Secondary battery protection device

• US 7,385,794 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kashine, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Stephen W.
• Application Number:
  US11/433,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20060203410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 361/79, 361/90
• US Class Current: 361/79
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence

Abstract

Device miniaturization is made possible by building a battery protection circuit in a microcomputer. A secondary battery protection device includes a voltage detection device that detects a voltage of a power supply circuit including a secondary battery, a current detection device that detects a current of the power supply circuit, and a battery protection circuit that shuts off the power supply circuit based on a signal representing a detection made by the voltage detection device or the current detection device of an excess current that is generated in the power supply circuit. The protection circuit is built in a microcomputer.

Claims

1. A secondary battery protection device, comprising:

a voltage detection device that detects an overvoltage of a power supply circuit including a secondary battery;

a current detection device that detects an overcurrent of the power supply circuit;

a protection circuit that shuts off the power supply circuit based on a signal representing a detection made by at least one of the voltage detection device and the current detection device of an excess current that is generated in the power supply circuit; and

a latch that holds a battery status representing the overcurrent detected by the current detection device or the overvoltage detected by the voltage detection device;

if the battery status representing at least one of the overcurrent and the overvoltage is set, a signal corresponding to the battery status is output in a system bus and the battery status is notified to a microcomputer.

2. The secondary battery protection device according to claim 1, wherein the current detection device is a sense amplifier connected to a sense resistor.

3. The secondary battery protection device according to claim 1, wherein the voltage detection device is a sense amplifier connected to a positive side of the secondary battery.

4. The secondary battery protection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a means for on-operations of the power supply circuit based on a judgment by the microcomputer.

5. A method of protecting a secondary battery, comprising:

detecting an overvoltage of a power supply circuit using a voltage detection device, the power supply circuit includes a secondary battery;

detecting an overcurrent of the power supply circuit using a current detection device;

shutting off the power supply circuit using a protection circuit based on a signal representing a detection made by at least one of the voltage detection device and the current detection device of an excess current that is generated in the power supply circuit; and

holding a battery status using a latch, the battery status represents the overcurrent detected by the current detection device or the overvoltage detected by the voltage detection device;

outputting a signal corresponding to the battery status in a system bus and notifying the battery status to a microcomputer, if the battery status representing at least one of the overcurrent and the overvoltage is set.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

connecting a sense amplifier to a sense resistor, wherein the current detection device is the sense amplifier.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

connecting a sense amplifier to a positive side of the secondary battery, wherein the voltage detection device is the sense amplifier.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

performing on-operations of the power supply circuit based on a judgment by the microcomputer.

9. A method of protecting a secondary battery, comprising:

detecting an overvoltage of a power supply circuit using a voltage detection device, the power supply circuit includes a secondary battery;

detecting an overcurrent of the power supply circuit using a current detection device;

shutting off the power supply circuit using a protection circuit based on a signal representing a detection made by at least one of the voltage detection device and the current detection device of an excess current that is generated in the power supply circuit; and

holding a battery status using a latch, the battery status represents the overcurrent detected by the current detection device or the overvoltage detected by the voltage detection device, wherein, if the battery status representing at least one of the overcurrent and the overvoltage is set, a signal corresponding to the battery status is output in a system bus and the battery status is notified to a microcomputer.