Battery Management Module Phantom Software Architecture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Power transformation systems face challenges in effectively managing battery life and providing reliable power due to infrequent battery usage, leading to improper voltage level detection and potential system interruptions.

Innovation Solution

A battery management module (BMM) utilizing software services from a phantom module, power broker, and low-level board support package (BSP) software, such as A2D and memory read/write, to execute routines for battery life monitoring, including signature profiling and power metering, using volatile and non-volatile memory resources to extend battery life and prevent interruptions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If battery management is implemented with infrequent usage monitoring, then system complexity is reduced, but voltage level detection accuracy deteriorates leading to improper system operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery management system complexityVSAvoidvoltage level detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary battery characterization during manufacturing or initial setup, storing voltage thresholds and capacity data in lookup tables. During operation, the BMM retrieves pre-calculated values based on battery age and usage patterns, avoiding complex real-time calculations while maintaining accurate voltage detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The battery management module uses the battery itself to provide characterization data by monitoring its own voltage, current, and temperature parameters. The system learns battery behavior patterns over time and automatically adjusts management parameters without external intervention, reducing system complexity while improving detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If comprehensive battery monitoring routines are executed frequently, then battery life detection accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery life detection accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumption for monitoring
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic monitoring with variable intervals based on battery state. During normal operation, monitoring occurs at extended intervals to minimize energy consumption. When voltage thresholds or anomaly conditions are detected, the system transitions to more frequent monitoring modes, balancing accuracy requirements with energy conservation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The monitoring strategy dynamically changes parameters such as sampling frequency, measurement resolution, and characterization depth based on battery charge level, age, and operational context. Low-power modes use reduced-parameter measurements while critical states trigger full-characterization routines, optimizing the balance between detection accuracy and energy usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If battery characterization data is stored in limited memory resources, then device cost is reduced, but ability to handle edge cases deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvememory resource capacityVSAvoidedge case handling capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and stores only the most critical battery characterization parameters in on-device memory, such as voltage thresholds, capacity milestones, and anomaly flags. Less critical data is processed locally or transferred to external storage when available, reducing memory requirements while maintaining edge case handling for critical scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses lightweight, approximate data structures for temporary battery state storage that can be regenerated from measurements. Instead of storing extensive historical data, the system maintains compact summaries that capture essential patterns, accepting some information loss in exchange for reduced memory usage while preserving edge case detection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS10811892B2Source management for a power transformation system
Publication Date: 2020.10.20 RESIDEO USA LLC
  • US10811892B2 patent drawing
  • US10811892B2 patent drawing
  • US10811892B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A battery life monitoring approach for a power transformation powered system. “Signature profiling” and “power metering” may deal with statistically significant edge cases. Relative to product resources, a battery management module (BMM) may use software services from a “phantom module”, “power broker” and other low level board support package (BSP) software, such as A2D, time bases and memory R/W in order to execute routines needed for successful deployment of the product. The memory resources should be volatile and non-volatile memory resources to fulfill the needs of a fully functional power transformation BMM system.