Battery Cell Controller Abnormal Operation Diagnosis via Communication Chain

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Solution Overview

Problem

In battery control devices for electric vehicles, abnormal operation of cell controllers can lead to battery failure due to uncontrolled power consumption, and existing technologies lack effective diagnosis methods for such issues.

Innovation Solution

A battery control device with a communication system where cell controllers are connected in a predetermined order, using insulating elements to manage and diagnose the operation of each controller, allowing for the detection of abnormal operations by monitoring communication signals and controlling the start and stop states of the controllers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If cell controllers are stopped to suppress battery power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but abnormal operation cannot be diagnosed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery power consumptionVSAvoidabnormal operation diagnosis

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by stopping all cell controllers before transmitting the communication signal. This creates a known initial state where all controllers should be stopped, allowing the subsequent communication signal transmission to serve as a diagnostic test to verify whether controllers remain stopped or abnormally restart.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback by monitoring whether the communication signal is received at the expected destination after being transmitted through the chain of cell controllers. The receipt or non-receipt of the signal provides feedback information about the operational state of controllers, enabling abnormal operation diagnosis while maintaining power savings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If cell controllers operate continuously to ensure reliable detection, then abnormal operation can be diagnosed, but battery power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabnormal operation diagnosisVSAvoidbattery power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous operation, the system uses periodic action by transmitting communication signals at specific intervals to diagnose controller status. Controllers operate only when needed for signal transmission and diagnosis, rather than continuously, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining diagnostic capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The cell controllers perform self-diagnosis through the communication signal transmission mechanism. Each controller's ability to transmit or receive the signal serves as a self-test, eliminating the need for separate continuous monitoring operations and reducing overall power consumption while ensuring diagnostic reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If communication signal is transmitted through all cell controllers, then abnormal operation can be detected, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabnormal operation detectionVSAvoidcommunication system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the communication function with the diagnostic function. The same communication signal transmission mechanism used for normal controller communication is also utilized for abnormal operation detection, eliminating the need for separate diagnostic hardware or protocols and reducing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication signal serves multiple functions: normal data transmission between controllers and abnormal operation diagnosis. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated diagnostic components and simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining reliable detection capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9590432B2Battery control device comprising a plurality of cell controllers and being capable of determining whether a cell controller is operating abnormally

Publication Date: 2017.03.07 ASTEMO LTD

AI summary

A battery control device having a plurality of cell controllers which are provided corresponding to respective cell groups, are mutually connected in accordance with a predetermined communication order, and detect a state of each unit battery cell of a corresponding cell group, a control circuit which starts or stops a plurality of cell controllers, transmits a communication signal to the highest-order cell controller in a communication order among the plurality of cell controllers, and receives the communication signal from the lowest-order cell controller in the communication order among the plurality of cell controllers, and a first insulating element provided between the control circuit and the highest-order cell controller.