Master-Slave Energy Storage Control Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional energy storage systems for motor vehicles, particularly those with a master-slave architecture, are unable to adapt to changing operating conditions and fail to compensate for malfunctions, especially if the master control unit fails, leading to system instability and potential loss of functionality.
Innovation Solution
An energy storage system with a modular design where multiple energy storage devices are connected via a master-slave principle, allowing for the activation and deactivation of master and slave functionalities, enabling a slave control device to take over as a new master in case of failure, ensuring continued operation and intrinsic safety through a CAN bus communication network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a master-slave architecture is used with a single master control unit, then the system structure is simple and easy to control, but the system reliability deteriorates when the master control unit fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring slave control units with the capability to assume master functionality. Before any failure occurs, the system establishes a standby mechanism where specific slave units are prepared to take over master control duties, ensuring immediate failover capability without requiring complex real-time reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by creating a redundant control structure where slave control units serve as backup resources. This cushioning mechanism ensures that when the master control unit fails, the system has pre-positioned resources (slave units with master capability) to absorb the shock and maintain continuous operation.
2Productivity
If the master control unit has full control authority, then the control efficiency is high, but the system adaptability deteriorates when operating conditions change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the master-slave relationship configurable rather than fixed. The system can dynamically switch between different operational modes: normal mode with a designated master for efficient control, and degraded mode where any slave unit can assume master functionality when needed. This dynamic reconfigurability allows the system to adapt control efficiency to changing operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by endowing slave control units with dual functionality - they can operate as slaves under normal conditions and simultaneously possess the capability to function as masters when required. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware resources to serve multiple purposes, improving both control efficiency and adaptability without requiring separate dedicated master and slave units.
3Device complexity
If no redundancy is implemented to reduce complexity, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability deteriorates when control units fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements copying by creating functional replicas within the control units. Each slave control unit contains a copy of the master control functionality, allowing it to assume master duties when needed. This copying approach provides fault tolerance without requiring completely separate redundant systems, thus balancing reliability improvement with acceptable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies merging by combining master and slave functionalities within the same control unit architecture. Rather than having separate master and slave hardware, the system merges control capabilities into unified control units that can operate in different roles. This merging reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the ability to provide redundant functionality for improved reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an energy storage system for a motor vehicle and an operating method for such an energy storage system. The energy storage system (1) comprises several electrical energy storage devices (2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-n). Each of the energy storage devices (2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-n) comprises an energy storage control unit (3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-n) for controlling the operation and monitoring the state of the respective energy storage device.The energy storage control devices (3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-n) are coupled to each other according to the master-slave principle, such that one of the energy storage control devices (3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-n) is configured as the master control device (3-1), which is configured to control the operation and monitor the state of the energy storage system (1), which comprises the entirety of the multiple electrical energy storage devices (2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-n), and that the remaining energy storage control devices are configured as slave control devices (3-2, 3-3, 3-n), which each transmit data on at least one operating state of their assigned energy storage device to the master control device (3-1) and receive control signals from the master control device (3-1); and that the master control unit (3-1) is configured to receive data on at least one operating state from the slave control units (3-2, 3-3, 3-n) and to send control signals to them.To compensate for a failure of a master control unit, the functionality (4) of a master control unit is implemented in at least two of the energy storage units and can be activated and deactivated in each of them. The operating procedure includes monitoring the operation of the master control unit (3-1); and activating one of the slave control units (3-2, 3-3, 3-n), in which the functionality (4) of the master control unit is implemented, as the new master control unit if the monitoring reveals that the master control unit (3-1) is no longer functioning correctly.