Method and apparatus for high-voltage battery array monitoring sensors network

• US 6,677,759 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2002
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Friel, Daniel D., Hruska, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US10/131,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 320/119, 320/122, 320/134, 320/136, 320/155, 324/430, 324/426
• US Class Current: 324/430
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

A battery-monitoring system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes one or more cell sensors modules linked to a battery sensor module via a data interface. In turn, the one or more battery sensor modules may be linked to an alarm interface. Each cell sensor module includes one or more sensors that monitor physical parameters, such as cell voltage and temperature, related to the corresponding cell. Each battery sensor module monitors physical parameters, such as battery voltage, discharge current, and temperature related to the battery. The battery sensor module also gather cell monitoring information from the plurality of cell sensor modules. Various battery monitor-related analytical, control, and reporting functions may be performed by the various modules.

Claims

1. A battery monitor system comprising:

a plurality of cell sensor modules configured to monitor one or more physical parameters related to an associated battery cell, each of said plurality of cell sensor modules records the number of times when one or more sensed cell values exceed one or more threshold values, wherein the one or more sensed cell values are associated with the one or more physical parameters related to the associated battery cell;

a battery sensor module configured to monitor one or more physical parameters related to an associated battery; and

a network connecting said cell sensor modules and battery sensor module, said network configured to transmit information to and from said cell and battery sensor modules.

2. The battery monitor system of claim 1 further wherein the network is an isolated power network.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the isolated power network includes a network interface at each cell sensor module, the interface respectively including local and remote power connections for the cell sensor and network sides of the interface.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the network is a daisy-chained serial link.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein each interface includes an opto-isolator configured to transmit data across the interface opto-electronically.

6. The battery monitor system of claim 2 wherein the sensor module is configured to monitor a high-voltage vehicle-based battery array.

7. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein at least one cell sensor module is configured to sense the voltage of a battery cell to which it is attached.

8. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein at least one cell sensor module is configured to sense the temperature of a battery cell to which it is attached.

9. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein a battery sensor module is configured to sense the voltage of a battery with which it is in electrical communication.

10. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein a battery sensor module is configured to sense the current of a battery with which it is in electrical communication.

11. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein at least one battery sensor module is configured to sense the temperature of a battery with which it is in electrical communication.

12. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein each cell sensor module includes a controller that is configured to log data related to the one or more sensed cell values.

13. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein the battery sensor module includes a controller that is configured to record the number of times when one or more sensed battery values exceed one or more threshold values, wherein the one or more sensed battery values are associated with the one or more physical parameters related to the associated battery.

14. The battery monitor system of claim 13 wherein the battery sensor module controller is configured to log data related to the one or more sensed battery values.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the cell sensor module controller and the battery sensor module controller are configured to communicate sensed values from the cell sensor module to the battery sensor module.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the cell sensor module controller and the battery sensor module controller are configured to communicate processed data values from the cell sensor module to the battery sensor module.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the battery sensor module controller is configured to process data communicated from any one of said plurality of cell sensor modules.

18. The system of claim 1 further comprising an alarm interface configured to communicate battery-related data between at least one battery sensor module and an external network.

36. The battery monitor system of claim 1 wherein the sensor module is configured to monitor a high-voltage battery array.

19. A method of monitoring a battery comprising the steps of:

sensing one or more cell related physical parameters with a plurality of cell sensor modules;

recording the number of times one or more sensed cell values exceed one or more threshold values, wherein the one or more sensed cell values are associated with the one or more cell related physical parameters;

sensing one or more battery related physical parameters with a battery sensor module; and

communicating data related to the step of cell sensing to the battery sensor module.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of sensing cell related physical parameter comprises the step of:

sensing battery cell voltage.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of sensing cell related physical parameters comprises the step of:

sensing battery cell temperature.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of sensing battery related physical parameters comprises the step of:

sensing battery voltage.

23. The method claim 19 wherein the step C, of sensing battery related physical parameters comprises the step of:

sensing battery current.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of sensing battery related physical parameters includes the step of:

sensing battery temperature.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of recording comprises the step of:

recording the number of times the one or more sensed cell values exceed one or more threshold values with a controller within each cell sensor module.

26. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

logging data related to the sensed cell values.

27. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

recording the number of times one or more sensed battery values exceed one or more threshold values.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of:

processing and logging data related to the one or more sensed battery values.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

communicating sensed values from the cell sensor module to the battery sensor module.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

communicating processed data values from the cell sensor module to the battery sensor module.

31. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of:

processing data from the plurality of cell sensor modules.

32. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of communicating comprises the step of:

communicating along an isolated-power network that includes a network interface at each cell sensor module, the interface respectively including local and remote power connections for the cell sensor and network sides of the interface.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of communicating comprises the step of communicating along a daisy-chain serial link.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of communicating comprises the step of communicating through opto-isolators configured to transmit data opto-electronically.

35. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

communicating battery- or cell- related information between at least one battery sensor module and an external network through an alarm interface.