Method and apparatus for defending against wireless attack, and battery pack including the apparatus

1 . A method for defending against wireless attack, the method comprising:

collecting external radio frequency (RF) signals through at least one external antenna;

determining an attack signal from the external RF signals;

canceling the attack signal by generating a canceling RF signal having an opposite phase as the attack signal;

broadcasting, by a master battery management system (BMS), a communication diagnosis request signal to at least one slave BMS a number (N) of times during a set period of time;

counting a number of times that a communication diagnosis response signal is not received from the at least one slave BMS, determining that a communication error has occurred when the counted number exceeds a number (M); and

determining an abnormal signal as the attack signal when the communication error is detected.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the determining the attack signal from the external RF signals comprises determining a strength of the attack signal is equal to or greater than a second reference value.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the determining the attack signal from the external RF signals comprises:

determining a strength of the attack signal is greater than or equal to a first reference value, and is less than a second reference value; and

determining a communication error diagnosis result between at least one slave battery management system (BMS) for detecting information on at least one battery module, and a master BMS for performing communication with the at least one slave BMS.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the determining the attack signal from the external RF signals comprises detecting the communication error between the at least one slave BMS and the master BMS.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the determining the attack signal from the external RF signals comprises:

receiving information about a strength of a normal signal transmitted between the at least one slave BMS and the master BMS from the master BMS;

determining a difference between the strength of the attack signal and the strength of the normal signal is equal to or greater than a threshold;

transmitting a communication diagnostic event trigger to the master BMS; and

receiving the communication error diagnosis result.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the determining the attack signal from the external RF signals comprises analyzing a strength of the attack signal.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the canceling the attack signal comprises transmitting the canceling RF signal having a same frequency as the attack signal through the external antenna.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the canceling the attack signal further comprises adjusting at least one of a frequency and a strength of the canceling RF signal based on a communication error diagnosis result between at least one slave battery management system (BMS) for detecting information on at least one battery module, and a master BMS for performing communication with the at least one slave BMS.

9 . A wireless attack mitigation apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

at least one external antenna coupled to a battery pack, and configured to receive external radio frequency (RF) signals;

a signal analyzer configured to analyze the external RF signals;

an attack determiner configured to determine an attack signal, which corresponds to an external intentional jamming attack, network traffic sniffing, or network traffic spoofing, from the external RF signals using analysis information of the external RF signals;

an attack defender configured to cancel the attack signal by generating a canceling RF signal having an opposite phase as the attack signal;

broadcasting, by a master battery management system (BMS), a communication diagnosis request signal to at least one slave BMS a number (N) of times during a set period of time;

counting a number of times that a communication diagnosis response signal is not received from the at least one slave BMS, determining that a communication error has occurred when the counted number exceeds a number (M); and

determining an abnormal signal as the attack signal when the communication error is detected.

10 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the attack determiner is configured to determine the attack signal from the external RF signals based on a strength of the attack signal.

11 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the attack determiner is configured to determine the attack signal from the external RF signals based on a strength of the attack signal being equal to or greater than a second reference value.

12 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the attack determiner is further configured to:

determine a strength of the attack signal is greater than or equal to a first reference value and less than a second reference value; and

determine the attack signal from the external RF signals based on a strength of a normal signal transmitted between at least one slave battery management system (BMS) for detecting information on at least one battery module, and a master BMS for performing communication with the at least one slave BMS, and based on a communication error diagnosis result between the at least one slave BMS and the master BMS.

13 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the attack determiner is configured to determine the attack signal from the external RF signals based on the communication error between the at least one slave BMS and the master BMS being detected.

14 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising an internal communicator configured to perform wireless communication with the master BMS,

wherein the attack determiner is configured to:

determine that a difference between the strength of the attack signal and the strength of the normal signal is greater than or equal to a threshold;

generate a communication diagnosis event trigger;

transmit the communication diagnosis event trigger to the master BMS through the internal communicator; and

receive the communication error diagnosis result.

15 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the attack defender is configured to generate the canceling RF signal having a same frequency as the attack signal, and is configured to transmit the canceling RF signal through the external antenna.

16 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the attack defender is configured to adjust at least one of a frequency and a strength of the canceling RF signal based on a communication error diagnosis result between at least one slave battery management system (BMS) for detecting information on at least one battery module, and a master BMS for performing communication with the at least one slave BMS.

17 . A battery pack comprising:

at least one battery module;

at least one slave battery management system (BMS) configured to detect information about the at least one battery module;

a master BMS configured to perform wireless communication with the at least one slave BMS, and is configured to control the at least one slave BMS based on information about the at least one battery module; and

a wireless attack mitigation apparatus configured to defend against a wireless attack, and comprising:

at least one external antenna configured to receive external radio frequency (RF) signals;

a signal analyzer configured to analyze the external RF signals;

an attack determiner configured to determine an attack signal, which corresponds to an external intentional jamming attack, network traffic sniffing, or network traffic spoofing, from the external RF signals using analysis information of the external RF signals;

an attack defender configured to cancel the attack signal by generating a canceling RF signal having an opposite phase as the attack signal;

broadcasting, by a master battery management system (BMS), a communication diagnosis request signal to at least one slave BMS a number (N) of times during a set period of time;

counting a number of times that a communication diagnosis response signal is not received from the at least one slave BMS, determining that a communication error has occurred when the counted number exceeds a number (M); and

determining an abnormal signal as the attack signal when the communication error is detected.