Battery profile generating apparatus and battery profile generating method

Abstract

A battery profile generating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a charging and discharging unit configured to charge and discharge a battery; a measurement unit configured to measure battery information including at least one of the voltage, the current, or the temperature of the battery during charging and discharging processes of the battery; and a control unit configured to determine a target temperature and a target C-rate corresponding to a charging and discharging condition on the basis of a reference profile set in advance to indicate a correspondence relationship between a threshold temperature and a threshold C-rate, control the charging and discharging unit to charge and discharge the battery at the target C-rate when the temperature of the battery corresponds to the target temperature, and generate a battery profile corresponding to the battery on the basis of the battery information.

Description

Battery profile generation device and method

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery profile generation device and method.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0015219, filed January 31, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003]

[0004] 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.

[0005] 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.

[0006] While extensive research is being conducted on these batteries to improve capacity and density, improving lifespan and safety is also crucial. To improve battery safety, technology is required to accurately diagnose the current battery condition.

[0007] One way to diagnose a battery's condition is to analyze its battery profile, which represents its charge / discharge characteristics. For example, the battery's capacity and voltage are measured during the charging process, and the battery profile, which indicates the relationship between the measured capacities and voltages, is analyzed to diagnose the battery's condition.

[0008] To more accurately diagnose a battery's condition, a battery profile that accurately reflects its condition is required. Obtaining such a battery profile requires low-rate charging / discharging, such as 0.05C (C-rate). For example, if the battery is charged / discharged at a rate exceeding 0.33C, the resulting battery profile may include overpotential, which may not accurately reflect the battery's current condition.

[0009] In this way, since low-rate charging and discharging were required in the past to accurately diagnose the battery condition, there were limitations in diagnosing the battery condition.

[0010]

[0011] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a battery profile generation device and method that can more quickly generate a battery profile that more accurately reflects the state of a battery.

[0012] 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.

[0013]

[0014] A battery profile generating device according to one aspect of the present invention may include: a charging / discharging unit configured to charge / discharge a battery; a measuring unit configured to measure battery information including at least one of a voltage, a current, and a temperature of the battery during a charging / discharging process of the battery; and a control unit configured to determine a target temperature and a target C-rate corresponding to a charging / discharging condition based on a reference profile preset to indicate a correspondence between a threshold temperature and a threshold C-rate (Current-rate), control the charging / discharging unit to charge / discharge the battery at the target C-rate when the temperature of the battery corresponds to the target temperature, and generate a battery profile corresponding to the battery based on the battery information.

[0015] The above charging and discharging conditions can be set to include the target temperature.

[0016] The above control unit may be configured to determine the threshold C-rate corresponding to the target temperature in the reference profile as the target C-rate.

[0017] The control unit may be configured to determine a minimum C-rate, a maximum C-rate, or an intermediate C-rate among one or more critical C-rates whose corresponding critical temperature in the reference profile is lower than the target temperature as the target C-rate.

[0018] The above charging and discharging conditions can be set to include the target C-rate.

[0019] The above control unit may be configured to determine the threshold temperature corresponding to the target C-rate in the reference profile as the target temperature.

[0020] The control unit may be configured to select one or more critical temperatures whose corresponding critical C-rate is greater than the target C-rate in the reference profile, and determine a minimum temperature, a maximum temperature, or an intermediate temperature among the selected one or more critical temperatures as the target temperature.

[0021] The above charging and discharging conditions can be set to include the target temperature and the target C-rate.

[0022] The control unit may be configured to determine suitability for charging and discharging based on the target temperature and the target C-rate based on the reference profile, and to control the charging and discharging unit so that the battery is charged and discharged if the charging and discharging is determined to be suitable.

[0023] The control unit may be configured to determine the critical C-rate corresponding to the target temperature in the reference profile as a reference C-rate, and determine that the charging / discharging is appropriate if the reference C-rate is equal to or greater than the target C-rate.

[0024] The control unit may be configured to determine the threshold temperature corresponding to the target C-rate in the reference profile as a reference temperature, and determine that the charging and discharging is appropriate if the reference temperature is lower than or equal to the target temperature.

[0025] It may further include a temperature control unit configured to control the temperature of the battery.

[0026] The control unit may be configured to control the temperature control unit until the temperature of the battery reaches the target temperature if the target temperature and the temperature of the battery do not correspond.

[0027] The above control unit may be configured to provide information about the battery by outputting the battery profile to the outside.

[0028] A battery pack according to another aspect of the present invention may include a battery profile generating device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0029] A diagnostic device according to another aspect of the present invention may include a battery profile generation device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0030] A method for generating a battery profile according to another aspect of the present invention may include: determining a target temperature and a target C-rate corresponding to a charge / discharge condition based on a reference profile preset to indicate a correspondence between a critical temperature and a critical C-rate; controlling a charge / discharge unit to charge / discharge the battery at the target C-rate when the temperature of the battery corresponds to the target temperature; and generating a battery profile corresponding to the battery based on battery information including at least one of a voltage, a current, and a temperature of the battery.

[0031] According to another aspect of the present invention, a program for executing a battery profile generation method may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the method comprising: determining a target temperature and a target C-rate corresponding to a charge / discharge condition based on a reference profile preset to indicate a correspondence between a critical temperature and a critical C-rate; controlling a charging / discharging unit to charge / discharge the battery at the target C-rate when the temperature of the battery corresponds to the target temperature; and generating a battery profile corresponding to the battery based on battery information including at least one of a voltage, a current, and a temperature of the battery.

[0032]

[0033] According to one aspect of the present invention, a battery profile generation device can shorten the time required to generate a battery profile and improve the accuracy of the battery profile by determining a target temperature and a target C-rate that correspond to each other.

[0034] 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.

[0035]

[0036] 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.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery profile generation device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a reference profile.

[0039] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a reference differential profile.

[0040] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a reference differential profile.

[0041] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a reference differential profile.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating an exemplary configuration of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a battery profile generation method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0044]

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0052] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery profile generation device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 1, the battery profile generation device (100) includes a charging / discharging unit (110), a measuring unit (120), and a control unit (130), and may further include a temperature control unit (140).

[0054] 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, the battery may be of a cylindrical type, a prismatic type, or a pouch type. Furthermore, a battery may also refer to a battery bank, a battery module, or a battery pack in which multiple cells are connected in series and / or parallel. For convenience of explanation, the term "battery" will be described herein below as referring to a single, independent cell.

[0055] The charging / discharging unit (110) may be configured to charge / discharge the battery. Specifically, the charging / discharging unit (110) may be electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery to charge or discharge the battery.

[0056] The charging / discharging unit (110) may be configured to receive a control signal including target C-rate information. For example, the charging / discharging unit (110) may be connected to the control unit (130) to enable wired and / or wireless communication. The wired communication may be, for example, CAN (controller area network) communication or CAN-FD (CAN with Flexible Data rate) communication. The wireless communication may be, for example, Zigbee or Bluetooth communication. Of course, as long as it supports communication between the charging / discharging unit (110) and the control unit (130), the type of communication protocol is not particularly limited. The control unit (130) may transmit a control signal including the target C-rate to the charging / discharging unit (110). In addition, the charging / discharging unit (110) may receive the control signal from the control unit (130). The target C-rate information included in the control signal may be set by the control unit (130) or may be set by a user input.

[0057] The charge / discharge unit (110) may be configured to charge / discharge the battery at a target C-rate included in the control signal. For example, if the target C-rate included in the control signal is 0.2C, the charge / discharge unit (110) may charge the battery at a C-rate of 0.2C or discharge the battery at a C-rate of 0.2C.

[0058] The measuring unit (120) may be configured to measure battery information including at least one of the voltage, current, and temperature of the battery during the charging and discharging process of the battery.

[0059] The measuring unit (120) may include a voltage detection circuit. The voltage detection circuit is provided to be electrically connectable to the positive and negative terminals of the battery. The voltage detection circuit can detect the voltage across both terminals of the battery by utilizing the potential difference between a pair of sensing lines respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery. In other words, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage of the battery included in the battery information through the voltage detection circuit.

[0060] The measuring unit (120) may include a current detection circuit. The current detection circuit may be connected in series with the battery through a current path between the battery and the charging / discharging unit (110). That is, the current detection circuit may be connected in series with the battery and the charging / discharging unit (110). For example, the current detection circuit may be implemented with one or a combination of two or more of known current detection elements, such as a shunt resistor, a Hall effect element, etc. The measuring unit (120) may measure the charging current of the battery through the current detection circuit to calculate the charging amount. In addition, the measuring unit (120) may measure the discharging current of the battery through the current detection circuit to calculate the discharging amount. That is, the measuring unit (120) may measure the current of the battery included in the battery information through the current detection circuit.

[0061] The measuring unit (120) may include a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be directly attached to the battery's exterior or may be positioned at a predetermined distance from the battery. That is, the measuring unit (120) may measure the battery temperature included in the battery information through the temperature sensor.

[0062] The measuring unit (120) may be connected to the control unit (130) so as to be able to communicate with it. For example, the measuring unit (120) may be connected to the control unit (130) by wire and / or wirelessly. The wired communication may be, for example, CAN (controller area network) communication or CAN-FD (CAN with Flexible Data rate) communication. The wireless communication may be, for example, Zigbee or Bluetooth communication. Of course, as long as it supports communication between the measuring unit (120) and the control unit (130), the type of communication protocol is not particularly limited. The measuring unit (120) may transmit measured battery information to the control unit (130). The control unit (130) may receive battery information from the measuring unit (120).

[0063]

[0064] The control unit (130) may be configured to determine a target temperature and a target C-rate corresponding to the charge / discharge conditions based on a reference profile preset to indicate a correspondence between the critical temperature and the critical C-rate.

[0065] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a reference profile.

[0066] Referring to Figure 2, the first row represents the critical temperature (℃), and the second row represents the critical C-rate.

[0067] When sorted from lowest to highest critical temperature, they are T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6. In the reference profile, the critical temperature and critical C-rate can exhibit a proportional relationship. That is, as the critical temperature increases, the corresponding critical C-rate can also increase. Furthermore, as the critical C-rate increases, the corresponding critical temperature can also increase.

[0068] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the charge / discharge conditions can be set to include a target temperature.

[0069] The control unit (130) can determine the target C-rate based on the target temperature and reference profile included in the charge / discharge conditions. That is, when only the target temperature is set as the charge / discharge condition, the control unit (130) can determine the target C-rate based on the reference profile and set the charge / discharge conditions for the battery.

[0070] For example, the control unit (130) may be configured to determine a threshold C-rate corresponding to a target temperature in the reference profile as the target C-rate.

[0071] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the target temperature included in the charge / discharge conditions is T4, the control unit (130) can determine the critical C-rate (0.2C) corresponding to the target temperature (T4) in the reference profile as the target C-rate.

[0072] As another example, the control unit (130) may be configured to select one or more critical C-rates in the reference profile whose corresponding critical temperature is less than the target temperature, and determine a minimum C-rate, a maximum C-rate, or an intermediate C-rate among the selected one or more critical C-rates as the target C-rate.

[0073] The median C-rate may represent the average of one or more selected critical C-rates. Alternatively, the median C-rate may represent the median of one or more selected critical C-rates.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 2, when the target temperature is T4, the control unit (130) can select one or more critical C-rates (0.05C, 0.1C, and 0.13C) whose corresponding critical temperatures are lower than the target temperature (T4) in the reference profile. Then, the control unit (130) can determine the minimum C-rate (0.05C), maximum C-rate (0.13C), or intermediate C-rate (i.e., (0.05+0.1C+0.13C)) among the selected critical C-rates (0.05C, 0.1C, 0.13C) as the target C-rate.

[0075] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the charge / discharge conditions can be set to include a target C-rate.

[0076] The control unit (130) can determine the target temperature based on the target C-rate and reference profile included in the charge / discharge conditions. That is, when only the target C-rate is set as the charge / discharge condition, the control unit (130) can determine the target temperature based on the reference profile and set the charge / discharge conditions for the battery.

[0077] For example, the control unit (130) may be configured to determine a threshold temperature corresponding to the target C-rate in the reference profile as the target temperature.

[0078] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the target C-rate included in the charge / discharge conditions is 0.2C, the control unit (130) can determine the critical temperature (T4) corresponding to the target C-rate (0.2C) in the reference profile as the target temperature.

[0079] As another example, the control unit (130) may be configured to select one or more critical temperatures whose corresponding critical C-rate is greater than the target C-rate in the reference profile, and determine a minimum temperature, a maximum temperature, or an intermediate temperature among the selected one or more critical temperatures as the target temperature.

[0080] The median temperature may represent the average of one or more selected critical temperatures. The median temperature may represent the median of one or more selected critical temperatures.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 2, when the target C-rate is 0.2 C, the control unit (130) can select one or more critical temperatures (T5 and T6) in the reference profile whose corresponding critical C-rate is greater than the target C-rate (0.2 C). Then, the control unit (130) can determine the minimum temperature (T5), maximum temperature (T6), or intermediate temperature (i.e., (T5+T6)÷2) among the selected critical temperatures (T5 and T6) as the target temperature.

[0082] The control unit (130) may be configured to control the charge / discharge unit (110) to charge / discharge the battery at a target C-rate when the temperature of the battery corresponds to the target temperature.

[0083] Specifically, when the temperature of the battery measured by the measuring unit (120) and included in the battery information reaches the target temperature included in the charge / discharge conditions, the control unit (130) can control the charge / discharge unit (110) to charge / discharge the battery at the target C-rate included in the charge / discharge conditions.

[0084] For example, the control unit (130) can transmit a control signal including charge and discharge conditions to the charge and discharge unit (110). The charge and discharge unit (110) can be configured to charge and discharge the battery at a target C-rate among the charge and discharge conditions included in the received control signal.

[0085] The control unit (130) may be configured to generate a battery profile corresponding to the battery based on battery information.

[0086] If the battery profile reflects the charge / discharge characteristics of the battery, the parameters that constitute the battery profile are not limited.

[0087] For example, a battery profile may be a profile that indicates the correspondence between the voltage and capacity of a battery included in the battery information.

[0088] As another example, a battery profile may be a profile that represents a corresponding relationship between at least two of the voltage, capacity, and resistance of the battery.

[0089] In calculating the capacity or resistance of a battery, various known methods can be employed.

[0090] Typically, charging and discharging at a low C-rate, such as 0.05C, provides the most accurate representation of the battery's current condition. However, charging and discharging at 0.05C can take approximately 20 hours, making it a significant time-consuming process to generate a battery profile.

[0091] Conversely, increasing the C-rate shortens the time it takes to generate a battery profile, but may introduce overvoltage into the measured charge / discharge voltage. Consequently, overvoltage can reduce the accuracy of the battery profile.

[0092] A battery profile generation device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can shorten the time required to generate a battery profile and improve the accuracy of the battery profile by determining a target temperature and a target C-rate that correspond to each other.

[0093]

[0094] Meanwhile, the control unit (130) provided in the battery profile generation 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 (130) 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 (130). The memory may be located inside or outside the battery profile generation device (100) and may be connected to the control unit (130) by various well-known means.

[0095] In addition, the battery profile generation device (100) may further include a storage unit (150). The storage unit (150) may store data or programs required for each component of the battery profile generation device (100) to perform operations and functions, or data generated in the process of performing operations and functions. The storage unit (150) 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 deriving data. As an example, the information storage means may include a RAM (Random Access Memory), a flash memory, a ROM (Read-Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), a register, etc. In addition, the storage unit (150) may store program codes defining processes executable by the control unit (130).

[0096] The storage unit (150) can store information necessary for the control unit (130) to determine the target temperature and target C-rate. For example, the storage unit (150) can store battery information, reference profiles, etc. In addition, the control unit (130) can access the storage unit (150) to obtain necessary information.

[0097]

[0098] Below, a specific embodiment of obtaining a reference profile is described.

[0099] For example, a reference profile can be obtained by analyzing a reference differential profile for a reference battery.

[0100] Fig. 3 is a drawing schematically illustrating an example of a reference differential profile, Fig. 4 is a drawing schematically illustrating another example of a reference differential profile, and Fig. 5 is a drawing schematically illustrating another example of a reference differential profile.

[0101] In the embodiments of FIGS. 3 to 5, the horizontal axis (X-axis) represents SOC (State of Charge, %), and the vertical axis (Y-axis) represents voltage (Voltage, V).

[0102] Here, the reference battery may be a battery preset to correspond to the battery being studied in the present invention. For example, the reference battery may be a battery with the same specifications as the battery being studied. As another example, the reference battery may be a battery in the Beginning of Life (BoL) state.

[0103] For example, the reference differential profile may be a profile that represents the relationship between the voltage and capacity of a battery, differentiated with respect to voltage. In this case, the reference differential profile may be represented as a graph in which the X-axis is voltage (V) and the Y-axis is the differential capacity (dQ / dV).

[0104] As another example, the reference differential profile may be a profile that represents the relationship between the voltage and capacity of a battery, differentiated with respect to capacity. In this case, the reference differential profile may be represented as a graph in which the X-axis represents capacity (Q) and the Y-axis represents the differential voltage (dV / dQ).

[0105] Specifically, a reference profile can be obtained based on the presence or absence of a peak in the region of interest of the reference differential profile.

[0106] The region of interest may be predetermined. Specifically, the region of interest may be predetermined based on the characteristics of the battery.

[0107] For example, the region of interest may be predetermined based on the characteristics of the positive or negative electrode of the battery. Specifically, the region of interest may be a SOC range or voltage range where specific peaks representing the characteristics of the positive or negative electrode of the battery exist.

[0108] As another example, the region of interest may be predetermined based on the type or number of electrode active materials, etc. Specifically, the region of interest may be a SOC range and a voltage range where a specific peak representing the characteristics of the electrode active material exists.

[0109] As another example, the region of interest may be predetermined based on the capacity development range of each active material included in the electrode of the battery.

[0110] For example, the region of interest may be a predetermined SOC range (e.g., a 40% to 60% SOC range). As another example, the region of interest may be a predetermined voltage range (e.g., a 3.7 V to 3.9 V range).

[0111] A peak can refer to a maximum or minimum point in a reference differential profile. In other words, a peak can refer to an inflection point in a profile that represents the corresponding relationship between the charge and discharge characteristics of a battery.

[0112] Referring to Fig. 3, the reference differential profile (R1) is a profile obtained when the reference battery is charged and discharged under the charge and discharge conditions (25°C, 0.2C). Referring to Fig. 4, the reference differential profile (R2) is a profile obtained when the reference battery is charged and discharged under the charge and discharge conditions (45°C, 0.2C). Referring to Fig. 5, the reference differential profile (R3) is a profile obtained when the reference battery is charged and discharged under the charge and discharge conditions (25°C, 0.13C).

[0113] A peak in a given region of interest within a reference differential profile may appear when the battery temperature is increased while maintaining the charge / discharge C-rate. Alternatively, a peak in a given region of interest within a reference differential profile may appear when the battery temperature is maintained while decreasing the charge / discharge C-rate.

[0114] In the embodiments of FIGS. 3 to 5, the region of interest may be a range from SOC 40% to SOC 60%. In the region of interest, there is no peak within the region of interest on the reference differential profile (R1). A peak (Pk2) within the region of interest exists on the reference differential profile (R2). And, a peak (Pk3) within the region of interest exists on the reference differential profile (R3).

[0115] The critical C-rate corresponding to the critical temperature of the reference profile may refer to the maximum C-rate at which a peak exists within the region of interest of the reference differential profile when the temperature of the battery is the critical temperature. In other words, when charging and discharging the battery at the critical C-rate, if the temperature of the battery is lower than the critical temperature, the peak within the region of interest of the reference differential profile may not exist. Conversely, when charging and discharging the battery at the critical C-rate, if the temperature of the battery is higher than the critical temperature, the peak within the region of interest of the reference differential profile may exist.

[0116] Similarly, the critical temperature corresponding to the critical C-rate of the reference profile may refer to the minimum temperature at which a peak exists within the region of interest of the reference derivative profile when the battery is charged and discharged at the critical C-rate. That is, when the temperature of the battery is the critical temperature, if the battery is charged and discharged at a C-rate lower than the critical C-rate, a peak may exist within the region of interest of the reference derivative profile. Conversely, when the temperature of the battery is the critical temperature, if the battery is charged and discharged at a C-rate higher than the critical C-rate, a peak may not exist within the region of interest of the reference derivative profile.

[0117]

[0118] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the charge / discharge conditions can be set to include a target temperature and a target C-rate.

[0119] The control unit (130) may be configured to determine suitability for charging and discharging based on a reference profile according to a target temperature and target C-rate. If charging and discharging are determined to be suitable, the control unit (130) may control the charging and discharging unit (110) to charge and discharge the battery.

[0120] Here, the statement that charge / discharge at the target temperature and target C-rate is appropriate may mean that it is appropriate to generate a battery profile during the charge / discharge process under the corresponding charge / discharge conditions. Conversely, the statement that charge / discharge at the target temperature and target C-rate is not appropriate may mean that it is not appropriate to generate a battery profile during the charge / discharge process under the corresponding charge / discharge conditions.

[0121] That is, if it is determined that charging and discharging according to the target temperature and target C-rate is appropriate, the control unit (130) can control the charge and discharge unit (110) so that the battery is charged and discharged at the target temperature and target C-rate. Conversely, if it is determined that charging and discharging is not appropriate, the control unit (130) can control the charge and discharge unit (110) so that the battery is not charged and discharged. That is, if it is determined that charging and discharging according to the target temperature and target C-rate is not appropriate, the control unit (130) can control the charge and discharge unit (110) so that the battery is not charged and discharged.

[0122] The control unit (130) may be configured to determine a critical C-rate corresponding to a target temperature in the reference profile as a reference C-rate, and determine that charging and discharging are appropriate if the reference C-rate is equal to or greater than the target C-rate. Conversely, if the reference C-rate is less than the target C-rate, the control unit (130) may determine that charging and discharging under the set charging and discharging conditions are not appropriate.

[0123] Specifically, the reference C-rate is a critical C-rate corresponding to the target temperature, and may mean the maximum C-rate at which a peak may exist within the region of interest of the reference differential profile when the temperature of the battery is the target temperature.

[0124] In this case, if the reference C-rate is higher than the target C-rate, a peak may exist within the region of interest of the differential profile based on battery information measured during the charge / discharge process according to the target temperature and target C-rate. Accordingly, the control unit (130) may determine that charge / discharge according to the target temperature and target C-rate is appropriate.

[0125] Conversely, if the reference C-rate is lower than the target C-rate, there may be no peak within the region of interest of the differential profile based on battery information measured during the charge / discharge process at the target temperature and target C-rate. Accordingly, the control unit (130) may determine that charge / discharge at the target temperature and target C-rate is not appropriate.

[0126] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, assuming that the target temperature included in the charge / discharge conditions is T4 and the target C-rate is 0.13 C, the control unit (130) can determine 0.2 C, which is a critical C-rate corresponding to the target temperature (T4) in the reference profile, as the reference C-rate. Since the reference C-rate (0.2 C) is higher than the target C-rate (0.13 C), the control unit (130) can determine that charge / discharge by the target temperature and target C-rate included in the set charge / discharge conditions is appropriate.

[0127] The control unit (130) may be configured to determine a threshold temperature corresponding to the target C-rate in the reference profile as a reference temperature, and determine that charging and discharging are appropriate if the reference temperature is lower than or equal to the target temperature. Conversely, if the reference temperature exceeds the target temperature, the control unit (130) may determine that charging and discharging of the battery under the set charging and discharging conditions is not appropriate.

[0128] Specifically, the reference temperature is a critical temperature corresponding to the target C-rate, and may mean the minimum temperature at which a peak may exist within the region of interest of the reference differential profile when charging and discharging the battery at the target C-rate.

[0129] In this case, if the reference temperature is lower than or equal to the target temperature, a peak may exist within the region of interest of the differential profile obtained during charge / discharge at the target temperature and target C-rate. Therefore, the control unit (130) may determine that charge / discharge at the target temperature and target C-rate is appropriate. Conversely, if the reference temperature exceeds the target temperature, a peak may not exist within the region of interest of the differential profile obtained during charge / discharge at the target temperature and target C-rate. Therefore, the control unit (130) may determine that charge / discharge at the target temperature and target C-rate is not appropriate.

[0130] In the embodiment of Fig. 2, assuming that the target temperature included in the charge / discharge conditions is T4 and the target C-rate is 0.13 C, the control unit (130) can determine T3, which is a critical temperature corresponding to the target C-rate (0.13 C), as the reference temperature. Since the reference temperature (T3) is lower than or equal to the target temperature (T4), the control unit (130) can determine that charge / discharge according to the target temperature and target C-rate included in the set charge / discharge conditions is appropriate.

[0131]

[0132] The battery profile generation device (100) may further include a temperature control unit (140) configured to control the temperature of the battery.

[0133] The control unit (130) may be configured to control the temperature control unit (140) until the temperature of the battery reaches the target temperature if the target temperature and the temperature of the battery do not correspond.

[0134] Specifically, the temperature control unit (140) can directly / indirectly heat or cool the battery so that the temperature of the battery is maintained within a certain range before the charging / discharging unit (110) charges / discharges the battery according to the charging / discharging conditions.

[0135] For example, the temperature control unit (140) can heat the battery using a coil. Specifically, the temperature control unit (140) can control the temperature generated by the resistance of the coil by adjusting the intensity of the current flowing through the coil. As another example, the temperature control unit (140) can include a heat exchanger and heat or cool the battery using the fluid within the heat exchange pipe. Meanwhile, the temperature control unit (140) can be applied without limitation to any device that can control the temperature of the battery.

[0136] The temperature control unit (140) can be connected to the control unit (130) to enable wired and / or wireless communication.

[0137] That is, the control unit (130) can compare battery information and charge / discharge conditions and control the temperature control unit (140) based on the comparison result.

[0138] If the temperature of the battery is lower than the target temperature, the control unit (130) can control the temperature control unit (140) to directly / indirectly heat the battery. The temperature control unit (140) can heat the battery until the temperature of the battery reaches the target temperature and within a predetermined error range.

[0139] The battery profile generation device (100) includes a temperature control unit (140), thereby controlling the battery temperature to reach a target temperature before charging and discharging. That is, the region of interest of the differential profile based on battery information measured during the charging and discharging process may include peaks. According to the battery profile generation device (100), even a low-temperature battery can be charged and discharged by increasing its temperature, thereby generating a battery profile that more accurately reflects the battery's condition.

[0140]

[0141] Meanwhile, if the temperature of the battery is higher than the target temperature, the control unit (130) can control the temperature control unit (140) to directly / indirectly cool the battery. The temperature control unit (140) can cool the battery until the temperature of the battery reaches the target temperature and within a predetermined error range.

[0142] For example, the higher the battery temperature, the greater the stress placed on the battery during the charge / discharge process. In other words, when charging / discharging occurs at high temperatures, the battery may deteriorate more than when charging / discharging occurs at low temperatures. Therefore, if the battery temperature is higher than the target temperature, the control unit (130) may control the temperature control unit (140) so that the battery temperature corresponds to the target temperature.

[0143] That is, the battery profile generation device (100) can cool the battery to a target temperature before charging and discharging to prevent battery degradation due to high-temperature charging and discharging. Accordingly, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since the battery is less degraded during the charging and discharging process, the expected lifespan of the battery can be increased.

[0144]

[0145] The control unit (130) can be configured to provide information about the battery by outputting the battery profile to the outside.

[0146] Specifically, the control unit (130) may be connected to an external device capable of diagnosing the condition of a battery based on a battery profile, and may communicate with it via wired and / or wireless communication. The control unit (130) may transmit the battery profile to the external device via wired and / or wireless communication. For example, the external device may include a diagnostic device or a server, and any device capable of diagnosing the condition of a battery by analyzing the battery profile may be applied without limitation.

[0147]

[0148] The battery profile generation device (100) according to the present invention can be applied to a BMS (Battery Management System). That is, the BMS according to the present invention can include the above-described battery profile generation device (100). In this configuration, at least some of the components of the battery profile generation device (100) can be implemented by supplementing or adding the functions of the components included in a conventional BMS. For example, the charging / discharging unit (110), the measuring unit (120), the control unit (130), the temperature control unit (140), and the storage unit (150) of the battery profile generation device (100) can be implemented as components of the BMS.

[0149] Additionally, the battery profile generation 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 above-described battery profile generation device (100) and one or more battery cells. In addition, the battery pack may further include electrical components (relays, fuses, etc.) and a case, etc.

[0150] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an exemplary configuration of a battery pack (10) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0151] The positive terminal of the battery (11) can be connected to the positive terminal (P+) of the battery pack (10), and the negative terminal of the battery (11) can be connected to the negative terminal (P-) of the battery pack (10).

[0152] The positive terminal (P+) of the battery pack (10) can be connected to one side of the charging / discharging unit (110), and the negative terminal (P-) of the battery pack (10) can be connected to the other side of the charging / discharging unit (110).

[0153] The battery pack (10) may be configured to provide a battery profile to a diagnostic device or server. Specifically, the diagnostic device or server may be a device or server configured to diagnose the condition of the battery based on the battery profile.

[0154]

[0155] The battery profile generation device (100) according to the present invention may be equipped in a diagnostic device (not shown). That is, the diagnostic device according to the present invention may include the battery profile generation device (100) described above. The diagnostic device can charge and discharge a battery and diagnose the state of the battery. Specifically, the diagnostic device may be configured to generate a battery profile representing the charge and discharge characteristics of the battery and diagnose the state of the battery using the generated battery profile.

[0156] Specifically, the battery profile generated by the battery profile generation device (100) can precisely reflect various state changes occurring during the battery's charging and discharging process. For example, the battery profile can more accurately represent conditions such as increased internal resistance, decreased capacity, overcharge, and overvoltage, and such battery profile can be effectively used to interpret the battery's deterioration mechanism and diagnose its condition.

[0157] For example, the diagnostic device can quantitatively diagnose the amount of available lithium loss due to the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer or side reactions based on the battery profile. As another example, the diagnostic device can quantitatively diagnose the state of degradation in each electrode by calculating the amount of loss of positive and negative active materials based on the battery profile. As another example, the diagnostic device can diagnose the state of health (SOH) of the battery by considering capacity decrease, internal resistance increase, and / or voltage characteristic change based on the battery profile. As another example, the diagnostic device can estimate the amount of gas generated due to electrolyte decomposition based on the battery profile.

[0158] The more accurately a battery profile reflects the current state of the battery, the more accurately the battery's state can be diagnosed based on the battery profile. Since the battery profile generation device (100) generates the battery profile based on a reference profile, it can quickly generate a battery profile that reflects the current state of the battery. Therefore, by diagnosing the battery's state using the battery profile generated by the battery profile generation device (100), the time required for battery state diagnosis can be drastically reduced while simultaneously improving the accuracy of the diagnosis. Furthermore, accurate diagnosis results enable effective control to extend the battery's lifespan and ensure safety.

[0159]

[0160] FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a battery profile generation method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0161] Referring to FIG. 7, the battery profile generation method may include a charge / discharge condition determination step (S100), a control step (S200), and a battery profile generation step (S300).

[0162] Preferably, each step of the battery profile generation method can be performed by the battery profile generation device (100). In the following, for convenience of explanation, any content that overlaps with the previously described content will be omitted or briefly described.

[0163] The charge / discharge condition determination step (S100) is a step of determining a target temperature and a target C-rate corresponding to the charge / discharge condition based on a reference profile preset to indicate a correspondence between a critical temperature and a critical C-rate, and can be performed by the control unit (130).

[0164] Specifically, the charge / discharge conditions may be set to include a target temperature. In this case, the control unit (130) may determine the target C-rate based on the target temperature and reference profile included in the charge / discharge conditions.

[0165] For example, the control unit (130) may be configured to determine a threshold C-rate corresponding to a target temperature in the reference profile as the target C-rate.

[0166] The charge / discharge conditions may be set to include a target C-rate. In this case, the control unit (130) may determine the target temperature based on the target C-rate and reference profile included in the charge / discharge conditions.

[0167] For example, the control unit (130) may be configured to determine a threshold temperature corresponding to the target C-rate in the reference profile as the target temperature.

[0168] As another example, the control unit (130) may be configured to select one or more critical temperatures whose corresponding critical C-rate is greater than the target C-rate in the reference profile, and determine a minimum temperature, a maximum temperature, or an intermediate temperature among the selected one or more critical temperatures as the target temperature.

[0169] The control step (S200) is a step of controlling the charging / discharging unit (110) to charge / discharge the battery at a target C-rate when the temperature of the battery corresponds to the target temperature, and can be performed by the control unit (130).

[0170] For example, the control unit (130) can transmit a control signal including charge and discharge conditions to the charge and discharge unit (110). The charge and discharge unit (110) can be configured to charge and discharge the battery at a target C-rate among the charge and discharge conditions included in the received control signal.

[0171] The battery profile creation step (S300) is a step of creating a battery profile corresponding to a battery based on battery information including at least one of the voltage, current, and temperature of the battery, and can be performed by the control unit (130).

[0172] If the battery profile reflects the charge / discharge characteristics of the battery, the parameters that constitute the battery profile are not limited.

[0173]

[0174] 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.

[0175] 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.

[0176] 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.

[0177]

[0178] [Explanation of symbols]

[0179] 10: Battery pack

[0180] 100: Battery Profile Generator

[0181] 110: Charge and discharge unit

[0182] 120: Measurement section

[0183] 130: Control unit

[0184] 140: Temperature control unit

[0185] 150: Storage

Claims

1. A charging and discharging unit configured to charge and discharge a battery; A measuring unit configured to measure battery information including at least one of voltage, current, and temperature of the battery during a charging / discharging process of the battery; and A battery profile generation device comprising a control unit configured to determine a target temperature and a target C-rate corresponding to a charge / discharge condition based on a reference profile preset to indicate a correspondence between a critical temperature and a critical C-rate (Current-rate), control the charging / discharging unit to charge / discharge the battery at the target C-rate when the temperature of the battery corresponds to the target temperature, and generate a battery profile corresponding to the battery based on the battery information.

2. In paragraph 1, The above charging and discharging conditions are set to include the target temperature, The above control unit, A battery profile generation device characterized in that it is configured to determine the threshold C-rate corresponding to the target temperature in the reference profile as the target C-rate.

3. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A battery profile generation device configured to determine a minimum C-rate, a maximum C-rate, or an intermediate C-rate among one or more critical C-rates having a corresponding critical temperature lower than the target temperature in the reference profile as the target C-rate.

4. In paragraph 1, The above charging and discharging conditions are set to include the target C-rate, The above control unit, A battery profile generation device characterized in that it is configured to determine a threshold temperature corresponding to the target C-rate in the above reference profile as the target temperature.

5. In paragraph 4, The above control unit, A battery profile generation device characterized in that the corresponding critical C-rate in the reference profile is configured to select one or more critical temperatures greater than the target C-rate, and determine a minimum temperature, a maximum temperature, or an intermediate temperature among the selected one or more critical temperatures as the target temperature.

6. In paragraph 1, The above charge / discharge conditions are set to include the target temperature and the target C-rate, The above control unit, A battery profile generation device characterized in that it is configured to determine suitability for charging and discharging based on the above reference profile according to the target temperature and the target C-rate, and to control the charging and discharging unit so that the battery is charged and discharged if the charging and discharging is determined to be suitable.

7. In paragraph 6, The above control unit, A battery profile generation device characterized in that it is configured to determine the critical C-rate corresponding to the target temperature in the reference profile as a reference C-rate, and determine that the charging / discharging is appropriate if the reference C-rate is equal to or greater than the target C-rate.

8. In paragraph 6, The above control unit, A battery profile generation device characterized in that it is configured to determine the critical temperature corresponding to the target C-rate in the reference profile as a reference temperature, and determine that the charging and discharging is appropriate if the reference temperature is lower than or equal to the target temperature.

9. In paragraph 1, Further comprising a temperature control unit configured to control the temperature of the battery; The above control unit, A battery profile generation device characterized in that, if the target temperature and the temperature of the battery do not correspond, the temperature control unit is configured to control the temperature control unit until the temperature of the battery reaches the target temperature.

10. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A battery information generation device configured to provide information about the battery by outputting the battery profile to the outside.

11. A battery pack comprising a battery profile generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A diagnostic device comprising a battery profile generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. A charge / discharge condition determination step for determining a target temperature and target C-rate corresponding to the charge / discharge conditions based on a preset reference profile that indicates a correspondence between the critical temperature and the critical C-rate; A control step for controlling a charging and discharging unit to charge and discharge the battery at the target C-rate when the temperature of the battery corresponds to the target temperature; and A battery profile generation method comprising a battery profile generation step of generating a battery profile corresponding to the battery based on battery information including at least one of voltage, current, and temperature of the battery.

14. A charge / discharge condition determination step for determining a target temperature and target C-rate corresponding to the charge / discharge conditions based on a preset reference profile that indicates a correspondence between the critical temperature and the critical C-rate; A control step for controlling a charging and discharging unit to charge and discharge the battery at the target C-rate when the temperature of the battery corresponds to the target temperature; and A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a battery profile generation method, the method including a battery profile generation step of generating a battery profile corresponding to the battery based on battery information including at least one of voltage, current, and temperature of the battery.

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