# US 10,500,980 B2 · Modular battery pack system with series and parallel charging and propulsion modes

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- Number: US 10,500,980 B2
- Document ID: US10500980B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/920,899
- Filed: 2018-03-14
- Published: 2019-09-19
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-14
- Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Inventors: Brendan M. Conlon; Martin M. Freedman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500980B2

## CPC

- B60L 53/11: {DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4}
- B60L 3/0046: {relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors}
- B60L 53/14: Conductive energy transfer
- B60L 53/20: characterised by converters located in the vehicle
- B60L 58/19: Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
- B60L 58/22: Balancing the charge of battery modules
- H02J 1/001: {Hot plugging or unplugging of load or power modules to or from power distribution networks}
- H02J 3/322: {the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging}
- H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially
- H02J 7/751: {concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries}
- H02P 5/74: controlling two or more AC dynamo-electric motors (H02P5/46, H02P5/60 take precedence)
- B60L 2210/40: DC to AC converters
- H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV]
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A modular battery pack system includes a battery pack and controller. The battery pack has first and second battery modules interconnected via electrical cables, with each module having a battery cell string. The pack has first, second, and third electrical connectors and four switches that selectively connect the strings to one or more of the electrical connectors. A DC charging connector is electrically connected to one of the cables between the first electrical connectors of the battery modules, and electrically connects the pack to an off-board DC fast-charging station. In response to input signals corresponding to a requested mode, the controller commands an open/closed state of each of the switches, via switching control signals, to establish a series charge mode, a parallel charge mode, and one or more of a series and/or parallel drive mode of the battery pack. A motor vehicle includes the system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A modular battery pack system comprising:
a battery pack having:
a plurality of electrical cables;
first and second battery modules electrically interconnected to each other via the plurality of electrical cables, the first and second battery modules having respective battery cell strings, first, second, and third electrical connectors, and first, second, third, and fourth switches that selectively connect the respective battery cell strings to one or more of the first, second, and third electrical connectors; and
a direct current (DC) charge connector electrically connected to one of the electrical cables between the first electrical connectors of the first and second battery modules, the DC charge connector being configured to electrically connect the battery pack to an off-board DC fast-charging station; and
a controller in communication with the first, second, third, and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules, the controller being programmed to execute a series charge mode, a parallel charge mode, and one or more of a series drive mode and a parallel drive mode of the battery pack, wherein the controller is configured to receive input signals indicative of a requested operating mode of the battery pack, and, in response to the input signals, to select an open/closed state of each of the first, second, third, and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules, via a set of switching control signals, to thereby establish the series charge mode, the parallel charge mode, and the one or more of the series drive mode and parallel drive mode of the battery pack.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second battery modules have a respective voltage capacity of 400-500 VDC such that the battery pack has a voltage capacity of 800-1000 VDC when operating in the series drive mode and the series charge mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein:
the first and second switches of the first and second battery modules, when in a closed state, connect the respective battery cell strings of a respective one of the first and second battery modules to the second and third electrical connectors of the first and second battery modules, respectively; and
the third and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules, respectively, when in a closed state, connect the respective battery cell strings of a respective one of the first and second battery modules to the first electrical connector of the first and second battery modules, respectively.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the series charge mode includes at least first and second series charge modes, and wherein the controller is configured, responsive to a threshold divergence in a state of charge of the first and second battery modules, to alternate between the first and second series charge modes by changing the open or closed states of the first and second switches of the first and second battery modules.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising: first and second traction power inverter modules (TPIMs) directly connected to the third electrical connector of the first and second battery modules, respectively, and first and second electric machines connected to the first and second TPIMs, respectively.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the modular battery pack system is used aboard a motor vehicle having front and rear drive wheels respectively connected to front and rear drive axles, the front and rear drive axles being driven by the first and second battery modules, respectively.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second battery modules respectively includes a fourth electrical connector in parallel with the third electrical connector, the system further comprising:
first and second accessory circuits directly connected to the fourth electrical connector of the first and second battery modules, respectively.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second battery modules have a respective first surface to which the electrical connectors of the respective first and second battery modules are connected, and a second surface positioned opposite the first surface and characterized by an absence of the electrical connectors, and wherein the first and second battery modules are arranged in the battery pack such that the second surfaces are positioned immediately adjacent to one another.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively establish a power-down mode in which the first, second, third, and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules are opened via the set of switching control signals.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect a fault mode in which a fault is present in the first or second battery modules, and to enter a default drive or charging mode using the first or second battery module that is not experiencing the fault.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein at least one switch of the first, second, third, and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules includes one or more of a solid-state switch and a diode.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein at least one switch of the first, second, third, and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules is an electro-mechanical contactor.

### Claim 13

A motor vehicle comprising:
front and rear drive axles;
front and rear drive wheels connected to the front and rear drive wheels, respectively;
front and rear traction power inverter modules (TPIMs);
front and rear electric machines connected to and driven by the front and rear TPIMs, respectively; and
a modular battery pack system comprising:
a battery pack connected to the front and rear TPIMs, and having:
a plurality of electrical cables;
first and second battery modules, electrically interconnected to each other via the plurality of electrical cables, each of the first and second battery modules having a respective battery cell string, first, second, and third electrical connectors, and first, second, third, and fourth switches that selectively connect the respective battery cell strings to one or more of the first, second, and third electrical connectors, the front and rear TPIMs being directly connected to the second electrical connector of the first and second battery modules, respectively; and
a direct current (DC) charging connector electrically connected to one of the electrical cables between the first electrical connectors of the first and second battery modules, the DC charging connector being configured to electrically connect the battery pack to an off-board DC fast-charging station; and
a controller in communication with the first, second, third, and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules, the controller being programmed to execute a series charge mode, a parallel charge mode, and one or more of a series drive mode and a parallel charge mode of the battery pack, wherein the controller is configured to receive input signals indicative of a requested operating mode of the battery pack, and, in response to the input signals, to select an open/closed state of each of the first, second, third, and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules, via a set of switching control signals, to thereby establish the series charge mode, the parallel charge mode, and the one or more of the series drive mode and parallel drive mode of the battery pack.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to execute the series drive mode, and wherein the first and second battery modules have a respective voltage capacity of 400-500 VDC such that the battery pack has a voltage capacity of 800-1000 VDC when operating in the series drive mode and the series charge mode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to execute the series charge mode, and the series charge mode includes at least a first and a second series charge modes, and wherein the controller is further configured, responsive to a threshold divergence in a state of charge of the first and second battery modules, to alternate between the first and second series charge modes by changing the open or closed states of the first and second switches of the first and second battery modules.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The motor vehicle of claim 13, further comprising first and second accessory circuits, wherein each of the first and second battery modules includes a fourth electrical connector, and wherein the first and second accessory circuits are directly connected to the fourth electrical connector of the first and second battery modules, respectively.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first and second battery modules have a respective first surface to which the electrical connectors of the respective first and second battery modules are connected, and a second surface positioned opposite the first surface and characterized by an absence of the electrical connectors, and wherein the first and second battery modules are arranged in the battery pack such that the second surfaces are positioned immediately adjacent to one another.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to detect a fault mode in which a fault is present in the first or second battery modules, and to enter a default operating mode using the first or second battery module not experiencing the fault.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein at least one switch of the first, second, third, and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules includes one or more of a solid-state switch and a diode.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein at least one switch of the first, second, third, and fourth switches of the first and second battery modules is an electro-mechanical contactor.