SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, BATTERY MONITORING SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF MONITORING BATTERY

• US 20160018474A1
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Hidekazu
• Granted Patent: US 10,320,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a specific voltage; a first terminal configured to output the specific voltage; a second terminal configured to receive a temperature sensitive voltage; an analog/digital conversion circuit configured to convert the specific voltage and the temperature sensitive voltage to digital values; a storage unit configured to store the specific voltage and the temperature sensitive voltage; and a third terminal configured to transmit the specific voltage and the temperature sensitive voltage to an external semiconductor device.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a voltage having a specific voltage value;

a first terminal configured to output the voltage generated with the voltage generation circuit;

a second terminal connected to the first terminal, said second terminal being configured to receive a temperature sensitive voltage as a voltage at a connecting point between a temperature sensitive element and a resistor of a circuit for detecting a temperature of a subject, in which the temperature sensitive element is connected to the resistor in series;

an analog/digital conversion circuit configured to convert the specific voltage value and a voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage that are analog values to digital values, respectively, so that the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage are measured;

a storage unit configured to store the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage thus measured with the analog/digital conversion circuit so that an external semiconductor device calculates the temperature of the subject; and

a third terminal configured to transmit the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage thus stored in the storage unit to the external semiconductor device.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said voltage generation circuit configured to generate a reference voltage so that the analog/digital conversion circuit converts the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage to the digital values according to the reference voltage generated with the voltage generation circuit.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said second terminal is configured to receive the temperature sensitive voltage for detecting a temperature of a rechargeable battery as the subject.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, further comprising a fourth terminal configured to receive a voltage generated with the rechargeable battery.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first switch connected between the voltage generation circuit and the analog/digital conversion circuit;

a second switch connected between the second terminal and the analog/digital conversion circuit;

a third switch connected between the fourth terminal and the analog/digital conversion circuit; and

a control circuit configured to control the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a switch circuit for switching the first potential and the second potential according to one single switching signal.

7. A battery monitoring system, comprising:

said semiconductor device according to claim 3; and

said external semiconductor device that receives the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage stored in the storage unit through the third terminal so that the external semiconductor device calculates a temperature of the rechargeable battery according to a specific equation with the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage as variables.

8. A method of monitoring a battery using a battery monitoring semiconductor device,

wherein said battery monitoring semiconductor device includes:

a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a voltage having a specific voltage value;

a first terminal configured to output the voltage generated with the voltage generation circuit;

a second terminal connected to the first terminal, said second terminal being configured to receive a temperature sensitive voltage as a voltage at a connecting point between a temperature sensitive element and a resistor of a circuit for detecting a temperature of a subject, in which the temperature sensitive element is connected to the resistor in series;

an analog/digital conversion circuit configured to convert the specific voltage value and a voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage that are analog values to digital values, respectively, so that the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage are measured;

a storage unit configured to store the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage thus measured with the analog/digital conversion circuit so that an external semiconductor device calculates the temperature of the subject; and

a third terminal configured to transmit the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage thus stored in the storage unit to the external semiconductor device, and

said external semiconductor device is connected to the battery monitoring semiconductor device,

said method of monitoring a battery comprising the steps of;

receiving the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage stored in the storage unit through the third terminal; and

calculating a temperature of the rechargeable battery according to a specific equation with the specific voltage value and the voltage value of the temperature sensitive voltage as variables.