Lithium-Ion Battery Controller Sleep Mode for Industrial Trucks

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Solution Overview

Problem

The integration of lithium-ion batteries into industrial trucks in a simple and efficient manner, while minimizing power consumption and ensuring reliable monitoring and charging processes, is not adequately addressed by existing technologies.

Innovation Solution

An industrial truck equipped with a lithium-ion battery, a controller, and a CAN bus system, where the battery controller monitors and communicates the battery's state via the CAN bus, and employs sleep modes to reduce power consumption, along with a balancing unit for voltage regulation and bidirectional power exchange with the vehicle controller.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the battery controller continuously monitors and communicates battery state via CAN bus, then reliable monitoring is achieved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidbattery power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The battery controller dynamically adjusts its operational state between active monitoring mode and sleep mode based on system requirements. During normal operation, it actively monitors battery parameters and communicates via CAN bus. During idle periods or when the industrial truck is parked, it transitions to sleep mode with reduced power consumption, while maintaining the ability to be awakened by specific CAN bus messages or charging events.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuous monitoring and communication, the battery controller implements periodic monitoring cycles and communicates battery status at scheduled intervals through the CAN bus. This reduces the frequency of power-consuming operations while still providing adequate monitoring coverage and status updates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Ease of operation

If the battery controller remains fully active to handle charging and monitoring, then responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases during idle periods

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontroller responsivenessVSAvoididle power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The battery controller implements dynamic power management by switching between full operational mode and reduced-power sleep mode. During idle periods when the industrial truck is parked and not charging, the controller enters sleep mode to minimize power consumption. It can be quickly awakened by CAN bus messages from the code unit or by detection of charging connection events, ensuring responsiveness when needed while conserving energy during idle periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of energy

If multiple idle states are implemented to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumption reductionVSAvoidcontroller state management
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The idle states are segmented into distinct levels (first idle state and second idle state), each with specific power consumption characteristics and activation conditions. The first idle state is entered after a predetermined period without charging/discharging operations, while the second idle state is entered after a longer period. This segmentation allows the system to optimize power consumption based on the duration of idle periods while maintaining manageable complexity through clear state transition rules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2517922B1Industrial truck with at least one lithium-ion battery
Publication Date: 2018.08.08 JUNGHEINRICH AG
  • EP2517922B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2517922B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Industrial truck with at least one lithium-ion battery (10), a controller (18) and a CAN bus (28) via which data and control signals are received from and transmitted by the controller (18), wherein the battery (10) has a battery controller (16) which monitors the operating state of the battery (10) and sends data on the monitored operating state of the battery (10) via the CAN bus (28) to the controller (18) of the industrial truck.