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Loading state determiner, load assembly, power supply circuit and method for determining a loading state of an electric power source

  • US 9,121,912 B2
  • Filed: 05/25/2012
  • Issued: 09/01/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A loading state determiner for determining a loading state of an electric power source comprising a known source impedance, comprising:

  • a voltage drop determination circuit, that provides, an electric quantity describing a voltage drop at the known source impedance of the power source and being that is proportional to an instantaneous current, based on a detection of the instantaneous current provided under load by the power source to a load; and

    an evaluation circuit that acquires, a load state signal indicating an instantaneous relation between the terminal voltage of the power source and a no-load voltage of the power source based on the electric quantity describing the voltage drop at the source impedance of the power source and an electric quantity proportional to a terminal voltage of the power source or a rectified terminal voltage of the power source,wherein the evaluation circuit compares the electric quantity describing the voltage drop at the source impedance of the power source to the electric quantity that is proportional to the terminal voltage of the power source or to the rectified terminal voltage of the power source, to determine the relation between the terminal voltage of the power source and the no-load voltage of the power source;

    wherein the evaluation circuit provides the load state signal such that the load state signal indicates whether the terminal voltage of the electric power source is at least approximately equal to the half of the no-load voltage of the electric power source or differs by more than a predetermined tolerance from the half of the no-load voltage, orwherein the evaluation circuit provides the load state signal such that the load state signal indicates whether the terminal voltage is higher or lower than the half of a no-load voltage of the electric power source.

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