Patent Description:
A battery is a device that stores electric energy, and is employed, as a power supply device, in various electronic apparatuses. A multiplicity of high-capacity batteries are mounted in electric vehicles. A multiplicity of integrated circuits (IC) may be used in such a manner as to monitor operation of the battery, a state thereof, or the like and to perform normal operation of the battery. These IC devices themselves may constitute a device for managing a battery or may be configured as at least one constituent element of the device for managing the battery.

For example, a multiplicity of semiconductor devices (sensing ICs) for monitoring the state of the battery are used. These sensing ICs are directly connected to the battery. These sensing ICs are kept connected to the battery and is supplied with electric power from the battery, unless they are physically disconnected from the battery. ICs, such as these sensing ICs, are kept connected to the battery even in a state where a vehicle stops driving. Thus, the ICs consume electric power of the battery. Therefore, the ICs are configured in such a manner that they enter a sleep mode and stand by in the state where the vehicle stop driving.

The IC is configured in such a manner that, in the case where the sleep mode is entered, when the vehicle restarts to drive, in order to wake up, the IC monitors a signal with a specific pattern that is input into a specific pin of the IC from the outside of the IC (for example, other electronic devices that include an ECU and the like). A problem with this technique is that electric power is always consumed in order to operate a communication signal monitoring block inside the IC.

In recent years, a voltage level of the battery that is required of an electric vehicle has been gradually increased (from <NUM> V to <NUM> V). Accordingly, the number of the ICs for managing the battery has been gradually increased. A reduction in consumption of electric power by the ICs is evaluated as a more important factor for managing the battery.

The background art of the present disclosure is disclosed in <CIT>). Further prior art can be found in <CIT>.

The invention is defined by the claims <NUM>-<NUM>. An object of the present disclosure, which is made to solve the above-mentioned problem with a device for managing a battery in the related art, is to provide a device for managing a battery and a method of operating the device for managing a battery, the device and the method being capable of not only reducing consumption of standby electric power in a sleep mode for the device for managing a battery, but also performing a wakeup operation through a specific signal that is input from the outside.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a device for managing a battery, the device including: a battery cell input terminal connected to a battery and supplied with electric power; a communication signal input terminal through which a communication signal is input from the outside; a regulator unit configured to convert electric power input from the battery into electric power that is used inside a device for managing a battery, and to provide the resulting electric power; an electric power line including at least one switch that is turned off in a sleep mode for the device for managing a battery and connecting between the battery cell input terminal and the regulator unit; and a charge pump configured to output a voltage for turning on the switch using a signal that is input through the communication signal input terminal.

In the device, the electric power line may include: a line for electric power to be pre-supplied, the line including a switch that is turned on by the charge pump; and a main electric power line including a switch that is turned on according to operation of the regulator unit due to the pre-supplied electric power.

In the device, the line for electric power to be pre-supplied may include: a first switch connected to the charge pump and turned on by the charge pump; and a second switch arranged between the battery cell input terminal and the regulator unit and turned on when the first switch is turned on.

In the device, when the electric power to be pre-supplied is input through the line for electric power to be pre-supplied and when a frequency of a signal that is input through the communication signal input terminal corresponds to a preset frequency, the regulator unit may convert the electric power to be pre-supplied into electric power that is used inside the device for managing a battery, and may output the resulting electric power.

In the device, when the electric power that is used inside the device for managing a battery is supplied by the regulator unit, the device for managing a battery may turn on the switch of the main electric power line and thus may supply electric power to the regulator unit through the main electric power line.

In the device, when main electric power is input through the main electric power line, the regulator unit may convert the main electric power into the electric power that is used inside the device for managing a battery, and may output the resulting electric power.

In the device, the device for managing a battery may determine whether or not a signal that is input through the communication signal input terminal is a wakeup signal, and may turn on the switch of the main electric power line when the input signal is the wakeup signal.

In the device, the charge pump may output a voltage that is amplified using the signal that is input through the communication signal input terminal.

In the device, the signal that is input through the communication signal input terminal may be a differential signal.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of operating a device for managing a battery, the method including: checking a frequency of a signal that is input into a communication signal input terminal, when electric power to be pre-supplied is input through a line for electric power to be pre-supplied between a battery and a regulator; converting the electric power to be pre-supplied into electric power that is used inside a device for managing a battery, when the signal that is input into the communication signal input terminal corresponds to a preset frequency; and converting main electric power into the electric power that is used inside the device for managing a battery, when the main electric power is input through a main electric power line between the battery and the regulator after a preset standby time elapses.

In the method, the line for electric power to be pre-supplied may include at least one switch that is turned off in a sleep mode for the device for managing a battery and may be turned on according to the signal that is input into the communication signal input terminal.

In the method, the main electric power line may include at least one switch that is turned off in a sleep mode for the device for managing a battery and is turned on according to operation of the device for managing a battery due to the electric power to be pre-supplied.

In the device for managing a battery and the method of operating the device for managing a battery according to the present disclosure, the electric power line between the battery and the regulator of the device for managing a battery is configured in such a manner as to be switchable, but, for connection, is switched by amplifying and utilizing the wakeup signal that is input from the outside. Thus, the device and the method according to the present disclosure provide the effect of not only reducing consumption of standby electric power in the sleep mode for the device for managing a battery, but also performing the wakeup operation through the signal that is output from the outside.

In addition, in the device for managing a battery and the method of operating the device for managing a battery according to the present disclosure, the electric power line is configured to include the line for electric power to be pre-supplied and the main electric power line. Thus, the device and the method according to the present disclosure provide the effect of not only starting to operate the device for managing a battery due to the wakeup signal, but also making it possible to stably supply electric power after performing the wakeup operation.

A device for managing a battery and a method of operating the device for managing a battery according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. For clarity and convenience in description, thicknesses of lines, sizes of constituent elements, and the like may be illustrated in non-exact proportion in the drawings. In addition, a term defined by considering a function of a constituent element according to the present disclosure to which the term is assigned will be used below and may vary according to a user's or manager's intention or to practices in the art. Therefore, the term should be defined in context in light of the present specification.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a device for managing a battery according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> and <FIG> are views that are referred to for description of inputting of a wakeup signal for the device for managing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is a view that is referred to for description of a charge pump of the device for managing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The device for managing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described as follows with reference to <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the device for managing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is an integrated circuit that is configured as a package that includes a multiplicity of elements, a semiconductor block, electric circuits, and the like inside. For example, the device for managing a battery may be a sensing IC that monitors a state (voltage, current, or the like) of a battery.

The device for managing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes terminals(such as pins), for connection to the outside. The device for managing a battery may at least include a battery cell input pin <NUM> that is connected to an IC, a differential signal positive signal input pin <NUM> for communication with the IC, and a differential signal negative signal input pin <NUM> for the communication with the IC. That is, the IC may be supplied with electric power from the battery connected to the battery cell input pin <NUM>, and a communication signal may be input into the IC from the outside (for example, electronic devices of a vehicle that include an ECU and the like) of the IC through the two communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM>. However, in one or several practical examples of the present disclosure, the number of the communication signal input pins is not limited to <NUM> and may be any other number (for example, <NUM> or <NUM>).

The device for managing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure may include a communication block <NUM>, a charge pump <NUM>, switching units <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, a regulator unit <NUM>, and an analog and digital block <NUM>.

The communication block <NUM> is a constituent element that transmits and receives a communication signal that is input from the outside of the IC. For example, the communication block <NUM> may be configured as a communication element that is capable of transmitting and receiving a differential signal.

The regulator unit <NUM> is a constituent element that is connected to the battery cell input pin <NUM>, converts electric power input from the battery into electric power that is used inside the IC (that is, in the communication block <NUM>, the analogy and digital block <NUM>, and the like), and provides the resulting electric power. The regulator unit <NUM> may be configured to include a low-dropout (LDO) regulator, a controller that controls operation of the LDO regulator, and the like. However, the regulator and the controller may be configured as one individual physical element and may be configured as an element or the like that operates as a regulator when a preset specific condition is satisfied.

Conceptually, the analog and digital block <NUM> collectively refers to a multiplicity of individual elements for operation of the IC. Various types of individual elements (an analogy digital converter, a controller, and the like) for performing a function of the IC may be included in the analog and digital block <NUM>.

According to the present disclosure, the supplying of electric power to the analog and digital block <NUM> by the regulator unit <NUM> means the supplying of electric power to various individual elements inside the IC by the regulator unit <NUM>.

Although not illustrated in <FIG>, the analog and digital block <NUM> may be connected to the communication block <NUM>, and the communication block <NUM> may also be connected to the regulator unit <NUM> and thus be supplied with electric power from the regulator unit <NUM>. It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that in addition, additional pins and various elements may be further included in the IC for the operation of the IC. Operation and a configuration of the IC, except for wakeup operation of the IC and a technique of supplying electric power to inside the IC that are described according to the present disclosure, may be the same as operation and a configuration, respectively, of a usual IC in the related art, and therefore, more detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

The charge pump <NUM> boosts the wakeup signal that is input through the communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM>, and thus, switches of the switching units <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be turned on.

The switching units <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> are arranged between the battery cell input pin <NUM> and the regulator unit <NUM>. The switching units <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may switch between a connection between the battery cell input pin <NUM> and the regulator unit <NUM> (that is, a connection between the battery and the regulator unit <NUM>) and a disconnection therefrom.

Two electric power lines (a line for electric power to be pre-supplied and a main electric power line) are configured for the connection between the battery cell input pin <NUM> and the regulator unit <NUM>.

The line for electric power to be pre-supplied may include at least one switch. The pre-supply electric power line may be configured in such a manner as to be turned on with a voltage supplied from the charge pump <NUM> and thus as to establish the connection between the battery cell input pin <NUM> and the regulator unit <NUM>. For example, the switch of the line for electric power to be pre-supplied may be configured to include an NPN (N channel) transistor <NUM> connected to the charge pump <NUM> and an PNP (P channel) transistor <NUM> connected between the battery cell input pin <NUM> and the regulator unit <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the wakeup signal is input from the outside of the IC through the communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM>, and, for example, may be a differential signal in a form as illustrated in <FIG>.

The charge pump <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, may output a maximum voltage of <NUM> x <NUM> V = <NUM> V when a differential signal of <NUM> V is input thereinto, and the resulting maximum voltage is input into a first switch <NUM> that is turned off. Thus, the first switch <NUM> is turned on. When the first switch <NUM> is turned on, accordingly, a second switch <NUM> is also turned on. Accordingly, the battery cell input pin <NUM> is connected to the regulator unit <NUM>, and thus, a battery voltage is input.

When electric power is pre-input, the regulator unit <NUM> (the controller of the regulator unit <NUM>) may check a communication signal from the outside and thus may determine whether or not the communication signal corresponds to noise or the like. For example, only in a case where a signal at a preset specific frequency is input, the regulator unit <NUM> determines that the input signal may correspond to the wakeup signal. Then, the regulator unit <NUM> generates electric power (electric power to be pre-supplied) necessary inside the IC, through the regulator and supplies the generated electric power to the analog and digital block <NUM> and the communication block <NUM>.

That is, according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, in a sleep mode for the device for managing a battery, the connection between the battery and the regulator is basically made not to be established and, thus consumption of dark current does not occur. Moreover, electric power is input into the IC through switching due to the wakeup signal, and thus the IC starts to operate. This provides an advantage in that in the sleep mode, there is no need to supply electric power to the communication block <NUM>.

Like main electric power, electric power to be pre-supplied is electric power for temporary operation of the IC. Therefore, the regulator unit <NUM> may be configured to quickly check only a frequency of the communication signal and to determine only whether or not the communication signal is noise.

At this point, the regulator unit <NUM> may be configured to check frequencies of both of the two communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM> or to check the frequency of one of the two communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM>. That is, <FIG> illustrates that a signal of one communication signal input pin <NUM> is input. However, a signal of the other communication signal input pin <NUM> may be input, or both of the two communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM> may be input.

When the communication block <NUM> is in an idle state (when the communication block <NUM> does not perform communication), a signal that is toggled is not input into the communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM>. Therefore, the first switch <NUM> and the second switch <NUM> are kept turned off, and thus electric power cannot be pre-generated.

Accordingly, according to the present disclosure, the main electric power line may be separately configured, and thus electric power may be smoothly supplied after wakeup.

The main electric power line may include at least one switch and may be configured to be turned on by the analog and digital block <NUM> and to establish the connection between the battery cell input pin <NUM> and the regulator unit <NUM>. For example, the switch of the main electric power line may be configured as a PNP (P channel) transistor <NUM>, connected between the battery cell input pin <NUM> and the regulator unit <NUM>.

Electric power is pre-input into the analog and digital block <NUM>, and the analog and digital block <NUM> determines whether or not a signal that is input into the communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM> corresponds to the wakeup signal. In a case where the signal corresponds to the wakeup signal, the analog and digital block <NUM> may turn on a third switch <NUM> and thus may establish the main electric power line between the battery cell input pin <NUM> and the regulator unit <NUM>. For example, the analog and digital block <NUM> may convert the input signal into a digital signal, may interpret the resulting digital signal, and may determine whether or not the input signal is the wakeup signal. However, with the operation and the configuration of the usual IC in the related art, it is also determined whether or not the received signal is the wakeup signal, and therefore, a more detailed description is omitted.

When the main electric power is input into the regulator unit <NUM>, the regulator unit <NUM> generates electric power (the main electric power), necessary inside the IC, through the regulator and supplies the generated electric power to the analog and digital block <NUM>. The analog and digital block <NUM> may keep the third switch <NUM> turned on and thus may keep the main electric power line connected while the IC operates.

When the main electric power is not input into the regulator unit <NUM>, the regulator unit <NUM> may disable the regulator and thus may end temporary operation of the regulator due to a signal or the like other than the wakeup signal. At this point, after a preset standby time (for example, <NUM>) elapses, the regulator unit <NUM> may recognize whether or not the main electric power is input.

<FIG> is a flowchart that is referred to for description of a method of operating the device for managing a battery according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in <FIG>, when electric power is pre-input by turning on the switch of the line for electric power to be pre-supplied (YES in S100), the controller of the regulator unit <NUM> checks the frequency of the signal that is input into the communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM> (S200).

In a case where the signal that is input into the communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM> corresponds to a preset frequency (YES in S300), the controller generates electric power (electric power to be pre-supplied), necessary inside the IC, through the regulator, outputs the generated electric power, and supplies the generated electric power to inside the IC (S400).

Subsequently, when the main electric power is being input after the preset standby time elapses (YES in S500), the controller generates electric power (the main electric power), necessary inside the IC, through the regulator, outputs the generated electric power, and supplies the generated electric power to inside the IC (S700).

When the signal that is input in the communication signal input pins <NUM> and <NUM> does not correspond to the preset frequency in Step S300, or when in Step S500, the main electric power is not input after the standby time elapses, the controller may disable the regulator and may end temporary operation of the regulator due to a signal, noise, or the like other than the wakeup signal.

The device for managing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure and the method of operating the device for managing a battery according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure are configured in such a manner that the electric power line between the battery and the regulator of the device for managing a battery is switchable, and do not use the communication block in performing the wakeup operation. Thus, consumption of standby electric power in the sleep mode can be reduced.

In addition, the device for managing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure and the method of operating the device for managing a battery according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure switch the electric power line for being connected, by amplifying and utilizing the wakeup signal that is input from the outside. Thus, it is possible to perform the wakeup operation of the device for managing a battery that uses the wakeup signal in the related art.

In addition, in the device for managing a battery according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure and the method of operating the device for managing a battery according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, the electric power line is configured to include the line for electric power to be pre-supplied and the main electric power line. Thus, it is possible to stably supply electric power when the device for managing a battery starts to operate due to the wakeup signal and after the wakeup.

Claim 1:
A device for managing a battery, the device comprising:
a battery cell input terminal (<NUM>) connected to a battery and supplied with electric power;
a communication signal input terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>) through which communication signal is input from the outside;
a regulator unit (<NUM>) configured to convert electric power input from the battery into electric power that is used inside a device for managing a battery, and to provide the resulting electric power;
an electric power line comprising at least one switch (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) that is turned off in a sleep mode for the device for managing a battery and connecting between the battery cell input terminal (<NUM>) and the regulator unit (<NUM>); and
a charge pump (<NUM>) configured to output a voltage for turning on the switch (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) using a signal that is input through the communication signal input terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>);
characterized in that
the electric power line comprises:
a line for electric power to be pre-supplied, the line comprising a first switch (<NUM>) connected to the charge pump (<NUM>) and turned on by the charge pump (<NUM>); and
a main electric power line comprising a third switch (<NUM>) that is turned on according to operation of the regulator unit (<NUM>) due to the pre-supplied electric power.