Battery simulator

• US 9,823,295 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2016
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chroma ATE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Chroma ATE Incorporated
• Inventors: Wu, Chien-Ming, Tsou, Ming-Ying, Wu, Kuan-Hung, He, Kun-Che
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Trung
• Application Number:
  US15/092,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20160341787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 32475001, 324500, 324426-433, 324537, 324520, 324522, 32476401, 324600, 324616
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2846 using hard- or software simulation or using knowledge-based systems, e.g. expert systems, artificial intelligence or interactive algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/386 using test-loads

Abstract

A battery simulator for simulating the status of a battery connected to a load component includes a controllable current source, a voltage detector, and a gain controller. The controllable current source supplies an output current to the load component according to a current control signal. The voltage detector measures a detection voltage that is generated in response to the output current flowing through the load component. The gain controller is electrically connected to the controllable current source and the voltage detector and generates the current control signal according to a voltage control signal, a gain control signal and the detection voltage.

Claims

1. A battery simulator for simulating a state of a battery connected to a load component, the battery simulator comprising:

a controllable current source configured to supply an output current to the load component according to a current control signal;

a voltage detector configured to measure a detection voltage that is generated in response to the output current flowing through the load component; and

a gain controller electrically connected to the controllable current source and the voltage detector and configured to generate the current control signal according to a voltage control signal, a gain control signal and the detection voltage,

wherein a gain frequency response of the gain controller is based on an electrochemical property of the battery, and the gain control signal is set based on an internal resistor of the battery.

2. The battery simulator according to claim 1, wherein a DC gain of the gain controller is controlled by the gain control signal.

3. The battery simulator according to claim 2, wherein the output current corresponding to the current control signal is substantially equal to the product of the DC gain and a voltage difference between the detection voltage and the voltage control signal.

4. The battery simulator according to claim 1, wherein the current control signal is a digital signal, and the gain controller comprises a digital signal processor.

5. The battery simulator according to claim 1, wherein the controllable current source is a bidirectional current source.

6. A battery simulator for simulating a state of a battery connected to a load component, the battery simulator comprising:

a controllable current source configured to supply an output current to the load component according to a current control signal;

a voltage detector configured to measure a voltage difference between a detection voltage and a voltage control signal when the output current flows through the load component; and

a gain controller electrically connected to the controllable current source and the voltage detector and configured to generate the current control signal according to a gain control signal and the voltage difference,

wherein a gain frequency response of the gain controller is based on an electrochemical property of the battery, and the gain control signal is generated according to an internal resistor of the battery.

7. The battery simulator according to claim 6, wherein a DC gain of the gain controller is controlled by the gain control signal.

8. The battery simulator according to claim 7, wherein the output current corresponding to the current control signal is substantially equal to the product of the voltage difference and the DC gain.

9. The battery simulator according to claim 6, wherein the current control signal is a digital signal, and the gain controller comprises a digital signal processor.

10. The battery simulator according to claim 6, wherein the controllable current source is a bidirectional current source.