Method and device for identifying master and slave battery packs

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a method and device for identifying a new master battery pack. The method includes a first battery pack detecting that a master battery pack is removed from a battery cabinet of a power cabinet. The method may detect that a new battery pack is not connected to the battery cabinet within a time period after the master battery pack is removed. The time period indicates a longest time that the power cabinet continues to operate in its current configuration after the master battery pack is removed. The method may identify the new master battery pack and new slave battery packs according to the sorted result when the new battery pack is not connected to the battery cabinet within the time period. The new master battery pack may be automatically identified according to its identifier, eliminating manual configuration by a user, and improving configuration efficiency.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for identifying a new master battery pack, comprising:
 detecting, by a first battery pack, that a master battery pack is removed from a battery cabinet of a power cabinet;   detecting, by the first battery pack, that a new battery pack is not connected to the battery cabinet within a time period after the master battery pack is removed, wherein the time period indicates a longest time that the power cabinet continues to operate in its current configuration after the master battery pack is removed; and   identifying, by the first battery pack, the new master battery pack and new slave battery packs according to a sorted result when the new battery pack is not connected to the battery cabinet within the time period.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining, by the first battery pack, an identifier of the first battery pack after the first battery pack is connected to its battery cabinet of the power cabinet; and   identifying, by the first battery pack, itself as the new master battery pack when, after the first battery pack is connected to its battery cabinet, the first battery pack does not receive identifiers of one or more other battery packs.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the detecting, by the first battery pack, that the master battery pack is removed from the battery cabinet of the power cabinet comprises:
 detecting, by the first battery pack, that the master battery pack is removed from the battery cabinet of the power cabinet based on a broadcast message sent by the master battery pack through a communication bus.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining, by the first battery pack, identifiers of one or more other battery packs in their respective battery cabinets of the power cabinet through a communication bus, wherein a number of the one or more other battery packs plus the first battery pack is N, wherein N is a positive integer;   sorting, by the first battery pack, the identifier of the first battery pack and the identifiers of the one or more other battery packs to obtain the sorted result;   identifying, by the first battery pack, the new master battery pack and the new slave battery packs among the first battery pack and the one or more other battery packs according to the sorted result.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said sorting, by the first battery pack, the identifier of the first battery pack and the identifiers of each of the one or more other battery packs, comprises:
 sorting, by the first battery pack, all of the identifiers according to an ascending order of all of the identifiers to obtain the sorted result; or   sorting, by the first battery pack, all of the identifiers according to a descending order of all of the identifiers to obtain the sorted result.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said identifying, by the first battery pack, the new master battery pack and the new slave battery packs among the first battery pack and the one or more other battery packs, comprises:
 identifying, by the first battery pack, a battery pack with a largest identifier as the new master battery pack, and other battery packs as the new slave battery packs according to the sorted result; or   identifying, by the first battery pack, a battery pack with a smallest identifier as the new master battery pack, and other battery packs as the new slave battery packs according to the sorted result.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said identifying, by the first battery pack, the new master battery pack and the new slave battery packs according to the sorted result, comprises:
 identifying, by the first battery pack, a battery pack with a largest identifier excluding the removed master battery pack as the new master battery pack, and other battery packs as the new slave battery packs according to the sorted result; or   identifying, by the first battery pack, a battery pack with a smallest identifier excluding the removed master battery pack as the new master battery pack, and other battery packs as the new slave battery packs according to the sorted result.   
     
     
         8 . A device in a first battery pack, comprising:
 an identifying module configured to:
 detect that a master battery pack is removed from a battery cabinet of a power cabinet; 
 detect that a new battery pack is not connected to the battery cabinet within a time period after the master battery pack is removed, wherein the time period indicates a longest time that the power cabinet continues to operate in its current configuration after the master battery pack is removed; and 
 identify a new master battery pack and new slave battery packs according to a sorted result when the new battery pack is not connected to the battery cabinet within the time period. 
   
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an obtaining module configured to obtain an identifier of the first battery pack after the first battery pack is connected to its battery cabinet of the power cabinet; and   wherein the identifying module is further configured to identify the first battery pack as the new master battery pack when, after the first battery pack is connected to its battery cabinet, the first battery pack does not receive identifiers of one or more other battery packs.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the identifying module is further configured to detect that the master battery pack is removed from the battery cabinet of the power cabinet based on a broadcast message sent by the master battery pack through a communication bus. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an obtaining module configured to obtain identifiers of one or more other battery packs in their respective battery cabinets of the power cabinet through a communication bus, wherein a number of the one or more other battery packs plus the first battery pack is N, wherein N is a positive integer; and   a sorting module configured to sort the identifier of the first battery pack and the identifiers of the one or more other battery packs to obtain the sorted result;   wherein the identifying module is further configured to identify the new master battery pack and the new slave battery packs among the first battery pack and the one or more other battery packs according to the sorted result.   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the sorting module is further configured to sort all of the identifiers according to an ascending order of all of the identifiers to obtain the sorted result, or to sort all of the identifiers according to a descending order of all of the identifiers to obtain the sorted result. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the identifying module is further configured to identify a battery pack with a largest identifier as the new master battery pack, and other battery packs as the new slave battery packs according to the sorted result, or to identify a battery pack with a smallest identifier as the new master battery pack, and other battery packs as the new slave battery packs according to the sorted result. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the identifying module is further configured to detect that the new master battery pack is removed from the battery cabinet of the new master battery pack, detect that another new battery pack is connected to one of the battery cabinets within the time period after the new master battery pack is removed, and obtain an identifier of the another new battery pack,   wherein the sorting module is further configured to sort all of the identifiers including the identifier of the another new battery pack to obtain another sorted result, and   wherein the identifying module is further configured to identify another new master battery pack and other new slave battery packs among all of the battery packs including the another new battery pack according to the another sorted result.