Integrated BMS Wakeup Timer for Sleep-Mode Cell Balancing

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery systems require additional components like real-time clock (RTC) ICs to wake up the battery management system (BMS) for cell balancing, increasing costs and complicating circuit configurations.

Innovation Solution

A battery system that uses a timer integrated into the power supply unit to wake up the BMS at predetermined periods for cell balancing, allowing the BMS to determine if balancing is needed and adjust its wake-up time accordingly, thereby eliminating the need for additional wake-up components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additional parts such as RTC IC are added to enable BMS wakeup in sleep mode, then the BMS can wake up for cell balancing, but costs increase and circuit configurations become complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecell balancing performanceVSAvoidcircuit configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the wakeup function with the existing power supply unit by integrating a timer into the power supply circuit. This eliminates the need for separate RTC IC components, as the power supply unit itself now provides both power delivery and wakeup timing functions, thereby reducing component count and circuit complexity while maintaining cell balancing capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The power supply unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it not only supplies power to the BMS but also includes an integrated timer that generates wakeup signals at predetermined intervals. This multi-functional design allows the same component to handle both power delivery and wakeup timing, eliminating the need for dedicated wakeup components like RTC IC

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If additional parts such as RTC IC are added to enable BMS wakeup in sleep mode, then the BMS can wake up for cell balancing, but costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecell balancing performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the wakeup function with the existing power supply unit by integrating a timer into the power supply circuit. This eliminates the need for separate RTC IC components, as the power supply unit itself now provides both power delivery and wakeup timing functions, thereby reducing component count and circuit complexity while maintaining cell balancing capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The power supply unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it not only supplies power to the BMS but also includes an integrated timer that generates wakeup signals at predetermined intervals. This multi-functional design allows the same component to handle both power delivery and wakeup timing, eliminating the need for dedicated wakeup components like RTC IC

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20240380221A1Cell balancing control method and battery system providing the same

Publication Date: 2024.11.14 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a cell balancing control method and battery system providing the same. The battery system includes: a battery including a plurality of battery cells; a battery management system (BMS) for determining whether a predetermined sleep mode entering condition is satisfied, entering the sleep mode when the sleep mode entering condition is satisfied, and waking up for each predetermined wakeup period in the sleep mode state to determine whether to perform cell balancing; and a timer synchronized with a time when the BMS sleeps and counting a first wakeup time, and a power supply unit for supplying a driving voltage to the BMS when the count result reaches the first wakeup time.