Methods for inspecting power units

Abstract

The present invention proposes a method for inspecting a power unit, which is applied to a plurality of power units connected via a signal bus. The method is to disconnect the power unit from the signal bus, the power unit has an output current, a control command is issued via a controller to increase the output current, the increased output current is measured, and the output current is compared with the target current value corresponding to the control command to determine the power unit to determine the inspection result. The present invention can effectively shorten the inspection time and improve the inspection accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a power unit, and more particularly to inspecting a power unit. Background Art

[0002] The power unit inspection mainly checks whether the output current of the power unit can reach the expected current value to determine whether the performance of the power unit is normal or abnormal. In addition, the existing inspection method mainly changes the output current by adjusting the voltage to test whether the upper limit of the output current can reach the expected current value.

[0003] However, existing inspection methods have problems such as long inspection time, low inspection accuracy, and easy triggering of overcurrent protection of the power unit during inspection.

[0004] In addition, in the prior art, multiple power units are connected in parallel to obtain a higher output current. Also, since the voltages of the power units are not exactly the same, a current balancing technology has been proposed. The current balancing technology connects multiple power units in parallel through a signal bus to balance the current of the power units and provide the same output current.

[0005] However, when a signal bus is provided, the existing inspection method cannot increase the output current by adjusting the voltage because the signal bus provides a forced current sharing effect.

[0006] Therefore, the existing inspection methods have the above-mentioned problems, and more effective solutions are urgently needed. Summary of the invention

[0007] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for checking a power unit, which can directly issue a control command to increase the output current to check the performance of the power unit.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a method for inspecting a power unit, wherein a plurality of power units are connected via a signal bus, each power unit including a power module and a controller, and the method includes the following steps: disconnecting one of the plurality of power units from the signal bus, and the power unit has an output current; issuing a control command via the controller to increase the output current; measuring the increased output current; and comparing the output current with a target current value corresponding to the target control command to determine an inspection result of the power unit.

[0009] The present invention can effectively shorten the inspection time, improve the inspection accuracy, and eliminate the influence of the current balancing technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the power unit.

[0011] Figure 2The voltage command-time relationship diagram and the output current-time relationship diagram of the power unit based on the existing performance inspection are shown in FIG.

[0012] Figure 3 This is the architecture diagram of the power equipment.

[0013] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the architecture of an electric power device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of an electric power device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of an electric power device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 7 It is a structural diagram of an electric power device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 8 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for checking a power unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Fig. 9 It is a partial flow chart of a method for checking a power unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Fig.10 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for checking a power unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Fig.11 FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for checking a power unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Fig.12 It is a partial flow chart of a method for inspecting a power unit according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Fig.13 The diagrams are output voltage-time relationship diagram and output current-time relationship diagram of a power unit with normal performance of the present invention.

[0023] Fig.14 The diagrams are output voltage-time relationship diagram and output current-time relationship diagram of the power unit with abnormal performance of the present invention.

[0024] The reference numerals are described as follows:

[0025] 10: Power unit

[0026] 100: Power module

[0027] 101: Voltage Control Loop

[0028] 102: Current control loop

[0029] 103: Output

[0030] 11: Power unit

[0031] 12: Signal bus

[0032] 13: Output

[0033] 20: Power unit

[0034] 200: Power module

[0035] 201: Power control module

[0036] 202: Control command module

[0037] 203: Switch

[0038] 21: Signal bus

[0039] 22: Output

[0040] 30: Controller

[0041] 31: Voltage control loop

[0042] 32: Current control loop

[0043] 40: Power unit

[0044] 41:Signal bus

[0045] 42: Output

[0046] 400: Power level

[0047] 401: Controller

[0048] 402, 404: differential amplifier 405: switch

[0049] 403, 406: Overlapping circuits

[0050] 50, 53: Power unit

[0051] 51:Signal bus

[0052] 52: Output

[0053] 500:Battery

[0054] 501: DC-DC converter

[0055] 60-62: Voltage change

[0056] I out ,I out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n :Output current

[0057] I out_sense : Output current sensing signal

[0058] I share_com : Current sharing control signal

[0059] I Rated : Rated current

[0060] I COM :Control Commands

[0061] I TH : Target current value

[0062] t: time

[0063] T1, T2, T3: time interval

[0064] T Disconnect :Disconnect time

[0065] T Check : Check time

[0066] T Connect :Connection time

[0067] T Re-try :Retry time

[0068] ΔV: voltage change

[0069] V Ref :Reference voltage

[0070] V in_1 、V in_2 、V in_n :Input voltage

[0071] V out 、V out_1 、V out_2 …V out_n :Output voltage

[0072] V EA :Error voltage

[0073] V FB :Feedback voltage

[0074] S10-S13: First inspection step

[0075] S20-S22: Switching steps

[0076] S30-S38: Second inspection step

[0077] S40-S47: Third inspection step

[0078] S50-S51: Current sharing step DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0079] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0080] Please also see Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 This is the architecture diagram of the power unit. Figure 2 The voltage command-time relationship diagram and the output current-time relationship diagram of the power unit based on the existing performance inspection are as follows: Figure 3 This is the architecture diagram of the power equipment.

[0081] Figures 1 to 3 It is used to more specifically illustrate the problem to be solved by the present invention and the shortcomings of the existing inspection methods.

[0082] like Figure 1 As shown, the power unit 10 may include a power module 100 , a voltage control loop 101 , a current control loop 102 and an output terminal 103 that are electrically connected.

[0083] The existing performance check is to adjust the reference voltage V Ref , so that the output voltage of the power unit 10 is increased, and the output current I of the output terminal 103 out It will also increase accordingly.

[0084] However, since the performance of the power unit 10 is unknown before the inspection, it is impossible to directly select the most appropriate reference voltage V Ref Specifically, when the reference voltage V Ref When it is too high, the output current I out If the voltage is too high, the over current protection (OCP) mechanism may be triggered to automatically shut down the power unit 10 and cause the inspection to fail.

[0085] In this regard, Figure 2 As shown, the prior performance check is from a lower reference voltage V Ref For example, the voltage is increased by ΔV each time, and a waiting time interval of T1 seconds (such as 10 seconds) is set after the increase. If the output current I out The rated current I is not reached Rated , then the voltage change ΔV is increased again until the output current I out Reaching the rated current I Rated (normal performance) or reference voltage V Ref The maximum value that can be increased has been reached (performance abnormality).

[0086] The above inspection method has the problem that the inspection time is too long (each time the reference voltage V is adjusted RefAfter that, you need to wait for the current to change), the inspection accuracy is too low (if the inspection result is abnormal, it may be because the appropriate reference voltage V is not correctly issued Ref , the output current I when the inspection result is normal out It may be caused by current surge) and the overcurrent protection of the power unit is easily triggered during inspection (such as current surge).

[0087] In addition, if Figure 3 As shown, when there are multiple power units 11 connected in parallel inside the power equipment, and the current sharing control signal end of each power unit 11 is coupled to a signal bus 12, the power unit 11 will provide the same and stable output current due to the current sharing effect, which makes the existing inspection method unable to be used for power equipment with a signal bus.

[0088] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an electrical device and a method for inspecting power units of the electrical device, which can perform performance inspection on the electrical device with a signal bus (such as a current sharing bus) based on current control, and can accurately increase the output current without triggering the overcurrent protection mechanism.

[0089] See also Figure 4 , is a schematic diagram of the power equipment of the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, the power device of the present invention includes a plurality of power units 20, which are connected in parallel at the output end, and the current sharing control signal ends of the power units 20 are all coupled to a signal bus 21. Through the function of the signal bus 21, the power device can provide a stable power output (i.e., provide a stable output voltage and output current) at the output end 22 (such as a cable, an electrical connector or an electrical connection end, etc.).

[0090] Each power unit 20 includes a power module 200 and a power control module 201 which are electrically connected.

[0091] The power module 200 (which may include a battery and / or a device for an external power source) is used to provide power. The power control module 201 (which may include a microprocessor and other electronic circuits) is used to adjust the power output (such as output voltage and / or output current) of the power module 200 .

[0092] In the present invention, the power control module 201 includes a controller 30. The controller 30 is used to issue a control command to the power control module 201 to adjust the output current of the power module 200. The aforementioned control command is a set of control signals corresponding to a set of target current values, which can be used to control the power control module 201 to adjust the output current of the power module 200 to the target current value specified by the control command.

[0093] In the present invention, the power unit 20 further includes a switch 203 for connecting the signal bus 21 and the power control module 201. The power control module 201 can control the switch 203 to be connected or disconnected, so that the power unit 20 is connected to the signal bus 21 to obtain a current sharing effect, or disconnect the signal bus 21 to eliminate the current sharing effect.

[0094] Therefore, the present invention can eliminate the current sharing effect of the power unit 20 through the switch 203 and perform performance inspection.

[0095] Please also read Figure 5 , is a schematic diagram of the power equipment according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 In the embodiment of the present invention, the power control module 201 may include a controller 30, a voltage control loop 31 and a current control loop 32 which are electrically connected. out For the power output end.

[0096] The controller 30 is used to control the output voltage and output current of the power module 200 and monitor the performance of the power module 200. The voltage control loop 31 is used to adjust the output voltage of the power module 200. The current control loop 32 is used to adjust the output current of the power module 200.

[0097] Specifically, the controller 30 includes a control command module 202, and the current control loop 32 is connected to the controller 30. The controller 30 can generate and execute control commands via the control command module 202. In addition, the current control loop 32 is also connected to a switch 203 (the controller 30 can control the switch 203), and is connected to the signal bus 21 via the switch 203 to enable or disable the current sharing effect.

[0098] In one embodiment, the controller 30 may include a memory (such as a register, a read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory, or other non-transitory storage media). The aforementioned memory may store a set of correspondences between a plurality of different control commands and a plurality of different target current values. Different target current values ​​correspond to different types of power units 20 or different types of power devices. The controller 30 may select a corresponding target current value according to the type (such as model, performance, etc.) of the power unit 20 or the power device, and generate a corresponding control command based on this correspondence, i.e., a control command used to adjust the output current of the power module 200 to the target current value.

[0099] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned corresponding relationship can be generated through repeated experiments, calculations and statistics based on the characteristics of different types of power equipment or power modules 200, and is pre-written into the memory of the controller 30 before the power equipment leaves the factory. Therefore, each control command can accurately control the corresponding type of power equipment or power module 200 to adjust the output current to the corresponding target current value.

[0100] In one embodiment, the aforementioned corresponding relationship is recorded in a lookup table, and the aforementioned lookup table is stored in the aforementioned memory.

[0101] In one embodiment, the controller 30 is connected to the current control loop 32 via a signal line, and the control command module 202 is a software control module (such as a computer program) or a circuit control module disposed in the controller 30 .

[0102] It is worth mentioning that the voltage control loop 31 and the current control loop 32 are interconnected, that is, when the voltage control loop 31 changes the output voltage V out , and then change the output current, the current control loop 32 will respond to the change of the output current (such as a set of signals corresponding to the output current, such as Figure 6 , 7 The output current sensing signal I out_sense , fed back to the current control loop 32) to affect the voltage control loop 32, thereby changing the output voltage V out Through the above method, the present invention can accurately adjust the output current to the aforementioned target current.

[0103] Please also read Figure 6 , is a schematic diagram of a power device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The controller 401 is the same as or similar to the aforementioned controller 30, and will not be described in detail herein.

[0104] At Figure 6 In the embodiment, each power unit 40 is a power supply, and the power module 200 may include a power stage 400 electrically connected to a controller 401 (the controller 401 is the same as or similar to the controller 30). The power stage 400 is used to increase the input terminal (i.e., the input voltage V in_1 、V in_2 …V in_n ) is converted into power that meets the output terminal 42 (connected to the output voltage V out_1 、V out_2 …V out_n ) specifications (such as specified output voltage or output current).

[0105] The aforementioned input terminals (including input voltage V in_1 、V in_2 、V in_n ) can be a cable, an electrical connector or an electrical connection terminal, etc., and can be connected to an electric power source (such as a mains or a generator) to obtain power input.

[0106] In this embodiment, each power unit 40 has an output current I out_1 ,I out_2 …Iout_n , and have output voltages V out_1 、V out_2 …V out_n .

[0107] Furthermore, the current control loop 32 includes an overlap circuit 406 and a differential amplifier 404 . The signal bus 41 is connected to the overlap circuit 406 , and is connected to the differential amplifier 404 via a switch 405 .

[0108] It is worth mentioning that, in this embodiment, the control command I COM , output current sensing signal I out_sense , current sharing control signal I share_com The signal bus signal can be realized by analog voltage signal, but its purpose is to adjust the output current I out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n For example, in this embodiment, the current value to be transmitted (such as the output current reading or the current average value of the signal bus, etc.) can be represented by an analog voltage signal.

[0109] Furthermore, the aforementioned multiple control commands may be different analog voltage signals respectively (i.e., the aforementioned memory may record the correspondence between voltage signals of different voltage values ​​and different target current values, such as a target current value of 50A corresponding to a voltage signal of 1.2V). This embodiment can select the correct voltage signal (i.e., the aforementioned control command) for the current power equipment to accurately and quickly adjust the output current to the target current value.

[0110] It is worth mentioning that in different types of power devices, the same control command voltage may correspond to different target current values. For example, a 1.2V voltage signal may correspond to a target current value of 50A in a first power device, but may correspond to a target current value of 30A in a second power device.

[0111] The specific operation mode of the present invention is exemplified below.

[0112] When the switch 405 is on, the signal bus 41 connects the output current sensing signals I out_sense (The output current sensing signal I of each power unit 40 out_sense The reading can be the output current I of the power unit 40 out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n The readings of the output current I of each power unit 40 are out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n The reading of the output current sensing signal I out_senseThe above-mentioned signal bus signal and the output current sensing signal I of each power unit 40 are fed back to the current control loop 32 and can generate a signal bus signal. out_sense After being superimposed by the overlapping circuit 406, a current sharing control signal I can be generated to indicate the average current value of the plurality of power units 40. share_com Then, the current sharing control signal I share_com The output current sensing signal I out_sense The result of the processing by the differential amplifier 404 (which may be a voltage signal) may be input to the voltage control loop 31 to adjust the output voltage V out_1 、V out_2 …V out_n , and correspondingly change the output current I out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n .

[0113] When the switch 405 is open, the signal bus 41 is removed from the current control loop 32 (i.e., the current sharing control signal I share_com Removed), the control command I newly introduced by the present invention COM Directly with the output current sensing signal I out_sense The result of the processing by the differential amplifier 404 (which may be a voltage signal) may be input to the voltage control loop 31 to adjust the output voltage V out_1 、V out_2 …V out_n , and correspondingly change the output current I out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n .

[0114] In addition, the voltage control loop 31 includes an overlap circuit 403 and a differential amplifier 402. This embodiment controls the power unit 40 in the following manner: according to the preset weight, the processing result of the differential amplifier 404 (when the switch 405 is turned on, the processing result is the current sharing control signal I share_com The output current sensing signal I out_sense When the switch 405 is open, the processing result is the control command I COM The output current sensing signal I out_sense Error value), and the feedback voltage V FB The superposition process is performed by the superposition circuit 403, and then the processing result of the superposition circuit 403 (which can be a voltage signal) is combined with the reference voltage V Ref The error voltage V is obtained by comparison with the differential amplifier 402. EA , and the controller 401 is based on the error voltage V EA The output voltage V of the control power unit 40 out_1 、V out_2 …V out_n, and adjust the output current I accordingly out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n .

[0115] It is worth mentioning that the existing inspection method is to slowly increase the reference voltage V Ref To gradually increase the output voltage V out_1 、V out_2 …V out_n , and then gradually increase the output current I out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n The above method of changing the output current not only takes a long time to react, but also makes it impossible to predict the current value after adjustment, which can easily trigger the overcurrent protection mechanism.

[0116] Compared with the prior art, in the present invention, the reference voltage V Ref The present invention uses the above-mentioned corresponding relationship to directly obtain the output current I of the power equipment to be inspected. out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n A set of control commands I that quickly and safely reach the target current value COM (analog voltage value), and after disconnecting the switch 405, the controller 401 directly issues a control command I via the control command module 202 COM to the differential amplifier 404 to directly increase the output current I out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n to the target current value.

[0117] Please also read Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a power device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 The implementation method is Figure 7 In the embodiment of the present invention, the power unit 50 is a power storage device (such as a backup battery device) and does not require power input.

[0118] The power module includes a battery 500 and a DC-DC converter 501. The battery 500 is used to store and provide power, and the DC-DC converter 501 is used to convert the DC power of the battery 500 into a DC power that meets the output voltage V out_1 And the output current I out_1 DC power specifications.

[0119] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power unit 53 is a power supply, the power unit 50 and the power unit 53 are connected in parallel at the output end, and their current sharing control signal ends are coupled to the signal bus 51. Therefore, when there is a power outage (i.e., the power unit 53 cannot obtain power), the power device of the present invention can still continue to supply power through the power unit 50.

[0120] It is worth mentioning that although the present embodiment is described as a power storage device combined with a power supply, the invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, all power units 50 of the power equipment may be replaced with power storage devices.

[0121] Please also read Figure 8 , which is a flow chart of a method for checking a power unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The method for checking a power unit according to each embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the method) can be performed by Figures 4 to 7 The electric power equipment of any embodiment shown in the figure is used to implement the invention (hereinafter referred to as Figure 5 Implementation methods are described below).

[0122] Furthermore, the methods of the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in hardware (such as circuit boards, integrated circuits or SoCs) or software (such as computer programs such as firmware or applications), without limitation. When implemented in software, the controller may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which stores a computer program. When the controller executes the computer program, it may control the power device to execute the following steps.

[0123] Specifically, the method of this embodiment includes the following steps.

[0124] Step S10: The controller 30 of one of the power units 20 (under external control or automatic triggering) controls the power unit 20 to be disconnected from the signal bus 21 (eg, by disconnecting the switch 203 ) so that the output current of the power unit 20 eliminates the current sharing effect.

[0125] Step S11: The controller 30 issues a control command via the control command module 202 and executes the control command. The control command is used to control the output current of the power unit 20 to increase to the target current value corresponding to the power unit 20. The target current value can be set based on the rated current of the power unit 20, such as 80% of the rated current, 90% of the rated current, or 97% of the rated current, etc., without limitation.

[0126] It is worth mentioning that, generally speaking, the performance of a power unit will gradually decline with use. Moreover, even if the output current of a power unit cannot reach 100% of the rated current, as long as the decline is not serious (such as the maximum output current is more than 80% of the rated current), the power unit can still be used to save maintenance costs.

[0127] In addition, even if the power unit is brand new, it may not be able to reach 100% of the rated current due to problems such as different processes or yields, or damage during transportation, but it can still be used normally.

[0128] Therefore, if the target current value is directly set to 100% of the rated current, the available power unit will be misjudged as abnormal and must be replaced, which will increase maintenance costs. In this regard, the present invention sets the target current value to be close to but less than the rated current, which can effectively avoid the above problem of misjudging the available power unit as abnormal.

[0129] In one embodiment, the user can connect the control command module 22 via an external computer and operate the external computer to issue control commands to the controller 30 .

[0130] In one embodiment, after the power unit 20 is switched to the inspection mode (automatically or based on manual operation by the user), the controller 30 can execute the control command module 202 to read the control command pre-stored in the memory (such as after determining the target current value, obtaining the control command corresponding to the determined target current value based on the correspondence between the aforementioned control command and the target current value), and automatically issue this control command.

[0131] Then, the current control loop 32 will immediately respond based on the control command and try to quickly adjust the output current to the target current value. The specific adjustment method is as follows: Figures 3 to 7 The relevant instructions are as described above and will not be repeated here.

[0132] Step S12: The controller 30 controls the output current of the power unit 20 (eg Figure 6 or Figure 7 The output current I out ) for measurement.

[0133] In one embodiment, the controller 30 measures the current value of the output terminal of the power module 20 as the output current.

[0134] Step S13 : the controller 30 compares the measured output current with the target current value to determine the inspection result of the power unit 20 .

[0135] In one embodiment, if Figure 6 As shown, when the power unit is a power supply, the controller 30 compares the output current I out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n A target current value corresponding to the power supply (eg, 90% of the rated current of the power supply).

[0136] In one embodiment, if Figure 7As shown, when the power module is a battery module (ie, including a battery 500 and a DC-DC converter 501), the controller 401 compares the output current I out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n A target current value corresponding to the battery 500 or the DC-DC converter 501 (eg, 98% of the rated current of the battery 500 or the DC-DC converter 501 ).

[0137] The present invention can effectively shorten the inspection time, improve the inspection accuracy, and eliminate the influence of the current balancing technology.

[0138] Please also read Fig. 9 , is a partial flow chart of a method for checking a power unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 In the embodiment shown, the method of this embodiment provides an automatic switching function, which can automatically switch to check multiple power units 20 of the power equipment. Specifically, the method of this embodiment includes the following steps.

[0139] Step S20: an external test program (the external test program can be installed in an external test computer, and the external test computer is connected (via a cable) to the controller 30 of each power unit 20) or the controller 30 selects one of the multiple power units 20 that have not been inspected (i.e., a power unit 20 without an inspection result is selected), such as the first power unit 20 selected, or the power unit 20 that has been inspected the longest, etc., without limitation.

[0140] Step S21: The controller 30 performs the performance check of the present invention, such as executing Figure 8 Steps S10-S13 shown, Fig.10 Steps S30-S38 shown, or Fig.11 Steps S40-S47 are shown.

[0141] During the performance check, the switch 203 is controlled to be open circuit to disconnect the selected power unit 20 from the signal bus 21, a control command is issued and executed on the selected power unit 20, the output current of the selected power unit 20 is measured, and the performance of the selected power unit 20 is judged based on the output current after the reaction.

[0142] Step S22 : After the external test program or the controller 30 completes the performance check on the selected power unit 20 , it determines whether there are other power units 20 that need to be checked.

[0143] If there are other power units 20 that need to be checked, step S20 is performed again to select another power unit 20 for performance check. Otherwise, the check of this power device is terminated.

[0144] Therefore, the present invention can automatically check multiple power units of the same power equipment, thereby saving the user the operation of manually switching power units and reducing the total inspection time.

[0145] Please also read Fig.10 , is a flow chart of a method for checking a power unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 The power equipment shown in the figure is used to illustrate the method of this embodiment, but those skilled in the art should understand that the method of this embodiment can be used Figures 4 to 7 This can be achieved by any of the electrical equipment shown.

[0146] The method of this embodiment further provides a state detection function (steps S31-S32), which can first check whether the power equipment (including the power unit 40) can operate normally before performing a performance check on the output current, so as to avoid abnormal power equipment causing an error in the performance check result. Specifically, the method of this embodiment includes the following steps.

[0147] Step S30 : the controller 401 turns off the switch 405 to disconnect the power unit 40 from the signal bus 41 , so that the power unit 40 loses the current sharing effect.

[0148] Step S31: The controller 401 performs device status detection to detect whether the power device or power unit 40 can operate normally. The device status detection may include detecting whether a circuit element is faulty (such as over-powered, abnormal contacts or resistance values), detecting whether a sensor is faulty, etc., without limitation.

[0149] Step S32: The controller 401 determines whether an error is detected (such as a failure of any component, or an abnormal output voltage / current value, etc.).

[0150] If the controller 401 detects any error, step S37 is executed: the controller 401 stops the current performance check and may output a notification (such as a notification that the performance check was not performed).

[0151] If the controller 401 does not detect an error, then step S33 is executed: issuing and executing the control command I COM Then, the output current I out_1 Changes due to execution of control commands.

[0152] Step S34: The controller 401 responds to the output current I out_1 Take measurements.

[0153] Step S35: The controller 401 determines the output current I out_1 Whether the preset target current value is reached determines the inspection result of the performance inspection.

[0154] If the output current I out_1 When the target current value is reached, the controller 401 executes step S36: the controller 401 determines that the inspection result of the power unit is normal performance, and may further output a notification (such as a normal performance notification).

[0155] At output current I out_1 When the target current value is not reached, the controller 401 executes step S38: the controller 401 determines that the inspection result of the power unit 40 is a performance abnormality, and may further output a notification (such as a performance abnormality notification).

[0156] Therefore, the present invention can effectively determine the inspection result of the performance inspection of the power unit 40 based on whether the output current reaches the target current value.

[0157] It is worth mentioning that although in this embodiment, the signal bus 41 is disconnected first (step S30 ) and then the status detection is performed (steps S31 - S32 ), the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0158] In another embodiment, the present embodiment may be modified to first perform a status detection (steps S31 - S32 ), and then disconnect the signal bus 41 (step S30 ) after no error is found in the detection.

[0159] In another embodiment, the present embodiment may be modified to first perform a status detection (steps S31-S32), and after the detection finds no error, disconnect the signal bus 41 (step S30), and then perform a different status detection (i.e., execute steps S31-S32 again).

[0160] Please also read Fig.11 , is a flow chart of a method for checking a power unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 The power equipment shown in the figure is used to illustrate the method of this embodiment, but those skilled in the art should understand that the method of this embodiment can be used Figures 4 to 7 This can be achieved by any of the electrical equipment shown.

[0161] Compared to Fig.10 The embodiment of the present invention directly determines the performance of the power unit based on whether the output current reaches the target current value. This embodiment allows the user to set more detailed passing conditions and ending conditions to more accurately confirm the performance. Specifically, the method of this embodiment includes the following steps.

[0162] Step S40 : the controller 401 controls the switch 405 to be opened, so as to disconnect the power unit 50 from the signal bus 51 .

[0163] Step S41: The controller 401 performs status detection on the power equipment (including the power unit 50). The status detection of this embodiment can be performed with Fig.10The status detection is the same or similar and will not be described in detail here.

[0164] Step S42: Issue and execute control command I COM Then, the output current I out_1 Changes due to execution of control commands.

[0165] Step S43: The controller 401 responds to the output current I out_1 Take measurements.

[0166] Step S44: the controller 401 determines whether the output current (including the current change and the change amplitude) meets the preset passing condition.

[0167] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned pass condition may include the output current I out_1 The target current value (eg, 85% of the rated current) is reached within a response time (eg, 200 milliseconds, the response time can be set according to the type of the power unit 50 ), that is, different types of power units 50 can correspond to different response times.

[0168] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned pass condition may include the output current I out_1 The target current value is continuously reached for a target duration (eg, 200 milliseconds, the target duration can be set according to the type of the power unit 50 ), that is, different types of power units 50 can correspond to different target durations.

[0169] In one embodiment, the reaction time is less than 0.5 seconds.

[0170] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned pass condition may include the output current I out_1 The target current value is reached in multiple measurements (such as 100 times) and the target number of times (such as 90% of the times, i.e. 90 times, the target number of times can be set according to the type of power unit 50), that is, different types of power units 50 can correspond to different target numbers.

[0171] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned pass condition may include the output current I out_1 is smaller than the rated current of the power unit 50 , and the rated current value is larger than the target current value.

[0172] In one embodiment, the target current value is greater than 80% of the rated current value.

[0173] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned pass condition may include the output current I out_1 Not less than the target current value and less than the rated current value.

[0174] If the controller 401 determines that the output current meets the preset passing condition, step S45 is executed: the controller 401 determines that the power unit 50 passes the performance check, determines that the inspection result of the power unit 50 is normal, and can output a corresponding notification or make a record.

[0175] If the controller 401 determines that the output current does not meet the preset pass condition, step S46 may be executed: the controller 401 determines whether the end condition is met.

[0176] In one embodiment, the aforementioned end condition may include the passage of a limited time (eg, 1 second).

[0177] In one embodiment, the limit time is greater than the reaction time and the target duration time.

[0178] In one embodiment, the aforementioned end condition may include repeating the measurement for a limited number of times (eg, 300 times).

[0179] In one embodiment, the aforementioned limited number of times is greater than the aforementioned target number of times.

[0180] If the controller 401 determines that the end condition is not satisfied, step S41 is executed again to determine again.

[0181] In one embodiment, if the controller 401 determines that the end condition is not satisfied, step S42 is executed again (ie, the status detection is skipped).

[0182] If the controller 401 determines that the end condition is met but the pass condition is not met, step S47 is executed: the controller 401 determines that the power unit 50 has not passed the performance check, determines that the inspection result of this power unit 50 is a performance abnormality, and can further output a notification or make a record.

[0183] Therefore, compared to determining the performance based on a single inspection result, the present invention determines the performance inspection based on the results of multiple inspections, which can effectively improve the accuracy of the inspection.

[0184] Please also read Fig.13 and Fig.14 , Fig.13 The output voltage-time relationship diagram and the output current-time relationship diagram of the power unit with normal performance of the present invention are shown in FIG. Fig.14 The diagrams are output voltage-time relationship diagram and output current-time relationship diagram of the power unit with abnormal performance of the present invention.

[0185] In this example, the pass condition is the output current I out Reach the target current value I TH , and lasts for a duration of T2 (e.g., 300 milliseconds). The end condition is the output current I outThe target current value I is not reached during the duration interval T3 (e.g., 1.5 seconds). TH .

[0186] like Fig.13 As shown, in the example of passing the performance check, the power unit takes the disconnection time T Disconnect Disconnect the signal bus, accept the control command and increase the current to exceed the target current value I TH , and continue to check time T Check The performance is judged to be normal (the inspection time is T Check Then, the power unit spends the connection time T Connect Reconnect the signal bus to complete the inspection.

[0187] In this example, the shortest inspection time is the disconnection time T Disconnect , Inspection time T Check With connection time T Connect The total time required for the inspection is much shorter than that of the existing inspection methods.

[0188] like Fig.14 As shown, in the case of abnormal performance, the power unit takes the disconnection time T Disconnect Disconnect the signal bus, accept the control command and increase the current. Check The target current value I has not yet been reached TH When the retry time T Re-try If the retry time is T Re-try After the output current still cannot reach the target current value I TH (and lasts for a period of time T2), it is determined to be a performance abnormality. Connect Reconnect the signal bus to complete the inspection.

[0189] In this example, the longest inspection time is the disconnection time T Disconnect , retry time T Re-try With connection time T Connect The total time is generally less than 10 seconds, which is much shorter than the time required by existing inspection methods.

[0190] Please also read Fig.12 , is a partial flow chart of a method for checking a power unit according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 The power equipment shown in the figure is used to illustrate the method of this embodiment, but those skilled in the art should understand that the method of this embodiment can be used Figures 4 to 7 Any of the electrical equipment shown can be used to achieve this. Figure 8-11The method shown in the embodiment further illustrates how to use the signal bus to stably provide power. Specifically, the method of the embodiment includes the following steps in the working mode.

[0191] Step S50: Connect the power control module 201 in each power unit 20 to the signal bus 21, such as controlling the switch 203 to be turned on. After the connection is established, each power unit 20 outputs an output current (such as Figure 6 or Figure 7 I out_1 ,I out_2 …I out_n ) can be converted into the average current of multiple power units 20 due to the current sharing effect.

[0192] Step S51 : the power output terminal 22 of the power equipment outputs the power of the multiple power units 20 after current balancing, wherein the total output current is the sum of the output currents of the power units 20 .

[0193] Therefore, the present invention can provide stable power output.

[0194] The above description is only a preferred specific example of the present invention, and does not limit the claims of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent changes made using the contents of the present invention are similarly included in the scope of the present invention and are hereby stated.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting a power unit, wherein a plurality of power units are connected via a signal bus, each of the power units comprising a power module and a controller, the method comprising the following steps: a) disconnecting one of the plurality of power units from the signal bus, wherein the power unit has an output current; b) issuing a control command via the controller to increase the output current; c) Measure the output current after the increase; and d) comparing the output current with a target current value corresponding to the control command to determine a check result of the power unit; The signal bus is a current-sharing bus, each of the power units further comprises a current control loop and a voltage control loop connected to each other, the controller is directly connected to the current control loop and the voltage control loop, and the signal bus is connected to the current control loop via a switch; The step a) is to open the switch to disconnect the power unit from the signal bus.

2. The method for inspecting a power unit according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps: e) selecting one of the plurality of power units that does not have the inspection result to perform the steps a) to d).

3. The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the following steps before step b): f1) performing a status detection of the power unit; f2) When any error is detected, skip the execution of step b) to step d) and output a notification.

4. The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step d) comprises the following steps: d1) when the output current reaches the target current value, determining that the inspection result of the power unit is normal; and d2) When the output current does not reach the target current value, determining that the inspection result of the power unit is abnormal.

5. The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step d) comprises the following steps: d3) judging, based on the output current, that when a passing condition is satisfied, determining that the inspection result of the power unit is normal; and d4) judging based on the output current that when the passing condition is not satisfied, determining that the inspection result of the power unit is abnormal.

6. The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the passing condition comprises that the output current reaches the target current value within a reaction time, the output current continues for a target duration after reaching the target current value, or the output current reaches the target current value a target number of times in multiple measurements. 7 . The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 6 , wherein different types of the power units correspond to different reaction times, different target durations or different target times respectively. 8 . The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the passing condition further comprises that the output current is less than a rated current value of the power unit, and the rated current value is greater than the target current value. 9 . The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the response time is less than 0.5 seconds, and the target current value is greater than 80% of a rated current value of the power unit.

10. The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step d4) comprises the following steps: d41) judging, based on the output current, that when the passing condition is not satisfied but an ending condition is satisfied, determining that the inspection result of the power unit is abnormal; and d42) When judging based on the output current that the passing condition and the ending condition are not met, executing step b) again.

11. The method for checking a power unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the end condition comprises a time limit or repeated measurement reaching a limit number of times; wherein, The limit time is greater than a reaction time and a target duration time, and the limit times is greater than a target times. 12 . The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step c) is to measure a current value at an output terminal of the power unit as the output current of the power unit, and input a sensing signal of the output current into the current control loop.

13. The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power unit is a power supply, and the power module comprises a power stage; and the step d) is to compare the output current with the target current value corresponding to the power supply.

14. The method for inspecting a power unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power module is a battery module and comprises a battery and a DC-DC converter; and the step d) is to compare the output current with the target current value corresponding to the battery or the DC-DC converter.

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