JP2022033141A - Battery monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable transmission of battery information from a satellite to a battery ECU even in a situation where it is difficult to transmit it by communication based on a waveform of radio wave.

SOLUTION: A battery monitoring device 60 comprises a satellite 20 and a battery ECU10. The satellite 20 is installed for each one of battery groups 94 into which a plurality of cell batteries 95 of a battery pack 90 are classified, and acquires battery information being information about the cell batteries 95. The satellite 20 has a slave unit C2. The battery ECU10 has a master unit C1 that wirelessly communicates with the slave unit C2. The slave unit C2 provides the battery information onto intensity variation of radio wave by varying the intensity of the radio wave which is transmitted to a master unit C1. The master unit C1 measures power of reception signal Sb being electric signal generated by the radio wave which has been received from the slave unit C2 by an RSSI computation section 59. Then, based on the power variation which has been measured, the battery information held by the intensity variation of the radio wave which has been received from the slave unit C2 is acquired.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2022,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a battery monitoring device that monitors an assembled battery mounted on a vehicle or the like.

Some battery monitoring devices are configured as follows. The battery monitoring device includes a satellite installed for each battery group in which a plurality of cell batteries included in the assembled battery are grouped, and a battery ECU. Each satellite and the battery ECU are configured to enable wireless communication. Through the wireless communication, each satellite transmits battery information, which is information about the cell battery, to the battery ECU.

When a satellite fails to transmit battery information to the battery ECU at a predetermined frequency, the battery monitoring device uses another frequency band to retry transmission, or via another satellite. The battery information is transmitted to the battery ECU by utilizing the spatial redundancy that establishes the transmission. The following Patent Document 1 is a document showing such a technique.

Japanese Patent No. 6093448

In such a configuration, even if one satellite fails to transmit the battery information, the battery information can be transmitted to the battery ECU by using another frequency element or via another satellite. can. However, in the above configuration, battery information is transmitted based on the radio wave waveform. Therefore, for example, when noise that spans the entire frequency band used has entered with a noise intensity that makes it difficult to grasp the radio wave waveform. For example, the battery information cannot be transmitted from the satellite to the battery ECU.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the main invention is to enable transmission of battery information from a satellite to a battery ECU even in a situation where it is difficult to transmit the battery information by communication based on a radio wave waveform. The purpose.

The battery monitoring device of the present invention is installed for each battery group in which a plurality of cell batteries of the assembled battery are grouped, and is a satellite for acquiring battery information which is information about the cell battery, a battery ECU, and a control unit. The satellite has a slave unit, the battery ECU has a master unit that performs wireless communication with the slave unit, and the communication device of the slave unit is a radio wave transmitted to the master unit. By changing the intensity of the radio wave, the communication device of the master unit has a transmission intensity modulator that gives the battery information to the change in the intensity of the radio wave, and the communication device of the master unit has the intensity change of the radio wave received from the slave unit. It has a strength information processing unit that acquires battery information, the control unit acquires the battery information, controls the transmission intensity modulation unit based on the battery information, and the control unit switches a power switch. By controlling, the supply and cutoff of power to the transmission intensity modulation unit are switched and controlled.

According to the present invention, the slave unit has the battery information in the change in the intensity of the radio wave transmitted to the master unit by the transmission intensity modulator. Then, the master unit acquires the battery information of the change in the intensity of the radio wave received from the slave unit by the intensity information processing unit.

Therefore, the battery information can be transmitted from the satellite to the battery ECU by the communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave, which is the communication other than the communication based on the waveform of the radio wave. Therefore, even in a situation where it is difficult to transmit the battery information from the satellite to the battery ECU by communication based on the waveform of the radio wave, it is possible to transmit the battery information by communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave.

Circuit diagram showing the battery monitoring device of the first embodiment Schematic showing satellites Circuit diagram showing battery ECU Graph showing the power change of the received signal Circuit diagram showing satellites of the second embodiment Circuit diagram showing battery ECU Graph showing power change and voltage waveform of received signal Graph showing the intensity change of the received signal of the third embodiment Circuit diagram showing satellites of the fourth embodiment Circuit diagram showing battery ECU Circuit diagram showing satellites of the fifth embodiment Circuit diagram showing battery ECU

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing the battery monitoring device 60 of the present embodiment. The battery monitoring device 60 is a device that monitors the assembled battery 90 mounted on the vehicle, and has a battery ECU 10 and a plurality of satellites 20. The satellite 20 is installed in each battery group 94 in which a plurality of cell batteries 95 included in the assembled battery 90 are grouped.

The battery ECU 10 has a control MCU 15 and a master unit C1. The satellite 20 has a monitoring circuit 25 and a slave unit C2. The control MCU 15 issues a command to the monitoring circuit 25. The command information i1, which is information related to the command, is transmitted to the monitoring circuit 25 by being transmitted from the master unit C1 to the slave unit C2. The monitoring circuit 25 acquires battery information i2, which is information regarding the voltage, current, and the like of each cell battery 95, based on the command information i1. The battery information i2 is transmitted to the control MCU 15 by being transmitted from the slave unit C2 to the master unit C1.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the satellite 20, and FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the battery ECU 10. Each communication device of the slave unit C2 and the master unit C1 has an information processing unit 30, a control unit 36, a transmission processing unit 45, an amplification unit 50, an antenna 51, and an RSSI calculation unit 59. The control unit 36 controls the information processing unit 30, the transmission processing unit 45, the amplification unit 50, and the RSSI calculation unit 59.

The information processing unit 30 of each communication device has a transmission information processing unit 31 and a strength information processing unit 33. The amplification unit 50 of each communication device includes a transmission amplification unit 49 and a reception amplification unit 53.

Next, the case where the battery information i2 is transmitted from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the monitoring circuit 25 of the satellite 20 transmits the acquired battery information i2 to the transmission information processing unit 31 of the slave unit C2. The transmission information processing unit 31 transmits the transmission command α to the transmission processing unit 45 based on the reception of the battery information i2.

Upon receiving the transmission command α, the transmission processing unit 45 generates a transmission signal Sa, which is an electric signal for generating radio waves. The transmission signal Sa is input to the transmission amplification unit 49. The control unit 36 acquires the battery information i2 from the information processing unit 30 and controls the transmission amplification unit 49 based on the battery information i2 so that the power change of the transmission signal Sa has the battery information i2. Specifically, the control unit 36 changes the power of the transmission signal Sa by amplifying the transmission signal Sa at a predetermined timing and not amplifying it at other timings, and changes the power of the transmission signal Sa to the battery information. Have i2.

The transmission signal Sa is input to the antenna 51. The transmission signal Sa generates radio waves at the antenna 51. The radio wave is in a strong radio wave state with relatively strong strength at a predetermined timing when the transmission signal Sa is amplified, and is in a weak radio wave state with relatively weak strength at other timings. As a result, the radio wave has the battery information i2 in the intensity change. That is, the slave unit C2 changes the intensity of the radio wave to be transmitted by changing the power of the transmission signal Sa by the transmission amplification unit 49, and gives the battery information i2 to the change in intensity.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the antenna 51 of the master unit C1 receives a radio wave from the slave unit C2, the received signal Sb, which is an electric signal, is generated by the radio wave. The received signal Sb has the battery information i2 in the power change.

The received signal Sb is input to the reception amplification unit 53. The reception amplification unit 53 adjusts the power range of the reception signal Sb input to the RSSI calculation unit 59 by amplifying the reception signal Sb in a variable amplification amount. Specifically, the reception amplification unit 53 has a range in which the maximum value of the power of the received signal Sb input to the RSSI calculation unit 59 does not exceed the upper limit value X of the power of the reception signal Sb measurable by the RSSI calculation unit 59. Then, the power of the received signal Sb is amplified.

The amplified reception signal Sb is input to the RSSI calculation unit 59. The RSSI calculation unit 59 measures the power of the received signal Sb. The electric power is measured, for example, by measuring the effective value of the electric power of the received signal Sb, which is an AC electric signal. The power information β2 representing the measured power is input to the intensity information processing unit 33. The intensity information processing unit 33 acquires the power change of the received signal Sb based on the power information β2, and the battery information i2 possessed by the power change, that is, the battery information possessed by the intensity change of the radio wave received from the slave unit C2. Acquire i2. The battery information i2 is transmitted to the control MCU 15. As described above, the battery information i2 is transmitted from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10.

The description of transmitting the command information i1 from the battery ECU 10 to the satellite 20 is the same as the above description of transmitting the battery information i2 from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10 as follows. That is, "battery information i2" is read as "command information i1". Further, each of "FIG. 2" and "FIG. 3" is read as the other, and each of "satellite 20" and "battery ECU 10" is read as the other. Further, each of "monitoring circuit 25" and "control MCU15" is read as the other, and each of "slave unit C2" and "master unit C1" is read as the other.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the power change of the received signal Sb input to the intensity information processing unit 33. The intensity information processing unit 33 determines that the power of the received signal Sb is "1" when it exceeds the predetermined upper threshold value Hi, and determines "0" when it is lower than the predetermined lower threshold value Lo, which is smaller than the upper threshold value Hi. That is, the intensity information processing unit 33 determines that once the power of the received signal Sb exceeds the upper threshold value Hi, it is determined to be "1" until it falls below the lower threshold value Lo. Then, once the power of the received signal Sb falls below the lower threshold value Lo, it is determined to be "0" until it exceeds the upper threshold value Hi. As a result, the information contained in the power change of the received signal Sb, that is, the information contained in the intensity change of the received radio wave is digitally processed and analyzed.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. The slave unit C2 has the battery information i2 in the change in the intensity of the radio wave transmitted to the master unit C1 by the transmission amplification unit 49. Then, the master unit C1 acquires the battery information i2 possessed by the intensity change of the radio wave received from the slave unit C2 by the RSSI calculation unit 59 and the intensity information processing unit 33.

Therefore, the battery information i2 can be transmitted from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10 by the communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave, which is the communication other than the communication based on the waveform of the radio wave. Therefore, even in a situation where it is difficult to transmit the battery information i2 from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10 by communication based on the waveform of the radio wave, it is possible to transmit the battery information i2 by communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave.

Further, the transmission of the command information i1 from the master unit C1 to the slave unit C2 is also performed by communication based on the change in the strength of the radio wave, as in the case of the transmission of the battery information i2 from the slave unit C2 to the master unit C1. be able to. Therefore, even in a situation where it is difficult to transmit the command information i1 from the battery ECU 10 to the satellite 20 by communication based on the waveform of the radio wave, the command information i1 can be transmitted by communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave.

Further, the transmission amplification unit 49 amplifies the transmission signal Sa at a predetermined timing and does not amplify it at other timings, whereby the intensity of the radio wave can be modulated in a simple manner. Further, since the reception amplification unit 53 is provided, the power of the reception signal Sb can be amplified by the reception amplification unit 53 even when the received radio wave is weak and the reception signal Sb is weak. Therefore, the RSSI calculation unit 59 can easily measure the power of the received signal Sb, and the intensity information processing unit 33 can easily analyze the power change of the received signal Sb.

Further, since the reception amplification unit 53 amplifies the power of the reception signal Sb within a range that does not exceed the upper limit value X of the power of the reception signal Sb that can be measured by the RSSI calculation unit 59, the reception amplification unit 53 receives the power until the upper limit value X is exceeded. Compared with the case of amplifying the intensity of the signal Sb, the amplification amount can be suppressed to be small. Therefore, the power consumption by the reception amplification unit 53 can be suppressed, and the amplification amount can be small, so that it becomes easy to respond to a speedy change in the intensity of the radio wave.

Further, the intensity information processing unit 33 determines that once the power of the received signal Sb exceeds the upper threshold value Hi, it is determined to be "1" until it falls below the lower threshold value Lo, and once it falls below the lower threshold value Lo. Then, it is determined as "0" until the upper threshold value Hi is exceeded. Therefore, the resistance to noise becomes stronger than the case where the determination of "1" or "0" is performed simply by exceeding or falling below the threshold value of 1.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, the second embodiment will be described. In the following embodiments, the same or corresponding members as those in the previous embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals. This embodiment will be described mainly on the points different from the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing the satellite 20 of the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing the battery ECU 10 of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, communication based on the waveform of the radio wave is normally performed, and at a predetermined time, communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave is also performed. Therefore, each communication device of the slave unit C2 and the master unit C1 has a configuration for performing communication based on the waveform of the radio wave in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment. Specifically, each communication device of the slave unit C2 and the master unit C1 further has a reception processing unit 55. The information processing unit 30 of each communication device further includes a reception information processing unit 32.

Next, the case where the battery information i2 is transmitted from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10 by both communication based on the waveform of the radio wave and communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave will be described.

On the condition that the slave unit C2 fails to transmit the battery information i2 to the master unit C1 by communication based on the radio wave waveform, the slave unit C2 transmits the battery information i2 that failed to transmit to the master unit by communication based on the change in radio wave intensity. Communicate to C1.

Specifically, in the communication based on the waveform of the radio wave, the slave unit C2 increases the power of the transmission signal Sa and communicates when it is determined that the master unit C1 cannot communicate due to noise or the like. If communication based on the waveform of the radio wave is established with the increased power of the transmission signal Sa, the communication is continued. On the other hand, if the communication based on the radio wave waveform is not established even with the increased power of the transmission signal Sa, the communication based on the radio wave intensity change is performed together with the communication based on the radio wave waveform. That is, the slave unit C2 has predetermined battery information i2 in the waveform of the radio wave transmitted to the master unit C1, and at least a part of the battery information i2 has the same battery information i2 as the battery information i2 in the change in the intensity of the radio wave. As a result, a radio wave having the same battery information i2 for both the waveform and the intensity change is transmitted to the master unit C1. The specific procedure is as follows.

As shown in FIG. 5, the monitoring circuit 25 of the satellite 20 transmits the acquired battery information i2 to the transmission information processing unit 31 of the slave unit C2. The transmission information processing unit 31 transmits the transmission command α to the transmission processing unit 45 based on the reception of the battery information i2.

Upon receiving the transmission command α, the transmission processing unit 45 generates a transmission signal Sa, which is an electric signal for generating radio waves. At this time, the control unit 36 acquires the battery information i2 from the information processing unit 30 and controls the transmission processing unit 45 based on the battery information i2. As a result, the frequency of the transmission signal Sa is modulated so that the voltage waveform of the transmission signal Sa, that is, the frequency change has the battery information i2.

The transmission signal Sa is input to the transmission amplification unit 49. The control unit 36 controls the transmission amplification unit 49 as in the case of the first embodiment, so that the battery information i2 is provided to the power change of the transmission signal Sa. As a result, the transmission signal Sa will have the battery information i2 in both the voltage waveform and the power change.

The transmission signal Sa is input to the antenna 51. The transmission signal Sa generates radio waves at the antenna 51. The radio wave has battery information i2 in both the waveform and the intensity change.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the antenna 51 of the master unit C1 receives a radio wave from the slave unit C2, the received signal Sb, which is an electric signal, is generated by the radio wave. The received signal Sb has battery information i2 in both the voltage waveform and the power change. The received signal Sb is input to the reception amplification unit 53 of the master unit C1. The reception amplification unit 53 amplifies the reception signal Sb as in the case of the first embodiment.

The amplified reception signal Sb is input to the reception processing unit 55 and the RSSI calculation unit 59. The reception processing unit 55 detects and analyzes the voltage waveform of the received signal Sb and converts it into digital information β1. The digital information β1 is input to the reception information processing unit 32. The reception information processing unit 32 acquires the battery information i2 contained in the voltage waveform of the received signal Sb, that is, the battery information i2 contained in the waveform of the radio wave received from the slave unit C2, based on the digital information β1. The battery information i2 is transmitted to the control MCU 15.

On the other hand, the RSSI calculation unit 59 and the intensity information processing unit 33 have the battery information i2 possessed by the power change of the received signal Sb, that is, the intensity change of the radio wave received from the slave unit C2, as in the case of the first embodiment. Acquire battery information i2. The battery information i2 is transmitted to the control MCU 15.

As described above, the battery information i2 is transmitted from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10 by both communication based on the waveform of the radio wave and communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave. In the above, the case where both communication is successful is shown, but when one of the communication fails, the battery information i2 is transmitted from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10 only by the other communication. become.

Regarding the explanation when the command information i1 is transmitted from the battery ECU 10 to the satellite 20 by both communication, the explanation when the above battery information i2 is transmitted from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10 by both communication is as follows. It is the same as. That is, "battery information i2" is read as "command information i1". Further, each of "FIG. 5" and "FIG. 6" is read as the other, and each of "satellite 20" and "battery ECU 10" is read as the other. Further, each of "monitoring circuit 25" and "control MCU15" is read as the other, and each of "slave unit C2" and "master unit C1" is read as the other.

Further, for the explanation in the normal time where only the communication by the radio wave waveform is performed and the communication by the radio wave intensity waveform is not performed, in the above description, the amplification amount by the transmission amplification unit 49 is made constant and the RSSI calculation unit 59 is used. The same applies without acquiring the power of the received signal Sb and performing analysis by the intensity information processing unit 33.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the voltage waveform and power change of the received signal Sb input to the reception processing unit 55, the intensity information processing unit 33, and the like. Compared with the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the power change is the same, but differs in that the voltage waveform has information. The reception processing unit 55 acquires digital information β1 based on the frequency change in the voltage waveform of the reception signal Sb.

Note that FIG. 7 is a graph showing the voltage waveform and the power change of the received signal Sb, but the graph showing the waveform and the intensity change of the radio wave that generates the same is the same. The radio wave has a plurality of frames f having a mass of information in the communication based on the waveform. The transmission amplification unit 49 sets the strength of the radio wave to either a relatively strong strong radio wave state or a relatively weak weak radio wave state for each one or a plurality of frames f. As a result, information is given to the change in the intensity of the radio wave.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. The slave unit C2 and the master unit C1 transmit battery information i2 and command information i1 by communication based on the waveform of radio waves, and also transmit battery information i2 and command information i1 by communication based on changes in radio wave intensity. .. Therefore, communication redundancy can be ensured by both of these communications.

Specifically, each communication device of the slave unit C2 and the master unit C1 transmits information to the communication device of the other party by communication based on the waveform of the radio wave, and on condition that the communication fails, the information that failed to be transmitted is transmitted. It is transmitted to the other party's communication device by communication based on the change in radio wave strength. Therefore, it is possible to secure the communication by the communication based on the waveform of the radio wave in the normal time and the communication based on the change in the strength of the radio wave at the time of the interruption.

Further, since each communication device of the slave unit C2 and the master unit C1 transmits a radio wave having the same predetermined information for both the waveform and the intensity change, the predetermined information is transmitted while trying to transmit the predetermined information by the communication by the radio wave waveform. The same predetermined information can be tried to be transmitted by communication due to a change in radio wave strength.

Further, since the radio wave is in either a strong radio wave state or a weak radio wave state for each one or a plurality of frames f, the configuration is simplified and the waveform and the intensity can be easily modulated.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, the third embodiment will be described. This embodiment will be described mainly on the points different from the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the power change of the received signal Sb measured by the RSSI calculation unit 59. The reception amplification unit 53 sets the reception signal Sb so that the maximum value of the power of the reception signal Sb input to the RSSI calculation unit 59 exceeds the upper limit value X of the power of the reception signal Sb measurable by the RSSI calculation unit 59. Amplifies the strength. Similar to the first and second embodiments, the intensity information processing unit 33 determines whether the power of the received signal Sb measured by the RSSI calculation unit 59 exceeds the upper threshold Hi and falls below the lower threshold Lo. Based on the above, the power change of the received signal Sb is analyzed. The upper threshold Hi and the lower threshold Lo are larger than those in the first and second embodiments. The upper threshold value Hi is smaller than the upper limit value X by a predetermined value.

However, in this state, if communication based on the change in radio wave intensity cannot be established, the reception amplification unit 53 further amplifies the power of the reception signal Sb. Then, the intensity information processing unit 33 analyzes the power change of the received signal Sb based on whether or not the power of the received signal Sb measured by the RSSI calculation unit 59 reaches the upper limit value X.

According to the present embodiment, the power of the received signal Sb is amplified until it exceeds the upper limit value X of the power of the received signal Sb that can be measured by the RSSI calculation unit 59, and the upper threshold Hi and the lower threshold Lo are set high. This makes it easier to establish communication based on changes in the strength of radio waves even when there is a large amount of noise.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, the fourth embodiment will be described. This embodiment will be described mainly on the points different from the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing the satellite 20 of the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing the battery ECU 10 of the present embodiment. Each communication device of the slave unit C2 and the master unit C1 does not have the reception amplification unit 53. Therefore, the received signal Sb generated by the antenna 51 is input to the reception processing unit 55 and the RSSI calculation unit 59 without being amplified by the reception amplification unit 53.

According to the present embodiment, since the communication devices of the slave unit C2 and the master unit C1 do not have the reception amplification unit 53, the reception signal Sb cannot be amplified, but the configuration and control of each communication device are simplified. ..

[Fifth Embodiment]
Next, the fifth embodiment will be described. This embodiment will be described mainly on the points different from the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram showing the satellite 20 of the present embodiment. FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram showing the battery ECU 10 of the present embodiment. The transmission amplification unit 49 of each communication device includes an amplification unit main body 49a, a power switch 49b, a first switch 49c, and a second switch 49d.

When the power switch 49b is turned on, power is supplied to the amplification unit main body 49a, and when it is turned off, power is not supplied to the amplification unit main body 49a. The amplification unit main body 49a amplifies the transmission signal Sa in a constant state when the power switch 49b is turned on, and cannot amplify the transmission signal Sa when the power switch 49b is turned off.

When the first switch 49c is turned on, the transmission signal Sa is input to the antenna 51 from the transmission processing unit 45 by a direct path that does not pass through the amplification unit main body 49a, and when the first switch 49c is turned off, the transmission signal Sa is input to the antenna 51. It will not be input to the antenna 51 in the direct route of. When the second switch 49d is turned on, the transmission signal Sa is input to the antenna 51 from the transmission processing unit 45 via the amplification path via the amplification unit main body 49a, and when the second switch 49d is turned off, the transmission signal Sa is input to the antenna 51. In the amplification path of, the signal is not input to the antenna 51.

The control unit 36 controls the switches 49b, 49c, 49d of the transmission amplification unit 49 as follows. That is, the control unit 36 turns off the power switch 49b and the second switch 49d and turns on the first switch 49c at the timing when the transmission signal Sa is not amplified. As a result, the power of the amplification unit main body 49a is turned off, and the transmission signal Sa is input to the antenna 51 by a direct route that does not pass through the amplification unit main body 49a.

On the other hand, at the timing of amplifying the transmission signal Sa, the power switch 49b and the second switch 49d are turned on, and the first switch 49c is turned off. As a result, the power of the amplification unit main body 49a is turned on, and the transmission signal Sa is input to the antenna 51 by the amplification path via the amplification unit main body 49a.

According to the present embodiment, the transmission signal Sa is input to the antenna 51 by a direct path that does not pass through the amplification unit main body 49a at the timing when the transmission signal Sa is not amplified, and the transmission signal Sa is amplified at the timing when the transmission signal Sa is amplified. It is input to the antenna 51 by an amplification path via the main body 49a. Therefore, the amplification unit main body 49a need only have a function of amplifying the transmission signal Sa in a constant state, and does not need to have a function of modulating the amplification amount of the transmission signal Sa. Therefore, the configuration of the transmission amplification unit 49 can be simplified. Further, at the timing when the transmission signal Sa is not amplified, the power supply of the amplification unit main body 49a is turned off, so that the power consumption by the amplification unit main body 49a can be suppressed.

[Other embodiments]
Each of the above embodiments can be modified and implemented as follows. For example, in the second to fifth embodiments, the RSSI calculation unit 59, the intensity information processing unit 33, and the like of the slave unit C2 are omitted, and the communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave transmits the battery information i2 from the satellite 20 to the battery ECU 10. It may be done only when it is done.

Further, for example, in the second to fifth embodiments, not only when the communication based on the waveform of the radio wave is interrupted, but also the communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave may be performed at all times. Further, for example, in the second to fifth embodiments, when the communication based on the radio wave waveform is interrupted, the communication based on the radio wave waveform may not be re-challenged, but only the communication based on the change in radio wave intensity may be performed. ..

Further, for example, in the second to fifth embodiments, each communication device of the slave unit C2 and the master unit C1 has predetermined information in the waveform of the radio wave to be transmitted, and the intensity change of the radio wave is different from the predetermined information. It may be possible to have another information of. That is, each communication device may transmit a radio wave having predetermined information in the waveform and having different information in the intensity change to the other communication device. In this case, while communicating predetermined information by communication based on the waveform of the radio wave, another information can be transmitted by communication based on the change in the intensity of the radio wave.

Further, for example, in the second to fifth embodiments, the transmission amplification unit 49 sets the strength of the radio wave to either a relatively strong strong radio wave state or a relatively weak weak radio wave state regardless of the radio wave frame f. By doing so, information may be given to the change in the strength of the radio wave. In this case, it becomes easy to have information freely in the change in the intensity of the radio wave, so that it becomes easy to have more information.

Further, for example, in the second to fifth embodiments, information is provided in the waveform of the radio wave only in the strong radio wave state in the communication based on the change in the radio wave intensity, and in the weak radio wave state in the communication based on the change in the radio wave strength. , The waveform of the radio wave may not have information.

Further, for example, in each embodiment, instead of the transmission amplification unit 49, a transmission increase / decrease unit that amplifies and attenuates the transmission signal Sa may be provided, and the power of the transmission signal Sa may be modulated by this transmission increase / decrease unit.

Further, for example, in each embodiment, the RSSI calculation unit 59 may be provided inside the reception processing unit 55. Further, for example, in each embodiment, the intensity information processing unit 33 may be provided inside the RSSI calculation unit 59.

Further, for example, in each embodiment, the intensity information processing unit 33 sets one threshold value between the upper threshold value Hi and the lower threshold value Lo instead of the upper threshold value Hi, and determines whether the threshold value is above or below the threshold value. It may be determined whether it is "1" or "0".

10 ... Battery ECU, 20 ... Satellite, 33 ... Strength information processing unit, 49 ... Transmission amplification unit, 59 ... RSSI calculation unit, 60 ... Battery monitoring device, 90 ... Battery group, 94 ... Battery group, 95 ... Cell battery, C1 ... Master unit, C2 ... Slave unit, Sb ... Received signal, i1 ... Command information, i2 ... Battery information.

Claims (17)

A satellite (20) for acquiring battery information (i2), which is information about the cell battery, is installed for each battery group (94) in which a plurality of cell batteries (95) possessed by the assembled battery (90) are grouped. , A battery ECU (10) and a control unit (36).
The satellite has a slave unit (C2), and the battery ECU has a master unit (C1) that performs wireless communication with the slave unit.
The communication device of the slave unit has a transmission intensity modulator (49) that gives the battery information to the change in the intensity of the radio wave by changing the intensity of the radio wave transmitted to the master unit.
The communication device of the master unit has an intensity information processing unit (33) for acquiring the battery information of the change in the intensity of the radio wave received from the slave unit.
The control unit acquires the battery information and controls the transmission intensity modulation unit based on the battery information.
The control unit switches and controls the supply and cutoff of power to the transmission intensity modulation unit by switching and controlling the power switch.
Battery monitoring device (60). The master unit has an RSSI calculation unit (59) that measures the power of a received signal (Sb), which is an electric signal generated by a radio wave received from the slave unit.
The strength information processing unit acquires the battery information based on the electric power measured by the RSSI calculation unit.
The battery monitoring device according to claim 1. A satellite (20) for acquiring battery information (i2), which is information about the cell battery, is installed for each battery group (94) in which a plurality of cell batteries (95) possessed by the assembled battery (90) are grouped. , A battery ECU (10) that issues a command to the satellite, and a control unit (36).
The satellite has a slave unit (C2), and the battery ECU has a master unit (C1) that performs wireless communication with the slave unit.
Each communication device of the slave unit and the master unit has a transmission intensity modulation unit (49) that gives information to the change in the intensity of the radio wave by changing the intensity of the radio wave transmitted to the communication device of the other party, and the other party. It has an intensity information processing unit (33) for acquiring information possessed by a change in the intensity of radio waves received from the above-mentioned communication device.
The transmission intensity modulation unit of the slave unit has the battery information in the change in the intensity of the radio wave transmitted by the slave unit, and the transmission intensity modulation unit of the master unit changes the intensity of the radio wave transmitted by the master unit. Have command information (i1), which is information related to the command.
The control unit acquires the battery information and controls the transmission intensity modulation unit based on the battery information.
The control unit switches and controls the supply and cutoff of power to the transmission intensity modulation unit by switching and controlling the power switch.
Battery monitoring device (60). Each communication device of the slave unit and the master unit has an RSSI calculation unit (59) for measuring the power of a reception signal (Sb) which is an electric signal generated by a radio wave received from the communication device of the other party.
The strength information processing unit acquires the battery information based on the electric power measured by the RSSI calculation unit.
The battery monitoring device according to claim 3. Each communication device of the slave unit and the master unit detects the waveform of the radio wave received from the communication device of the other party and the transmission processing unit (45) that has information in the waveform of the radio wave transmitted to the communication device of the other party. It has a reception processing unit (55) and a reception information processing unit (32) for acquiring information contained in the detected waveform.
The transmission processing unit of the slave unit has the battery information in the waveform of the radio wave transmitted to the master unit, and the transmission processing unit of the master unit has the command information in the waveform of the radio wave transmitted to the slave unit. To have
The battery monitoring device according to claim 3 or 4. On condition that the communication device fails to transmit information to the other party's communication device by communication based on the waveform of the radio wave, the information that has failed to be transmitted is transmitted to the other party by communication based on the change in the strength of the radio wave. The battery monitoring device according to claim 5, which is transmitted to a communication device. The communication device has information on the waveform of the radio wave by the transmission processing unit, and also has information on the change in the intensity of the radio wave by the transmission intensity modulation unit, so that the radio wave has information on both the waveform and the change in intensity. 5. The battery monitoring device according to claim 5 or 6. In the communication device, the transmission processing unit gives predetermined information to the waveform of the radio wave, and the transmission intensity modulation unit gives the change in the intensity of the radio wave the same information as at least a part of the predetermined information. The battery monitoring device according to claim 7, wherein a radio wave having the same information in both waveform and intensity change is transmitted. In the communication device, the transmission processing unit gives predetermined information to the waveform of the radio wave, and the transmission intensity modulation unit gives the change in the intensity of the radio wave different information from the predetermined information to make the waveform. The battery monitoring device according to claim 7, wherein the radio wave having the predetermined information and having the other information in the intensity change is transmitted. The radio wave has a plurality of frames (f) having a mass of information in communication based on a waveform, and has a plurality of frames (f).
The transmission intensity modulation unit sets the intensity of the radio wave to either a relatively strong strong radio wave state or a relatively weak weak radio wave state for each one or a plurality of the frames, thereby causing the radio wave to be in a relatively strong strong radio wave state. The battery monitoring device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, which has information on changes in strength. The radio wave has a plurality of frames (f) having a mass of information in communication based on a waveform, and has a plurality of frames (f).
The transmission intensity modulator changes the intensity of the radio wave by setting the intensity of the radio wave to either a relatively strong strong radio wave state or a relatively weak weak radio wave state regardless of the frame. The battery monitoring device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, which has information. The communication device has a transmission processing unit (45) that generates a transmission signal (Sa) that is an electric signal, and an antenna (51) that generates radio waves by the transmission signal.
The battery monitoring according to any one of claims 4 to 11, wherein the transmission intensity modulation unit is a transmission amplification unit (49) that amplifies the power of the transmission signal input from the transmission processing unit to the antenna. Device. The communication device has an antenna (51) that receives radio waves and generates a received signal, and a reception amplification unit (53) that amplifies the power of the received signal input from the antenna to the RSSI calculation unit.
The battery monitoring device according to any one of claims 4 to 12. The battery monitoring device according to claim 13, wherein the reception amplification unit adjusts the power range of the reception signal input to the RSSI calculation unit by amplifying the reception signal in a variable amplification amount. In the reception amplification unit, the maximum value of the power of the received signal input to the RSSI calculation unit does not exceed the upper limit value (X) of the power of the reception signal that can be measured by the RSSI calculation unit. The battery monitoring device according to claim 13 or 14, which amplifies the power of the received signal. The reception amplification unit receives the reception signal so that the maximum value of the power of the received signal input to the RSSI calculation unit exceeds the upper limit value (X) of the power of the reception signal that can be measured by the RSSI calculation unit. It amplifies the signal strength and
The intensity information processing unit determines whether or not the power of the received signal measured by the RSSI calculation unit reaches the upper limit value or exceeds a threshold value (Hi) which is a predetermined value smaller than the upper limit value. To acquire the information of the change in the strength of the radio wave based on
The battery monitoring device according to claim 13 or 14. The communication device has a transmission processing unit (45) that generates a transmission signal (Sa) that is an electric signal, and an antenna (51) that generates radio waves by the transmission signal.
The transmission intensity modulation unit is a communication path between the amplification unit main body (49a) that changes the intensity of radio waves, the transmission processing unit, and the antenna, and is provided in a direct path that bypasses the amplification unit main body. It has a first switch (49c) and a second switch (49d) provided on a communication path provided with the amplification unit main body.
The battery monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the control unit controls whether or not the intensity of radio waves is changed by switching control of the first switch and the second switch.

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