Battery ECU Communication Detection for Reusable EV Battery Packs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The reuse of electric vehicle battery packs in alternative applications, such as facilities or stores, often requires unnecessary costly modifications to provide a sophisticated fail-safe monitoring function, as the original vehicle's communication system is not always required in these new contexts.
Innovation Solution
The battery ECU in the electric vehicle is configured to receive first and second identification data, enabling mutual monitoring with the vehicle ECU when both are present, but disabling this function when only the first data is received, indicating a different ECU system, thus allowing the battery pack to adapt its monitoring functionality based on its application without needing special modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery ECU is configured with sophisticated mutual monitoring function for vehicle ECU communication, then fail-safe performance is improved, but device complexity and cost increase when the battery pack is reused in alternative applications
Solution Approach 1:
The mutual monitoring function is made dynamically adjustable based on the operational context. The battery ECU automatically enables or disables the monitoring function according to whether it is operating in a vehicle environment (with vehicle ECU) or an alternative application environment (without vehicle ECU), allowing the system to adapt its complexity to actual needs
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes its operational parameters based on the detection of vehicle ECU presence. When the battery ECU detects communication with a vehicle ECU, it activates the sophisticated mutual monitoring function; when no vehicle ECU is detected, it disables this function, thereby changing the system's monitoring parameters according to the application context
2Reliability
If the battery ECU enables sophisticated mutual monitoring function in alternative applications, then communication reliability is improved, but cost increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The battery ECU autonomously determines whether to enable or disable the mutual monitoring function based on its own detection of the operational environment. By self-identifying whether it is connected to a vehicle ECU or another type of ECU, the system automatically configures itself without requiring external intervention or complex additional hardware, thereby avoiding unnecessary manufacturing costs
3Reliability
If the battery pack is designed with fixed sophisticated monitoring functions, then vehicle safety is improved, but adaptability to alternative applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring function transitions from a fixed static configuration to a dynamic adaptive one. The battery ECU continuously monitors the communication environment and adjusts the monitoring function's activation state accordingly, enabling the system to maintain high safety standards when needed while adapting to different application scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The battery ECU is designed with universal functionality that can operate in multiple contexts. By incorporating the capability to detect different ECU types and automatically adjust its monitoring behavior, the battery pack becomes universally applicable to both original vehicle applications and alternative uses without requiring physical modifications
Data Source
AI summary
An electric powered vehicle may include a battery ECU housed in a battery pack and a vehicle ECU mounted on a vehicle body and communicably connected to the battery ECU. The vehicle ECU may be configured to transmit first and second identification data for detecting communication disruptions to the battery ECU. The battery ECU may be configured to: when the battery ECU receives both the first and the second identification data, determine that the battery ECU is communicably connected to the vehicle ECU and enable a predetermined mutual monitoring function for the vehicle ECU; and when the battery ECU receives the first identification data but does not receive the second identification data, determine that the battery ECU is communicably connected to another ECU other than the vehicle ECU and disable the mutual monitoring function for the vehicle ECU.