An electronic device according to various embodiments may include: a battery, a switch coupling the battery to a main board on which components of the electronic device are disposed, a power management module comprising power management circuitry including a function of powering on the electronic device at a power-on time set to power on the electronic device that is in a power-off state of the electronic device, and a processor. The processor may be configured to: upon identification of a power-off request for the electronic device, set the power-on time and power off the electronic device, based on the electronic device being powered on upon identification of the power-on time, compare a power-off period of the electronic device with a threshold period, and based on the power-off period of the electronic device being longer than a threshold period, decouple the battery from the main board by opening the switch.

Disclosed are a communication method between a master controller and slave controllers, a slave controller for the communication method, and a battery management system using the communication method and the slave controller, in which the master controller receives safety information about battery cells through a plurality of channels even when each of a plurality of slave controllers includes only one micro controller unit, thereby minimizing the increase in the cost and enhancing the safety of the battery management system. The communication method includes performing bidirectional communication between a master controller and first to N.sup.th (where N is an integer equal to or more than two) slave controllers through a first communication channel, and receiving, by the master controller, an indication signal through a second communication signal via the first to N.sup.th slave controllers.

Provided are a battery pack and an electrical apparatus by which information can be transmitted at an appropriate timing from the battery pack to a device body. A battery pack (10) includes: a serial communication reception circuit (31) and a temperature information transmission circuit (32); an LS terminal that is selectively connected to the serial communication reception circuit (31) or the temperature information transmission circuit (32); a first switching circuit (21) that is provided between the LS terminal and the serial communication reception circuit (31) and the temperature information transmission circuit (32); and a V terminal that is connected to the first switching circuit (21). The first switching circuit (21) switches between connecting the serial communication reception circuit (31) or the temperature information transmission circuit (32) to the LS terminal according to a signal inputted from the V terminal.

This application is directed to a battery protection system including a sense resistor, a comparator, a switching component, and a protection integrated circuit (PIC). The sense resistor is electrically coupled in series with one of a plurality of rechargeable battery cells that are coupled in parallel in a battery. The comparator is coupled to the sense resistor and configured to compare a voltage drop across the sense resistor with a reference voltage to determine whether a subset of the rechargeable battery cells is not charging in the battery. The switching component is coupled to the battery, while the PIC is coupled to the comparator and the switching component. The PIC is configured to control charging and discharging of the battery including disabling the battery from being charged in accordance with a determination that a subset of the rechargeable battery cells is not charging in the battery.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include an energy management method for an energy system. The method may include: calculating a power prediction for use of an energy storage unit of the energy system for a time range; and determining, on the basis of the calculated power prediction, an externally usable partial storage capacity of the energy storage unit. The partial storage capacity according to the power prediction is not used by the energy system within the time range. The determined partial storage capacity is provided for use external to the energy system.

Provided is a battery pack that is charged by being connected to a charger and discharged by being connected to a load, the battery pack including: a charge-discharge terminal 1a including a positive electrode terminal, a negative electrode terminal, and a temperature terminal; a secondary battery that is charged and discharged through the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal; a current measurement unit that measures a charge-discharge current of the secondary battery; a thermistor which is connected to the temperature terminal and which measures a battery temperature of the secondary battery; a voltage switching unit that intermittently outputs to the temperature terminal an applied voltage that causes the thermistor to operate; and a control unit that recognizes a connected state of the charge-discharge terminal on the basis of the voltage at the temperature terminal in an on-period and an off-period of the applied voltage, and the charge-discharge current.

A battery device with a C-rate of 1 C includes a battery cell, a protection chip, and a microcontroller. The protection chip is electrically connected to the battery cell, determines whether to activate the protection mechanism of the battery device according to the state of the battery cell. The microcontroller is electrically connected to the protection chip, detects the RSOC of the battery cell. When an external power supply is electrically coupled to the battery device, and the RSOC of the battery cell is lower than 50%, the microcontroller controls the battery cell to perform a fast charging not over 10 minutes. During the 10 minutes of fast charging, the protection chip activates the protection mechanism, or the microcontroller detects that the battery cell has changed from a CC state to a CV state, the microcontroller stops the fast charging and restores the C-rate of the battery cell to 1 C.

An example may include a battery cell and a controller configured to control charging of the battery cell, using a charging switch. The controller may be configured to adjust a charging current supplied to the battery cell by controlling the charging switch to prevent a voltage of a load from being less than a reference voltage when a voltage of the battery cell is equal to or less than the reference voltage while power is being supplied to the battery pack and the load connected to the battery pack.

Disclosed herein is a switch assembly electrically couplable to a rechargeable power storage device (PSD). The switch assembly includes an electrical input A, an electrical output B, and first and second conduction paths there between, passing through, and circumventing, the PSD, respectively. A positive polarity of the PSD points from A to B. The switch assembly is switchable between: (i) a state, wherein current is capable of flowing from A to B simultaneously through the first and second conduction paths but is incapable of flowing from B to A the second conduction path, (ii) a state, wherein current is capable of flowing between A and B through the second conduction path but current flow through the first conduction path is blocked, and (iii) a state, wherein current is capable of flowing between A and B through the first conduction path but current flow through the second conduction path is blocked.

A digital camera includes a first battery, a power supply circuit, and a power supply management unit, and an accessory having second batteries and a communication unit is connectable to the digital camera. The power supply management unit performs control to supply power to the communication unit from the first battery and to supply power to the power supply circuit from any one of the second batteries, in a state in which the accessory is connected, and performs control to supply power to the power supply circuit from the first battery in a state in which the accessory is not connected.