Battery Pack Relay Diagnosis Using Capacitor Current Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for diagnosing pack relays in a battery system require significant time due to similarities in voltage readings across connected relays, leading to prolonged diagnosis times even when performed sequentially.

Innovation Solution

A battery system design incorporating a diagnostic circuit with a resistor, switch, and capacitor, allowing simultaneous diagnosis of multiple pack relays by monitoring current flow through closed relays, reducing the time required for diagnosis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the battery control unit requests relay on/off operations to the battery relay unit for each charge/discharge cycle, then the battery system can monitor relay status, but the pack relay undergoes frequent operations reducing its lifespan

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverelay lifespanVSAvoidcharge/discharge cycle monitoring
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery relay unit proactively transmits relay status information to the battery control unit before the control unit requests it. This preliminary action allows the control unit to monitor relay status without频繁ly requesting updates, thereby reducing the number of operational cycles the pack relay undergoes while maintaining effective monitoring capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the battery relay unit transmits relay status information frequently, then the battery control unit can accurately monitor relay status, but communication load and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverelay status monitoring accuracyVSAvoidcommunication power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The battery relay unit transmits relay status information at predetermined time intervals rather than continuously or on every operation. This periodic transmission approach maintains adequate monitoring accuracy while significantly reducing communication frequency, thereby lowering power consumption and communication load on the battery control unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If the battery control unit stores detailed relay operation logs, then diagnostic capability is improved, but storage requirements and data processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic capabilityVSAvoiddata storage and processing
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery relay unit extracts and transmits only the essential relay status information (on/off states and timing) to the battery control unit, rather than the control unit storing and processing all detailed operation logs. This extraction approach maintains diagnostic capability by providing necessary data while significantly reducing storage requirements and data processing complexity at the control unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4462142B1Battery system capable of pack relay diagnosis and vehicle comprising the same
Publication Date: 2026.04.29 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP4462142B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4462142B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4462142B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery system may include a plurality of battery packs, a plurality of first relays connected between a positive electrode of a corresponding battery pack and a first node for each of the plurality of packs, a plurality of second relays connected between an negative electrode and a second node of the corresponding battery pack for each of the plurality of packs, a capacitor having both ends connected between a first wiring connected to the first node and a second wiring connected to the second node, a resistor and a switch connected in series between the first wiring and the second wire, and after waking up and controlling the plurality of first relays and the plurality of second relays to be closed, when a current flowing from the plurality of battery packs to the capacitor is detected, a plurality of pack battery management systems (BMS) for determining the plurality of first relays and the plurality of second relays as normal.