Devices, systems, and methods for monitoring battery modules

A battery monitoring system comprising:

• a serial communication link comprising a plurality of battery monitoring devices operable for sensing statuses of a plurality of battery modules at a sensing time point, wherein said plurality of battery monitoring devices includes a first battery monitoring device, and wherein said first battery monitoring device comprises:
• a monitoring circuit operable for sensing a status of a first battery module of said plurality of battery modules;
• a communication port operable for receiving a first sensing command from a battery management unit through said serial communication link;
• and
• a control circuit, coupled to said monitoring circuit and said communication port, and operable for executing said first sensing command, for starting timing of a preset time delay when said control circuit begins executing said first sensing command, and for controlling said monitoring circuit to sense said status of said first battery module when said preset time delay expires such that said monitoring circuit senses said status of said first battery module at a time point that is synchronized with said sensing time point,
• wherein said control circuit is further operable for controlling said communication port to send information comprising said status of said first battery module to said battery management unit through said serial communication link, and
• wherein said first battery module comprises a plurality of battery cells, wherein said monitoring circuit is operable for performing a first sensing operation on each battery cell of said plurality of battery cells at a respective first time point and for performing a second sensing operation on said each battery cell at a respective second time point, wherein a time interval between each said first time point and each said second time point has a respective middle time point, and wherein the middle time points for said plurality of battery cells coincide with each other.

A method for monitoring a plurality of battery modules, said method comprising:

• receiving, using a first battery monitoring device of a plurality of battery monitoring devices, a first sensing command transmitted by a battery management unit via a serial communication link, wherein said serial communication link comprises said plurality of battery monitoring devices;
• starting timing of a preset time delay when said first battery monitoring device begins executing said first sensing command;
• sensing, using said plurality of battery monitoring devices, statuses of said plurality of battery modules at a sensing time point, wherein said first battery monitoring device senses a status of a first battery module of said plurality of battery modules when said preset time delay expires such that said first battery monitoring device senses said status of said first battery module at a time point that is synchronized with said sensing time point, wherein said first battery module comprises a plurality of battery cells;
• sending information comprising said status of said first battery module to said battery management unit through said serial communication link,
• performing a first sensing operation on each battery cell of said plurality of battery cells at a respective first time point to obtain first sensing data;
• performing a second sensing operation on said each battery cell at a respective second time point to obtain second sensing data, wherein a time interval between each said first time point and each said second time point has a respective middle time point, and wherein the middle time points for said plurality of battery cells coincide with each other;
• and
• generating information comprising said status of said first battery module according to said first sensing data and said second sensing data.