BATTERY MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20150048673A1
• Filed: 01/11/2013
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sandeep Kumar Chintala
• Original Assignee: Sandeep Kumar Chintala
• Inventors: Chintala, Sandeep Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 9,895,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/19 Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A battery management apparatus and method for use in an electrical vehicle has a plurality of individual batteries 34 provided within a battery pack 10. The battery pack is coupled to power vehicle traction 12 and a plurality of individually connectable vehicle appliances 18-26. A monitor keeps track of charge state by means of a battery monitor 44 on each battery relaying instant current to a processor 27. In a first embodiment, a charge allocation profile for the whole battery pack 10 is used where different appliances 18-26 have different amounts of charge capacity allocated to them and are disconnected when discharge exceeds their allocation and are reconnected during charging when their charge is again found. In a second embodiment, individual batteries 34 and appliances 18-26 are connected within a network configuration allowing anything to be connected to anything else. Battery 10 segments can be created, each having one or more allocated individual batteries and each segment connected to selectable services 12 18-26 within the electric vehicle. Segmentation patterns can be changed. A segment charge allocation profile can be used within each segment in much the same way that the charge allocation profile can be used and changed for the first embodiment. Progressive charging and discharging of the battery is the end result.

Claims

1. An apparatus operable to control charge and discharge of a storage battery, the apparatus comprising:

a battery pack;

means selectably operable to connect the battery pack to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile;

means operable to monitor the state of charge of the battery pack;

means operable to compare the state of charge of the battery pack with the charge allocation profile;

means operable to determine when the difference between the monitored state of charge and the profile passes a threshold amount;

and

means operable to adjust the state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the threshold being passed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising means to select a new charge allocation profile in response to the threshold being passed.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising at least one of:

means to receive the new charge allocation profile from a user;

and

means automatically to receive the new charge allocation profile from a controlling processor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising means operable by the user to change the allocation profile at any time.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, during battery pack discharging, a power consuming item is disconnected when its charge allocation profile entry falls to zero;

and, during battery pack charging, a power consuming item is reconnected whenever the battery pack charge allocated to that power consuming item rises above zero.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 used in an electrical vehicle.

31. An apparatus according to claim 1 including means operable to provide progressive charging and discharging of the battery pack.

7. An apparatus for controlling charge and discharge of a battery pack where;

the battery pack comprises a plurality of individual batteries, and wherein the apparatus comprises;

means operable to select one or more individual batteries to supply power in an individual segment;

where

the apparatus comprises means operable to establish one or more segments;

and

no individual battery is selected to provide power in more than one segment.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising means operable to connect the or each segment to supply power to a selectable range of one or more power consuming items.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising means operable to re-assign individual batteries to within the one or more segments.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising means operable to control charge and discharge of the charge within a segment, the apparatus comprising:

means selectably operable to connect the segment to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile;

means operable to monitor the state of charge of the segment;

means operable to compare the state of charge of the segment with the segment charge allocation profile;

means operable to determine when the difference between the monitored segment charge and the segment charge allocation profile has passed a threshold amount; and

means operable to adjust the state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the segment threshold being passed.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising means to select a new segment charge allocation profile in response to the threshold being passed.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 comprising at least one of:

means to receive the new charge segment allocation profile from a user; and

means automatically to receive the new segment charge allocation profile from a controlling processor.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising means operable by the user to change the segment allocation profile at any time.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein, during segment discharging, a power consuming item is disconnected when its segment charge allocation profile entry falls to zero;

and, during segment charging, a power consuming item is reconnected whenever the segment charge allocated to that power consuming item rises above zero.

15. The apparatus of claim 7 used in an electrical vehicle.

32. An apparatus according to claim 7 including means operable to provide progressive charging and discharging of the battery pack.

16. A method for controlling charge and discharge of a storage battery, method comprising:

a step of selectably connecting a battery pack to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile;

a step of monitoring the state of charge of the battery pack;

a step of comparing the state of charge of the battery pack with the charge allocation profile;

a step of determining when the difference between the monitored state of charge and the charge allocation profile passes a threshold amount; and

a step of adjusting the state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the threshold being passed.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising a step of selecting a new charge allocation profile in response to the threshold being passed.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising at least one of:

a step of receiving the new charge allocation profile from a user;

and

a step of automatically receiving the new charge allocation profile from a controlling processor.

19. The method of claim 16 including a step of the user changing the allocation profile at any time.

20. The method of claim 16 including the steps of:

during battery pack discharging, a step of disconnecting a power consuming item when its charge allocation profile entry falls to zero; and

, during battery pack charging, a step of reconnecting a power consuming item whenever the battery pack charge allocated to that power consuming item rises above zero.

21. The method of claim 16 for use in an electrical vehicle.

33. The method, according to claim 16 including:

a step of progressively charging the battery pack; and

a step of progressively discharging the battery pack.

22. A method for controlling charge and discharge of a battery pack where the battery pack comprises a plurality of individual batteries, the method comprising:

a step of selecting one or more individual batteries to supply power in an individual segment;

a step of establishing one or more segments;

and

a step of selecting no individual battery provide power in more than one segment.

23. The method of claim 22 including a step of connecting the or each segment to supply power to a selectable range of one or more power consuming items.

24. The method of claim 22 including a step of re-assigning individual batteries to within the one or more segments.

25. The method of claim 22 including a step of controlling charge and discharge of the charge within a segment, comprising:

a step of selectably connecting the segment to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile;

a step of monitoring the state of charge of the segment;

a step of comparing the state of charge of the segment with the segment charge allocation profile;

a step of determining when the difference between the monitored state of charge and the segment charge allocation profile passes a threshold amount;

and

a step of adjusting the state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the segment threshold being passed.

26. The method of claim 22 including a step of selecting a new segment charge allocation profile in response to the threshold being passed.

27. The method of claim 26 comprising at least one of:

a step of receiving the new charge segment allocation profile from a user; and

a step of automatically receiving the new segment charge allocation profile from a controlling processor.

28. The method of claim 22 including the step of the user changing the segment allocation profile at any time.

29. The method of claim 22 including:

during segment discharging, a step of disconnecting a power consuming item when its segment charge allocation profile entry falls to zero; and

,

during segment charging, a step of reconnecting a power consuming item whenever the segment charge allocated to that power consuming item rises above zero.

30. The method of claim 22 for use in an electrical vehicle.

34. The method according to any of claim 22 including:

a step of progressively charging the battery pack; and

a step of progressively discharging the battery pack.

35-36. -36. (canceled)