Dual function battery system and method
First Claim
1. An energy storage system for a vehicle, comprising:
- an energy storage unit having a plurality of energy storage modules connected in series;
a plurality of sensing units coupled to the plurality of energy storage modules, wherein each of the plurality of sensing units is configured to sense a state of a respective energy storage module, and wherein the sensed state enables an estimation of a respective state of charge of the respective energy storage module;
a pair of primary voltage terminals connected to the plurality of energy storage modules and configured to supply energy storage power from the plurality of energy storage modules at a first voltage level to support primary electrical functions of the vehicle;
a pair of secondary voltage terminals; and
a controller configured to;
select, via operation of a switching network, a first energy storage module of the plurality of energy storage modules to connect across the pair of secondary voltage terminals to supply energy storage power to an accessory load of the vehicle at a second voltage level lower than the first voltage level;
estimate a first state of charge of the first energy storage module;
automatically disconnect the first energy storage module from the pair of secondary voltage terminals in response to the first state of charge being below a requested state of charge associated with the accessory load;
estimate a second state of charge of a second energy storage module of the plurality of energy storage modules; and
connect the second energy storage module of the plurality of energy storage modules across the pair of secondary voltage terminals when the second state of charge is greater than the requested state of charge.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy storage system for supporting dual electrical functions of a vehicle includes an energy storage unit having a plurality of energy storage modules connected in series, a plurality of sensing units for sensing state of charges of the plurality of energy storage modules, and a pair of primary voltage terminals. The series connected plurality of energy storage modules is connectable across the pair of primary voltage terminals during a key-on state of the vehicle to supply energy storage power at a first voltage level to support primary electrical functions of the vehicle. The energy storage system is further configured to select a subset of the plurality of energy storage modules during a key-off state of the vehicle to connect across a pair of secondary voltage terminals using a switch network to supply energy storage power at a second voltage level.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An energy storage system for a vehicle, comprising:
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an energy storage unit having a plurality of energy storage modules connected in series; a plurality of sensing units coupled to the plurality of energy storage modules, wherein each of the plurality of sensing units is configured to sense a state of a respective energy storage module, and wherein the sensed state enables an estimation of a respective state of charge of the respective energy storage module; a pair of primary voltage terminals connected to the plurality of energy storage modules and configured to supply energy storage power from the plurality of energy storage modules at a first voltage level to support primary electrical functions of the vehicle; a pair of secondary voltage terminals; and a controller configured to; select, via operation of a switching network, a first energy storage module of the plurality of energy storage modules to connect across the pair of secondary voltage terminals to supply energy storage power to an accessory load of the vehicle at a second voltage level lower than the first voltage level; estimate a first state of charge of the first energy storage module; automatically disconnect the first energy storage module from the pair of secondary voltage terminals in response to the first state of charge being below a requested state of charge associated with the accessory load; estimate a second state of charge of a second energy storage module of the plurality of energy storage modules; and connect the second energy storage module of the plurality of energy storage modules across the pair of secondary voltage terminals when the second state of charge is greater than the requested state of charge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer-implemented method for performing dual functions of an energy storage system in a vehicle, comprising:
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providing stored electrical power for supporting primary electrical functions of the vehicle during a key-on state at a pair of primary voltage terminals of the energy storage system having a plurality of energy storage modules connected in series across the pair of primary voltage terminals; detecting when the vehicle has been turned off; during an off state, providing the stored electrical power from a reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules for supporting secondary electrical functions of the vehicle, thereby operating key-off loads of the vehicle at a pair of secondary voltage terminals by connecting the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules via operation of a switching network across the pair of secondary voltage terminals while maintaining the plurality of energy storage modules connected in series across the pair of primary voltage terminals; estimating a first state of charge of one of the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules connected across the pair of secondary voltage terminals; determining whether the one of the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules should be disconnected from the pair of secondary voltage terminals and whether one of a remainder of the plurality of energy storage modules not initially included in the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules should be connected across the pair of secondary voltage terminals based on the first state of charge of the one of the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules; disconnecting the one of the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules from the pair of secondary voltage terminals in response to a difference between the first state of charge and a preselected state of charge level being less than a predetermined value; estimating a second state of charge of the one of the remainder of the plurality of energy storage modules; and connecting the one of the remainder of the plurality of energy storage modules to the pair of secondary voltage terminals in response to a difference between the second state of charge and the preselected state of charge level being greater than the predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computing system, comprising:
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at least one processing unit and at least one memory unit storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the at least one processing unit, to cause the at least one processing unit to perform a method for performing dual functions of an energy storage system in a vehicle, the method comprising; providing stored electrical power for supporting primary electrical functions of the vehicle during a key-on state at a pair of primary voltage terminals of the energy storage system having a plurality of energy storage modules connected in series across the pair of primary voltage terminals; detecting when the vehicle has been turned off; during an off state, providing stored electrical power from a reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules for supporting secondary electrical functions of the vehicle, thereby operating key-off loads of the vehicle at a pair of secondary voltage terminals by connecting the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules via operation of a switching network across the pair of secondary voltage terminals while maintaining the plurality of energy storage modules connected in series across the pair of primary voltage terminals; estimating a first state of charge of one of the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules connected across the pair of secondary voltage terminals; determining whether the one of the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules should be disconnected from the pair of secondary voltage terminals and whether one of a remainder of the plurality of energy storage modules not initially included in the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules should be connected across the pair of secondary voltage terminals based on the first state of charge of the one of the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules; disconnecting the one of the reduced number of the plurality of energy storage modules from the pair of secondary voltage terminals in response to a difference between the first state of charge and a preselected state of charge level being less than a predetermined value estimating a second state of charge of the one of the remainder of the plurality of energy storage modules; and connecting the one of the remainder of the plurality of energy storage modules to the pair of secondary voltage terminals in response to a difference between the second state of charge and the preselected state of charge level being greater than the predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification