# US 8,569,995 B2 · Control circuit and method for controlling a plurality of battery cells based on a determined number of coupled battery cells > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,569,995 B2 - Document ID: US8569995B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/009,486 - Filed: 2011-01-19 - Published: 2012-05-17 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-15 - Assignees: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft; Audi AG - Applicants: Martin Eberhard; Marc Tarpenning; Jessica Riley; Steven Diamond; Jaime Camhi - Inventors: Martin Eberhard; Marc Tarpenning; Jessica Riley; Steven Diamond; Jaime Camhi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569995B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/441: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 10/4207: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H02J 7/54: Passive balancing, e.g. using resistors or parallel MOSFETs - H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A method for controlling a plurality of battery cells with a control circuit coupled to the plurality of battery cells, includes: supplying the control circuit with electrical energy from the coupled battery cells; determining a number of battery cells coupled to the control circuit; and automatically adapting a power consumption drawn from the battery cells in response to the number of coupled battery cells. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling a plurality of battery cells with a control circuit coupled to the plurality of battery cells, comprising: supplying the control circuit with electrical energy from the coupled battery cells; determining a number of battery cells coupled to the control circuit; and automatically adapting a power consumption drawn from the battery cells in response to the number of coupled battery cells. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the automatically adapting the power consumption includes automatically directing at least a portion of the electrical energy to a balancing circuit in response to the number of coupled battery cells. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the automatically adapting the power consumption includes automatically adjusting an amount of time in which an electrical component connected to the control circuit is powered with electrical energy from the battery cells by the control circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the electrical component includes at least one of (a) a light emitting diode, (b) a voltage reference, and (c) a temperature sensor coupled to the control circuit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the automatically adapting the power consumption includes automatically adjusting an amount of low-power time of the control circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the battery cells are coupled in a series connection, and wherein the supplying of the control circuit with electrical energy from the coupled battery cells includes supplying the control circuit with the electrical energy from end terminals of the series connection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the battery cells are coupled in a series connection, and wherein the control circuit is connected to each terminal of each cell of the plurality of battery cells. ### Claim 8 A control circuit configured to control a plurality of battery cells, comprising: a plurality of terminals configured to be coupled to the plurality of battery cells; a power supply unit configured to generate electrical energy for the control circuit from electrical energy of the battery cells; a battery cell control unit configured to determine a number of battery cells coupled to the control circuit; and an energy control unit configured to adapt a power consumption drawn from the battery cells in response to the number of coupled battery cells. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The control circuit according to claim 8, wherein the energy control unit is coupled to a balancing circuit, wherein the energy control unit is configured to adapt the power consumption by directing electrical energy to the balancing circuit in response to the number of coupled battery cells. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The control circuit according to claim 8, wherein the control circuit includes a further terminal adapted to couple the control circuit to an external component, wherein the energy control unit is configured to adapt the power consumption by adjusting an amount of time in which the external component is powered with electrical energy. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control circuit according to claim 10, wherein the external component includes at least one (a) a light emitting diode, (b) a voltage reference, and (c) a temperature sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The control circuit according to claim 8, wherein the energy control unit is configured to adapt the power consumption by adjusting an amount of low-power time of the control circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The control circuit according to claim 8, wherein the battery cells are connected in a series connection and the power supply unit is coupled to end terminals of the series connection. ### Claim 14 A battery module, comprising: a plurality of battery groups, each battery group including: a plurality of battery cells; and a control circuit configured to control the plurality of battery cells of the battery group; wherein the control circuit includes: a plurality of terminals coupled to the plurality of battery cells; a power supply unit configured to generate electrical energy for the control circuit from electrical energy of the battery cells; a battery cell control unit configured to determine a number of battery cells coupled to the control circuit; and an energy control unit configured to adapt a power consumption drawn from the battery cells in response to the number of coupled battery cells. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The battery module according to claim 14, wherein the battery cells are connected in a series connection and each terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells is connected to the control circuit via the plurality of terminals. ### Claim 16 A vehicle, comprising an electrical engine adapted to provide a driving force for driving the vehicle; and a battery module adapted to power the electrical engine, the battery module including a plurality of battery groups, each battery group including: a plurality of battery cells; and a control circuit configured to control the plurality of battery cells of the battery group; wherein the control circuit includes: a plurality of terminals coupled to the plurality of battery cells; a power supply unit configured to generate electrical energy for the control circuit from electrical energy of the battery cells; a battery cell control unit configured to determine a number of battery cells coupled to the control circuit; and an energy control unit configured to adapt a power consumption drawn from the battery cells in response to the number of coupled battery cells.