Battery monitoring apparatus with monitoring integrated circuit selectively powered by a high voltage battery or low voltage power supply powered by a low voltage battery

• US 10,054,642 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Mizobe, Shunichi, Maebara, Tsuneo, Miura, Ryotaro, Itou, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRISCHLER, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US14/514,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20150102820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/082 Plural DC voltage, e.g. DC supply voltage with at least two different DC voltage levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A battery monitoring apparatus capable of reducing power consumption. At least one monitoring integrated circuit (IC) is electrically connected to a high-voltage battery formed of a plurality of cells and configured to monitor the high-voltage battery in a plurality of modes of operation. A low-voltage power supply circuit can deliver power of a lower voltage than the power of the high-voltage battery to the at least one monitoring IC. A power supply to the at least one monitoring IC is selected from a group of the high-voltage battery and the low-voltage power supply circuit depending on the mode of operation the at least one monitoring IC.

Claims

1. A battery monitoring apparatus comprising:

a plurality of monitoring integrated circuits (ICs) ICs including at least one monitoring integrated circuit (IC) that is electrically connected to a high-voltage battery formed of a plurality of cells and configured to monitor the high-voltage battery in a plurality of modes of operation, the plurality of modes of operation including first-class modes of operation, in which the power consumption of the at least one monitoring IC is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and second-class modes of operation, in which the power consumption of the at least one monitoring IC is less than the predetermined value; and

a low-voltage power supply circuit configured to deliver power that is lower in voltage than the power of the high-voltage battery from a low-voltage battery to the at least one monitoring IC, the low-voltage battery being separate from the high-voltage battery,

wherein a power supply to the at least one monitoring IC is selected from a group of the high-voltage battery and the low-voltage power supply circuit depending on the mode of operation of the at least one monitoring IC,

in the first-class modes of operation, the at least one monitoring IC is powered by the low-voltage power supply circuit,

in the second-class modes of operation, the at least one monitoring IC is powered only by the high-voltage battery,

the second-class modes of operation include a sleep mode of operation, in which none of various control functions are executed, and an equalization mode of operation, in which the plurality of cells forming the high-voltage battery are equalized in capacity,

the low-voltage power supply circuit comprises an insulating portion, and power originating from the low-voltage battery is delivered to the at least one monitoring IC through the insulating portion of the low-voltage power supply circuit, and

the low-voltage power supply circuit comprises a centralized transformer configured to deliver power to the plurality of monitoring ICs.

2. A battery monitoring apparatus comprising:

at least one monitoring integrated circuit (IC) that is electrically connected to a high-voltage battery formed of a plurality of cells and configured to monitor the high-voltage battery in a plurality of modes of operation, the plurality of modes of operation including first-class modes of operation, in which the power consumption of the at least one monitoring IC is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and second-class modes of operation, in which the power consumption of the at least one monitoring IC is less than the predetermined value; and

a low-voltage power supply circuit configured to deliver power that is lower in voltage than the power of the high-voltage battery from a low-voltage battery to the at least one monitoring IC, the low-voltage battery being separate from the high-voltage battery,

wherein a power supply to the at least one monitoring IC is selected from a group of the high-voltage battery and the low-voltage power supply circuit depending on the mode of operation of the at least one monitoring IC,

in the first-class modes of operation, the at least one monitoring IC is powered by the low-voltage power supply circuit,

in the second-class modes of operation, the at least one monitoring IC is powered only by the high-voltage battery,

the low-voltage power supply circuit comprises an insulating portion, and power originating from the low-voltage battery is delivered to the at least one monitoring IC through the insulating portion of the low-voltage power supply circuit,

the at least one monitoring IC comprises a plurality of monitoring ICs, and

the low-voltage power supply circuit comprises a centralized transformer configured to deliver power to the plurality of monitoring ICs.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, in the first-class modes of operation, the plurality of monitoring ICs are further powered by the high-voltage battery.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein selection of the power supply is implemented by turning on and off at least one switch.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the low-voltage power supply circuit comprises a power supply integrated circuit (IC) configured to control power supply from the low-voltage battery to the plurality of monitoring ICs, and

when the power from the low-voltage power supply circuit to the plurality of monitoring ICs is cut, driving the power supply IC is terminated.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the low-voltage battery and the low-voltage power supply circuit are electrically connected to each other through an external switching element.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the apparatus is mounted in a vehicle including an ignition switch, and

the mode of operation in which the plurality of monitoring ICs operate is selected from the plurality of modes of operation depending on whether the ignition switch is on or off.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein when the ignition switch is off, the plurality of monitoring ICs are powered only by the high-voltage battery.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein when the ignition switch is on, the plurality of monitoring ICs are powered by the low-voltage power supply circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein when the ignition switch is on, the plurality of monitoring ICs are further powered by the high-voltage battery.