Circuits and methods for measuring cell voltages in battery packs
First Claim
1. A circuit for reduced power consumption management of a rechargeable multi-cell battery pack, comprising:
- a level shifter operable for shifting a terminal voltage of a battery cell from a first voltage level to a second voltage level;
a sense block coupled to said level shifter operable for monitoring the current consumed by said level shifter from said battery cell and for generating a sense signal indicative of said current;
a compensation current generator coupled to said sense block and said level shifter and operable for receiving said sense signal and generating a compensation current flowing into said battery cell according to said sense signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A circuit used to measure cell voltages in a battery pack can include a cell voltage level shifter, a sense block, and a compensation current generator. The cell voltage level shifter selects a cell and shifts the terminal voltages of the selected cell from a first voltage level to a second voltage level. The sense block monitors the current consumed by the level shifter, and generates a signal indicative of the consumed current. The compensation current generator generates compensation currents to compensate the current consumed by the level shifter. Therefore, unbalance of the cell capacities caused by the current consumed by the level shifter can be reduced or eliminated, and thus the overall capacity of the battery pack can be improved.
12 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A circuit for reduced power consumption management of a rechargeable multi-cell battery pack, comprising:
-
a level shifter operable for shifting a terminal voltage of a battery cell from a first voltage level to a second voltage level; a sense block coupled to said level shifter operable for monitoring the current consumed by said level shifter from said battery cell and for generating a sense signal indicative of said current; a compensation current generator coupled to said sense block and said level shifter and operable for receiving said sense signal and generating a compensation current flowing into said battery cell according to said sense signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An apparatus for reduced power consumption management of a rechargeable multi-cell battery pack, comprising:
a plurality of battery cells coupled in series, wherein a battery cell is selected according to a cell selection signal and wherein a voltage of a terminal of said selected battery cell is shifted from a first voltage level to a second voltage level;
wherein a consumed current flowing out of said selected battery cell terminal is sensed; and
wherein a compensation current is provided into said selected battery cell terminal, wherein said compensation current corresponds in size to said consumed current.- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
17. A method for compensating currents for reduced power consumption management of a battery pack comprising a rechargeable multi-cell battery pack, said method comprising:
-
selecting a battery cell in said battery pack to shift; shifting the terminal voltage of said battery cell from a first voltage level to a second voltage level; monitoring current consumed from said battery pack as a result of shifting said terminal voltage from said first voltage level to said second voltage level; generating a sense signal indicative of said current consumed because of said shifting; and generating a compensation current according to said sense signal, said compensation current flowing into said battery pack. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification