Battery protection method, circuit and chip

Abstract

The invention provides a battery protection method, circuit and chip, the battery protection circuit comprises a battery protection unit and a trigger unit, and the battery protection unit is connected between a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a battery; the trigger unit is connected with the battery protection unit and used for triggering an enabling state when it is detected that the battery voltage drops to be smaller than a first voltage threshold value so as to control the battery voltage to drop to be smaller than a second voltage threshold value and enable the battery to enter an under-voltage protection mode. The sensitivity of the battery entering the under-voltage protection mode is improved through the trigger unit, the leakage current is reduced to the maximum extent, the shutdown power consumption is reduced, the shutdown storage time of the electronic equipment is prolonged, the safety risks such as swelling of the battery are avoided, and the circuit is simple in structure, easy and convenient to operate and wide in applicability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of integrated circuit design and application technology, and in particular to a battery protection method, circuit, and chip. Background Art

[0002] Battery-powered electronic devices are often stored powered down in warehouses from the time they are assembled until they are used by the end user. Furthermore, end users may not use their devices for extended periods of time, necessitating the need to reduce their power consumption when powered down. However, due to limitations in the manufacturing process, technology, and device properties of electronic devices, reducing power consumption during power downtime is difficult, leading to safety risks such as battery bulging.

[0003] It should be noted that the above introduction to the technical background is merely intended to provide a clear and complete description of the technical solutions of this application and facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Simply because these solutions are described in the background technology section of this application, it should not be assumed that the above technical solutions are well known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a battery protection method, circuit, and chip.

[0005] A first embodiment of the present application provides a battery protection circuit, including:

[0006] A battery protection unit and a trigger unit, wherein the battery protection unit is connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery;

[0007] The trigger unit is connected to the battery protection unit and is used to trigger the enable state when it is detected that the battery voltage drops below a first voltage threshold, so as to control the battery voltage to drop below a second voltage threshold, so that the battery enters an undervoltage protection mode.

[0008] A second aspect of the present application provides a battery protection method, which is applicable to the battery protection circuit provided in the first aspect of the present application. The method includes:

[0009] Get the real-time battery voltage of the battery;

[0010] In response to the battery voltage dropping below a first voltage threshold, a trigger unit in the battery protection circuit is triggered to enter an enabled state to control the battery voltage to drop below a second voltage threshold, so that the battery enters an undervoltage protection mode.

[0011] The third embodiment of the present application provides a chip, which includes the battery protection circuit provided in the first embodiment of the present application, and is used to control the state of the battery entering the undervoltage protection mode.

[0012] The fourth aspect embodiment of the present application proposes a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium, which, when the instructions in the storage medium are executed by the processor of an electronic device, enables the electronic device to execute the method proposed in the second aspect embodiment of the present application.

[0013] The fifth aspect embodiment of the present application proposes a computer program product, including a computer program, which implements the method proposed in the second aspect embodiment of the present application when executed by a processor in a communication device.

[0014] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application bring at least the following beneficial effects:

[0015] The trigger unit is used to improve the sensitivity of the battery entering the undervoltage protection mode, minimize leakage current, reduce shutdown power consumption, extend the shutdown storage time of electronic equipment, and avoid safety risks such as battery bulging. The circuit structure is simple, the operation is easy, and it has wide applicability.

[0016] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become apparent and easily understood from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a circuit structure for improving the storage time of an electronic device provided in an example of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a battery protection circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 3 A flowchart of a battery protection method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 4 A flowchart of another battery protection method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Exemplary embodiments are described in detail herein, with examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, identical numbers in different figures represent identical or similar elements, unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all possible implementations consistent with the present invention. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present invention, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0023] The terms used in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. The singular forms "a" and "the" used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0024] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various information in the embodiments of the present application, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of the embodiments of the present application, the first information may also be referred to as the second information, and similarly, the second information may also be referred to as the first information. Depending on the context, the words "if" and "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to a determination."

[0025] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present application, and should not be understood as limiting the present application.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a circuit structure for improving the storage time of an electronic device provided in an example of this application. Figure 1 As shown, in order to extend the storage time of electronic devices, two methods can generally be used: one is to reduce the shutdown power consumption of the electronic devices, and the other is to reduce the leakage current of the battery itself.

[0027] The leakage current of the battery is related to the device structure. Specifically, the device structure of the battery usually includes: a thin layer (i.e., an N-type semiconductor region, a semiconductor doped with a pentavalent impurity element, a pentavalent impurity element includes: phosphorus, arsenic, etc., a pentavalent impurity atom combines with a quadrivalent silicon atom to form a covalent bond of 8 "electrons", then there will inevitably be an extra "electron" without a covalent bond, forming a "free electron", and the impurity atom becomes a positive ion due to its positive charge), a depletion layer (i.e., a PN junction), a body region (i.e., a P-type semiconductor region, a semiconductor doped with a trivalent impurity element, a trivalent impurity element includes: boron, gallium, etc., a tri ... When a covalent bond is formed, one valence electron is missing, leaving a hole in the covalent bond. The hole can easily capture electrons, turning the impurity atom into a negative ion). For batteries, there are always some harmful impurities and defects. Some of these impurities and defects exist in the silicon wafer itself, and some are formed during the manufacturing process. These harmful impurities and defects can capture holes and electrons. The capture process is accompanied by the directional movement of carriers, which generates a small current. This small current is called leakage current. Therefore, the leakage current of the battery is difficult to control, and the storage time of the electronic device can only be extended by reducing the shutdown power consumption of the electronic device.

[0028] Further, if Figure 1 As shown, the overall power consumption of the electronic device can be controlled by controlling the shutdown operation of the switch S on the power supply path. However, in some application scenarios, the switch S is directly powered by a battery, which makes it difficult to cut off the power supply path and reduce the shutdown power consumption. In addition, the switch S can usually be turned off only when the electronic device is shipped and activated, and it is difficult to reactivate the electronic device at the end user after shipment.

[0029] The battery protection method, circuit, and chip according to the embodiments of the present application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery protection circuit provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 As shown, the circuit includes but is not limited to the following components:

[0031] A battery protection unit and a trigger unit, wherein the battery protection unit is connected between the positive and negative poles of the battery, and is used to control the battery charging and discharging process, the battery capacity and the battery health, and to monitor the battery voltage, current and temperature.

[0032] Alternatively, as an example, Figure 2 As shown, the battery protection unit includes: a fuel gauge subunit, a primary protection subunit and a secondary protection subunit, wherein:

[0033] The primary protection subunit is connected between the positive and negative poles of the battery and is used to control the battery's charge and discharge process and protect the battery from overload and short circuit. The primary protection subunit, also known as active component protection, protects the battery from overcharge, overdischarge, overload, and short circuit. Its protection action is recoverable. When safety events such as overcharge, overdischarge, overcurrent, and short circuit occur, the corresponding charge and discharge switches are disconnected. Once the safety event is resolved, the switches are closed again, allowing the battery to continue to be used. The primary protection subunit can be located on either the high side or the low side and should be configured according to the specific usage scenario.

[0034] The secondary protection subunit is connected in parallel with the primary protection subunit and is used to protect the battery from overload and short circuit when the primary protection unit fails. The secondary protection subunit is based on the primary protection subunit and adds a level of passive component protection. The secondary protection subunit can use a fuse, a polymer positive coefficient temperature element, a self-resetting overcurrent protection device, etc. The protection action of the secondary protection subunit is usually irreversible.

[0035] The fuel gauge subunit is connected in parallel with the primary protection subunit and is used to control the battery capacity and battery health, monitor the battery voltage, current, and temperature, and configure the undervoltage protection time. The fuel gauge subunit can provide the host system with information such as battery voltage, current, and temperature to facilitate system application decisions. For example, accurate battery terminal voltage, current, and temperature are conducive to safe and accurate charge and discharge control and management. The fuel gauge subunit can predict the battery's remaining capacity, battery full capacity, battery remaining capacity percentage, remaining empty time, and remaining full time. With accurate capacity prediction, the battery capacity can be fully utilized, charging more fully and discharging more empty, thereby achieving longer battery life. The fuel gauge subunit can also predict battery health and promptly reflect the degree of battery aging, facilitating the system's decision-making on battery recycling or replacement. Furthermore, to avoid malfunction of the undervoltage protection mode during low voltage, and to ensure the stability of the electronic device after low voltage shutdown and the sensitivity requirements of the trigger unit, the fuel gauge subunit can also configure the undervoltage protection time.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, the trigger unit is connected to the battery protection unit and is used to trigger the enable state when it is detected that the battery voltage drops below a first voltage threshold, so as to control the battery voltage to drop below a second voltage threshold, so that the battery enters the undervoltage protection mode.

[0037] Specifically, as an example, Figure 2As shown, the trigger unit includes a trigger subunit and a filter subunit, wherein the trigger subunit is connected to the primary protection subunit and is configured to trigger an enable state upon detecting that the battery voltage has dropped to a first voltage threshold, thereby controlling the battery voltage to drop to a second voltage threshold, causing the battery to enter an undervoltage protection mode. More specifically, the trigger subunit includes a power device and a voltage divider resistor, wherein a first end of the voltage divider resistor is connected to the primary protection subunit; a first end of the power device is connected to a second end of the voltage divider resistor, a second end of the power device is connected to the filter subunit, and a third end of the power device is connected to the negative terminal of the battery. When the power device is turned on, the battery enters the undervoltage protection mode.

[0038] It should be noted that in order to ensure the efficiency of triggering the enable state, the power devices and voltage divider resistors:

[0039] When the battery enters the undervoltage protection mode, the power device is turned on, and the operating voltage VDD1 of the first-level protection sub-unit = the monitoring voltage of the battery * (voltage divider resistor + on-resistance of the power device) / (voltage divider resistor + on-resistance of the power device + R1), where R1 is the connection resistance between the working voltage terminal of the first-level protection sub-unit and the positive electrode of the battery. Under normal circumstances, the on-resistance of the power device is very small and can be almost ignored. Therefore, the operating voltage VDD1 of the first-level protection sub-unit ≈ the monitoring voltage of the battery * (voltage divider resistor) / (voltage divider resistor + R1). Furthermore, when the operating voltage VDD1 of the first-level protection sub-unit is less than the first voltage threshold, the trigger unit triggers the enable state. At the same time, in order to ensure the overload capacity of the voltage divider resistor, it is necessary to reserve a margin of 2 times the total power of the electronic device. The resistance value of the voltage divider resistor is set based on the margin. The specific setting process will not be repeated here.

[0040] On the other hand, in order to ensure the efficiency of controlling the battery voltage to drop to the second voltage threshold, the configuration of the fuel gauge subunit includes:

[0041] Add a first voltage threshold register, a second voltage threshold register, a voltage hysteresis curve register of the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold (for anti-jitter design), a current threshold register (set in combination with the overall power consumption of the electronic device), an undervoltage protection time register, and an interrupt pin set time register, wherein the second voltage threshold = the first voltage threshold - the offset accuracy, and the offset accuracy is set by the sensitivity. As an example, the first voltage threshold is equal to 2.9V, and the offset accuracy is determined to be 30mV according to the sensitivity requirement, then the second voltage threshold is configured to be 2.87V. When the battery voltage drops to less than 2.9V, the trigger unit is based on the output signal of the fuel gauge sub-unit (interrupt signal, that is, the signal output by the interrupt pin of the fuel gauge sub-unit), and the enable state is triggered. ; To avoid the battery entering the undervoltage protection mode incorrectly, the undervoltage protection time is configured, and the real-time voltage of the battery is continuously obtained within the undervoltage protection time range. When the battery voltage drops to less than 2.87V, the battery enters the undervoltage protection mode, wherein the voltage hysteresis curve composed of the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold is used to control the jitter generated when the battery enters the undervoltage protection mode to improve the accuracy of the battery entering the undervoltage protection mode; the current threshold register is set according to the overall power consumption of the electronic device; to ensure the stability of the interrupt signal output by the fuel gauge sub-unit, the set time register of the interrupt pin is configured. Under normal circumstances, the set time of the interrupt pin is greater than the monitoring time of the battery real-time voltage. The specific parameters should be combined with the usage scenario, and will not be described here one by one.

[0042] Specifically, as an example, Figure 2 As shown, the filter subunit is connected between the trigger subunit and the fuel gauge subunit and is used to filter the output signal of the fuel gauge subunit. More specifically, the filter subunit includes a filter resistor and a filter capacitor, wherein: the first end of the filter resistor is connected to the fuel gauge subunit; the filter capacitor is connected between the second end of the filter resistor and the reference ground.

[0043] It should be noted that the trigger unit can also be set using a dedicated integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, or a digital signal processor; between the trigger unit and the fuel gauge sub-unit, the logical functions of the first voltage threshold register, the second voltage threshold register, the voltage hysteresis curve register of the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold, the current threshold register, the undervoltage protection time register, and the set time register of the interrupt pin are described by setting a buffer, a gate-level circuit, etc. As long as the stability and sensitivity of the battery entering the undervoltage protection mode can be guaranteed, any trigger unit and undervoltage protection mode jump form are applicable, and are not limited to this embodiment.

[0044] In summary, the trigger unit is used to improve the sensitivity of the battery entering the undervoltage protection mode, minimize leakage current, reduce shutdown power consumption, extend the shutdown storage time of electronic equipment, and avoid safety risks such as battery bulging. The circuit structure is simple, the operation is easy, and it has wide applicability.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a flow chart of a battery protection method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 As shown, the battery protection method is applicable to the battery protection circuit provided in this embodiment, and the method includes but is not limited to the following steps:

[0046] S301: Acquire the real-time battery voltage of the battery.

[0047] For a detailed description of step S301, please refer to the relevant contents in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0048] S302 : In response to the battery voltage dropping below a first voltage threshold, triggering a trigger unit in the battery protection circuit to enter an enabled state, so as to control the battery voltage to drop below a second voltage threshold, so that the battery enters an undervoltage protection mode.

[0049] It should be noted that in order to control the stability of the battery voltage when it drops below the second voltage threshold and avoid misoperation, an undervoltage protection time can also be set. Furthermore, the undervoltage protection time is determined, and the battery voltage is controlled to drop to the second voltage threshold within the undervoltage protection time. Based on the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold, a voltage hysteresis curve is determined to prevent jitter when the battery enters the undervoltage protection mode; the undervoltage protection time is determined based on the overall power consumption of the battery protection circuit and the voltage hysteresis curve. For more specific details about the undervoltage protection time setting process, please refer to the relevant content of the above embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0050] To ensure the sensitivity of the battery entering undervoltage protection mode, the second voltage threshold setting process includes: determining the sensitivity requirement of the trigger unit based on the real-time battery voltage, the on-resistance of the trigger unit, and the overload requirement of the trigger unit; determining the second voltage threshold based on the sensitivity requirement and the first voltage threshold. Furthermore, determining the offset accuracy of the first voltage threshold based on the sensitivity requirement; and performing a differential operation on the first voltage threshold and the offset accuracy to determine the second voltage threshold. For more detailed information on the second voltage threshold setting process, please refer to the relevant content of the above embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0051] In summary, the trigger unit is used to improve the sensitivity of the battery entering the undervoltage protection mode, minimize leakage current, reduce shutdown power consumption, extend the shutdown storage time of electronic equipment, and avoid safety risks such as battery bulging. The circuit structure is simple, the operation is easy, and it has wide applicability.

[0052] Figure 4 This is a flow chart of a battery protection method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 As shown, the method includes but is not limited to the following steps:

[0053] S401: Acquire the real-time battery voltage of the battery.

[0054] For a detailed description of step S401, please refer to the relevant contents in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0055] S402, when the battery voltage drops below the first voltage threshold, the trigger unit enters the enabled state. Within the undervoltage protection time range, the trigger unit controls the battery voltage to drop below the second voltage threshold, and the battery current is less than the current threshold, then the fuel gauge sub-unit outputs an interrupt signal; otherwise, the fuel gauge sub-unit does not output an interrupt signal and continues to monitor the battery voltage drop status.

[0056] For a more detailed description of step S402, please refer to the relevant contents in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0057] S403, according to the interrupt signal, the power device is turned on, so that the battery enters the undervoltage protection mode. If the battery is connected to a charger for charging, the battery exits the undervoltage protection mode; otherwise, the battery continues to remain in the undervoltage protection mode.

[0058] For a more detailed introduction to step S403, please refer to the relevant contents in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0059] This embodiment further provides a chip, comprising the battery protection circuit provided in the embodiment of the present application, for controlling the state of the battery entering an undervoltage protection mode. It should be noted that the chip can be configured using either a dedicated integrated circuit or a field programmable gate array. As long as the chip can control the state of the battery entering the undervoltage protection mode, any configuration of the chip is applicable, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0060] In particular, according to an embodiment of the present application, the process described above with reference to the flowchart can be implemented as a computer software program. For example, an embodiment of the present application includes a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, which contains program code for executing the method shown in the flowchart. In such an embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via the communication portion of the electronic device. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the above-mentioned functions defined in the method of the present application are performed.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment, a storage medium including instructions is also provided, such as a memory including instructions, wherein the instructions can be executed by a processor of an electronic device to perform the above method. Alternatively, the storage medium can be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a ROM, a random access memory (RAM), a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device, etc.

[0062] In this application, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that contains or stores a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Furthermore, in this application, a computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, which carries computer-readable program code. This propagated data signal may take a variety of forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium may also be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium that can transmit, propagate, or transfer a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wire, optical cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0063] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present invention after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered as exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present application are indicated by the following claims.

[0064] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the exact structures described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery protection circuit, characterized in that: include: A battery protection unit and a trigger unit, wherein the battery protection unit is connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery; The trigger unit is connected to the battery protection unit and is used to trigger the enable state when it is detected that the battery voltage drops below a first voltage threshold, so as to control the battery voltage to drop below a second voltage threshold, so that the battery enters an undervoltage protection mode.

2. The battery protection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that: include: The battery protection unit includes: a fuel gauge subunit, a primary protection subunit and a secondary protection subunit, wherein: the primary protection subunit is connected between the positive and negative poles of the battery; the secondary protection subunit is connected in parallel with the primary protection subunit; and the fuel gauge subunit is connected in parallel with the primary protection subunit.

3. The battery protection circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The trigger unit includes a trigger subunit and a filtering subunit, wherein the trigger subunit is connected to the first-level protection subunit; the filtering subunit is connected between the trigger subunit and the electricity meter subunit, and is used to filter the output signal of the electricity meter subunit.

4. The battery protection circuit according to claim 3, characterized in that: include: The trigger subunit includes a power device and a voltage-dividing resistor, wherein the first end of the voltage-dividing resistor is connected to the first-level protection subunit; the first end of the power device is connected to the second end of the voltage-dividing resistor, the second end of the power device is connected to the filtering subunit, and the third end of the power device is connected to the negative pole of the battery, wherein when the power device is turned on, the battery enters the undervoltage protection mode.

5. The battery protection circuit according to claim 3, characterized in that: include: The filter subunit includes a filter resistor and a filter capacitor, wherein: a first end of the filter resistor is connected to the power meter subunit; The filter capacitor is connected between the second end of the filter resistor and a reference ground.

6. A battery protection method, characterized in that: Applicable to the battery protection circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the method comprising: Get the real-time battery voltage of the battery; In response to the battery voltage dropping below a first voltage threshold, a trigger unit in the battery protection circuit is triggered to enter an enabled state to control the battery voltage to drop below a second voltage threshold, so that the battery enters an undervoltage protection mode.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: An undervoltage protection time is determined, and the battery voltage is controlled to drop to the second voltage threshold within the undervoltage protection time.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: Determining the sensitivity requirement of the trigger unit according to the real-time voltage of the battery, the on-resistance of the trigger unit, and the overload requirement of the trigger unit; The second voltage threshold is determined according to the sensitivity requirement and the first voltage threshold.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The determining the second voltage threshold according to the sensitivity requirement and the first voltage threshold includes: determining an offset accuracy of the first voltage threshold according to the sensitivity requirement; A differential operation is performed on the first voltage threshold and the offset accuracy to determine the second voltage threshold.

10. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that Determining the undervoltage protection time includes: determining, according to the first voltage threshold and the second voltage threshold, a voltage hysteresis curve for preventing jitter from occurring when the battery enters an undervoltage protection mode; The undervoltage protection time is determined according to the overall power consumption of the battery protection circuit and the voltage hysteresis curve.

11. A chip, characterized in that: The chip includes the battery protection circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and is used to control the state of the battery entering an undervoltage protection mode.

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