Battery management system and battery management method

Abstract

A battery management system and a battery management method are provided. The battery management system according to the present invention comprises: a sensing unit configured to sense a state of a battery pack; and a control unit configured to set an initial wake-up timing and then perform a transition from a wake-up mode to a sleep mode, when completion of charging of the battery pack is identified in a state in which an electric vehicle is connected to a charger. The control unit is configured to, in response to the wake-up timing being reached while operating in the sleep mode, perform a transition to the wake-up mode and generate first monitoring information about the state of the battery pack. The control unit is configured to perform a transition to the sleep mode after setting a next wake-up timing on the basis of the first monitoring information.

Description

Battery Management System and Battery Management Method

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for monitoring the battery status of an electric vehicle connected to a charging station while fully charged.

[0002] This application is a priority application for Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0179826 filed on December 5, 2024 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0146076 filed on October 10, 2025, and all contents disclosed in the specifications and drawings of said applications are incorporated into this application by reference.

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

[0004] Currently commercialized batteries include nickel-cadmium, nickel-hydrogen, nickel-zinc, and lithium batteries. Among these, lithium batteries are gaining attention for their advantages, such as the ability to freely charge and discharge with almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries, a very low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0005] Overcharging accounts for a significant proportion of the causes of recent fire accidents involving electric vehicles. It is well known that vehicle batteries are more unstable when fully charged compared to before, and thus pose a relatively higher risk of fire. A fully charged state refers to a state where the State of Charge (SOC) of a vehicle battery reaches a threshold set by the user (e.g., SOC 95%, 100%, etc.). Furthermore, as the vehicle battery remains connected to the charger for an extended period even after reaching a fully charged state, there is a possibility that micro-charging currents may flow from the charger into the vehicle battery, exacerbating the overcharging.

[0006] Meanwhile, a Battery Management System (BMS) is installed in electric vehicles to monitor the condition of the vehicle battery and execute appropriate functions.

[0007] Conventionally, when an electric vehicle is parked with full charging, a method is adopted in which the BMS monitors the condition of the vehicle battery at longer intervals compared to when the electric vehicle is in motion. For example, while the electric vehicle is in motion, the BMS maintains a wake-up mode at all times and monitors the battery condition every 0.1 seconds, whereas when the electric vehicle is parked, it mostly maintains a sleep mode and wakes up at 5-minute intervals to monitor the battery condition.

[0008] The aforementioned conventional battery monitoring method is insufficient for precisely monitoring the condition of a fully charged vehicle battery while the electric vehicle is parked with the charging connection; consequently, it may miss the golden time to detect abnormalities (e.g., signs of danger) in the vehicle battery in a timely manner and execute appropriate safety functions.

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a battery management system and a battery management method that repeatedly update a wake-up timing for monitoring the state of a vehicle battery from the time when the vehicle battery reaches a fully charged state while the electric vehicle is connected to a charger for charging.

[0010] Other objects and advantages of the present invention may be understood from the following description and will become more clearly apparent from the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0011] A battery management system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a sensing unit configured to sense the state of a battery pack provided in an electric vehicle; and a control unit configured to switch from a wake-up mode to a sleep mode after setting an initial wake-up timing when the completion of charging of the battery pack is identified while the electric vehicle is connected to a charger. The control unit is configured to switch to the wake-up mode in response to the arrival of the wake-up timing while operating in the sleep mode. The control unit is configured to generate first monitoring information regarding the state of the battery pack in the wake-up mode. The control unit is configured to switch to the sleep mode after setting a next wake-up timing based on the first monitoring information.

[0012] The control unit may be configured to set the initial wake-up timing to be the same as a later point in time that is a predetermined reference sleep time behind the point in time when the completion of charging of the battery pack is identified.

[0013] The control unit may be configured to update the state history information of the battery pack during the duration of the charge completion based on the first monitoring information. The control unit may be configured to analyze the state history information and set the next wake-up timing.

[0014] The control unit may be configured to determine an abnormal level of the battery pack based on the state history information, and to set the next wake-up timing based on a target sleep time corresponding to the abnormal level.

[0015] The control unit may be configured to count the duration of the charge completion and, further based on the duration, set the next wake-up timing.

[0016] The control unit may be configured to set the next wake-up timing based further on second monitoring information regarding the state of the charger.

[0017] The control unit may be configured to determine an abnormal level of the battery pack based on a comparison between the first monitoring information and the second monitoring information. The control unit may be configured to set the next wake-up timing based on a target sleep time corresponding to the abnormal level.

[0018] A battery pack according to another aspect of the present invention includes the battery management system.

[0019] An electric vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention includes the battery pack.

[0020] A battery management method according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: a step of switching from a wake-up mode to a sleep mode after setting an initial wake-up timing when the completion of charging of a battery pack provided in the electric vehicle is identified while the electric vehicle is connected to a charger; a step of switching to the wake-up mode in response to the arrival of the wake-up timing while operating in the sleep mode; a step of generating first monitoring information regarding the state of the battery pack in the wake-up mode; a step of setting a next wake-up timing based on the first monitoring information in the wake-up mode; and a step of switching from the wake-up mode to the sleep mode after the next wake-up timing is set.

[0021] The step of setting the next wake-up timing above may include: a step of updating the state history information of the battery pack during the duration of the charge completion based on the first monitoring information; and a step of analyzing the state history information to set the next wake-up timing above.

[0022] The step of setting the next wake-up timing above may include: determining an abnormal level of the battery pack based on the state history information; and setting the next wake-up timing based on a target sleep time corresponding to the abnormal level.

[0023] The step of setting the next wake-up timing above may include a step of counting the duration of the charge completion; and a step of setting the next wake-up timing based further on the duration.

[0024] The step of setting the next wake-up timing above may include the step of setting the next wake-up timing based further on second monitoring information regarding the state of the charger.

[0025] The step of setting the next wake-up timing above may include: determining an abnormal level of the battery pack based on a comparison between the first monitoring information and the second monitoring information; and setting the next wake-up timing based on a target sleep time corresponding to the abnormal level.

[0026] A computer-readable medium according to another aspect of the present invention records a program for executing the battery management method on a computer.

[0027] According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can repeatedly update the wake-up timing for monitoring the state of the vehicle battery from the time the vehicle battery reaches a fully charged state while the electric vehicle is connected to a charger for charging.

[0028] Accordingly, the present invention adopts a method of adjusting the wake-up cycle (sleep time) in conjunction with the condition of the vehicle battery, etc., thereby enabling the timely detection of abnormalities in the vehicle battery compared to the conventional method that relies on a wake-up cycle having a fixed time length (e.g., 5 minutes).

[0029] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description in the claims.

[0030] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention provided below; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a drawing referenced to explain an electric vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 is a drawing referenced to explain an example of the coupling relationship between the battery block and the sensing unit shown in Figure 1.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary battery management method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of subroutines that can be included in step S340 of FIG. 3.

[0035] Figure 5 is a drawing referenced to explain the method of Figure 4.

[0036] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing another example of subroutines that can be included in step S340 of Figure 3.

[0037] Figure 7 is a drawing referenced to explain the method of Figure 6.

[0038] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary battery management method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of subroutines that can be included in step S840 of FIG. 8.

[0040] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention.

[0041] Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention; thus, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications that can replace them may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0042] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., are used for the purpose of distinguishing one of the various components from the rest, and are not used to limit the components by such terms.

[0043] Throughout the specification, when a part is described as "comprising" a certain component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Furthermore, terms such as "<unit>" as used in the specification refer to a unit that performs at least one function or operation and may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0044] Additionally, throughout the specification, when it is said that a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where they are "directly connected," but also cases where they are "indirectly connected" with other components in between.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a drawing referenced to explain an electric vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 1, an electric vehicle (EV) can be connected to a charging station (CS) for charging.

[0047] A charging station (CS) can be installed in a location where an electric vehicle (EV) can enter and exit. The charging station (CS) may include a charging port (CP), a charger (210), and a controller (230).

[0048] The charging port (CP) is configured to be detachably attached to the charging port (EP) of an electric vehicle (EV). For example, the charging port (CP) may be provided in the form of a conventional charging gun.

[0049] The charging port (CP) can be connected to the end of the station power line (CL1, CL2) and the end of the station communication cable (CC). The other end of the station communication cable (CC) can be connected to the controller (230).

[0050] When the charging port (CP) is connected to the vehicle port (CC), the controller (230) can transmit commands related to charging and discharging operations to the electric vehicle (EV) via the station communication cable (CC) or receive requests related to charging and discharging operations from the electric vehicle (EV).

[0051] The charger (210) is provided to charge the battery pack (10) of the electric vehicle (EV) during a charging operation according to a charging command of the controller (230).

[0052] The charger (210) can be electrically connected between a pair of station power lines (CL1, CL2) through a pair of charging terminals provided therein.

[0053] The charger (210) may include a sensing circuit (211). The sensing circuit (211) can measure at least one type of charging parameter (e.g., charger temperature) associated with the state of the charger (210).

[0054] The controller (230) may be implemented in hardware using at least one of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

[0055] The controller (230) can control the charging operation of the charger (210). The charging operation of the charger (210) can be executed according to a constant current (CC)-constant voltage (CV) charging protocol. Since the constant current (CC)-constant voltage (CV) charging protocol corresponds to a known charging method, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The controller (230) can monitor whether the battery pack (10) is fully charged, and when full charging is detected, it can send a message of full charging to the electric vehicle (EV). For example, if the charging current in the constant current charging stage is reduced to a predetermined cut-off current, the controller (230) can determine that the charging of the battery pack (10) is complete. The completion of charging of the battery pack (10) can indicate that the battery pack (10) is in a fully charged state.

[0056] The controller (230) may have a memory device. The memory device may include at least one type of storage medium among flash memory type, hard disk type, SSD type (Solid State Disk type), SSD type (Silicon Disk Drive type), multimedia card micro type, RAM (random access memory; RAM), SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory; ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), and PROM (programmable read-only memory). The memory device may store data and programs required for computational operations by the controller (230). The memory device may store data representing the result of computational operations by the controller (230).

[0057] An electric vehicle (EV) may include a charging port (EP), a battery pack (10, which may also be referred to as a ‘vehicle battery’), a relay (20), a vehicle controller (2), a power converter (30), an electric load (40), and a battery management system (100). The electric vehicle (EV) may further include peripheral devices (50).

[0058] The charging port (EP) can be connected to the end of the vehicle power line (EL1, EL2) and the end of the vehicle communication cable (EC). The other end of the vehicle communication cable (EC) can be connected to the vehicle controller (2).

[0059] When the charging port (EP) is connected to the charging port (CP), the battery management system (100) can transmit a request related to a charging operation to the charging station (CS) or receive a command related to a charging operation from the charging station (CS) via the vehicle communication cable (EC) through the vehicle controller (2).

[0060] The battery pack (10) includes at least one battery block, a first pack terminal (PT1), and a second pack terminal (PT2). In FIG. 1, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N , N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2) is exemplified as being included in the battery pack (10).

[0061] In this specification, a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N In explaining the contents common to each, the symbol 'BB' or 'BB' for the battery block k It is decided to assign '. k is a natural number less than or equal to N.

[0062] Multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each of the above may be configured to be connectable between the first pack terminal (PT1) and the second pack terminal (PT2) provided in the battery pack (10), either alone or in series with at least one other battery block.

[0063] A battery block (BB) may include at least one battery module (BM). If a plurality of battery modules (BM) are included in the battery block (BB), the plurality of battery modules (BM) may be connected in series, in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel.

[0064] A battery module (BM) may be a collection of two or more battery cells ('BC' in FIG. 2) and may be referred to by other terms such as 'cell unit', 'cell group', 'cell array', 'cell assembly', etc. When a battery module (BB) includes multiple battery cells (BC), the multiple battery cells may be connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel.

[0065] In one embodiment, the battery module (BM) may have a separate module case in which the battery cell (BC) included therein is housed. In this case, the battery module (BM) may be physically separated from other battery modules (BM) by its module case and may be housed or separated individually in the pack case of the battery pack (10).

[0066] In another embodiment, the battery module (BM) may be housed directly in the pack case of the battery pack (10) without a separate module case. That is, the battery module (BM) may be a group of battery cells (BC) housed directly in the battery pack (10) that are arbitrarily or according to specific criteria, one or more, and grouped together, taking into account the layout of the battery pack (10) and circuit connections with the battery management system (100). In this case, the battery pack (10) may have a Cell To Pack (CTP) structure in that the battery cells (BC) are housed directly in the pack case without a module case.

[0067] In this specification, a battery cell (BC) refers to a basic unit of a storage element capable of independent charging and discharging, and is not particularly limited as long as it is rechargeable, such as a lithium-ion cell, for example.

[0068] A relay (20) is installed in a power line (EL1, EL2) connecting the pack terminals (PT1, PT2) of a battery pack (10) and the vehicle charge / discharge terminals (ET1, ET2) of an electric vehicle (EV). In FIG. 1, the relay (20) is illustrated as being connected between the positive terminal of the battery pack (10) and the pack terminal (PT1), but additional relays (20) connected between the negative terminal of the battery pack (10) and the pack terminal (PT2) may be included in the electric vehicle (EV). The relay (20) is turned on / off in response to a switching signal from a battery management system (100) or a vehicle controller (2). According to one embodiment of the present invention, the relay (20) may be a mechanical contactor that is turned on / off by the magnetic force of a coil, or a semiconductor switch such as a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor).

[0069] During charging of the battery pack (10), the relay (20) can be controlled to turn on by the battery management system (100) or the vehicle controller (2).

[0070] The battery management system (100) includes a sensing unit (110) and a control unit (120). The battery management system (100) may further include a communication unit (130).

[0071] The sensing unit (110) is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB) of the battery pack (10). N ) Generates state data representing each individual state.

[0072] The sensing unit (110) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each of at least one battery parameter can be measured periodically or non-periodically, and state data representing each measured battery parameter can be provided to the control unit (120).

[0073] Battery Block (BB) kThe battery parameters of ) are the battery block (BB k It may represent the temperature of the battery block (BB) (which may be referred to as 'block temperature'), the cell voltage of each battery cell (BC) included in the battery block (BB), or at least one quadratic parameter (e.g., amount of change, rate of change) derivable through the application of mathematical function(s) therefrom. Of course, in addition to this, the battery block (BB k If it can directly or indirectly indicate the abnormal level of ), the type of battery parameter is not particularly limited.

[0074] A current sensor (A) is installed on at least one of a pair of vehicle power lines (EL1, EL2) to measure the current flowing through the battery pack (10). The current sensor (A) may be included in the sensing unit (110).

[0075] The control unit (120) can be implemented in hardware using at least one of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays), microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

[0076] The control unit (120) is operably coupled to the sensing unit (110) and the communication unit (130). Being operably coupled to the two components means that the two components are connected so that signals can be transmitted and received in either a unidirectional or bidirectional manner.

[0077] The control unit (120) may have a memory device. The memory device may include a storage medium of at least one type among a flash memory type, a hard disk type, an SSD type (Solid State Disk type), an SSD type (Silicon Disk Drive type), a multimedia card micro type, a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), and a PROM (programmable read-only memory). The memory device may store instructions, data, and / or programs required for an operation by the control unit (120). The memory device may store data representing the result of an operation by the control unit (120) (e.g., at least one step of a battery management method according to at least one of FIG. 3 and FIG. 8). The control unit (120) may be an independent device that can be manufactured, used, and / or sold separately from other components of the battery management device (100), and may be referred to as a 'battery controller', etc.

[0078] The control unit (120) receives a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB) from the sensing unit (110). N By collecting each state data, first monitoring information regarding the state of the battery pack (10) can be generated. The first monitoring information is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N ) a set of individual state data, or multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N ) It may be information derived through the processing of each state data.

[0079] The control unit (120) can detect an abnormality in the battery pack (10) based on the first monitoring information. Detecting an abnormality in the battery pack (10) means that a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N This may mean detecting at least one of ). The control unit (120) includes a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N If at least one of the above is diagnosed as abnormal, it is configured to execute at least one safety operation for the battery pack (10). The safety operation may include turning off the relay (20), lowering the charging current, lowering the charging voltage, etc.

[0080] The power converter (30) may include at least one of a DC-AC inverter and a DC-DC converter. The power converter (30) may convert direct current power (discharge power) supplied from the battery pack (10) into alternating current power and supply it to an electric load (40). The electric load (40) may include a three-phase alternating current motor that generates kinetic energy for driving an electric vehicle (EV).

[0081] The control unit (120), based on the first monitoring information, has a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N Each state of charge (SOC) can be determined, and the state of health (SOH) can be further determined.

[0082] The SOC of a battery block (BB) is the ratio of the remaining capacity to the maximum capacity (FCC: Full Charge Capacity) of the battery block (BB), and is typically expressed in the range of 0 to 100% or 0 to 1. The remaining capacity represents the amount of charge currently stored in the battery block (BB).

[0083] The SOH of a battery block (BB) is the ratio of the maximum capacity to the design capacity of the battery block (BB), and is typically expressed in the range of 0 to 100% or 0 to 1. The design capacity represents the maximum amount of charge that can be stored in the battery block (BB) when the battery block (BB) is in a new condition. As the battery block (BB) deteriorates, the maximum capacity gradually decreases from the design capacity. Since the SOC and SOH can each be estimated from one or a combination of two or more of various known methods, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0084] The control unit (120) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N The SOC of the battery pack (10) can be determined based on at least one SOC among ). For example, the SOC of the battery pack (10) is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It can be determined to be equal to the maximum SOC or minimum SOC of ). As another example, the SOC of the battery pack (10) is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It can be determined to be equal to the average SOC of two or more of ).

[0085] The control unit (120) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N The SOH of the battery pack (10) can be determined based on at least one SOH of the plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It can be determined to be equal to the maximum SOH or minimum SOH of ). As another example, the SOH of the battery pack (10) is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It can be determined to be equal to the average SOH of two or more of the above.

[0086] The communication unit (130) includes at least one communication circuit that supports wired or wireless communication between the control unit (120) and the vehicle controller (2) and / or peripheral device (50). Wired communication may be, for example, CAN (controller area network) communication, and wireless communication may be, for example, Zeegbee or Bluetooth communication. Of course, as long as wired or wireless communication is supported, the type of communication protocol is not specifically limited to the examples listed above.

[0087] The control unit (120) can identify that the battery pack (10) is fully charged in response to a message of complete charging from the charging station (CS) being received by the communication unit (130). Alternatively, the control unit (120) can determine that the battery pack (10) is fully charged when the charging current measured by the current sensor (A) is reduced to a predetermined cut-off current.

[0088] The peripheral device (50) may include vehicle sensor(s) that measure at least one parameter (e.g., vehicle speed, etc.) related to the state of the electric vehicle (EV). The peripheral device (50) may include an output device (e.g., display, speaker) that provides information received from the control unit (120) and / or the vehicle controller (2) in a form recognizable by the user. The peripheral device (50) may be driven using direct current power or alternating current power supplied from the power converter (30).

[0089] Although the battery pack (10) and the battery management system (100) are shown as physically independent in FIG. 1, the battery management system (100) comprises a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It can be included as a subcomponent of the battery pack (10), just like ).

[0090] FIG. 2 is a drawing referenced to explain an example of the coupling relationship between the battery block and the sensing unit illustrated in FIG. 1. For convenience of explanation, the battery block (BB) illustrated in FIG. 2 k The following description regarding ) is as follows: a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It can be common to ).

[0091] Referring to FIG. 2, the sensing unit (110) is a battery block (BB k The sensing circuit (SB) provided to ) k ...includes ). Accordingly, the sensing unit (110) includes a plurality of sensing circuits (SB1~SB N Those skilled in the art will easily understand that it may include ).

[0092] The sensing circuit (SBk) includes a temperature sensor (TS) and may further include a voltage detection circuit (VS).

[0093] The temperature sensor (TS) is the battery block (BB k Attached to the outer surface of ) or battery block (BB k It is installed at a predetermined point spaced apart from ), and the battery block (BB k Measures the temperature of the battery block (i.e., block temperature). The temperature sensor (TS) measures the temperature of the battery block (BB k A temperature signal indicating the temperature of ) can be generated, and the control unit (120) can collect the temperature signal of the temperature sensor (TS).

[0094] The voltage detection circuit (VS) includes at least one voltage sensor. The voltage detection circuit (VS) includes a battery block (BB k The module voltage, which is the voltage between the two ends of ), can be measured. The voltage detection circuit (VS) is a battery block (BB kThe cell voltage, which is the voltage between the two ends of each battery cell (BC) included in the battery block (BBk), can be measured. The voltage detection circuit (VS) generates a voltage signal representing the module voltage of the battery block (BBk) and / or the cell voltage of each battery cell (BC), and the control unit (120) can collect the voltage signal of the voltage detection circuit (VS).

[0095] Sensing circuit (SB) k ) can be referred to as the ‘k-th slave’, and the control unit (120) can be referred to as the ‘master’.

[0096] The energy consumed by the battery management system (100) is the energy of the plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB) of the battery pack (10). N It can be supplied from at least one of the following. When the electric vehicle (EV) is connected to the charger (210) of the charging station (CS) for charging, energy equal to the amount of energy consumed by the battery management system (100) can be supplied to the battery pack (10) through the charger (210). Therefore, as will be described later, even if the wake-up of the control unit (120) is frequent, the situation in which the SOC of the battery pack (10) becomes excessively low can be naturally prevented.

[0097] While the electric vehicle (EV) is connected to the charging station (CS) with the battery pack (10) fully charged (while parked), the control unit (120) can operate by alternately repeating sleep mode (power saving mode) and wake-up mode (non-power saving mode).

[0098] While operating in sleep mode, the control unit (120) can wait for the previously set wake-up timing with the battery parameter collection function using the sensing unit (110) disabled. For example, the most recently set wake-up timing is recorded in an electronic timer built into the control unit (120), and the electronic timer can generate a trigger signal to induce the wake-up of the control unit (120) when the wake-up timing arrives.

[0099] While operating in wake-up mode, the control unit (120) has a plurality of sensing circuits (SB1~SB N Based on battery parameters collected using at least one of the methods, first monitoring information regarding the state of the battery pack (10) is generated, and the wake-up timing is reset based on the first monitoring information. Resetting the wake-up timing may mean setting the next wake-up timing. When the wake-up timing is reset, the control unit (120) can switch from the wake-up mode to the sleep mode.

[0100] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a battery management method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method of FIG. 3 can be executed under the condition that the charging of the battery pack (10) is identified while the electric vehicle (EV) is connected to the charger (210) of the charging station (CS).

[0101] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, in step S310, the control unit (120) sets an initial wake-up timing and then switches from wake-up mode to sleep mode. The initial wake-up timing may be a point in time that is later than the point in time when the charging of the battery pack (10) is identified by a predetermined reference sleep time (e.g., 5 minutes). The setting of the initial wake-up timing is performed only once per charging event of the electric vehicle (EV).

[0102] In step S320, the control unit (120) switches from sleep mode to wake-up mode in response to the arrival of a previously set wake-up timing while operating in sleep mode. The control unit (120) may switch to wake-up mode by a trigger signal generated by an electronic timer built therein.

[0103] If the method of FIG. 3 is executed for the first time since the completion of charging of the battery pack (10) is identified, the 'previously set wake-up timing' in step S320 indicates the 'initial wake-up timing' in step S310. On the other hand, if the method of FIG. 3 has been executed one or more times since the completion of charging of the battery pack (10) is identified, the 'previously set wake-up timing' in step S320 indicates the 'next wake-up timing' in step S340 of the method of FIG. 3 executed immediately prior.

[0104] In step S330, the control unit (120) generates first monitoring information regarding the state of the battery pack (10) in wake-up mode. The first monitoring information is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1~BB N It may be based on a single battery parameter or a subset of two or more battery parameters representing the state of at least one battery block.

[0105] In step S340, the control unit (120) sets the next wake-up timing based on the first monitoring information. Step S340 will be described in more detail later with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

[0106] In step S350, the control unit (120) switches from wake-up mode to sleep mode. After the completion of step S350, the method of FIG. 3 can return to step S320.

[0107] When a predetermined termination condition is satisfied, such as the disconnection (separation) of the charging connection between the electric vehicle (EV) and the charging station (CS), the method of FIG. 3 can be terminated.

[0108] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of subroutines that can be included in step S340 of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a diagram referenced to explain the method of FIG. 4.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 4, in step S410, the control unit (120) updates the state history information of the battery pack (10) during the duration of charging completion based on the first monitoring information.

[0110] The state history information of the battery pack (10) indicates a change pattern of at least one type of battery parameter (e.g., pack temperature, pack voltage). The pack temperature is a plurality of battery blocks (BB1 to BB N The temperature of any one of the blocks (e.g., lowest block temperature, highest block temperature) or multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N It may be the average block temperature of two or more of ). The pack voltage is the pack voltage of multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N Any one of the block voltages (e.g., lowest block voltage, highest block voltage), multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N ) average block voltage of two or more of ) or multiple battery blocks (BB1~BB N There may be two or more total voltages among them. For reference, since the method of FIG. 3 is for a fully charged situation, the block voltage and pack voltage each depend on the Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) of the battery cells included therein.

[0111] In step S420, the control unit (120) analyzes the state history information updated in step S410 and sets the next wake-up timing. Step S420 may include steps S422, S424, S426, and S428.

[0112] In step S422, the control unit (120) determines whether the state history information updated in step S410 indicates an abnormal pattern. If the value of step S422 is "Yes," the process may proceed to step S424. If the value of step S422 is "No," the process may proceed to step S428. For example, if a rate of change (e.g., derivative) that deviates from a predetermined range is detected in the change pattern of a specific battery parameter indicated by the state history information, the value of step S422 may be output as "Yes."

[0113] In step S424, the control unit (120) determines a target sleep time corresponding to an abnormal level of the abnormal pattern. For example, if the rate of change of a specific battery parameter change pattern exceeds an upper limit of a predetermined range, the abnormal level may be determined to have a predetermined positive correspondence with the difference between the rate of change and the upper limit. For another example, if the rate of change of a specific battery parameter change pattern falls below a lower limit of a predetermined range, the abnormal level may be determined to have a predetermined positive correspondence with the difference between the rate of change and the lower limit. The abnormal level and the corresponding target sleep time may have a predetermined negative correspondence. That is, the higher the abnormal level, the earlier the next wake-up timing is brought forward. For example, as the abnormal level increases, the target sleep time may decrease linearly or stepwise.

[0114] FIG. 5 illustrates a sleep time map (500) as an example of a negative correspondence relationship utilized in step S424, visualized as a two-dimensional graph. The sleep time map (500) may be stored in advance in the memory device of the control unit (120).

[0115] According to the sleep time map (500), as the abnormal level approaches a predetermined threshold level (F), the target sleep time is the reference sleep time (t SRIt decreases from ). If the abnormal level is greater than or equal to the critical level (F), the target slip time is a predetermined minimum slip time (t L It can be maintained as ). When the abnormal level is above the threshold level (F), the control unit (120) can use the communication unit (130) to send a message notifying a peripheral device (50) and / or a charging station (CS) of the danger of the battery pack (10).

[0116] In step S426, the control unit (120) sets the next wake-up timing based on the target sleep time determined in step S424. For example, the next wake-up timing may be set to be the same as the point in time that is behind the previously set wake-up timing by the target sleep time.

[0117] In step S428, the control unit (120) has a predetermined reference sleep time (t) from a previously set wake-up timing. SR Set the next wake-up timing so that it is identical to the trailing point by ). For reference, the maximum target sleep time is the reference sleep time (t SR It can be limited to a predetermined threshold time of ) or less.

[0118] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another example of subroutines that can be included in step S340 of FIG. 3, and FIG. 7 is a diagram referenced to explain the method of FIG. 6.

[0119] Referring to FIG. 6, in step S610, the control unit (120) updates the state history information of the battery pack (10) during the duration of charging completion based on the first monitoring information. Step S610 may be substantially the same as step S410.

[0120] In step S620, the control unit (120) analyzes the state history information updated in step S620 and sets the next wake-up timing. Step S620 may include steps S621 through S626.

[0121] In step S621, the control unit (120) determines whether the status history information updated in step S620 indicates an abnormal pattern. Step S621 may be substantially the same as the aforementioned step S422. If the value of step S621 is "yes," the process may proceed to step S623. If the value of step S621 is "no," the process may proceed to step S622.

[0122] In step S623, the control unit (120) determines a first target sleep time corresponding to an abnormal level of the abnormal pattern. The abnormal level and the corresponding first target sleep time may have a predetermined negative correspondence relationship. Step S623 may be substantially the same as step S424.

[0123] In step S625, the control unit (120) sets the next wake-up timing based on the first target sleep time determined in step S623. For example, the next wake-up timing is set to be the same as the time point that is a first target sleep time behind the previously set wake-up timing. Step S625 may be substantially the same as step S426.

[0124] In step S622, the control unit (120) counts the duration of the charge completion. The duration of the charge completion may be the time difference from the point in time when the charge completion in a specific charge event is first detected (identified) to the time of execution of step S622.

[0125] In step S624, the control unit (120) determines a second target sleep time corresponding to the duration counted in step S622. The duration of charging completion and the corresponding second target sleep time may have a predetermined negative correspondence relationship.

[0126] FIG. 7 illustrates a sleep time map (700) as an example of a negative correspondence relationship utilized in step S624, visualized as a two-dimensional graph. The sleep time map (700) may be stored in advance in a memory device of the control unit (120).

[0127] According to the sleep time map (700), the duration of the charging completion is a predetermined first time (t C1 Until it reaches ), the second target slip time is the reference slip time (t SR ) can be maintained. Next, the duration of charging completion can be maintained at a predetermined first time (t C1 If ) is exceeded, the second target slip time is the reference slip time (t SR It decreases from ). Subsequently, the duration of charging completion decreases from a predetermined second time (t C2 After reaching ), the second target slip time is a predetermined minimum slip time (t L It can be maintained as ).

[0128] In step S626, the control unit (120) sets the next wake-up timing such that it is the same as the time point behind the previously set wake-up timing by the second target sleep time determined in step S620.

[0129] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary battery management method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method of FIG. 8 is a variation of the method of FIG. 3 and, like the method of FIG. 3, can be executed under the condition that the charging of the battery pack (10) is identified while the electric vehicle (EV) is connected to the charger (210) of the charging station (CS).

[0130] Referring to FIG. 8, in step S810, the control unit (120) sets an initial wake-up timing and then switches from wake-up mode to sleep mode. Step S810 is substantially the same as step S310.

[0131] In step S820, the control unit (120) switches from sleep mode to wake-up mode in response to the arrival of a previously set wake-up timing while operating in sleep mode. Step S820 is substantially the same as step S320.

[0132] In step S830, the control unit (120) generates first monitoring information regarding the state of the battery pack (10) in wake-up mode. Step S830 is substantially the same as step S330.

[0133] In step S832, the control unit (120) receives second monitoring information regarding the status of the charging station (CS) using the communication unit (130) in wake-up mode.

[0134] In step S840, the control unit (120) sets the next wake-up timing based on the first monitoring information and the second monitoring information.

[0135] In step S850, the control unit (120) switches from wake-up mode to sleep mode. After the completion of step S850, the method of FIG. 8 can return to step S820. Step S850 is substantially the same as step S350.

[0136] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of subroutines that can be included in step S840 of FIG. 8.

[0137] Referring to FIG. 9, in step S910, the control unit (120) determines an abnormal level of the battery pack (10) based on a comparison between the first monitoring information and the second monitoring information.

[0138] For example, the control unit (120) can determine the abnormal level of the battery pack (10) by calculating the temperature difference between the pack temperature indicated by the first monitoring information and the charger temperature indicated by the second monitoring information, and then applying a predetermined amount of corresponding relationship to the temperature difference.

[0139] When charging is complete, no charging current flows or only a very small charging current flows, so as the period during which the charging is completed is prolonged, the temperature of the pack and the charger can be expected to be adjusted to a level comparable to the ambient temperature.

[0140] However, even though charging is complete, if the pack temperature is excessively high compared to the charger temperature, it may be a situation that strongly indicates abnormal signs of the battery pack (10). The control unit (120) may execute at least one safety function if the abnormal level determined in step S910 is greater than or equal to the threshold level (F). For example, the control unit (120) may use the communication unit (130) to transmit a message notifying a peripheral device (50) and / or a charging station (CS) of the danger of the battery pack (10).

[0141] In step S920, the control unit (120) determines a target sleep time corresponding to the abnormal level determined in step S910. A positive correspondence between the abnormal level of the battery pack (10) and the target sleep time may be stored in advance in the memory device of the control unit (120). For example, the sleep time map (500) illustrated in FIG. 5 may be used to determine the target sleep time in step S920.

[0142] In step S930, the control unit (120) sets the next wake-up timing to be the same as the previous wake-up timing by the target sleep time determined in step S920.

[0143] Another embodiment of the present invention may provide a computer-readable medium having a program recorded thereon for executing the various embodiments described above on a computer.

[0144] A program may be implemented as hardware components, software components, and / or a combination of hardware and software components. A program may be executed by any system capable of executing computer-readable instructions.

[0145] Software may include computer programs, code, instructions, or a combination thereof, and may configure a processing unit to operate as desired or command the processing unit independently or collectively.

[0146] Software can be implemented as a computer program containing instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. Examples of computer-readable storage media include magnetic storage media (e.g., ROM (read-only memory), RAM (random-access memory), floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optical reading media (e.g., CD-ROMs, DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs)). Computer-readable storage media can be distributed across networked computer systems, allowing computer-readable code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The storage medium is readable by a computer, stored in memory, and can be executed by a processor.

[0147] Computer-readable media may be provided in the form of non-transitory recording media. Here, 'non-transitory storage media' simply means that it is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily. For example, 'non-transitory storage media' may include a buffer in which data is stored temporarily.

[0148] In addition, the program may be provided as part of a computer program product. Computer program products may be traded between a seller and a buyer as goods.

[0149] A computer program product may include a software program or a computer-readable recording medium on which the software program is stored. For example, a computer program product may include a product in the form of a software program that is distributed electronically through a manufacturer of an electronic device or an electronic market (e.g., a downloadable application). For electronic distribution, at least a portion of the software program may be stored on a recording medium or temporarily created. In this case, the recording medium may be a server of the manufacturer of the electronic device, a server of the electronic market, or a recording medium of a relay server that temporarily stores the software program.

[0150] The embodiments of the present invention described above are not limited to implementation through devices and methods, but may also be implemented through a program that realizes a function corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of the present invention or a recording medium on which such a program is recorded. Such implementation can be easily achieved by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, based on the description of the embodiments described above.

[0151] Although the present invention has been described above by limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0152] Furthermore, since the present invention described above allows for various substitutions, modifications, and changes within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention to those skilled in the art without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention, it is not limited by the aforementioned embodiments and attached drawings, but rather all or part of each embodiment may be selectively combined to allow for various modifications.

Claims

A sensing unit configured to sense the state of a battery pack equipped in an electric vehicle; and A control unit configured to switch from wake-up mode to sleep mode after setting an initial wake-up timing when the completion of charging of the battery pack is identified while the electric vehicle is connected to a charger; Includes, The above control unit is, In response to the arrival of a wake-up timing while operating in the above sleep mode, the system switches to the above wake-up mode, and In the above wake-up mode, first monitoring information regarding the state of the battery pack is generated, and A battery management system configured to switch to the sleep mode after setting the next wake-up timing based on the first monitoring information above. In paragraph 1, The above control unit is, A battery management system configured to set the initial wake-up timing to be the same as a later point in time by a predetermined reference sleep time from the point in time when the completion of charging of the battery pack is identified. In paragraph 1, The above control unit is, Based on the above first monitoring information, the state history information of the battery pack during the duration of the charge completion is updated, and A battery management system configured to analyze the above state history information and set the next wake-up timing. In paragraph 3, The above control unit is, Based on the above state history information, the abnormal level of the battery pack is determined, and A battery management system configured to set the next wake-up timing based on the target sleep time corresponding to the above abnormal level. In paragraph 1, The above control unit is, Count the duration of the above charging completion, and A battery management system configured to set the next wake-up timing based further on the above duration. In paragraph 1, The above control unit is, A battery management system configured to set the next wake-up timing based further on second monitoring information regarding the status of the charger. In paragraph 6, The above control unit is, Determining the abnormal level of the battery pack based on a comparison between the first monitoring information and the second monitoring information, and A battery management system configured to set the next wake-up timing based on the target sleep time corresponding to the above abnormal level. A battery pack comprising a battery management system according to any one of paragraphs 1 through 7. An electric vehicle including a battery pack according to paragraph 8. When the charging of the battery pack equipped in the electric vehicle is identified while the electric vehicle is connected to a charger, a step of setting an initial wake-up timing and then switching from wake-up mode to sleep mode; A step of switching to the wake-up mode in response to the arrival of a wake-up timing while operating in the above sleep mode; A step of generating first monitoring information regarding the state of the battery pack in the above wake-up mode; A step of setting the next wake-up timing based on the above first monitoring information; and After the above-mentioned wake-up timing is set, a step of switching to the sleep mode; A battery management method including In Paragraph 10, The step of setting the wake-up timing described above is, A step of updating the state history information of the battery pack during the duration of the charge completion based on the first monitoring information; and A step of analyzing the above state history information to set the next wake-up timing; A battery management method including In Paragraph 11, The step of setting the wake-up timing described above is, A step of determining an abnormal level of the battery pack based on the above state history information; and A step of setting the next wake-up timing based on the target sleep time corresponding to the above abnormal level; A battery management method including In Paragraph 10, The step of setting the wake-up timing described above is, A step of counting the duration of the above-mentioned charging completion; and A step of setting the next wake-up timing based further on the above duration; A battery management method including In Paragraph 10, The step of setting the wake-up timing described above is, A step of setting the next wake-up timing based further on second monitoring information regarding the state of the charger; A battery management method including In Paragraph 14, The step of setting the wake-up timing described above is, A step of determining an abnormal level of the battery pack based on a comparison between the first monitoring information and the second monitoring information; and A step of setting the next wake-up timing based on the target sleep time corresponding to the above abnormal level; A battery management method including A computer-readable medium storing a program for executing a battery management method according to any one of paragraphs 10 to 15 on a computer.

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