Battery control device and short-circuit detection method thereof

A battery control device, comprising:

• a connecting device including a first main switch configured to electrically connect positive terminals of a plurality of battery modules with an external load, and a second main switch configured to electrically connect negative terminals of the plurality of battery modules and the external load;
• a plurality of battery control units respectively configured to control electrical connections between the plurality of battery modules and the first and second main switches;
• and
• a main controller configured to control an open/closed state of the first and second main switches,
• wherein one of the plurality of battery control units includes:
• a first switch connected between a positive terminal of a corresponding battery module and the first main switch;
• a second switch connected between a negative terminal of the corresponding battery module and the second main switch;
• and
• a controller configured to control an open/closed state of the first and second switches, and
• wherein the controller is configured to detect a short-circuit according to a voltage between both ends of the first switch detected with the first switch open, the second switch closed, the first main switch closed, and the second main switch closed.

A short-circuit detection method of a battery control device, the method comprising:

• controlling a first main switch electrically connected between positive terminals of a plurality of battery modules and an external load to be in a closed state, and controlling a second main switch electrically connected between negative terminals of the plurality of battery modules and the external load to be in a closed state;
• in a first battery control unit controlling an electrical connection between a first battery module among the plurality of battery modules and the first and second main switches, controlling a second switch connected between a negative terminal of the first battery module and the second main switch to be in a closed state;
• detecting a voltage between first and second ends of a first switch, which is in an open state, the first switch being connected between a positive terminal of the first battery module and the first main switch;
• and
• detecting a first short-circuit between the first battery control unit and the external load according to the detected voltage between the first and second ends of the first switch.