HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE APPLICATIONS

• US 20120248881A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Changs Ascending Enterprise Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Changs Ascending Enterprise Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chang, Chun-Chieh, Chang, Tsun Yu
• Granted Patent: US 9,184,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/87
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/00 Line transmission systems combined with near-field transmission systems H04B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

In one embodiment, a battery management system comprising a first circuit comprising a first plurality of circuit elements arranged in series, the first plurality of circuit elements comprising: a direct current (DC) voltage source, and first plural switching devices, each of the first plural switching devices connected to, and operably switched by, a first detection device associated with a battery module to cause a voltage difference responsive to detection of an event corresponding to operation of the battery module.

Claims

1. A battery management system, comprising:

a first circuit comprising a first plurality of circuit elements arranged in series, the first plurality of circuit elements comprising;

a direct current (DC) voltage source; and

first plural switching devices, each of the first plural switching devices connected to, and operably switched by, a first detection device associated with a battery module to cause a voltage difference responsive to detection of an event corresponding to operation of the battery module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first plural switching devices electrically isolate the voltage source from the battery modules.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein the first detection device is configured to detect a first event corresponding to operation of the associated battery module, and responsive to the detection, cause the associated switching device of the first plural switching devices to actuate, whereby the control unit responsively detects a voltage difference from the voltage source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of circuit elements comprises a control circuit, and further comprising a second circuit, the second circuit comprising a second plurality of circuit elements arranged in series, the second plurality of circuit elements comprising the voltage source, the control unit, and second plural switching devices, each of the second plural switching devices connected to, and operably switched by, a second detection device associated with the battery module to cause a voltage difference responsive to detection of an event corresponding to operation of the battery module.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second detection device is configured to detect the second event corresponding to operation of the associated battery module, and responsive to the detection, cause the associated switching device of the second plural switching devices to actuate, whereby the control unit responsively detects a voltage difference from the voltage source.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein each of the first plural switching devices is further switchably operated by a second detection device to cause a voltage difference responsive to detection of a different event.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein the first plurality of circuit elements comprises second plural switching devices, each of the second plural switching devices connected to, and operably switched by, a second detection device associated with the battery module to cause a voltage difference responsive to detection of a different event.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit is connected to each of the first plural switching devices, enabling identification by the control unit of one of the first plural switching devices that is operably switched by the respective first detection device.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit comprises a vehicle electrical control unit (ECU).

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit comprises a controller board coupled to a vehicle electrical control unit (ECU), wherein the first circuit is controller area network (CAN)-capable.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first circuit further comprises a converter coupled to the voltage source, wherein the converter is configured to convert a first voltage to a second voltage.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising an alarm indicator connected between terminals of the first switching device, the alarm indicator providing a visual indication, an audio indication, or a combination of both.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to receive an alarm corresponding to the event, the alarm generated by the battery module.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first detection device is powered by the battery module.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, the control unit included in a second circuit comprising the voltage source, the first circuit further including a resistor, wherein the control unit is connected to the first and last switching devices only of the first plural switching devices, wherein the voltage difference is detected by detecting a voltage difference from a voltage corresponding to the voltage source to approximately zero responsive to detection of the voltage difference between the first and the last switching devices.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit, the control unit included in a second circuit comprising the voltage source, the first circuit further including a resistor, wherein control unit is connected to each of the first plural switching devices, wherein the voltage difference is detected by detecting a voltage difference from a voltage corresponding to the voltage source to approximately zero responsive to detection of the voltage difference between one of the first plural switching devices.

17. A battery management system, comprising:

a first circuit comprising a first plurality of circuit elements arranged in series, the first plurality of circuit elements comprising;

a control unit;

a direct current (DC) voltage source; and

first plural switching devices, each of the first plural switching devices connected to a first detection device associated with a battery module; and

a second circuit comprising a second plurality of circuit elements arranged in series, the second circuit having a normally open circuit configuration, the second plurality of circuit elements comprising the control unit, the DC voltage source, and second plural switching devices, each of the second plural switching devices connected to one of the respective first plural switching devices, wherein a closure of the second circuit causes activation of the first plural switching devices in a reset operation.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein responsive to closure of the second circuit, the first plural switching devices only are closed as caused by a reset.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the closure is responsive to either actuation of the controller or manual activation.

20. A battery management method, comprising:

detecting at a first detection device an event corresponding to an operation of a battery module, the battery module configured to power the first detection device;

responsive to the detecting, opening a first switching device, the first switching device comprising a circuit element serially arranged among a plurality of circuit elements arranged in series, the plurality of circuit elements comprising a direct current (DC) voltage source;

detecting at a control unit the voltage difference corresponding to the opened first switching device; and

providing an alarm responsive to the detecting at the control unit, the alarm corresponding to the event.