring the charging current and discharging current of the battery (11). The measuring unit (12) can measure the charging current of the battery (11) through the third sensing line (SL3) to calculate the charging amount. In addition, the measuring unit (12) can measure the discharging current of the battery (11) through the third sensing line (SL3) to calculate the discharging amount.

[0120] The load (2) can have one end connected to the positive terminal (P+) of the battery pack (1) and the other end connected to the negative terminal (P-) of the battery pack (1). Accordingly, the positive terminal of the battery (11), the positive terminal (P+) of the battery pack (1), the load (2), the negative terminal (P-) of the battery pack (1), and the negative terminal of the battery (11) can be electrically connected.

[0121]

[0122] FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating a battery management method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0123] Referring to FIG. 8, the battery management method may include a profile acquisition step (S100), a peak count calculation step (S200), and a battery determination step (S300).

[0124] Preferably, each step of the battery management method can be performed by a battery management device (100). In the following, for convenience of explanation, any content that overlaps with the previously described content will be omitted or briefly described.

[0125] The profile acquisition step (S100) is a step of acquiring a differential profile based on the differential voltage and capacity of the battery, and can be performed by the profile acquisition unit (110).

[0126] For example, the profile acquisition unit (110) can directly receive the differential profile of the battery from the outside. That is, the profile acquisition unit (110) can acquire the differential profile by receiving the differential profile through a wired and / or wireless connection to the outside.

[0127] As another example, the profile acquisition unit (110) may receive battery information regarding the voltage and capacity of the battery. Here, the battery information may be divided into information corresponding to the charging process and information corresponding to the discharging process. Furthermore, the profile acquisition unit (110) may directly generate a differential profile based on the battery information, thereby acquiring the differential profile.

[0128] The peak count calculation step (S200) is a step of calculating the number of peaks included in the target capacity section in the differential profile, and can be performed by the control unit (120).

[0129] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the control unit (120) can calculate the number of peaks included in the target capacity section (Rt) of the first differential profile (D1) as 3.

[0130] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the control unit (120) can calculate the number of peaks included in the target capacity section (Rt) of the second differential profile (D2) as 2.

[0131] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the control unit (120) can calculate the number of peaks included in the target capacity section (Rt) of the third differential profile (D3) as 2.

[0132] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the control unit (120) can calculate the number of peaks included in the target capacity section (Rt) of the fourth differential profile (D4) as 1.

[0133] The battery determination step (S300) is a step for determining the battery status based on the number of generated peaks, and can be performed by the control unit (120).

[0134] Specifically, the control unit (120) may be configured to compare the number of generated peaks with a preset reference number and determine the type of battery as a natural graphite battery or an artificial graphite battery based on the comparison result.

[0135] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, since the number of peaks included in the target capacity section (Rt) is three, the control unit (120) can determine the type of the first battery as a natural graphite battery. More specifically, the control unit (120) can determine the first battery as a natural graphite battery in a BOL state.

[0136] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the number of peaks included in the target capacity section (Rt) is two. Furthermore, the differential voltage of the first peak is lower than the differential voltage of the second peak. Therefore, the control unit (120) may determine the type of the second battery as a natural graphite battery. More specifically, the control unit (120) may determine the second battery as a natural graphite battery in a MOL state.

[0137] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the number of peaks included in the target capacity section (Rt) is two. Furthermore, the differential voltage of the first peak is higher than the differential voltage of the second peak. Therefore, the control unit (120) may determine the type of the third battery as an artificial graphite battery. More specifically, the control unit (120) may determine the third battery as an artificial graphite battery in a BOL state.

[0138] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, since the number of peaks included in the target capacity section (Rt) is 1, the control unit (120) can determine the type of the fourth battery as an artificial graphite battery. More specifically, the control unit (120) can determine the fourth battery as an artificial graphite battery in a MOL state.

[0139]

[0140] The embodiments of the present invention described above are not implemented only through devices and methods, but may also be implemented through a program that realizes a function corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of the present invention or a recording medium on which the program is recorded, and such implementation can be easily implemented by an expert in the technical field to which the present invention belongs based on the description of the embodiments described above.

[0141] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention and the equivalent scope of the patent claims to be described below by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[0142] In addition, the present invention described above is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the attached drawings, and all or part of each embodiment may be selectively combined and configured so that various modifications can be made, as those skilled in the art can make various substitutions, modifications, and changes within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

[0143] (Explanation of symbols)

[0144] 10: Battery pack

[0145] 11: Battery

[0146] 12: Measurement section

[0147] 100: Battery management device

[0148] 110: Profile acquisition section

[0149] 120: Control unit

[0150] 130: Storage

Claims

1. A profile acquisition unit configured to acquire a differential profile based on the differential voltage and capacity of the battery; and A battery management device characterized by including a control unit configured to calculate the number of peaks included in the target capacity section in the above differential profile and determine the type of the battery based on the calculated number of peaks.

2. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A battery management device characterized in that it is configured to compare the number of the above peaks with a preset reference number and determine the type of the battery based on the comparison result.

3. In paragraph 2, The above control unit, A battery management device characterized in that it is configured to determine the type of the battery as a natural graphite-based battery or an artificial graphite-based battery based on the results of the comparison.

4. In paragraph 2, The above control unit, If the number of the above peaks is greater than or equal to a preset first reference number, the type of the battery is determined as a natural graphite battery, If the number of the above peaks is less than the first reference number and equal to the preset second reference number, the type of the battery is determined as the natural graphite battery or the artificial graphite battery. A battery management device characterized in that it is configured to determine the type of the battery as an artificial graphite battery if the number of the above peaks is less than the second reference number.

5. In paragraph 4, The above control unit, A battery management device characterized in that it is configured to determine the type of the battery as the natural graphite-based battery or the artificial graphite-based battery based on the differential voltage of a plurality of peaks when the number of the peaks is equal to the second reference number.

6. In paragraph 5, The above control unit, If the corresponding differential voltage is the same or lower as the corresponding capacity of multiple peaks, the type of the battery is determined as the natural graphite battery. A battery management device characterized in that the type of the battery is determined as the artificial graphite battery when the corresponding differential voltage is larger as the corresponding capacity of the plurality of peaks is lower.

7. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A battery management device characterized in that it is configured to determine a target capacity corresponding to the lowest differential voltage in the above differential profile, and set a capacity range below the determined target capacity as the target capacity range.

8. In paragraph 7, The above control unit, A battery management device characterized in that it divides the entire capacity section of the battery into a lower capacity section and an upper capacity section, and is configured to determine the target capacity in the lower capacity section of the differential profile.

9. A battery pack comprising a battery management device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Profile acquisition step for acquiring a differential profile based on the differential voltage and capacity of the battery; A peak count calculation step for calculating the number of peaks included in the target capacity section in the above differential profile; and A battery management method, characterized by including a battery determination step for determining the type of the battery based on the number of peaks produced.

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