Battery System

• US 20100001737A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shibahara, Gosuke, Kikuchi, Mutsumi, Kudo, Akihiko, Kubo, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 9,647,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/434
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• 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: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• 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 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery system includes a battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells, a plurality of integrated circuits that group the battery cells by a plurality thereof so as to perform processing on battery cells in each group, a first transmission path through which a command signal is transmitted via a first insulating circuit from a higher-order control circuit that controls the plurality of integrated circuits to a highest-order integrated circuit of the integrated circuit, a second transmission path through which a data signal collected by the plurality of integrated circuits is transmitted from the highest-order integrated circuit to a lowest-order integrated circuit, and a third transmission path through which the data signal is transmitted from the lowest-order integrated circuit to the higher-order control circuit via a second insulating circuit.

Claims

1. A battery system, comprising:

a first battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected first battery cell groups each constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells;

a second battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected second battery cell groups each constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells;

one power supply line that is connected to one end of the first battery module;

another power supply line that is connected to the other end of the second battery module;

a connector that is provided between the first and second battery modules so as to removably connect the other end of the first battery module and the one end of the second battery module in series;

a plurality of first integrated circuits that are provided corresponding to each of the first battery cell groups so as to perform processing on each of the first battery cell groups constituting the first battery module; and

a plurality of second integrated circuits that are provided corresponding to each of the second battery cell groups so as to perform processing on each of the second battery cell groups constituting the second battery module, wherein;

the first and second integrated circuits each include transmission terminals for outputting information and reception terminals for receiving information;

transmission terminals of the first integrated circuits are respectively connected to reception terminals of adjacent first integrated circuits so as to form a serially connected first transmission path; and

transmission terminals of the second integrated circuits are respectively connected to reception terminals of adjacent second integrated circuits so as to form a serially connected second transmission path, further comprising;

a first insulating circuit for performing information transmission between the reception terminal or the transmission terminal of the first integrated circuit provided corresponding to the first battery cell group at the other end of the first battery module and another control circuit; and

a second insulating circuit for performing information transmission between the reception terminal or the transmission terminal of the second integrated circuit provided corresponding to the second battery cell group at one end of the second battery module and another control circuit.

2. A battery system, comprising:

a first battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected first battery cell groups each constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells;

a second battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected second battery cell groups each constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells;

one power supply line that is connected to one end of the first battery module;

another power supply line that is connected to the other end of the second battery module;

a connector that is provided between the first and second battery modules so as to removably connect the other end of the first battery module and the one end of the second battery module in series;

a plurality of first integrated circuits that are provided corresponding to each of the first battery cell groups so as to perform processing on each of the first battery cell groups constituting the first battery module;

a plurality of detection lines that are provided for respectively inputting each terminal voltage at a plurality of battery cells constituting each first battery cell group to each of the first integrated circuits that has been provided correspondingly;

a plurality of second integrated circuits that are provided corresponding to each of the second battery cell groups so as to perform processing on each of the second battery cell groups constituting the second battery module; and

a plurality of detection lines that are provided for respectively inputting each terminal voltage at a plurality of battery cells constituting each second battery cell group to each of the second integrated circuits that has been provided correspondingly, wherein;

the first and second integrated circuits each include transmission terminals for outputting information and reception terminals for receiving information;

transmission terminals of the first integrated circuits are respectively connected to reception terminals of adjacent first integrated circuits so as to form a serially connected first transmission path; and

transmission terminals of the second integrated circuits are respectively connected to reception terminals of adjacent second integrated circuits so as to form a serially connected second transmission path, further comprising;

a first insulating circuit for performing information transmission between the reception terminal or the transmission terminal of the first integrated circuit provided corresponding to the first battery cell group at the one end of the first battery module and another control circuit;

a second insulating circuit for performing information transmission between the reception terminal or the transmission terminal of the first integrated circuit provided corresponding to the first battery cell group at the other end of the first battery module and another control circuit;

a third insulating circuit for performing information transmission between the reception terminal or the transmission terminal of the second integrated circuit provided corresponding to the second battery cell group at the one end of the second battery module and another control circuit; and

a fourth insulating circuit for performing information transmission between the reception terminal or the transmission terminal of the second integrated circuit provided corresponding to the second battery cell group at the other end of the second battery module and another control circuit.

3. A battery system, comprising:

a first lithium ion battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected first lithium ion battery cell groups constituted with a plurality of serially connected lithium ion battery cells;

a second lithium ion battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected second lithium ion battery cell groups constituted with a plurality of serially connected lithium ion battery cells;

a connector that removably connects the first lithium ion battery module with the second lithium ion battery module in series;

one power supply line that is connected to one end of the first lithium ion battery module;

another power supply line that is connected to the other end of the second lithium ion battery module;

a plurality of first integrated circuits that are provided corresponding to each first lithium ion battery cell group constituting the first lithium ion battery module so as to perform processing on lithium ion battery cells of corresponding first lithium ion battery cell group; and

a plurality of second integrated circuits that are provided corresponding to each second lithium ion battery cell group constituting the second lithium ion battery module so as to perform processing on lithium ion battery cells of corresponding second lithium ion battery cell group, wherein;

the first and second integrated circuits each include transmission terminals for transmitting signals and reception terminals for receiving signals, and each further include a plurality of voltage detection terminals for receiving terminal voltage at each lithium ion battery cell constituting a corresponding lithium ion battery cell group;

a first transmission path is formed by electrically connecting transmission terminals of the plurality of first integrated circuits and reception terminals of adjacent first integrated circuits respectively;

a second transmission path is formed by electrically connecting transmission terminals of the plurality of second integrated circuits and reception terminals of adjacent second integrated circuits respectively, and

an insulating circuit is provided for performing information transmission between the reception terminal or the transmission terminal of the first integrated circuit provided corresponding to the first lithium ion battery cell group at the other end of the first lithium ion battery module and the reception terminal or the transmission terminal of the second integrated circuit provided corresponding to the second lithium ion battery cell group at the one end of the second lithium ion battery module, so as to perform information transmission between the first transmission path and the second transmission path via the insulating circuit.

4. A battery system, comprising:

a first lithium ion battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected first lithium ion battery cell groups constituted with a plurality of serially connected lithium ion battery cells;

a second lithium ion battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected second lithium ion battery cell groups constituted with a plurality of serially connected lithium ion battery cells;

one power supply line that is connected to one end of the first lithium ion battery module;

another power supply line that is connected to the other end of the second lithium ion battery module;

a connector that removably connects the first lithium ion battery module with the second lithium ion battery module in series;

a plurality of first integrated circuits that are provided corresponding to each first lithium ion battery cell group constituting the first lithium ion battery module so as to perform processing on lithium ion battery cells of corresponding first lithium ion battery cell group;

a plurality of second integrated circuits that are provided corresponding to each second lithium ion battery cell group constituting the second lithium ion battery module so as to perform processing on lithium ion battery cells of corresponding second lithium ion battery cell group; and

a control circuit that controls the plurality of first and second integrated circuits, wherein;

a series circuit is formed by electrically connecting the one power supply line, the first lithium ion battery module, the connector, the second lithium ion battery module, and the other power supply line;

the control circuit, including transmission terminals for transmitting information and reception terminals for receiving information, operates based upon a power source electrically insulated from the series circuit;

each of the first and second integrated circuits includes transmission terminals for transmitting information, reception terminals for receiving information, and voltage detection terminals for receiving terminal voltage at each lithium ion battery cell constituting a corresponding lithium ion battery cell group, includes an analog/digital converter circuit therein, and converts terminal voltage at each lithium ion battery cell that has been input to the voltage detection terminal into a digital value and holds the same;

a first transmission path is formed by electrically connecting transmission terminals of the plurality of first integrated circuits and reception terminals of adjacent first integrated circuits;

a second transmission path is formed by electrically connecting transmission terminals of the plurality of second integrated circuits and reception terminals of adjacent second integrated circuits;

a first insulating circuit is provided for performing information transmission between the transmission terminals of the control circuit and the reception terminals of the first integrated circuit provided corresponding to the first lithium ion battery cell group at the one end of the first lithium ion battery module, so as to perform information transmission between the control circuit and the first transmission path via the first insulating circuit;

a second insulating circuit is provided for performing information transmission between the transmission terminals of the first integrated circuit provided corresponding to the first lithium ion battery cell group at the other end of the first lithium ion battery module and the reception terminals of the second integrated circuit provided corresponding to the second lithium ion battery cell group at the one end of the second lithium ion battery module, so as to perform information transmission between the first transmission path and the second transmission path via the second insulating circuit; and

a third insulating circuit is provided for performing information transmission between the transmission terminals of the second integrated circuit provided corresponding to the second lithium ion battery cell group at the other end of the second lithium ion battery module and the reception terminals of the control circuit, so as to perform information transmission between the second transmission path and the control circuit via the third insulating circuit.

5. A battery system, comprising:

a first battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells;

a second battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells;

a connector that removably connects the first battery module with the second battery module in series;

a plurality of first integrated circuits that group battery cells of the first battery module by a plurality thereof so as to perform processing on battery cells in each group;

a plurality of second integrated circuits that group battery cells of the second battery module by a plurality thereof so as to perform processing on battery cells in each group;

a first transmission path through which a command signal is transmitted via a first insulating circuit from a higher-order control circuit that controls the plurality of first and second integrated circuits to a highest-order first integrated circuit of the plurality of first integrated circuits;

a second transmission path through which a data signal collected by the plurality of first integrated circuits is transmitted from the highest-order first integrated circuit to a lowest-order first integrated circuit;

a third transmission path through which the data signal collected by the plurality of first integrated circuits is transmitted from the lowest-order first integrated circuit to the higher-order control circuit via a second insulating circuit that is driven with electric power by a total voltage at the first battery module;

a fourth transmission path through which a command signal is transmitted via a third insulating circuit from the higher-order control circuit to a highest-order second integrated circuit of the plurality of second integrated circuits;

a fifth transmission path through which a data signal collected by the plurality of second integrated circuits is transmitted from the highest-order second integrated circuit to a lowest-order second integrated circuit; and

a sixth transmission path through which the data signals collected by the plurality of first and second integrated circuits are transmitted from the lowest-order second integrated circuit to the higher-order control circuit via a fourth insulating circuit that is driven with electric power by a total voltage at the second battery module.

6. A battery system, comprising:

a first battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells;

a second battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells;

a connector that removably connects the first battery module with the second battery module in series;

a plurality of first integrated circuits that group battery cells of the first battery module by a plurality thereof so as to perform processing on battery cells in each group;

a plurality of second integrated circuits that group battery cells of the second battery module by a plurality thereof so as to perform processing on battery cells in each group;

a first transmission path through which a command signal is transmitted via a first insulating circuit from a higher-order control circuit that controls the plurality of first and second integrated circuits to a highest-order first integrated circuit of the plurality of first integrated circuits;

a second transmission path through which a data signal collected by the plurality of first integrated circuits is transmitted from the highest-order first integrated circuit to a lowest-order first integrated circuit;

a third transmission path through which the data signal collected by the plurality of first integrated circuits is transmitted from the lowest-order first integrated circuit to a highest-order second integrated circuit of the plurality of second integrated circuits via a second insulating circuit;

a fourth transmission path through which the data signal collected by the plurality of first integrated circuits and a data signal collected by the plurality of second integrated circuits are transmitted from the highest-order second integrated circuit to a lowest-order second integrated circuit; and

a fifth transmission path through which the data signals collected by the plurality of first and second integrated circuits are transmitted from the lowest-order second integrated circuit to the higher-order control circuit via a third insulating circuit that is driven with electric power by a total voltage at the second battery module.

7. A battery system, comprising:

a battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells;

a plurality of integrated circuits that group the battery cells by a plurality thereof so as to perform processing on battery cells in each group;

a first transmission path through which a command signal is transmitted via a first insulating circuit from a higher-order control circuit that controls the plurality of integrated circuits to a highest-order integrated circuit of the integrated circuit;

a second transmission path through which a data signal collected by the plurality of integrated circuits is transmitted from the highest-order integrated circuit to a lowest-order integrated circuit; and

a third transmission path through which the data signal collected by the plurality of integrated circuits is transmitted from the lowest-order integrated circuit to the higher-order control circuit via a second insulating circuit that is driven with electric power by a total voltage at the battery module.

8. A battery system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a constant current circuit that uniforms the electric power by the total voltage at the battery module and supplies the uniformed electric power to the second insulating circuit.

9. A battery system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a conduction control circuit that puts the first insulating circuit into a driving state in response to a startup signal that is output from the higher-order control circuit when the command signal is output and that puts the first insulating circuit into a non-driving state when the command signal is not output.

10. A battery system according to claim 9, wherein:

the conduction control circuit includes a circuit hold function that holds the first insulating circuit in the driving state even if the startup signal has disappeared after the command signal is output and the highest-order integrated circuit is driven.

11. A battery system according to claim 9, wherein:

the integrated circuits each comprise;

a constant voltage circuit that steps down a total voltage of the grouped battery cells to a predetermined voltage; and

a signal generation circuit that uses a potential difference in the predetermined voltage to a ground level of each of the integrated circuits as a drive voltage so as to generate the data signal whose crest value is equal to or less than the drive voltage.

12. A battery system according to claim 11, comprising:

a startup circuit that starts up the constant voltage circuit by the startup signal; and

a startup signal transmission circuit that transmits the startup signal from the highest-order integrated circuit to the lowest-order integrated circuit.

13. A battery system according to claim 11, wherein:

the integrated circuit includes a first switching circuit that switches thresholds for level decision to a signal received via the transmission path, and, based upon a control signal provided from outside, switching of the first switching circuit is selected.

14. A battery system according to claim 7, wherein:

the integrated circuit includes a second switching circuit that switches whether to transmit the data signal with its waveform inverted or to transmit the data signal with its waveform non-inverted, and, based upon a control signal provided from outside, switching of the second switching circuit is selected.

15. A battery system according to claim 7, wherein:

the integrated circuit includes a control terminal to which a control signal that instructs a number of battery cells to be processed at the integrated circuit is four or six is input.

16. A battery system according to claim 7, wherein:

resistors are provided between terminals of the battery cells and terminal voltage input sections of the integrated circuits.

17. A battery system, comprising:

a plurality of integrated circuits that group battery cells of a battery module constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells into a plurality of groups, that perform processing on the battery cells in each group, and that are controlled by a higher-order control circuit;

a first transmission path through which a command signal is transmitted from the higher-order control circuit to a highest-order integrated circuit of the plurality of integrated circuits;

a second transmission path through which a data signal collected by the plurality of integrated circuits is transmitted from the highest-order integrated circuit to a lowest-order integrated circuit;

a third transmission path through which the data signal collected by the plurality of integrated circuits is transmitted from the lowest-order integrated circuit to the higher-order control circuit;

a first insulating circuit that is placed on the first transmission path and driven at a predetermined electric power; and

a second insulating circuit that is placed on the third transmission path and driven with electric power by a total voltage at the battery module.