Battery pack charging control apparatus and method

Abstract

A battery pack charging control apparatus, according to the present invention, comprises: a connection unit configured to set or release electrical connection between a plurality of battery packs and a power source for each battery pack; and a control unit configured to control the connection unit to alternately charge the plurality of battery packs. Before charging the plurality of battery packs, the control unit may be configured to determine a charging cycle in which charging for each of the plurality of battery packs is circulated, and a charging duration time of each battery pack to be alternately charged during the charging cycle, and to alternately charge the plurality of battery packs during the charging cycle, wherein each battery pack is charged for the corresponding charging duration time.

Description

Battery pack charging control device and method

[0001] This application carries a claim of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0156316 filed on November 6, 2024, and all contents disclosed in the specification and drawings of said patent application are incorporated into this application.

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery pack charging control device and method, and more specifically, to a battery pack charging control device and method for controlling the charging of a plurality of battery packs that can be charged independently of each other.

[0003] Generally, a secondary battery refers to a battery capable of repeated charging and discharging, such as lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and nickel-zinc batteries. A battery cell, which is the most basic type of secondary battery, can provide an output voltage of approximately 2.5V to 4.2V.

[0004] Recently, as these secondary batteries are applied to devices requiring high output voltage and large charging capacity, such as electric vehicles or Energy Storage Systems (ESS), battery packs that include multiple battery cells directly or multiple battery modules configured by connecting these multiple battery cells in series and / or parallel are widely used.

[0005] In particular, interest and research on multi-battery pack systems, in which homogeneous or heterogeneous battery packs are applied together, are increasing in order to further increase electrical energy storage capacity or to use battery packs with different characteristics depending on the situation.

[0006] However, existing technology has a problem in that the charging sequence for the remaining battery pack only proceeds after one of the two battery packs has finished charging. If charging is interrupted midway due to insufficient charging time, a severe charging imbalance occurs between the two battery packs, which leads to damage caused by inrush current when the two battery packs are interconnected.

[0007] In addition, the existing technology has a problem in that if charging is interrupted midway as described above, charging of the next-priority battery pack does not occur, making it impossible to operate the battery packs individually according to a predetermined scenario.

[0008] The technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a battery pack charging control device and method that reduce the imbalance in charging capacity among multiple battery packs that occurs when charging is interrupted before all of the multiple battery packs are fully charged.

[0009] Another technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a battery pack charging control device and method that ensures the safety of battery packs and facilitates the smooth individual operation of each of the multiple battery packs, not only when multiple battery packs are operated individually but also when multiple battery packs are operated simultaneously.

[0010] A battery pack charging control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a device configured to control the charging of a plurality of battery packs that can be charged independently of one another, and comprises: a connection unit configured to set or release an electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs and a power source for each battery pack; and a control unit configured to control the connection unit to charge the plurality of battery packs alternately, wherein, before charging the plurality of battery packs, the control unit determines a charging cycle in which charging for each of the plurality of battery packs is completed in one cycle and a charging duration for each battery pack to be charged alternately during the charging cycle, and is configured to charge the plurality of battery packs alternately during the charging cycle, and to charge each battery pack for the corresponding charging duration.

[0011] In one embodiment, the connection unit includes a plurality of switches electrically connected to each of the plurality of battery packs, and the plurality of switches may be configured to be electrically connected to the power source.

[0012] In one embodiment, the control unit may include a charging cycle determination module configured to predict the connection maintenance time between the plurality of battery packs and the power source and determine a period shorter than the connection maintenance time as the charging cycle.

[0013] In one embodiment, the charging cycle determination module may be configured to predict the connection maintenance time based on the current location information of the plurality of battery packs.

[0014] In one embodiment, the charging cycle determination module may be configured to predict the connection maintenance time by referring to charging history information that records the location of the plurality of battery packs and the total charging time of the plurality of battery packs at the corresponding location, as pre-stored charging history information.

[0015] In one embodiment, the charging cycle determination module may be configured to determine a cycle that can be repeated two or more times during the predicted connection maintenance time as the charging cycle.

[0016] In one embodiment, the control unit may include a charging scheduling module configured to determine the charging duration of each battery pack based on the State of Charge (SOC) value of each battery pack.

[0017] In one embodiment, the charging scheduling module may be configured to determine the charging duration of a battery pack with a relatively small SOC value among the plurality of battery packs to be longer than the charging duration of another battery pack with a relatively large SOC value.

[0018] In one embodiment, the charging scheduling module may be configured to further determine the charging order of each of the plurality of battery packs based on the SOC value of each of the plurality of battery packs.

[0019] In one embodiment, the charging scheduling module can determine the charging order such that, among the plurality of battery packs, a battery pack with a relatively small SOC value is charged before another battery pack with a relatively large SOC value.

[0020] In one embodiment, the control unit may include a connection control module configured to control the connection unit to electrically connect each of the battery packs to the power source for a corresponding charging duration.

[0021] In one embodiment, the control unit may be configured to determine the next charging cycle and the next charging duration of each battery pack corresponding to the next charging cycle when the charging cycle is completed.

[0022] In one embodiment, the control unit may be configured to gradually decrease the charging current rate of each battery pack as the SOC value of each battery pack increases.

[0023] A vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes the battery pack charging control device described above and the plurality of battery packs.

[0024] A battery pack charging control method according to another aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling the charging of a plurality of battery packs that can be charged independently of each other, comprising: a step in which a processor determines a charging cycle in which charging for each of the plurality of battery packs is completed in one cycle; a step in which the processor determines a charging duration for each of the battery packs to be charged alternately during the charging cycle; and a step in which the processor controls a connection unit configured to set or release an electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs and a power source for each of the battery packs, thereby charging the plurality of battery packs alternately during the charging cycle, and charging each of the battery packs for a corresponding charging duration.

[0025] According to the present invention, a plurality of battery packs are charged alternately according to a charging duration determined for each battery pack during a predetermined charging cycle, thereby reducing the imbalance in charging capacity among the plurality of battery packs that occurs when charging is stopped before all of the plurality of battery packs are fully charged. As a result, safety during the simultaneous operation of the plurality of battery packs is improved, and the individual operation of the plurality of battery packs can be facilitated.

[0026] In addition, multiple battery packs can be repeatedly charged alternately from a low SOC level, which allows for relatively fast charging, until they reach a high SOC level, which requires relatively slow charging for safety, thereby rapidly increasing the total SOC and average SOC of the multiple battery packs.

[0027] In addition, by determining the charging duration of each battery pack relatively relative to other battery packs based on the SOC of each battery pack, charging imbalances among multiple battery packs can be quickly resolved.

[0028] In addition, when a previously determined charging cycle is completed, a new charging cycle and a new charging duration for each battery pack corresponding to this new charging cycle are determined again, thereby enabling adaptive response to changes in the charging state of each battery pack and increasing the overall charging efficiency of multiple battery packs.

[0029] Furthermore, a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will readily understand from the following description that various embodiments according to the present invention can solve various technical problems not mentioned above.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a battery pack charging control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the first connection state between a plurality of battery packs and a power source.

[0032] Figure 3 is a diagram showing a second connection state between a plurality of battery packs and a power source.

[0033] Figure 4 is a timing diagram showing the switching sequence of the connection unit during the first charging cycle.

[0034] Figure 5 is a timing diagram showing the switching sequence of the connection unit during the second charging cycle.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a battery pack charging control method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a charging scheduling procedure of a battery pack charging control method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 8 is a graph showing the total SOC over time when two battery packs are fully charged one by one.

[0038] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the total SOC over time when two battery packs are charged alternately according to the present invention.

[0039] Figure 10 is a graph comparing Figures 8 and 9.

[0040] FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to clarify solutions corresponding to the technical problems of the present invention. However, in describing the present invention, if a description of related prior art would obscure the essence of the present invention, such description may be omitted. Furthermore, terms used in this specification are defined considering their functions in the present invention, and these may vary depending on the intentions or conventions of designers, manufacturers, etc. Therefore, the definitions of terms described below should be based on the content throughout this specification.

[0042] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a battery pack charging control device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a battery pack charging control device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured to control the charging of a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) that can be charged independently of each other.

[0044] The battery pack (10) that is the target of control by the battery pack charging control device (100) according to the present invention may be a battery pack manufactured in a cell-to-pack manner by directly housing a plurality of battery cells in a battery pack case, or a battery pack manufactured by housing a battery module, which is manufactured by housing a plurality of battery cells in a separate case, back into a battery pack case. In addition, the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) may be battery packs of the same type having identical specifications and characteristics, or battery packs of different types having different specifications or characteristics.

[0045] A battery pack charging control device (100) that controls the charging process of a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) includes a connection unit (110) and a control unit (120).

[0046] The above connection unit (110) is configured to enable or disable electrical connection between a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) and a power source for each battery pack.

[0047] As will be explained again below, the connection unit (110) may include a plurality of switches that are electrically connected to each of the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn). In this case, the plurality of switches may be configured to be electrically connected to a power source. That is, each of the plurality of switches may be configured to electrically connect or disconnect the electrical connection between the corresponding battery pack among the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) and the power source.

[0048] Each of the multiple switches included in the connection unit (110) can be implemented in various forms or structures depending on the output of the corresponding battery pack (10). For example, each of the multiple switches can be implemented as a relay.

[0049] The control unit (120) is configured to control the connection unit (110) to alternately charge a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn). That is, the control unit (120) can control the connection unit (110) so that at least one of the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) is electrically connected to a power source and charged.

[0050] In particular, the control unit (120) is configured to determine a charging cycle in which charging for each of the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) is performed in a cycle before charging the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn), and to determine the charging duration of each battery pack to be charged alternately during the charging cycle.

[0051] Additionally, the control unit (120) is configured to alternately charge a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) during the charging cycle when the charging cycle and the charging duration of each battery pack are determined, and to charge each battery pack only for the charging duration determined for that battery pack.

[0052] That is, the control unit (120) charges the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) using a new charging method that alternately charges the battery packs in small increments, rather than a general charging method in which one battery pack is fully charged and then another battery pack is charged, or the battery packs to be charged are charged simultaneously.

[0053] In one embodiment, the control unit (120) may include a charging cycle determination module (122), a charging scheduling module (124), and a connection control module (126).

[0054] The above charging cycle determination module (122) may be configured to determine a charging cycle in which charging for each of the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) is completed before charging the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn).

[0055] In one embodiment, the charging cycle determination module (122) can predict the connection maintenance time between a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) and a power source, and determine a cycle shorter than the connection maintenance time as the charging cycle.

[0056] For example, the charging cycle determination module (122) can determine a cycle that can be repeated two or more times during the predicted connection maintenance time as the charging cycle.

[0057] In one embodiment, the charging cycle determination module (122) may be configured to predict the connection maintenance time based on the current location information of a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) or a device to which a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) are applied.

[0058] In this case, the charging cycle determination module (122) can predict the connection maintenance time by referring to charging history information that records the location of a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) and the total charging time of the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) at the location, as pre-stored charging history information.

[0059] This charging history information can be obtained from a device or facility to which the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) are applied. For example, if the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) are applied to a vehicle, the charging cycle determination module (122) can obtain the charging history information from an OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) provided in the vehicle or from a separate data collection device.

[0060] The above charging scheduling module (124) may be configured to determine the charging duration of each battery pack to be charged alternately during the charging cycle once the charging cycle is determined as described above.

[0061] In one embodiment, the charging scheduling module (124) may be configured to determine the charging duration of each battery pack based on the State of Charge (SOC) value of each battery pack.

[0062] For example, the charging scheduling module (124) can determine that the charging duration of a battery pack with a relatively small SOC value among a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) is longer than the charging duration of another battery pack with a relatively large SOC value.

[0063] In one embodiment, the charging scheduling module (124) may be configured to determine the charging order of each battery pack based on the SOC value of each of the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn).

[0064] For example, the charging scheduling module (124) can determine the charging order such that, among a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn), a battery pack with a relatively small SOC value is charged before another battery pack with a relatively large SOC value.

[0065] In another embodiment, the charging scheduling module (124) may be configured to determine the charging order according to the use or importance of each battery pack.

[0066] The above connection control module (126) may be configured to alternately charge a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) during the charging cycle when the charging cycle and the charging duration of each battery are determined, and to charge each battery pack during the charging duration.

[0067] That is, the connection control module (126) can control the connection unit (110) to electrically connect each battery pack to a power source for the duration of the charging of the battery pack according to a predetermined charging order.

[0068] In one embodiment, the control unit (120) may be configured to repeat charging according to the charging cycle and the charging duration per battery pack until the charging of the plurality of battery packs is stopped, once the charging cycle and the charging duration per battery pack are determined.

[0069] In another embodiment, the control unit (120) may be configured to determine a new charging cycle and a new charging duration for each battery pack corresponding to the new charging cycle when the charging of each battery pack according to the charging duration for each battery pack is completed in one cycle.

[0070] In this way, the control unit (120) can adaptively respond to changes in the charge state of each battery pack, such as when a fully charged battery pack occurs among the battery packs to be charged, by determining a new charge cycle and a new charge duration for each battery pack corresponding to the new charge cycle when the previously determined charge cycle is completed, and can increase the charging efficiency of the entire plurality of battery packs.

[0071] In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit (120) may be configured to gradually decrease the charging current rate of each battery pack as the SOC value of each of the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) increases.

[0072] For example, the control unit (120) can reduce the charge current rate of each battery pack as the SOC value of each battery pack increases, as shown in Table 1 below.

[0073] SOC [%]C-rate [C]0 ~ 301.230 ~ 701.170 ~ 1000.6

[0074] As a result, when a battery pack with a high SOC is charged at a high current rate, the problem of the battery pack deteriorating prematurely can be prevented. The above-described control unit (120) may be implemented as a combination of a processor and a program executed by the processor. In this case, the control unit (120) may be implemented as a single processor or as two or more interoperable processors.

[0075] In one embodiment, the battery pack charging control device (100) may include a communication unit (130) that communicates with another device. For example, the communication unit (130) may be configured to communicate wired and / or wirelessly with a predetermined device that provides charging history information of a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn).

[0076] In one embodiment, the battery pack charging control device (100) may include a storage unit (140). The storage unit (140) may be configured to store programs or data necessary for the operation of the battery pack charging control device (100). To this end, the storage unit (140) may include one or more of ROM, RAM, EEPROM, registers, flash memory, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, hard disk, floppy disk, and optical data recording device.

[0077] In one embodiment, the battery pack charging control device (100) may include a charging unit (150). The charging unit (150) may be configured to appropriately convert power supplied from a power source and provide it to a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn), and to adjust the charging current rate of each of the plurality of battery packs according to the control of the control unit (120).

[0078] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the first connection state between a plurality of battery packs and a power source.

[0079] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the connection unit (110) of the battery pack charging control device (100) according to the present invention can electrically connect a battery pack (10) to be charged and a power source (4). In particular, the connection unit (110) can set or release the electrical connection between a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) and the power source (4) for each battery pack.

[0080] To this end, the connection unit (110) may include a plurality of switches (S1 to Sn) corresponding to a plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn), respectively. Each of the plurality of switches (S1 to S3) may be implemented in various forms or structures depending on the output of the corresponding battery pack. For example, each of the plurality of switches (S1 to Sn) may be implemented as a relay.

[0081] When the charging cycle and the charging duration per battery pack are determined by the control unit (120) described above, the first switch (S1) is turned on according to a predetermined charging order, and the first battery pack (BP1) can be connected to the power source (4). The remaining switches (S2 to Sn), excluding the first switch (S1), are kept in an off state. In this case, the first battery pack (BP1) may be the battery pack with the smallest SOC value among the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn).

[0082] In this way, when the first battery pack (BP1) is connected to the power source (4) and the first charging duration has elapsed, charging of the next battery pack proceeds regardless of whether the first battery pack (BP1) is fully charged.

[0083] Figure 3 is a diagram showing a second connection state between a plurality of battery packs and a power source.

[0084] As illustrated in FIG. 3, when the first charging duration has elapsed, the first switch (S1) is turned off and the second switch (S2) is turned on so that the second battery pack (BP2) can be connected to the power source (4). The remaining switches, excluding the second switch (S2), remain in the turned-off state. In this case, the second battery pack (BP2) may be a battery pack among the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) that has the SOC value next to the first battery pack (BP1).

[0085] In this way, when the second battery pack (BP2) is connected to the power source (4) and the second charging duration has elapsed, charging of the next battery pack proceeds regardless of whether the second battery pack (BP2) is fully charged.

[0086] In this way, when multiple battery packs (BP1 to BPn) are all charged once and the corresponding charging cycle is completed, the control unit (120) can repeat the corresponding charging cycle or determine a new charging cycle and a new charging duration per battery pack.

[0087] FIG. 4 is a timing diagram showing the switching sequence of the connection unit (110) during the first charging cycle.

[0088] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the battery pack charging control device (100) according to the present invention can be configured to control the charging of two battery packs.

[0089] That is, the control unit (120) of the battery pack charging control device (100) can determine a first charging cycle (Tc) in which charging for each of the two battery packs is performed in one cycle, and determine the charging duration (T1, T2) of each battery pack to be charged alternately during the first charging cycle (Tc).

[0090] For example, if the difference in SOC values ​​between two battery packs exceeds an allowable range, the control unit (120) may determine that the first charging duration (T1) of the first battery pack, which has a relatively smaller SOC value among the two battery packs, is longer than the second charging duration (T2) of the second battery pack. Additionally, in this case, the control unit (120) may determine the charging order so that the first battery pack is charged before the second battery pack.

[0091] In this way, once the first charging cycle (Tc), the charging duration per battery pack (T1, T2), and the charging order are determined, the control unit (120) can control the connection unit (110) to charge the two battery packs during the first charging cycle (Tc).

[0092] In this case, among the first switch (S1) that connects the first battery pack to the power source and the second switch (S2) that connects the second battery pack to the power source, the first switch (S1) is turned on first and the second switch (S2) is kept in the turned-off state, thereby allowing the charging of the first battery pack to proceed.

[0093] In this way, when the first switch (S1) is turned on, and the first charging duration (T1) has elapsed, the first switch (S1) is turned off and the second switch (S2) is turned on. As a result, the charging of the first battery pack is stopped, while the charging of the second battery pack proceeds. The second switch (S2) remains turned on for the second charging duration (T2).

[0094] FIG. 5 is a timing diagram showing the switching sequence of the connection unit (110) during the second charging cycle.

[0095] As illustrated in FIG. 5, when the first charging cycle (Tc) is completed by one cycle of charging for each of the two battery packs, the control unit (120) can determine a new charging cycle, a second charging cycle (Tc'), by taking into account the SOC of each of the two battery packs.

[0096] Additionally, the control unit (120) can determine the charging duration of each battery pack to be charged alternately during the second charging cycle (Tc').

[0097] For example, if the difference in SOC values ​​between the two battery packs does not exceed an allowable range, the control unit (120) can determine that the charging durations of the two battery packs are mutually equal. That is, the first charging duration of the first battery pack and the second charging duration of the second battery pack can each be determined as T1'. In addition, in this case, the control unit (120) can charge the first battery pack and the second battery pack alternately according to a predetermined charging order.

[0098] In this way, when the second charging cycle (Tc'), the charging duration per new battery pack (T1'), and the new charging order are determined, the control unit (120) can control the connection unit (110) to alternately charge the two battery packs during the second charging cycle (Tc').

[0099] For example, by turning on the first switch (S1) first and keeping the second switch (S2) in the turned-off state, the charging of the first battery pack can proceed.

[0100] In this way, when the first switch (S1) is turned on, and the first charging duration (T1') has elapsed, the first switch (S1) is turned off and the second switch (S2) is turned on. As a result, the charging of the first battery pack is stopped, while the charging of the second battery pack proceeds. The second switch (S2) remains turned on for the second charging duration (Tc'-T1').

[0101] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a battery pack charging control method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0102] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the battery pack charging control method according to the present invention is a method for controlling the charging of a plurality of battery packs that can be charged independently of each other, and can be executed by a processor implementing the control unit (120) described above.

[0103] First, the processor determines a charging schedule for the plurality of battery packs before charging the plurality of battery packs (S610). For example, the processor determines a charging cycle in which charging for each of the plurality of battery packs (BP1 to BPn) is completed in one cycle, and determines the charging duration, charging order, etc., of each battery pack to be charged alternately during the charging cycle.

[0104] Next, the processor performs charging for a plurality of battery packs according to a charging schedule including a charging duration and charging order for each battery pack during a charging cycle determined as above (620).

[0105] In this case, the processor controls a connection unit (110) configured to set or release the electrical connection between a plurality of battery packs and a power source for each battery pack, thereby charging the plurality of battery packs alternately during the charging cycle, but charging each battery pack only for a charging duration determined for that battery pack.

[0106] When the above charging cycle is completed, the processor can determine whether there is a fully charged battery pack among the plurality of battery packs (S630).

[0107] If there is no fully charged battery pack, the processor may repeat the charging schedule determination step (S610) and the charging execution step (S620) according to the charging schedule described above (S640), unless there is a specific reason for stopping charging. Here, the reason for stopping charging may include disconnecting the electrical connection between the battery pack and the power source, a user's command to stop charging, etc.

[0108] On the other hand, if there is a fully charged battery pack, the processor can determine whether all of the plurality of battery packs are fully charged (S650).

[0109] When all of the above multiple battery packs are fully charged, the processor may terminate charging for the above multiple battery packs (S650). On the other hand, when only some of the above multiple battery packs are fully charged, the processor may repeat the charging schedule determination step (S610) and the charging execution step (S620) according to the charging schedule for the remaining battery packs, excluding the fully charged battery packs (S660).

[0110] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a charging scheduling procedure of a battery pack charging control method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0111] As illustrated in FIG. 7, first, the processor predicts the connection maintenance time between a plurality of battery packs to be charged and the power source (S612).

[0112] For example, the processor can predict the connection maintenance time by referring to charging history information that records the location of the plurality of battery packs and the total charging time of the plurality of battery packs at the location, as pre-stored charging history information.

[0113] Such charging history information can be obtained from a device or facility to which the plurality of battery packs are applied. For example, if the plurality of battery packs are applied to a vehicle, the processor can obtain the charging history information from an OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) system installed in the vehicle or from a separate data collection device.

[0114] Next, the processor determines a charging cycle in which charging for each of the plurality of battery packs is completed (S614). In this case, the processor may determine a charging cycle that is shorter than the previously predicted connection maintenance time.

[0115] In one embodiment, the processor may determine a cycle that can be repeated two or more times during the predicted connection maintenance time as the charging cycle.

[0116] For example, if the current location information of a vehicle equipped with the plurality of battery packs indicates a house, and the time of parking at that location is after 6:00 PM, the processor can predict the connection maintenance time to be 10 hours. In this case, the processor can determine a charging cycle of at least 1 hour.

[0117] On the other hand, if the current location information of the vehicle indicates a place where it is parked for a relatively short period of time, such as a supermarket, department store, or highway rest area, for about 30 minutes to 2 hours, the processor can predict the connection maintenance time as 30 minutes. In this case, the processor can determine a charging cycle of less than 10 minutes.

[0118] When the charging cycle is determined in this way, the processor can determine the charging duration and charging order of each battery pack to be charged alternately during the charging cycle (S616).

[0119] In one embodiment, the processor can determine the charging duration of each battery pack based on the State of Charge (SOC) value of each battery pack. For example, the processor can determine the charging duration of a battery pack with a relatively small SOC value among a plurality of battery packs to be longer than the charging duration of another battery pack with a relatively large SOC value.

[0120] In addition, the processor can determine the charging order of each battery pack based on the SOC value of each of the plurality of battery packs. For example, the processor can determine the charging order such that, among the plurality of battery packs, a battery pack with a relatively smaller SOC value is charged before another battery pack with a relatively larger SOC value.

[0121] In this way, when a charging schedule is determined, the processor controls the connection unit (110) to alternately charge a plurality of battery packs during the charging cycle, and can charge each battery pack only for a predetermined charging duration.

[0122] In one embodiment, the processor may be configured to repeat charging according to the charging cycle and the charging duration per battery pack until the charging of the plurality of battery packs is stopped, once the charging cycle and the charging duration per battery pack are determined.

[0123] In another embodiment, the processor may be configured to determine a new charging cycle and a new charging duration for each battery pack corresponding to the new charging cycle when the charging of each battery pack according to the charging duration for each battery pack is completed in a single cycle.

[0124] In this way, when a previously determined charging cycle is completed, the processor can adaptively respond to changes in the charging state of each battery pack, such as when a fully charged battery pack occurs among the battery packs to be charged, by determining a new charging cycle and a new charging duration for each battery pack corresponding to this new charging cycle, and can increase the charging efficiency of the entire plurality of battery packs.

[0125] In addition, in one embodiment, the processor may be configured to gradually decrease the charging current rate of each battery pack as the SOC value of each of the plurality of battery packs increases. As a result, when a battery pack with a high SOC is charged at a high current rate, the problem of the battery pack deteriorating prematurely can be prevented.

[0126] Figure 8 is a graph showing the total SOC (P1) over time when two battery packs are fully charged one by one.

[0127] As shown in Fig. 8, in order to prevent degradation of the battery pack due to high-speed charging, the charging C-rate (Current rate) must be gradually reduced as the SOC of the battery pack being charged increases.

[0128] Accordingly, a battery pack charging control device according to one embodiment of the present invention can charge the battery pack at a relatively high first C-rate (C1) while the SOC of the battery pack is in the range of 0[%] to less than 30[%], charge the battery pack at a second C-rate (C2) lower than the first C-rate (C1) while the SOC is in the range of 30[%] to less than 70[%], and charge the battery pack at the lowest third C-rate (C3) while the SOC is 70[%] or higher.

[0129] For example, as shown in Table 1 above, the battery pack charging control device can charge the battery pack at 1.2 C while the SOC of the battery pack is in the range of 0% to less than 30%, charge the battery pack at 1.1 C while the SOC is in the range of 30% to less than 70%, and charge the battery pack at 0.6 C while the SOC is 70% or more.

[0130] Based on this charging method, when two battery packs are fully charged one by one, the total SOC (P1) of the two battery packs over time can increase as shown in Fig. 8.

[0131] That is, from the start of charging until time ta, the first battery pack is charged, and the charging speed changes in the order of C1, C2, and C3 (where C1 > C2 > C3). Then, after the first battery pack is fully charged, the second battery pack is charged until time tb, and the charging speed changes again in the order of C1, C2, and C3.

[0132] Therefore, the rate of increase of the total SOC (P1) changes over time in the order of C1, C2, C3, C1, C2, C3.

[0133] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the total SOC (P2) over time when two battery packs are charged alternately according to the present invention.

[0134] As shown in FIG. 9, when two battery packs are charged alternately according to the present invention, the total SOC (P2) of the two battery packs over time shows an increasing trend different from that of FIG. 8.

[0135] That is, from the start of charging until time t1 when the SOC of the first battery pack reaches 30%, the first battery pack is charged at a charging rate C1, and from time t1 until time t2 when the SOC of the second battery pack reaches 30%, the second battery pack is charged at a charging rate C1.

[0136] In addition, the first battery pack is charged at a charging rate C2 until time t3, when the SOC of the first battery pack reaches 70% at time t2, and the second battery pack is charged at a charging rate C2 until time t4, when the SOC of the second battery pack reaches 70% at time t3.

[0137] Finally, from time t4 until time t5 when the SOC of the first battery pack reaches 100%, the first battery pack is charged at a charging rate C3, and from time t5 until time t6 when the SOC of the second battery pack reaches 100%, the second battery pack is charged at a charging rate C3 (where C1 > C2 > C3).

[0138] Therefore, the rate of increase of the total SOC (P2) changes over time in the order of C1, C1, C2, C2, C3, C3.

[0139] Figure 10 is a graph comparing Figures 8 and 9.

[0140] As illustrated in FIG. 10, when two battery packs are charged alternately according to the present invention, the total SOC (P2) that increases over time may have the same average rate of increase as the total SOC (P1) when two battery packs are fully charged one by one.

[0141] However, the total SOC (P2) according to the present invention increases faster than the total SOC (P1) of FIG. 8 in the interval from time t1, when the SOC of the first battery pack is 30% and the SOC of the second battery pack is 0%, to time t5, when the SOC of the first battery pack is 100% and the SOC of the second battery pack is 70%.

[0142] That is, according to the present invention, both battery packs can be charged more quickly to a stable usable state.

[0143] FIG. 11 is a drawing showing a vehicle (2) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0144] As illustrated in FIG. 11, a vehicle (2) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the battery pack charging control device (100) described above and a plurality of battery packs (10A, 10B).

[0145] In one embodiment, the battery pack charging control device (100) according to the present invention may be linked with or integrated with an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that controls the operation of a vehicle (2) or a Battery Management System (BMS) for each of a plurality of battery packs (10A, 10B).

[0146] Additionally, the battery pack charging control device (100) may be configured to receive data transmitted from a remote server (not shown) via a wired and / or wireless communication network, or to transmit data generated by the battery pack charging control device (100) to the server.

[0147] For reference, the battery pack charging control device (100) according to the present invention can be applied to various electric devices or electric systems in addition to means of transportation such as vehicles, aircraft, ships, etc., and can also be applied to an Energy Storage System (ESS).

[0148] As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of battery packs are charged alternately according to a predetermined charging cycle and a charging duration for each battery pack, thereby reducing the imbalance in charging capacity among the plurality of battery packs that occurs when charging is stopped before all of the plurality of battery packs are fully charged. As a result, safety during the simultaneous operation of the plurality of battery packs is improved, and the individual operation of the plurality of battery packs can be facilitated.

[0149] In addition, multiple battery packs can be repeatedly charged alternately from a low SOC level, which allows for relatively fast charging, until they reach a high SOC level, which requires relatively slow charging for safety, thereby rapidly increasing the total SOC and average SOC of the multiple battery packs.

[0150] In addition, by determining the charging duration of each battery pack relatively relative to other battery packs based on the SOC of each battery pack, charging imbalances among multiple battery packs can be quickly resolved.

[0151] In addition, when a previously determined charging cycle is completed, a new charging cycle and a new charging duration for each battery pack corresponding to this new charging cycle are determined again, thereby enabling adaptive response to changes in the charging state of each battery pack and increasing the overall charging efficiency of multiple battery packs.

[0152] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the embodiments according to the present invention can solve various other technical problems in the relevant technical field as well as related technical fields other than those mentioned in this specification.

[0153] The present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will clearly understand that various modified embodiments may be implemented within the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed above should be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. That is, the true technical scope of the present invention is set forth in the claims, and all variations within the scope of equivalents should be interpreted as being included in the present invention.

[0154] [Explanation of the symbol]

[0155] 2: Vehicle

[0156] 100: Battery pack charging control unit

[0157] 110: Connection Unit

[0158] 120: Control Unit

[0159] 122: Charge cycle determination module

[0160] 124: Charging Scheduling Module

[0161] 126: Connection control module

[0162] 130: Communication Unit

[0163] 140: Storage Unit

[0164] 150: Charging unit

Claims

1. A battery pack charging control device for controlling the charging of multiple battery packs that can be charged independently of one another, A connection unit configured to enable or disable the electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs and the power source for each battery pack; and It includes a control unit configured to control the above connection unit to alternately charge the plurality of battery packs, and A battery pack charging control device configured such that, before charging the plurality of battery packs, the control unit determines a charging cycle in which charging for each of the plurality of battery packs is performed once, and a charging duration for each battery pack to be charged alternately during the charging cycle, and charges the plurality of battery packs alternately during the charging cycle, and charges each battery pack for the corresponding charging duration.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above connection unit includes a plurality of switches electrically connected to each of the plurality of battery packs, and A battery pack charging control device characterized in that the plurality of switches are configured to be electrically connected to the power source.

3. In Paragraph 1, A battery pack charging control device characterized by the above-described control unit including a charging cycle determination module configured to predict the connection maintenance time between the plurality of battery packs and the power source and determine a period shorter than the connection maintenance time as the charging cycle.

4. In the third, A battery pack charging control device characterized by the above charging cycle determination module being configured to predict the connection maintenance time based on the current location information of the plurality of battery packs.

5. In Paragraph 4, A battery pack charging control device characterized in that the above-described charging cycle determination module is configured to predict the connection maintenance time by referring to charging history information, which is pre-stored charging history information, wherein the location of the plurality of battery packs and the total charging time of the plurality of battery packs at the corresponding location are recorded.

6. In Paragraph 3, A battery pack charging control device characterized in that the charging cycle determination module is configured to determine a cycle repeatable two or more times during the predicted connection maintenance time as the charging cycle.

7. In Paragraph 1, A battery pack charging control device characterized in that the above control unit includes a charging scheduling module configured to determine the charging duration of each battery pack based on the State of Charge (SOC) value of each battery pack.

8. In Paragraph 7, A battery pack charging control device characterized in that the charging scheduling module is configured to determine the charging duration of a battery pack with a relatively small SOC value among the plurality of battery packs to be longer than the charging duration of another battery pack with a relatively large SOC value.

9. In Paragraph 7, A battery pack charging control device characterized in that the charging scheduling module is configured to further determine the charging order of each of the plurality of battery packs based on the SOC value of each of the plurality of battery packs.

10. In Paragraph 9, A battery pack charging control device characterized by the charging scheduling module determining the charging order such that, among the plurality of battery packs, a battery pack with a relatively small SOC value is charged before another battery pack with a relatively large SOC value.

11. In Paragraph 1, A battery pack charging control device characterized in that the above control unit includes a connection control module configured to control the connection unit to electrically connect each of the battery packs to the power source for a corresponding charging duration.

12. In Paragraph 1, A battery pack charging control device characterized by the above-described control unit being configured to determine the next charging cycle and the next charging duration of each battery pack corresponding to the next charging cycle when the above-described charging cycle is completed.

13. In Paragraph 1, A battery pack charging control device characterized by the above-described control unit being configured to gradually decrease the charging current rate of each battery pack as the SOC value of each battery pack increases.

14. A vehicle comprising the battery pack charging control device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and the plurality of battery packs.

15. A battery pack charging control method for controlling the charging of a plurality of battery packs that can be charged independently of one another, wherein A processor determines a charging cycle in which charging for each of the plurality of battery packs is completed in one cycle; The above processor determines the charging duration of each battery pack to be charged alternately during the charging cycle; and A battery pack charging control method comprising the step of the processor controlling a connection unit configured to set or release an electrical connection between the plurality of battery packs and a power source for each battery pack, thereby alternately charging the plurality of battery packs during the charging cycle, and charging each battery pack for a corresponding charging duration.

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