Battery pack for electric bicycle and control method thereof

• US 8,952,561 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2011
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Seol, Jihwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US13/209,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20120146429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/32 of vehicle dynamic parameters, e.g. speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/90 Batteries

Abstract

Provided is a battery pack for electric bicycle and a control method of the battery pack, and the battery pack may prevent the electric bicycle from moving abnormally. The electric bicycle includes a motor and a motion sensor. The battery pack includes a battery, a main switch and a controller. The main switch controls supply of a power which is supplied from the battery to the electric bicycle. The controller outputs a motor hold signal to put the motor in a hold state, when an abnormal motion sensing signal is received from the motion sensor.

Claims

1. A battery pack for an electric bicycle including a motor and a motion sensor, the battery pack comprising:

a battery;

a main switch controlling supply of a power which is supplied from the battery to the electric bicycle; and

a controller, when the electric bicycle abnormally moves in a first direction along which the electric bicycle is forcibly moved and an abnormal motion sensing signal is received from the motion sensor due to the abnormal movement of the electric bicycle, outputting a motor reverse rotation signal to put the motor in a reverse rotation state in which the electric bicycle moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

2. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

when the abnormal motion sensing signal is received from the motion sensor, the controller outputs an alarm driving signal to drive an alarm unit of the electric bicycle to operate, with the alarm unit being electrically connected to the controller.

3. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless receiver receiving a unique identification (ID) signal from a portable electronic device or from a charger through wireless communication and transmitting the unique ID signal received to the controller.

4. The battery pack as claimed in claim 3, wherein the wireless receiver comprises any one of a bluetooth communication module, an infrared communication module, a radio frequency (RF) frequency communication module and a zigbee communication module, for receiving the unique ID signal.

5. The battery pack as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller stores a predetermined ID signal, and compares the predetermined ID signal and the unique ID signal.

6. The battery pack as claimed in claim 5, wherein, when the predetermined ID signal is the same as the unique ID signal, the controller transmits a motor on signal to a motor driving circuit of the electric bicycle to allow the motor of the electric bicycle to be driven, with the motor driving circuit being disposed between the controller of the battery pack and the motor of the electric bicycle.

7. The battery pack as claimed in claim 5, wherein, when the predetermined ID signal differs from the unique ID signal, the controller transmits a motor off signal to a motor driving circuit of the electric bicycle to disallow the motor of the electric bicycle to be driven.

8. The battery pack as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a charge circuit electrically connected to the battery in order to control charge of the battery.

9. The battery pack as claimed in claim 8, wherein, when the predetermined ID signal is the same as the unique ID signal, the controller transmits a charge on signal to the charge circuit to allow the battery to be charged by the charger.

10. The battery pack as claimed in claim 8, wherein, when the predetermined ID signal differs from the unique ID signal, the controller transmits a charge off signal to the charge circuit to disallow the battery to be charged by the charger.

11. A method of controlling a battery pack for an electric bicycle including a motor and a motion sensor, the method comprising:

determining whether an abnormal motion sensing signal is received from the motion sensor; and

when the electric bicycle abnormally moves in a first direction along which the electric bicycle is forcibly moved and the abnormal motion sensing signal is received by the battery pack due to the abnormal movement of the electric bicycle, outputting a motor reverse rotation signal to put the motor in a reverse rotation state in which the electric bicycle moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a step of, when the abnormal motion sensing signal is received by the battery pack, outputting an alarm driving signal and informing an alarm unit of the electric bicycle to operate.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a step of receiving a unique identification (ID) signal from a portable electronic device or from a charger through a wireless receiver of the battery pack.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a step of comparing the unique ID signal and a predetermined ID signal.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a step of, when the unique ID signal is the same as the predetermined ID signal, transmitting a motor on signal to a motor driving circuit of the electric bicycle and informing the motor of the electric bicycle to operate, with the motor driving circuit being electrically connected to the motor.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a step of, when the unique ID signal differs from the predetermined ID signal, transmitting a motor off signal to a motor driving circuit of the electric bicycle and informing the motor not to operate, with the motor driving circuit being electrically connected to the motor.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a step of, when the unique ID signal is the same as the predetermined ID signal, transmitting a charge on signal to a charge circuit of battery pack and allowing the battery to be charged, with the charge circuit being electrically connected to the battery.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a step of, when the unique ID signal differs from the predetermined ID signal, transmitting a charge off signal to a charge circuit of the battery pack and disallowing the battery to be charged, with the charge circuit being electrically connected to the battery.