Battery operating apparatus, auxiliary battery unit and battery control method

• US 10,023,070 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jeong, Ji-young, Kim, YoungJae, Hwang, Hyosun
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Antony M
• Application Number:
  US15/425,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20180093582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 318 3, 318139, 31840001, 318700, 318800, 318801, 180 651, 180 6521, 180 6529, 180 6531, 1802073, 320106, 320112, 320127
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/54 related to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/082 Plural DC voltage, e.g. DC supply voltage with at least two different DC voltage levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A battery operating apparatus, an auxiliary battery unit, and a battery control method are provided. The battery operating apparatus includes a master battery manager (BM), a fixed battery unit configured to supply a fixed power to a load, the fixed power remaining unchanged over time, and a removable auxiliary battery unit configured to supply a variable power to the load, the variable power varying over time, wherein the master BM is configured to control the fixed battery unit to supply the fixed power among a power needed by the load, and to control the auxiliary battery unit to supply the variable power among the power needed by the load.

Claims

1. A battery operating apparatus comprising:

a master battery manager (BM);

a fixed battery unit configured to supply a fixed power to a load, the fixed power remaining unchanged over time; and

a removable auxiliary battery unit configured to supply a variable power to the load, the variable power varying over time,

wherein the master BM is configured to control the fixed battery unit to supply the fixed power among a power needed by the load, and to control the auxiliary battery unit to supply the variable power among the power needed by the load, and

wherein the master BM is further configured to control the fixed battery unit to supply the fixed power and the variable power to the load, in response to the removable auxiliary battery unit being absent.

2. A battery operating apparatus comprising:

a master battery manager (BM);

a fixed battery unit configured to supply a fixed power to a load, the fixed power remaining unchanged over time; and

a removable auxiliary battery unit configured to supply a variable power to the load, the variable power varying over time,

wherein the master BM is configured to control the fixed battery unit to supply the fixed power among a power needed by the load, and to control the auxiliary battery unit to supply the variable power among the power needed by the load,

wherein the load comprises a motor of an electric vehicle (EV), and

wherein the master BM is further configured to;

control the auxiliary battery unit to discharge a power used to accelerate the EV,

control the auxiliary battery unit to perform charging with a power generated by decelerating the EV, and

control the fixed battery unit to discharge a power at a c-rate disregarding the accelerating and the decelerating of the EV.

3. The battery operating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the master BM is further configured to adjust the c-rate based on a speed of the EV.

4. A battery operating apparatus comprising:

a master battery manager (BM);

a fixed battery unit configured to supply a fixed power to a load, the fixed power remaining unchanged over time; and

a removable auxiliary battery unit configured to supply a variable power to the load, the variable power varying over time,

wherein the master BM is configured to control the fixed battery unit to supply the fixed power among a power needed by the load, and to control the auxiliary battery unit to supply the variable power among the power needed by the load,

wherein the auxiliary battery unit comprises;

a slave BM;

a direct current (DC)-to-DC (DC/DC) converter;

a DC-to-alternating current (AC) (DC/AC) inverter; and

a battery module, and

wherein in response to the master BM determining that the removable auxiliary battery unit is included in an electric vehicle (EV),

the slave BM is connected to the master BM and the DC/DC converter,

the DC/DC converter is connected to the battery module and the load, and

the slave BM is configured to control the DC/DC converter to supply a power output from the battery module to the load.

5. The battery operating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the DC/DC converter is configured to supply the power output from the battery module to the load using a voltage of the fixed battery unit.

6. The battery operating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises output ports with different voltages, and the DC/DC converter is configured to supply the power output from the battery module to the load using an output port with a voltage of the fixed battery unit.

7. The battery operating apparatus of claim 4, wherein in response to the master BM determining that the removable auxiliary battery unit is removed from the EV and connected to an AC load,

the slave BM is connected to the DC/AC inverter,

the DC/AC inverter is connected to the battery module and the second load,

the slave BM is further configured to control the DC/AC inverter to supply the power output from the battery module to the AC load, and

the DC/AC inverter is configured to supply the power output from the battery module to the AC load using a rated voltage of the AC load.

8. The battery operating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises output ports with different voltages, and

wherein in response to the master BM determining that the removable the auxiliary battery unit is removed from the EV and connected to a DC load,

the slave BM is connected to the DC/DC converter,

the DC/DC converter is connected to the battery module and the second load,

the slave BM is further configured to control the DC/DC converter to supply the power output from the battery module to the DC load, and

the DC/DC converter is configured to supply the power output from the battery module to the DC load using an output port with a rated voltage of the DC load.

9. A battery operating apparatus comprising:

a master battery manager (BM);

a fixed battery unit configured to supply a fixed power to a load, the fixed power remaining unchanged over time; and

a removable auxiliary battery unit configured to supply a variable power to the load, the variable power varying over time,

wherein the master BM is configured to control the fixed battery unit to supply the fixed power among a power needed by the load, and to control the auxiliary battery unit to supply the variable power among the power needed by the load, and

wherein in response to the master BM determining that the removable auxiliary battery unit is included in an electric vehicle (EV), the removable auxiliary battery unit is further configured to supply a power to a heating apparatus configured to maintain a temperature of the fixed battery unit to be higher than or equal to a threshold.

10. A removable auxiliary battery unit comprising:

a slave battery management system (BM);

a direct current (DC)-to-DC (DC/DC) converter;

a DC-to-alternating current (AC) (DC/AC) inverter; and

a battery module, and

wherein in response to the auxiliary battery unit being included in an electric vehicle (EV),

the slave BM is connected to the DC/DC converter and a master BM of a battery operating apparatus of the EV,

the DC/DC converter is connected to the battery module and a load of the EV, and

the slave BM is configured to control the DC/DC converter to supply a variable power to the load, the variable varying over time.

11. The auxiliary battery unit of claim 10, wherein the DC/DC converter is configured to supply a power output from the battery module to the load using a voltage of a fixed battery unit of the EV.

12. The auxiliary battery unit of claim 10, wherein the master BM is configured to control a fixed battery unit of the EV to supply a fixed power to the load, the fixed power remaining unchanged over time.

13. The auxiliary battery unit of claim 10, wherein the load comprises a motor of the EV,

wherein the slave BM is further configured to:

control the DC/DC converter to supply a power used to accelerate the EV; and

control the DC/DC converter to perform charging with a power generated by decelerating the EV, and

wherein the master BM is configured to control a fixed battery unit of the EV to discharge a power at a c-rate disregarding the accelerating and the decelerating of the EV.

14. The auxiliary battery unit of claim 10, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises output ports with different voltages, and the DC/DC converter is configured to supply a power output from the battery module to the load using an output port with a voltage of a fixed battery unit of the EV.

15. The auxiliary battery unit of claim 10, wherein in response to the master BM determining that the removable auxiliary battery unit is removed from the EV and connected to an AC load,

the slave BM is connected to the DC/AC inverter,

the DC/AC inverter is connected to the battery module and the second load,

the slave BM is further configured to control the DC/AC inverter to supply a power output from the battery module to the AC load, and

the DC/AC inverter is configured to supply the power output from the battery module to the AC load using a rated voltage of the AC load.

16. The auxiliary battery unit of claim 10, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises output ports with different voltages, and

wherein in response to the master BM determining that the removable auxiliary battery unit is removed from the EV and connected to a DC load,

the slave BM is connected to the DC/DC converter,

the DC/DC converter is connected to the battery module and the second load,

the slave BM is further configured to control the DC/DC converter to supply a power output from the battery module to the DC load, and

the DC/DC converter is configured to supply the power output from the battery module to the DC load using an output port with a rated voltage of the DC load.

17. The auxiliary battery unit of claim 10, wherein in response to the master BM determining that the removable auxiliary battery unit is included in the EV, the slave BM is further configured to control the DC/DC converter to supply a power to a heating apparatus configured to maintain a temperature of a fixed battery unit of the EV to be higher than or equal to a threshold.

18. A battery control method comprising:

determining whether a removable auxiliary battery unit is included in an electric vehicle (EV);

controlling a fixed battery unit to supply a fixed power to a load, the fixed power remaining unchanged over time among a power needed by the load;

controlling the auxiliary battery unit to supply a variable power to the load, the variable power varying over time among the power needed by the load, in response to the removable auxiliary battery unit being included in the EV; and

controlling the fixed battery unit to supply the fixed power and the variable power to the load, in response to the removable auxiliary battery unit not being included in the EV.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions to cause a processor to perform the method of claim 18.