Circuit and method for detecting a dielectric breakdown fault
First Claim
1. A detection circuit for detecting a dielectric breakdown fault in an electric circuit having a high voltage battery, the circuit comprising:
- means for continuously monitoring the voltage of the high voltage battery;
means for taking a first voltage reading of the high voltage battery at a first fixed time interval;
means for taking a second voltage reading of the high voltage battery at a second fixed time interval;
means for calculating the change between the first and second voltage readings over a change in time;
means for comparing the first and second voltage readings to the voltage of the high voltage battery and generating a first output signal;
means for storing the first output signal;
means for taking a third voltage reading of the high voltage battery at a third fixed time interval;
means for calculating the change between the second and third voltage readings over the change in time;
means for comparing the change between the second and third voltage readings to the voltage of the high voltage battery and generating a second output signal;
means for storing the second output signal; and
means for adjusting at least one of the first, second or third time interval to estimate the steady state voltage wherein said output signals are used to determine the resistance of the dielectric breakdown fault.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved circuit and method for detecting dielectric breakdown and ground fault conditions is provided. The circuitry and method of the present invention include taking a continuous voltage reading of the high voltage battery and sampling the continuous voltage reading of the high voltage battery at a fixed time interval. The circuitry and method calculate a change in the continuous voltage reading of the high voltage battery over the change in time and repeatedly calculate an optimum fixed time interval and an optimum change in voltage over time. Storage of the optimum fixed time interval and optimum change in voltage over time provides for repeatedly comparing the optimum change in voltage over the fixed time interval to the constant voltage of the high voltage battery to calculate the resistance of the dielectric breakdown fault. The calculation of the resistance of the dielectric breakdown fault is carried out independently of the capacitance of the electric circuit. The circuit and method provide adjustment of the optimum fixed time interval to improve the speed of the comparison of the optimum change in voltage over time to the constant voltage of the high voltage battery to calculate the resistance of the dielectric breakdown fault.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A detection circuit for detecting a dielectric breakdown fault in an electric circuit having a high voltage battery, the circuit comprising:
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means for continuously monitoring the voltage of the high voltage battery; means for taking a first voltage reading of the high voltage battery at a first fixed time interval; means for taking a second voltage reading of the high voltage battery at a second fixed time interval; means for calculating the change between the first and second voltage readings over a change in time; means for comparing the first and second voltage readings to the voltage of the high voltage battery and generating a first output signal; means for storing the first output signal; means for taking a third voltage reading of the high voltage battery at a third fixed time interval; means for calculating the change between the second and third voltage readings over the change in time; means for comparing the change between the second and third voltage readings to the voltage of the high voltage battery and generating a second output signal; means for storing the second output signal; and means for adjusting at least one of the first, second or third time interval to estimate the steady state voltage wherein said output signals are used to determine the resistance of the dielectric breakdown fault. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A detection circuit for detecting a dielectric breakdown fault in an electric circuit having a high voltage battery, the circuit comprising:
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means for taking a continuous voltage reading of the high voltage battery; means for sampling the continuous voltage reading of the high voltage battery at a fixed time interval; means for calculating a change in the continuous voltage reading of the high voltage battery over a change in time; means for repeatedly calculating an optimum fixed time interval and an optimum change in voltage over time; means for storing the optimum fixed time interval and optimum change in voltage over time; means for repeatedly comparing the optimum change in voltage over the fixed time interval to the constant voltage of the high voltage battery to calculate a resistance of the dielectric breakdown fault; means for adjusting the optimum fixed time interval to improve a speed of the comparison of the optimum change in voltage over time to the constant voltage of the high voltage battery to calculate the resistance of the dielectric breakdown fault. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of detecting a dielectric breakdown fault in an electric circuit having a high voltage battery, comprising the steps of:
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measuring a continuous voltage reading of the high voltage battery; sampling the continuous voltage reading of the high voltage battery at a fixed time interval; calculating a change in the continuous voltage reading of the high voltage battery over the fixed time interval; repeatedly calculating an optimum fixed time interval and an optimum change in voltage over time; storing the optimum fixed time interval and optimum change in voltage over time; repeatedly comparing the optimum change in voltage over the fixed time interval to the constant voltage of the high voltage battery to calculate the resistance of the dielectric breakdown fault; and adjusting the optimum fixed time interval to reduce the time to compare the optimum change in voltage over time to the constant voltage of the high voltage battery thereby reducing the time to calculate the resistance of the dielectric breakdown fault. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification