Method and apparatus for high-voltage battery array monitoring sensors network

• US 20020163339A1
• Filed: 04/24/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Friel, Daniel D., Hruska, Louis
• Granted Patent: US 6,677,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/434
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

A battery-monitoring system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes one or more cell sensors modules linked to a battery sensor module via a data interface. In turn, the one or more battery sensor modules may be linked to an alarm interface. Each cell sensor module includes one or more sensors that monitor physical parameters, such as cell voltage and temperature, related to the corresponding cell. Each battery sensor module monitors physical parameters, such as battery voltage, discharge current, and temperature related to the battery. The battery sensor module also gather cell monitoring information from the plurality of cell sensor modules. Various battery monitor-related analytical, control, and reporting functions may be performed by the various modules.

Claims

1. A battery monitor system comprising:

a plurality of cell sensor modules configured to monitor one or more physical parameters related to an associated battery cell;

a battery sensor module configured to monitor one or more physical parameters related to an associated battery; and

a network connecting said cell sensor modules and battery sensor module, said network configured to transmit information to and from said cell and battery sensor modules.

2. The battery monitor system of claim 1 further wherein the network is an isolated-power network.

4. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein at least one cell sensor module is configured to sense the temperature of a battery cell to which it is attached.

5. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein a battery sensor module is configured to sense the voltage of a battery with which it is in electrical communication.

6. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein a battery sensor module is configured to sense the current of a battery with which it is in electrical communication.

7. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein at least one battery sensor module is configured to sense the temperature of a battery with which it is in electrical communication.

8. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein each cell sensor module includes a controller that is configured to record the number of times one or more sensed cell values exceed one or more threshold values.

9. The battery monitor system of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to reduce and log data related to sensed cell values.

10. The battery monitor system of claim 9 wherein the battery sensor module includes a controller that is configured to record the number times one or more sensed battery values exceed one or more threshold values.

11. The battery monitor system of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to reduce and logs data related to sensed battery values.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the cell sensor module controller and battery sensor module controller are configured to communicate sensed values from the cell sensor module to the battery sensor module.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the cell sensor module controller and battery sensor module controller are configured to communicate reduced data values from the cell sensor module to the battery sensor module.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the battery sensor module controller is configured to reduce data communicated to it from a cell sensor module.

15. The system of claim 2 wherein the isolated power network includes a network interface at each cell sensor module, the interface respectively including local and remote power connections for the cell sensor and network sides of the interface.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the network is a daisy-chained serial link.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein each interface includes an opto-isolator configured to transmit data across the interface opto-electronically.

18. The system of claim 1 further comprising an alarm interface configured to communicate battery-related data between at least one battery sensor module and an external network.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step A) of sensing cell related physical parameters comprises the step of:

A2) a cell sensor module sensing the temperature of a battery cell to which it is attached.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the step B) of sensing battery related physical parameters comprises the step of:

B1) a battery sensor module senses the voltage of a battery with which it is in electrical communication.

23. The method claim 19 wherein the step B) of sensing battery related physical parameters comprises the step of:

B2) a battery sensor module sensing the current of a battery with which it is in electrical communication.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the step B) of sensing battery related physical parameters includes the step of:

B3) a battery sensor module sensing the temperature of a battery with which it is in electrical communication.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

D) a controller within each cell sensor module recording the number of times one or more sensed cell values exceed one or more threshold values.

26. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

E) a controller reducing and logging data related to sensed cell values.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of:

F) a controller within a battery sensor module recording the number times one or more sensed battery values exceed one or more threshold values.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of:

G) a controller within a battery sensor module reducing and logging data related to sensed battery values.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

H) the cell sensor module controller communicating sensed values from the cell sensor module to the battery sensor module.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

I) the cell sensor module controller communicating reduced data values from the cell sensor module to the battery sensor module.

31. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

J) the battery sensor module controller reducing data communicated to it from a cell sensor module.

32. The method of claim 19 wherein the step C)of communicating comprises the step of:

C1) communicating along an isolated-power network that includes a network interface at each cell sensor module, the interface respectively including local and remote power connections for the cell sensor and network sides of the interface.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein step C1) comprising the step of communicating along a daisy-chain serial link.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein step C2) comprises the step of communicating through opto-isolators configured to transmit data across the interface opto-electronically.

35. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

K) communicating battery- or cell-related information between at least one battery sensor module and an external network through an alarm interface.

36. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein the sensor module is configured to monitor a high-voltage battery array.

37. The battery monitor system of claim 2 wherein the sensor module is configured to monitor a high-voltage vehicle-based battery array.

3. The battery monitor system of clam 1 wherein at least one cell sensor module is configured to sense the voltage of a battery cell to which it is attached.

19. A method of monitoring a battery comprising the steps of:

A) sensing one or more cell related physical parameters in a plurality of cell sensor modules;

B) sensing one or more battery related physical parameters in a battery sensor module;

and

C) communicating data related to the cell sensing to the battery sensor module.

20. The method of clam 19 wherein the step A) of sensing cell related physical parameter comprises the step of:

A1) a cell sensor module sensing the voltage of a battery cell to which it is attached.