Modular Battery State Notifying Unit for Scalable Pack Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery state monitoring systems for hybrid and electric vehicles face challenges in efficiently monitoring battery cell states across varying numbers of cells, leading to increased manufacturing costs and complex wiring designs due to the need for custom battery state notifying units for each unique battery pack configuration.
Innovation Solution
A battery state notifying unit is designed with modular subunits that can be scaled according to the number of battery cells, generating digital battery state data from analog signals and transmitting it to a monitoring unit, allowing for serial connection and reduced wiring complexity, enabling common use across different battery pack configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a battery state notifying unit is designed for a specific number of battery cells, then monitoring precision is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The battery state notifying unit is designed with a universal structure that can monitor battery cells in multiples of a predetermined unit. The control unit can dynamically configure monitoring channels to accommodate different numbers of battery cells (e.g., 12 cells, 24 cells, 36 cells) while maintaining the same hardware platform, thus achieving both precision and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic configuration of monitoring parameters and control logic that can adapt to different battery pack sizes. The control unit can adjust the number of monitored cells and reconfigure signal routing based on the actual battery pack configuration, enabling the same notifying unit to serve multiple applications with different cell counts.
2Measurement precision
If custom battery state notifying units are designed for each battery pack configuration, then monitoring precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single universal battery state notifying unit design serves multiple battery pack configurations through software/configurable control logic rather than requiring separate custom-designed units for each configuration. This reduces the variety of device types while maintaining precise monitoring capabilities across different applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit dynamically reconfigures its internal routing and monitoring parameters based on the detected battery pack configuration, eliminating the need for complex hardwired custom designs for each configuration. The system adapts its signal paths and monitoring channels programmatically.
3Measurement precision
If multiple individual cables connect each battery cell to the monitoring unit, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual cell voltage measurements are combined through a hierarchical monitoring structure where intermediate bus bar modules aggregate signals from multiple cells before transmitting to the central control unit. This reduces the total number of individual cable connections while preserving the ability to measure each cell's voltage accurately.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system is segmented into modular components: bus bar modules that interface with groups of battery cells and a central control unit that processes data from multiple bus bar modules. This segmentation allows for easier assembly and manufacturing while maintaining individual cell monitoring capability through the modular architecture.
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 solution allows for cost-effective sharing of battery state notifying units across packs with varying cell counts, simplifies wiring and assembly, and enhances the reliability of battery monitoring by reducing the number of cables and signal voltage requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of temperature sensors 832 at a middle and both ends in the one direction (namely, arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells 821) that outputs voltage in accordance with the measured temperature
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a battery state notifying unit readily exchangeble between battery packs differing in the number of battery cell, a bus bar module and a battery pack including the battery state notifying unit, and a battery state monitoring system including the battery state notifying unit. The battery state notifying unit includes a plurality of subunits corresponding to every battery cell, and the subunits in accordance with a cell temperature signal corresponding to a voltage outputted by a bus bar and a terminal fitting, generates a battery state data composed of a digital signal including a data indicating a state of the battery cell corresponding to the subunit, and transmits the battery state data to the external battery state monitoring unit.