IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,106,782
Granted Patent B2
US 11,106,782 · App. 16/343,220 · Granted Aug 31, 2021

Control unit for a battery system

Inventor: Maximilian Hofer (Hartberg, AT)
Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD
G06F21/44G01J5/28H01M10/425G01J5/028H01M2010/4271
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,106,782
App. No.
16/343,220
Granted
Aug 31, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for generating a security identifier for a control unit ( 10 ) of a battery system ( 100 ), comprising the steps of supplying an operation voltage to the control unit ( 10 ), outputting calibration data from a non-volatile memory element ( 15 a ) of the control unit ( 10 ), and generating a security identifier from the calibration data using a security algorithm. Therein, the calibration data is based on at least one testing process performed on the control unit ( 10 ) and is required for a faultless operation of the control unit ( 10 ). Further, according to a method for generating an activation key for a control unit ( 10 ) of a battery system ( 100 ) an activation key is generated based on such security identifier and output from the control unit ( 10 ). The invention further relates to an activation method for such control unit ( 10 ), wherein a control unit ( 10 ) is activated in response to the validation of such security identifier. The present invention further relates to a control unit ( 10 ) for performing such methods and further relates to the use of calibration data for generating a security identifier.

Claims (46)

1. A method of generating a security identifier for a control unit of a battery system, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying an operation voltage to the control unit;

outputting calibration data from a non-volatile memory element of the control unit;

generating a security identifier from the calibration data using a security algorithm; and

performing at least one testing process on the control unit,

wherein the calibration data is based on the at least one testing process performed on the control unit and is required for a faultless operation of the control unit.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

generating the calibration data for the control unit based on the at least one testing process; and

writing the calibration data to the non-volatile memory element of the control unit.

3. The method according to claim 2 ,

wherein the control unit comprises at least one measurement circuit configured to measure a physical quantity input to the measurement circuit,

wherein the at least one testing process comprises an offset calibration test and/or a gain calibration test on the measurement circuit, and

wherein the generation of the calibration data comprises generating at least one offset calibration value and/or at least one gain calibration value for each measurement circuit.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the security algorithm is one of a hash function algorithm, a public key algorithm, or a private key algorithm.

5. A method of generating an activation key for a control unit of a battery system, the method comprising the steps of the method according to claim 1 and further comprising the steps of:

generating an activation key based on the security identifier; and

outputting the activation key from the control unit.

6. A method of activating a control unit for a battery system, the control unit comprising: a power input for an operation voltage provided by at least one battery cell; a control module configured to perform at least one control function with respect to the at least one battery cell; and a startup module connected between the power input and the control module, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying an operation voltage of the control unit to the power input by the at least one battery cell;

generating a security identifier from calibration data stored in a non-volatile memory element of the control unit using a security algorithm;

validating the generated security identifier; and

interconnecting the power input and the control module in response to the validation of the security identifier,

wherein the calibration data is based on at least one testing process performed on the control unit and is required for a faultless operation of the control unit.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:

inputting an activation key into a data input of the control unit; and

validating the generated security identifier with respect to the activation key.

8. A control unit for a battery system comprising:

a non-volatile memory element storing calibration data;

a secure element configured to generate a security identifier from the calibration data using a security algorithm;

a verification circuit configured to validate the security identifier; and

a control module configured to perform at least one control function with respect to at least one battery cell,

wherein the calibration data is based on at least one testing process performed on the control unit and is required for a faultless operation of the control module.

9. The control unit according to claim 8 , further comprising a data output configured to output an activation key from the control unit,

wherein the secure element is connected to the data output and is further configured to generate an activation key from the security identifier.

10. A battery system comprising a control circuit according to claim 9 as part of at least one of a battery management system, battery monitoring unit, or cell supervision circuit.

11. The control unit according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a power input for an operation voltage of the control unit provided by the at least one battery cell;

a startup module connected between the power input and the control module and comprising the non-volatile memory element, the secure element and the verification circuit; and

an activation circuit configured to interconnect the power input and the control module in response to validation of the security identifier.

12. The control unit according to claim 8 , further comprising a data input configured to receive an activation key,

wherein the verification circuit is connected to the data input and to the secure element and is configured to validate the generated security identifier with respect to an input activation key.

13. The control unit according to claim 8 , further comprising at least one measurement circuit configured to measure a physical quantity input to the measurement circuit,

wherein the calibration data comprises at least one offset calibration value and/or at least one gain calibration value for each measurement circuit.

14. The control unit according to claim 8 , wherein the non-volatile memory element is not accessible from outside the control unit.

15. A method of using calibration data of a control unit for a battery system to generate a security identifier for identification and authentication of the control unit,

wherein the calibration data is based on at least one testing process performed on the control unit and is required for a faultless operation of the control unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 18, 2019
From: HOFER, MAXIMILIAN
To: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048944/0798 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 16202199 · Dec 5, 2016 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190243962A1 · Aug 8, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,425,063