ESS BMS Protocol Conversion for EMS-to-Rack Battery Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing energy storage systems (ESS) face challenges in inter-layer communication between the Enterprise Management System (EMS), the system Battery Management System (BMS), and the rack BMS, which hinders efficient control and management of battery operations.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for inter-layer communication in an ESS, where the system BMS receives a TCPIP communication command from the EMS, converts it to CAN format, and transmits the converted command to the rack BMS, enabling effective communication and control across layers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If direct communication between EMS and rack BMS is implemented, then control efficiency is improved, but system complexity and firmware modification requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system BMS serves as an intermediary component between the EMS and rack BMS. It receives TCP/IP commands from the EMS, converts them to CAN commands, and transmits them to the rack BMS. This mediator approach enables efficient top-level control while avoiding direct complex connections between EMS and rack BMS, thus resolving the contradiction between control efficiency and system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If format conversion from TCP/IP to CAN is implemented at system BMS, then interoperability between different communication protocols is improved, but communication latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveinteroperabilityVSAvoidcommunication latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system BMS is pre-configured with conversion rules and mappings between TCP/IP and CAN protocols. The conversion process uses pre-established parameter mappings (such as mapping TCP/IP messages to specific CAN IDs and data formats), allowing rapid format transformation without complex real-time processing, thus reducing communication latency while maintaining interoperability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If existing firmware is used without modifications, then system reliability is improved, but adaptability to new communication protocols deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidprotocol adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The communication system is segmented into distinct functional layers: the EMS handles TCP/IP communication, the system BMS handles protocol conversion, and the rack BMS handles CAN communication. This segmentation allows each component to maintain its existing firmware reliability while the system as a whole gains protocol adaptability through the conversion layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4510544A1Method and system for inter-layer communication of energy storage system, and computer program stored in recording medium for executing the method
Publication Date: 2025.02.19 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP4510544A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4510544A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4510544A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A communication method by which an Enterprise Management System, EMS, a system Battery Management System, BMS, and a rack BMS included in an energy storage system, ESS, communicate with each other, the communication method including receiving, by the system BMS (20) from the EMS (10), a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, TCPIP, communication command including a Controller Area Network, CAN, communication command for controlling the rack BMS (30), and converting, by the system BMS (20), TCPIP format to CAN format based on the TCPIP communication command and transmitting the converted CAN communication command to the rack BMS (30).