Battery rack management apparatus

A battery rack managing apparatus for managing a battery rack having a plurality of battery modules, the battery rack managing apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of module battery management systems (BMSs), each corresponding to one or more battery modules among the plurality of battery modules;
• a rack BMS configured to communicate with the plurality of module BMSs and to control the plurality of module BMSs;
• a heater configured to generate and supply heat;
• and
• a plurality of wake-up circuits respectively corresponding to the plurality of module BMSs, each of the plurality of wake-up circuits including a variable resistor element configured to change a resistance value by heat, and each of the plurality of wake-up circuits being configured to supply a wake-up signal to a corresponding one of the plurality of module BMSs if the resistance value of the variable resistor element is changed,
• wherein:
• the heater includes a rack heater and a plurality of module heaters configured to apply heat to the variable resistor elements of the plurality of wake-up circuits;
• and
• the plurality of module heaters are different from battery cells,
• wherein at least one of the plurality of wake-up circuits (wake-up circuit) further includes a wake-up power circuit configured to generate a wake-up power for waking up a corresponding module BMS,
• wherein based on an amount of current supplied by the wake-up circuit to the variable resistor element of the wake-up circuit, the wake-up circuit is configured to automatically supply the wake-up power from the wake-up power circuit to the corresponding module BMS, without using a processor,
• wherein each battery module comprises a respective module BMS, a respective wake-up circuit, and a respective module heater,
• wherein the wake-up circuit includes a wake-up path for supplying the generated wake-up power to the corresponding module BMS,
• wherein the wake-up circuit includes a transistor connected to the wake-up path,
• wherein the wake-up circuit includes a corresponding module heater that is not located within the wake-up path, that is connected to an output of the transistor, and that is not connected to an input of the transistor, and
• wherein the transistor is not a temperature sensor.