Battery control system, battery pack, electronic device and charger
View Patent ↗A plurality of battery cells ( 100 ) are connected in series to each other. A temperature measurement unit ( 300 ) measures temperatures of two or more battery cells ( 100 ). A battery control unit ( 400 ) controls charge and discharge of the battery cells ( 100 ) on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit ( 300 ). In addition, when the charge of the battery cells ( 100 ) is performed or the discharge of the battery cells ( 100 ) is performed, the battery control unit ( 400 ) specifies a lowest temperature cell having the lowest temperature and a highest temperature cell having the highest temperature, on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit ( 300 ). In addition, the battery control unit ( 400 ) continues the charge or discharge, as it is, when a first condition in which a temperature difference ΔT between the highest temperature cell and the lowest temperature cell is equal to or greater than a reference value T 1 is not satisfied. On the other hand, when the temperature difference ΔT satisfies the first condition, the battery control unit ( 400 ) outputs a first signal.
1. A battery control system comprising:
a temperature measurement unit that measures temperatures of two or more battery units of a plurality of battery units which are connected in series to each other; and
a battery control unit that controls charge and discharge of the battery units on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit,
wherein the battery control unit
specifies a lowest temperature unit in which the temperature is lowest and a highest temperature unit in which the temperature is highest, on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit, when the charge of the battery unit is performed or the discharge of the battery unit is performed,
continues the charge or the discharge as it is when a first condition in which a temperature difference between the highest temperature unit and the lowest temperature unit is equal to or greater than a reference value is not satisfied, and
outputs a first signal when the temperature difference satisfies the first condition.
2. The battery control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a voltage measurement unit that measures voltages of the battery units,
wherein the battery control unit stops outputting the first signal when the first signal is output and then a voltage difference between the highest temperature unit and the lowest temperature unit becomes equal to or less than a first reference voltage value.
3. The battery control system according to claim 2 , wherein the first signal includes a voltage difference signal indicating the voltage difference.
4. The battery control system according to claim 2 , wherein the battery control unit outputs a second signal which is different from the first signal when the first signal is stopped and then the voltage difference is becomes equal to or less than a second reference voltage value lower than the first reference voltage value.
5. The battery control system according to claim 1 , wherein the battery control unit changes the reference value of the temperature difference in the first condition on the basis of the temperatures of the battery unit.
6. The battery control system according to claim 5 , wherein the reference value of the temperature difference becomes smaller as the temperature of the lowest temperature unit or the highest temperature unit becomes lower.
7. The battery control system according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal includes a temperature difference signal indicating the temperature difference.
8. The battery control system according to claim 1 , wherein the first signal includes a temperature signal indicating the temperature of at least one battery unit out of the lowest temperature unit and the highest temperature unit.
9. The battery control system according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature measurement unit further measures a temperature of outside air, and
the first signal includes an outside air temperature signal indicating the temperature of outside air.
10. The battery control system according to claim 1 , wherein the battery control unit stops outputting the first signal when the first signal is output and then the temperature difference does not satisfy the first condition.
11. The battery control system according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature measurement unit measures the temperatures of:
at least one battery unit which is disposed at the outermost side; and
the battery unit which is located further inside than the at least one battery unit.
12. The battery control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a load control unit, connected to the battery control unit, which receives the first signal and controls a load consuming power of the discharge,
wherein the load control unit reduces a current in the discharge when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
13. The battery control system according to claim 12 , further comprising a voltage measurement unit that measures voltages of the battery units
wherein the first signal includes a voltage difference signal indicating the voltage difference between the highest temperature unit and the lowest temperature unit,
the load control unit reduces the current until the voltage difference becomes equal to or less than the first reference voltage value, on the basis of the voltage difference signal, when the first signal is received, and
the battery control unit stops outputting the first signal when the first signal is output and then the voltage difference becomes equal to or less than the first reference voltage value.
14. The battery control system according to claim 13 , wherein the battery control unit outputs a second signal which is different from the first signal when the first signal is stopped and then the voltage difference becomes equal to or less than a second reference voltage value lower than the first reference voltage value, and
the load control unit can increase the current when the second signal is received.
15. The battery control system according to claim 12 , wherein the first signal includes a temperature difference signal indicating the temperature difference, and
the load control unit performs control so that the current is reduced as the temperature difference becomes larger, on the basis of the temperature difference signal, when the first signal is received.
16. The battery control system according to claim 12 , wherein the first signal includes a temperature signal indicating the temperature of at least one battery unit out of the lowest temperature unit and the highest temperature unit, and
the load control unit performs control so that the current is reduced as the temperature becomes lower, when the first signal is received.
17. The battery control system according to claim 12 , wherein the temperature measurement unit further measures a temperature of outside air,
the first signal includes an outside air temperature signal indicating the temperature of outside air, and
the load control unit performs control so that the current is reduced as the temperature of outside air becomes lower, when the first signal is received.
18. The battery control system according to claim 12 , wherein the load control unit performs control so that the current becomes equal to or less than a present current value, when the first signal is stopped.
19. The battery control system according to claim 1 , wherein the battery unit includes a lithium-ion secondary battery.
20. A battery pack comprising:
a plurality of battery units which are connected in series to each other;
a temperature measurement unit that measures temperatures of two or more battery units; and
a battery control unit that controls charge and discharge of the battery units on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit,
wherein the battery control unit
specifies a lowest temperature unit in which the temperature is lowest and a highest temperature unit in which the temperature is highest, on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit, when the charge of the battery unit is performed or the discharge of the battery unit is performed,
continues the charge or the discharge as it is when a first condition in which a temperature difference between the highest temperature unit and the lowest temperature unit is equal to or greater than a reference value is not satisfied, and
outputs a first signal when the temperature difference satisfies the first condition.
21. An electronic device comprising:
a battery pack including a plurality of battery units which are connected in series to each other;
a temperature measurement unit that measures temperatures of two or more battery units;
a battery control unit that controls discharge of the battery units on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit;
a load that consumes power of the discharge from the battery pack; and
a load control unit, connected to the battery control unit, which controls the load,
wherein the battery control unit
specifies a lowest temperature unit in which the temperature is lowest and a highest temperature unit in which the temperature is highest, on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit, when the discharge of the battery unit is performed,
continues the charge or the discharge as it is when a first condition in which a temperature difference between the highest temperature unit and the lowest temperature unit is equal to or greater than a reference value is not satisfied, and
outputs a first signal when the temperature difference satisfies the first condition, and
the load control unit reduces a current in the discharge when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
22. The electronic device according to claim 21 , further comprising a voltage measurement unit that measures voltages of the battery units,
wherein the battery control unit stops outputting the first signal when the first signal is output and then a voltage difference between the highest temperature unit and the lowest temperature unit becomes equal to or less than a first reference voltage value.
23. The electronic device according to claim 21 , wherein the load includes at least one or more light-emitting units, and
the load control unit reduces the current by lowering luminance of the light-emitting unit when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
24. The electronic device according to claim 21 , wherein the load includes at least one or more arithmetic operation process units, and
the load control unit reduces the current by lowering a processing speed of the arithmetic operation process unit when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
25. The electronic device according to claim 21 , wherein the electronic device is a portable communication terminal that performs a phone call or packet communication,
the load includes a communication unit that performs the communication, and
the load control unit reduces the current by controlling the communication unit so as to restrict the phone call and perform only the packet communication when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
26. The electronic device according to claim 21 , wherein the load includes at least one or more electric drive units, and
the load control unit reduces the current by reducing the power which is supplied to the electric drive unit when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
27. The electronic device according to claim 21 , further comprising a fuel drive unit which is driven by fuel,
wherein the load is at least one or more electric drive units, and
the load control unit reduces the current by reducing a power supply amount from the battery pack to the electric drive unit and increasing a drive ratio in the fuel drive unit, when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
28. The electronic device according to claim 21 , which is connected to at least one or more power supply units other than the battery pack,
wherein the load control unit reduces a power supply amount from the battery pack to the load and increases the power supply amount from the power supply unit to the load when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
29. The electronic device according to claim 21 , wherein the load control unit monotonically reduces the current consumed in the load when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
30. The electronic device according to claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of the loads,
wherein the load control unit reduces the number of loads that presently consume the power when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
31. A charger comprising:
a temperature measurement unit that measures temperatures of two or more battery units of a plurality of battery units which are connected in series to each other;
a battery control unit that controls charge of the battery units on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit; and
a charge control unit, connected to the battery control unit, which controls a voltage and a current in the charge,
wherein the battery control unit
specifies a lowest temperature unit in which the temperature is lowest and a highest temperature unit in which the temperature is highest, on the basis of the temperatures measured by the temperature measurement unit, when the charge of the battery unit is performed,
continues the charge or the discharge as it is when a first condition in which a temperature difference between the highest temperature unit and the lowest temperature unit is equal to or greater than a reference value is not satisfied, and
outputs a first signal when the temperature difference satisfies the first condition, and
the charge control unit reduces the current in the charge when the first signal is received from the battery control unit.
32. The charger according to claim 31 , further comprising a voltage measurement unit that measures voltages of the battery units,
wherein the battery control unit stops outputting the first signal when the first signal is output and then a voltage difference between the highest temperature unit and the lowest temperature unit becomes equal to or less than a first reference voltage value.