BATTERY MANAGEMENT CIRCUIT, BATTERY MODULE AND BATTERY MANAGEMENT METHOD

• US 20120032513A1
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Energy Pass Incorporation
• Original Assignee: Energy Pass Incorporation
• Inventors: TSU, ROBERT Y.H., LIN, CHING LONG
• Application Number:
  US13/197,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032513A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/43
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence

Abstract

A battery management circuit, a battery module and a battery management method are provided. The battery management circuit includes a conduction circuit and a control circuit. The battery management is coupled to a rechargeable battery cell and has a first conduction path passing through the rechargeable battery cell and a second conduction path without passing through the rechargeable battery cell. The control circuit is coupled to the rechargeable battery cell and the conduction circuit, and conducts selectively the first conduction path or the second conduction path of the conduction circuit so as to avoid over charging or over discharging of the rechargeable battery cell.

Claims

1. A battery management circuit suitable for a rechargeable battery, comprising:

a conduction circuit coupled to the rechargeable battery, the conduction circuit having a first conduction path passing through the rechargeable battery and a second conduction path without passing through the rechargeable battery; and

a control circuit coupled to the rechargeable battery and the conduction circuit for selectively conducting the first conduction path or the second conduction path of the conduction circuit according to a battery voltage of the rechargeable battery.

2. The battery management circuit according to claim 1, wherein when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is greater than a first threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the second conduction path and turns off the first conduction path;

when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is less than a second threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the second conduction path and turns off the first conduction path;

when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is less than the first threshold value and greater than the second threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the first conduction path and turns off the second conduction path, wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value.

3. The battery management circuit according to claim 1, wherein the conduction circuit comprises:

a first switch coupled to a positive electrode of the rechargeable battery and a first terminal;

a second switch coupled to a negative electrode of the rechargeable battery and a second terminal; and

a third switch coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal;

wherein when the battery voltage of the rechargeable is greater than a first threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the third switch and turns off the first switch and the second switch;

when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is less than a second threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the third switch and turns off the first switch and the second switch;

when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is less than the first threshold value and greater than the second threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the first switch and the second switch and turns off the third switch.

4. The battery management circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit comprises:

a voltage sensing unit coupled to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the rechargeable battery for sensing the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery;

a control unit coupled to the voltage sensing unit and the conduction circuit for controlling the conduction circuit to conduct the first conduction path or the second conduction path according to the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery, wherein the control circuit further comprises a current sensing unit coupled to the rechargeable battery and the control unit for sensing a current value flowing through the rechargeable battery;

wherein the control unit calculates a state of charge of the rechargeable battery according to the battery voltage and the current value flowing through the rechargeable battery.

5. A battery module, comprising:

a plurality of power units, each power unit having a rechargeable battery; and

a array controller having a plurality of channels coupled to the power units respectively, the array controller respectively detecting the states of charge of the rechargeable batteries through the channels and respectively controlling the charge/discharge paths of the rechargeable battery according to the states of charge of the rechargeable batteries.

6. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein each power unit has a battery management circuit coupled to the rechargeable battery, the battery management circuit comprising:

a conduction circuit coupled to the rechargeable battery, the conduction circuit having a first conduction path passing through the rechargeable battery and a second conduction path without passing through the rechargeable battery; and

a control circuit coupled to the rechargeable battery and the conduction circuit for selectively conducting the first conduction path or the second conduction path of the conduction circuit according to a battery voltage of the rechargeable battery.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is greater than a first threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the second conduction path and turns off the first conduction path;

when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is less than a second threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the second conduction path and turns off the first conduction path;

when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is less than the first threshold value and greater than the second threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the first conduction path and turns off the second conduction path, wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value.

8. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein the conduction circuit comprises:

a first switch coupled to a positive terminal of the rechargeable battery and a first terminal;

a second switch coupled to a negative terminal of the rechargeable battery and a second terminal; and

a third switch coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal;

wherein when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is greater than a first threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the third switch and turns off the first switch and the second switch;

when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is less than a second threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the third switch and turns off the first switch and the second switch;

when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery is less than the first threshold value and greater than the second threshold value, the conduction circuit conducts the first switch and the second switch and turns off the third switch, wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value.

9. The battery module according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit comprises:

a voltage sensing unit coupled to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of the rechargeable battery for sensing the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery;

a control unit coupled to the voltage sensing unit and the conduction circuit for controlling the conduction circuit to conduct the first conduction path or the second conduction path according to the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery, wherein the control circuit further comprises a current sensing unit coupled to the rechargeable battery and the control unit for sensing a current value flowing through the rechargeable battery;

wherein the control unit calculates a state of charge of the rechargeable battery according to the battery voltage and a current value flowing through the rechargeable battery.

10. A battery module, comprising:

a plurality of battery sets, each battery set having a plurality of rechargeable batteries;

a backup battery set having a plurality of rechargeable batteries;

a power path circuit coupled to the battery sets and the backup battery set for switching conduction paths of the battery sets and the backup battery set;

a voltage sensing unit coupled to the power path circuit for sensing whether the battery voltages of the battery sets are normal; and

a controller coupled to the voltage sensing unit and the power path circuit;

wherein the controller determines whether the battery sets are damaged according to a sense result from the voltage sensing unit, when one of the battery sets is damaged, the controller adjusts the conduction paths of the battery sets and the backup battery set through the power path circuit to replace the damaged battery set with the backup battery set.

11. A battery management method, comprising:

a. providing a plurality of channels respectively coupled to a plurality of power units, each power unit having a rechargeable battery;

b. respectively detecting states of charge of the rechargeable batteries through the channels; and

c. respectively controlling the charge/discharge paths of the rechargeable batteries according to the states of charge of the rechargeable batteries.

12. The battery management method according to claim 11, wherein the step c further comprises:

respectively providing a first conduction path and a second conduction path to each rechargeable battery, wherein the first conduction path passing through the corresponding rechargeable battery and the second conduction path is configured without passing through the corresponding rechargeable battery; and

selectively conducting the first conduction path or the second conduction path of each rechargeable battery according to a battery voltage of each rechargeable battery to protect each rechargeable battery from damage.

13. The battery management method according to claim 12, wherein when a battery voltage of a first rechargeable battery of the rechargeable batteries is in a predetermined interval, the first conduction path corresponding to the first rechargeable battery is conducted and the second conduction path corresponding to the first rechargeable battery is turned off;

when the battery voltage the first rechargeable battery of the rechargeable batteries is not in the predetermined interval, the second conduction path corresponding to the first rechargeable battery is conducted and the first conduction path corresponding to the first rechargeable battery is turned off, wherein the predetermined interval is less than a first threshold value and greater than the second threshold value.