Battery module, pack of modules
First Claim
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1. A battery module, comprising:
- a plurality of rechargeable and dischargeable, electric energy storage cells;
two external terminals for cell utilization;
a message communication infrastructure comprising at least one communication access with the outside of the module;
a module control unit, comprising a message processing unit, connected to the communication infrastructure to send and receive messages over the communication infrastructure;
wherein at least two of the message systems are chosen from among;
(a) a first message system for cell characterizations;
(b) a second message system for cell forming; and
(c) a third message system for utilization of a battery pack comprising several modules connected via their user terminals, when the pack is associated with a consumer machine for the purpose of supplying it with electric energy;
are provided in the message processing unit, which is configurable into any one of the message systems provided thereupon for utilization of the communication infrastructure.
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Abstract
The application concerns a battery module, comprising cells, two external terminals, a message communication infrastructure, a module control unit comprising a message processing unit, connected to the infrastructure to send and receive messages. According to the application, at least two of the message systems chosen from among:
- a first message system for cell characterization,
- a second message system for cell forming, and
- a third message system for utilization of a battery pack comprising several modules connected via their user terminals, when the pack is associated with a consumer machine for the purpose of supplying it with electric energy, are provided in the message processing unit, which is able to be configured into any one of the message systems.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A battery module, comprising:
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a plurality of rechargeable and dischargeable, electric energy storage cells; two external terminals for cell utilization; a message communication infrastructure comprising at least one communication access with the outside of the module; a module control unit, comprising a message processing unit, connected to the communication infrastructure to send and receive messages over the communication infrastructure; wherein at least two of the message systems are chosen from among; (a) a first message system for cell characterizations; (b) a second message system for cell forming; and (c) a third message system for utilization of a battery pack comprising several modules connected via their user terminals, when the pack is associated with a consumer machine for the purpose of supplying it with electric energy; are provided in the message processing unit, which is configurable into any one of the message systems provided thereupon for utilization of the communication infrastructure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
the message processing unit further comprises means to receive a status message sent by the charger to the module the status message carrying the status of the charger and any possible alert of the charger, to cause the module to transition to a safe fall-back position in the event of absence of the charger status message or if the status message of the charger indicates an alert or a voltage or temperature status lying outside prescribed tolerances.
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11. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the second message system is in CANopen format.
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12. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the communication infrastructure is of bus type, to enable connection of the external access to a communication bus, the third message system comprises means allowing utilization of the module in a third material environment for cell utilization comprising the following elements connected via their message communication access to the communication bus:
- a plurality of modules whose user terminals are connected together, at least one charger connected to the modules via at least one transport link transporting charge electric current for the purpose of charging their cells with electric energy, a supervisor of the consumer machine.
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13. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the message processing unit further comprises means to produce charge setpoints for its cells, in the third message system, intended for a charger.
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14. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein in the third message system, the module is able to be configured as master module or as slave, the message processing unit of the module is configured as master module comprising means to send command messages to the other slave modules, and the message processing unit of the module is configured as a slave module further comprising means to carry out command messages from the master module.
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15. The battery module according to claim 14, wherein the module is master, the message processing unit further comprises means to produce at least one message from among the following messages in the third message system:
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a first message sent from the module to the supervisor sending at least one of the data items from among the status of the battery pack, the total voltage of the battery pack, the level of the battery pack, a maximum permitted discharge current and a maximum permitted cell regeneration current; a second message for sending at least one alert from the module to the supervisor; and a third message for sending from the module to the supervisor the value of the current supplied by or absorbed by the pack and/or the value of the maximum temperature of the pack.
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16. The battery module according to claim 14, wherein the module is master, the message processing unit further comprises in the third message system a means to receive a fourth message for sending from the supervisor to the module at least one of the following:
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an alert acknowledgement; a consumption request, causing transitioning of the pack modules to active mode, and when the modules of the pack have changed over to active mode, the sending by the module of a transition-to-active-mode message to the supervisor for authorizing functioning of the consumer machine; a request to place the modules of the battery pack on standby; and a request to shut down the modules of the battery pack.
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17. The battery module according to claim 14, wherein the module is master, and the message processing unit further comprises means to transmit a synchronization frame for the messages of the modules in the third message system.
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18. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the communication infrastructure is of CAN bus type.
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19. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the messages of the first, second and third message systems have as order of priority for transmission on the bus:
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very high priority for the message transmitting information on message system configuration; very high priority for transmission of a synchronization frame by the master module; high priority for transmission by the modules of alerts, data, setpoint to the charger; high priority for transmission by the charger of a fault message or status message; high priority for transmission of commands from the master module to the slave modules; low priority for transmission from the master module to the supervisor of first second and third messages; and low priority for transmission of the fourth message from the supervisor to the master module.
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20. A pack of several battery modules according to claim 1, wherein the communication infrastructures of the modules are connected to a communication bus for the transmission of the messages.
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21. The pack according to claim 20, wherein the user terminals of the modules are electrically connected together to utilize the battery pack, only one of the modules is configured as master module, and the other modules are configured as slave modules of this master module for the messages of the third message system, so that the slave modules transmit or receive their messages of the third message system via the master module.
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22. The pack according to claim 21, wherein each module further comprises means to produce data on the functioning of the cells of the module, the master module further comprises means to transmit a synchronization frame on the bus so that the modules transmit their data-carrying messages on the bus at prescribed times different from each other.
Specification