Battery Module Contact Defect Detection via Voltage Balancing Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery management systems struggle to detect contact defects in battery modules without disassembling the battery pack, leading to voltage imbalances and performance deterioration, which is costly and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A battery management system with slave managers and a master manager that detects contact defects by monitoring voltage deviations between battery cells, performing balancing operations, and using a voltage regulator to identify defective modules through instantaneous discharge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If disassembly is performed to detect contact defects, then detection accuracy is improved, but productivity is worsened due to vehicle stoppage and time-consuming reassembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact defect detection accuracyVSAvoidvehicle operation continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical disassembly approach with an electrical measurement approach. The battery management system uses voltage deviation measurements and OCV-IR test signals to detect contact defects electrically while the battery pack remains assembled and the vehicle continues operating. This substitution eliminates the need for physical disassembly and reassembly, resolving the contradiction between detection accuracy and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If disassembly is performed to detect contact defects, then detection precision is improved, but loss of time is worsened due to removal and reinstallation procedures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact defect detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection and repair time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary detection capabilities by continuously monitoring voltage deviations and performing OCV-IR tests during normal battery operation. This allows contact defects to be identified before they cause failures, eliminating the need for time-consuming post-failure disassembly and inspection procedures. The defect detection is performed in advance while the system is still functioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If voltage deviation monitoring is used to detect contact defects, then productivity is improved by maintaining continuous operation, but measurement precision is worsened due to difficulty in distinguishing normal from abnormal voltage variations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous operation capabilityVSAvoiddefect detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the battery management system continuously monitors voltage deviations, compares them against threshold criteria, and uses the results to trigger OCV-IR tests. The system learns from patterns in voltage behavior and uses this feedback to improve defect detection accuracy while maintaining continuous operation. The feedback loop allows the system to distinguish between normal voltage variations and those indicating contact defects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Measurement precision

If OCV-IR test device is used for defect detection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity is worsened due to requiring separate testing equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact defect detection accuracyVSAvoidtesting equipment requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the OCV-IR test functionality with the existing battery management system. The voltage regulator and control unit that are already part of the battery management system are used to apply test signals and measure responses, eliminating the need for separate external OCV-IR test equipment. This integration reduces device complexity while maintaining the ability to perform accurate contact defect detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Enables detection of contact defects within battery modules without disassembly, maintaining pack operation and reducing downtime and costs.

Implementation Method 1

performing an instantaneous discharge on all battery cells of the estimated defective module

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBattery discharge: Battery (electricity)

Data Source

PatentUS20250279488A1Battery management system, battery pack including the same, and method of detecting contact defect module using the same

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD

AI summary

Provided are a battery management system and a battery pack including the same. The battery management system includes a plurality of slave managers provided to correspond to a plurality of battery modules, and configured to uniformly adjust cell voltages of a plurality of battery cells of respective battery modules, a master manager configured to detect a battery module having a contact defect therein among the battery modules as a defective module using a voltage deviation that is a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the cell voltages, and a data transmitter configured to electrically connect the master manager and the slave managers to enable data exchange.