ASSIGNING ADDRESSES TO MULTIPLE CASCADE BATTERY MODULES IN ELECTRIC OR ELECTRIC HYBRID VEHICLES
First Claim
1. A battery management apparatus for an electric or a hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:
- a first battery module comprising;
a switch configured to open or close a first current path from a first terminal of a battery to a second terminal of the battery when a second battery module is coupled to the first battery module;
a current sensor configured to sense a current in a second current path, the second current path different from the first current path; and
a local controller configured to control a state of the switch to open or close the switch, wherein closing the switch is configured to close the first current path, the local controller is further configured to detect the sensed current in the second current path, and the local controller is further configured to receive and store an identifier based at least in part on the current detected in the second current path.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to one aspect there is disclosed an apparatus. The apparatus may include a first battery module. The first battery module may include a switch configured to open or close a first current path from a first terminal of a battery to a second terminal of the battery when a second battery module is coupled to the first battery module; a current sensor configured to sense a current in a second current path, the second current path different from the first current path; and a local controller configured to control a state of the switch to open or close the switch, wherein closing the switch is configured to close the first current path, the local controller is further configured to detect the sensed current in the second current path, and the local controller is further configured to receive and store an identifier based at least in part on the current detected in the second current path.
94 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A battery management apparatus for an electric or a hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:
a first battery module comprising; a switch configured to open or close a first current path from a first terminal of a battery to a second terminal of the battery when a second battery module is coupled to the first battery module; a current sensor configured to sense a current in a second current path, the second current path different from the first current path; and a local controller configured to control a state of the switch to open or close the switch, wherein closing the switch is configured to close the first current path, the local controller is further configured to detect the sensed current in the second current path, and the local controller is further configured to receive and store an identifier based at least in part on the current detected in the second current path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
7. A method for assigning identifiers to a plurality of battery modules of an electric or a hybrid electric vehicle, the method comprising:
-
closing a switch in each battery module, wherein the switch is configured to open or close a first current path from a first terminal of a battery to a second terminal of the battery; detecting a current in each battery module, wherein the current is in a second current path different from the first current path; assigning an address to one battery module based at least in part on the detected current in the one battery module, wherein the one module is configured to store the assigned address; opening the switch of the one battery module; and repeating the detecting, assigning and opening until the plurality of battery modules have been assigned addresses. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A battery management system for an electric or a hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:
-
a plurality of battery modules, each battery module comprising; a switch configured to open or close a first current path from a first terminal of a battery to a second terminal of the battery when another battery module is coupled to the battery module, a current sensor configured to sense a current in a second current path, the second current path different from the first current path, and a local controller configured to control a state of the switch to open or close the switch, wherein closing the switch is configured to close the first current path, the local controller is further configured to detect the sensed current in the second current path, and the local controller is further configured to receive and store an identifier based at least in part on the current detected in the second path; and a central controller coupled to a plurality of battery modules, the central controller is configured to provide a message to the local controller of each battery module, the message is configured to cause one or more of the local controllers to close its associated local switch and to detect the current in the second current path, the message is further configured to cause the local controller to store the identifier based at least in part on the detected current. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification