Patent ID: 12253572

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood that the terms used in the specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to general and dictionary meanings, but interpreted based on the meanings and concepts corresponding to technical aspects of the present disclosure on the basis of the principle that the inventor is allowed to define terms appropriately for the best explanation.

Therefore, the description proposed herein is just a preferable example for the purpose of illustrations only, not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, so it should be understood that other equivalents and modifications could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

Additionally, in describing the present disclosure, when it is deemed that a detailed description of relevant known elements or functions renders the key subject matter of the present disclosure ambiguous, the detailed description is omitted herein.

The terms including the ordinal number such as “first”, “second” and the like, may be used to distinguish one element from another among various elements, but not intended to limit the elements by the terms.

Throughout the specification, when a portion is referred to as “comprising” or “including” any element, it means that the portion may include other elements further, without excluding other elements, unless specifically stated otherwise.

In addition, throughout the specification, when a portion is referred to as being “connected” to another portion, it is not limited to the case that they are “directly connected”, but it also includes the case where they are “indirectly connected” with another element being interposed between them.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG.1is a diagram schematically showing a battery diagnosing apparatus100according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.2is a diagram schematically showing an exemplary configuration of a battery pack1according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.1, the battery diagnosing apparatus100may include a voltage measuring unit110and a control unit120.

The voltage measuring unit110may be configured to measure a voltage of each of a plurality of battery cells B included in a battery module BM at every voltage measurement cycle.

Here, the battery module BM may include one or more battery cells connected in series and/or in parallel. In addition, the battery cell means a physically separable one independent cell having a negative electrode terminal and a positive electrode terminal. For example, one pouch-type lithium polymer cell may be regarded as a battery cell.

Also, the voltage measurement cycle may be a cycle preset such that the voltage measuring unit110measures the voltage of each of the plurality of battery cells B. For example, the voltage measurement cycle may be 1 second.

For example, in the embodiment ofFIG.2, the battery module BM may include five battery cells B1to B5.

Also, in the embodiment ofFIG.2, the voltage measuring unit110may be connected to a first sensing line SL1, a second sensing line SL2, a third sensing line SL3, a fourth sensing line SL4, a fifth sensing line SL5, and a sixth sensing line SL6. The voltage measuring unit110may measure the voltage of the first battery cell B1through the first sensing line SL1and the second sensing line SL2, and measure the voltage of the second battery cell B2through the second sensing line SL2and the third sensing line SL3. In addition, the voltage measuring unit110may measure the voltage of the third battery cell B3through the third sensing line SL3and the fourth sensing line SL4, measure the voltage of the fourth battery cell B4through the fourth sensing line SL4and the fifth sensing line SL5, and measure the voltage of the fifth battery cell B5through the sensing line SL5and the sixth sensing line SL6.

The control unit120may be configured to obtain a voltage value for the plurality of battery cells B from the voltage measuring unit110at every voltage measurement cycle.

For example, in the embodiment ofFIG.2, the voltage measuring unit110and the control unit120may be connected to communicate with each other. The voltage measuring unit110may measure the voltage of the plurality of battery cells B at every voltage measurement cycle and transmit the measured voltage value to the control unit120. Accordingly, the control unit120may obtain the voltage values for the plurality of battery cells B at every voltage measurement cycle.

The control unit120may be configured to calculate a voltage change amount between the plurality of obtained voltage values for the plurality of battery cells B.

For example, in the embodiment ofFIG.2, the control unit120may calculate a voltage change amount between the voltage values of the first to fifth battery cells B1to B5.

Specifically, the control unit120may be configured to calculate the voltage change amount by computing a standard deviation or dispersion between the plurality of voltage values at every voltage measurement cycle. That is, the voltage change amount calculated by the control unit120may be a standard deviation or dispersion of a plurality of voltage values measured at the same time point.

The control unit120may be configured to calculate a voltage change rate between the plurality of calculated voltage change amounts at every diagnosis cycle different from the voltage measurement cycle.

Here, the diagnosis cycle is a cycle at which the voltage change rate is calculated, and may be a cycle for diagnosing the battery module BM. Preferably, the diagnosis cycle may be set to be greater than the voltage measurement cycle. For example, the diagnosis cycle may be set to 100 seconds.

For example, as in the previous embodiment, it is assumed that the voltage measurement cycle is 1 second and the diagnosis cycle is 100 seconds. Since the control unit120calculates a voltage change amount for the plurality of battery cells B at every voltage measurement cycle, 100 voltage change amounts may be calculated by the control unit120whenever a diagnosis cycle arrives. The control unit120may calculate the voltage change rate for the current diagnosis cycle by computing an average change rate of 100 voltage change amounts.

Specifically, a total of 100 voltage change amounts may be calculated from the n−1thdiagnosis cycle to the nthdiagnosis cycle. For example, the first to the 100thvoltage change amounts may be calculated according to the voltage measurement cycle (1 second). The control unit120may calculate the voltage change rate for the Nthdiagnosis cycle by computing the average change rate of the first voltage change amount and the 100thvoltage change amount using Formula 1 below.
VRn=(Sm−S1)÷m[Formula 1]

Here, VRn is a voltage change rate of the nthdiagnosis cycle. m is the number of voltage change amounts calculated from the n−1thdiagnosis cycle to the nthdiagnosis cycle. For example, m may be calculated as “diagnosis cycle÷voltage measurement cycle”. Sm is a voltage change amount calculated last at the nthdiagnosis cycle, and S1 is a voltage change amount calculated first at the nthdiagnosis cycle.

For example, it is assumed that the diagnosis cycle is 100 seconds, the voltage measurement cycle is 1 second, and the current diagnosis cycle is the third diagnosis cycle. At the third diagnosis cycle, a total of 100 voltage change amounts may be calculated. That is, in Formula 1, m may be 100 (the calculation result of “100÷1”). Sm may be the 100thcalculated voltage change amount, and Si may be the first calculated voltage change amount. According to Formula 1, the voltage change rate (VR3) of the third diagnosis cycle may be calculated according to the formula of “(S100−S1)÷100”.

The control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM based on one or more voltage change rates calculated up to the current diagnosis cycle and a preset criterion change rate.

Here, the criterion change rate may be a voltage change rate that is a criterion for diagnosing the battery module BM as a defective state or a normal state. Preferably, the criterion change rate may be set to correspond to the battery module BM in a BOL (Beginning of Life) state. Here, the battery module BM in the BOL state means a battery module BM including one or more battery cells in the BOL state.

For example, the control unit120may be configured to compare the magnitudes of the voltage change rate calculated in the current diagnosis cycle and the criterion change rate and diagnose the battery module BM according to the comparison result.

The battery diagnosing apparatus100according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may periodically calculate a voltage change rate of the voltage change amount for the plurality of battery cells B. That is, the average change rate for the voltage distribution of the plurality of battery cells B included in the battery module BM may be calculated at each diagnosis cycle. In addition, the battery module BM may be diagnosed based on an average change rate (average voltage change rate) for voltage distribution and the criterion change rate. Accordingly, the battery diagnosing apparatus100may more accurately diagnose the state of the battery module BM by considering the voltage behavior of the plurality of battery cells B during the diagnosis cycle.

Meanwhile, the control unit120provided to the battery diagnosing apparatus100may optionally include a processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), another chipset, a logic circuit, a register, a communication modem, and a data processing device, and the like, known in the art to execute various control logics performed in the present disclosure. In addition, when the control logic is implemented in software, the control unit120may be implemented as a set of program modules. At this time, the program module may be stored in a memory and executed by the control unit120. The memory may be provided in or out of the control unit120, and may be connected to the control unit120by various well-known means.

In addition, the battery diagnosing apparatus100may further include a storage unit130. The storage unit130may store data or programs necessary for operation and function of each component of the battery diagnosing apparatus100, data generated in the process of performing the operation or function, or the like. The storage unit130is not particularly limited in its kind as long as it is a known information storage means that can record, erase, update and read data. As an example, the information storage means may include random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, and the like. In addition, the storage unit130may store program codes in which processes executable by the control unit120are defined.

For example, the voltages of the plurality of battery cells B measured by the voltage measuring unit110at every voltage measurement cycle and the voltage change amount calculated by the control unit120may be stored in the storage unit130. In addition, the criterion change rate for the battery module BM in the BOL state may also be stored in advance in the storage unit130. The control unit120may access the storage unit130to obtain the plurality of voltage change amounts calculated during the diagnosis cycle and obtain the preset criterion change rate.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the control unit120diagnoses the battery module BM will be described.

First, it is assumed that the voltage measurement cycle is 1 second, the diagnosis cycle is 100 seconds, and the current diagnosis cycle is the fifth diagnosis cycle. The first voltage change rate may be calculated for the first diagnosis cycle (1 sec to 100 sec), and the second voltage change rate may be calculated for the second diagnosis cycle (101 sec to 200 sec). In addition, the third voltage change rate may be calculated for the third diagnosis cycle (201 sec to 300 sec), the fourth voltage change rate may be calculated for the fourth diagnosis cycle (301 sec to 400 sec), and the fifth voltage change rate may be calculated for the fifth diagnosis cycle (401 sec to 500 sec).

The control unit120may be configured to compare the magnitudes of the voltage change rate calculated at the current diagnosis cycle and the criterion change rate and diagnose the battery module BM according to the comparison result.

Specifically, when the voltage change rate is less than the criterion change rate, the control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module.

For example, when the fifth voltage change rate calculated at the current diagnosis cycle is less than the criterion change rate, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module.

That is, when the voltage change rate of the plurality of battery cells B calculated at the current diagnosis cycle is less than the criterion change rate, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as in a normal state without comparing the voltage change rate of the current diagnosis cycle with the voltage change rate of the previous diagnosis cycle.

Conversely, if the voltage change rate is greater than or equal to the criterion change rate, the control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM based on a reference change rate preset at a previous diagnosis cycle and the voltage change rate.

Here, the control unit120may be configured to preset a largest voltage change rate among one or more voltage change rates calculated at the previous diagnosis cycle as the reference change rate.

For example, it is assumed that the third voltage change rate is largest among the first to fourth voltage change rates. The control unit120may preset the third voltage change rate having the largest magnitude among the first to fourth voltage change rates before the fifth diagnosis cycle as the reference change rate.

The control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM as the normal module, when the voltage change rate is greater than or equal to the criterion change rate and less than the reference change rate.

For example, when the fifth voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate but less than the reference change rate (the third voltage change rate), the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module at the fifth diagnosis cycle. That is, at the fifth diagnosis cycle, when the fifth voltage change rate of the plurality of battery cells B is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate but less than the reference change rate (the third voltage change rate), the control unit120may judge that the change rate with respect to the voltage deviation of the plurality of battery cells B is not increased compared to the previous diagnosis cycle. Accordingly, when the voltage change rate of the current cycle is greater than or equal to the criterion change rate but less than the reference change rate, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module.

Conversely, the control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM as a defective module, when the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate and the reference change rate.

For example, if the voltage change rate (the fifth voltage change rate) of the current diagnosis cycle (the fifth diagnosis cycle) is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate and the reference change rate (the third voltage change rate), the control unit120may judge that the change rate with respect to the voltage deviation of the plurality of battery cells B is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate and is increasing compared to the previous diagnosis cycle. That is, the control unit120may judge that the degree of degradation is non-uniform among the plurality of battery cells B included in the battery module BM at the current cycle. Accordingly, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a defective module.

In summary, if the voltage change rate is less than the criterion change rate, the battery diagnosing apparatus100may diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module without considering the reference change rate. In addition, the battery diagnosing apparatus100may diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module, when the voltage change rate is greater than or equal to the criterion change rate and less than the reference change rate. Finally, the battery diagnosing apparatus100may diagnose the battery module BM as a defective module, when the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate and the reference change rate.

That is, the battery diagnosing apparatus100may consider all of the voltage change rate of the current diagnosis cycle, the criterion change rate and the reference change rate in the process of diagnosing the state of the battery module BM. By comparing the voltage change rate and the criterion change rate, the current state of the battery module BM may be diagnosed in comparison to the battery module BM in the BOL state. In addition, the state of the battery module BM for non-uniform degradation of the plurality of battery cells B may be diagnosed by comparing the voltage change rate and the reference change rate. Therefore, the battery diagnosing apparatus100has an advantage of diagnosing the state of the battery module BM at the current diagnosis cycle in more various aspects.

Meanwhile, the control unit120may be configured to set the largest voltage change rate among one or more voltage change rates calculated before the current diagnosis cycle as the reference change rate.

For example, as in the previous embodiment, it is assumed that the control unit120calculates the first to fifth voltage change rates, and the fifth voltage change rate is calculated most recently. The control unit120may set the voltage change rate having the largest magnitude among the first to fourth voltage change rates excluding the fifth voltage change rate as the reference change rate. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the first voltage change rate is set as the reference change rate.

The control unit120may be configured to compare the magnitudes of the reference change rate and the voltage change rate, and diagnose the battery module BM according to the comparison result.

Specifically, when the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the reference change rate, the control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM as a defective module. For example, when the fifth voltage change rate set as the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the first voltage change rate set as the reference change rate, the state of the battery module BM may be diagnosed as a defective module.

Conversely, when the voltage change rate is less than the reference change rate, the control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module. For example, when the fifth voltage change rate set as the voltage change rate is less than the first voltage change rate set as the reference change rate, the state of the battery module BM may be diagnosed as a normal module.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the voltage change rate for the battery module BM increases, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a defective module. Here, the case where the voltage change rate increases may be a case where the voltage change amount (standard deviation or dispersion) for the plurality of battery cells B increases. For example, when the voltage deviation for the plurality of battery cells B is increased due to non-uniform degradation of the plurality of battery cells B, the voltage change rate of the battery module BM may be increased. Accordingly, the battery diagnosing apparatus may diagnose the battery module BM according to the result of comparing the voltage change rate and the reference change rate.

Meanwhile, the control unit120may be configured to diagnose each of the plurality of battery cells B based on a voltage value corresponding to each of the plurality of battery cells B, in parallel with diagnosing the battery module BM, at every the voltage measurement cycle.

Specifically, an upper limit voltage value and a lower limit voltage value for the voltage of the battery cell may be preset. The control unit120may diagnose a battery cell in which the voltage value received from the voltage measuring unit110is equal to or greater than the upper limit voltage value as an overvoltage state. Also, the control unit120may diagnose a battery cell in which the received voltage value is equal to or less than the lower limit voltage value as a low voltage state. The control unit120may diagnose a battery cell in which the voltage value is less than the upper limit voltage value and exceeds the lower limit voltage value as a normal state.

That is, the control unit120may diagnose the state of the battery module BM at every diagnosis cycle, and may also diagnose the state of each of the plurality of battery cells B at every voltage measurement cycle.

Accordingly, there is an advantage in that the state of each of the plurality of battery cells B and the state of the battery module BM may all be diagnosed by the battery diagnosing apparatus.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the control unit120adjusts a counting value and diagnoses the battery module BM according to the adjusted counting value will be described.

The control unit120may be configured to determine the state of the battery module BM based on at least one of the voltage change rate, the criterion change rate and the reference change rate at every the diagnosis cycle, and adjust a preset counting value according to the determined state of the battery module BM.

Here, the counting value may have an initial value and a minimum value set to 0. In addition, the counting value may be adjusted by increasing or decreasing by 1 by the control unit120.

Specifically, when the battery module BM is diagnosed as a defective module by the control unit120, the use of the battery module BM may be stopped and replacement may be requested. That is, when the battery module BM is diagnosed as a defective module, unlike the case where the battery module BM is diagnosed as a normal module, there may be a penalty for the corresponding battery module BM. Accordingly, the control unit120may be configured to conservatively diagnose the battery module BM as a defective state according to stricter standards.

For example, the control unit120may be configured to decrease the counting value, when the voltage change rate is less than the criterion change rate. In this case, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module. If the existing counting value is 0, since the counting value cannot be decreased anymore (because the minimum value is set to 0), the counting value may be maintained at 0.

Also, the control unit120may be configured to decrease the counting value, when the voltage change rate is greater than or equal to the criterion change rate and less than the reference change rate. In this case, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module.

In addition, the control unit120may be configured to increase the counting value, when the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate and the reference change rate. In this case, the control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM based on the adjusted counting value and a preset criterion value without immediately diagnosing the battery module BM as a defective module.

Here, the criterion value is a preset value and may be set as a natural number.

Specifically, the control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM as the defective module, when the adjusted counting value is equal to or greater than the criterion value.

For example, when the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate and the reference change rate, the counting value may be increased. In addition, if the adjusted counting value is equal to or greater than the criterion value, the battery module BM may be diagnosed as a defective module. That is, the control unit120may be configured to diagnose the battery module BM as a defective module, when the case where the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate and the reference change rate occurs by the criterion value or more. Accordingly, since the control unit120diagnoses the battery module BM as a defective module through strict criteria, the possibility of erroneously diagnosing a normal module as a defective module may be significantly reduced.

However, when the voltage change rate is less than the criterion change rate or when the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate but less than the reference change rate, the control unit120may reduce the counting value. That is, in this case, the adjusted counting value is inevitably less than the criterion value. Accordingly, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module even if the adjusted counting value and the criterion value are not compared, in order to prevent unnecessary waste of system resources by using system resources more efficiently.

The battery diagnosing apparatus100according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may diagnose the battery module BM as a defective module through strict criteria based on the counting value and the criterion value. Accordingly, the battery diagnosing apparatus may prevent a normal module from being erroneously diagnosed as a defective module.

The battery diagnosing apparatus100according to the present disclosure may be applied to a BMS (Battery Management System). That is, the BMS according to the present disclosure may include the battery diagnosing apparatus100described above. In this configuration, at least some components of the battery diagnosing apparatus100may be implemented by supplementing or adding functions of the configuration included in the conventional BMS. For example, the voltage measuring unit110, the control unit120and the storage unit130of the battery diagnosing apparatus100may be implemented as components of the BMS.

In addition, the battery diagnosing apparatus100according to the present disclosure may be provided to a battery pack1. For example, referring toFIG.2, the battery pack1according to the present disclosure may include the battery diagnosing apparatus100and a battery module BM. In addition, the battery pack1may further include electrical equipment (a relay, a fuse, etc.) and a case.

FIG.3is a diagram schematically showing a battery diagnosing method according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Preferably, each step of the battery diagnosing method may be performed by the battery diagnosing apparatus100. Hereinafter, content overlapping with the previously described content will be omitted or briefly described.

Referring toFIG.3, the battery diagnosing method may include a voltage measuring step (S100), a voltage change amount calculating step (S200), a voltage change rate calculating step (S300), and a battery module diagnosing step (S400).

The voltage measuring step S100is a step of measuring a voltage of each of a plurality of battery cells B included in a battery module BM at every voltage measurement cycle, and may be performed by the voltage measuring unit110.

The voltage change amount calculating step (S200) is a step of calculating a voltage change amount between the plurality of voltage values for the plurality of battery cells B at every voltage measurement cycle, and may be performed by the control unit120.

The control unit120may receive the plurality of voltage values for the plurality of battery cells B from the voltage measuring unit110and calculate a voltage change amount between the plurality of received voltage values.

For example, the control unit120may calculate a voltage change amount by computing a dispersion or standard deviation between the plurality of voltage values.

The voltage change rate calculating step (S300) is a step of calculating a voltage change rate between the plurality of calculated voltage change amounts at every diagnosis cycle different from the voltage measurement cycle, and may be performed by the control unit120.

It is assumed that the voltage measurement cycle is 1 second and the diagnosis cycle is 100 seconds. The control unit120may calculate a voltage change amount of the plurality of voltage values for the plurality of battery cells B measured at every 1 second. In addition, the control unit120may calculate a voltage change rate for the plurality of voltage change amounts at every 100 seconds. In this case, the control unit120may calculate a voltage change rate for 100 voltage change amounts at every 100 seconds.

For example, the control unit120may calculate the voltage change rate for the corresponding diagnosis cycle by computing an average change rate between the first calculated voltage change amount and the last calculated voltage change amount in the corresponding diagnosis cycle.

The battery module diagnosing step (S400) is a step of diagnosing the battery module BM based on one or more voltage change rates calculated up to the current diagnosis cycle and a preset criterion change rate, and may be performed by the control unit120.

FIG.4is a diagram schematically showing an embodiment of the battery module diagnosing step (S400) in the battery diagnosing method according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.4, the battery module diagnosing step (S400) may include Step S410to Step S440.

In Step S410, the voltage change rate and the criterion change rate may be compared. Specifically, the magnitudes of the voltage change rate calculated at the current diagnosis cycle and the criterion change rate may be compared. If the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate, Step S420may be performed, and if the voltage change rate is less than the criterion change rate, Step S440may be performed.

In Step S420, the voltage change rate and the reference change rate may be compared. Specifically, the magnitudes of the voltage change rate calculated at the current diagnosis cycle and the reference change rate preset before the current diagnosis cycle may be compared. That is, the magnitudes of the voltage change rate calculated at the current diagnosis cycle and the reference change rate having a largest magnitude among one or more voltage change rates calculated at the previous diagnosis cycle may be compared. If the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the reference change rate, Step S430may be performed, and if the voltage change rate is less than the criterion change rate, Step S440may be performed.

In Step S430, the battery module BM may be diagnosed as a defective module. That is, if the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate and the reference change rate, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a defective module.

In Step S440, the battery module BM may be diagnosed as a normal module. That is, if the voltage change rate is less than the criterion change rate, or if the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate but less than the reference change rate, the control unit120may diagnose the battery module BM as a normal module.

FIG.5is a diagram schematically showing another embodiment of the battery module diagnosing step (S400) in the battery diagnosing method according to still another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.5, the battery module diagnosing step (S400) may include Step S410to Step S470. Hereinafter, the embodiment ofFIG.5will be described with a focus on the difference from the embodiment ofFIG.4.

In Step S410, if the voltage change rate is greater than or equal to the criterion change rate, Step S420may be performed, and if the voltage change rate is less than the criterion change rate, Step S460may be performed.

In Step S420, if the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the reference change rate, Step S450may be performed, and if the voltage change rate is less than the reference change rate, Step S460may be performed.

In Step S450, the counting value may be increased. For example, the counting value may have an initial value and a minimum value set to 0, and may be increased by 1. That is, if the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate and the reference change rate, the control unit120may increase the counting value. After the counting value is increased, Step S470may be performed.

In Step S470, the counting value and the criterion value may be compared. Specifically, if the counting value increased in Step S450is greater than or equal to the criterion value, Step S430may be performed. Conversely, if the counting value increased in Step S450is less than the criterion value, Step S440may be performed.

In Step S460, the counting value may be decreased. That is, if the voltage change rate is less than the criterion change rate, or if the voltage change rate is equal to or greater than the criterion change rate but less than the reference change rate, the control unit120may decrease the counting value. However, the counting value may not decrease below the set minimum value. After Step S460, Step S440may be performed so that the battery module BM may be diagnosed as a normal module.

The embodiments of the present disclosure described above may not be implemented only through an apparatus and a method, but may be implemented through a program that realizes a function corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of the present disclosure or a recording medium on which the program is recorded. The program or recording medium may be easily implemented by those skilled in the art from the above description of the embodiments.

The present disclosure has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Additionally, many substitutions, modifications and changes may be made to the present disclosure described hereinabove by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical aspects of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and each embodiment may be selectively combined in part or in whole to allow various modifications.

REFERENCE SIGNS

1: battery pack100: battery diagnosing apparatus110: voltage measuring unit120: control unit130: storage unitBM: battery moduleC: plurality of battery cells