Trickle discharge for battery pack protection
First Claim
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1. A method for protecting a battery pack from a current overdrawn condition, comprising the steps of:
- a) turning a discharge switch off when a large current overdrawn condition occurs;
b) generating a control signal at a switch control circuit formed by a charge PET connected back-to-back to a discharge PET, the charge PET being connected by a charge driver and the discharge PET being connected by a discharge driver, the control signal having a predefined maximum level;
c) generating a trickle discharge current under control of the control signal, the trickle discharge current having a threshold current level and being capable of preventing the large current overdrawn from the battery pack;
d) detecting whether the large current overdrawn condition still exists according to the trickle discharge current, the threshold current level and the predefined maximum level;
e) repeating the steps of a) to d) if the large current overdrawn condition still exists; and
f) turning on the discharge switch if the large current overdrawn condition is removed.
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Abstract
Battery protection circuitry and method are disclosed. A battery is protected from a large current overdrawn condition by setting a discharge switch into a controllable conduction state. After the discharge switch is in the controllable conduction state, a tickle discharge current is gradually generated under control of a switch control signal. The trickle discharge current can be used to determine whether the large current overdrawn condition still exists. When the large current overdrawn condition is removed, the discharge switch is turned back on.
12 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for protecting a battery pack from a current overdrawn condition, comprising the steps of:
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a) turning a discharge switch off when a large current overdrawn condition occurs; b) generating a control signal at a switch control circuit formed by a charge PET connected back-to-back to a discharge PET, the charge PET being connected by a charge driver and the discharge PET being connected by a discharge driver, the control signal having a predefined maximum level; c) generating a trickle discharge current under control of the control signal, the trickle discharge current having a threshold current level and being capable of preventing the large current overdrawn from the battery pack; d) detecting whether the large current overdrawn condition still exists according to the trickle discharge current, the threshold current level and the predefined maximum level; e) repeating the steps of a) to d) if the large current overdrawn condition still exists; and f) turning on the discharge switch if the large current overdrawn condition is removed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification