Optical communications interface for battery modules of an energy storage system

• US 10,574,365 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tiveni MergedCo,Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tiveni MergedCo,Inc.
• Inventors: Eberhard, Martin, Eichhorn, Alexander, Track, Andreas, Fees, Heiner
• Primary Examiner(s): Bello, Agustin
• Application Number:
  US15/730,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20180109328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 398 9- 38
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3644 Constructional arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/36 Mechanical coupling means G02B6/255, G02B6/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/42 Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4206 Optical features G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4214 the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2/1077 Racks, groups of several batteries H01M2/1088 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/806 Arrangements for feeding power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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

In an embodiment, a module-side optical transceiver is configured to exchange optical signals with a battery module controller (BMC)-side optical transceiver coupled to a BMC. The optical signals are transported inside of a tunnel space between the BMC and the battery module. In one embodiment, the optical signals are transported via a light tube, a deflection element such as a mirror, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the optical signals are transported via a cable harness coupled to a plurality of BMC-side optical transceivers in the tunnel space and configured to support optical line of sight (LoS) links to various module-side optical transceivers.

Claims

1. An optical communications interface of an energy storage system, comprising:

a cable harness including a plurality of data communication cables that are coupled to a battery module controller (BMC), the cable harness being arranged inside of a tunnel space between the BMC and a plurality of battery modules; and

a plurality of BMC-side optical transceivers that are each coupled to at least one cable in the cable harness and arranged inside of the tunnel space, the plurality of BMC-side optical transceivers being configured for optical communication with a respective plurality of module-side optical transceivers that are each coupled to a different battery module among the plurality of battery modules.

2. The optical communications interface of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of BMC-side optical transceivers is configured with a line of sight (LoS) link to the respective module-side optical transceiver for which the BMC-side optical transceiver is configured for optical communication.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the energy storage system supplies power to an electric motor of an electric vehicle.

4. An optical communication bus of an energy storage system, comprising:

a light tube that facilitates a communicative coupling between (i) at least one battery module controller (BMC)-side optical transceiver coupled to a BMC, and also to (ii) a plurality of module-side optical transceivers coupled to a respective plurality of battery modules,

wherein the light tube is configured as a pipe with a hollow part through which optical signals between the at least one BMC-side optical transceiver and the plurality of module-side optical transceivers are transported.

5. The optical communication bus of claim 4,

wherein a first set of optical signals are transported between a first of the plurality of module-side optical transceivers and the at least one BMC-side optical transceiver via a line of sight (LoS) link through the hollow part of the light tube, or

wherein a second set of optical signals are transported between a second of the plurality of module-side optical transceivers and the at least one BMC-side optical transceiver via at least one deflection element arranged inside of the hollow part of the light tube, or

any combination thereof.

6. The optical communication bus of claim 4, wherein the light tube includes a plurality of connected light tube sections, each of the plurality of connected light tube sections including a set of light guide components to facilitate optical communication with a set of respective module-side optical transceivers.

7. The optical communication bus of claim 4, wherein the hollow part of the light tube includes at least one deflection element that is configured to deflect optical signals between one or more of the plurality of module-side optical transceivers and the at least one BMC-side optical transceiver.

8. The optical communications interface of claim 7, wherein the at least one deflection element includes at least one mirror.