阅读说明：本技术 用于提供电池信息的设备和方法 (Apparatus and method for providing battery information ) 是由 崔盈 于 2021-02-08 设计创作，主要内容包括：根据本公开的实施例的电池信息提供设备包括：第一通信单元,该第一通信单元被配置成通过使用第一通信协议从电池管理系统接收与电池相关的第一电池信息；第二通信单元,该第二通信单元被配置成通过使用不同于第一通信协议的第二通信协议从电池管理系统接收与电池相关且不同于第一电池信息的第二电池信息；以及数据转换单元,该数据转换单元连接到第一通信单元和第二通信单元,并被配置成将第一电池信息转换成预定数据结构来获取第一转换信息,将第二电池信息转换成预定数据结构来获取第二转换信息并输出第一转换信息和第二转换信息。(The battery information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first communication unit configured to receive first battery information related to a battery from a battery management system by using a first communication protocol; a second communication unit configured to receive second battery information related to the battery and different from the first battery information from the battery management system by using a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol; and a data conversion unit connected to the first communication unit and the second communication unit and configured to convert the first battery information into a predetermined data structure to acquire first conversion information, convert the second battery information into a predetermined data structure to acquire second conversion information, and output the first conversion information and the second conversion information.)

1. An apparatus for providing battery information, comprising:

a first communication unit configured to receive first battery information related to a battery from a battery management system by using a first communication protocol;

a second communication unit configured to receive second battery information related to the battery and different from the first battery information from the battery management system by using a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol; and

a data conversion unit connected to the first communication unit and the second communication unit and configured to acquire first conversion information by converting the first battery information into a predetermined data structure, acquire second conversion information by converting the second battery information into the predetermined data structure, and output the first conversion information and the second conversion information.

2. The apparatus for providing battery information according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined data structure is configured as a structure including at least one of a target information field, an identification information field, and a value field, and

wherein the data conversion unit is configured to convert the first battery information and the second battery information to correspond to the predetermined data structure.

3. The apparatus for providing battery information of claim 2, further comprising:

a storage unit configured to receive and store the first conversion information and the second conversion information from the data conversion unit,

wherein the data conversion unit is configured to store conversion information corresponding to the target information in the storage unit in association with each other.

4. The apparatus for providing battery information according to claim 2,

wherein the first communication unit is configured to receive the first battery information corresponding to the information provision request from the battery management system only when the information provision request for the first battery information is transmitted to the battery management system.

5. The apparatus for providing battery information according to claim 4,

wherein the first communication unit is configured to transmit the information provision request for the first battery information at every predetermined period or only when there is a request of the data conversion unit.

6. The apparatus for providing battery information according to claim 4,

wherein the second communication unit is configured to receive the second battery information from the battery management system by using the second communication protocol even if an information provision request for the second battery information is not transmitted to the battery management system.

7. The apparatus for providing battery information according to claim 4,

wherein the first battery information is distinguished from the second battery information based on a capacity and is configured to have a capacity greater than the second battery information.

8. The apparatus for providing battery information according to claim 7,

wherein the first battery information is battery state information including at least one of a voltage, a current, a temperature, an SOC, and an SOH of the battery.

9. The apparatus for providing battery information according to claim 8,

wherein the second battery information includes at least one of battery system information, battery diagnostic information, and battery-related control information.

10. The apparatus for providing battery information according to claim 9,

wherein the data conversion unit is configured to transmit a request for the first battery information corresponding to the second conversion information to the first communication unit when identification information of the second conversion information satisfies a predetermined condition as the battery diagnosis information.

11. The apparatus for providing battery information according to claim 10,

wherein the first communication unit is configured to transmit an information provision request for the first battery information to the battery management system after receiving a request for the first battery information from the data conversion unit.

12. The apparatus for providing battery information of claim 1, further comprising:

a decoding unit configured to acquire first decoding information and second decoding information by decoding the first conversion information and the second conversion information, respectively, and output the first decoding information and the second decoding information.

13. A battery pack comprising the apparatus for providing battery information according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. An energy storage system comprising the apparatus for providing battery information according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A method for providing battery information, comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving first battery information related to a battery from a battery management system by using a first communication protocol;

a second receiving step of receiving, in parallel with the first receiving step, second battery information that is related to the battery and is different from the first battery information from the battery management system by using a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol;

a data conversion step of acquiring first conversion information by converting the first battery information into a predetermined data structure and acquiring second conversion information by converting the second battery information into the predetermined data structure; and

and a data output step of outputting the first conversion information and the second conversion information.

Technical Field

The present application claims priority from korean patent application No.10-2020-0023906, which was filed in korea at 26.2.2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for providing battery information, which can provide battery information received from a battery management system.

Background

Recently, the demand for portable electronic products such as notebook computers, video cameras, portable phones has sharply increased, and electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, satellites, and the like have been seriously developed. Therefore, high-performance batteries allowing repeated charging and discharging are being actively studied.

The batteries currently on the market include nickel cadmium batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries, nickel zinc batteries, lithium batteries, and the like. Among them, lithium batteries are receiving attention because of having little memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries and also having a very low self-charging rate and high energy density.

Generally, in order to optimally manage such batteries, a Battery Management System (BMS) is provided in the battery pack. The battery management system may diagnose the state of the battery by monitoring the voltage, current, etc. of the battery. For example, the battery management system may diagnose whether the battery is in an over-charged or over-discharged state. Further, the battery management system may perform balancing between the plurality of batteries, and may control the operation state of a relay provided in the battery pack.

The battery management system may communicate using a Controller Area Network (CAN) communication protocol or a Modbus TCP communication protocol, and may transmit battery status information and battery diagnostic information (e.g., error information) to the monitoring device.

Here, the CAN communication protocol is the following communication protocol: the battery management system is allowed to transmit the battery-related information even without a separate request from the monitoring device because it does not employ a request-response method. Meanwhile, the Modbus TCP communication protocol is the following communication protocol: the battery management system is only allowed to transmit corresponding battery-related information when there is an information request from the monitoring device, since it employs a request-response method.

Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an example in which a conventional battery management system and a monitoring device communicate using a CAN communication protocol. Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example in which a conventional battery management system and monitoring device communicate using the Modbus TCP communication protocol.

Referring to fig. 1, when a battery management system and a monitoring device communicate using a CAN communication protocol, if the battery management system detects an error in a battery, an error message is transmitted to the monitoring device even without a separate request from the monitoring device.

Meanwhile, referring to fig. 2, if the battery management system and the monitoring device communicate using the Modbus TCP communication protocol, the battery management system may transmit a corresponding response only when there is an information providing request of the monitoring device, and thus the monitoring device may take a longer time to detect an error than the case of fig. 1.

Therefore, when performing communication with the battery management system using only the Modbus TCP communication protocol, there is a problem in that providing information important in real-time response, such as battery diagnostic information, may be delayed.

In addition, the data transfer speed (Mbps, megabits per second) of the CAN communication protocol may be slower than that of the Modbus TCP communication protocol in general. In this case, if communication is performed with the battery management system using only the CAN communication protocol, there is a problem in that waste of system resources required for communication of battery state information (e.g., voltage, current, temperature, SOC (state of charge), SOH (state of health), and/or the like) may become serious.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

The present disclosure is designed to solve the problems of the prior art, and therefore the present disclosure is directed to providing an apparatus and method for providing battery information capable of acquiring battery information from a battery management system using both a CAN communication protocol and a Modbus TCP communication protocol.

These and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be understood from the following detailed description and will become more apparent from the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Also, it should be readily understood that the objects and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Technical solution

In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for providing battery information, including: a first communication unit configured to receive first battery information related to a battery from a battery management system by using a first communication protocol; a second communication unit configured to receive second battery information related to the battery and different from the first battery information from the battery management system by using a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol; and a data conversion unit connected to the first communication unit and the second communication unit and configured to acquire first conversion information by converting the first battery information into a predetermined data structure, acquire second conversion information by converting the second battery information into the predetermined data structure, and output the first conversion information and the second conversion information.

The predetermined data structure may be configured as a structure including at least one of a target information field, an identification information field, and a value field.

The data conversion unit may be configured to convert the first battery information and the second battery information to correspond to a predetermined data structure.

The apparatus for providing battery information according to another aspect of the present disclosure may further include a storage unit configured to receive and store the first conversion information and the second conversion information from the data conversion unit.

The data conversion unit may be configured to store conversion information corresponding to the target information in the storage unit in association with each other.

The first communication unit may be configured to receive the first battery information corresponding to the information providing request from the battery management system only when the information providing request for the first battery information is transmitted to the battery management system.

The first communication unit may be configured to transmit the information provision request for the first battery information at every predetermined period or only when there is a request of the data conversion unit.

The second communication unit may be configured to receive the second battery information from the battery management system by using the second communication protocol even if an information providing request for the second battery information is not transmitted to the battery management system.

The first battery information may be distinguished from the second battery information based on capacity and configured to have a capacity greater than the second battery information.

The first battery information may be battery state information including at least one of a voltage, a current, a temperature, an SOC, and an SOH of the battery.

The second battery information may include at least one of battery system information, battery diagnostic information, and battery-related control information.

The data conversion unit may be configured to transmit a request for the first battery information corresponding to the second conversion information to the first communication unit when the identification information of the second conversion information satisfies a predetermined condition as the battery diagnosis information.

The first communication unit may be configured to transmit an information providing request for the first battery information to the battery management system after receiving the request for the first battery information from the data conversion unit.

The apparatus for providing battery information according to still another aspect of the present disclosure may further include a decoding unit configured to acquire the first decoded information and the second decoded information by decoding the first conversion information and the second conversion information, respectively, and output the first decoded information and the second decoded information.

The first communication protocol may be a Modbus TCP communication protocol.

The second communication protocol may be a CAN communication protocol.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is also provided a battery pack including the apparatus for providing battery information according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is also provided an energy storage system including an apparatus for providing battery information according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is also provided a method for providing battery information, including: a first receiving step of receiving first battery information related to a battery from a battery management system by using a first communication protocol; a second receiving step of receiving second battery information related to the battery and different from the first battery information from the battery management system by using a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol, in parallel with the first receiving step; a data conversion step of acquiring first conversion information by converting the first battery information into a predetermined data structure and acquiring second conversion information by converting the second battery information into the predetermined data structure; and a data output step of outputting the first conversion information and the second conversion information.

Advantageous effects

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, by receiving battery-related information from a battery management system using both a first communication protocol having high communication efficiency for first battery information and a second communication protocol having high communication efficiency for second battery information, system resources required for data communication can be efficiently used.

Further, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, battery information received through different communication protocols is converted into the same data structure and then stored in association, thereby making it easier to manage and process the battery-related information.

The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood from the description of the claims by those skilled in the art.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the foregoing disclosure, serve to provide a further understanding of the technical features of the present disclosure, and therefore, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an example in which a conventional battery management system and a monitoring device communicate using a CAN communication protocol.

Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example in which a conventional battery management system and monitoring device communicate using the Modbus TCP communication protocol.

Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an apparatus for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a connection configuration of a device for providing battery information and a battery management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a data structure of conversion information converted by an apparatus for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a communication procedure of a device for providing battery information and a battery management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 and 8 are diagrams schematically illustrating a battery pack including an apparatus for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 is a diagram schematically illustrating an energy storage system including an apparatus for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a method for providing battery information according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

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.

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

In addition, in describing the present disclosure, a detailed description will be omitted herein when it is considered that a detailed description of related known elements or functions makes the key subject matter of the present disclosure ambiguous.

Terms including ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to distinguish one element from another element in each element, but are 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 further include other elements without excluding other elements, unless otherwise specifically stated.

Further, throughout the specification, when parts are referred to as being "connected" to another part, they are not limited to the case where they are "directly connected", but also include the case where they are "indirectly connected" to another element interposed therebetween.

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

Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a connection configuration of the apparatus for providing battery information 100 and the battery management system 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 3, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first communication unit 110, a second communication unit 120, and a data conversion unit 130.

The first communication unit 110 may be configured to receive first battery information related to a battery from the battery management system 200 by using a first communication protocol.

Here, the first communication protocol is a communication protocol for data communication between the first communication unit 110 and the battery management system 200. For example, the first communication protocol may be the Modbus TCP communication protocol.

For example, in the embodiment of fig. 4, the battery management system 200 and the first communication unit 110 may be connected to each other. Here, the battery management system 200 and the first communication unit 110 may be connected by wire and/or wirelessly, and may perform data communication using the first communication protocol.

The second communication unit 120 may be configured to receive second battery information related to the battery and different from the first battery information from the battery management system 200 by using a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol.

Here, the second communication protocol is a communication protocol for data communication between the second communication unit 120 and the battery management system 200. Further, the second communication protocol is a communication protocol different from the first communication protocol. For example, the second communication protocol may be a CAN communication protocol.

For example, in the embodiment of fig. 4, the battery management system 200 and the second communication unit 120 may be connected to each other. Here, the battery management system 200 and the second communication unit 120 may be connected by wire and/or wirelessly, and may perform data communication using the second communication protocol.

Further, the second battery information received by the second communication unit 120 from the battery management system 200 may be information different from the first battery information received by the first communication unit 110 from the battery management system 200. That is, the first communication unit 110 and the second communication unit 120 may be configured to receive battery information optimized for an applied communication protocol from the battery management system 200, respectively.

The data conversion unit 130 may be configured to be connected to the first communication unit 110 and the second communication unit 120.

Specifically, the data conversion unit 130 may be connected to enable communication with both the first communication unit 110 and the second communication unit 120.

For example, in the embodiment of fig. 4, the data conversion unit 130 may be connected to the first communication unit 110 and the second communication unit 120. Further, the data conversion unit 130 may receive the first battery information from the first communication unit 110 and the second battery information from the second communication unit 120.

The data conversion unit 130 may be configured to acquire the first conversion information by converting the first battery information into a predetermined data structure.

Specifically, the data conversion unit 130 may acquire the first conversion information by converting the first battery information received from the first communication unit 110 to correspond to a predetermined data structure.

Further, the data conversion unit 130 may be configured to acquire the second conversion information by converting the second battery information into a predetermined data structure.

Specifically, the data conversion unit 130 may acquire the second conversion information by converting the second battery information received from the second communication unit 120 to correspond to a predetermined data structure.

That is, the data conversion unit 130 may convert the first battery information received from the first communication unit 110 and the second battery information received from the second communication unit 120 into information having the same data structure.

Accordingly, since the first battery information received from the battery management system through the first communication unit 110 using the first communication protocol and the second battery information received from the battery management system through the second communication unit 120 using the second communication protocol are converted to have the same data structure by the data conversion unit 130, the data formats may be unified.

The data conversion unit 130 may be configured to output the first conversion information and the second conversion information.

For example, the data conversion unit 130 may output and store the first conversion information and the second conversion information having the same data structure.

That is, the data conversion unit 130 may convert the first battery information and the second battery information having different data structures into the first conversion information and the second conversion information having the same data structure and then output them.

Accordingly, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may receive battery-related information from the battery management system 200 by using both the first communication protocol having high communication efficiency for the first battery information and the second communication protocol having high communication efficiency for the second battery information.

Further, since the apparatus for providing battery information 100 can convert the first battery information and the second battery information into the same data structure, it is possible to integrally manage the battery information received using the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol, respectively.

Meanwhile, the data conversion unit 130 provided for the apparatus for providing battery information 100 may selectively include a processor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), other chipsets, logic circuits, registers, a communication modem, a data processing device, and the like known in the art to perform various control logics performed in the present disclosure. Also, when the control logic is implemented in software, the data conversion unit 130 may be implemented as a set of program modules. At this time, the program module may be stored in the memory and executed by the data conversion unit 130. The memory may be located inside or outside the data conversion unit 130, and may be connected to the data conversion unit 130 through various known means.

Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a data structure of conversion information converted by the apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 5, the predetermined data structure may be configured to include a structure of at least one of a target information field 131, an identification information field 132, and a battery information value field 133.

The target information may be information for identifying a battery that is a target of the battery information received from the battery management system 200. Further, the target information field 131 may be a data space in which target information may be included.

For example, the target information may include an ID of a battery cell, an ID of a battery module, an ID of a battery rack, and the like. Specifically, the target information may include a first battery cell, a second battery cell, a first battery module, a second battery module, a first battery rack, a second battery rack, and the like.

Here, the battery cell refers to one independent cell, which includes a negative electrode terminal and a positive electrode terminal and is physically separable. For example, one pouch type lithium polymer cell may be considered as a battery cell. Furthermore, a battery module refers to a cell assembly in which one or more battery cells are connected in series and/or parallel. Further, the battery holder refers to a unit assembly including one or more battery modules in a case.

The identification information may be information indicating a classification item of the battery information received from the battery management system 200. Further, the identification information field 132 may be a data space in which identification information may be included.

For example, the identification information may include battery status information, battery diagnostic information, battery system information, battery-related control information, and the like.

The value of the battery information may be information indicating the content of the battery information received from the battery management system 200. In addition, the value field 133 may be a data space in which a value of the battery information may be included.

For example, the value of the battery information may include a current value, a voltage value, a temperature value, an SOC, an SOH, etc., which indicate state information of the battery, and may include battery diagnosis state information such as an overcharge state or an overdischarge state. In addition, the battery information value may include details of battery system information and battery-related control information.

Further, although only the target information field 131, the identification information field 132, and the value field 133 are included in the data structure of fig. 5, it should be noted that various fields for the battery information, such as a field indicating a storage location of the battery information and a field indicating a size of the battery information, may also be included.

The data conversion unit 130 may be configured to convert the first battery information and the second battery information to correspond to a predetermined data structure.

The data structures of the first battery information received from the battery management system 200 using the first communication protocol and the second battery information received from the battery management system 200 using the second communication protocol may be different from each other. Therefore, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information has an advantage of integrally managing the first conversion information and the second conversion information by converting the first battery information and the second battery information into a common data format (predetermined data structure).

That is, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information has an advantage of more easily managing battery information received using a plurality of different communication protocols because it manages first battery information and second battery information using a unified data structure without converting the first battery information and the second battery information into different data structures and managing.

The apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a storage unit 140 configured to receive and store the first conversion information and the second conversion information from the data conversion unit 130.

For example, in the embodiments of fig. 3 and 4, the storage unit 140 may be further included in the apparatus 100 for providing battery information. Further, the storage unit 140 may be connected to the data conversion unit 130 to store the first conversion information and the second conversion information output from the data conversion unit 130.

Here, the kind of the storage unit 140 is not particularly limited as long as it is a known information storage device that can record, erase, update, and read data. By way of example, the information storage device may include RAM, flash memory, ROM, EEPROM, registers, and the like. Further, the storage unit 140 may store program code in which processing executable by the data conversion unit 130 is defined.

The data conversion unit 130 may be configured to store conversion information corresponding to the target information in the storage unit 140 in association with each other.

Specifically, the data conversion unit 130 may check target information included in the target information field 131 of the first conversion information, check target information included in the target information field 131 of the second conversion information, and store the conversion information including the same target information in the storage unit 140 in association with each other.

For example, it is assumed that the target information included in the target information field 131 of the first conversion information is the first battery cell and the target information included in the target information field 131 of the second conversion information is the first battery cell. The data conversion unit 130 may store first conversion information and second conversion information including the first battery cell as common target information in the storage unit 140 in association with each other.

Therefore, since battery information received through different communication protocols is converted into the same data structure and then stored in association with each other, it is possible to more easily manage and process the battery-related information.

The first communication unit 110 may be configured to receive the first battery information corresponding to the information providing request from the battery management system 200 only when the information providing request for the first battery information is transmitted to the battery management system 200.

Specifically, the first communication unit 110 may transmit an information providing request for first battery information to the battery management system 200 through the first communication protocol. Thereafter, the first communication unit 110 may receive the first battery information from the battery management system 200 by using the first communication protocol.

For example, the first communication protocol may be a communication protocol employing a request-response method, such as the Modbus TCP communication protocol.

In the information providing request transmitted through the first communication unit 110, the target information and the identification information for the first battery information may be specified. That is, after specifying the target information and the identification information of the first battery information that is the target of the information providing request, the first communication unit 110 may transmit the information providing request for the first battery information to the battery management system 200.

For example, when the first communication unit 110 intends to receive voltage information for the first battery cell, the information providing request transmitted by the first communication unit 110 to the battery management system 200 may include the first battery cell as target information and include the voltage information as identification information. Thereafter, the first communication unit 110 may receive the first battery information from the battery management system, and the data conversion unit 130 may convert the first battery information into first conversion information. In this case, the target information field 131 of the first conversion information may include "first battery cell", the identification information field 132 may include "voltage information", and the value field 133 may include a voltage value of, for example, "3.8 [ V ]".

Preferably, the first communication unit 110 may be configured to transmit the information providing request for the first battery information every predetermined period or only when there is a request from the data conversion unit 130.

Specifically, the first communication unit 110 may transmit an information providing request for the first battery information to the battery management system 200 every predetermined period, and receive the first battery information as a response thereto.

Further, even when there is a request from the data conversion unit 130, the first communication unit 110 may transmit an information providing request for the first battery information to the battery management system 200 and receive the first battery information as a response thereto. In this case, the target information and the identification information included in the first battery information may be specified by the data conversion unit 130.

Meanwhile, the second communication unit 120 may be configured to receive the second battery information from the battery management system 200 by using the second communication protocol even if an information providing request for the second battery information is not transmitted to the battery management system 200.

For example, the second communication protocol may be a communication protocol that does not employ a request-response method, such as a CAN communication protocol.

Therefore, even if the separate information providing request for the second battery information is not transmitted to the battery management system 200, the second communication unit 120 may receive the second battery information from the battery management system 200.

The first battery information and the second battery information may be classified in consideration of whether the information requires real-time processing. Here, whether real-time processing is required may be set according to whether processing should be performed in real time before the battery information acquired through the battery management system 200 is provided to the apparatus 100 for providing battery information.

Preferably, the first battery information may have a lower real-time processing requirement than the second battery information. That is, the second battery information may be information that should be transmitted to the apparatus for providing battery information 100 immediately after being acquired through the battery management system 200 even if there is no separate request.

For example, the first battery information may be battery state information including at least one of a voltage, a current, a temperature, an SOC, and an SOH of the battery.

Further, the second battery information may include at least one of battery system information, battery diagnosis information, and battery-related control information.

The battery system information may be information provided when the battery management system 200 and the apparatus for providing battery information 100 are connected for the first time. For example, the battery system information may include information about the battery management system 200, such as a manufacturing date, a serial number, a software version, a hardware version, the number of battery racks in operation, the number of battery modules in operation, the number of battery cells in operation, and a type of battery cell of the battery management system 200.

The battery diagnostic information may be diagnostic information about a battery (battery rack, battery module, and/or battery cell) operating in the battery management system 200. For example, the battery diagnosis information may include information indicating a battery state, such as a normal state, a high voltage state, a low voltage state, an overcharge state, an overdischarge state, a high temperature state, and a low temperature state.

The battery-related control information may be control command information for the battery management system 200 or control command information through the battery management system 200. For example, the battery-related control information may include control command information for the battery management system 200, such as start command information, end command information, and standby command information, and control command information through the battery management system 200, such as an air conditioner operation command and a relay operation state switching command.

The second battery information (battery system information, battery diagnosis information, and battery-related control information) has a smaller capacity than the first battery information (battery state information), but requires real-time processing.

For example, referring to fig. 1 and 2, battery diagnostic information such as error information is information that should be provided to the apparatus 100 for providing battery information once checked by the battery management system 200. Accordingly, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information may receive second battery information from the battery management system 200 by using the second communication protocol.

Meanwhile, the battery state information such as the battery voltage information is information that is unlikely to cause a fatal defect even if the battery management system 200 checks it only when there is an information providing request. Also, in general, the capacity of the first battery information may be larger than the capacity of the second battery information.

Therefore, if the first battery information, which has a relatively larger capacity than the second battery information and does not necessarily need to be processed in real time, is communicated by using the second communication protocol, system resources for communication between the battery management system 200 and the apparatus 100 for providing battery information may be wasted. To solve this problem, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information may receive first battery information from the battery management system 200 by using a first communication protocol.

That is, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has an advantage of creating an optimized communication environment for each of the first and second battery information by communicating with the battery management system 200 via a plurality of communication protocols.

The first battery information may be configured to be distinguished from the second battery information based on capacity. For example, the first battery information may be configured to have a larger capacity than the second battery information.

Specifically, the first battery information and the second battery information may be configured to be distinguished according to a data transmission speed of the second communication protocol. That is, the first battery information and the second battery information may be distinguished based on the data transmission capacity per second of the second communication protocol.

The data transfer rate of the first communication protocol may be faster than the data transfer rate of the second communication protocol. For example, the data transmission speed of the first communication protocol may be 100Mbps at maximum, and the data transmission speed of the second communication protocol may be 1Mbps at maximum.

Preferably, the capacity of the first battery information may be larger than the capacity of the second battery information, smaller than a data transmission capacity per second (e.g., 100Mbit) of the first communication protocol, and larger than a data transmission capacity per second (e.g., 1Mbit) of the second communication protocol. Further, the capacity of the second battery information may be smaller than a data transmission capacity per second (e.g., 1Mbit) of the second communication protocol.

For example, assume that the battery management system 200 is connected to 15000 battery cells. The battery management system 200 may transmit first battery information including voltage information, current information, and temperature information of each of 15000 battery cells to the apparatus 100 for providing battery information. Further, it is assumed that each of the voltage information, the current information, and the temperature information has a size of 32 bits (4 bytes). In this case, the capacity of the first battery information transmitted through the battery management system 200 may be 1.44Mbit (32bit × 3 × 15000).

In the above example, if the battery management system 200 transmits the first battery information to the apparatus for providing battery information 100 by using the second communication protocol, there may be a problem in that all the first battery information cannot be transmitted at once. That is, since the data transmission capacity per second (e.g., 1Mbit) of the second communication protocol is smaller than the capacity of the first battery information (e.g., 1.44Mbit), the battery management system 200 should transmit the first battery information to the apparatus 100 for providing battery information in two times by using the second communication protocol. Therefore, unless the first battery information and the second battery information, which can be distinguished according to capacity, are transmitted to the apparatus 100 for providing battery information using different communication protocols corresponding thereto, respectively, system resources for communication may be seriously wasted.

The apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may classify first battery information and second battery information according to capacity, considering a data transmission speed of a first communication protocol and a data transmission speed of a second communication protocol. Accordingly, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information may perform efficient communication by receiving the first battery information and the second battery information from the battery management system 200 using communication protocols respectively corresponding thereto. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently utilize system resources required for communication between the battery management system 200 and the device 100 for providing battery information, thereby preventing the system resources from being wasted.

Fig. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a communication procedure of the apparatus for providing battery information 100 and the battery management system 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The data conversion unit 130 may be configured to transmit a request for the first battery information corresponding to the second conversion information to the first communication unit 110 if the identification information of the second conversion information satisfies a predetermined condition as the battery diagnosis information.

Specifically, if the identification information of the second conversion information is the battery diagnosis information, the data conversion unit 130 may check the value of the battery information included in the value field 133 of the second conversion information. The data conversion unit 130 may determine that a predetermined condition is satisfied if the value of the battery information of the second conversion information does not indicate a normal state.

That is, if the identification information of the second conversion information is the battery diagnosis information and the value of the battery information is not the normal state, the data conversion unit 130 may transmit a request for the first battery information to the first communication unit 110. Specifically, the data conversion unit 130 may transmit a request for the first battery information corresponding to the value of the battery information of the second conversion information to the first communication unit 110.

For example, in the embodiment of fig. 6, the target information of the second conversion information may be "first battery", the identification information may be "battery diagnosis information", and the value of the battery information may be "overvoltage". Even if the identification information of the second conversion information is the "battery diagnosis information", since the value of the battery information is not the "normal state", the data conversion unit 130 may transmit a request for the first battery information corresponding to the "overvoltage" (the value of the battery information of the second conversion information) to the first communication unit 110.

The first communication unit 110 may be configured to transmit an information providing request for the first battery information to the battery management system 200 after receiving the request for the first battery information from the data conversion unit 130.

The request for the first battery information received from the data conversion unit 130 through the first communication unit 110 may include target information and identification information, which should be included in the first battery information. Here, the identification information may be information corresponding to a value of the battery information of the second conversion information.

For example, in the embodiment of fig. 6, the request for the first battery information transmitted to the first communication unit 110 through the data conversion unit 130 may include voltage information of the first battery.

In another embodiment, if the "overcurrent" is included in the value of the battery information of the second conversion information, the request for the first battery information transmitted to the first communication unit 110 through the data conversion unit 130 may include the current information of the first battery.

In still another embodiment, if the "high temperature" is included in the value of the battery information of the second conversion information, the request for the first battery information transmitted to the first communication unit 110 through the data conversion unit 130 may include the temperature information of the first battery.

Thereafter, if the first communication unit 110 receives the first battery information from the battery management system 200, the data conversion unit 130 may acquire the first conversion information by receiving the first battery information from the first communication unit 110.

For example, in the embodiment of fig. 6, the first conversion information may include "first battery" as the target information, "battery state information (specifically, battery voltage information)" as the identification information, and "4.2 [ V ]" as the value of the battery information.

After that, the data conversion unit 130 may store the first conversion information and the second conversion information having the same target information as the "first battery" in the storage unit 140 in association with each other.

Through this process, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine first battery information to be requested to be provided to the battery management system 200 based on second battery information received in advance. Therefore, since the first battery information and the second battery information related to each other are stored in association with each other, the battery-related information can be managed more efficiently.

The apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a decoding unit 150 configured to acquire the first decoding information and the second decoding information by decoding the first conversion information and the second conversion information, respectively.

Here, the decoding information refers to information obtained by decoding the conversion information into characters, symbols, numerals, and/or figures to be provided to the user.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information may further include a decoding unit 150, and the decoding unit 150 may be communicatively connected to the data converting unit 130. The decoding unit 150 may receive at least one of the first conversion information and the second conversion information output from the data conversion unit 130 and decode the received conversion information to acquire first decoded information and/or second decoded information.

For example, in the embodiment of fig. 6, it is shown that the second conversion information includes "first battery" as the target information, "battery diagnosis information" as the identification information, and "overvoltage" as the value of the battery information for the convenience of explanation. In practice, however, the conversion information may take the form of system code used in the apparatus for providing battery information 100. For example, the translation information may include 16-ary system codes such as 0x01, 0xD431, and 0x 31.

That is, the decoding unit 150 may acquire the decoding information that can be checked by the user by decoding the system code included in the conversion information.

The decoding unit 150 may be configured to output the first decoding information and the second decoding information.

For example, in the embodiment of fig. 4, decoding unit 150 may be communicatively connected with storage unit 140. In addition, the decoding unit 150 may output the first decoded information and the second decoded information to be stored in the storage unit 140. Preferably, the decoding unit 150 may store the decoding information having the same target information in association with each other, similar to the data conversion unit 130.

With further reference to fig. 3 and 4, the apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a display unit 160.

Display unit 160 may be communicatively connected to decoding unit 150. The display unit 160 may be configured to receive the first decoded information and the second decoded information output from the decoding unit 150, and output the received first decoded information and the received second decoded information through a provided display screen or the like. Preferably, the display unit 160 may output the decoded information having the same target information in association with each other. Accordingly, the user can easily check the first decoding information and the second decoding information related to each other.

The battery pack 1 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include the apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 and 8 are diagrams schematically illustrating a battery pack 1 including a device 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Specifically, fig. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a battery pack 1 including one battery management system 200, and fig. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a battery pack 1 including a plurality of battery management systems 200a, 200b, 200 c.

Preferably, the battery management system 200 may be configured to output the battery information by using both the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol. Accordingly, the battery management system 200 may be connected to the first communication unit 110 and the second communication unit 120 of the apparatus 100 for providing battery information.

For example, if only the first communication protocol is available and the second communication protocol is not available, the battery management system 200 may be connected only to the first communication protocol unit 110 when the battery management system 200 is disposed in the battery pack 1.

Further, although not shown in fig. 7 and 8, the battery pack 1 according to the present disclosure may include at least one battery cell. Further, the battery pack 1 may further include an electric device (relay, fuse, etc.) and a case.

An Energy Storage System (ESS)2 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include an apparatus 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 is a diagram schematically illustrating an energy storage system 2 including a device 100 for providing battery information according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to fig. 9, the energy storage system 2 may include a plurality of battery racks 300a, 300b, 300c, a plurality of battery management systems 200a, 200b, 200c, and a device 100 for providing battery information.

For example, the battery holder 300 may be a battery cell assembly in which one or more battery modules 310 are mounted on a predetermined frame structure. Further, the battery management system 200 may be provided to each of the plurality of battery racks 300a, 300b, 300 c.

Further, a plurality of battery management systems 200a, 200b, 200c may be connected to the apparatus 100 for providing battery information. It should be noted, however, that although fig. 9 shows an example in which the battery management system 200 and the apparatus for providing battery information 100 are connected by wire, the battery management system 200 and the apparatus for providing battery information 100 may be connected by wireless communication.

The apparatus for providing battery information 100 may be configured to communicate with the battery management system 200 provided in the battery rack 300 by using the first communication unit 110 and the second communication unit 120.

Accordingly, there is an advantage in that information related to the battery holder 300 can be efficiently communicated by using a plurality of communication protocols.

Fig. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a method for providing battery information according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Here, the method for providing battery information may be performed by the apparatus for providing battery information 100.

Hereinafter, it should be noted that contents overlapping with the above description will be briefly described.

Referring to fig. 10, a method for providing battery information according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first receiving step (S100), a second receiving step (S200), a data converting step (S300), and a data outputting step (S400).

The first receiving step (S100) is a step of receiving first battery information related to the battery from the battery management system 200 by using the first communication protocol, and may be performed by the first communication unit 110.

The second receiving step (S200) is a step of receiving second battery information, which is related to the battery and is different from the first battery information, from the battery management system 200 by using a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol, and may be performed by the second communication unit 120.

Further, the second receiving step (S200) is a step in parallel with the first receiving step (S100). That is, the second receiving step S200 may be performed simultaneously with the first receiving step S100 or may be performed at a different point of time.

The data conversion step (S300) is a step of converting the first battery information into a predetermined data structure to acquire first conversion information and converting the second battery information into a predetermined data structure to acquire second conversion information, and may be performed by the data conversion unit 130.

Referring to fig. 4, the data conversion unit 130 may be connected to the first communication unit 110 and the second communication unit 120. The data conversion unit 130 may receive the first battery information from the first communication unit 110 and the second battery information from the second communication unit 120. Further, the data conversion unit 130 may convert the first battery information and the second battery information into the same data structure to acquire the first conversion information from the first battery information and the second conversion information from the second battery information.

The data output step S400 is a step of outputting the first conversion information and the second conversion information, and may be performed by the data conversion unit 130.

Referring to fig. 4, the data conversion unit 130 may be connected to the decoding unit 150 and the storage unit 140.

The data conversion unit 130 may output the first conversion information and the second conversion information to the storage unit 140 to store the first conversion information and the second conversion information. Preferably, the data conversion unit 130 may store conversion information having the same target information in association with each other.

Also, the data conversion unit 130 may output the first conversion information and the second conversion information to the decoding unit 150. The decoding unit 150 may receive the first conversion information and the second conversion information, acquire first decoded information by decoding the first conversion information, and acquire second decoded information by decoding the second conversion information. In addition, the decoding unit 150 may output the first decoded information and the second decoded information to the display unit 160 and/or the storage unit 140.

The embodiments of the present disclosure described above may be implemented not only by an apparatus and a method but also by a program or a recording medium having a program recorded thereon that realizes functions corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of the present disclosure. From the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can easily implement the program or the recording medium.

The present disclosure has been described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the 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.

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

(reference numerals)

1: battery pack

2: energy storage system

100: apparatus for providing battery information

110: first communication unit

120: second communication unit

130: data conversion unit

131: target information field

132: identification information field

133: value field

140: memory cell

150: decoding unit

160: display unit

200: battery management system

300: battery rack

310: battery module