Battery management device for software-defined vehicle

Abstract

A battery management device according to an embodiment of the present document may comprise: at least one slave device; and a master device including a communication circuit and a control circuit, wherein the communication circuit transmits, to an external electronic device, battery data received from each of the at least one slave device, and receives, from the external electronic device, a control command according to a result of processing the battery data. The control circuit may control a switching unit for connecting the external electronic device and the battery on the basis of the received control command.

Description

Battery management unit for software-defined vehicles

[0001] Cross-citation with related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2024-0102547, filed August 1, 2024, Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2024-0123792, filed September 11, 2024, and Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2025-0102352, filed July 28, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Technology field

[0004] The present invention relates to a battery management device, and more particularly, to a battery management device that manages a battery mounted in a software-defined vehicle.

[0005] Secondary batteries, which can be recharged and reused after use, are manufactured into battery modules or packs by connecting multiple battery cells in series according to the output capacity required by the device. These batteries serve as power sources for various devices. These batteries are used in a wide range of applications, from small, high-tech electronic devices like smartphones to electric bicycles, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems (ESS).

[0006] A battery module or battery pack is a structure composed of multiple battery cells. If any of the cells exhibit overvoltage, overcurrent, or overheating, this can compromise the safety and operational efficiency of the battery module or pack. Therefore, a means of detecting these issues is essential. Therefore, battery modules or packs are equipped with a Battery Management System (BMS), which measures the voltage of each battery cell and monitors and controls the voltage status of the cells based on these measured values. Batteries used in vehicles are also equipped with this BMS.

[0007] Meanwhile, vehicles are rapidly integrating with various information and communication technologies, continuously transforming from traditional hardware-based systems to software-centric electronic devices. Consequently, modern vehicles incorporate numerous small computers (Electronic Control Units; ECUs) dedicated to specific functions, as well as various sensors, cameras, radar, and lidar devices, all of which require associated software code. Consequently, vehicle platforms are evolving into software-defined vehicles (SDVs), where vehicle features and functions are primarily implemented through software.

[0008] Accordingly, BMS also needs to change its architecture to accommodate these changes in vehicle platforms.

[0009] Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) technology refers to a technology in which zoning controllers corresponding to individual zones of a vehicle are placed according to individual zones of the vehicle, and a higher-level controller comprehensively manages these zoning controllers.

[0010] [Prior Art Literature]

[0011] [Patent Document]

[0012] CN 214215682 U

[0013] In a centralized vehicle architecture, if a battery abnormality occurs, decision-making can be performed by a higher-level controller, which is electrically distant from the battery compared to the battery management unit. However, this approach of only performing decision-making in a higher-level controller, which is electrically distant, increases the time and resources required for decision-making compared to the battery management unit.

[0014] In addition, the method of performing decision-making only in the upper-level controller has the problem that if there is an error in communication between the upper-level controller and the battery management device, it is difficult to take appropriate action at the appropriate time for the battery, which may cause damage to the battery, and damage to the battery may cause damage to the entire power system of the vehicle.

[0015] An object of the present invention to solve the above problems is to provide a battery management device that manages a battery mounted on a software-defined vehicle.

[0016] A battery management device according to one embodiment of the present document may include a master device including at least one slave device, a communication circuit, and a control circuit.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the communication circuit can transmit battery data received from each of the at least one slave devices to an external electronic device, and receive a control command based on the result of processing the battery data from the external electronic device. The control circuit can control a switching unit connecting the external electronic device and the battery based on the received control command.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the control circuit may control the switching unit to disable the connection between the external electronic device and the battery regardless of the control command when the control circuit receives a signal indicating an abnormal state of the battery from the at least one slave device through the communication circuit.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the abnormal state of the battery may include an overvoltage state in which the voltage of the battery is greater than a first reference voltage, or an undervoltage state in which the voltage of the battery is less than a second reference voltage that is less than the first reference voltage.

[0020] In one embodiment, the communication circuit can transmit the signal to the control circuit based on receiving the signal from the at least one slave device indicating the abnormal condition, wherein the signal is generated based on the battery data not being within a specified range.

[0021] In one embodiment, the control circuit may control the switching unit to deactivate the connection based on the control command for controlling the switching unit to activate the connection between the external electronic device and the battery not being received for a specified period of time.

[0022] The above communication circuit can transmit the battery data to the external electronic device or receive the control command from the external electronic device via an Ethernet protocol, a CAN (controller area network; CAN) protocol, or wireless communication.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the control circuit may include at least one of the high side driver circuit that supplies power to a circuit that controls the switching unit based on a voltage higher than a first reference voltage being applied to the high side driver circuit via the control command, or the low side driver circuit that supplies power to a circuit that controls the switching unit based on a voltage lower than a second reference voltage being applied to the low side driver circuit via the control command.

[0024] According to one embodiment, any one of the at least one slave device may include a battery monitoring integrated circuit (BMIC) that measures the battery data of the battery unit corresponding to the at least one slave device.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the switching unit may include a relay.

[0026] A battery management method according to another embodiment of the present document may include an operation of transmitting battery data received from each of at least one slave device to an external electronic device, an operation of receiving a control command according to a result of processing the battery data from the external electronic device in response to the battery data, and an operation of controlling a switching unit connecting the external electronic device and the battery based on the received control command.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the battery management method may further include an operation of controlling the switching unit to disable the connection between the external electronic device and the battery regardless of the control command when a signal indicating an abnormal state of the battery is obtained from the at least one slave device through a communication circuit.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the abnormal state of the battery may include an overvoltage state in which the voltage of the battery is greater than a first reference voltage, or an undervoltage state in which the voltage of the battery is less than a second reference voltage that is less than the first reference voltage.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the battery management method may further include receiving, from the at least one slave device, a signal indicating the abnormal condition generated based on the battery data not being included in a specified range.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the battery management method may further include an operation of controlling the switching unit to deactivate the connection based on the control command for controlling the switching unit to activate the connection between the external electronic device and the battery not being received for a specified period of time.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the operation of transmitting the battery data received from each of the at least one slave devices to the external electronic device may include the operation of transmitting the battery data to the external electronic device via an Ethernet protocol, a controller area network (CAN) protocol, or wireless communication, and the operation of receiving the control command from the external electronic device in response to the battery data may include the operation of receiving the control command from the external electronic device.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the operation of controlling the switching unit connecting the external electronic device and the battery based on the received control command may include an operation of supplying power to a circuit controlling the switching unit through a high-side driver circuit based on a voltage higher than a first reference voltage being applied to the high-side driver circuit through the control command, or an operation of supplying power to a circuit controlling the switching unit through a low-side driver circuit based on a voltage lower than a second reference voltage being applied to the low-side driver circuit through the control command.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the battery data may include battery data of a battery unit corresponding to one of the slave devices among at least one slave device.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the switching unit may include a relay.

[0035] According to the embodiment of this document as described above, the MCU in the existing BMS is deleted, so there is no need for cumbersome software upgrade work.

[0036] In addition, the freedom of functional agreement increases, which not only reduces BMS costs but also maximizes BMS development speed by eliminating individual functional blocks.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the structure of a vehicle including a battery management device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the structure of a vehicle including a battery management device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery management device according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a battery and a battery management device mounted on a vehicle according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a battery management system (BMS) according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0042] Figure 6 is a detailed block diagram of a typical battery management system (BMS).

[0043] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a battery management device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0044] Figure 8 is a drawing showing the cost reduction effect that can be expected when applying one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0045] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the flow of operations of a battery management device that receives a control command from an external electronic device in a battery management method according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0046] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a computing system for performing an operation method of a communication control device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0047] The present invention is susceptible to various modifications and embodiments. Specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, but rather to encompass all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. Throughout the description of each drawing, similar reference numerals have been used to designate similar components.

[0048] When assigning reference numerals to components in each drawing, it should be noted that identical components are assigned the same numerals whenever possible, even if they are shown in different drawings. Furthermore, when describing various embodiments disclosed in this document, if a detailed description of a related known configuration or function is deemed to hinder understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0049] Terms such as "first," "second," "A," and "B" may be used to describe various components, but these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component could be referred to as the "second component," and similarly, the second component could also be referred to as the "first component." The term "and / or" includes any combination of multiple related items listed or any one of multiple related items listed.

[0050] In addition, in the present disclosure, expressions such as "more than" or "less than" may be used to determine whether a specific condition is satisfied or fulfilled. However, this is merely a description for expressing an example and does not exclude descriptions such as "more than" or "less than." Conditions described as "more than" may be replaced with "more than," conditions described as "less than," and conditions described as "more than and less than" may be replaced with "more than and less than." In addition, hereinafter, "A" to "B" mean at least one of the elements from A (including A) to B (including B).

[0051] In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed in the present document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through an application store or directly between two user devices. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0053] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0054] When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but that there may be other components intervening. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components intervening.

[0055] The terminology used in this application is only used to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, it should be understood that the terms "comprise" or "have" indicate the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0056] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0057] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0058] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the structure of a vehicle including a battery management device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0059] According to one embodiment, a battery management device (e.g., battery management device (301) of FIG. 3) may include at least some of the components included in a vehicle (110) according to the SDV architecture.

[0060] For example, the battery management device (301) can monitor the battery, transmit the monitored data to components of the vehicle (110), and control the battery based on control commands received from a high performance computer (HPC) (150) or a zoning controller.

[0061] For example, the vehicle (110) may include at least one of a first zone controller (121), a second zone controller (122), a third zone controller (123), a fourth zone controller (124), a first terminal device (131), a second terminal device (132), a third terminal device (133), a fourth terminal device (134), a first actuator (141), a second actuator (142), a high performance computer (HPC) (150), a transmit / receive path (160), an additional element (170), or any combination thereof.

[0062] According to one embodiment, a battery management device for monitoring and controlling a battery of a vehicle (110) may include at least some of the components included in the vehicle (110).

[0063] For example, components according to the SDV architecture may include a hierarchy of HPC (150), zoning controller, and end device order.

[0064] For example, the HPC (150) is connected to the first zoning controller (121), the second zoning controller (122), the third zoning controller (123), and the fourth zoning controller (124), and can transmit and receive various types of data with each zoning controller.

[0065] For example, a first zoning controller (121) can control a first terminal device (131), a second zoning controller (122) can control a second terminal device (132), a third zoning controller (123) can control a third terminal device (133), and a fourth zoning controller (124) can control a fourth terminal device (134).

[0066] For example, the terminal device may include at least one of a sensor for controlling the vehicle (110), a battery (or a battery management system (BMS)) for driving the vehicle (110), or any combination thereof. For example, if one of the second terminal devices (132) is a BMS, the additional element (170) may be defined as a battery pack.

[0067] For example, a first zone controller (121) can control a first actuator (141), and a second zone controller (122) can control a second actuator (142). The actuator may include, for example, at least one driving device for driving a vehicle (110).

[0068] For example, the components described above can perform communication based on a designated path (e.g., a transmission / reception path (160)) via automotive Ethernet.

[0069] For example, a battery management device (301) according to one embodiment may communicate with an HPC (150) or a zoning controller (e.g., a first zoning controller (121), a second zoning controller (122), a third zoning controller (123), a fourth zoning controller (124)) via a vehicle Ethernet.

[0070] A battery management device (301) according to one embodiment monitors a battery, transmits the monitored data to an HPC (150) or a zoning controller (e.g., a first zoning controller (121), a second zoning controller (122), a third zoning controller (123), a fourth zoning controller (124)), and controls the battery based on a control command received from the HPC (150) or the zoning controller.

[0071] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the structure of a vehicle including a battery management device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0072] In Fig. 2, the description of components defined with the same names as in Fig. 1 may be replaced with the description of Fig. 1 described above.

[0073] For example, the vehicle (210) may include at least one of a first terminal device (231), a second terminal device (232), a third terminal device (233), a fourth terminal device (234), a first actuator (241), a second actuator (242), a high performance computer (HPC) (250), a transmit / receive path (260), an additional element (270), or any combination thereof. A battery management device for monitoring and controlling a battery of the vehicle (210) may include at least some of the components included in the vehicle (210).

[0074] For example, the vehicle (210) according to FIG. 2 does not include a zoning controller compared to FIG. 1. That is, even if the SDV architecture is adopted, the vehicle (210) may be implemented with a structure in which the HPC (250) directly controls at least one terminal device, as in FIG. 2.

[0075] A battery management device (301) according to one embodiment can monitor a battery, transmit monitored data to an HPC (150), and control the battery based on a control command received from the HPC (150).

[0076] For example, a battery management device (301) according to one embodiment can communicate with an HPC (150) via a vehicle Ethernet.

[0077] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a battery management device according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 3, the battery management device (301) may include at least one slave device (303), and a master device (305) including a communication circuit (307) and a control circuit (309).

[0079] According to one embodiment, any one of the at least one slave device (303) can measure battery data (e.g., temperature, voltage, current) of a battery unit corresponding to any one of the slave devices.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the master device (305) can receive battery data from each of at least one slave device (303). The master device (305) can transmit the received battery data to a processor of an external electronic device (e.g., a computing device equipped in a vehicle (e.g., HPC (150, 250))).

[0081] According to one embodiment, a battery assembly (e.g., a battery pack) may include a plurality of battery units (e.g., battery modules) connected in series or parallel. Each of the plurality of battery units may include a plurality of battery subunits (e.g., battery cells).

[0082] Each of the battery units (e.g., battery modules) may be arranged with at least one slave device (303). Each of the at least one slave devices (303) may measure and monitor data indicating a battery status, such as temperature, voltage, or current, of the corresponding battery unit, transmit the monitored information to the master device (305), and control each of the battery sub-units (e.g., battery cells) included in the battery unit based on a control command received from the master device (305).

[0083] A master device (305) may be arranged corresponding to a battery assembly (e.g., a battery pack). The master device (305) monitors each of the battery units from slave devices corresponding to each of the battery units, collects measured data, transmits the data to an external electronic device (e.g., a processor of the vehicle body (e.g., HPC (150, 250))), and transmits a control command received from the external electronic device (e.g., a processor of the vehicle body (e.g., HPC (150, 250))) to each of at least one slave device (303).

[0084] According to one embodiment, each of the at least one slave device may include a battery monitoring integrated circuit (BMIC).

[0085] According to one embodiment, the master device (305) can receive battery data from each of at least one slave device (303) via the communication circuit (307). The master device (305) can transmit the received battery data to an external electronic device (e.g., at least one processor included in a vehicle (e.g., HPC (150, 250))) via the communication circuit (307).

[0086] An external electronic device (e.g., at least one processor included in a vehicle (e.g., HPC (150, 250))) may transmit a battery control command to the master device (305) based on the received battery data. Since whether to control the battery is determined based on the result of calculation based on the battery data by the external electronic device, the master device (305) may not perform a calculation function. Therefore, the control circuit (309) may not include a processor. The control circuit (309) may not include software dedicated to a battery management system (BMS), but may include a control logic circuit.

[0087] According to one embodiment, the master device (305) can receive a control command from an external electronic device in response to battery data via the communication circuit (307). In other words, the master device (305) can receive a control command from the external electronic device, and the control command can be transmitted from the external electronic device to the master device (305) based on a result calculated by the processor of the external electronic device based on the battery data.

[0088] According to one embodiment, the communication circuit (307) can transmit a control command received from an external electronic device to the control circuit (309) and at least one slave device (303). Each of the at least one slave device (303) can control a battery unit corresponding to each of the at least one slave devices (303) based on the control command. The control circuit (309) can control a switching unit connecting the vehicle and the battery based on the control command.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the communication circuit (307) may transmit a signal indicating an abnormal condition of a battery received from at least one slave device (303) to the control circuit (309) based on the battery data not being within a specified range.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the control circuit (309) may control the switching unit to disable the connection between the external electronic device and the battery if a control command for controlling the switching unit to activate the connection between the external electronic device and the battery is not received from the external electronic device through the communication circuit (307) within a specified time after receiving a signal indicating an abnormal state from the communication circuit (307).

[0091] In addition, the control circuit (309) can control the switching unit to disable the connection between the external electronic device and the battery when a control command is received from the external electronic device to control the switching unit to disable the connection between the external electronic device and the battery within a specified time after receiving a signal indicating an abnormal state from the communication circuit (307).

[0092] Even if the control circuit (309) receives a signal indicating an abnormal state from the communication circuit (307), if a control command for controlling the switching unit to activate the connection of the battery is received from the external electronic device through the communication circuit (307) within a specified time, the control circuit (309) controls the switching unit to activate the connection between the external device and the battery, thereby reducing the frequency with which the connection between the external electronic device and the battery is deactivated due to noise.

[0093] In addition, the control circuit (309) can shorten the decision-making time by controlling the switching unit to disable the connection between the external device and the battery if a control command for controlling the switching unit to activate the connection between the external device and the battery is not received within a specified time after receiving a signal indicating an abnormal state from the communication circuit (307).

[0094] Here, an abnormal battery condition may indicate a case where battery data does not fall within a specified range. For example, an abnormal battery condition may include an overvoltage condition in which the battery voltage is greater than a first reference voltage, or an undervoltage condition in which the battery voltage is less than a second reference voltage. The second reference voltage may be less than the first reference voltage.

[0095] Since the battery management device (301) processes battery data through an external electronic device, a processor (e.g., a micro-controller unit (MCU)) may not be included within the battery management device (301). Therefore, by processing battery data through an external electronic device, the battery management device (301) can reduce the complexity of the structure of the battery management device (301) and reduce the manufacturing cost of the battery management device (301).

[0096] However, simplifying the design of battery management devices to reduce costs may reduce the speed of response to battery abnormalities. This is because battery data must be transmitted to external electronic devices and the results of processing received from these devices must be received. Furthermore, building complex systems or utilizing additional sensors and processing devices to improve the speed of response to battery abnormalities can increase costs.

[0097] Therefore, in order to balance the reduction of manufacturing cost and the speed of action, the battery management device (301) processes battery data through an external electronic device, but when a signal indicating an abnormal state of the battery is received from at least one slave device (303) through the communication circuit (307), the battery management device (301) can control a switching unit to disable the connection between the external electronic device and the battery through the control circuit (309). Through this, the battery management device (301) can protect the external electronic device from overvoltage or undervoltage without going through the judgment of the external electronic device.

[0098] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a battery and a battery management device mounted on a vehicle according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0099] Referring to FIG. 4, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and may include a battery pack (or module) including a battery (10) and a battery management system (BMS) (301). The vehicle includes a four-wheel vehicle and a two-wheel vehicle, and operates by receiving power from the battery pack.

[0100] In order to operate a vehicle like this, control operations such as motor drive control, regenerative braking control, air conditioning load control, and electrical load power (12V) supply control are required. Referring to Fig. 4, there are several electronic control units (ECUs) in the vehicle for these control operations, and in addition, it includes various sensors, cameras, radars, lidar devices, etc. The electronic control unit (ECU) may include random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM) as internal storage devices. The RAM in the ECU temporarily stores various signals generated while the vehicle is operating, and the stored data gradually disappears over time and disappears all at once when electricity is not supplied. On the other hand, the ROM in the ECU records control data necessary for the vehicle to move, and the data stored therein is not arbitrarily erased or modified.

[0101] Multiple ECUs within a vehicle can communicate with each other via a wireless communication bus, the CAN bus, or automotive Ethernet. The communication method used by the CAN protocol is a multi-master communication method, and all CAN controllers (ECUs and BMS in Figure 3) sharing the communication bus act as masters, allowing each controller to use the CAN bus whenever it wishes. The CAN protocol also uses a message-oriented transmission protocol and can be resistant to electrical noise because it uses two twisted pair wires for electrical differentiation.

[0102] Meanwhile, vehicles may require software code for a large number of ECUs and sensors, cameras, radar, lidar, and other devices. Furthermore, increasingly more software is needed to meet emerging vehicle trends such as electrification, autonomous driving, and connectivity.

[0103] Accordingly, the battery management device (301) that interfaces with one or more ECUs in the vehicle also needs to change its architecture to accommodate changes in the vehicle platform.

[0104] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a battery management system (BMS) according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0105] A typical battery management system (BMS) (301) monitors the status of a battery (100) and controls charging and discharging of the battery based on the monitoring results. Here, the battery may refer to various types of battery assemblies, such as a battery pack, a battery module, or a battery bank.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 5, a battery pack (or battery module) (100) may be configured to include a plurality of battery cells connected in series. The battery cells or modules may be connected to a load through positive and negative terminals and may perform charge / discharge operations. The most commonly used battery cells are lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery cells.

[0107] The battery management device (301) may include one or more memories (22). Here, in the case of a typical battery management device, a processor (e.g., a micro controller unit (MCU)) is included, but the battery management device (301) of one embodiment of the present document may not include a processor or may include a processor with some limited functions among the typical functions of the processor. Some limited functions among the typical functions of the processor may be performed by a processor of an external electronic device (e.g., a computing device (e.g., HPC (150, 250)) equipped in a vehicle).

[0108] Meanwhile, the battery management device (301) (e.g., battery management system; BMS) may include various components such as a fuse, a current sensing element, a thermistor, a switch, and a balancer.

[0109] Figure 6 is a detailed block diagram of a typical battery management system (BMS).

[0110] The battery (10) supplies power to the vehicle body as needed, and the connection between the battery pack and the vehicle can be connected / disconnected through the BDU (battery disconnect unit; BDU) (50). The BDU (50) may include a switching unit. The switching unit includes a relay, a fuse, a temperature sensor, a current sensor (such as a shunt sensor and a Hall sensor), etc., and can connect the vehicle and the battery pack to supply power to the vehicle or disconnect the vehicle and the battery pack. For example, when the vehicle stops driving, the connection between the battery and the vehicle can be cut off by opening a relay included in the switching unit in the BDU circuit.

[0111] Referring to FIG. 6, a case is illustrated where a battery management system (BMS) (40) managing a battery (10) is composed of a slave BMS (30) and a master BMS (60).

[0112] In Fig. 6, the slave BMS (30) may include one or more BMICs (battery monitoring integrated circuits; BMICs). The BMIC may be an IC-type component located inside the slave BMS that measures information such as voltage, temperature, and current of a battery cell / module. Referring to Fig. 6, the BMIC is connected to a target battery pack (96S; 96 cells connected in series), monitors the corresponding module (e.g., 24 cells), measures various related parameters, and reports them to the master BMS. At this time, each slave BMS can monitor 24 channels (24 cells), and can be implemented in a form in which four slave BMSs monitor one battery pack.

[0113] The master BMS (60) communicates with the slave BMS (30) and can receive monitoring results for the battery (10) from the slave BMS (30). Here, SPI (serial peripheral interface; SPI) communication can be performed between the slave BMS (30) and the master BMS (60). SPI is a method of communicating by connecting an SPI line between ICs in a manner that can be applied to internal communication of the BMS. The slave BMS (30) can perform SPI communication with the master BMS (60) through a bridge IC.

[0114] The master BMS (60) can determine the state of the battery and control the charging and discharging of the battery based on measurements such as voltage, temperature, and current of the battery cells received from the slave BMS (30). The master BMS (60) can also transmit the battery monitoring results and / or related information to another system connected to the battery. Here, the other system may be a control device located in the vehicle body, i.e., an in-vehicle ECU. In this specification, the vehicle body may refer to a portion of the entire vehicle excluding the battery pack and BMS.

[0115] The master BMS (60) includes various components such as a micro controller unit (MCU), a DC / DC converter, memory (e.g., EEPROM), a bridge IC, a communication module (e.g., CAN module), an LDO (low dropout) module, and an RTC device.

[0116] More specifically, the MCU (Micro-controller Unit) may be a key component of the BMS that manages / controls the BMS as a whole. The communication module is a module for communicating with the vehicle body, and the BMS's communication module can communicate with other systems within the device using the CAN (Controller Area Network; CAN) protocol. In this case, components, modules, or systems within the BMS can be connected to each other via the CAN bus. CAN communication is a standard communication specification designed for microcontrollers or devices to communicate with each other without a host computer within the vehicle, and can use a non-host bus-type message-based network protocol.

[0117] For example, the bridge IC may be a low power cell monitoring (LPCM) and may transmit and receive signals between the BMIC and BDU (50) and the master BMS (60). In addition, the low dropout (LDO) regulator may be a linear regulator that operates even at a low input / output potential difference as a power supply device. The LDO is a power supply device with good power efficiency and may supply a constant voltage (e.g., 3.3 V) or a switched voltage of 3.3 V depending on the power supply target element.

[0118] For example, a DC / DC (direct current to direct current) converter can change the voltage when auxiliary power (e.g., AUX 12 V) is applied to the MCU. For example, a real time clock (RTC) can provide time information necessary for the MCU to operate. For example, a system basis chip (SBC) can include components necessary for the MCU to operate stably. For example, an ID (identification) can allow the MCU to identify components included in the system. For example, a LEAK (leak detection) sensor can indicate a component that detects leakage current. For example, a temperature (pyro) sensor can detect temperature and disable electrical connections based on identifying that the temperature is outside a certain range. A current (HSD) sensor can help the MCU control a high-voltage switch. A Qchg (quick charging) sensor can support fast charging. A Pchg (pre-charging) sensor can identify whether the necessary procedures are ready before charging begins.

[0119] Meanwhile, the MCU illustrated in Figure 6 requires dedicated software to perform operations related to BMS functions, and may require frequent software updates for various reasons, such as functional improvements and the addition of new features. These frequent software updates are a significant administrative burden and can lead to problems in responding in a timely manner to rapidly changing user demands.

[0120] Therefore, the embodiments of this document aim to provide a BMS with improved functionality and price by simplifying the functions of an existing BMS and transferring some of the functions to a vehicle.

[0121] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a battery management device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0122] Referring to FIG. 7, the battery (100) supplies power to an external electronic device (e.g., a vehicle body) (600) at the request of the vehicle, and the connection between the battery pack and the vehicle can be connected / disconnected through a battery disconnect unit (BDU) (500).

[0123] A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present document may be, for example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and may include a battery pack (or module) including a battery (100) and a battery management system (BMS) (301). The vehicle may include a four-wheel vehicle and a two-wheel vehicle, and operates by receiving power from the battery pack. The vehicle according to an embodiment of the present document may be a vehicle to which a software defined vehicle (SDV) platform is applied.

[0124] The BDU (500) may include a switching unit. The switching unit may include a relay, a fuse, a temperature (pyro) sensor, a current sensor, etc., and may connect a vehicle and a battery pack to supply high power to the vehicle or disconnect the vehicle and the battery pack. For example, when the vehicle is stopped, the connection between the battery and the vehicle may be cut off by opening a relay included in the switching unit within the BDU circuit. Here, the current sensor may include a dual shunt sensor.

[0125] In addition, one or more BMIC modules included in at least one slave device (303) are connected to the battery (100) and can measure information such as voltage, temperature, and current for one or more cells in the battery. The BMIC module is a battery status measurement module, and referring to FIG. 7, the BMIC is connected to a target battery pack (96S; 96 cells connected in series) to monitor the module and measure various related parameters to report them to the battery management device (301) according to this document. For example, each BMIC can monitor 24 channels (24 cells), and can be implemented in a form where four BMICs monitor one battery pack.

[0126] A battery management device (301) according to an embodiment of the present document may include a communication circuit (307) (e.g., a gateway module) that receives battery state measurements from one or more battery state measurement modules and transmits the measurements to an external electronic device (600) (e.g., a vehicle body), and a control circuit (309) (e.g., a control module) that controls one or more battery-related functional blocks or circuits under the control of the external electronic device.

[0127] The battery management device (301) according to the embodiment of this document can transmit battery data to an external electronic device (600) or receive a control command from the external electronic device (600) via an Ethernet protocol, a CAN (controller area network; CAN) protocol, or wireless communication.

[0128] The above control circuit (309) uses a control logic circuit and may not operate using BMS-specific software. That is, unlike existing BMSs, the control circuit (309) according to the embodiment of the present document may not use separate software. The control circuit (309) can perform basic logic diagnosis through setting value (register) input and may operate using a control logic circuit. Therefore, since the battery management device (301) according to the present document does not include an MCU, a software update of the battery management device (301) may not be required.

[0129] When a system update is required to improve or enhance functions related to battery management, the system update may be performed by updating the processor of an external electronic device (e.g., a computing device equipped in a vehicle (e.g., HPC (150, 250))).

[0130] Functional improvements or enhancements related to battery management may include improvements in the performance (e.g., speed, accuracy) of anomaly diagnosis, the introduction of new services, improvements in existing services, and improvements in the performance (e.g., accuracy, speed) of degradation diagnosis. However, the embodiments of this document may not be limited thereto. For example, improvements in the performance of anomaly diagnosis may include improvements in the estimation performance of health indicators. Improvements in the performance of degradation diagnosis may include improvements in the estimation performance of degradation indicators. New or existing services (e.g., anomaly diagnosis subscription services) may include services provided by a battery management device.

[0131] The manufacturing cost of a battery management device (301) according to one embodiment may be lower than that of a battery management device including a relatively high-performance processor (e.g., MCU) due to the reduced structural complexity. The reduced manufacturing cost effect may be particularly useful to manufacturers of the battery management device (301).

[0132] The time and electrical resources required for a battery-related system update of an external electronic device including a battery management device (301) according to one embodiment may be lower than the time and electrical resources required for updating a battery management device including a relatively high-performance processor (e.g., MCU) and an upper controller. The effect of reducing the time and electrical resources required for the update may be particularly useful to vehicle manufacturers. Furthermore, the effect of reducing the time and electrical resources required for the update may enhance driver convenience.

[0133] The control circuit (309) may include at least one of a high-side driver circuit (400) and a low-side driver circuit (450). The high-side driver circuit (400) may control a relay included in a switching section of the BDU (500) by supplying power to the relay based on a voltage higher than a first reference voltage being applied to the high-side driver (400) through a control command received from an external electronic device (600).

[0134] In other words, the high side driver circuit (400) can control the relay by supplying power to the relay included in the switching section of the BDU (500) based on whether the voltage applied to the high side driver circuit (400) from the communication circuit (307) to control the switching section of the BDU (500), the voltage applied by the control logic circuit to the high side driver circuit (400) based on a control command transmitted to the control logic circuit from the communication circuit (307) or an external electronic device (600) to control the switching section, or the voltage applied to the high side driver circuit (400) from the external electronic device (600) to control the switching section is higher than the first reference voltage.

[0135] The low side driver circuit (450) can control a relay included in the switching section of the BDU (500) based on a voltage lower than the second reference voltage being applied to the low side driver circuit (450) through a control command received from an external electronic device (600).

[0136] The control circuit (450) may wait to receive a control command to control a relay included in a switching section of the BDU (500) so that a connection between an external electronic device (600) (e.g., a vehicle body) and the battery (100) is activated for a specified period of time when a signal indicating an abnormal state of the battery (100) is received from at least one slave device (303) through the communication circuit (307). The control circuit (450) may control the relay by supplying power to the relay included in the switching section of the BDU (500) so that the connection is deactivated based on the fact that a control command has not been received for a specified period of time.

[0137] In other words, the low side driver circuit (450) can control the relay by supplying power to the relay included in the switching section of the BDU (500) based on whether the voltage applied to the low side driver circuit (450) from the communication circuit (307) to control the switching section of the BDU (500), the voltage applied by the control logic circuit from the low side driver circuit (450) based on a control command transmitted to the control logic circuit from the communication circuit (307) or the external electronic device (600) to control the switching section, or the voltage applied to the low side driver circuit (450) from the external electronic device (600) to control the switching section is lower than the second reference voltage.

[0138] Here, control logic circuits can refer to specialized software or systems designed to automate and optimize decision-making processes. Control logic circuits serve as the brains of various applications, making decisions based on predefined rules, algorithms, and data inputs.

[0139] By including a high-side driver circuit (400) or a low-side driver circuit (450) in the control circuit (309), the battery management device (301) can control the relay in a specified situation even if it does not perform an operation. In other words, even if the battery management device (301) does not include a processor (e.g., a micro-controller unit (MCU)), the control circuit (309) can open or close the relay by supplying power to the relay in a specified situation through the high-side driver circuit (400) or the low-side driver circuit (450). Therefore, the battery management device (301) may not include a processor.

[0140] When a problem occurs in the battery, the control circuit (309) can control the battery-related circuit regardless of the control of the external electronic device (600) (e.g., the vehicle body) through the high-side driver circuit (400) or the low-side driver circuit (450). In other words, when the control circuit (309) obtains a signal indicating an abnormal state of the battery from at least one slave device (303) through the communication circuit (307), the control circuit (309) can control the relay included in the switching section of the BDU (500) through the high-side driver circuit (400) or the low-side driver circuit (450) so as to disable the connection between the external electronic device (600) (e.g., the vehicle body) and the battery (100), even if it does not receive a control command.

[0141] According to another embodiment, when the control circuit (309) obtains a signal indicating an abnormal state of the battery from at least one slave device (303) through the communication circuit (307), the control circuit (309) can control a relay included in the switching unit to disable the connection between the external electronic device and the battery regardless of the control command through the high side driver circuit (400) or the low side driver circuit (450).

[0142] According to another embodiment, after the control circuit (307) receives a signal indicating an abnormal condition from at least one slave device (303), the control circuit (307) may wait to receive a control command for controlling a relay included in the switching unit to activate the connection between the external electronic device and the battery for a specified period of time. If the control command is not received from the external electronic device via the communication circuit (307) within the specified period of time, the control circuit (309) may control the relay included in the switching unit to deactivate the connection between the external electronic device and the battery. Here, the control circuit (307) may control the relay included in the switching unit via the high side driver circuit (400) or the low side driver circuit (450).

[0143] Here, the abnormal state of the battery may include a situation that may pose a threat to safety, such as an overvoltage state of the battery or an undervoltage state of the battery.

[0144] Additionally, the battery-related circuitry may include one or more relays included in the switching section of a battery disconnect unit (BDU).

[0145] The communication circuit (307) can communicate with one or more ECUs in the vehicle using an Ethernet protocol through an ETH (ethernet; ETH) module, or can communicate using a CAN protocol through a CAN module, or can communicate wirelessly.

[0146] The BDU (500) may include one or more of an insulation resistance measurement sensor, a temperature sensor, and a current sensor. The insulation resistance monitoring module (isoR) may monitor the insulation status of the battery system.

[0147] At least one slave device (303) may include one or more battery monitoring integrated circuits (BMICs) that measure the status values ​​of a plurality of cells included in the battery (100).

[0148] Referring to FIG. 7, a battery management device (301) according to one embodiment of the present document may not include many functional blocks that the existing BMS (40) illustrated in FIG. 6 includes. For example, a battery management device (301) according to one embodiment of the present document may not include a DC / DC converter, an LDO, an RTC, an SBC, and a bridge IC.

[0149] Additionally, the battery management device (301) according to one embodiment of the present document may not include a circuit for measuring pack voltage and an HV (High Voltage) measurement function for relay diagnosis. Pack voltage measurement and HV measurement for relay diagnosis may be performed through other components located within an external electronic device (600) (e.g., a vehicle body).

[0150] On the other hand, the battery management device (301) according to one embodiment of the present document may include a sensor circuit-related module that senses parameters related to the state of the battery and safety issues thereof. For example, the battery management device (301) according to the present document may include an insulation resistance measurement sensor, a temperature sensor, and a current sensor (isoR module, HSD module, Qchg module, Pchg module).

[0151] Meanwhile, a battery management device (301) according to an embodiment of the present document may further include safety modules such as a high voltage interlock (HVIL) module and a crash detection (crash) module, and may receive a control signal from an external electronic device (e.g., a vehicle body) related to the occurrence of an event directly related to the safety of the external electronic device (e.g., a vehicle body). Here, the HVIL module has a function of checking whether a main high-voltage connector is properly connected. The crash detection module may refer to a module that receives a signal transmitted to a BMS when an airbag signal is detected in the event of a crash in an external electronic device (e.g., a vehicle).

[0152] Since the battery management device (301) according to this document includes a sensor circuit-related module that senses parameters related to the state of the battery and safety issues thereof, when an abnormal state occurs in the battery, the battery management device (301) can perform control on a battery-related circuit (e.g., a relay connecting the external electronic device (600) and the battery (100) regardless of the control of an external electronic device (e.g., a vehicle body).

[0153] The battery management device (301) according to the present document may also include memory (e.g., EEPROM). Here, the memory (e.g., EEPROM) may be configured as at least one of a volatile storage medium and a non-volatile storage medium. For example, the memory may be configured as at least one of a read-only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM), and may include an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

[0154] Figure 8 is a drawing showing the cost reduction effect that can be expected when applying one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0155] This document simplifies the functions of an existing battery management system (BMS) and transfers some of its functions to a vehicle, thereby providing a battery management system (301) with improved functions and price.

[0156] Referring to Figure 8, for example, removing only the MCU from a conventional BMS structure can result in a cost savings of approximately 18%. Additionally, removing not only the MCU but also the 12V DC / DC converter and pack voltage measurement circuit from a conventional BMS structure can result in a cost savings of approximately 55%.

[0157] As discussed above, the battery management device (301) of this document eliminates the need for cumbersome software upgrades by eliminating the MCU within the existing BMS. Furthermore, the increased freedom in functional coordination reduces BMS costs, and the elimination of individual functional blocks maximizes BMS development speed.

[0158] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the flow of operations of a battery management device that receives a control command from an external electronic device in a battery management method according to one embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0159] Referring to FIG. 9, in a first operation (901), a battery management device (301) according to one embodiment can receive battery data from each of at least one slave device (303).

[0160] In the second operation (903), the battery management device (301) according to one embodiment can transmit battery data to an external electronic device (600).

[0161] In the third operation (905), the battery management device (301) according to one embodiment can receive a control command based on the result of processing data from an external electronic device.

[0162] In the fourth operation (907), the battery management device (301) according to one embodiment can control a switching unit that connects the external electronic device and the battery.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the switching unit may include a relay.

[0164] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a computing system for performing an operation method of a communication control device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document.

[0165] Referring to FIG. 10, a computing system (1000) according to an embodiment disclosed in the present document may include an MCU (1010), a memory (1020), an input / output I / F (1030), and a communication I / F (1040).

[0166] The computing system (1000) can be performed by a battery management device (301) according to an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 described above.

[0167] Memory (1020) can store various setting values.

[0168] Such memories (1020) may be provided in multiple numbers as needed. The memories (1020) may be volatile memories or non-volatile memories. As volatile memories (1020), RAM, DRAM, SRAM, etc. may be used. As non-volatile memories (1020), ROM, PROM, EAROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memories, etc. may be used. The examples of the memories (1020) listed above are merely examples and are not limited to these examples.

[0169] The input / output I / F (1030) can provide an interface that enables data transmission and reception between an input device (not shown) such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel, and an output device (not shown) such as a display and the MCU (1010).

[0170] The communication I / F (1040) is a component capable of transmitting and receiving various data with the server, and may be any device capable of supporting wired or wireless communication. For example, the battery management device (301) can transmit and receive various types of information, including battery cell shape models, from a separately provided external server via the communication I / F (1040).

[0171] In this way, a computer program according to an embodiment disclosed in this document may be implemented as a module that is recorded in a memory (1020) and processed by an MCU (1010) to perform each function illustrated in FIG. 3, for example.

[0172] In the above, although all components constituting the embodiments disclosed in this document have been described as being combined or operating in combination as one, the embodiments disclosed in this document are not necessarily limited to such embodiments. That is, within the scope of the purpose of the embodiments disclosed in this document, all of the components may be selectively combined and operated one or more times.

[0173] In addition, terms such as "include," "comprise," or "have" described above, unless specifically stated to the contrary, should be interpreted to imply the inclusion of the corresponding component, and thus should not be interpreted to exclude other components, but rather to include other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments disclosed in this document belong, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, should be interpreted to be consistent with the contextual meaning of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined in this document.

[0174] The foregoing disclosure outlines features of several embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present disclosure can be readily used as a basis for designing or modifying other structures to achieve the same purposes or advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that such equivalent structures do not depart from the scope of the present disclosure, and that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0175] The operations of the method according to the embodiments of this document can be implemented as a computer-readable program or code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium includes any type of recording device that stores data readable by a computer system. Furthermore, a computer-readable recording medium can be distributed across network-connected computer systems, allowing the computer-readable program or code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

[0176] While some aspects of the present invention have been described in the context of a device, they may also represent a description of a corresponding method, wherein a block or device corresponds to a method step or a feature of a method step. Similarly, aspects described in the context of a method may also be described as a corresponding block or item or a feature of a corresponding device. Some or all of the method steps may be performed by (or using) a hardware device, such as, for example, a microprocessor, a programmable computer, or an electronic circuit. In some embodiments, one or more of the most significant method steps may be performed by such a device.

[0177] Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below.

[0178] [Explanation of symbols]

[0179] 100: Battery

[0180] 303: At least one slave device

[0181] 301: Battery Management System (BMS)

[0182] 305: Master Device

[0183] 500: BDU

[0184] 600: External electronic devices

Claims

At least one slave device; and A master device comprising a communication circuit and a control circuit, The above communication circuit, It is configured to transmit battery data received from each of the at least one slave devices to an external electronic device, and to receive a control command based on the result of processing the battery data from the external electronic device, The above control circuit, Based on the received control command, configured to control a switching unit connecting the external electronic device and the battery, Battery management device. In claim 1, The above control circuit, When a signal indicating an abnormal state of the battery is received from the at least one slave device through the communication circuit, the switching unit is configured to control the connection between the external electronic device and the battery to be disabled regardless of the control command. Battery management device. In claim 2, The above battery abnormal condition is, Including an overvoltage state in which the voltage of the battery is greater than a first reference voltage, or an undervoltage state in which the voltage of the battery is less than a second reference voltage that is less than the first reference voltage. Battery management device. In claim 2, The above communication circuit, configured to transmit the signal to the control circuit based on receiving the signal indicating the abnormal condition generated based on the battery data not being included in the specified range from the at least one slave device, Battery management device. In claim 1, The above control circuit, Based on the control command controlling the switching unit to activate the connection between the external electronic device and the battery is not received for a specified period of time, configured to control the switching unit so that the connection is disabled; Battery management device. In claim 1, The above communication circuit, It is configured to transmit the battery data to the external electronic device or receive the control command from the external electronic device via the Ethernet protocol, the CAN (controller area network; CAN) protocol, or wireless communication. Battery management device. In claim 1, The above control circuit, The high side driver circuit that supplies power to the circuit that controls the switching unit based on the voltage higher than the first reference voltage being applied to the high side driver circuit through the control command, or At least one of the low-side driver circuits configured to supply power to a circuit controlling the switching unit based on a voltage lower than the second reference voltage being applied to the low-side driver circuit through the control command, Battery management device. In claim 1, Any one of the above at least one slave device, configured to include a battery monitoring integrated circuit (BMIC) that measures the battery data of the battery unit corresponding to any one of the slave devices above, Battery management device. In claim 1, The above switching part, configured to include a relay, Battery management device. An operation of transmitting battery data received from each of at least one slave device to an external electronic device; An operation of receiving a control command according to a result of processing the battery data from the external electronic device in response to the battery data; and An operation including controlling a switching unit connecting the external electronic device and the battery based on the received control command. How to care for your battery. In claim 10, Further comprising an action of controlling the switching unit to disable the connection between the external electronic device and the battery regardless of the control command when a signal indicating an abnormal state of the battery is received from the at least one slave device through the communication circuit. How to care for your battery. In claim 11, The above battery abnormal condition is, Including an overvoltage state in which the voltage of the battery is greater than a first reference voltage, or an undervoltage state in which the voltage of the battery is less than a second reference voltage that is less than the first reference voltage. How to care for your battery. In claim 11, Further comprising an action of receiving a signal indicating the abnormal condition generated based on the battery data not being within a specified range from the at least one slave device. How to care for your battery. In claim 10, Based on the control command controlling the switching unit to activate the connection between the external electronic device and the battery is not received for a specified period of time, Further comprising an action of controlling the switching unit so that the connection is disabled. How to care for your battery. In claim 10, The operation of transmitting the battery data received from each of the at least one slave devices to the external electronic device comprises: An operation of transmitting the battery data to the external electronic device via an Ethernet protocol, a CAN (controller area network; CAN) protocol, or wireless communication, The operation of receiving the control command from the external electronic device in response to the battery data is: comprising an operation of receiving the control command from the external electronic device; How to care for your battery. In claim 10, An operation of controlling the switching unit connecting the external electronic device and the battery based on the received control command is as follows: An operation of supplying power to a circuit that controls the switching unit through the high-side driver circuit based on a voltage higher than the first reference voltage being applied to the high-side driver circuit through the control command; or An operation of supplying power to a circuit that controls the switching unit through the low-side driver circuit based on a voltage lower than the second reference voltage being applied to the low-side driver circuit through the control command, How to care for your battery. In claim 10, The above battery data is, Contains battery data of a battery unit corresponding to at least one slave device among at least one slave device, How to care for your battery. In claim 10, The above switching part, configured to include a relay, How to care for your battery.

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