Power storage device, power system and electric vehicle

• US 9,669,723 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugeno, Naoyuki, Sato, Morihiko, Umetsu, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodas, Richard Isla
• Assistant Examiner(s): Henze-Gongola, David V
• Application Number:
  US14/375,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20150008931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 320134, 320136, 324434
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• 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: G01R 35/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An electronic storage module includes a plurality of batteries, a primary monitoring circuit configured to detect an operating state of the plurality of batteries, a microcontroller unit connected to the primary monitoring circuit via a primary communication path, and a secondary monitoring circuit connected to the microcontroller unit via a secondary communication path. The secondary monitoring circuit is configured to detect the operating state of the plurality of batteries when a determination is made of an abnormality in the primary communication path, or an abnormality in the operating state of the primary monitoring circuit.

Claims

1. An electronic storage module, comprising:

a plurality of batteries;

a primary monitoring circuit configured to detect an operating state of the plurality of batteries,

wherein the primary monitoring circuit comprises;

a communication unit; and

a first A/D converter-and-comparator unit connected to the communication unit,

wherein the first A/D converter-and-comparator unit is configured to;

 

receive voltage data of the plurality of batteries from a voltage multiplexer, and output the voltage data and comparison results between the voltage data of each battery of the plurality of batteries and a voltage threshold value, and

 

receive temperature data of the plurality of batteries from a temperature multiplexer, and output the temperature data and comparison results between the temperature data of each battery of the plurality of batteries and a temperature threshold value;

a microcontroller unit connected to the primary monitoring circuit via a primary communication path; and

a secondary monitoring circuit connected to the microcontroller unit via a secondary communication path, wherein the secondary monitoring circuit is configured to detect the operating state of the plurality of batteries based on a determination of an abnormality in the primary communication path, or an abnormality in the operating state of the primary monitoring circuit.

2. The electronic storage module according to claim 1, wherein the primary communication path is a wireless communication path.

3. The electronic storage module according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the primary monitoring circuit or the secondary monitoring circuit is further configured to detect a normal operating state or an abnormal operating state of the plurality of batteries based on whether at least one of the voltage data, the temperature data, or current data of the plurality of batteries is within ranges.

4. The electronic storage module according to claim 1, wherein the primary monitoring circuit further comprises:

a resistor connected to the plurality of batteries; and

a second A/D converter-and-comparator unit connected to the communication unit, the second A/D converter-and-comparator unit configured to

receive current data of the plurality of batteries that is output from the resistor, and output the current data and comparison results between the current data of each battery of the plurality of batteries and a current threshold value.

5. The electronic storage module according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the primary monitoring circuit or the secondary monitoring circuit is further configured to transmit a detection signal to the microcontroller unit via one of the primary communication path or the secondary communication path, wherein the detection signal indicating the normal operating state or the abnormal operating state of the plurality of batteries based on one or more of the voltage data, the temperature data, or the current data.

6. The electronic storage module according to claim 3, further comprising:

a power line; and

a shutdown switch connected to at least one of the primary monitoring circuit or the secondary monitoring circuit, and inserted on the power line,

wherein based on a reception, by the shutdown switch, of a signal indicating the abnormal operating state of the plurality of batteries, the shutdown switch turns off power from the power line.

7. The electronic storage module according to claim 1, wherein the primary monitoring circuit comprises a self-diagnosis circuit configured to determine an operating state of a circuit block in the primary monitoring circuit by an integrated circuit test.

8. The electronic storage module according to claim 7, wherein the self-diagnosis circuit is further configured to initiate a monitoring and controlling operation of the electronic storage module by the secondary monitoring circuit based on a determination of an abnormal operating state of the circuit block using a number of integrated circuit test results.

9. The electronic storage module according to claim 1,

wherein the communication unit is configured to communicate data regarding the operating state of the plurality of batteries with the microcontroller unit via the primary communication path, and

wherein the microcontroller unit is configured to determine the abnormality in the primary communication path based on a determination of:

a communication of said data from the communication unit, or

a response communicated from the communication unit after a request for said data has been made.

10. The electronic storage module according to claim 1, wherein an electronic configuration of the secondary monitoring circuit is same as an electronic configuration of the primary monitoring circuit.

11. A battery system, comprising:

an electronic control unit;

a plurality of main microcontroller units connected to the electronic control unit; and

a plurality of electronic storage modules connected to each of the plurality of main microcontroller units, each electronic storage module comprising;

a plurality of batteries,

a primary monitoring circuit configured to detect an operating state of the plurality of batteries,

wherein the primary monitoring circuit comprises;

a communication unit;

a first A/D converter-and-comparator unit connected to the communication unit,

 

wherein the first A/D converter-and-comparator unit is configured to;

 

receive voltage data of the plurality of batteries from a voltage multiplexer, and output the voltage data and comparison results between the voltage data of each of the plurality of batteries and a voltage threshold value, and

 

receive temperature data of the plurality of batteries from a temperature multiplexer, and output the temperature data and comparison results between the temperature data of each of the plurality of batteries and a temperature threshold value,

a sub-microcontroller unit connected to the primary monitoring circuit via a primary communication path, and

a secondary monitoring circuit connected to the sub-microcontroller unit via a secondary communication path, the secondary monitoring circuit configured to detect the operating state of the plurality of batteries based on a determination is of an abnormality in the primary communication path, or an abnormality in the operating state of the primary monitoring circuit.

12. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein for each electronic storage module of the plurality of electronic storage modules, the primary communication path is a wireless communication path.

13. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein for each electronic storage module of the plurality of electronic storage modules, at least one of the primary monitoring circuit or the secondary monitoring circuit detects one of a normal operating state or an abnormal operating state of the plurality of batteries based on whether at least one of the voltage data, the temperature data, or current data of the plurality of batteries is within ranges.

14. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein for each electronic storage module of the plurality of electronic storage modules, the primary monitoring circuit further includes comprises:

a resistor connected to the plurality of batteries; and

a second A/D converter-and-comparator unit connected to the communication unit, the second A/D converter-and-comparator unit configured to

receive current data of the plurality of batteries that is output from the resistor, and output the current data and comparison results between the current data of each battery of the plurality of batteries and a current threshold value.

15. The battery system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a power line connected to each of the plurality of electronic storage modules; and

a shutdown switch connected to the at least one of primary monitoring circuit or the secondary monitoring circuit, and inserted on the power line,

wherein based on a reception, by the shutdown switch, of a signal that indicates the abnormal operating state of the plurality of batteries, the shutdown switch turns off power from the power line.

16. The battery system according to claim 13, wherein for each electronic storage module of the plurality of electronic storage modules, at least one of the primary monitoring circuit or the secondary monitoring circuit is further configured to transmit a detection signal to the sub-microcontroller unit via one of the primary communication path or the secondary communication path, wherein the detection signal indicates the normal operating state or the abnormal operating state of the plurality of batteries based on one or more of the voltage data, the temperature data, or the current data.

17. The battery system according to claim 16,

wherein the main microcontroller unit is configured to receive detection signals transmitted from one or more of the plurality of electronic storage modules connected thereto.

18. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein a main microcontroller unit of the plurality of main microcontroller units is connected to a plurality of the sub-microcontroller units by a common communication path, and the main microcontroller unit is configured to detect a fault of the common communication path.

19. The battery system according to claim 18, wherein each of the main microcontroller units of the plurality of main microcontroller units is configured to generate a control signal for operating a shutdown switch of the respective electronic storage modules based on a detected fault of the respective common communication path.

20. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein for each electronic storage module of the plurality of electronic storage modules, the primary monitoring circuit comprises a self-diagnosis circuit configured to determine an operating state of a circuit block in the primary monitoring circuit by an integrated circuit test.

21. The battery system according to claim 20, wherein the self-diagnosis circuit is further configured to initiate a monitoring and controlling operation of an electronic storage module of the plurality of electronic storage modules by the secondary monitoring circuit based on a determination of an abnormal operating state of the circuit block using a number of integrated circuit test results.

22. The battery system according to claim 11,

wherein for each electronic storage module of the plurality of electronic storage modules, the communication unit is configured to communicate data regarding the operating state of the plurality of batteries with the sub-microcontroller unit via the respective primary communication path, and

wherein the sub-microcontroller unit is configured to determine the abnormality in the primary communication path based on a determination of:

a communication of data from the communication unit, or

a response communicated from the communication unit after a request for said data has been made.

23. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein an electronic configuration of the secondary monitoring circuit is same as an electronic configuration of the primary monitoring circuit.

24. An electric vehicle, comprising:

an electronic storage module including comprising;

a plurality of batteries,

a primary monitoring circuit configured to detect an operating state of the plurality of batteries,

wherein the primary monitoring circuit comprises;

a communication unit; and

a first A/D converter-and-comparator unit connected to the communication unit,

 

wherein the first A/D converter-and-comparator unit is configured to;

 

receive voltage data of the plurality of batteries from a voltage multiplexer, and output the voltage data and comparison results between the voltage data of each battery of the plurality of batteries and a voltage threshold value, and

 

receive temperature data of the plurality of batteries from a temperature multiplexer, and output the temperature data and comparison results between the temperature data of each battery of the plurality of batteries and a temperature threshold value;

a microcontroller unit connected to the primary monitoring circuit via a primary communication path, and

a secondary monitoring circuit connected to the microcontroller unit via a secondary communication path, the secondary monitoring circuit configured to detect the operating state of the plurality of batteries based on a determination of an abnormality in the primary communication path, or an abnormality in the operating state of the primary monitoring circuit; and

a converter configured to receive and convert a supply of electric power from the electronic storage module, and to supply the converted electric power to a component of the electric vehicle.