Battery management apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus to control charge and discharge of a storagebattery, the apparatus comprising:
- a battery pack;
a plurality of stacked control elements to connect the battery pack to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile through one or more connectable elements, wherein the charge allocation profile is indicative of a share of battery capacity allocated to a power consuming item;
a battery monitor coupled to the battery pack, to monitor the state of charge of the battery pack; and
a processor, coupled to the battery monitor, to;
compare the state of charge of the battery pack with the charge allocation profile;
determine when the difference between the monitored state of charge and the profile passes a threshold amount;
select one or more individual batteries to supply power as a segment;
selectably connect the segment to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile;
monitor a state of charge of the segment;
compare the state of charge of the segment with the segment charge allocation profile, wherein the charge allocation profile is indicative of a share of battery capacity allocated to a power consuming item;
determine when a difference between the state of charge and the segment charge allocation profile passes a threshold amount; and
adjust a state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the threshold being passed based on at least one of connecting and disconnecting the one or more connectable elements from the battery pack to the plurality of power consuming items.
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Abstract
A battery management apparatus and method for use in an electrical vehicle has a plurality of individual batteries 34 provided within a battery pack 10. The battery pack is coupled to power vehicle traction 12 and a plurality of individually connectable vehicle appliances 18-26. A monitor keeps track of charge state by means of a battery monitor 44 on each battery relaying instant current to a processor 27. In a first embodiment, a charge allocation profile for the whole battery pack 10 is used where different appliances 18-26 have different amounts of charge capacity allocated to them and are disconnected when discharge exceeds their allocation and are reconnected during charging when their charge is again found. In a second embodiment, individual batteries 34 and appliances 18-26 are connected within a network configuration allowing anything to be connected to anything else. Battery 10 segments can be created, each having one or more allocated individual batteries and each segment connected to selectable services 12 18-26 within the electric vehicle. Segmentation patterns can be changed. A segment charge allocation profile can be used within each segment in much the same way that the charge allocation profile can be used and changed for the first embodiment. Progressive charging and discharging of the battery is the end result.
17 Citations
61 Claims
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1. An apparatus to control charge and discharge of a storage
battery, the apparatus comprising: -
a battery pack; a plurality of stacked control elements to connect the battery pack to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile through one or more connectable elements, wherein the charge allocation profile is indicative of a share of battery capacity allocated to a power consuming item; a battery monitor coupled to the battery pack, to monitor the state of charge of the battery pack; and a processor, coupled to the battery monitor, to; compare the state of charge of the battery pack with the charge allocation profile; determine when the difference between the monitored state of charge and the profile passes a threshold amount; select one or more individual batteries to supply power as a segment; selectably connect the segment to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile; monitor a state of charge of the segment; compare the state of charge of the segment with the segment charge allocation profile, wherein the charge allocation profile is indicative of a share of battery capacity allocated to a power consuming item; determine when a difference between the state of charge and the segment charge allocation profile passes a threshold amount; and adjust a state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the threshold being passed based on at least one of connecting and disconnecting the one or more connectable elements from the battery pack to the plurality of power consuming items. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 54, 58)
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7. An apparatus for controlling charge and discharge of a battery
pack, wherein the battery pack comprises: -
a plurality of individual batteries, and wherein the apparatus comprises; a driver interface to allow selection of one or more individual batteries to supply power as a segment to a power consuming item, where the apparatus is to establish one or more segments, the driver interface programmed to; select one or more individual batteries to supply power as a segment; selectably connect the segment to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile; monitor a state of charge of the segment; compare the state of charge of the segment with the segment charge allocation profile, wherein the charge allocation profile is indicative of a share of battery capacity allocated to the power consuming item; determine when the difference between the state of charge and the segment charge allocation profile passes a threshold amount; and adjust a state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the segment threshold being passed based on at least one of connecting and disconnecting the one or more connectable elements from the battery pack to the plurality of power consuming items; wherein no individual battery is selected to provide power in more than the segment, and the driver interface allows addition or removal of at least one individual battery from the segment. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 31, 43, 44, 45, 55, 59)
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16. A method for controlling charge and discharge of a storage battery, the method comprising:
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selectably connecting a battery pack to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile, wherein the charge allocation profile is indicative of a share of battery capacity allocated to a power consuming item; monitoring a state of charge of the battery pack; comparing the state of charge of the battery pack with the charge allocation profile; determining when the difference between the state of charge and the charge allocation profile passes a threshold amount; and adjusting the state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the threshold being passed based on at least one of connecting and disconnecting the one or more connectable elements from the battery pack to the plurality of power consuming items. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 32, 46, 47, 48, 56, 60)
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22. A method for controlling charge and discharge of a battery pack, where the battery pack comprises a plurality of individual batteries, the method comprising:
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selecting one or more individual batteries to supply power as a segment;
establishing one or more segments, wherein no individual battery provides power in more than one segment;allowing, by the driver interface, at least one of addition and removal of at least one individual battery from the segment; selectably connecting the segment to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile; monitoring a state of charge of the segment; comparing the state of charge of the segment with the segment charge allocation profile, wherein the charge allocation profile is indicative of a share of battery capacity allocated to a power consuming item; determining when a difference between the state of charge and the segment charge allocation profile passes a threshold amount; and adjusting a state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the segment threshold being passed based on at least one of connecting and disconnecting the one or more connectable elements from the battery pack to the plurality of power consuming items. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 57, 61)
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49. A method for modifying a capacity of a battery pack based on charge and discharge of the battery pack, wherein the battery pack is comprised of a plurality of individual batteries, the method comprising:
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determining a battery capacity of a segment of the battery pack, wherein the segment comprises at least one individual battery from amongst the plurality of individual batteries, and the segment is to supply power to a power consuming item based on a charge allocation profile of the power consuming item; altering the battery capacity of the segment based on at least one of a user input and determination by a processor; selectably connecting the segment to one or more of a plurality of power consuming items according to a charge allocation profile; monitoring a state of charge of the segment; comparing the state of charge of the segment with the segment charge allocation profile, wherein the charge allocation profile is indicative of a share of battery capacity allocated to a power consuming item; determining when a difference between the state of charge and the segment charge allocation profile passes a threshold amount; and adjusting a state of connection of at least one of the plurality of power consuming items in response to the segment threshold being passed based on at least one of connecting and disconnecting the one or more connectable elements from the battery pack to the plurality of power consuming items. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification