초록 ▼

Systems and methods are disclosed for a warranty tracker embedded in a battery pack. In an embodiment, the warranty tracker may include a memory device and a warranty controller. The warranty controller may receive an electric current measurement indicating a rate of charge or discharge of the batte

Systems and methods are disclosed for a warranty tracker embedded in a battery pack. In an embodiment, the warranty tracker may include a memory device and a warranty controller. The warranty controller may receive an electric current measurement indicating a rate of charge or discharge of the battery pack from a device that is external to the battery pack. A warranty value may then be calculated using the received electric current measurement and added to a stored cumulative warranty value. The memory device may store the cumulative warranty value, which may be used to evaluate warranty conditions. In various embodiments, the warranty tracker may also include a temperature sensor and/or a voltage sensor. The warranty controller may then use received temperature and/or voltage measurements in the calculation of the warranty value. In an embodiment, the stored cumulative warranty value may be used to determine expiration of a warranty.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A battery pack, comprising: a plurality of battery modules, each battery module including a plurality of battery cells;a plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers, each battery module controller mounted on a respective battery module of the plurality of battery modules;a battery pack

1. A battery pack, comprising: a plurality of battery modules, each battery module including a plurality of battery cells;a plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers, each battery module controller mounted on a respective battery module of the plurality of battery modules;a battery pack controller coupled to the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers via a wire or cable to form a communication network;a memory device configured to store a cumulative warranty value representing cumulative battery usage of the battery pack; anda warranty tracker, implemented within the battery pack controller, configured to: periodically receive at least one of a voltage measurement and a temperature measurement from each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers for the respective battery module of the plurality of battery modules, and an electric current measurement indicating a rate of charge or discharge of the battery pack;normalize at least one of the voltage measurement and the temperature measurement from each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers based on a predefined conversion function to generate at least one of a voltage factor and a temperature factor for each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers;calculate a new warranty value representing usage of the battery pack for a period of time using at least the voltage factor or the temperature factor for each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers; andadd the new warranty value to the cumulative warranty value stored in the memory device. 2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein each battery module controller further comprises a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the respective battery module and to report the temperature measurement to the warranty tracker. 3. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the warranty tracker is further configured to calculate the new warranty value using the received electric current measurement. 4. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein each battery module controller further comprises a voltage sensor configured to measure a voltage of the respective battery module and to report the voltage measurement to the warranty tracker. 5. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the warranty tracker and the memory device are disposed on a printed circuit board that is embedded within the battery pack. 6. A method for providing warranty tracking for a battery pack, the battery pack including a plurality of battery modules each containing a plurality of battery cells, a plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers each mounted on a respective battery module of the plurality of battery modules, a battery pack controller coupled to the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers via a wire or cable to form a communication network, and a warranty tracker implemented within the battery pack controller, the method comprising: periodically receiving, by the warranty tracker, at least one of a voltage measurement and a temperature measurement from each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers of the battery pack, and an electric current measurement indicating a rate of charge or discharge of the battery pack;normalizing at least one of the voltage measurement and the temperature measurement from each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers based on a predefined conversion function to generate at least one of a voltage factor and a temperature factor for each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers;calculating, by the warranty tracker, a warranty value representing usage of the battery pack for a period of time using at least the voltage factor or the temperature factor for each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers, and adding, by the warranty tracker, the calculated warranty value to a cumulative warranty value stored in a memory device of the battery pack, the cumulative warranty value representing cumulative battery usage of the battery pack. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising measuring, by each of the plurality of battery module controllers, a temperature of the respective battery module. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising storing a maximum and a minimum temperature measurement for the battery pack, wherein the maximum and the minimum temperature measurement are determined based on the temperature measurements received from each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers of the battery pack. 9. The method of claim 6, further comprising measuring, by each of the plurality of battery module controllers, a voltage of the respective battery module. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing a maximum and a minimum voltage measurement for the battery pack, wherein the maximum and the minimum voltage measurement are determined based on the voltage measurements received from each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers of the battery pack. 11. The method of claim 6, further comprising calculating the warranty value using the received electric current measurement. 12. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing a maximum electric current measurement for the battery pack, wherein the maximum electric current measurement is determined based on the electric current measurements received from each of the plurality of daisy-chained battery module controllers of the battery pack.