Margin-based battery charge balancing
First Claim
1. A method of operation within a battery system having a plurality of battery blocks coupled in series between terminals of a battery pack, the method comprising:
- measuring respective charging voltages of the battery blocks while receiving charging current via the battery pack terminals;
measuring respective discharging voltages of the battery blocks while sourcing current to a load via the battery pack terminals, wherein the measuring of the charging voltages and the discharging voltages comprises;
generating a plurality of initial estimate of state-of-charge (ESOC) values based upon open circuit voltage (OCV) corresponding to a plurality of battery blocks;
determining each offset between the initial ESOC value and an actual state-of-charge (SOC) for each battery block;
revising the ESOC value based upon each offset corresponding to each battery block; and
updating the ESOC value for each battery block based upon block tags or statistics of aggregate block voltage margins with respect to operating limits;
identifying an anomalous one of the battery blocks as having a higher charging voltage than charging voltages of others of the battery blocks and a lower discharging voltage than discharging voltages of others of the battery blocks, the charging voltage of the anomalous battery block being a first marginal voltage below an upper threshold and the discharging voltage of the anomalous battery block being a second marginal voltage above a lower threshold; and
adjusting a state of charge of the anomalous battery block to reduce a difference between the first and second marginal voltages of the anomalous battery block, wherein the adjusting is based on an estimate of the state-of-charge (ESOC) value for the anomalous battery block that is determined as part of a balancing of the plurality of battery blocks, wherein adjusting the state of charge of the anomalous battery block comprises discharging the anomalous one of the battery blocks without discharging one or more others of the battery blocks, or charging the anomalous one of the battery blocks without charging one or more of the battery blocks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A battery pack management system adjusts the relative state-of-charge of respective battery blocks in a battery pack to equalize (i.e., align, balance or otherwise make similar) the peak battery block voltages (i.e., maximum or “upper peak” battery block voltages when the battery pack is being charged and/or minimum or “lower peak” battery block voltages when the battery is being discharged). Upon detecting an anomalous battery block that exhibits outlier upper and lower peak voltages, the battery pack management system adjusts the relative state of charge of respective battery blocks to center their respective upper and lower peak voltages between operating limits, thus maximizing the operating margin of the battery pack as a whole.
18 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of operation within a battery system having a plurality of battery blocks coupled in series between terminals of a battery pack, the method comprising:
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measuring respective charging voltages of the battery blocks while receiving charging current via the battery pack terminals; measuring respective discharging voltages of the battery blocks while sourcing current to a load via the battery pack terminals, wherein the measuring of the charging voltages and the discharging voltages comprises; generating a plurality of initial estimate of state-of-charge (ESOC) values based upon open circuit voltage (OCV) corresponding to a plurality of battery blocks; determining each offset between the initial ESOC value and an actual state-of-charge (SOC) for each battery block; revising the ESOC value based upon each offset corresponding to each battery block; and updating the ESOC value for each battery block based upon block tags or statistics of aggregate block voltage margins with respect to operating limits; identifying an anomalous one of the battery blocks as having a higher charging voltage than charging voltages of others of the battery blocks and a lower discharging voltage than discharging voltages of others of the battery blocks, the charging voltage of the anomalous battery block being a first marginal voltage below an upper threshold and the discharging voltage of the anomalous battery block being a second marginal voltage above a lower threshold; and adjusting a state of charge of the anomalous battery block to reduce a difference between the first and second marginal voltages of the anomalous battery block, wherein the adjusting is based on an estimate of the state-of-charge (ESOC) value for the anomalous battery block that is determined as part of a balancing of the plurality of battery blocks, wherein adjusting the state of charge of the anomalous battery block comprises discharging the anomalous one of the battery blocks without discharging one or more others of the battery blocks, or charging the anomalous one of the battery blocks without charging one or more of the battery blocks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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- 4. The method of claim adjusting 1 wherein measuring respective charging voltages of the battery blocks comprises measuring respective upper peak voltages of the battery blocks and wherein measuring respective discharging voltages comprises measuring respective lower peak voltages of the battery blocks.
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12. A battery management system to control a battery system having a plurality of battery blocks coupled in series between terminals of a battery pack, the battery management system comprising:
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voltage measurement circuitry to measure respective charging voltages of the battery blocks while receiving charging current via the battery pack terminals, and to measure respective discharging voltages of the battery blocks while sourcing current to a load via the battery pack terminals, wherein the measuring of the charging voltages and the discharging voltages comprises; generating a plurality of initial estimate of state-of-charge (ESOC) values based upon open circuit voltage (OCV) corresponding to a plurality of battery blocks; determining each offset between the initial ESOC value and an actual state-of-charge (SOC) for each battery block; revising the ESOC value based upon each offset corresponding to each battery block; and updating the ESOC value for each battery block based upon block tags or statistics of aggregate block voltage margins with respect to operating limits; logic to identify an anomalous one of the battery blocks as having a higher charging voltage than charging voltages of others of the battery blocks and a lower discharging voltage than discharging voltages of others of the battery blocks, the charging voltage of the anomalous battery block being a first marginal voltage below an upper threshold and the discharging voltage of the anomalous battery block being a second marginal voltage above a lower threshold; and charge adjusting circuitry to adjust a state of charge of the anomalous battery block to reduce a difference between the first and second marginal voltages of the anomalous battery block wherein the adjusting is based on an ESOC value for the anomalous battery block that is determined as part of a balancing of the plurality of battery blocks, wherein the state of charge of the anomalous battery block is adjusted such that the anomalous one of the battery blocks is discharged without discharging one or more others of the battery blocks, or the anomalous one of the battery blocks is charged without charging one or more of the battery blocks. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A battery management system to control a battery system having a plurality of battery blocks coupled in series between terminals of a battery pack, the battery management system comprising:
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battery management means for measuring respective charging voltages of the battery blocks while receiving charging current via the battery pack terminals and for measuring respective discharging voltages of the battery blocks while sourcing current to a load via the battery pack terminals, wherein the measuring of the charging voltages and the discharging voltages comprises; generating a plurality of initial estimate of state-of-charge (ESOC) values based upon open circuit voltage (OCV) corresponding to a plurality of battery blocks; determining each offset between the initial ESOC value and an actual state-of-charge (SOC) for each battery block; revising the ESOC value based upon each offset corresponding to each battery block; and updating the ESOC value for each battery block based upon block tags or statistics of aggregate block voltage margins with respect to operating limits; the battery management means for identifying an anomalous one of the battery blocks as having a higher charging voltage than charging voltages of others of the battery blocks and a lower discharging voltage than discharging voltages of others of the battery blocks, the charging voltage of the anomalous battery block being a first marginal voltage below an upper threshold and the discharging voltage of the anomalous battery block being a second marginal voltage above a lower threshold; and discharge control means for adjusting a state of charge of the anomalous battery block to reduce a difference between the first and second marginal voltages of the anomalous battery block wherein the adjusting is based on an ESOC value for the anomalous battery block that is determined as part of a balancing of the plurality of battery blocks, wherein the adjusting of the state of charge of the anomalous battery block comprises discharging the anomalous one of the battery blocks without discharging one or more others of the battery blocks, or charging the anomalous one of the battery blocks without charging one or more of the battery blocks.
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Specification