Voltage measurement device and voltage measurement system

• US 8,957,686 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ueda, Masahiro, Aoshima, Yoshinori, Kudo, Akihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAN, EMILY Y
• Application Number:
  US13/405,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20120223722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 324426-450, 324/537, 324/538
• US Class Current: 324/537
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery

Abstract

A voltage measurement device, includes: a multiplexer that includes a plurality of input terminals at which voltage signals are inputted; a control circuit that performs voltage measurement by acquiring the voltage signal at a selected input terminal from the multiplexer; and a decision circuit that makes a decision as to whether or not an abnormality has occurred, based upon voltage values measured by the control circuit, wherein: the plurality of input terminals include input terminals at which voltage signals from a plurality of subjects of measurement are inputted, and an input terminal at which a potential for diagnosis is inputted; the control circuit, when performing voltage measurement for the plurality of subjects of measurement, measures voltages at the input terminals at which the voltage signals from the plurality of subjects of measurement are inputted, and a voltage at the input terminal at which the potential for diagnosis is inputted.

Claims

1. A voltage measurement device, comprising:

a multiplexer that includes a plurality of input terminals at which voltage signals are inputted, an input changeover terminal at which a changeover signal for changing over the plurality of input terminals is inputted, and an output terminal;

a control circuit that performs voltage measurement by inputting the changeover signal to the input changeover terminal of the multiplexer and thus causing the multiplexer to select one of the plurality of input terminals, and by acquiring the voltage signal at a selected input terminal from the multiplexer; and

a decision circuit that makes a decision as to whether or not an abnormality has occurred, based upon voltage values measured by the control circuit, wherein;

the plurality of input terminals include input terminals at which voltage signals from a plurality of subjects of measurement are inputted, and an input terminal at which a potential for diagnosis is inputted;

the control circuit, when performing voltage measurement for the plurality of subjects of measurement, measures voltages at the input terminals at which the voltage signals from the plurality of subjects of measurement are inputted, and a voltage at the input terminal at which the potential for diagnosis is inputted;

the decision circuit makes a decision as to an abnormality, based upon the voltage values measured by the control circuit;

the input terminal at which the potential for diagnosis is inputted includes an input terminal at which a voltage source that generates a voltage higher than a normal voltage range for the subjects of measurement is connected, and an input terminal at which a ground of the multiplexer is connected;

the control circuit, when measuring a voltage at an input terminal at which a voltage signal from one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, performs a first voltage measurement in which, after having temporarily selected the input terminal that is connected to the ground, the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted is selected to be measured, and a second voltage measurement in which, after having temporarily selected the input terminal that is connected to the voltage source, the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted is selected to be measured; and

the decision circuit determines that there is an open circuiting abnormality of the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, when a difference between a voltage value measured in the second voltage measurement and a voltage value measured in the first voltage measurement is greater than a threshold value that is determined based upon a voltage value of the voltage source.

2. A voltage measurement device according to claim 1, wherein

a voltage source that generates a voltage higher than a normal voltage range for the subjects of measurement is connected to the input terminal at which the potential for diagnosis is inputted.

3. A voltage measurement device according to claim 2, wherein:

the multiplexer includes an operation control input terminal at which an inactivating signal that, irrespective of the changeover signal inputted to the input changeover terminal, makes an inactivated state in which all of the plurality of input terminals and the output terminal are disconnected to each other, and an activating signal that makes the changeover signal inputted to the input changeover terminal effective, are inputted; and

the control circuit, when changing over a state of selection of the input terminals, after having inputted the inactivating signal to the multiplexer, then inputs the changeover signal and the activating signal.

4. A voltage measurement device according to claim 2, wherein:

the control circuit, after having temporarily selected the input terminal that is connected to the voltage source, then selects an input terminal at which a voltage signal from one of the subjects of measurement is inputted and performs voltage measurement; and

the decision circuit determines that there is an open circuiting abnormality of the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, when the measured voltage value is higher than a threshold value that is determined based upon the voltage value of the voltage source.

5. A voltage measurement device according to claim 2, further comprising:

RC filters each comprising a filter resistor and a filter capacitor, provided between the input terminals and the subjects of measurement, wherein;

the control circuit performs one or more times an operation of temporarily selecting the input terminal that is connected to the voltage source, and then selecting the input terminal at which a voltage signal from one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, and thereafter performs voltage measurement at the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted; and

the decision circuit determines that there is an open circuiting abnormality of the filter resistor corresponding to the input terminal, when the measured voltage value is higher than a threshold value that has been determined based upon the voltage value of the voltage source.

6. A voltage measurement device according to claim 2, further comprising:

RC filters each comprising a filter resistor and a filter capacitor, provided between the input terminals and the subjects of measurement, wherein;

the control circuit performs one or more times an operation of temporarily selecting the input terminal that is connected to the ground, and then selecting the input terminal at which a voltage signal from one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, and thereafter performs voltage measurement at the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted; and

the decision circuit determines that there is an open circuiting abnormality of the filter resistor corresponding to the input terminal, when the measured voltage value is lower than a threshold value that has been determined based upon a ground potential.

7. A voltage measurement device according to claim 1, wherein

a ground of the multiplexer is connected to the input terminal at which the potential for diagnosis is inputted.

8. A voltage measurement device according to claim 7, wherein:

the control circuit, after having temporarily selected the input terminal that is connected to the ground, then selects an input terminal at which a voltage signal from one of the subjects of measurement is inputted and performs voltage measurement; and

the decision circuit determines that there is an open circuiting abnormality of the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, when the measured voltage value is lower than a threshold value that is determined based upon ground potential.

9. A voltage measurement device according to claim 1, wherein

the decision circuit determines that there is an abnormality of the multiplexer, when the measured voltage values at the plurality of input terminals are all the same value.

10. A voltage measurement device according to claim 1, wherein

the decision circuit determines that there is an abnormality of the multiplexer, when a measured voltage value at the input terminal at which the potential for diagnosis is inputted is different from a voltage value corresponding to the potential for diagnosis.

11. A voltage measurement device according to claim 1, wherein:

the control circuit, after having temporarily selected the input terminal that is connected to the voltage source, then selects an input terminal at which a voltage signal from one of the subjects of measurement is inputted and performs voltage measurement; and

the decision circuit determines that there is an open circuiting abnormality of the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, when the measured voltage value is higher than a threshold value that is determined based upon the voltage value of the voltage source.

12. A voltage measurement device according to claim 1, wherein:

the control circuit, after having temporarily selected the input terminal that is connected to the ground, then selects an input terminal at which a voltage signal from one of the subjects of measurement is inputted and performs voltage measurement; and

the decision circuit determines that there is an open circuiting abnormality of the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, when the measured voltage value is lower than a threshold value that is determined based upon ground potential.

13. A voltage measurement system comprising:

a voltage measurement device that contains a multiplexer that includes a plurality of input terminals at which voltage signals are inputted, an input changeover terminal at which a changeover signal for changing over the plurality of input terminals are inputted, and an output terminal, and a control circuit that performs voltage measurement by inputting the changeover signal to the input changeover terminal of the multiplexer and thus causing the multiplexer to select one of the plurality of input terminals, and by acquiring the voltage signal at the selected input terminal from the multiplexer; and

a decision device to which the measured voltage values outputted from the control circuit are inputted, and that makes a decision as to whether or not an abnormality has occurred based upon the voltage values measured by the control circuit, wherein;

the plurality of input terminals include input terminals at which voltage signals from the plurality of subjects of measurement are inputted, and an input terminal at which a potential for diagnosis is inputted;

the control circuit, when performing voltage measurement for the plurality of subjects of measurement, measures voltages at the input terminals at which the voltage signals from the plurality of subjects of measurement are inputted, and a voltage at the input terminal at which the potential for diagnosis is inputted;

the input terminal at which the potential for diagnosis is inputted includes an input terminal at which a voltage source that generates a voltage higher than a normal voltage range for the subjects of measurement is connected, and an input terminal at which a ground of the multiplexer is connected;

the control circuit, when measuring a voltage at an input terminal at which a voltage signal from one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, performs a first voltage measurement in which, after having temporarily selected the input terminal that is connected to the ground, the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted is selected to be measured, and a second voltage measurement in which, after having temporarily selected the input terminal that is connected to the voltage source, the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted is selected to be measured; and

the decision circuit determines that there is an open circuiting abnormality of the input terminal at which the voltage signal from that one of the subjects of measurement is inputted, when a difference between a voltage value measured in the second voltage measurement and a voltage value measured in the first voltage measurement is greater than a threshold value that is determined based upon a voltage value of the voltage source.