Voltage detection circuit, overcurrent detection circuit, charging current control system, and voltage detection method

• US 7,459,887 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hatanaka, Tadata
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah; Akm E
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US11/258,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20060113969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 320/119, 320/124, 320/132, 320/164, 320/166, 323/212
• US Class Current: 320/164
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0084 measuring voltage only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16571 comparing AC or DC current with one threshold, e.g. load current, over-current, surge current or fault current G01R19/16514, G01R19/16519, G01R19/16528, G01R19/16533, G01R19/1659 take precedence; measuring currents by using elements sensitive to the magnetic field generated G01R15/14; measuring earth resistance G01R27/18; testing for leakage or short circuits in electrical apparatus G01R31/52
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A voltage detection circuit detects an input voltage in first and second periods to average by using a switch circuit and a sampling circuit. At this time, the input voltage of the second period is added to the input voltage of the first period so that a polarity of variations is opposite, the variations being in relative errors of a plurality of resistors for dividing the input voltage, in input offset voltages of a voltage amplifier for amplifying an inputted minute voltage, and in input offset voltages of a comparator for comparing an amplified voltage value with a certain level.

Claims

1. A voltage detection circuit, comprising:

a first input terminal that inputs a first input voltage;

a second input terminal that inputs a second input voltage;

a third input terminal to provide a ground potential;

a voltage divider circuit having a first serial resistor and a second serial resistor, the first serial resister having a plurality of resistors connected in series and a first voltage dividing terminal at the intermediate connecting point of the plurality of resistors, the second serial resistor having a plurality of resistors connected in series and a second voltage dividing terminal at the intermediate connecting point of the plurality of resistors; and

a first switch circuit including a first plurality of switches and a second plurality of switches, the first plurality of switches turning on or off based on a first signal for turning on the switches for a first period, the second plurality of switches turning on or off based on a second signal for turning on the switches for a second period, the second period being different from the first period,

the first switch circuit switching the state of connection of each of the input terminals to the first serial resistor and the second serial resistor in the first period and the second period to reverse polarity of voltage inputted to the voltage divider circuit;

wherein

in the first period, the first plurality of switches of the first switch circuit connects the first input terminal to one end of the first serial resistor, connects the second input terminal to one end of the second serial resistor, and connects the third input terminal to the other end of the first serial resistor and the other end of the second serial resistor, and

in the second period, the second plurality of switches of the first switch circuit connects the third input terminal to one end of the first serial resistor and one end of the second serial resistor, connects the first input terminal to the other end of the first serial resistor, and connects the second input terminal to the other end of the second serial resistor, and

the voltage detection circuit detects a difference between the first input voltage and the second input voltage, based on the voltages output from the voltage divider circuit.

2. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage amplifier which inputs a voltage of each of the first voltage dividing terminal and the second voltage dividing terminal to amplify each inputted voltage; and

a second switch circuit which inverts the state of connection of the first voltage dividing terminal and the second voltage dividing terminal to the voltage amplifier in the first period and the second period.

3. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 2, wherein a power source voltage of the voltage amplifier is the first input voltage.

4. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first storage circuit having a first switch device connected to one output terminal of the voltage amplifier and a first storage device connected between the other output terminal of the voltage amplifier and the first switch device.

5. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 4, further comprising:

a comparator having a positive electrode input terminal which inputs a voltage of one output terminal of the voltage amplifier via the first storage device, and a negative electrode input terminal which inputs a voltage of the other output terminal of the voltage amplifier, and

a third switch circuit which is provided between the voltage amplifier and the comparator and controls an input into the comparator.

6. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 5, further comprising:

a second storage circuit having a second storage device connected between the third switch circuit and the negative electrode input terminal of the comparator, and a second switch device that connects the output terminal and the negative electrode input terminal of the comparator in the first period; and

a threshold setting circuit that has one end which is connected to the second storage device and the other end of which is connected to the positive electrode input terminal of the comparator, and outputs a threshold voltage in the first period.

7. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 6, further comprising:

a latch circuit that has a data input terminal and a clock input terminal and an output terminal, wherein

the data input terminal inputs the output of the comparator, and the clock input terminal inputs a latch signal for latching a signal inputted into the data input terminal in the second period.

8. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 7, wherein the threshold setting circuit inputs the output signal of the latch circuit to change the threshold voltage value based on the output signal of the latch circuit.

9. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 7, wherein the first period and the second period are intermittently alternately repeated, and a waiting period is set between the second period and the first period.

10. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 2, further comprising a first sampling circuit that has:

a first operational amplifier having two input terminals and two output terminals;

a third storage circuit connected to the voltage amplifier and the first operational amplifier;

a fourth switch circuit that switches connections so that, in the first period, each of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier is connected to each of the input terminals of the first operational amplifier and each of the output terminals of the first operational amplifier is connected to the third storage circuit, while, in the second period, a voltage of one of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier is inputted into one of the input terminals of the first operational amplifier via the third storage circuit and a voltage of the other of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier is inputted into the other of input terminals of the first operational amplifier; and

a fourth storage circuit that is connected to the first operational amplifier to store a voltage difference between the two output terminals of the first operational amplifier in the second period, and output a value obtained by adding the voltage difference to a reference voltage to an external output terminal in the next first period.

11. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 10, further comprising a second sampling circuit that has:

a second operational amplifier having two input terminals and two output terminals;

a fifth storage circuit connected to the voltage amplifier and the second operational amplifier;

a fifth switch circuit that switches connections so that, in the second period, each of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier is connected to each of the input terminals of the second operational amplifier, and each of the output terminals of the second operational amplifier is connected to the fifth storage circuit, while, in the first period, a voltage of one of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier is inputted into one of the input terminals of the second operational amplifier via the fifth storage circuit and a voltage of the other of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier is inputted into the other of input terminals of the second operational amplifier; and

a sixth storage circuit that is connected to the second operational amplifier to store a voltage difference between the two output terminals of the second operational amplifier in the first period and output a value obtained by adding the voltage difference to a reference voltage to the external output terminal in the second period.

12. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 11, wherein

each of the input terminals of the second operational amplifier is connected with each of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier in the same state of connection as the first operational amplifier, and

the sixth storage circuit is connected with the reference voltage and the external output terminal in the opposite state of connection to the fourth storage circuit.

13. The voltage detection circuit according to claim 11, wherein

each of the input terminals of the second operational amplifier is connected with each of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier in the opposite state of connection to the first operational amplifier, and

the sixth storage circuit is connected with the reference voltage and the external output terminal in the same state of connection as the fourth storage.

14. An overcurrent detection circuit, comprising:

a detection resistor provided between a charging battery and an equipment to be driven by applying with a voltage from the charging battery;

a third switch device connected in series with the detection resistor; and

the voltage detection circuit according to claim 7, which inputs voltages of both ends of the detection resistor and outputs a signal for controlling an open/close operations of the third switch device.

15. A charging current control system, comprising:

a charging battery which is supplied with a charging current from a external power source so as to be charged;

a charging current control circuit connected between the external power source and the charging battery;

a detection resistor connected in series with the charging current control circuit; and

the voltage detection circuit according to claim 10, which is connected with both ends of the detection resistor and outputs a detection signal based on the voltage across the detection resistor to the charging current control circuit;

wherein the charging current control circuit controls a value of the charging current based on the detection signal of the voltage detection circuit.

16. A charging current control system, comprising:

a charging battery which is supplied with a charging current from a external power source so as to be charged;

a charging current control circuit connected between the external power source and the charging battery;

a detection resistor connected in series with the charging current control circuit; and

the voltage detection circuit according to claim 11, which is connected with both ends of the detection resistor and outputs a detection signal based on the voltage of the detection resistor to the charging current control circuit;

wherein the charging current control circuit controls a value of the charging current based on the detection signal of the voltage detection circuit.

17. A voltage detection method by use of a voltage detection circuit comprising:

a first input terminal that inputs a first input voltage;

a second input terminal that inputs a second input voltage;

a third input terminal to provide a ground potential;

a voltage divider circuit having a first serial resistor and a second serial resistor, the first serial resistor having a plurality of resistors connected in series and a first voltage dividing terminal at the intermediate connecting point of the plurality of resistors, the second serial resistor having a plurality of resistors connected in series and a second voltage dividing terminal at the intermediate connecting point of the plurality of resistors; and

a first switch circuit including a first plurality of switches and a second plurality of switches, the first plurality of switches turning on or off based on a first signal for turning on the switches for a first period, the second plurality of switches turning on or off based on a second signal for turning on the switches for a second period, the second period being different from the first period,

wherein the voltage detection method comprises;

switching the state of connection of each of the input terminals to the first serial resistor and the second serial resistor in the first period and the second period by the first switch circuit to reverse polarity of voltage inputted to the voltage divider circuit; and

detecting a difference between the first input voltage and the second input voltage, based on the voltages output from the voltage divider circuit;

wherein the switching step comprises;

in the first period, by the first plurality of switches, connecting the first input terminal to one end of the first serial resistor, connecting the second input terminal to one end of the second serial resistor, and connecting the third input terminal to the other end of the first serial resistor and the other end of the second serial resistor; and

in the second period, by the second plurality of switches, connecting the third input terminal to one end of the first serial resistor and one end of the second serial resistor, connecting the first input terminal to the other end of the first serial resistor, and connecting the second input terminal to the other end of the second serial resistor.

18. The voltage detection method according to claim 17, further comprising:

inputting a voltage of each of the first voltage dividing terminal and the second voltage dividing terminal into a voltage amplifier, to amplify each inputted voltage; and

inverting the state of connection of the first voltage dividing terminal and the second voltage dividing terminal to the voltage amplifier by a second switch circuit in the first period and the second period.

19. The voltage detection method according to claim 18, further comprising:

closing a first switch device connected to one of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier, to store a voltage to be outputted from the voltage amplifier into a first storage device connected between the first switch device and the other of output terminals of the voltage amplifier, in the first period.

20. The voltage detection method according to claim 19, further comprising:

switching a third switch circuit so as to input a voltage of one of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier into a positive electrode input terminal of a comparator via the first storage device, and input a voltage of the other of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier into a negative electrode input terminal of the comparator, in the second period; and

comparing two inputted voltages by the comparator.

21. The voltage detection method according to claim 18, further comprising:

in the first period, connecting each of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier to each of the input terminals of a first operational amplifier, and also connecting each of the output terminals of the first operational amplifier to a third storage circuit;

in the second period, inputting a voltage of one of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier into one of the input terminals of the first operational amplifier via the third storage circuit, and also inputting a voltage of the other of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier into the other of input terminals of the first operational amplifier; and

connecting a fourth storage circuit to the first operational amplifier to store a voltage difference between the two output terminals of the first operational amplifier in the second period, and then outputting a value obtained by adding the voltage difference to a reference voltage in the next first period.

22. The voltage detection method according to claim 21, further comprising:

in the second period, connecting each of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier to each of the input terminals of a second operational amplifier, and also connecting each of the output terminals of the second operational amplifier to a fifth storage circuit;

in the first period, inputting a voltage of one of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier into one of the input terminals of the second operational amplifier via the fifth storage circuit, and also inputting a voltage of the other of the output terminals of the voltage amplifier into the other of input terminals of the second operational amplifier; and

connecting a sixth storage circuit to the second operational amplifier to store a voltage difference between the two output terminals of the second operational amplifier in the first period, and then outputting a value obtained by adding the voltage difference to a reference voltage in the second period.