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

• US 20170184676A1
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LAPIS Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: SHIMIZU, YUUICHI
• Granted Patent: US 10,451,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 Detection of state of health [SOH]

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device including: a power supply input section to which a first voltage from a battery cell is input; a boosting section including one end to which the first voltage from the power supply input section is input, and another end that, based on a control signal from a controller, outputs the first voltage or a second voltage boosted from the first voltage from as a power supply voltage; and a comparison section including an output section, a first input section connected to the power supply input section and the one end of the boosting section, and a second input section connected to the another end of the boosting section, the comparison section outputting a voltage from the output section that corresponds to a difference between voltages input to the first input section and the second input section.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power supply input section to which a first voltage from a battery cell is input;

a boosting section including one end to which the first voltage from the power supply input section is input, and another end that, based on a control signal from a controller, outputs the first voltage or a second voltage boosted from the first voltage from as a power supply voltage; and

a comparison section including an output section, a first input section connected to the power supply input section and the one end of the boosting section, and a second input section connected to the another end of the boosting section, the comparison section outputting a voltage from the output section that corresponds to a difference between voltages input to the first input section and the second input section.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the boosting section includes:

a boosting circuit that boosts the first voltage to the second voltage; and

a first bypass section that includes a first switch, the first bypass section including one end connected to one end of the boosting circuit, and including another end connected to another end of the boosting circuit.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first series element section that includes a first resistance element and a second switch connected in series, the first series element section including one end connected to the power supply input section and the one end of the boosting section, and including another end connected to the first input section; and

a second series element section that includes a second resistance element and a third switch connected in series, the second series element section including one end connected to the other end of the boosting section, and including another end connected to the second input section.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 3, further comprising:

a first buffer section that is driven by the power supply voltage, that is connected to the another end of the boosting section via the second series element section, and that includes an input terminal to which the power supply voltage from the other end of the boosting section is input and an output terminal connected to the second input section of the comparison section;

a second bypass section that includes a fourth switch and that connects the input terminal and the output terminal of the first buffer section;

a second buffer section that is driven by the power supply voltage, that is connected to the one end of the boosting section via the first series element section, and that includes an input terminal to which the first voltage from the one end of the boosting section is input and an output terminal connected to the first input section of the comparison section; and

a third bypass section that includes a fifth switch and that connects the input terminal and the output terminal of the second buffer section.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 4, wherein:

the battery cell is a battery cell included in an assembled battery having a plurality of battery cells connected in series; and

the semiconductor device further comprises a cell selection switch that connects a high potential side of each battery cell of the assembled battery with the first buffer section, and that connects a low potential side of each battery cell of the assembled battery with the second buffer section.

6. A battery monitoring system comprising:

a battery cell;

the semiconductor device of claim 1; and

a diagnostic section that instructs the semiconductor device to measure a battery voltage of the battery cell.

7. A method for diagnosing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

inputting, to a power supply input section, an input voltage from a battery cell;

boosting, by a boosting circuit, the input voltage input to one end of the boosting circuit through the power supply input section, and outputting a power supply voltage from another end of the boosting circuit; and

outputting, by a comparison section, a voltage difference between a voltage output from an output terminal of a first buffer section and a voltage output from an output terminal of a second buffer section, the first buffer section being driven by the power supply voltage and including the output terminal and an input terminal to which the power supply voltage from the another end of the boosting circuit is input, and the second buffer section being driven by the power supply voltage and including the output terminal and an input terminal input to which the input voltage from the one end of the boosting circuit is input.