Cell Monitoring And Balancing
First Claim
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1. A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack, said method comprising:
- sequentially sensing a node voltage at each of a plurality of nodes of a monitoring and balancing circuit, each node connecting one of the cells to a respective one of a plurality of monitoring and balancing (M&
B) sub-circuits of the monitoring and balancing circuit;
receiving the node voltage from each of the M&
B sub-circuits at a measurement node common to each of the M&
B sub-circuits, where the common measurement node is coupled via a single analog to digital converter (ADC) to a single input channel of a battery control unit and a resistor is coupled between the measurement node and ground;
monitoring a voltage potential for each of the plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing the a single channel of a battery control unit within the battery pack by receiving the node voltage signals from each of the M&
B sub-circuits during a discharge mode, at a first sample rate, via a single discharge mode ADC coupled to a common measurement node, the discharge mode ADC interposed between the battery control unit and each of the M&
B sub-circuits; and
receiving the node voltage signals from each of the M&
B sub-circuits during a charge mode, at a second sample rate that is slower than the first sample rate, via a single charge mode analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to a common measurement node, the charge mode ADC interposed between the battery control unit and each of the M&
B sub-circuits;
discontinuing current flow from battery pack when the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage during discharge of the battery pack; and
reducing the voltage potential stored in any one or more of the cells when a voltage differential between the respective one or more cells and any other one of the cells having a lesser voltage potential is determined by the battery control unit to exceed a predetermined maximum differential during charging of the battery pack.
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Abstract
A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack is provided. The method may include monitoring a voltage potential for each of a plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing a single channel of battery control unit within the battery pack. If, during discharge of the battery, e.g., the battery is being used to power a hand tool, the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage, the battery control unit discontinues a current flow from battery pack to the tool.
15 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring the voltage of each of a plurality of cells of a battery pack, said method comprising:
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sequentially sensing a node voltage at each of a plurality of nodes of a monitoring and balancing circuit, each node connecting one of the cells to a respective one of a plurality of monitoring and balancing (M&
B) sub-circuits of the monitoring and balancing circuit;receiving the node voltage from each of the M&
B sub-circuits at a measurement node common to each of the M&
B sub-circuits, where the common measurement node is coupled via a single analog to digital converter (ADC) to a single input channel of a battery control unit and a resistor is coupled between the measurement node and ground;monitoring a voltage potential for each of the plurality of cells in a battery pack utilizing the a single channel of a battery control unit within the battery pack by receiving the node voltage signals from each of the M&
B sub-circuits during a discharge mode, at a first sample rate, via a single discharge mode ADC coupled to a common measurement node, the discharge mode ADC interposed between the battery control unit and each of the M&
B sub-circuits; andreceiving the node voltage signals from each of the M&
B sub-circuits during a charge mode, at a second sample rate that is slower than the first sample rate, via a single charge mode analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to a common measurement node, the charge mode ADC interposed between the battery control unit and each of the M&
B sub-circuits;discontinuing current flow from battery pack when the voltage potential of any cell is determined by the battery control unit to be below a predetermined minimum voltage during discharge of the battery pack; and reducing the voltage potential stored in any one or more of the cells when a voltage differential between the respective one or more cells and any other one of the cells having a lesser voltage potential is determined by the battery control unit to exceed a predetermined maximum differential during charging of the battery pack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification