Apparatus and method for estimating capacity of battery

Abstract

An apparatus for estimating a capacity of a battery, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a measurement unit configured to measure a pack capacity of a battery pack and a voltage of each of a plurality of batteries included in the battery pack during a charging and discharging process; and a control unit configured to calculate a relative capacity ratio among the plurality of batteries on the basis of a voltage range of each of the plurality of batteries, and to estimate a capacity of each of the plurality of batteries according to the pack capacity and the relative capacity ratio.

Description

Battery capacity estimation device and method

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0025269, filed on February 21, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of the said application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a device and method for estimating battery capacity, and more particularly, to a device and method for estimating battery capacity.

[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] Because batteries tend to deteriorate with use, accurately understanding their current condition is essential for diagnosing (or predicting) their condition (or lifespan). However, after a battery is manufactured, it's difficult to disassemble and analyze it, making it difficult to accurately measure and diagnose its current condition.

[0006] Therefore, a technology is required that can more accurately estimate the current state of a battery using a non-destructive method.

[0007] The present invention provides a battery capacity estimation device and method for estimating the capacity of a battery using a non-destructive method.

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

[0009] A battery capacity estimation device according to one aspect of the present invention may include a measuring unit configured to measure a pack capacity of a battery pack and a voltage of each of a plurality of batteries included in the battery pack during a charging / discharging process; and a control unit configured to calculate a relative capacity ratio between the plurality of batteries based on a voltage section of each of the plurality of batteries, and to estimate a capacity of each of the plurality of batteries based on the pack capacity and the relative capacity ratio.

[0010] The control unit may be configured to determine a voltage range of each of the plurality of batteries, adjust the determined plurality of voltage ranges to correspond to each other, calculate a change rate of each of the plurality of batteries, and calculate the relative capacity ratio for each of the plurality of batteries based on the calculated plurality of change rates.

[0011] The control unit may be configured to set one of the plurality of voltage sections as a reference voltage section and adjust the plurality of voltage sections to correspond to the reference voltage section to calculate the plurality of change ratios.

[0012] The control unit may be configured to calculate a section value representing the size of each of the plurality of voltage sections, and to calculate a ratio of the section value of the reference voltage section to the section value of each of the plurality of voltage sections, thereby calculating the plurality of change ratios.

[0013] The control unit may be configured to set one of the plurality of change ratios as a reference change ratio, and calculate the relative capacity ratio for each of the plurality of batteries based on the plurality of change ratios and the reference change ratio.

[0014] The control unit may be configured to calculate the ratio of the reference change ratio to each of the plurality of change ratios to obtain the relative capacity ratio for each of the plurality of batteries.

[0015] The above control unit may be configured to set the largest value among the plurality of change ratios as the reference change ratio.

[0016] The control unit may be configured to estimate the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries by multiplying the pack capacity and the relative capacity ratio.

[0017] The above plurality of batteries may be configured to be connected in series with each other.

[0018] A battery pack according to another aspect of the present invention may include a battery capacity estimation device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0019] A vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention may include a battery capacity estimation device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0020] A battery capacity estimation method according to another aspect of the present invention may include a measuring step of measuring a pack capacity of a battery pack and the voltage of each of a plurality of batteries included in the battery pack during a charging / discharging process; a relative capacity ratio calculation step of calculating a relative capacity ratio between the plurality of batteries based on a voltage section of each of the plurality of batteries; and a capacity estimation step of estimating the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries based on the pack capacity and the relative capacity ratio.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can store a program for executing a battery capacity estimation method, including a measuring step of measuring a pack capacity of a battery pack and a voltage of each of a plurality of batteries included in the battery pack during a charging / discharging process; a relative capacity ratio calculation step of calculating a relative capacity ratio between the plurality of batteries based on a voltage section of each of the plurality of batteries; and a capacity estimation step of estimating a capacity of each of the plurality of batteries based on the pack capacity and the relative capacity ratio.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present invention, even if charging and discharging of a plurality of batteries is not performed individually, the capacity (maximum capacity) of each of the plurality of batteries can be accurately estimated.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery capacity estimation device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the capacities of the first to third batteries according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing in more detail the capacities of the first to third batteries according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a battery capacity estimation method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a battery capacity estimation device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 1, a battery capacity estimation device (100) may include a measuring unit (110) and a control unit (120).

[0040] The measuring unit (110) may be configured to measure the pack capacity (Qp) of the battery pack and the voltage of each of the plurality of batteries included in the battery pack during the charging and discharging process. For convenience of explanation, the measuring unit (110) is described below as measuring the pack capacity (Qp) of the battery pack and the voltage of each of the plurality of batteries during the charging process.

[0041] A battery is a physically separate, independent cell with a positive and negative terminal. For example, a lithium-ion battery or a lithium polymer battery may be considered a battery. Batteries may be cylindrical, prismatic, or pouch-shaped. For convenience, the term "battery" will be used herein to refer to a single, independent cell.

[0042] For example, a battery pack may directly include a plurality of battery cells. As another example, a battery pack may include one or more battery banks and / or one or more battery modules, each of which includes a plurality of battery cells. As another example, a battery pack may be a battery bank or a battery module, each of which includes a plurality of battery cells. Thus, the term "battery pack" in this specification may be applied without limitation to any cell group that includes a plurality of battery cells.

[0043] The plurality of batteries included in the battery pack may be configured to be connected in series and / or parallel with each other. In one embodiment, the battery pack may include a plurality of batteries connected in series.

[0044] The measuring unit (110) can calculate the charging current applied to the battery pack until the voltage (or SOC) of the battery pack reaches a preset charging start voltage (or charging start SOC) and a preset charging end voltage (or charging end SOC). In addition, the measuring unit (110) can calculate the pack capacity (Qp) of the battery pack by integrating the charging current calculated during the charging process.

[0045] The measuring unit (110) can measure the first voltage and the second voltage of each of the plurality of batteries included in the battery pack. Here, the first voltage is the voltage of each battery when charging of the battery pack begins, and the second voltage is the voltage of each battery when charging of the battery pack ends.

[0046] Figure 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the capacities of first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Here, the first battery (B1), the second battery (B2), and the third battery (B3) are battery cells included in a specific battery pack and are connected in series with each other.

[0047] Referring to Fig. 2, the first voltage of the first battery (B1) is Vi1 [V], and the second voltage is Vf1 [V]. During the charging process of the battery pack, the voltage of the first battery (B1) may increase from Vi1 [V] to Vf1 [V]. Similarly, the first voltage of the second battery (B2) is Vi2 [V], and the second voltage is Vf2 [V]. In addition, the first voltage of the third battery (B3) is Vi3 [V], and the second voltage is Vf3 [V].

[0048] In one embodiment, the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3) are connected in series with each other, so that the capacity of the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3) is equal to the pack capacity (Qp) of the battery pack.

[0049] The control unit (120) may be configured to calculate a relative capacity ratio between the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) based on the voltage range of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3).

[0050] According to one embodiment, the control unit (120) may be configured to determine a voltage range of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3). Here, the voltage range refers to a voltage range of the battery while charging and discharging of the battery pack is in progress. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the ranges of the first voltage and the second voltage correspond to the voltage ranges of the batteries. The voltage range of the first battery (B1) is Vi1[V] to Vf1[V], the voltage range of the second battery (B2) is Vi2[V] to Vf2[V], and the voltage range of the third battery (B3) is Vi3[V] to Vf3[V].

[0051] The control unit (120) can be configured to adjust a plurality of determined voltage sections to correspond to each other and calculate a change ratio of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3).

[0052] For example, the control unit (120) may be configured to set one of the voltage sections for each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) as a reference voltage section. In addition, the control unit (120) may be configured to calculate a change rate for each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) by adjusting the plurality of voltage sections to correspond to the set reference voltage section.

[0053] For example, the control unit (120) can adjust the first and second voltages of the plurality of voltage sections to correspond to the first and second voltages of the preset reference voltage section, and calculate the rate at which each of the plurality of voltage sections changes during the adjustment process. For example, the rate of change is a scale factor of the voltage sections for the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) with respect to the preset reference voltage section.

[0054] An embodiment in which the control unit (120) calculates the change ratio of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) will be described later.

[0055] The control unit (120) may be configured to calculate a relative capacity ratio for each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) based on the calculated plurality of change ratios. Here, the relative capacity ratio represents the relative capacity ratio between the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3). For example, the larger the relative capacity ratio, the larger the capacity of the corresponding battery, and the smaller the relative capacity ratio, the smaller the capacity of the corresponding battery.

[0056] In one embodiment, the control unit (120) may be configured to set any one of a plurality of change ratios as a reference change ratio (CSref). In addition, the control unit (120) may be configured to calculate a relative capacity ratio for each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) based on the plurality of change ratios and the preset reference change ratio (CSref).

[0057] For example, the control unit (120) may be configured to calculate a ratio of a reference change ratio (CSref) to each of the change ratios of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) to produce a relative capacity ratio for each of the plurality of batteries.

[0058] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the control unit (120) can set any one of the change ratio (CS1) of the first battery (B1), the change ratio (CS2) of the second battery (B2), and the change ratio (CS3) of the third battery (B3) as the reference change ratio (CSref). Then, the control unit (120) can calculate the formula “CSref÷CS1” to calculate the relative capacity ratio of the first battery (B1) as RC1[%]. The control unit (120) can calculate the formula “CSref÷CS2” to calculate the relative capacity ratio of the second battery (B2) as RC2[%]. The control unit (120) can calculate the formula “CSref÷CS3” to calculate the relative capacity ratio of the third battery (B3) as RC3[%].

[0059] As another example, the control unit (120) may set the average value of the change rate (CS1) of the first battery (B1), the change rate (CS2) of the second battery (B2), and the change rate (CS3) of the third battery (B3) as the reference change rate (CSref).

[0060] The control unit (120) can be configured to estimate the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) based on the pack capacity (Qp) and the relative capacity ratio.

[0061] As described above, since the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) are connected in series with each other, the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) can be charged by the pack capacity (Qp) of the battery pack. For example, when the charging of the battery pack is completed, the charge capacity of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) is the same. However, since the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) may have different deterioration levels, the capacity (maximum capacity) of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) may be different from each other. Therefore, the control unit (120) can estimate the maximum capacity of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) based on the pack capacity (Qp) and the relative capacity ratio.

[0062] In one embodiment, the control unit (120) may be configured to estimate the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) by multiplying the pack capacity (Qp) by the relative capacity ratio.

[0063] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, it is assumed that the pack capacity of the battery pack is Qp. The control unit (120) can estimate the capacity of the first battery (B1) as Q1 [mAh] by calculating the formula “Qp×RC1”. The control unit (120) can estimate the capacity of the second battery (B2) as Q2 [mAh] by calculating the formula “Qp×RC2”. The control unit (120) can estimate the capacity of the third battery (B3) as Q3 [mAh] by calculating the formula “Qp×RC3”.

[0064] In this way, the battery capacity estimation device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can estimate the capacity (maximum capacity) of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) connected in series based on the pack capacity (Qp) and the relative capacity ratio. In addition, the battery capacity estimation device (100) has the advantage of being able to accurately estimate the capacity (maximum capacity) of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) even without individually charging and discharging the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3).

[0065] In addition, since the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) is estimated by the battery capacity estimation device (100), the degradation degree of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) can be estimated. For example, the degradation degree of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) can be estimated through a comparison between the design capacity and the current capacity. In this way, according to the battery capacity estimation device (100), since the capacity and degradation degree of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) included in the battery pack can be estimated, the state of each battery can be diagnosed more accurately.

[0066] The control unit (120) provided in the battery capacity estimation device (100) may optionally include a processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), various chipsets, logic circuits, registers, communication modems, data processing devices, 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.

[0067] The battery capacity estimation 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 capacity estimation 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 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 (130) may store program codes defining processes executable by the control unit (120).

[0068] For example, information about the pack capacity (Qp) of the battery pack measured by the measuring unit (110) and the voltages of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) can be stored in the storage unit (130). Then, the control unit (120) can access the storage unit (130) and obtain information used to estimate the capacities of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3).

[0069] Below, an embodiment in which the control unit (120) calculates the change ratio of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) is described.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the control unit (120) can calculate a change rate of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) by adjusting the sizes of the plurality of voltage sections to correspond to the sizes of the preset reference voltage sections.

[0071] First, the control unit (120) may be configured to calculate an interval value representing the size of each of a plurality of voltage intervals. For example, the control unit (120) may calculate the interval value of a voltage interval by calculating the difference between a first voltage and a second voltage of the voltage interval.

[0072] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the control unit (120) can calculate the difference between the first voltage (Vi1) and the second voltage (Vf1) of the first battery (B1) and calculate the interval value as R1 [V]. The control unit (120) can calculate the difference between the first voltage (Vi2) and the second voltage (Vf2) of the second battery (B2) and calculate the interval value as R2 [V]. The control unit (120) can calculate the difference between the first voltage (Vi3) and the second voltage (Vf3) of the third battery (B3) and calculate the interval value as R3 [V].

[0073] In addition, the control unit (120) may be configured to calculate a ratio of each section value of a plurality of voltage sections to a reference section value (Rref) of a preset reference voltage section, thereby calculating a change ratio for each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3).

[0074] For example, it is assumed that the reference interval value of the reference voltage interval is greater than the interval value of the first voltage interval, less than the interval value of the second voltage interval, and equal to the third voltage interval. Since the interval value of the first voltage interval must increase to correspond to the reference interval value of the reference voltage interval, the change ratio of the first voltage interval may exceed 100%. In addition, since the interval value of the second voltage interval must decrease to correspond to the reference interval value of the reference voltage interval, the change ratio of the second voltage interval may be less than 100%. In addition, since the interval value of the third voltage interval is equal to the reference interval value of the reference voltage interval, the change ratio of the third voltage interval is 100%.

[0075] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, it is assumed that one of the voltage sections of the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3) is set as a reference voltage section. The control unit (120) can calculate the change ratio of each of the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3) by dividing the section value of each voltage section of the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3) by the reference section value (Rref) of the reference voltage section. For example, the control unit (120) can calculate the change ratio of the first battery (B1) as CS1[%] by calculating the formula “R1÷Rref”, calculate the change ratio of the second battery (B2) as CS2[%] by calculating the formula “R2÷Rref”, and calculate the change ratio of the third battery (B3) as CS3[%] by calculating the formula “R3÷Rref”.

[0076]

[0077] Below, an embodiment in which the control unit (120) calculates the relative capacity ratio of multiple batteries is described.

[0078] The control unit (120) may be configured to set the largest value among multiple change ratios as the reference change ratio (CSref).

[0079] Charging of a battery pack ends when the most degraded battery among the multiple batteries is fully charged. When charging of the battery pack ends, the most degraded battery is fully charged, but the remaining batteries are not fully charged. Thus, because multiple batteries are connected in series, the pack capacity (Qp) of the battery pack corresponds to the capacity of the most degraded battery among the multiple batteries.

[0080] The change rate is a value proportional to the interval value, resulting in a larger output value as the interval value increases. A larger interval value here indicates a greater voltage change during the same charging time. For example, among multiple batteries, the battery with the largest change rate is the most deteriorated (lowest capacity).

[0081] For example, during the charging process of a battery pack, the charging of the most degraded battery is completed first, so the section value and change rate of the most degraded battery are greater than those of other batteries.

[0082] Accordingly, the control unit (120) can set the largest value among the multiple change ratios as the reference change ratio (CSref).

[0083] In addition, the control unit (120) can calculate the ratio of the reference change ratio (CSref) to the change ratio of each of the plurality of batteries, thereby calculating the relative capacity ratio of each of the plurality of batteries.

[0084] A battery capacity estimation device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can estimate the capacity of each remaining battery based on the capacity of the most degraded battery (pack capacity (Qp)) by setting the largest value among multiple change rates as a reference change rate (CSref). In this way, the battery capacity estimation device (100) has the advantage of being able to accurately estimate the capacity of multiple batteries by taking into account the charge / discharge characteristics of batteries connected in series.

[0085] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing in more detail the capacities of the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] The first voltage of the first battery (B1) is 3 [V], the second voltage is 4.17 [V], and the interval value is 1.17 [V].

[0087] The first voltage of the second battery (B2) is 3 [V], the second voltage is 4.2 [V], and the interval value is 1.2 [V].

[0088] The first voltage of the third battery (B3) is 3 [V], the second voltage is 4.19 [V], and the interval value is 1.19 [V].

[0089] And, the pack capacity (Qp) of the battery pack is 13,165 mAh.

[0090] The control unit (120) sets the section value (1.17 [V]) of the first battery (B1) among the section values ​​of the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3) as the reference section value (Rref), and calculates the ratio of each section value to the reference section value (Rref) to calculate the change ratio of the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3). Here, the reference section value (Rref) is arbitrarily set among the section values ​​of the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3), and may be set as the section value of the second battery (B2) or the section value of the third battery (B3).

[0091] For example, the control unit (120) can calculate the formula "1.17÷1.17" to calculate the change ratio of the first battery (B1) as 100%. The control unit (120) can calculate the formula "1.2÷1.17" to calculate the change ratio of the second battery (B2) as 102.56%. The control unit (120) can calculate the formula "1.19÷1.17" to calculate the change ratio of the third battery (B3) as 101.71%.

[0092] Next, the control unit (120) sets the change ratio of the second battery (B2) as the reference change ratio (CSref) because the change ratio of the second battery (B2) is the largest at 102.56%, and calculates the ratio of the reference change ratio (CSref) for each change ratio to calculate the relative capacity ratio of the first to third batteries (B1, B2, B3).

[0093] For example, the control unit (120) can calculate the formula of "102.56÷100" to calculate the relative capacity ratio of the first battery (B1) as 102.56%, and can calculate the formula of "102.56÷102.56" to calculate the relative capacity ratio of the second battery (B2) as 100[%]. The control unit (120) can calculate the formula of "102.56÷101.71" to calculate the relative capacity ratio of the third battery (B3) as 100.84%. The capacity of the first battery (B1) is 2.56% larger than the capacity of the second battery (B2), and the capacity of the third battery (B3) is 0.84% ​​larger than the capacity of the second battery (B2).

[0094] The control unit (120) can calculate the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries by multiplying the pack capacity (Qp) of 13,165 mAh by the relative capacity ratio of each of the plurality of batteries.

[0095] For example, the control unit (120) can calculate the formula "13,165×102.56%" to calculate the capacity of the first battery (B1) as 13,502.6 mAh. In addition, the control unit (120) can calculate the formula "13,165×100%" to calculate the capacity of the second battery (B2) as 13,165 mAh. The control unit (120) can calculate the formula "13,165×100.84%" to calculate the capacity of the third battery (B3) as 13,275.6 mAh.

[0096] The battery capacity estimation device (100) according to the present invention can be applied to a BMS (Battery Management System). For example, the BMS according to the present invention can include the battery capacity estimation device (100) described above. In this configuration, at least some of the components of the battery capacity estimation device (100) can be implemented by supplementing or adding to the functions of the components included in a conventional BMS. For example, the measurement unit (110), control unit (120), and storage unit (130) of the battery capacity estimation device (100) can be implemented as components of the BMS.

[0097] Additionally, the battery capacity estimation device (100) according to the present invention may be installed in a battery pack. For example, the battery pack according to the present invention may include the battery capacity estimation device (100) described above and one or more battery cells. In addition, the battery pack may further include electrical components (relays, fuses, etc.) and a case.

[0098] FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of a battery pack (10) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0099] Referring to FIG. 4, the battery pack (10) may include a plurality of batteries (B). The plurality of batteries (B) include a first battery (B1), a second battery (B2), and a third battery (B3). In one embodiment, the first battery (B1), the second battery (B2), and the third battery (B3) may be connected in series with each other.

[0100] The positive terminal of the first battery (B1) can be connected to the positive terminal (P+) of the battery pack (10), and the negative terminal of the third battery (B3) can be connected to the negative terminal (P-) of the battery pack (10).

[0101] The measuring unit (110) can be connected to the first to fifth sensing lines (SL1 to SL5).

[0102] For example, the measuring unit (110) can measure the voltage of the first battery (B1) through the first sensing line (SL1) and the second sensing line (SL2). In addition, the measuring unit (110) can measure the voltage of the second battery (B2) through the second sensing line (SL2) and the third sensing line (SL3). The measuring unit (110) can measure the voltage of the third battery (B3) through the third sensing line (SL3) and the fourth sensing line (SL4).

[0103] And, the measuring unit (110) can be connected to the current measuring unit (A) through the fifth sensing line (SL5). According to one embodiment, the current measuring unit (A) can be an ammeter or a shunt resistor capable of measuring the charging current and the discharging current of the plurality of batteries (B). The measuring unit (110) can measure the charging current of the plurality of batteries (B) through the fifth sensing line (SL5) to calculate the charging amount. In addition, the measuring unit (110) can measure the discharging current of the plurality of batteries (B) through the fifth sensing line (SL5) to calculate the discharging amount.

[0104] Meanwhile, an external device can be connected to the positive terminal (P+) and negative terminal (P-) of the battery pack (10). For example, the external device can be a charging device or a load.

[0105] FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of a vehicle (500) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 5, a battery pack (510) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be included in a vehicle (500), such as an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid vehicle (HV). In addition, the battery pack (10) may drive the vehicle (500) by supplying power to a motor through an inverter provided in the vehicle (500). Here, the battery pack (510) provided in the vehicle may include a battery capacity estimation device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, the vehicle (500) may include a battery capacity estimation device (100). In this case, the battery capacity estimation device (100) may be an on-board device included in the vehicle (500).

[0107] FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a battery capacity estimation method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 6, a battery capacity estimation method may include a measurement step (S100), a relative capacity ratio calculation step (S200), and a capacity estimation step (S300).

[0109] Each step of the battery capacity estimation method of the present invention can be performed by the battery capacity estimation device (100). In the following, for convenience of explanation, any content that overlaps with the previously described content will be omitted or briefly described.

[0110] The measurement step (S100) is a step of measuring the pack capacity of the battery pack (10) and the voltage of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) included in the battery pack during the charging and discharging process, and can be performed by the measurement unit (110).

[0111] For example, during the charging process of the battery pack, the measuring unit (110) can measure the pack capacity (Qp) of the battery pack and the voltage of multiple batteries (B1, B2, B3).

[0112] The relative capacity ratio calculation step (S200) is a step of calculating the relative capacity ratio between the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) based on the voltage section of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3), and can be performed by the control unit (120).

[0113] The control unit (120) may be configured to determine the voltage range of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) based on the voltage of each battery measured by the measurement unit (110).

[0114] In addition, the control unit (120) can set one of the section values ​​of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) or the average of the section values ​​of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) as the reference section value (Rref). In addition, the control unit (120) can calculate the ratio of each section value to the reference section value (Rref) to derive the change ratio of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3).

[0115] The control unit (120) may set any one of the plurality of change ratios as the reference change ratio (CSref). In one embodiment, the control unit (120) may set the largest value among the plurality of change ratios as the reference change ratio (CSref).

[0116] In addition, the control unit (120) may be configured to calculate the ratio of the reference change ratio (CSref) for each change ratio, thereby calculating the relative capacity ratio of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3).

[0117] The capacity estimation step (S300) is a step of estimating the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) based on the pack capacity (Qp) and the relative capacity ratio, and can be performed by the control unit (120).

[0118] The control unit (120) may be configured to estimate the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries (B1, B2, B3) by multiplying the pack capacity (Qp) and the relative capacity ratio of each battery.

[0119] 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.

[0120] 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.

[0121] 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.

[0122] (Explanation of symbols)

[0123] 1: Battery pack

[0124] B: Multiple batteries

[0125] B1: Battery 1

[0126] B2: Second battery

[0127] B3: Third battery

[0128] 100: Battery capacity estimation device

[0129] 110: Measurement section

[0130] 120: Control unit

[0131] 130: Storage

[0132] 500: Car

[0133] 510: Battery Pack

Claims

1. A measuring unit configured to measure the pack capacity of the battery pack and the voltage of each of the plurality of batteries included in the battery pack during the charging and discharging process; and A battery capacity estimation device including a control unit configured to calculate a relative capacity ratio between the plurality of batteries based on a voltage range of each of the plurality of batteries, and to estimate the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries based on the pack capacity and the relative capacity ratio.

2. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A battery capacity estimation device configured to determine a voltage range of each of the plurality of batteries, adjust the determined plurality of voltage ranges to correspond to each other, calculate a change rate of each of the plurality of batteries, and calculate the relative capacity ratio for each of the plurality of batteries based on the calculated plurality of change rates.

3. In paragraph 2, The above control unit, A battery capacity estimation device configured to set one of the plurality of voltage sections as a reference voltage section and calculate the plurality of change ratios by adjusting the plurality of voltage sections to correspond to the reference voltage section.

4. In paragraph 3, The above control unit, A battery capacity estimation device configured to calculate a section value representing the size of each of the plurality of voltage sections, and to calculate a ratio of the section value of the reference voltage section to the section value of each of the plurality of voltage sections to calculate the plurality of change ratios.

5. In paragraph 2, The above control unit, A battery capacity estimation device configured to set any one of the plurality of change ratios as a reference change ratio and to calculate the relative capacity ratio for each of the plurality of batteries based on the plurality of change ratios and the reference change ratio.

6. In paragraph 5, The above control unit, A battery capacity estimation device configured to calculate the ratio of the reference change ratio to each of the plurality of change ratios, thereby calculating the relative capacity ratio for each of the plurality of batteries.

7. In paragraph 5, The above control unit, A battery capacity estimation device configured to set the largest value among the above plurality of change ratios as the reference change ratio.

8. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A battery capacity estimation device configured to estimate the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries by multiplying the pack capacity and the relative capacity ratio.

9. In paragraph 1, The above multiple batteries, A battery capacity estimation device configured to be connected in series with each other.

10. A battery pack including a battery capacity estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A vehicle including a battery capacity estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A measuring step of measuring the pack capacity of the battery pack and the voltage of each of the plurality of batteries included in the battery pack during the charging and discharging process; A relative capacity ratio calculation step for calculating a relative capacity ratio between the plurality of batteries based on the voltage range of each of the plurality of batteries; and A battery capacity estimation method comprising a capacity estimation step of estimating the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries based on the pack capacity and the relative capacity ratio.

13. A measuring step of measuring the pack capacity of the battery pack and the voltage of each of the plurality of batteries included in the battery pack during the charging and discharging process; A relative capacity ratio calculation step for calculating a relative capacity ratio between the plurality of batteries based on the voltage range of each of the plurality of batteries; and A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a battery capacity estimation method, including a capacity estimation step of estimating the capacity of each of the plurality of batteries according to the pack capacity and the relative capacity ratio.

Images