Battery module system

• US 10,141,613 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Schaffner, Lowell W., Barekatein, Mehdy, Aikens, Sheverria Antony, Lacaux, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): Rhee, Jane
• Application Number:
  US15/271,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20170012326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00045 Authentication, i.e. circuits for checking compatibility between one component, e.g. a battery or a battery charger, and another component, e.g. a power source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module system includes at least one cell and a battery module processor. The battery module processor may be configured to receive at least one cell signal associated with the at least one cell, wherein the at least one cell signal includes at least one of a temperature signal, a voltage signal, or a current signal. The battery module processor may be also configured to determine a status of the at least one cell based on the at least one cell signal. The battery module system may be configured to removably connect to a master/module interface, and to deliver power from the at least one cell to the master/module interface. The battery module system may be also configured to communicate, from the battery module processor, the status of the at least one cell to the master/module interface.

Claims

1. A method for providing power in an aircraft, wherein the method comprises:

receiving, at a battery module processor in a battery module, at least one cell signal associated with at least one cell in the battery module, wherein the at least one cell signal includes at least one of a temperature signal, a voltage signal, or a current signal;

determining, by the battery module processor, a status of the at least one cell based on the at least one cell signal;

removably coupling the battery module processor to a master/module interface, wherein the master/module interface is connected to a battery master system;

communicating, from the battery module processor, the status of the at least one cell to the master/module interface;

receiving the status of the at least one cell at the battery master system from the battery module processor through the master/module interface;

interfacing the battery master system with an aircraft host system through an aircraft/master interface; and

delivering power from the at least one cell to the master/module interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power is delivered when predefined mission requirements, regulatory requirements, and compatibility requirements of the aircraft are met.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising interrupting, by the battery module processor, delivery of the power from the at least one cell to the master/module interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the at least one cell comprises a state of charge of the at least one cell, a state of capacity of the at least one cell, or a health of the at least one cell.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating, by the battery module processor, at least one of security information or identification information to the master/module interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing, by the battery module processor, a test of the at least one cell in the battery module; and

communicating, by the battery module processor, a result of the test to the master/module interface.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the battery module includes a plurality of cells and the compatibility requirements include a verification that the plurality of cells are compatible with one another.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the regulatory requirements include regulatory requirements imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined mission requirements include a listing of equipment which require power during a defined mission and an expected duration of use.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the power is delivered from the master/module interface to a host system of the aircraft when predefined mission requirements, regulatory requirements, and compatibility requirements of the aircraft are met.