OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS INTERFACE FOR BATTERY MODULES OF AN ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20180109328A1
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tiveni MergedCo,Inc.
• Original Assignee: Inevit Inc. (SERES Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: EBERHARD, Martin, EICHHORN, Alexander, TRACK, Andreas, FEES, Heiner
• Granted Patent: US 10,574,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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. A battery module of an energy storage system, comprising:

a module-side optical transceiver configured to exchange optical signals with a battery module controller (BMC)-side optical transceiver coupled to a BMC, the optical signals being transported inside of a tunnel space between the BMC and the battery module.

2. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing into which the module-side optical transceiver is inserted.

3. The battery module of claim 1,

wherein the optical signals are transported between the module-side optical transceiver and the BMC-side optical transceiver via a line of sight (LoS) link, or

wherein the optical signals are transported between the module-side optical transceiver and the BMC-side optical transceiver via at least one deflection element arranged inside of the tunnel space, or

wherein the optical signals are transported between the module-side optical transceiver and the BMC-side optical transceiver via a light tube arranged inside the tunnel space, or

any combination thereof.

4. The battery module of claim 1,

wherein the optical signals are transported between the module-side optical transceiver and the BMC-side optical transceiver via a light tube arranged inside the tunnel space,

wherein the light tube includes a light guide component with a light guide that extends below the tunnel space, and

wherein the light guide is aligned with the module-side optical transceiver for exchanging the optical signals.

5. The battery module of claim 4,

wherein the light guide component with another light guide that extends below the tunnel space, and

wherein the another light guide is aligned with another module-side optical transceiver of another battery module.

6. The battery module of claim 5, wherein an exposed air gap is arranged between the light guide and the module-side optical transceiver.

7. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising:

a first light guide covering the module-side optical transceiver.

8. The battery module of claim 7,

wherein the optical signals are transported between the module-side optical transceiver and the BMC-side optical transceiver via a light tube arranged inside the tunnel space,

wherein the light tube includes a light guide component with a second light guide that extends below the tunnel space, and

wherein the first and second light guides are aligned for exchanging the optical signals.

9. The battery module of claim 8,

wherein the light guide component includes another light guide that extends below the tunnel space, and

wherein the another light guide is aligned with a light guide covering another module-side optical transceiver of another battery module.

10. The battery module of claim 8, wherein an exposed air gap is arranged between the first and second light guides.

11. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising:

a first light guide covering the module-side optical transceiver;

a clamp secured against the first light guide; and

a seal secured against the clamp.

12. The battery module of claim 11,

wherein the optical signals are transported between the module-side optical transceiver and the BMC-side optical transceiver via a light tube arranged inside the tunnel space,

wherein the light tube includes a light guide component with a second light guide that extends below the tunnel space, and

wherein the first and second light guides are aligned for exchanging the optical signals.

13. The battery module of claim 12, wherein the seal is pressed against the second light guide such that optical signals can be exchanged between the module-side optical transceiver and the light tube without being transported over an exposed air gap.

14. The battery module of claim 12,

wherein the light guide component includes another light guide that extends below the tunnel space, and

wherein the another light guide is aligned with a light guide covering another module-side optical transceiver of another battery module.

15. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the optical signals are transported between the module-side optical transceiver and the BMC-side optical transceiver via at least one deflection element arranged inside of a light tube in the tunnel space.

16. An optical communications interface for an energy storage system, comprising:

a light tube arranged inside of a tunnel space between a battery module controller (BMC) coupled to a BMC-side optical transceiver and a plurality of battery modules that are each coupled to a module-side optical transceiver,

wherein the light tube is configured to transport optical signals between each of the module-side optical transceivers of the plurality of battery modules and the BMC-side optical transceiver.

17. The optical communications interface of claim 16, 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 extending beneath the tunnel space to facilitate optical communication with a set of respective module-side optical transceivers.

18. The optical communications interface of claim 16, wherein the light tube includes at least one deflection element that is configured to deflect optical signals between one or more of the module-side optical transceivers and the BMC-side optical transceiver.

19. The optical communications interface of claim 18, wherein the at least one deflection element includes at least one mirror.

20. The optical communications interface of claim 16, further comprising:

a light guide component including a set of light guides that extend below the tunnel space.

21. The optical communications interface of claim 20, wherein the set of light guides includes two light guides, with each light guide being aligned for optical communication with module-side optical transceivers of different battery modules.

22. The optical communications interface of claim 20, further comprising:

a transparent seal arranged between the light tube and the light guide component.

23. A battery module controller (BMC) of an energy storage system, comprising:

a BMC-side optical transceiver configured to exchange optical signals with module-side optical transceivers associated with a plurality of battery modules, the optical signals being transported via a light tube arranged inside of a tunnel space between the BMC and the plurality of battery modules.

24. The BMC of claim 23, wherein the BMC-side optical transceiver is configured to exchange a set of optical signals with at least one module-side optical transceiver via at least one deflection element arranged inside the light tube and configured to deflect the set of optical signals.

25. The BMC of claim 23, wherein the BMC-side optical transceiver is configured to exchange a set of optical signals with at least one module-side optical transceiver via a line of sight (LoS) link without deflection of the set of optical signals by a deflection element inside the light tube.

26. 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.

27. The optical communications interface of claim 26, 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.