FLEXIBLE BUS ARCHITECTURE FOR MONITORING AND CONTROL OF BATTERY PACK

• US 20110239053A1
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: O2 Micro International Limited (O2 Micro Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: O2 Micro International Limited (O2 Micro Incorporated)
• Inventors: Li, Guoxing, Zeng, Xiaojun, Hou, Xiaohua, Xiao, Anquan
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/221 to test buses, lines or interfaces, e.g. stuck-at or open line faults
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• 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 method for diagnosing a control system for a stacked battery is disclosed. The control system comprises a plurality of processors, a plurality of controllers, and a monitoring unit (control unit). The method comprises sending a diagnostic information from the central unit to a top processor of the plurality of processors, transmitting a return information from the top processor of the plurality of processors to the central unit, comparing the diagnostic information sent from the central unit with the return information received by the central unit, and indicating a communication problem if the diagnostic information sent from the central unit is different from the return information received by the central unit. The steps are repeated by eliminating the top processor from a previous cycle and assigning a new top processor if there is no problem with the reconfigurable communication system.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing a control system for a stacked battery, the control system having a central unit in communication with a plurality of processors and a plurality of controllers, the plurality of processors being coupled in series, each processor being in communication with a controller, the method comprising:

a) sending a diagnostic information from the central unit to a top processor of the plurality of processors;

b) transmitting a return information from the top processor of the plurality of processors to the central unit;

c) comparing the diagnostic information sent from the central unit with the return information received by the central unit;

d) indicating a communication problem if the diagnostic information sent from the central unit is different from the return information received by the central unit; and

e) repeat steps a) to d) by eliminating the top processor from a previous cycle and assigning a new top processor if step d) indicates no problem with the reconfigurable communication system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

f) sending the diagnostic information from the top processor of the plurality of processors to the controller with which it is in communication; and

g) receiving the return information at the top processor of the plurality of processors from the controller with which it is in communication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controllers being coupled in series and in communication with the central unit, further comprising the step a) further comprising:

h) sending the diagnostic information from the central unit to a top controller of the plurality of controllers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the diagnostic information being sent from the central unit to the top controller of the plurality of controllers without passing through the plurality of processors.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of reconfiguring the control system for the diagnostic information to by-pass the plurality of processors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when a communication problem is indicated, the method further comprises:

i) sending diagnostic information from the central unit to a diagnostic processor of the plurality of processors;

j) transmitting the diagnostic information from the diagnostic processor of the plurality of processors to the central unit that are below the diagnostic processor;

k) comparing the diagnostic information sent from the central unit with the diagnostic information received by the central unit; and

l) determining that the communication system below the diagnostic processor is in working condition when the diagnostic information sent from the central unit is not different from the diagnostic information received by the central unit.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining that communication between the diagnostic processor and a processor that is one level higher than the diagnostic processor is not in working condition when the diagnostic information sent from the central unit is different from the diagnostic information received by the central unit.

8. A control system for reconfiguring communication path in a stacked battery, comprising:

a control unit;

a plurality of processors coupled to the stacked battery and capable of receiving information from the control unit;

a plurality of controllers coupled to the stacked battery, two adjacent controllers communicating with each other through a second vertical bus, each processor being capable of receiving information from an adjacent controller through a lateral bus; and

a first plurality of isolators coupled to the plurality of processors, two adjacent processors of the plurality of processors communicating with each other through one isolator, the first plurality of isolators being coupled in a star fashion to the control unit,

wherein the control unit reconfigures the communication path among the plurality of processors and the plurality of controllers according to the information received back from the plurality of controllers.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the control unit receives information from a processor.

10. The control system of claim 8, wherein each processor has an analog digital converter coupled to the stacked battery for monitoring conditions of the stacked battery.

11. The control system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of controllers are active balancing controllers and each balancing controller is used for balancing loads of a plurality of battery cells within one battery pack in the stacked battery.

12. A system for controlling a plurality of battery packs, each battery pack having a plurality of battery cells coupled in series, the system comprising:

a control unit;

a plurality of processors connected in series, each processor being in communication with one adjacent processor through a first bus, at least one processor being in communication with the control unit;

a plurality of controllers for balancing loads of the plurality of battery cells, each controller being in communication with an adjacent controller through a second vertical bus; and

a first plurality of isolators in communication with the plurality of controllers, a isolator connecting a controller to a second bus,

wherein the control unit communicates with the plurality of controllers through the second bus.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a second plurality of isolators in communication with the plurality of processors and the control unit.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second plurality of isolators being in communication with the plurality of processors are connected in a cascade fashion.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the control unit communicates with the plurality of controllers through the plurality of isolators.