Circuit and system and method for controlling battery

• US 8,952,662 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Original Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Inventors: Ma, Chun-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US13/351,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20130119938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 320/134, 320/116, 320/118, 320/119
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]

Abstract

A battery control circuit for balancing a battery includes a voltage detector, a controller, a balancing device, and a switch. The voltage detector is configured to detect a voltage difference of the battery so as to generate a detecting signal. The controller is configured to generate a control signal according to the detecting signal. The switch is coupled between the battery and the balancing device, and is opened or closed according to the control signal, wherein if the voltage difference is greater than a threshold value, the switch is closed and the balancing device draws a load current from the battery, and if the voltage difference is smaller than or equal to the threshold value, the switch is opened and the balancing device is not capable of drawing any current.

Claims

1. A battery control circuit for balancing a battery, comprising:

a controller, generating a control signal according to a voltage difference of the battery;

a balancing device; and

a switch, coupled between the battery and the balancing device, being opened or closed according to the control signal,

wherein if the voltage difference is greater than a threshold value, the switch is closed and the balancing device draws a load current from the battery, and if the voltage difference is smaller than or equal to the threshold value, the switch is opened and the balancing device is not capable of drawing any current;

wherein the controller comprises;

a Zener diode, having a cathode and an anode coupled to a ground voltage; and

an OR gate, having two input ends coupled to the cathode of the Zener diode and an output end coupled to the switch, wherein the output end is configured to output the control signal.

2. The battery control circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a voltage detector detecting the voltage difference of the battery so as to generate a detecting signal, wherein the control signal is generated according to the detecting signal, wherein the voltage detector comprises:

an operational amplifier (OP), having a positive input end coupled to the battery, a negative input end coupled to the ground voltage, and an output end, wherein the output end is configured to output the detecting signal.

3. The battery control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the balancing device is coupled to the ground voltage or a next-stage battery interconnected in series with the battery.

4. The battery control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch comprises:

a first transistor, coupled between the battery and the balancing device, and having a gate;

a second transistor, coupled between the gate of the first transistor and the ground voltage, and having a gate coupled to the control signal; and

a resistor, coupled between the gate of the first transistor and the battery.

5. The battery control circuit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first transistor is a PMOS transistor (P-channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor), and the second transistor is an NMOS transistor (N-channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor).

6. A battery control system, comprising:

a battery, having a voltage difference;

a controller, generating a control signal according to the voltage difference of the battery;

a balancing device; and

a switch, coupled between the battery and the balancing device, being opened or closed according to the control signal,

wherein if the voltage difference is greater than a threshold value, the switch is closed and the balancing device draws a load current from the battery, and if the voltage difference is smaller than or equal to the threshold value, the switch is opened and the balancing device is not capable of drawing any current;

wherein the controller comprises;

a Zener diode, having a cathode and an anode coupled to a ground voltage; and

an OR gate, having two input ends coupled to the cathode of the Zener diode and an output end coupled to the switch, wherein the output end is configured to output the control signal.

7. The battery control system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a voltage detector detecting the voltage difference of the battery so as to generate a detecting signal, wherein the control signal is generated according to the detecting signal, wherein the voltage detector comprises:

an operational amplifier (OP), having a positive input end coupled to the battery, a negative input end coupled to the ground voltage, and an output end, wherein the output end is configured to output the detecting signal.

8. The battery control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the balancing device is coupled to the ground voltage or a next-stage battery interconnected in series with the battery.

9. The battery control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the switch comprises:

a first transistor, coupled between the battery;

a second transistor, coupled between the gate of the first transistor and the ground voltage, and having a gate coupled to the control signal; and

a resistor, coupled between the gate of the first transistor and the battery.

10. The battery control system as claimed in claim 6, further coupled to a processor configured to obtain the detecting signal.

11. A battery control method for balancing a battery, comprising the steps of:

generating a control signal according to a voltage difference of the battery;

drawing a load current from the battery by a balancing device if the voltage difference is greater than a threshold value; and

not drawing current from the battery by the balancing device if the voltage difference is smaller than or equal to the threshold value;

wherein the steps of drawing or not drawing a load current from the battery by a balancing device is performed by a switch and the balancing device, the control signal is generated by a controller, and wherein the controller comprises;

a Zener diode, having a cathode and an anode coupled to a ground voltage; and

an OR gate, having two input ends coupled to the cathode of the Zener diode and an output end coupled to the switch, wherein the output end is configured to output the control signal.

12. The battery control method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a voltage detector is used to detect the voltage difference of the battery so as to generate a detecting signal, wherein the control signal is generated according to the detecting signal, and wherein the voltage detector comprises:

an operational amplifier (OP), having a positive input end coupled to the battery, a negative input end coupled to the ground voltage, and an output end, wherein the output end is configured to output the detecting signal.

13. The battery control method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the balancing device is coupled to the ground voltage or a next-stage battery interconnected in series with the battery.

14. The battery control method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the switch comprises:

a first transistor, coupled between the battery and the balancing device, and having a gate;

a second transistor, coupled between the gate of the first transistor and the ground voltage, and having a gate coupled to the control signal; and

a resistor, coupled between the gate of the first transistor and the battery.

15. The battery control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first transistor is a PMOS transistor (P-channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor), and the second transistor is an NMOS transistor (N-channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor).