Reliable signaling of fault conditions in battery systems with series-connected cells
First Claim
1. A system for use with a plurality of modules, each module requiring galvanic isolation from the other modules, and for use with galvanic isolators each having an input and an output, the output galvanically isolated from the input, the output responsive to the input according to a response characteristic of the isolator, the system comprising:
- each module having a respective first isolator and a respective second isolator;
the input of the respective first isolator for each module disposed controllably to receive a first activation signal from the module indicative of a module fault to be annunciated or to receive a first test signal from the module, the first test signal being smaller at the input of the respective first isolator than the first activation signal;
the input of the respective second isolator for each module disposed controllably to receive a second activation signal from the module indicative of a module fault to be annunciated or to receive a second test signal from the module, the second test signal being smaller at the input of the respective second isolator than the second activation signal;
the outputs of the respective first isolators aggregated to a first node;
the outputs of the respective second isolators aggregated to a second node;
the system further comprising a selection circuit selecting from the first node and the second node, and yielding a fault signal output when the selected node satisfies a predetermined condition;
the system further comprising a first analog-to-digital converter coupled with the first node, the first analog-to-digital converter disposed to sense an output from one of the first isolators indicative of its response characteristic in the event of a first test signal being applied to the input of the one of the first isolators;
the system further comprising a second analog-to-digital converter coupled with the second node, the second analog-to-digital converter disposed to sense an output from one of the second isolators indicative of its response characteristic in the event of a second test signal being applied to the input of the one of the second isolators.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is used with a plurality of modules, each module requiring galvanic isolation from the other modules. Galvanic isolators are employed, each having an input and an output, the output galvanically isolated from the input, the output responsive to the input according to a response characteristic of the isolator. Each module has, a respective first isolator and a respective second isolator. The input of each respective first isolator and each respective second isolator for each module is disposed controllably to receive an activation signal from the module indicative of a module fault to be annunciated or to receive a test signal from the module, the test signal being smaller than the activation signal. The outputs of the respective first isolators are aggregated to a first node and the outputs of the respective second isolators are aggregated to a second node. A selection circuit selects from the first node and the second node, yielding a fault signal output when the selected node satisfies a predetermined condition. An analog-to-digital converter is coupled with each of the nodes, the analog-to-digital converter disposed to sense an output from one of the isolators indicative of its response characteristic in the event of a test signal being applied to the isolator.
7 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A system for use with a plurality of modules, each module requiring galvanic isolation from the other modules, and for use with galvanic isolators each having an input and an output, the output galvanically isolated from the input, the output responsive to the input according to a response characteristic of the isolator, the system comprising:
-
each module having a respective first isolator and a respective second isolator; the input of the respective first isolator for each module disposed controllably to receive a first activation signal from the module indicative of a module fault to be annunciated or to receive a first test signal from the module, the first test signal being smaller at the input of the respective first isolator than the first activation signal; the input of the respective second isolator for each module disposed controllably to receive a second activation signal from the module indicative of a module fault to be annunciated or to receive a second test signal from the module, the second test signal being smaller at the input of the respective second isolator than the second activation signal; the outputs of the respective first isolators aggregated to a first node; the outputs of the respective second isolators aggregated to a second node; the system further comprising a selection circuit selecting from the first node and the second node, and yielding a fault signal output when the selected node satisfies a predetermined condition; the system further comprising a first analog-to-digital converter coupled with the first node, the first analog-to-digital converter disposed to sense an output from one of the first isolators indicative of its response characteristic in the event of a first test signal being applied to the input of the one of the first isolators; the system further comprising a second analog-to-digital converter coupled with the second node, the second analog-to-digital converter disposed to sense an output from one of the second isolators indicative of its response characteristic in the event of a second test signal being applied to the input of the one of the second isolators. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method for use with a system having a plurality of modules, each module requiring galvanic isolation from the other modules, and for use with galvanic isolators each having an input and an output, the output galvanically isolated from the input, the output responsive to the input according to a response characteristic of the isolator, each module having, a respective first isolator and a respective second isolator, the outputs of the respective first isolators aggregated to a first node, the outputs of the respective second isolators aggregated to a second node, the system further comprising a selection circuit selecting from the first node and the second node, and yielding a fault signal output when the selected node satisfies a predetermined condition, each module disposed in the event of a detected module fault to provide an activation signal to at least one of the input of the first respective isolator and the input of the second respective isolator, the method comprising the steps of:
-
selecting the second node; at a first one of the modules, providing a test signal to the input of the first respective isolator of the first one of the modules, the test signal being smaller at the input of the respective first isolator than the activation signal; sensing by means of an analog-to-digital converter the signal at the first node, whereby the response characteristic of the respective first isolator of the first one of the modules is measured. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
Specification