Patent Description:
The described technology relates to a battery apparatus and a method of supplying a voltage.

An electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that obtains power by driving a motor mainly using a battery as a power supply. The electric vehicles are being actively researched because they are alternatives that can solve pollution and energy problems of internal combustion vehicles. Rechargeable batteries are used in various external apparatuses other than the electric vehicles.

The battery apparatus includes a battery pack and a battery management system for managing the battery pack. The battery management system monitors various information such as a voltage, a state of charge and a temperature of battery cells included in the battery and includes various circuits for monitoring the various information.

Currently, a power source for supplying power to electronic components is used to supply power to the battery management system. However, since a voltage (e.g., 12V) supplied from the power supply for supplying the power to the electronic components is higher than an operating voltage (e.g., 5V) of the battery management system, a component for lowering the voltage of the power supply is required. When the voltage is lowered in this way, electromagnetic interference (EMI) may occur in a DC/DC (direct current to direct current) converter, power consumption may increase due to a low dropout (LDO) regulator, and additional components may be required for voltage stabilization.

<CIT> relates to a dynamically reconfigurable battery framework for management of a large-scale battery system.

<CIT> relates to a system and method for effectively managing operating power for an electronic device that may include a battery pack coupled to the electronic device for supplying operating power to the electronic device.

<CIT> relates to a storage battery control device that controls an assembly battery having a plurality of secondary battery cells connected to each other, including at least one integrated circuit adapted to monitor and control charging and discharging of each of the secondary battery cells of the assembly battery.

Some embodiments may provide a battery apparatus and a method of supplying a voltage capable of supplying an operating voltage of a battery management system without using a component for voltage drop.

According to an aspect, a battery apparatus according to claim <NUM> is provided.

In some embodiments, a voltage of the first battery pack may not be provided as the operating voltage.

In some embodiments, the operating voltage may correspond to a sum of voltages of the predetermined number of battery cells.

In some embodiments, a wire connected to a negative electrode of a first battery cell among the predetermined number of battery cells may be connected to a ground terminal of the operating device, and a wire connected to a positive electrode of a last battery cell among the predetermined number of battery cells may be connected to an operating voltage supply terminal of the operating device.

In some embodiments, the plurality of battery cells of the second battery pack may be grouped into a plurality of battery cell groups, and each of the plurality of battery cell groups may include battery cells corresponding to the predetermined number. The battery management system may select the battery cell group from among the plurality of battery cell groups.

In some embodiments, the battery management system may alternately select one battery cell group from among the plurality of battery cell groups at a predetermined time interval.

In some embodiments, the battery management system may further include a switching circuit configured to select the plurality of battery cell groups.

In some embodiments, the plurality of battery cell groups may include a first battery cell group and a second battery cell group. In response to selecting the first battery cell group, the switching circuit may connect a first wire connected to a negative electrode of a first battery cell among the predetermined number of battery cells in the first battery cell group to a ground terminal of the operating device, and connect a second wire connected to a positive electrode of a last battery cell among the predetermined number of battery cells in the first battery cell group to an operating voltage supply terminal of the operating device. In response to selecting the second battery cell group, the switching circuit may connect a third wire connected to a negative electrode of a first battery cell among the predetermined number of battery cells in the second battery cell group to the ground terminal, and connect a fourth wire connected to a positive electrode of a last battery cell among the predetermined number of battery cells in the second battery cell group to the operating voltage supply terminal.

In some embodiments, the switching circuit may include a first switch connected between the first wire and the ground terminal, a second switch connected between the second wire and the operating voltage supply terminal, a third switch connected between the third wire and the ground terminal, and a fourth switch connected between the fourth wire and the operating voltage supply terminal. The battery management system may select the first battery cell group by turning on the first switch and the second switch, and may select the second battery cell group by turning on the third switch and the fourth switch.

In some embodiments, the operating device may include a processor.

According to another aspect, a method according to claim <NUM> is provided.

According to an example useful for understanding of the disclosure, a battery apparatus including a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells and a battery management system may be provided. The battery management system may group the plurality of battery cells of the battery pack into a plurality of battery cell groups each including a predetermined number of battery cells, alternately select one battery cell group from among the plurality of battery cell groups, and providing an operating voltage to an operating device of the battery management system through the selected battery cell group.

According to some embodiments, it is possible to supply the operating voltage of the battery management system without using a component for lowering the voltage of the power supply.

In the following detailed description, only certain embodiments have been shown and described, simply by way of illustration. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the scope of the present invention as specified by the appended claims. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

When it is described that an element is "connected" to another element, it should be understood that the element may be directly connected to the other element or connected to the other element through a third element. On the other hand, when it is described that an element is "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that the element is connected to the other element through no third element.

As used herein, a singular form may be intended to include a plural form as well, unless the explicit expression such as "one" or "single" is used.

In flowcharts described with reference to the drawings, the order of operations or steps may be changed, several operations or steps may be merged, a certain operation or step may be divided, and a specific operation or step may not be performed.

<FIG> is a diagram showing a battery apparatus according to an embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, a battery apparatus <NUM> includes a high voltage (HV) battery pack <NUM>, a low voltage (LV) battery pack <NUM>, and a battery management system (BMS) <NUM>.

The battery apparatus <NUM> has a structure that can be electrically connected to an external apparatus. When the external apparatus is a load, the battery apparatus <NUM> is discharged by operating as a power supply that supplies power to the load. The external apparatus <NUM> operating as the load may be, for example, an electronic device, a mobility apparatus, or an energy storage system (ESS). The mobility apparatus may be, for example, a vehicle such as an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a smart mobility.

The HV battery pack <NUM> outputs a relatively high voltage and supplies power to a large-capacity load of the external apparatus. The LV battery pack <NUM> outputs a relatively low voltage and supplies power to a low-capacity load of the external apparatus. The voltage supplied from the HV battery pack <NUM> is higher than the voltage supplied from the LV battery pack <NUM>. In some embodiments, the large-capacity load may be a load for driving the vehicle, including, for example, a motor of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the low-capacity load of the external apparatus may be a load used to control the vehicle, for example, an electrical component.

The HV battery pack <NUM> and the LV battery pack <NUM> each include a plurality of battery cells (not shown). In some embodiments, the battery cell may be a rechargeable cell. Each battery pack <NUM> or <NUM> may include a battery module in which a predetermined number of battery cells are connected in series. In some embodiments, in each battery pack <NUM> or <NUM>, a predetermined number of battery modules may be connected in series or in parallel to supply desired power.

The HV battery pack <NUM> is connected to the battery management system <NUM> through wires (not shown). For example, each of the plurality of battery cells of the HV battery pack <NUM> may be connected to the battery management system <NUM> through the wire. The battery management system <NUM> may include a processor <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may collect and analyze various information about the battery cells to control charging and discharging of the battery cells, a cell balancing operation, a protection operation, and the like. In some embodiments, the processor <NUM> may be, for example, a micro controller unit (MCU). In some embodiments, the battery management system <NUM> may further include various monitoring circuits (not shown) such as cell voltage monitoring circuits.

In some embodiments, the battery management system <NUM> may collect and analyze various information about the battery cells of the LV battery pack <NUM> to control charging and discharging of the battery cells, a cell balancing operation, a protection operation, and the like.

In some embodiments, the battery apparatus <NUM> may further include a separate battery management system (not shown) for the LV battery pack <NUM>.

An operating device of the battery management system <NUM>, for example, the processor <NUM> of the battery management system <NUM> may be operated by receiving an operating voltage. To this end, some battery cells of the LV battery pack <NUM> may supply the operating voltage Vcc for the battery management system <NUM>. Accordingly, a DC/DC converter for lowering the voltage of the power supply, an LDO regulator, and components for voltage stabilization may not be used. In some embodiments, the voltage of the HV battery pack <NUM> may be not provided as the operating voltage Vcc, and only the LV battery pack <NUM> may supply the operating voltage Vcc. Accordingly, the power supplied to the large-capacity load may not be affected by the supply of the operating voltage Vcc.

<FIG> is a diagram for explaining supply of an operating voltage of a battery management system according to an embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, an LV battery pack <NUM> includes a plurality of battery cells connected in series. Although six battery cells C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, and C6 are shown in <FIG> for convenience of description, the number of battery cells included in the LV battery pack is not limited thereto.

Among the plurality of battery cells of the LV battery pack <NUM>, some adjacent battery cells C1 and C2 form one battery cell group to supply an operating voltage to a battery management system <NUM>. For example, when a voltage of each battery cell of the LV battery pack <NUM> is <NUM>. 5V and the operating voltage of the battery management system <NUM> is 5V, the two battery cells C1 and C2 may supply the operating voltage.

In the battery cell group, wires <NUM> and <NUM> are connected to a negative electrode of the first battery cell C1 and a positive electrode of the last battery cell C2, respectively. The wire <NUM> is connected to a terminal corresponding to a ground potential of the battery management system <NUM>, and the wire <NUM> is connected to a terminal for supplying the operating voltage of the battery management system <NUM>. In some embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, the wire <NUM> may connected to the ground terminal of the processor <NUM> of the battery management system <NUM>, i.e., a ground pin GND, and the wire <NUM> may be connected to an operating voltage supply terminal of the processor <NUM>, i.e., an operating voltage supply pin Vcc.

Accordingly, a sum (e.g., 5V) of voltages of the battery cells C1 and C2 included in the battery cell group may be supplied as the operating voltage of the battery management system <NUM>.

<FIG> are diagrams for explaining supply of an operating voltage of a battery management system according to another embodiment, and <FIG> is a diagram showing an example of a switching circuit shown in <FIG>.

A plurality of battery cells of the LV battery pack <NUM> are grouped into a plurality of battery cell groups G1, G2, and G3, and each battery cell group Gi includes battery cells that can supply a voltage corresponding to the operating voltage of the battery management system <NUM>. Here, i is an integer from <NUM> to <NUM>. For example, when a voltage of each battery cell of the LV battery pack <NUM> is <NUM>. 5V and the operating voltage of the battery management system <NUM> is 5V, each battery cell group Gi may include two adjacent battery cells. That is, one battery cell group G1 may include two battery cells C1 and C2, another battery cell group G2 may include two other battery cells C3 and C4, and yet another battery cell group G3 may include two other battery cells C5 and C6.

In the battery cell group G1, wires <NUM> and <NUM> are connected to a negative electrode of the first battery cell C1 and a positive electrode of the last battery cell C2, respectively. In the battery cell group G2, wires <NUM> and <NUM> are connected to a negative electrode of the first battery cell C3 and a positive electrode of the last battery cell C4, respectively. In this case, since the positive electrode of the last battery cell C2 of the battery cell group G1 and the negative electrode of the first battery cell C3 of the battery cell group G2 are shared, the same wire <NUM> is connected to the positive electrode of the battery cell C2 and the negative electrode of the battery cell C3. In some embodiments, a separate wire other than the wire <NUM> may be connected to the negative electrode of the first battery cell C3 of the battery cell group G2. Similarly, in the battery cell group G3, wires <NUM> and <NUM> are connected to a negative electrode of the first battery cell C5 and a positive electrode of the last battery cell C6, respectively. In this case, since the positive electrode of the last battery cell C4 of the battery cell group G2 and the negative electrode of the first battery cell C5 of the battery cell group G3 are shared, the same wire <NUM> is connected to the positive electrode of the battery cell C4 and the negative electrode of the battery cell C5. In some embodiments, a separate wire other than the wire <NUM> may be connected to the negative electrode of the first battery cell C5 of the battery cell group G3.

The battery management system <NUM> includes a switching circuit <NUM>. The switching circuit <NUM> is connected to the wires <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, and has a negative output terminal <NUM> and a positive output terminal <NUM>. The negative output terminal <NUM> is connected to a ground terminal of an operating device of the battery management system <NUM>, and the positive output terminal <NUM> is connected to an operating voltage supply terminal of the operating device of the battery management system <NUM>. In some embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, the negative output terminal <NUM> may be connected to a ground terminal of a processor <NUM> of the battery management system <NUM>, i.e., a ground pin GND, and the positive output terminal <NUM> may be connected to an operating voltage supply terminal of the processor <NUM>, i.e., an operating voltage supply pin Vcc.

The switching circuit <NUM> periodically switches connections among the wires <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, the negative output terminal <NUM>, and the positive output terminal <NUM>. In some embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, the switching circuit <NUM> may connect the wire <NUM> to the negative output terminal <NUM> and the wire <NUM> to the positive output terminal <NUM> during a first period T1 so that the battery cell group G1 can supply the operating voltage. After the first period T1, the switching circuit <NUM> may connect the wire <NUM> to the negative output terminal <NUM> and the wire <NUM> to the positive output terminal <NUM> during a second period T2 so that the battery cell group G2 can supply the operating voltage. After the second period T2, the switching circuit <NUM> may connect the wire <NUM> to the negative output terminal <NUM> and the wire <NUM> to the positive output terminal <NUM> during a third period T3 so that the battery cell group G3 can supply the operating voltage. The switching circuit <NUM> may alternately select the plurality of battery cell groups G1, G2, and G3 and supply the operating voltage by repeating the first period T1, the second period T2, and the third period T3. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an imbalance in battery cell voltage that may occur when the operating voltage is supplied only from a specific battery cell group.

In some embodiments, the switching circuit <NUM> may allow two battery cell groups to simultaneously supply the operating voltage when switching to another period. Accordingly, it is possible to ensure that there is no blank period in the supply of the operating voltage.

In some embodiments, durations of the first period T1, the second period T2, and the third period T3 may be set to be the same.

In some embodiments, the processor <NUM> of the battery management system <NUM> may control operations of the switching circuit <NUM>.

In some embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, the switching circuit <NUM> may include a plurality of switches S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6. The switch S1 is connected between the wire <NUM> and the negative output terminal <NUM>, and the switch S2 is connected between the wire <NUM> and the positive output terminal <NUM>. The switch S3 is connected between the wire <NUM> and the negative output terminal <NUM>, and the switch S4 is connected between the wire <NUM> and the positive output terminal <NUM>. The switch S5 is connected between the wire <NUM> and the negative output terminal <NUM>, and the switch S6 is connected between the wire <NUM> and the positive output terminal <NUM>. Accordingly, the battery management system may turn on the switches S1 and S2 to select the battery cell group G1, turn on the switches S3 and S4 to select the battery cell group G2, and turn on the switches S5 and S6 to select the battery cell group G3.

<FIG> is a flowchart showing a voltage supply method according to another embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, a battery management system selects one battery cell group from among a plurality of battery cells of an LV battery pack at S610. The selected battery cell group supplies an operating voltage to an operating device of the battery management system at S620.

If a predetermined time has not elapsed after selecting one battery cell group at S630, the operating voltage is continuously supplied from the selected battery cell group at S620. When a predetermined time has elapsed after selecting one battery cell group, the battery management system selects another battery cell group from the LV battery pack at S610. Accordingly, the newly selected battery cell group may supply the operating voltage to the operating device of the battery management system at S620.

By repeating the processes of S610, S620, and S630, the battery management system may supply the operating voltage to the operating device of the battery management system while balancing battery cell voltages.

Claim 1:
A battery apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
a first battery pack (<NUM>) configured to provide a first voltage to a large-capacity load of an external apparatus configured to be connected to the battery apparatus (<NUM>);
a battery management system (<NUM>) configured to manage the first battery pack (<NUM>); and
a second battery pack (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to provide a second voltage lower than the first voltage to a low-capacity load of the external apparatus, and including a plurality of battery cells,
wherein the battery management system (<NUM>) is configured to select a battery cell group including a predetermined number of battery cells from among the plurality of battery cells of the second battery pack (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), and
wherein the selected battery cell group supplies an operating voltage to an operating device of the battery management system.