CELL TELEMETRY SAMPLE AND HOLD AMPLIFIER

• US 20120112926A1
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Martinelli, Robert Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,638,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2503 for measuring voltage only, e.g. digital volt meters (DVM's) G01R19/2506 - G01R19/257 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• 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

Abstract

A system and methods for cell telemetry are disclosed. An average magnetizing current in a sampling transformer is forced to about zero amperes by balancing volt-seconds using a voltage clamp mechanism. Furthermore, a pulse driven switch and a synchronized sampling switch are activated, and substantially simultaneously the voltage clamp mechanism deactivated.

Claims

1. A cell telemetry sample and hold amplifier system comprising:

a sampling transformer;

a pulse driven switch coupled to the sampling transformer;

a voltage clamp mechanism coupled to the sampling transformer and operable to balance volt-seconds and force an average magnetizing current in the sampling transformer to about zero amperes;

driver means coupled to the pulse driven switch and the voltage clamp mechanism, and operable to drive the pulse driven switch and the voltage clamp mechanism;

a synchronized sampling switch coupled to the sampling transformer and operable to electrically couple the sampling transformer to a sampling capacitor; and

drive circuits coupled to the pulse driven switch, the voltage clamp mechanism, and the synchronized sampling switch, and operable to simultaneously turn on the pulse driven switch and the synchronized sampling switch while turning the voltage clamp mechanism off.

2. The cell telemetry sample and hold amplifier system according to claim 1, wherein the drive circuits are further operable to turn off the pulse driven switch and the synchronized sampling switch while turning on the voltage clamp mechanism substantially simultaneously.

3. The cell telemetry sample and hold amplifier system according to claim 1, wherein the drive circuits comprise a clock coupled thereto.

4. The cell telemetry sample and hold amplifier system according to claim 1, further comprising a battery coupled to the sampling transformer.

5. The cell telemetry sample and hold amplifier system according to claim 4, wherein the battery comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a lithium battery, a lithium-ion battery, a lithium-polymer battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, and a fuel cell.

6. A method for cell telemetry, the method comprising:

forcing an average magnetizing current in a sampling transformer to about zero amperes by balancing volt-seconds using a voltage clamp mechanism; and

activating a pulse driven switch and a synchronized sampling switch, and substantially simultaneously deactivating the voltage clamp mechanism.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising deactivating the pulse driven switch and the synchronized sampling switch, and substantially simultaneously activating the voltage clamp mechanism.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising receiving an electric current from a battery cell at an input of the sampling transformer.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising measuring a voltage at an output of the sampling transformer to obtain a measured voltage.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising controlling a voltage balance of cells of a battery based on the measured voltage.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the battery comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a lithium battery, a lithium-ion battery, a lithium-polymer battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, and a fuel cell.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein:

the pulse driven switch and the synchronized sampling switch are driven by a first signal; and

the voltage clamp mechanism is driven by a second signal.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein:

the first signal comprises a first phase of a clock; and

the second signal comprises a second phase of the clock.

14. The method according to claim 6, wherein a synchronized sampling switch connects the sampling transformer to a sampling capacitor.

15. A method for using a cell telemetry sample and hold amplifier system, the method comprising:

receiving an electric current from a battery cell at an input of a sampling transformer;

forcing an average magnetizing current in the sampling transformer to be about zero amperes by balancing volt-seconds using a voltage clamp mechanism; and

activating a pulse driven switch and a synchronized sampling switch, and substantially simultaneously deactivating the voltage clamp mechanism.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising deactivating the pulse driven switch and the synchronized sampling switch, and substantially simultaneously activating the voltage clamp mechanism.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising measuring a voltage at an output of the sampling transformer to obtain a measured voltage.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising controlling a voltage balance of cells of a battery based on the measured voltage.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the battery comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

a lithium battery, a lithium-ion battery, a lithium-polymer battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, and a fuel cell.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the battery comprises a rechargeable battery.