TWI883934B - Charger firmware upgrade methods and battery energy stations thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Charger firmware upgrade methods for a battery energy station used to store and charge multiple batteries are provided. The battery energy station has at least one first charger and at least one second charger. The first charger has a first bootloader and the second charger has a second bootloader, and a first firmware corresponding to the first charger and a second firmware corresponding to the second charger are different. First, the battery energy station is used to receive an upgrade file, and send the upgrade file to the first charger and the second charger respectively, where the upgrade file includes both a first file content and a second file content. Then, the first charger executes the first bootloader to read the first file content from the upgrade file, so as to use the first file content to upgrade the first firmware. The second charger executes the second bootloader to read the second file content from the upgrade file, so as to use the second file content to upgrade the second firmware.

Description

Battery energy station charger firmware update method and battery energy station

The present invention relates to a battery energy station management method, and in particular to a method for managing firmware updates of chargers of different versions in a battery energy station and a battery energy station thereof.

In recent years, with the rise of environmental awareness and the advancement of electric vehicle technology, the development of electric vehicles powered by electricity to replace traditional vehicles powered by fossil fuels has gradually become an important goal in the automotive field, making electric vehicles more and more popular. In order to improve the range and willingness of electric vehicles, many countries or cities have begun to plan to set up charging stations and battery energy stations in public places to provide electric cars and/or electric motorcycles with charging or battery exchange, making the use of electric vehicles more convenient.

Encouraged by the government's subsidy policy, many people have also begun to try to buy and use electric vehicles as a means of transportation. Generally speaking, traditional fuel vehicles are refueled only after the gasoline is almost used up. Since the refueling time is short, the time spent on refueling will not affect the user's overall driving plan. However, for electric vehicles, there are technological limitations in the battery supply and charging of the vehicle. When riding an electric vehicle, the user must always pay attention to the battery status of the vehicle so that it can be charged in time before the battery power is used up.

At present, battery exchange through battery energy stations has become one of the most satisfactory ways to recharge electric vehicles for users. Users can intuitively and quickly place low-power batteries into battery energy stations, and battery energy stations will provide users with high-power batteries. However, although battery energy stations are convenient for battery exchange, this also seriously tests the battery operator's ability to distribute/manage batteries. For example, the batteries available for exchange in battery energy stations need to meet the needs of local users, whether in terms of quantity or time. Since batteries are important assets, how to properly manage batteries and avoid battery idleness or improper use will become an important issue in the industry.

On the other hand, in order to maintain the high-efficiency operation of the battery energy station, regular maintenance of the battery energy station and even updating of the software and hardware in the battery energy station are necessary and important tasks for operators. In some cases, there may be battery chargers of different brands and versions in the battery energy station. How to properly manage and maintain the proper operation of these different versions of chargers has also become an important issue for operators.

In view of this, the present invention provides a charger firmware update method for a battery energy station and a battery energy station thereof.

A charger firmware update method for a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention is applicable to a battery energy station for storing and charging a plurality of batteries. The battery energy station includes at least one first charger and at least one second charger. The first charger has a first startup program and the second charger has a second startup program, and a first firmware of the corresponding first charger and a second firmware of the corresponding second charger are different. First, an update file is received by the battery energy station, and the update file is sent to the first charger and the second charger respectively, wherein the update file includes a first file content and a second file content at the same time. Then, the first charger is used to execute the first startup program to read the first file content from the update file, so as to update the first firmware of the corresponding first charger using the first file content. The second startup program is executed using the second charger to read the second file content from the update file, so as to update the second firmware of the corresponding second charger using the second file content.

The battery energy station of the embodiment of the present invention is used to store and charge multiple batteries. The battery energy station includes at least one first charger, at least one second charger, and a processing unit. The first charger has a first startup program and executes a first firmware. The second charger has a second startup program and executes a second firmware, wherein the first firmware of the corresponding first charger and the second firmware of the corresponding second charger are different. The processing unit receives an update file, wherein the update file includes a first file content and a second file content at the same time. The processing unit transmits the update file to the first charger and the second charger respectively. The first charger executes the first startup program to read the first file content from the update file, so as to update the first firmware of the corresponding first charger using the first file content. The second charger executes the second startup program to read the second file content from the update file, so as to update the second firmware of the corresponding second charger using the second file content.

In some embodiments, a battery powered station receives updates from a remote server via a network.

In some embodiments, the first startup program obtains a first address corresponding to the first charger from the update file, and reads the first file content from the first address, and the second startup program obtains a second address corresponding to the second charger from the update file, and reads the second file content from the second address.

The above method of the present invention can exist in the form of program code. When the program code is loaded and executed by a machine, the machine becomes a device for implementing the present invention.

In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the following is a detailed description of the embodiments with accompanying diagrams.

100: System for updating charger firmware for battery energy station

110: Battery Energy Station

112:Battery storage system

BA1: First Battery

BA2: Second battery

C1: First charger

C2: Second charger

114: Storage unit

UF: Update file

116: Network connection unit

118: Processing unit

120: Remote server

130: Internet

BL1: First boot program

BL2: Second boot program

FW1: First Firmware

FW2: Second firmware

FC1: First file content

FC2: Second file content

AT: Address table

S610, S620, S630, S640: Steps

S710, S720, S730, S740: Steps

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system for updating charger firmware for a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the first charger and the second charger according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an update file according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an update file according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a flow chart showing a charger firmware update method for a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a flow chart showing a charger firmware update method for a battery energy station according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a system for updating charger firmware for a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 for updating charger firmware for a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention is applicable to a battery energy station 110 and a remote server 120. The battery energy station 110 can be connected to the remote server 120 using a network 130, such as a wired network, a telecommunications network, and a wireless network, such as a Wi-Fi network. It is noted that in some embodiments, the remote server 120 can simultaneously manage other battery energy stations located at the same location or at different locations. In some embodiments, the battery energy station 110 can be connected to the remote server 120 via the network 130, and the remote server 120 receives relevant information and performs relevant operations based on the received information.

FIG. 2 shows a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention. A battery energy station 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to an electronic device. As shown in the figure, the battery energy station 110 includes at least a battery storage system 112, a storage unit 114, a network connection unit 116, and a processing unit 118. The battery storage system 112 has a specific mechanism (not shown in the figure) that can store a plurality of batteries, such as a first battery BA1 and a second battery BA2, and selectively lock or release the batteries. The battery energy station 110 can provide batteries to at least one electrical device, such as an electric motorcycle or an electric car. The battery energy station 110 may have an energy module (not shown in the figure) for electrically coupling to a power grid to obtain a total current to supply power to the battery energy station 110, and charge batteries such as the first battery BA1 and the second battery BA2 through chargers such as the first charger C1 and the second charger C2 according to the signal of the processing unit 118. It must be explained that each charger may be of different brands and/or different versions, and driven by different firmware. Each charger may have an upper current limit and/or a lower current limit to charge the corresponding battery. It is worth noting that in some embodiments, the energy module may actively detect the total current supplied by the power grid to the battery energy station 110, and notify the processing unit 118 of the corresponding total current information.

The storage unit 114 can store an update file UF. In some embodiments, the update file UF can be received by the remote server 120 via the network. The update file UF is used to update the firmware in the charger, and its usage will be described later. The network connection unit 116 can be connected to a network, so that the battery energy station 110 has a network connection capability. In some embodiments, the network can be a wired network, a telecommunications network, and a wireless network, such as a Wi-Fi network. The processing unit 118 can control the operation of all hardware and software in the battery energy station 110, and execute the charger firmware update method of the battery energy station of this case, and its details will be described later.

FIG. 3 shows the first charger and the second charger according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the first charger C1 has a first bootloader BL1 and a first firmware FW1. The second charger C2 has a second bootloader BL2 and a second firmware FW2. Note that the bootloader is the first program executed when the device is turned on, which is used to initialize the hardware settings of the device, and then find and turn on the system. Firmware is a type of software embedded in a hardware device. Usually, the firmware is located in the memory of a special application integrated circuit or a programmable logic device.

FIG. 4 shows an update file according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the update file UF includes the first update file FC1 corresponding to the first charger C1 and the second update file FC2 corresponding to the second charger C2. FIG. 5 shows an update file according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in addition to the first update file FC1 corresponding to the first charger C1 and the second update file FC2 corresponding to the second charger C2, the update file UF also includes an address table AT, which records a first address of the corresponding first update file FC1 and a second address of the corresponding second update file FC2, and its usage will be described later. It is worth noting that in some embodiments, the first address of the corresponding first update file FC1 and the second address of the corresponding second update file FC2 can also be stored separately.

FIG. 6 shows a charger firmware update method of a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention. The charger firmware update method of a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention is applicable to a battery energy station for storing and charging a plurality of batteries, as shown in FIG. 2.

First, as in step S610, an update file is received by the battery energy station. It is worth noting that in some embodiments, the battery energy station can use a network connection unit to receive the update file from a remote server via a network. It should be noted that the update file includes a first file content and a second file content at the same time. In other words, an update file can contain the update content required for firmware updates of corresponding different chargers at the same time. Then, as in step S620, the same update file is sent to the first charger and the second charger respectively. Thereafter, as in step S630, the first charger executes a first startup program to read the first file content from the update file, so as to update the first firmware of the corresponding first charger using the first file content. As in step S640, the second charger is used to execute the second startup program to read the second file content from the update file, so as to use the second file content to update the second firmware of the corresponding second charger.

FIG. 7 shows a charger firmware update method of a battery energy station according to another embodiment of the present invention. The charger firmware update method of a battery energy station according to an embodiment of the present invention is applicable to a battery energy station for storing and charging a plurality of batteries, as shown in FIG. 2.

First, as in step S710, the battery energy station uses a network connection unit to receive an update file from a remote server via a network. Note that the update file includes a first file content and a second file content. Then, as in step S720, the same update file is transmitted to the first charger and the second charger respectively. Afterwards, as in step S730, the first charger executes a first startup program, reads a first address corresponding to the first charger from the address table of the update file, and reads the first file content at the first address in the update file, so as to update the first firmware of the corresponding first charger using the first file content. As in step S740, the second charger is used to execute the second startup program, a second address corresponding to the second charger is read from the address table of the update file, and the second file content is read from the second address in the update file to update the second firmware of the corresponding second charger using the second file content.

Therefore, through the charger firmware update method of the battery energy station and the battery energy station of this case, the firmware update of the chargers of different versions in the battery energy station can be managed, thereby solving the problem of complex and inefficient related operations caused by insufficient memory in the battery energy station.

The method of the present invention, or a specific form or part thereof, may exist in the form of program code. The program code may be contained in a physical medium, such as a floppy disk, an optical disk, a hard disk, or any other machine-readable (such as computer-readable) storage medium, or a computer program product that is not limited to an external form, wherein when the program code is loaded and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machine becomes an apparatus for participating in the present invention. The program code may also be transmitted through some transmission medium, such as wires or cables, optical fibers, or any transmission type, wherein when the program code is received, loaded and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the machine becomes an apparatus for participating in the present invention. When implemented on a general-purpose processing unit, the code combines with the processing unit to provide a unique device that operates like an application-specific logic circuit.

Although the present invention has been disclosed as above with preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone familiar with this technology can make some changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be subject to the scope of the patent application attached hereto.

S610, S620, S630, S640: Steps

Claims (6)

A method for updating the charger firmware of a battery energy station is applicable to a battery energy station for storing and charging a plurality of batteries, wherein the battery energy station includes a processing unit, at least a first charger and at least a second charger, the first charger has a first startup program and the second charger has a second startup program, and a first firmware corresponding to the first charger and a second firmware corresponding to the second charger are different, comprising the following steps: using the battery energy station to receive an update file, wherein the update file is the same as the first firmware of the first charger; The first charger includes a first file content and a second file content; the processing unit transmits the update file to the first charger and the second charger respectively; the first charger executes the first startup program to read the first file content from the update file, and updates the first firmware of the corresponding first charger using the first file content; and the second charger executes the second startup program to read the second file content from the update file, and updates the second firmware of the corresponding second charger using the second file content. The charger firmware update method of the battery energy station as described in Item 1 of the patent application scope further includes using the battery energy station to receive the update file from a remote server via a network. The charger firmware update method of the battery energy station as described in item 1 of the patent application scope further includes the following steps: the first startup program obtains a first address corresponding to the first charger from the update file, and reads the first file content from the first address; and the second startup program obtains a second address corresponding to the second charger from the update file, and reads the second file content from the second address. A battery energy station for receiving and charging a plurality of batteries, comprising: at least one first charger having a first startup program and executing a first firmware; at least one second charger having a second startup program and executing a second firmware, wherein the first firmware corresponding to the first charger and the second firmware corresponding to the second charger are different; and a processing unit for receiving an update file through a network, wherein the update file also includes a first file content and a second file content, and transmit the update file to the first charger and the second charger respectively, wherein the first charger executes the first startup program to read the first file content from the update file to update the first firmware of the corresponding first charger using the first file content, and the second charger executes the second startup program to read the second file content from the update file to update the second firmware of the corresponding second charger using the second file content. As described in item 4 of the patent application scope, the processing unit receives the update file from a remote server via a network using a network connection unit. As described in item 4 of the patent application scope, the first startup program obtains a first address corresponding to the first charger from the update file, and reads the first file content from the first address, and the second startup program obtains a second address corresponding to the second charger from the update file, and reads the second file content from the second address.

Images