Method for testing a balanced circuit
AssigneeBayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsTobias Hollweg, Benno Schweiger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method tests a balancing circuit for a battery having a plurality of battery cells. The method detects first voltage states of the battery cells by way of a control unit; activates the balancing circuit with the aim of achieving a voltage equalization of at least two of the battery cells; detects second voltage states of the battery cells by way of the control unit; and determines a functional capability of the balancing circuit based on the first voltage states and the second voltage states of the battery cells by way of the control unit.
Claims10
A method for testing a balancing circuit for a battery that has a plurality of battery cells, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) detecting first voltage states of the battery cells by way of a control unit, including:
- a1) detecting a first group of voltages of the battery cells;
- and
- a2) calculating a first voltage difference between a highest voltage and a lowest voltage of the first group of voltages by way of the control unit;
- b) activating the balancing circuit for a purpose of achieving voltage equalization of at least two of the battery cells;
- c) detecting second voltage states of the battery cells by way of the control unit, including:
- c1) detecting a second group of voltages of the battery cells;
- and
- c2) calculating a second voltage difference between a highest voltage and a lowest voltage of the second group of voltages by way of the control unit;
- and
- d) determining, by way of the control unit, a functional capability of the balancing circuit on the basis of the first voltage states and the second voltage states of the battery cells, including:
- d1) calculating a difference value between the first voltage difference and the second voltage difference and comparing the difference value with a prescribed voltage value by way of the control unit and
- d2) determining, by way of the control unit, that the balancing circuit is not working if the difference value is smaller than a prescribed voltage value.
A device for testing a balancing circuit for a battery that has a plurality of battery cells, comprising:
- a control unit operatively configured to execute a process that:
- detects first voltage states of the battery cells;
- activates the balancing circuit for a purpose of achieving voltage equalization of at least two of the battery cells;
- detects second voltage states of the battery cells;
- and
- determines a functional capability of the balancing circuit on the basis of the first voltage states and the second voltage states of the battery cells;
- and
- at least one voltmeter, wherein
- the at least one voltmeter detects a first group of voltages of the battery cells;
- the control unit calculates a first voltage difference between a highest voltage and a lowest voltage of the first group of voltages;
- the at least one voltmeter detects a second group of voltages of the battery cells;
- the control unit calculates a second voltage difference between a highest voltage and a lowest voltage of the second group of voltages;
- the control unit calculates a difference value between the first voltage difference and the second voltage difference and compares the difference value with a prescribed voltage value;
- and
- the control unit determines that the balancing circuit is not working if the difference value is smaller than the prescribed voltage value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.