Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[001] Present invention relates to a system and a method for controlling charging of one or more battery packs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[002] Conventionally, battery packs are disposed in a vehicle to power electrical components of the vehicle and/or to provide power to an electric prime mover to drive the vehicle. Typically, an output port of a charging unit is connected to a charging port of the vehicle through a cable for charging the battery packs. It is also known to provide dockable battery packs in the vehicle which can be removed from the vehicle and placed in a charging cradle of the charging unit for charging the battery packs. The charged battery packs may then be inserted back in corresponding slots provided in the vehicle, before operating the vehicle.
[003] Conventional charging systems include an adapter connecting the battery packs to the charging unit. Typically, the adapter has a fixed configuration of AC to DC conversion irrespective of charging requirements of the battery packs and the battery operating parameters. Consequently, the battery packs are prone to undercharging or overcharging. Undercharging the battery packs leads to insufficient power delivery to the electrical components and/or the electric prime mover of the vehicle, thereby adversely affecting performance of the vehicle. Overcharging the battery packs causes excessive heat generation in the battery packs, which may lead to expansion and distortion of internal components of the battery packs, consequently leading to rapid degradation and reduced lifespan of the battery packs. Overcharging may also cause breakdown of electrolyte solutions in the battery packs, leading to release of flammable gases and thermal runaway, which is hazardous.
[004] Accordingly, there is a need for a system and a method for controlling charging of one or more battery packs that overcomes one or more of the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[005] In one aspect, a system for controlling charging of one or more battery packs is disclosed. The system comprises a control unit communicatively coupled to a charging unit and the one or more battery packs. The control unit is configured to receive one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs. The control unit is configured to determine a charging current to be supplied for a power source to the one or more battery packs based on the one or more battery operating parameters. The control unit is configured to operate the charging unit to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs.
[006] In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to receive the one or more battery operating parameters from one of a one or more sensors disposed in a vehicle and a BMS. The one or more battery operating parameters comprises a voltage across each of the one or more battery packs, a current flowing through each of the one or more battery packs, an internal resistance of each of the one or more battery packs, an energy storage capacity of each of the one or more battery packs, charging and discharging rates of each of the one or more battery packs, a temperature of each of the one or more battery packs, a State of Charge (SoC) of each of the one or more battery packs, and a Depth of Discharge (DoD) of each of the one or more battery packs.
[007] In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to receive a first fault data corresponding to one or more faults in the one or more battery packs and to receive a second fault data corresponding to one or more faults in the charging unit. The control unit is configured to determine the charging current to be supplied from the power source to the one or more battery packs based on at least one of the first fault data and the second fault data. The control unit is configured to operate the charging unit to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs.
[008] In an embodiment, the control unit is communicably coupled to an indicator device. The indicator device is adapted to indicate at least one of a State of Charge (SoC) of the one or more battery packs, the first fault data, and the second fault data.
[009] In an embodiment, the system comprises one or more relays connected between the charging unit and the one or more battery packs. The control unit is configured to operate the one or more relays for enabling charging of each of the one or more battery packs.
[010] In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine a presence of each of the one or more battery packs in one or more slots of a charging cradle communicably coupled to the charging unit. The control unit is configured to operate the one or more relays based on the presence of each of the one or more slots of the charging cradle for charging the one or more battery packs.
[011] In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to open the one or more relays when one or more faults in at least one of the charging unit and the one or more battery packs exceeds one or more predetermined thresholds, for disabling charging of the one or more battery packs.
[012] In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to receive one or more identification codes corresponding to each of the one or more battery packs from a BMS. The control unit is configured to compare the one or more identification codes with one or more predefined codes. The control unit is configured to operate the charging unit to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs when the one or more identification codes matches with the one or more predefined codes.
[013] In another aspect, a method for controlling charging of one or more battery packs is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, by a control unit communicably coupled to a charging unit and the one or more battery packs, one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs. The method comprises determining, by the control unit, a charging current to be supplied from a power source to the one or more battery packs based on the one or more battery operating parameters. The method comprises operating, by the control unit, the charging unit to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[014] Reference will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments.
Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for controlling charging of one or more battery packs, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for controlling charging of the one or more battery packs, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 3A and 3B illustrate a flow diagram of a method for controlling charging of the one or more battery packs, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[015] Present invention relates to a system and a method for controlling charging of one or more battery packs. The system of the present invention is adapted to determine a charging current to be supplied from a power source to the one or more battery packs based on the one or more battery operating parameters and operate a charging unit to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs. As such, an optimum current is supplied for charging the one or more battery packs, thereby avoiding undercharging and overcharging of the one or more battery packs.
[016] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system 100 for controlling charging of one or more battery packs 102, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As disclosed herein, each of the one or more battery packs 102 comprises one or more batteries connected to one another in a series connection, a parallel connection or a series-parallel connection as per requirement. The one or more battery packs 102 are rechargeable battery packs. In an embodiment, the one or more battery packs 102 are disposed or mounted in a vehicle (not shown). The one or more battery packs 102 may be mounted to a frame member (not shown) of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the vehicle can be a two-wheeled vehicle, a three-wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle, or a multi-wheeled vehicle as per requirement. The one or more battery packs 102 are adapted to power at least one electrical components (not shown) and an electric prime mover (not shown) disposed in the vehicle. In an embodiment, the one or more battery packs 102 are dockable battery packs that can be removed from the vehicle for charging and can be inserted back in the vehicle for operating the vehicle.
[017] The one or more battery packs 102 can be communicably coupled to a charging unit 112, which in turn is connectable to a power source (not shown). The one or more battery packs 102 can be communicably coupled to the charging unit 112 by conducting wires or through wireless power transmission techniques known in the art. The charging unit 112, upon electrically connecting the charging unit 112 to the power source, is adapted to supply or provide a charging current to the one or more battery packs 102 from the power source. In an embodiment, the power source may be a charging station or a residential power source.
[018] In an embodiment, the charging unit 112 comprises one or more electrical components (not shown) configured to convert and/or modulate power received from the power source for charging the one or more battery packs 102. In an embodiment, the power source may be configured to supply Alternating Current (AC) power. In the embodiment, the one or more electrical components of the charging unit 112 comprise an AC to Direct Current (DC) converter configured to convert AC power from the power source into DC power to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102. In another embodiment, the power source may be configured to supply DC power which can be routed to the one or more battery packs 102 through the charging unit 112. In an embodiment, the one or more electrical components of the charging unit 112 may also comprise a DC-to-DC power converter configured to at least one of step up or step down the DC voltage, based on a voltage rating of the one or more battery packs 102. Therefore, the charging unit 112 may be adapted to receive power from different kinds of power sources, making it versatile in terms of compatibility with various charging infrastructures.
[019] The system 100 comprises a control unit 106 communicatively coupled to the charging unit 112 and the one or more battery packs 102 to from a charging circuit. The control unit 106 can be communicatively coupled to the charging unit 112 and the one or more battery packs 102 through data transmission cables or wireless communication protocols known in the art, such as Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) and the like.
[020] The control unit 106 is configured to receive one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102. More particularly, the control unit 106 is configured to receive the one or more battery operating parameters from one or more sensors (not shown) disposed in the vehicle and/or a Battery Monitoring System (BMS) 104 coupled to the one or more battery packs 102. In an embodiment, the control unit 106 receives the one or more battery parameters from the one or more sensors (not shown) that may be disposed on the one or more battery packs 102. The term “one or more battery operating parameters” refers to measurable characteristics of the one or more battery packs 102 that influence performance, safety, and life expectancy of the one or more battery packs 102. In an embodiment, the one or more battery operating parameters comprise one or more of a voltage across each of the one or more battery packs 102, a current flowing through each of the one or more battery packs 102, an internal resistance of each of the one or more battery packs 102, an energy storage capacity of each of the one or more battery packs 102, charging and discharging rates of each of the one or more battery packs 102, a temperature of each of the one or more battery packs 102, a State of Charge (SoC) of each of the one or more battery packs 102, a Depth of Discharge (DoD) of each of the one or more battery packs 102 and the like.
[021] In an embodiment, information pertaining to voltage across each of the one or more battery packs 102 can be procured by measuring a voltage drop across terminals of the one or more battery packs 102 by the one or more sensors. Information pertaining to current flowing through each of the one or more battery packs 102 can be procured by measuring current flow between terminals of the one or more battery packs 102 by the one or more sensors. Information pertaining to internal resistance of each of the one or more battery packs 102 an be procured by measuring a voltage drop across terminals of the one or more battery packs 102 by the one or more sensors. Information pertaining to temperature of each of the one or more battery packs can be procured using one or more temperature sensors such as thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) and the like. Information pertaining to energy storage capacity, SoC and DoD of each of the one or more battery packs 102 can be procured using battery monitoring sensors coupled to the one or more battery packs 102.
[022] The control unit 106 is configured to determine the charging current to be supplied from the power source to the one or more battery packs 102 based on the one or more battery operating parameters received by the control unit 106. The charging current determined by the control unit 106 corresponds to a current demand of the one or more battery packs 102 to ensure optimum and safe charging. The control unit 106 is configured to implement a computational technique to determine the charging current to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102 based on the one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102.
[023] In an embodiment, a look-up table that pairs predefined values of the battery operating parameters with corresponding optimal charging currents may be stored in a memory component (not shown) of the control unit 106. Upon receiving the one or more battery operating parameters, the control unit 106 compares the received battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102 with the predefined values of the battery operating parameters in the look-up table. The control unit 106 determines the charging current to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102 based on the comparison of the one or more operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102 with the predefined values of the battery operating parameters in the look-up table. In cases where the battery operating parameters received by the control unit 106 from one of the one or more sensors and the BMS 104 do not exactly map with the predefined values of battery operating parameters in the look-up table, the control unit 106 may implement a suitable interpolation technique to determine the charging current to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102.
[024] Upon determining the charging current, the control unit 106 is configured to operate the charging unit 112 to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs 102. The control unit 106 operates the one or more electrical components of the charging unit 112 to convert and/or modulate current received from the power source to the level of the charging current determined by the control unit 106. Consequently, the control unit 106 operates the charging unit 112 to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs 102 to meet the charging demand of the one or more battery packs 102.
[025] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is configured to operate the charging unit 112 to disable charging of the one or more battery packs 102 when the SoC of the one or more battery packs reaches a predetermined upper limit. In an embodiment, the predetermined upper limit of the SoC can be set at 100%. However, in other embodiments, the predetermined upper limit of the SoC can be set less than 100%, such as 80% as per user requirement.
[026] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is configured to receive a first fault data corresponding to one or more faults in the one or more battery packs 102 and a second fault data corresponding to one or more faults in the charging unit 112. The first fault data corresponds to deviation of the one or more battery operating parameters from standard operating ranges of the battery operating parameters stored in the memory component of the control unit 106, current leakage from the one or more battery packs 102, and the like. The second fault data corresponds to faults associated with the charging unit 112 such as temperature of the charging unit 112 being greater than a predefined critical operating temperature, voltage across the charging unit 112 being greater than a predetermined critical voltage, internal resistance of the charging unit 112 being less than a predetermined safe minimum resistance, short circuit of the one or more electronic components of the charging unit 112, current leakage from the charging unit 112, and the like.
[027] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 receives the first fault data from at least one sensor (not shown) disposed in the one or more battery packs 102. In an embodiment, the control unit 106 receives the second fault data from sensors (not shown) disposed in the charging unit 112.
[028] In an embodiment, one or more communication protocols, such as Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) and the like may be implemented to facilitate communication of the first fault data and the second fault data to the control unit 106. The control unit 106 is configured to determine the charging current to be supplied from the power source based on the first fault data and/or the second fault data. The control unit 106 is configured to implement a computational technique to determine the charging current to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102 based on the first fault data and/or the second fault data. The control unit 106 also operates the charging unit 112 to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs 102. Such a configuration of the control unit 106 enables determining and providing the charging current to the one or more battery packs 102 corresponding to the first and second fault data, thereby avoiding further damage of the one or more battery packs 102 and/or the charging unit 112.
[029] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is communicably coupled to an indicator device 114. The control unit 106 may be communicably coupled to the indicator device 114 through conducting wires or wireless communication techniques known in the art. The indicator device 114 may be one of a display device, audio device, or an audio-visual device. In an embodiment, the indicator device 114 may be mounted to one of the charging unit 112, the one or more battery packs 102, and the vehicle as per requirement, using conventional mounting techniques known in the art. The indicator device 114 is adapted to indicate at least one of a State of Charge (SoC) of the one or more battery packs 102, the first fault data and the second fault data to a user, consequently enabling monitoring of the charging process.
[030] In an embodiment, the system 100 comprises one or more relays (not shown) connected between the charging unit 112 and the one or more battery packs 102. At least one relay among the one or more relays is connected between each of the one or more battery packs 102 and the charging unit 112. The control unit 106 is configured to operate the one or more relays for enabling charging of each of the one or more battery packs 102. The control unit 106 is also configured to operate the one or more relays to disconnect the charging unit 112 with the one or more battery packs 102, thereby prevent routing the required charging current to the one or more battery packs 102 from the charging unit 112. In an embodiment, the one or more relays can be electromagnetic relays, solid state relays, reed relays, latching relays, thermal relays and the like. It should be appreciated that the type(s) of the one or more relays can be selected as per requirement.
[031] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is configured to determine presence of each of the one or more battery packs 102 in one or more slots (not shown) of a charging cradle (not shown) communicably coupled to the charging unit 112. In an embodiment, each of the one or more slots is adapted for positioning one of the one or more battery packs 102 therein. In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is communicably coupled to one or more position detection sensors (not shown) such as mechanical switches, conductive pads, Hall effect sensors, optical sensors and the like to procure information on whether the one or more battery packs 102 are positioned in the one or more slots of the charging cradle. The control unit 106 may be communicably coupled to the one or more position detection sensors using wires or wireless communication techniques known in the art. The control unit 106 on receiving the information procured by the one or more position detection sensors determines the presence of each of the one or more battery packs 102 in the one or more slots of the charging cradle. The control unit 106 is configured to operate the one or more relays based on the presence of each of the one or more battery packs 102 in the one or more slots of the charging cradle, for charging the one or more battery packs 102.
[032] In the embodiment, at least one relay among the one or more relays is connected between each of the one or more slots of the charging cradle and the charging unit 112. If the one or more battery packs 102 are absent in the one or more slots of the charging cradle, the control unit 106 regulates opening of the one or more relays to disable flow of current from the charging unit 112 towards the charging cradle. If only certain slots of the charging cradle are occupied by the battery packs 102, the control unit 106 regulates opening of the one or more relays connected to the slots that are not occupied by any battery pack 102, thereby disabling flow of the charging current from the charging unit 112 towards the unoccupied slots of the charging cradle. For instance, if two out of six slots of the charging cradle are occupied by two battery packs 102, the control unit 106 regulates opening of the relays connected between the charging unit 112 and the unoccupied four slots. The control unit 106 is further configured to determine the charging current based on the battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102 that are positioned in the one or more slots of the charging cradle. Such a configuration of the control unit 106 avoids wastage of charging current at the unoccupied slots and ensures optimum charging of the one or more battery packs 102 positioned in the one or more slots of the charging cradle.
[033] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is configured to open the one or more relays when one or more faults in the charging unit 112 and/or the one or more battery packs 102 exceeds one or more predetermined thresholds, for disabling charging of the one or more battery packs 102. The one or more predetermined thresholds correspond to critical operating parameters associated with the charging unit 112 and/or the one or more battery packs 102, exceeding which if the charging occurs, would damage the one or more battery packs 102. Such a configuration of the control unit 106 to open the one or more relays when one or more faults in the charging unit 112 and/or the one or more battery packs 102 exceeds one or more predetermined thresholds mitigates damage of the one or more battery packs 102. In an embodiment, the control unit 106 may be configured to disable operation of the charging unit 112 if the one or more faults in the charging unit 112 exceeds one or more predetermined thresholds, in order to protect the charging unit 112 as well as the one or more battery packs 102 from damage.
[034] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is configured to receive one or more identification codes corresponding to each of the one or more battery packs 102 from the BMS 104. The control unit 106 receives the one or more identification codes from an identification device such as a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) device or any other suitable identification device, provided in the one or more battery packs 102. The control unit 106 then compares the one or more identification codes with one or more predefined codes stored in the memory component of the control unit 106. The control unit then 106 determines whether the one or more identification codes matches with the one or more predefined codes. The control unit 106 is configured to operate the charging unit 112 to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs 102 when the one or more identification codes matches with the one or more predefined codes. Therefore, by receiving and comparing the one or more identification codes with the one or more predefined codes, the system 100 ensures only authorised battery packs are charged, preventing compatibility issues or potential damage to incompatible battery packs and/or the charging unit 112. Further, conditional charging based on code matching as described herein ensures only authorized battery packs receive the designated current, preventing potential misuse or unauthorized access to the charging unit 112.
[035] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is configured to detect a leakage current from the charging unit 112 and/or the one or more battery packs 102. The control unit 106 may detect the leakage current based on a comparison between the charging current supplied to the one or more battery packs 102 and an increase in State of Charge (SoC) of the one or more battery packs 102 due to the charging current supplied. The control unit 106 determines the presence of leakage current from the charging unit 112 and/or the one or more battery packs 102 when the current supplied from the charging unit 112 to the one or more battery packs 102 results in no increase or a miniscule increase in the SoC of the one or more battery packs 102 (much lower than the expected increase in the SoC for the current supplied). Upon detection of the leakage current, the control unit 106 is configured to disable charging of the one or more battery packs 102 by operating a circuit breaker (not shown) in the charging unit 112.
[036] In an embodiment, the system 100 includes a leakage current detection device (not shown) for detection of leakage current from the charging unit 112 and/or the one or more battery packs 102. In an embodiment, the leakage current detection device is a Residual Current Device (RCD). Preferably, the RCD is provided in a main distribution board (not shown) associated with the power source. In a balanced charging circuit, the amount of current going out from a live wire (not shown) supplying power to the charging unit 112 is precisely equal to the amount of current returning to the power source through a neutral wire (not shown). In certain scenarios, such as a short circuit in the charging circuit, imperfections in insulation provided to the charging circuit, damage to the charging unit 112 and/or the one or more battery packs 102 and the like, some of the current leaks away through an unintended path. The RCD is configured to disconnect power supply to the charging unit 112 upon detecting an imbalance between the current flowing through the live wire and the current flowing through the neutral wire, consequently avoiding electric shocks and potential hazards to a person coming in intentional or accidental contact with the charging circuit.
[037] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is an intelligent Telematics Control Unit (iTCU) configured to interact with a server 116. The iTCU is communicably coupled with the server 116 through one or more data transmission cables¬¬ or through wireless communication protocols known in the art, such as Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) and the like. In an embodiment, the server 116 is a cloud server. The server 116 may be communicably coupled to a computing device 118 through an Application Programming Interface (API). The computing device 118 is at least one of a display device, an audio device, or an audio-visual device. In an embodiment, the computing device 118 may be a personal computer, a laptop computer, a cell phone, a tablet, a smart watch, and the like. The interaction of the iTCU, the server 116 and the computing device 118 will be explained in detail later. In an embodiment, the control unit 106 is disposed within the computing device 118 or in the vehicle or in the one or more battery packs 102 as per feasibility and requirement. In an embodiment, the server 116 is capable of executing instructions provided by the control unit 106 for controlling charging of the one or more battery packs 102.
[038] In an embodiment, the iTCU comprises a Micro Controller Unit (MCU) 108. The MCU 108 is communicably coupled to the BMS 104 and the charging unit 112. The MCU 108 may be communicably coupled to the BMS 104 and the charging unit 112 using wires or wireless communication methods known in the art, such as CAN, LIN, WiFi and the like. The MCU 108 is configured to detect the connection of the one or more battery packs 102 with the charging unit 112 and send a signal (such as a CAN signal) to wake up the one or more battery packs 102. The MCU 108 is configured to receive the one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102 from the BMS 104 and/or the one or more sensors disposed in the vehicle. The MCU 108 is configured to determine the charging current to be supplied from the power source to the one or more battery packs 102 based on the one or more operating parameters. The MCU 108 is configured to implement a computational technique to determine the charging current to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102 based on the one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102. The MCU 108 is configured to operate the charging unit 112 to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs 102.
[039] In an embodiment, the iTCU comprises a mobile communication module 110 communicably coupled to the MCU 108. In a further embodiment, the mobile communication module 110 is a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) module. In an embodiment, the mobile communication module 110 may be disposed in the computing device 118 or in the vehicle or in the one or more battery packs 102 as per requirement. The mobile communication module 110 is configured to receive information pertaining to the battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102 and charging parameters associated with the charging unit 112 such as charging voltage and charging current from the MCU 108. The mobile communication module 110 is communicably coupled to the server 116 through data transmission cables or wirelessly over a network through communication protocols such as CAN, LIN, WiFi and the like. The mobile communication module 110 transmits the information pertaining to the battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102 and the charging parameters associated with the charging unit 112 to the server 116. The server 116 being communicably coupled to the computing device 118 through the Application Programming Interface (API) transmits the information pertaining to the battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102 and the charging parameters associated with the charging unit 112 to the computing device 118. The computing device 118 is capable of interacting with the user, for providing information pertaining to the charging of the one or more battery packs 102.
[040] In an embodiment, the MCU 108 is adapted to receive the one or more identification codes of the one or more battery packs 102, the first fault data associated with one or more faults in the one or more battery packs 102 from the BMS 104, and the second fault data associated with one or more faults in the charging unit 112. The MCU 108 is configured to map the first fault data with the one or more identification codes of the one or more battery packs 108. The mobile communication module 110 receives the second fault data and the mapping of the one or more identification codes with the first fault data from the MCU 108 and communicates the second fault data and the mapping of the one or more identification codes with the first fault data to the computing device 118 through the server 116. Consequently, enabling the user to monitor and diagnose the one or more faults in each of the one or more battery packs 102 and the charging unit 112.
[041] In an embodiment, the server 116 is capable of storing information pertaining to the identification code of each of the one or more battery packs 102, along with the vehicle on which the each of the one or more battery packs 102 are installed. The server 116 is also adapted to store information pertaining to the charging unit 112. The server 116 is also capable of updating its data on the one or more battery packs 102 and the charging unit 112 in real-time, such as the first and the second fault data. As such, the server 116 on receiving the identification code from the control unit 106 is capable of identifying and precisely determine the charging current to be supplied through the charging unit 112 for charging the corresponding one or more battery packs 102. In an embodiment, the server 116 is also communicably coupled to or comprises a processing unit (not shown) that is capable of processing the information provided by the control unit 106, for controlling charging of the one or more battery packs 102. In an embodiment, the server 116 is adapted to provide the real-time information pertaining to the one or more battery packs 102 to the user through the computing device 118.
[042] In an embodiment, the user may provide instructions to selectively enable and disable charging of the one or more battery packs 102 by operating the computing device 118. The instructions received from the user may be communicated to the mobile communication module 110 of the iTCU through the server 116. The mobile communication module 110 transmits the instructions of the user to the MCU 108, which in turn operates the charging unit 112 to enable or disable charging as per the user’s requirement. For instance, the user may disable charging of the one or more battery packs 102 when the SoC of each of the one or more battery packs 102 reaches a particular percentage. In a similar manner, the user may also provide instructions to customize the predetermined upper limit of the SoC of each of the one or more battery packs 102. Consequently, if limited time is available for the user, the charging process can be terminated after ensuring that each of the one or more battery packs 102 are charged up to a required SoC percentage based on an intended travel distance of the vehicle.
[043] In an embodiment, the user may monitor the one or more battery operating parameters of each of the one or more battery packs 102 through the computing device 118. In case where a plurality of battery packs 102 are being charged by the charging unit 112 and monitoring of the one or more battery operating parameters of a target battery pack among the plurality of battery packs is desired, the user may provide an input through a user interface (not shown) of the computing device 108 to select the target battery pack to be monitored. The computing device 118 communicates the input received from the user to the mobile communication module 110 through the server 116. The mobile communication module 110 communicates the input of the user to the MCU 108, which in turn regulates opening of the one or more relays connected to those battery packs other than the target battery pack for a predetermined time (for example, two seconds). Therefore, charging of the battery packs other than the target battery pack is disabled for the predetermined time. Consequently, the one or more battery operating parameters of only the target battery pack are received by the MCU 108 through the BMS 104 and/or the one or more sensors disposed in the vehicle for the predetermined time, which are communicated to the computing device 118. Therefore, the user can remotely monitor the battery operating parameters of each of the one or more battery packs 102 connected to the charging unit 112.
[044] In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more battery packs 102 comprises a left battery pack (not shown) and a right battery pack (not shown). The left battery pack and the right battery pack are respectively placed in a left slot (not shown) and a right slot (not shown) of the charging cradle communicably connected to the charging station 112. If the user desires to monitor the one or more battery operating parameters of the left battery pack, the user may provide a corresponding input through the user interface of the computing device 118 selecting the left battery pack. The computing device 118 communicates the input received from the user to the mobile communication module 110 through the server 116. The mobile communication module 110 communicates the input of the user to the MCU 108, which in turn regulates opening of the one or more relays connected between the charging station 112 and the right battery pack for the predetermined time, thereby disabling charging of the right battery pack for the predetermined time. Consequently, the one or more battery operating parameters of the left battery pack are received by the MCU 108 through the BMS 104 and/or the one or more sensors disposed in the vehicle for the predetermined time, which are communicated to the computing device 118 thereby enabling monitoring by the user. In a similar manner, the one or more battery operating parameters of the right battery pack can be monitored by temporarily disabling charging of the left battery pack. Therefore, the user can individually monitor the battery operating parameters of the left battery pack and the right battery pack connected to the charging unit 112.
[045] Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 200 for controlling charging of the one or more battery packs 102, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method 200 is implemented by the system, such as the system 100, for controlling charging of the one or more battery packs 102.
[046] At step 202, the control unit 106 communicatively coupled to the charging unit 112 and the one or more battery packs 102 receives the one or more operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102. The control unit 106 receives the one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102 from the one or more sensors disposed in the vehicle or the BMS 104.
[047] At step 204, the control unit 106 determines the charging current to be supplied from the power source to the one or more battery packs 102 based on the one or more battery operating parameters. The control unit 106 implements a computational technique to determine the charging current to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102 based on the one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs 102.
[048] At step 206, the control unit 106 operates the charging unit 112 to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs 102 for charging the one or more battery packs 102. Therefore, the control unit 106 ensures that optimum charging current is supplied to the one or more battery packs 102, consequently avoiding undercharging and overcharging of the one or more battery packs 102.
[049] In an embodiment, the control unit 106 receives the first fault data corresponding to the one or more faults in the one or more battery packs 102, and the second fault data corresponding to one or more faults in the charging unit 112. The control unit 106 determines the charging current to be supplied from the power source to the one or more battery packs 102 based on at least one of the first fault data and the second fault data. The control unit 106 implements a computational technique to determine the charging current to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102 based on at least one of the first fault data and the second fault data. Upon determining the charging current, the control unit 106 operates the charging unit 112 to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs 102. Thereby, the control unit 106 determines and provides optimum charging current to the one or more battery packs 102 by avoiding further damage of the one or more battery packs 102 and/or the charging unit 112.
[050] Figures 3A and 3B illustrate a flow diagram of a method 300 for controlling charging of the one or more battery packs 102, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method 300 is implemented by the system, such as the system 100, for controlling charging of the one or more battery packs 102.
[051] Referring Figure 3A, at step 302, the charging unit 112 is connected to the power source and turned ON to receive power from the power source. At step 304, the control unit 106 is turned ON. The charging unit 112 routes a preset starting voltage (in the range of 3V to 5V) and a preset starting current (in the range of 1A to 3A) for a preset time (for example, 2 to 10 seconds) to the control unit 106 to wake up the control unit 106. Optionally, the control unit 106 may be configured to operate the charging unit 112 for a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) to supply a soft charging voltage of about 24V and a soft charging current of about 2A for soft charging the one or more battery packs 102 for the predetermined time, in order to optimize the charging process.
[052] At step 306, the control unit 106 turns OFF (or turns ON) the one or more relays connected between the charging unit 112 and the one or more battery packs 102 to disable flow of charge from the charging unit 112 to the one or more battery packs 102. At step 308, the control unit 106 detects the one or more battery packs 102 placed in the charging cradle of the charging unit 112 by detecting a battery voltage (in the range of 3 – 5V) across the charging cradle.
[053] At step 310, the control unit 106 checks for one or more faults in the one or more battery packs 102 and the charging unit 112, on receiving CAN communication signals from the BMS 104 coupled to the one or more battery packs 102 and from the charging unit 112. At step 312, the control unit 106 reads the one or more identification codes corresponding to each of the one or more battery packs 102 and transmits the one or more identification codes to the server 116. The server 116 may then communicate the data pertaining to one or more faults in the one or more battery packs 102 and the one or more identification codes of the one or more battery packs 102 to the computing device 118 through the API, to enable fault monitoring and diagnosis of each of the one or more battery packs 102. The server 116 may also communicate the data pertaining to one or more faults in the charging unit 112 to the computing device 118 through the API, to facilitate fault monitoring and diagnosis of the charging unit 112.
[054] Referring Figure 3B, at step 314, the control unit 106 demands supply of a minimum charging voltage (of about 52V) and a minimum charging current (of about 2A) from the charging unit 112. At step 316, the control unit 106 turns ON (or closes) the one or more relays to enable flow of the minimum current from the charging unit 112 to the one or more battery packs 102.
[055] At step 318, the control unit 106 determines whether each of the one or more slots of the charging cradle are occupied by the one or more battery packs 102 by implementing a slot detection algorithm. In an embodiment, the control unit 106 may determine the one or more slots as unoccupied slots if the one or more battery packs 102 are not seated properly in the one or more slots. The control unit 106 may turn OFF or regulate opening of the relays connected to the unoccupied slots of the charging cradle to avoid wastage of current at the unoccupied slots of the charging cradle.
[056] At step 320, the control unit 106 determines a maximum charging current to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102 based on the one or more battery operating parameters (received from the one or more sensors disposed in the vehicle and/or the BMS 104) and the one or more faults in the charging unit 112 and the one or more battery packs 102. The control unit 106 implements a computational technique to determine the maximum charging current to be supplied to the one or more battery packs 102. At step 322, the control unit 106 operates the charging unit 112 to supply the determined maximum charging current to the one or more battery packs 102 positioned in the charging cradle.
[057] At step 324, the indicator device 114 connected to the control unit 106 indicates the State of Charge (SoC) percentage and the one or more faults in the charging unit 112 and/or the one or more battery packs 102, thereby enabling monitoring of the charging process and health of the charging unit 112 and/or the one or more battery packs 102. At step 326, the control unit 106 controls the charging of the one or more battery packs 102 till the SoC of each of the one or more battery packs reaches 100%. At step 328, once the SoC of each of the one or more battery packs reaches 100%, the control unit 106 turns OFF (or opens) the one or more relays and turns OFF the charging unit 112, thereby preventing overcharging of the one or more battery packs 102.
[058] The claimed invention as disclosed above is not routine, conventional, or well understood in the art, as the claimed aspects enable the following solutions to the existing problems in conventional technologies. Specifically, the claimed aspects of the system and the method for controlling charging of the one or more battery packs ensures that the optimum charging current determined based on the battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs is provided for charging the battery packs. Consequently, charging requirement of the one or more battery packs is met and undercharging or overcharging of the one or more battery packs is avoided. Hence, health of the one or more battery packs is maintained. Furthermore, the claimed aspect of determination and provision of the charging current based on the one or more faults of the charging unit and/or the one or more battery packs avoids further damage to the one or more battery packs and/or the charging unit. Therefore, the present invention facilitates an efficient and reliable charging of the one or more battery packs while prolonging the life and functioning of the one or more battery packs.
[059] In light of the abovementioned advantages and the technical advancements provided by the disclosed system and method, the claimed steps as discussed above are not routine, conventional, or well understood in the art, as the claimed steps provide solutions to the existing problems in conventional technologies. Further, the claimed steps clearly bring an improvement in the functioning of the system itself as the claimed steps provide a technical solution to a technical problem.
[060] Furthermore, one or more computer-readable storage media may be utilized in implementing embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. A computer-readable storage medium refers to any type of physical memory on which information or data readable by a processor may be stored. Thus, a computer-readable storage medium may store instructions for execution by one or more processors, including instructions for causing the processor(s) to perform steps or stages consistent with the embodiments described herein. The term “computer-readable storage medium” should be understood to include tangible items and exclude carrier waves and transient signals, i.e., be non-transitory. Examples include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), volatile memory, non-volatile memory, hard drives, CD ROMs, DVDs, flash drives, disks, and any other known physical storage media”.

List of Reference Numerals:
100 – System
102 – One or more battery packs
104 – Battery Monitoring System (BMS)
106 – Control unit
108 – Micro Controller Unit (MCU)
110 – Mobile communication module
112 – Charging unit
114 – Indicator device
116 – Server
118 – Computing device
, Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A system (100) for controlling charging of one or more battery packs (102), the system (100) comprising:
a control unit (106), the control unit (106) being communicatively coupled to a charging unit (112) and the one or more battery packs (102), the control unit (106) being configured to:
receive one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs (102);
determine a charging current to be supplied from a power source to the one or more battery packs (102) based on the one or more battery operating parameters; and
operate the charging unit (112) to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs (102).

2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (106) being configured to receive the one or more battery operating parameters from one of a one or more sensors disposed in a vehicle and a Battery Monitoring System (BMS) (104), the one or more battery operating parameters comprising:
a voltage across each of the one or more battery packs (102);
a current flowing through each of the one or more battery packs (102);
an internal resistance of each of the one or more battery packs (102);
an energy storage capacity of each of the one or more battery packs (102);
charging and discharging rates of each of the one or more battery packs (102);
a temperature of each of the one or more battery packs (102);
a State of Charge (SoC) of each of the one or more battery packs (102); and
a Depth of Discharge (DoD) of each of the one or more battery packs (102).

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (106) being configured to:
receive, a first fault data corresponding to one or more faults in the one or more battery packs (102);
receive, a second fault data corresponding to one or more faults in the charging unit (112);
determine the charging current to be supplied from the power source to the one or more battery packs (102) based on at least one of the first fault data and the second fault data; and
operate the charging unit (112) to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs (102).

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit (106) being communicably coupled to an indicator device (114), the indicator device (114) being adapted to indicate at least one of a State of Charge (SoC) of the one or more battery packs (102), the first fault data and the second fault data.

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1 comprising one or more relays connected between the charging unit (112) and the one or more battery packs (102), wherein the control unit (106) being configured to operate the one or more relays for enabling charging of each of the one or more battery packs (102).

6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control unit (106) being configured to:
determine a presence of each of the one or more battery packs (102) in one or more slots of a charging cradle communicably coupled to the charging unit (112); and
operate the one or more relays based on the presence of each of the one or more battery packs (102) in the one or more slots of the charging cradle for charging the one or more battery packs (102).

7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control unit (106) being configured to open the one or more relays when one or more faults in at least one of the charging unit (112) and the one or more battery packs (102) exceeds one or more predetermined thresholds, for disabling charging of the one or more battery packs (102).

8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (106) being configured to:
receive, one or more identification codes corresponding to each of the one or more battery packs (102) from a BMS (104);
compare, the one or more identification codes with one or more predefined codes; and
operate, the charging unit (112) to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs (102) when the one or more identification codes matches with the one or more predefined codes.

9. A method (300) for controlling charging of one or more battery packs (102), the method (300) comprising:
receiving (302), by a control unit (106) communicatively coupled to a charging unit (112) and the one or more battery packs (102), one or more battery operating parameters of the one or more battery packs (102);
determining (304), by the control unit (106), a charging current to be supplied from a power source to the one or more battery packs (102) based on the one or more battery operating parameters; and
operating (306), by the control unit (106), the charging unit (112) to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs (102).

10. The method (300) as claimed in claim 9 comprising:
receiving, by the control unit (106), first fault data corresponding to one or more faults in the one or more battery packs (102);
receiving, by the control unit (106), second fault data corresponding to one or more faults in the charging unit (112);
determining, by the control unit (106), the charging current to be supplied from the power source to the one or more battery packs (102) based on at least one of the first fault data and the second fault data; and
operating, by the control unit (106), the charging unit (112) to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs (102).

11. The method (300) as claimed in claim 9 comprising:
determining, by the control unit (106), a presence of each of the one or more battery packs (102) in one or more slots of a charging cradle communicably coupled to the charging unit (112); and
operating, by the control unit (106), one or more relays connected between the charging unit (112) and the one or more battery packs (102) based on the presence of each of the one or more battery packs (102) in the one or more slots of the charging cradle, for charging the one or more battery packs (102).

12. The method (300) as claimed in claim 9, comprising opening, by the control unit (106), one or more relays connected between the charging unit (112) and the one or more battery packs (102) when one or more faults in at least one of the charging unit (112) and the one or more battery packs (102) exceeds the one or more predetermined thresholds, thereby disabling charging of the one or more battery packs (102).

13. The method (300) as claimed in claim 9, comprising:
receiving, by the control unit (106), one or more identification codes corresponding to each of the one or more battery packs (102) from a BMS (104);
comparing, by the control unit (106), the one or more identification codes with one or more predefined codes; and
operating, by the control unit (106), the charging unit (112) to route the determined charging current to the one or more battery packs (102) when the one or more identification codes correspond to the one or more predefined codes.

Dated this 12th day of March 2024
TVS MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED
By their Agent & Attorney

(Nikhil Ranjan)
of Khaitan & Co
Reg No IN/PA-1471