Patent ID: 9276427
Filing Date: 2016-03-01
CPC Classification: B60L,H01M,H02J,Y02E,Y02T

Claim Text:
1. A method for starting up a battery system having a battery, a DC voltage intermediate circuit that is connected to the battery, and a drive system that is connected to the DC voltage intermediate circuit, the battery having a plurality of battery modules connected in series, each battery module having a first input, a second input, a coupling unit, and at least one battery cell, the coupling unit being configured to (i) in a first state, connect the at least one battery cell between the first input and the second input, and to (ii) in a second state, bridge the at least one battery cell by connecting the first input to the second input, the plurality of battery modules including a first battery module having a first number of battery cells and at least one second battery module having a second number of battery cells, the second number of battery cells being greater than the first number of battery cells, the method comprising: a) operating the coupling units of all of the plurality of battery modules in the second state to bridge the at least one battery cell of each of the battery modules b) operating the coupling unit of the first battery module in the first state to couple the at least one battery cell of the first battery module between the first input and the second input of the first battery module; c) operating the coupling unit of a second battery module of the at least one second battery module in the first state to couple the at least one battery cell of the second battery module of the at least one second battery module between the first input the second input of the second battery module of the at least one second battery module; d) simultaneously with step c) operating the coupling unit of the first battery module in the second state to bridge the at least one battery cell of the first battery module; and e) repeating steps b) to d) provided that a further second battery module of the at least one second battery module has a coupling unit still in the second state such that the at least one battery cell of the further second battery module is bridged, each repetition of step d) using the further second battery module.