High-Voltage Battery Management System: Infineon Design

On October 27, Infineon Technologies AG introduced a high-voltage battery management system (BMS) reference design that enables computationally intensive battery models to operate directly on the Battery Management Unit (BMU). The solution combines an AURIX TC4x microcontroller with an integrated parallel processing unit (PPU) to support advanced battery-related computations. Its architecture extends beyond the BMU to incorporate a Pack Monitoring Unit (PMU) and a Cell Monitoring Unit (CMU), bringing battery management, pack-level monitoring, and cell-level monitoring together within an integrated reference design.

The PMU is built around the PSOC 4 HVPA SPM 1.0 and provides an Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) D-compliant solution for essential pack-level sensing and protection functions. The CMU incorporates the TLE9018DQK, an 18-channel lithium-ion battery monitoring and balancing integrated circuit. This component complies with both ASIL D requirements and ISO 26262, supporting safety-oriented cell monitoring and balancing within the overall battery management architecture.

The reference design also provides Ethernet, CAN, USB-C, and iso UART connectivity, alongside vehicle and laboratory power-supply inputs. Additional hardware includes MOTIX contactor drivers, a high-voltage interlock, EEPROM, and XENSIV pressure and gas sensors designed for thermal-runaway detection. Together, these components extend the solution's capabilities across communication, power management, monitoring, and protection functions. The integrated architecture combines the BMU with pack and cell monitoring units, supported by a comprehensive software package.

At the software level, the BMU supports multiple methods for estimating and predicting battery states under different operating conditions. By enabling computationally intensive battery models to run directly on the BMU, the reference design brings these capabilities into the battery management architecture itself. The combination of processing hardware, monitoring components, connectivity interfaces, and software provides a consolidated platform for implementing advanced high-voltage battery management functions.

Industry Impact & Outlook

Infineon's reference design highlights the growing technical importance of integrating advanced computation, safety-compliant monitoring, and battery-state estimation within high-voltage battery management architectures. Its combination of AURIX TC4x processing, ASIL D-compliant pack and cell monitoring, and thermal-runaway detection capabilities provides a comprehensive development platform for battery management applications. The ability to execute computationally intensive battery models directly on the BMU is particularly relevant to implementing battery-state estimation and prediction methods under different operating conditions. The integrated hardware and software architecture brings these functions together within a single reference design.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Infineon introduce on October 27?
Infineon introduced a high-voltage battery management system reference design that enables computationally intensive battery models to run directly on the Battery Management Unit. The design combines an AURIX TC4x microcontroller with a parallel processing unit. It also integrates a Pack Monitoring Unit and a Cell Monitoring Unit. The complete reference design includes monitoring hardware, communication interfaces, protection components, and a comprehensive software package to support battery management functions.

Which microcontroller powers Infineon's battery management reference design?
The reference design uses Infineon's AURIX TC4x microcontroller, which integrates a parallel processing unit (PPU). This combination enables computationally intensive battery models to operate directly on the Battery Management Unit. The BMU also supports multiple methods for estimating and predicting battery states under different operating conditions. These processing capabilities form a central part of the reference design's architecture.

Which components are used in the pack and cell monitoring units?
The Pack Monitoring Unit uses the PSOC 4 HVPA SPM 1.0 and provides ASIL D-compliant pack-level sensing and protection functions. The Cell Monitoring Unit incorporates the TLE9018DQK, an 18-channel lithium-ion battery monitoring and balancing integrated circuit. The TLE9018DQK complies with ASIL D and ISO 26262 requirements. Together, these components provide dedicated monitoring capabilities at both pack and cell levels within the integrated battery management reference design.

What safety and thermal-runaway detection features does the reference design include?
The reference design incorporates several components supporting battery monitoring and protection, including ASIL D-compliant pack-level sensing and an ASIL D- and ISO 26262-compliant cell monitoring integrated circuit. It also includes a high-voltage interlock and XENSIV pressure and gas sensors designed for thermal-runaway detection. MOTIX contactor drivers are among its additional hardware components. These features form part of the integrated architecture for high-voltage battery management.