Proximity detection circuit for on-board vehicle charger
First Claim
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1. A proximity detection circuit for use in awakening a microcontroller to perform detection of a connection of a charging cordset to a receptacle of a vehicle charging system, the cordset having a proximity pin that plugs into a terminal of the receptacle when the cordset is connected, the proximity detection circuit comprising:
- a wake-up signal generating circuit operable to generate a wake-up signal for awakening the microcontroller from a sleep state to an active state to perform detection of a connection of the charging cordset to the receptacle; and
a connection circuit configured to conduct through the pin in order to enable the wake-up signal generating circuit to generate the wake-up signal, wherein the connection circuit is operable between a first state and a second state, the first state corresponding with the connection circuit consuming a first non-zero amount of current and the second state corresponding with the connection circuit consuming a second non-zero amount of current, the second non-zero amount of current greater than the first non-zero amount of current;
wherein the connection circuit is operable between the first and second state according to controlling signals received from the microcontroller, the microcontroller controlling the connecting circuit to the first state upon determining disconnection of the cordset and to the second state upon determining connection of the cordset.
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Abstract
A proximity detection circuit is operable to detect connection of a cordset to a vehicle charging system or connection of another device to some other electrical circuit where it may be desirable to facilitate detection while a controller or other current drawing source is inactive.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A proximity detection circuit for use in awakening a microcontroller to perform detection of a connection of a charging cordset to a receptacle of a vehicle charging system, the cordset having a proximity pin that plugs into a terminal of the receptacle when the cordset is connected, the proximity detection circuit comprising:
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a wake-up signal generating circuit operable to generate a wake-up signal for awakening the microcontroller from a sleep state to an active state to perform detection of a connection of the charging cordset to the receptacle; and a connection circuit configured to conduct through the pin in order to enable the wake-up signal generating circuit to generate the wake-up signal, wherein the connection circuit is operable between a first state and a second state, the first state corresponding with the connection circuit consuming a first non-zero amount of current and the second state corresponding with the connection circuit consuming a second non-zero amount of current, the second non-zero amount of current greater than the first non-zero amount of current; wherein the connection circuit is operable between the first and second state according to controlling signals received from the microcontroller, the microcontroller controlling the connecting circuit to the first state upon determining disconnection of the cordset and to the second state upon determining connection of the cordset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A proximity detection circuit for use in awakening a microcontroller to perform detection of a connection of a charging cordset to a vehicle charging system, the proximity detection circuit comprising:
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a pulse signal generating circuit operable to generate a single-pulsed signal for use in awakening the microcontroller from a sleep state to an active state to perform detection of a connection of the charging cordset to the receptacle upon connection of the charging cordset to the vehicle charging system; and a connection circuit configured to enable the pulse signal generating circuit to generate the single-pulsed signal upon connection of the charging cordset to the vehicle charging system, wherein the connection circuit is operable between a first state and a second state, the first state corresponding with the connection circuit consuming a first non-zero amount of current and the second state corresponding with the connection circuit consuming a second non-zero amount of current, the second non-zero amount of current greater than the first non-zero amount of current; wherein the connection circuit is operable between the first and second state according to controlling signals received from the microcontroller, the microcontroller controlling the connecting circuit to the first state upon determining disconnection of the cordset and to the second state upon determining connection of the cordset. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A proximity detection circuit for use in awakening a microcontroller from a sleep state to an active state in order to perform detection of a connection of a charging cordset to a vehicle charging system, the proximity detection circuit comprising:
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a pulse signal generating circuit operable to generate a first signal having a first duration; a latching circuit operable to process the first signal into a second signal having a second duration, the second duration sufficient for awakening the microcontroller from the sleep state to the active state to perform detection of a connection of the charging cordset to the receptacle; and a connection circuit configured to enable the pulse signal generating circuit to generate the first signal upon connection of the charging cordset to the vehicle charging system, wherein the connection circuit is operable between a first state and a second state, the first state corresponding with the connection circuit consuming a first non-zero amount of current and the second state corresponding with the connection circuit consuming a second non-zero amount of current, the second non-zero amount of current being greater than the first non-zero amount of current; wherein the connection circuit is operable between the first and second state according to controlling signals received from the microcontroller, the microcontroller controlling the connecting circuit to the first state upon determining disconnection of the cordset and to the second state upon determining connection of the cordset. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. The proximity detection circuit 15 wherein the connection circuit includes a voltage divider connected to the pulse generating circuit at a connection node, the voltage divider providing a first voltage at the connection node when the cordset is disconnected and a second voltage when the cordset is connected, wherein the pulse generating circuit requires the second voltage in order to generate the first signal, and wherein the connection circuit consumes less than 150 uA through the voltage divider when providing the first voltage at the connection node.
Specification