Apparatus and method for battery equalization

1. An apparatus for equalization of a battery pack that is composed of plural battery cells, comprising:

a cell balancing device equalizing the voltages of the plural battery cells;

a battery cell monitor monitoring the voltage and/or current of each battery cell;

a correction voltage calculator calculating correction voltage for a subject battery cell that needs to be equalized, based on the monitored voltage and/or current of the subject battery cell, wherein the correction voltage depends on internal resistance of the subject battery cell; and

a cell balancing controller determining the subject battery cell from the plural battery cells, wherein the cell balancing controller corrects target voltage for equalization of the subject battery cell by the calculated correction voltage, and the cell balancing controller causes the cell balancing device to execute equalization of the subject battery cell so that the monitored voltage of the subject battery cell reaches the corrected target voltage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the battery pack is in use to supply electric power, the correction voltage calculator refers to a map data for use to determine internal resistance of the subject battery cell from the monitored voltage and current of the subject battery cell, and the correction voltage calculator calculates the correction voltage based on the determined internal resistance and the monitored current of the subject battery cell.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the battery pack is not in use to supply electric power, the correction voltage calculator calculates the amount of voltage drop of the subject battery cell during the lapse of a given period of time from the start of the equalization as the correction voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the battery pack is not in use to supply electric power, the correction voltage calculator calculates the correction voltage based on the amount of voltage drop of the subject battery cell during the lapse of a given period of time from the start of the equalization and on charging and discharging current flowing in the cell balancing device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the battery cell monitor monitors the temperature of each battery cell, when the battery pack is in use to supply electric power, the correction voltage calculator refers to a map data for use to determine internal resistance of the subject battery cell from the monitored voltage, current and temperature of the subject battery cell, and the correction voltage calculator calculates the correction voltage based on the determined internal resistance and the monitored current of the subject battery cell.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the battery cell monitor monitors the temperature of each battery cell, when the battery pack is not in use to supply electric power, the correction voltage calculator refers to a map data for use to determine internal resistance of the subject battery cell from the monitored voltage and temperature of the subject battery cell, and the correction voltage calculator calculates the correction voltage based on the determined internal resistance and the current of the subject battery cell monitored after the start of the equalization.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cell balancing controller corrects the target voltage by subtracting the calculated correction voltage from the target voltage when the subject battery cell needs to be discharged, and the cell balancing controller corrects the target voltage by adding the calculated correction voltage to the target voltage when the subject battery cell needs to be charged.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cell balancing device takes charge from one or more battery cells and delivers the charge to one or more of the remaining battery cells so as to equalize the voltages of the plural battery cells.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cell balancing device allows one or more selected battery cells of the plural battery cells to discharge so as to equalize the voltages of the plural battery cells.

10. A method for equalization of a battery pack that is composed of plural battery cells, the method causing a cell balancing device to equalize the voltages of the plural battery cells,

the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring the voltage and/or current of each battery cell;

calculating correction voltage for a subject battery cell that needs to be equalized, based on the monitored voltage and/or current of the subject battery cell, wherein the correction voltage depends on internal resistance of the subject battery cell;

determining the subject battery cell from the plural battery cells;

correcting target voltage for equalization of the subject battery cell by the calculated correction voltage; and

causing the cell balancing device to execute equalization of the subject battery cell so that the monitored voltage of the subject battery cell reaches the corrected target voltage.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein when the battery pack is in use to supply electric power, internal resistance of the subject battery cell is determined by referring to a map data for use to determine internal resistance of the battery cell from the monitored voltage and current of the battery cell, and the correction voltage is calculated based on the determined internal resistance and the monitored current of the subject battery cell.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein when the battery pack is not in use to supply electric power, the amount of voltage drop of the subject battery cell during the lapse of a given period of time from the start of the equalization is calculated as the correction voltage.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the temperature of each battery cell is monitored, when the battery pack is in use to supply electric power, internal resistance of the subject battery cell is determined by referring to a map data for use to determine internal resistance of the battery cell from the monitored voltage, current and temperature of the battery cell, and the correction voltage is calculated based on the determined internal resistance and the monitored current of the subject battery cell.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the temperature of each battery cell is monitored, when the battery pack is not in use to supply electric power, internal resistance of the subject battery cell is determined by referring to a map data for use to determine internal resistance of the battery cell from the monitored voltage and temperature of the battery cell, and the correction voltage is calculated based on the determined internal resistance and the current of the subject battery cell monitored after the start of the equalization.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the target voltage is corrected by subtracting the calculated correction voltage from the target voltage when the subject battery cell needs to be discharged, and the target voltage is corrected by adding the calculated correction voltage to the target voltage when the subject battery cell needs to be charged.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method causes the cell balancing device to take charge from one or more battery cells and to deliver the charge to one or more of the remaining battery cells so as to equalize the voltages of the plural battery cells.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method causes the cell balancing device to allow one or more selected battery cells of the plural battery cells to discharge so as to equalize the voltages of the plural battery cells.