Electromechanical adapter for communicating between interfaces

• US 10,070,202 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schaedlich, Thomas, Weber, Jochen, Tzivanopoulos, Chrysanthos, Bergmann, Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thapa, Sailesh
• Application Number:
  US14/911,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20160202322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Electromechanical adapter having at least one controller, wherein the adapter comprises at least a first interface for communication with at least one monitoring unit at the battery, a second interface for communication with a monitoring unit that is superordinate to the monitoring unit at the battery, and a third interface for the connection of at least one sensor and/or actuator, wherein the controller converts signals between the first and second interfaces.

Claims

1. An electromechanical adapter comprising:

at least one controller,

at least one first interface for communication with at least one battery-side monitoring unit,

a second interface for communication with a monitoring unit that is connected to a central control unit, and

a third interface for interfacing at least one selected from the group consisting of a sensor and an actuator,

wherein the controller converts signals between the first interface and the second interface based on a sensor signal from the third interface, and

wherein the first interface and second interface have different communication protocols.

2. The electromechanical adapter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one component for converting the signals.

3. The electromechanical adapter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one component comprises a CAN-bus controller, a programmable component, or both.

4. The electromechanical adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first interface is a serial interface.

5. The electromechanical adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first interface, the second interface and/or the third interface comprise plug-in connections.

6. A method for operating an electromechanical adapter having at least one controller, the method comprising:

converting signals between a first interface and a second interface using at least one selected from a group consisting of the controller and a component of the electromechanical adapter by adapting at least one selected from a group consisting of a signal waveform and a signal level,

wherein the first interface and the second interface have different communication protocols, and

wherein the signals are converted based on a sensor signal from a third interface of the electromechanical adapter.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller performs a plausibility check on the signals.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller performs the plausibility check by a signal-comparison of signals that are acquired by different measurement methods and/or different sensors, and/or compares signals with defined threshold values for extreme values and/or average values.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller blocks signals that lie outside the defined threshold values, uses stored substitute values for the signals, adapts a sampling frequency for the signal acquisition and/or actuates an actuator if the compared signals differ from one another.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller uses the signal waveform and/or the signal level to detect errors.

11. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller outputs an alarm signal to the third interface on the basis of the plausibility check, errors or both.