Battery Module Enumeration via Common Mode Voltage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery pack manufacturing and monitoring systems face challenges in efficiently assigning unique IDs to individual modules and accurately mapping their geographic location, leading to errors and increased complexity in manufacturing and servicing.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic module enumeration system that assigns unique IDs based on positional attributes, such as common mode voltage, allowing for real-time monitoring and servicing by comparing current and reference positional attributes, thereby simplifying manufacturing and improving module identification and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unique codes are incorporated into modules during manufacturing, then module identification is enabled, but manufacturing complexity and error risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The module enumeration system enables modules to self-identify and self-enumerate on the bus. Each module reads its own address from a register and communicates it to the monitoring system, eliminating the need for manual ID assignment and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliable identification
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the module's address register value as a unique identifier parameter. This parameter is automatically assigned during manufacturing and can be read by the module itself, providing reliable identification without complex manual programming processes
2Reliability
If DIP switches or jumpers are used to set module addresses, then unique identification is achieved, but manufacturing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Modules automatically read their address from an internal register and enumerate themselves on the communication bus. This eliminates manual address setting with DIP switches or jumpers, significantly increasing manufacturing speed while ensuring unique identification through the factory-programmed address register
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical address-setting method (DIP switches, jumpers) is replaced with an electronic solution where addresses are stored in digital registers and automatically read by the module's processing system, enabling faster and more reliable address assignment
3Reliability
If daisy-chain interface with gating circuitry is used, then module addressing is enabled, but device complexity and compatibility issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a standard I2C bus interface that can universally address multiple modules without requiring additional gating circuitry. The I2C protocol's built-in addressing capability allows any module on the bus to be uniquely identified and accessed, simplifying the interface design while maintaining reliable addressing
Solution Approach 2:
The addressing functionality is extracted from the physical connection method and embedded in the communication protocol itself. The I2C bus protocol handles module addressing through software registers rather than requiring hardware gating circuitry, reducing device complexity
4Loss of information
If manual ID mapping is performed during manufacturing, then geographic location tracking is enabled, but error risk and servicing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Modules automatically report their address and the monitoring system automatically maps this to geographic location information. This automated process eliminates manual ID mapping errors while preserving complete geographic location data for each module, facilitating easier servicing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces manufacturing burdens, enhances module identification accuracy, and facilitates efficient servicing by ensuring static and unique IDs are assigned dynamically, improving the overall efficiency and quality of battery pack assembly and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
One example of a positional attribute is a common mode voltage of each module when serially electrically intercoupled with the other modules
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for these embodiments of the present invention, useful in manufacturing for example, includes a plurality of battery modules serially intercoupled together, each module including a housing with an anode connector and a cathode connector, each housing including a memory for storing a module identifier and wherein an anode connector of a first module is coupled to a cathode connector of a second module; and a processing system, coupled to each the module, for determining a plurality of positional attributes of each the module, one positional attribute associated with each the module of the plurality of modules, the processing system writing an ID into the memory of each particular module responsive to the associated positional attribute for the particular module.