One or more of the present embodiments provide for a suite of preset and customizable balancing applications that can be configured, selected and implemented to match the requirements a present use case. The suite of preset and customizable balancing applications may be presented to and selected by a user to tailor the balancing system to a particular use case. Alternatively, the balancing system may automatically select a balancing application, such as based on one or more inputs, to tailor the balancing system to the present use case.

One or more of the present embodiments provide for a battery cell balancing system and strategy that delivers more efficient use of battery capacities as needed for different use cases. For example, a balancing circuit is provided to support targeted battery cell passive and active balancing according to a balancing strategy for the use cases. Further the balancing circuit allows for cell balancing to be performed while the battery cells are collectively being charged or discharged.

A balance correction apparatus is stopped at an appropriate timing. Provided are an inductor; a first switching device electrically connected between another end of the inductor and another end of the first electric storage cell; a second switching device electrically connected between another end of the inductor and another end of the second electric storage cell; and a control section supplying a control signal to control ON/OFF operations of the first switching device and the second switching device, to the first switching device and the second switching device, where the control section obtains information representing a voltage difference between the first electric storage cell and the second electric storage cell, and the control section supplies the control signal to cause both of the first switching device and the second switching device to operate to be OFF, when the voltage difference is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

A battery pack includes a battery cell, a measurement device that measures a physical quantity relevant to the battery pack, an input terminal to which a charging current is supplied from a protection apparatus, a state information generation unit that generates state information showing the measured physical quantity, and a communication terminal through which the state information is output. The protection apparatus includes an output terminal connected to the input terminal that supplies the charging current to the battery pack, a communication terminal to which the state information is input, an input terminal to which the charging current is supplied, an interconnect connected between the input and output terminals, a switch provided on the interconnect, and a control unit that opens and closes the switch based on the physical quantity shown in the state information. The battery pack and the protection apparatus are provided in different housings.

An object of the present disclosure is to perform discharge control that suppresses deterioration in power storage performance of a power storage component by taking the state of power supply equipment into consideration. A power supply apparatus comprises: a power storage unit that stores electric charges from an external power supply; a control unit that controls charge and discharge of the power storage unit; a state determination unit that determines the power supply state of the external power supply; and a voltage detection unit that detects the voltage at the power storage unit. The control unit performs first discharge control to lower the voltage at the power storage unit to a smaller second voltage value if a predetermined time elapses since the completion of drive of a drive unit and the state determination unit determines that the power supply state is not a state of restricting power to be supplied.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a battery management system (BMS) including: a first controller monitoring a first battery cell array having at least one battery cell and configured to measure an operating parameter of the first battery cell array; and a second controller monitoring a second battery cell array having at least one battery cell and configured to measure an operating parameter of the second battery cell array, and communicatively coupled to the first controller. The first controller is selectable between: an active mode for receiving the measured operating parameter of the second battery cell array from the second controller, and detecting a fault in the first or the second battery cell array based upon the measured operating parameters thereof, and a passive mode for measuring the operating parameter of the first battery cell array, and transmitting the measured operating parameter to the second controller.

A battery system includes a battery module that is constituted with a plurality of serially connected battery cells, a plurality of integrated circuits that group the battery cells so as to perform processing on battery cells in each group, a first transmission path through which a command signal is transmitted via a first insulating circuit from a higher-order control circuit that controls the integrated circuits to a highest-order integrated circuit of the integrated circuit, a second transmission path through which a data signal collected by the integrated circuits is transmitted from the highest-order integrated circuit to a lowest-order integrated circuit, and a third transmission path through which the data signal is transmitted from the lowest-order integrated circuit to the higher-order control circuit via a second insulating circuit.

The present invention concerns a method and apparatus for battery charging. The method comprises the steps of connecting a battery to a battery charging apparatus and supplying a voltage and current to the battery, wherein a constant voltage is supplied for an extended period of time. At the beginning of the constant voltage being supplied, the initial charging current being supplied to the battery is noted (Amp). During the period in which a constant voltage is supplied, the rate of change of the charging current supplied to the battery (dl/dt) is monitored. The method includes calculating the ratio: K=Amp/(dl/dt) during the period in which a constant voltage is supplied, and when K equals a preselected value, maintaining the charging current at the instant value for an extended period of time.

A faulty cell detection device and a faulty cell detection method are provided for detecting a faulty cell of a battery pack using a current sensor. The device may include a current sensor including a first current sensor configured to measure a current of a battery pack including the battery module, and a second current sensor configured to measure a current of a battery cell among battery cells in the battery module. The device may also include a faulty cell detector configured to detect occurrence of the faulty cell based on the measured current of the battery pack and the measured current of the battery cell.

In some aspects, an electric vehicle power system may comprise two or more electrically connected power modules connected to a system communication bus. Each power module may comprise a rechargeable battery electrically connected to a DC bus, an inverter circuit electrically connected to the DC bus, and at least one of a single-phase rectifier circuit electrically connected to the DC bus or a multi-phase rectifier circuit electrically connected to the DC bus. A local controller configured to send control signals may be connected to the rechargeable battery, the inverter circuit, and the at least one of the single-phase rectifier circuit or the multi-phase rectifier circuit. The single-phase rectifier circuit may be configured to convert a single-phase AC power signal into the DC voltage of the DC bus. The multi-phase rectifier circuit may be configured to convert a multi-phase AC power signal into the DC voltage of the DC bus.