Patent ID: 8742617

Claim:
A battery apparatus comprising: a row battery group including a plurality of series-connected row batteries including one or more battery cells; a plurality of battery management means, corresponding to the individual row batteries, for managing the battery statuses of the corresponding row batteries; central management means for granting unique identification information to the individual battery management means and acquiring information about the battery statuses of the row batteries from the respective battery management means for management; second communication lines with which the plurality of battery management means are daisy-chained; a first communication line with which, of the plurality of battery management means, the battery management means located at one end is connected to the central management means; and a plurality of connection switching means, provided in the individual second communication lines between the battery management means, for switching the connection and disconnection between the battery management means; wherein all the connection switching means are turned off in an initial state; and each of the battery management means, upon determination of identification information thereof through communication with the central management means, stores the determined identification information and turns on the connection switching means between the battery management means and another battery management means located immediately downstream thereof to enable the other battery management means to communicate with the central management means.