Battery management system, method and battery

摘要

A battery management system includes a master control unit coupled to a plurality of batteries, at least one battery status unit providing data on the status the batteries and a power determination unit providing a measure of the power draw required from the batteries. The master control unit controls the batteries to activate only the number to meet the required power draw. The power determination unit can determine the maximum safe power to a device coupled to the batteries, the master control unit then activating a number of batteries having a combined power capacity not exceeding the safe maximum power. The system allows for a large number of batteries to be coupled to an electrical device and for these to be controlled so as not to produce a current which is too high for the device.

主权项

1. A battery management system for controlling the operation of a plurality of electrical batteries coupled to one another in parallel in a stack and stacked on an electrical device, including a master control unit coupled to each of the batteries, at least one battery status unit operable to provide data relating to the status of each of the batteries of the plurality of batteries, a unit operable to provide a measure of the power draw required from the batteries, wherein the master control unit is operable to control the operation of the plurality of batteries to activate a number of said plurality to meet the required power draw and to deactivate any batteries of said plurality which would cause said plurality of batteries to exceed the required power draw, wherein the system is configured to enable the electrical device coupled to and powered by the plurality of batteries to remain powered on during replacement of batteries in the stack, the replacement including removal and insertion of batteries in the stack.