Battery Cell Balancing Control via GPS Location and Sleep Mode Timing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Charge capacity imbalance in secondary battery cell packs leads to unstable operation and safety issues due to over-discharge or over-charge of individual cells, necessitating efficient balancing operations that are time-consuming and often interrupted by battery pack usage restrictions.

Innovation Solution

A balancing control apparatus and method utilizing a GPS module for geographical location data and a real-time clock to determine when to initiate charge capacity balancing operations, ensuring the battery management system is in a suitable sleep mode for a sufficient duration, thereby optimizing the timing for balancing operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If charge capacity balancing operation is performed frequently to maintain battery pack stability and safety, then battery pack reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to repeated balancing operations restricting battery pack usage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack stabilityVSAvoidbalancing operation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs charge capacity balancing operations in advance during periods when the battery pack is not in use (sleep mode periods), proactively addressing charge imbalances before they compromise reliability. This preliminary action allows balancing to occur during idle time rather than interrupting active usage, thus improving reliability without increasing loss of time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If charge capacity balancing operation is performed for extended duration to fully balance all unit cells, then manufacturing precision of charge capacity is improved, but productivity decreases due to restricted battery pack usage during operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharge capacity balanceVSAvoidbattery pack availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system schedules and executes balancing operations during pre-identified idle periods (when the battery management system is in sleep mode), performing the necessary charge capacity equalization in advance before productivity demands arise. This allows full balancing to occur without impacting battery pack availability during active use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts balancing operation timing based on battery pack usage patterns and sleep mode periods. By flexibly scheduling balancing operations during idle time windows rather than using fixed timing, the system achieves thorough charge capacity balancing while minimizing impact on battery pack productivity and availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If charge capacity balancing operation is delayed to avoid interrupting battery pack usage, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision of charge capacity deteriorates due to prolonged imbalance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack availabilityVSAvoidcharge capacity balance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system proactively identifies and utilizes idle periods (sleep mode) to perform balancing operations in advance, ensuring charge capacity precision is maintained without delaying balancing until it conflicts with productivity needs. The preliminary detection of idle time windows allows scheduling balancing operations that achieve precision goals before they impact availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors battery pack usage states and sleep mode periods, using this feedback to dynamically determine optimal balancing operation timing. This feedback mechanism ensures balancing is performed at precise moments when it will not interrupt productivity, while still achieving the necessary charge capacity precision through timely intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2849309B1Apparatus and method for controlling operation for balancing charge capacity of secondary battery cells
Publication Date: 2018.08.08 LG CHEM LTD
  • EP2849309B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2849309B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2849309B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an apparatus and method for controlling a charge capacity balancing operation of a secondary battery cell. The balancing control apparatus according to the present disclosure is an apparatus that controls charge capacity balancing of at least two secondary battery cells included in a battery pack, and the balancing control apparatus output a control signal for the charge capacity balancing operation of the secondary battery cells included in the battery pack when a current geographical location of the battery pack matches at least one preset geographical location using a global positioning system (GPS) satellite signal and a sleep mode duration of a battery management system (BMS) is more than or equal to a preset reference period. According to the present disclosure, the charge capacity balancing operation starts under the consideration of an environment condition suitable to perform the charge capacity balancing operation, so that sufficient time for the charge capacity balancing operation of the secondary battery cells may be ensured. Accordingly, this may reduce the possibility of the balancing operation being interrupted.