Electrical assemblies and related methods

Abstract

An electrical assembly configured to be connected with a battery and an electrical load, the electrical assembly comprising: a first transistor; a second transistor; a first operational amplifier; a second operational amplifier; a comparator; and a controller. The second transistor is electrically connected in parallel with the first transistor. The first operational amplifier is electrically connected with the first transistor and the second transistor. The second operational amplifier is electrically connected with the first transistor and the second transistor. The comparator is electrically connected with the first operational amplifier and the second operational amplifier. The controller is electrically connected with the first transistor, the second transistor and the comparator. The controller is configured to: control the first transistor and the second transistor; and determining an operating state of the first transistor and the second transistor based on an output of the comparator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electrical components, and more particularly to electrical components configured to identify fault conditions in a connection to a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Modern vehicles (e.g., automobiles) rely on electrical devices to identify fault conditions associated with various electrical components and / or electrical systems. Some conventional electrical devices perform checks only at the start of a vehicle's driving cycle to identify the presence of a fault condition. Although known electrical devices for identifying fault conditions have proven to serve their intended purposes, there is still a need for continuous improvement in the relevant art.

[0003] The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the present disclosure. Within the scope of the description in this background art section, the work of the presently designated inventors and aspects of the specification that are not otherwise identified as prior art at the time of filing the application are neither expressly nor implicitly admitted as prior art with respect to the present disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrical component configured to be connected to a battery and an electrical load. The electrical component includes: a first transistor; a second transistor; a first operational amplifier; a second operational amplifier; a comparator; and a controller. The second transistor is electrically connected in parallel with the first transistor. The first operational amplifier is electrically connected to the first transistor and the second transistor. The second operational amplifier is electrically connected to the first transistor and the second transistor. The comparator is electrically connected to the first operational amplifier and the second operational amplifier. The controller is electrically connected to the first transistor, the second transistor, and the comparator. The controller is configured to control the first transistor and the second transistor and determine the operating states of the first transistor and the second transistor based on the output of the comparator.

[0005] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of operating an electrical component configured to be connected to a battery and an electrical load. The method includes: activating the first transistor and the second transistor via the controller. The method includes: recording, via the first operational amplifier, a first voltage drop across the activated first transistor and the activated second transistor. The method includes: deactivating the first transistor via the controller. The method includes: recording, via the second operational amplifier, a second voltage drop across the deactivated first transistor and the activated second transistor. The method includes: comparing, via the comparator, the first voltage drop with the second voltage drop to generate a comparator output. The method includes: transmitting, via the comparator, the comparator output to the controller. The method includes: determining, via the controller, the operating state of the first transistor based on the comparator output.

[0006] Further applicable fields of the present disclosure will become apparent from the specific embodiments, claims, and drawings. The specific embodiments and specific examples are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The present disclosure will be more fully understood through the specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0008] Figure 1 is a high-level schematic diagram of an exemplary electrical component in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary electrical component in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 3 and Figure 4 is a graphical representation of an electrical component that performs an exemplary safety check in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 5A and Figure 5B is a flowchart depicting an exemplary method for operating an electrical component in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0012] In the drawings, reference numerals may be reused to identify similar and / or identical elements. SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS INTRODUCTION

[0013] As generally illustrated in Figure 1 an electrical component 10 may be electrically connected to at least one battery 12 and at least one electrical load 14. The electrical component 10 may be disposed between the battery 12 and the electrical load 14. In various implementations, the electrical component 10 may facilitate the supply of current from the battery 12 to the electrical load 14. As explained in more detail below, the electrical component 10 performs a safety check of certain components of the electrical component 10 to identify fault conditions associated with those components. In some examples, the presence of a fault condition may cause the electrical load 14 to be supplied with too high or too much current, which may damage the electrical load 14. In some instances, the presence of a fault condition may cause the electrical load 14 to be supplied with too low a current or no current, which may cause the electrical load 14 to operate incorrectly or not operate at all. VEHICLE

[0014] Continuing to refer to Figure 1, the electrical component 10, the battery 12, and the electrical load 14 can be combined with and / or disposed in the vehicle 20, but are not limited to vehicle applications. The vehicle 20 can include one or more of various configurations. For example, the vehicle 20 can include a land vehicle, a passenger car, a truck, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), a crossover vehicle, a truck (e.g., a pickup truck, a commercial truck, etc.), a bus, a watercraft (e.g., an airplane, a helicopter, etc.), and / or a combination thereof (e.g., an amphibious vehicle, an air-water dual-use vehicle, etc.), and so on. Battery

[0015] In various implementations, the battery 12 can include one or more of various types. During operation of the electrical component 10 and / or the vehicle 20, the battery 12 can supply current to the electrical load 14. The battery 12 can include an output voltage such as 12V, 24V, and / or 48V, etc. Although the electrical component 10 is generally shown and described herein as being connected to one battery, it should be understood that within the scope of the present disclosure, the electrical component 10 can be connected to more than one battery.

[0016] In various implementations, in addition to or as an alternative to the electrical component 10 being connected to the battery, the electrical component 10 can be connected to one or more other power sources, such as capacitors, solar panels, power converters, and / or sockets, etc. Electrical Load

[0017] In various implementations, the electrical load 14 can include one or more of various configurations. For example, the electrical load 14 can include the electrical system, electrical subsystem, electrical device, and / or electrical component of the vehicle 20. Although the electrical component 10 is generally shown and described herein as being connected to one electrical load, it should be understood that within the scope of the present disclosure, the electrical component 10 can be connected to more than one electrical load 14. For example, the electrical component 10 can be connected to multiple electrical loads. Electrical Component

[0018] Reference Figure 2 , the electrical component 10 can include a controller 30, a plurality of transistors (e.g., transistors 40A - 40F), a first operational amplifier 50A, a second operational amplifier 50B, a comparator 60, a first capacitor 70A, a second capacitor 70B, a first resistor 80A, and / or a second resistor 80B, and so on.

[0019] In various implementations, the controller 30 can be electrically connected to the battery 12, the electrical load 14, each of the plurality of transistors (e.g., transistors 40A - 40F), and / or the comparator 60. In various implementations, the controller 30 controls each of the plurality of transistors and / or receives an output from the comparator 60. For example, the controller 30 can selectively activate (e.g., close) a transistor such that current from the battery 12 can flow through the transistor. For example, the controller 30 can selectively deactivate (e.g., open) a transistor to prevent current from the battery from flowing through the transistor. In some example configurations, the controller 30 can monitor (e.g., continuously monitor during operation of the vehicle 20) the gate voltage of the transistor and / or the temperature of the transistor, etc.

[0020] In various implementations, the controller 30 includes an electronic controller and / or an electronic processor, such as a programmable microprocessor and / or a microcontroller. The controller 30 can include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The controller 30 can include a central processing unit (CPU), a memory (e.g., a non - transient computer - readable storage medium), and / or an input / output (I / O) interface. The controller 30 can perform various functions, including those described in more detail herein, via appropriate programming instructions and / or code embodied in software, hardware, and / or other media. The controller 30 can include multiple controllers. The controller 30 can be connected to a display, such as a touchscreen.

[0021] In various implementations, the plurality of transistors can include a first transistor 40A, a second transistor 40B, a third transistor 40C, a fourth transistor 40D, a fifth transistor 40E, and / or a sixth transistor 40F, etc. In various implementations, each of the plurality of transistors (e.g., transistors 40A - 40F) can include a field - effect transistor (FET), a metal - oxide - semiconductor field - effect transistor (MOSFET) (such as an n - channel or p - channel MOSFET), a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), an intelligent FET, and / or a silicon die (e.g., a bare silicon die), etc. Each transistor can include a closed (e.g., activated) state that can allow current to flow from the battery 12 to the electrical load 14. Each transistor can include an open (e.g., deactivated) state that can prevent current from flowing from the battery 12 to the electrical load 14. Although the electrical component 10 is generally shown and described herein as including six transistors, it should be understood that within the scope of the disclosure, the electrical component 10 can include more or fewer than six transistors.

[0022] In various implementations, the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, the fourth transistor 40D, the fifth transistor 40E, and the sixth transistor 40F are electrically connected. In some example configurations, the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D are connected in parallel. For example, according to at least one of the transistors (e.g., transistors 40A - 40D) being in a closed state, current can be allowed to flow from the battery 12 to the electrical load 14. In some example configurations, according to the fifth transistor 40E and the sixth transistor 40F being in a closed state, current can be allowed to flow to the first operational amplifier 50A. According to the fifth transistor 40E and the sixth transistor 40F being in an open state, current flow to the first operational amplifier 50A can be prevented.

[0023] In various implementations, the first capacitor 70A can be electrically connected to the fifth transistor 40E and the first operational amplifier 50A, and / or the second capacitor 70B can be electrically connected to the sixth transistor 40F and the first operational amplifier 50A. In some example configurations, the first capacitor 70A can be disposed between the fifth transistor 40E and the first operational amplifier 50A, and / or the second capacitor 70B can be disposed between the sixth transistor 40F and the first operational amplifier 50A.

[0024] In various implementations, according to the fifth transistor 40E, the sixth transistor 40F, and at least one of the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, or the fourth transistor 40D being in a closed state, the first operational amplifier 50A can determine and / or record a voltage drop associated with the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D (e.g., the voltage drop across the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D). The first operational amplifier 50A can hold the voltage drop via the first capacitor 70A and the second capacitor 70B. In some instances, the voltage drop can be associated with the previous cycle voltage drop of the transistors 40A - 40D. The first operational amplifier 50A can transmit the voltage drop to the comparator 60.

[0025] In various implementations, based on at least one of the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, or the fourth transistor 40D being in a closed state, the second operational amplifier 50B can determine and / or record an additional voltage drop associated with the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D (e.g., the additional voltage drop across the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D). The additional voltage drop can be associated with the real-time voltage drop of the transistors 40A-40D. The second operational amplifier 50B can transmit the additional voltage drop to the comparator 60.

[0026] In various implementations, the comparator 60 can be electrically connected to the first operational amplifier 50A, the second operational amplifier 50B, and the controller 30. The comparator 60 can compare the voltage drop transmitted from the first operational amplifier 50A with the additional voltage drop transmitted from the second operational amplifier 50B to generate a comparator output. The comparator 60 can transmit the comparator output to the controller 30, e.g., for further processing via the controller 30. In some examples, the controller 30 can determine the operating state of the transistors 40A-40D and / or identify a fault condition of the transistors 40A-40D based on the comparator output.

[0027] In various implementations, the comparator 60 can compare the voltage drop from the first operational amplifier 50A (i.e., the previous cycle voltage drop) with the additional voltage drop from the second operational amplifier 50B (i.e., the real-time voltage drop) to generate a comparator output. In some examples, if the voltage drop is greater than the additional voltage drop, the comparator output can be "high". If the voltage drop is less than or equal to the additional voltage drop, the comparator output can be "low".

[0028] In various implementations, the first resistor 80A and / or the second resistor 80B can be electrically connected to the second operational amplifier 50B and the comparator 60. In some example configurations, the first resistor 80A can be disposed between the second operational amplifier and the comparator 60. The second resistor 80B can be connected to the first resistor 80 and ground. In various implementations, the first resistor 80A and the second resistor 80B can act as a voltage divider. Operation of Electrical Components

[0029] Figure 3 and Figure 4It is a graphical representation of the electrical component 10 that performs an example health check. In various implementations, the electrical component 10 can perform a health check on the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D to determine the operating state of each transistor. The operating state can indicate whether the corresponding transistor is operating correctly or includes a fault condition. The fault condition can be associated with the corresponding transistor being stuck in the closed or open state, an over-temperature condition, an over-current condition, and / or an insufficient gate voltage condition, etc. Figure 3 Depicts the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D that are operating correctly. Figure 4 Depicts the first transistor 40A that includes a fault condition (e.g., stuck in the closed state).

[0030] In various implementations, the controller 30 can control the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and / or the fourth transistor 40D in various orders to perform the health check. In one example, the controller 30 can initially activate the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, the fourth transistor 40D, the fifth transistor 40E, and the sixth transistor 40F such that these transistors are in the closed state. Based on these transistors being in the closed state, the first operational amplifier 50A can determine and / or record a first voltage drop, and the second operational amplifier 50B can determine and / or record a second voltage drop. The first voltage drop and the second voltage drop are associated with the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D (e.g., across the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D). The second voltage drop can be substantially similar to the first voltage drop.

[0031] In various implementations, the first operational amplifier 50A can transmit the first voltage drop to the comparator 60, and the second operational amplifier 50B can transmit the second voltage drop to the comparator 60. The comparator 60 can compare the first voltage drop with the second voltage drop to generate a first comparator output. In some examples, the first comparator output can be "low" because the first voltage drop is less than the second voltage drop.

[0032] In various implementations, the first operational amplifier 50A can hold the first voltage drop (e.g., via the first capacitor 70A and the second capacitor 70B). In some examples, to facilitate the first operational amplifier 50A in holding the first voltage drop, the controller 30 can deactivate (e.g., disconnect) the fifth transistor 40E and the sixth transistor 40F.

[0033] In various implementations, the controller 30 can selectively cycle through one transistor (e.g., transistors 40A - 40D) at a time to perform a health check for each respective transistor. For example, to perform a health check associated with the first transistor 40A, the controller 30 can deactivate (e.g., turn off) the first transistor 40A while keeping the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D in a closed state (e.g., activated). The second operational amplifier 50B can determine and / or record a third voltage drop associated with the first transistor 40A being in an off state and the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D being in a closed state (e.g., the third voltage drop across the off first transistor 40A and the closed second transistor 40B, third transistor 40C, and fourth transistor 40D). The second operational amplifier 50B can transmit the third voltage drop to the comparator 60.

[0034] In various implementations, the input of the second operational amplifier 50B can be scaled by a voltage divider (e.g., the first resistor 80A and the second resistor 80B) to reduce the output voltage provided via the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D, thereby compensating for an expected increase in the voltage drop that occurs when one of the transistors 40A - 40D is deactivated. The scaling can account for the error margin caused by the small differences in the drain - source on - resistance (RDS(on)) of the transistors.

[0035] In various implementations, the comparator 60 can compare the first voltage drop with the third voltage drop to generate a second comparator output associated with the operating state of the first transistor 40A. Depending on the first transistor 40A operating correctly, the second comparator output (e.g., high) will indicate that the first transistor 40A is in an off state (see, for example Figure 3 ). Depending on the first transistor 40A including a fault condition (e.g., stuck in a closed state), the second comparator output (e.g., low) will indicate that the first transistor 40A includes a fault condition (see, for example Figure 4 ).

[0036] Subsequently, the controller 30 may activate (e.g., close) the first transistor 40A, the fifth transistor 40E, and the sixth transistor 40F, such that the first operational amplifier 50A may determine and / or record a fourth voltage drop, and the second operational amplifier 50B may determine and / or record a fifth voltage drop, the fourth voltage drop and the fifth voltage drop being associated with the transistors 40A - 40D being in a closed state (e.g., across the transistors 40A - 40D in the closed state). The first operational amplifier 50A may transmit the fourth voltage drop to the comparator 60, and the second operational amplifier 50B may transmit the fifth voltage drop to the comparator 60. The comparator 60 may compare the fourth voltage drop with the fifth voltage drop to generate a third comparator output associated with the operating state of the first transistor 40A. Depending on the first transistor 40A operating correctly, the third comparator output (e.g., low) will indicate that the first transistor 40A is in a closed state (see, for example Figure 3 ).

[0037] In various implementations, the first operational amplifier 50A may hold (e.g., via the first capacitor 70A and the second capacitor 70B) the fourth voltage drop. In some examples, to facilitate the first operational amplifier 50A in holding the fourth voltage drop, the controller 30 may deactivate (e.g., open) the fifth transistor 40E and the sixth transistor 40F.

[0038] In various implementations, to perform a health check associated with the second transistor 40B, the controller 30 may deactivate (e.g., open) the second transistor 40B while keeping the first transistor 40A, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D in a closed state (e.g., activated). The second operational amplifier 50B may determine and / or record a sixth voltage drop associated with the second transistor 40B being in an open state and the first transistor 40A, the third transistor 40C, and the fourth transistor 40D being in a closed state (e.g., the sixth voltage drop across the open second transistor 40B and the closed first transistor 40A, third transistor 40C, and fourth transistor 40D). The second operational amplifier 50B may transmit the sixth voltage drop to the comparator 60.

[0039] In various implementations, the comparator 60 may compare the fourth voltage drop with the sixth voltage drop to generate a fourth comparator output associated with the operating state of the second transistor 40B. Depending on the second transistor 40B operating correctly, the fourth comparator output (e.g., high) will indicate that the second transistor 40B is in an open state (see, for example Figure 3 ). Depending on the second transistor 40B including a fault condition (e.g., stuck in the closed state), the fourth comparator output (e.g., low) will indicate that the second transistor 40B includes a fault condition.

[0040] Subsequently, the controller 30 may activate (e.g., close) the second transistor 40B, the fifth transistor 40E, and the sixth transistor 40F such that the first operational amplifier 50A may determine and / or record a seventh voltage drop and the second operational amplifier 50B may determine and / or record an eighth voltage drop, the seventh voltage drop and the eighth voltage drop being associated with the transistors 40A - 40D being in a closed state (e.g., across the transistors 40A - 40D in the closed state). The first operational amplifier 50A may transfer the seventh voltage drop to the comparator 60, and the second operational amplifier 50B may transfer the eighth voltage drop to the comparator 60. The comparator 60 may compare the seventh voltage drop with the eighth voltage drop to generate a fifth comparator output associated with the operating state of the second transistor 40B. Depending on the second transistor 40B operating correctly, the fifth comparator output (e.g., low) will indicate that the second transistor 40B is in a closed state (see, e.g., Figure 3 ).

[0041] In various implementations, the first operational amplifier 50A may hold (e.g., via the first capacitor 70A and the second capacitor 70B) the seventh voltage drop. In some examples, to facilitate the first operational amplifier 50A in holding the seventh voltage drop, the controller 30 may deactivate (e.g., open) the fifth transistor 40E and the sixth transistor 40F.

[0042] In various implementations, to perform a health check associated with the third transistor 40C, the controller 30 may deactivate (e.g., open) the third transistor 40C while keeping the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and the fourth transistor 40D in a closed state (e.g., activated). The second operational amplifier 50B may determine and / or record a ninth voltage drop associated with the third transistor 40C being in an open state and the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and the fourth transistor 40D being in a closed state (e.g., the ninth voltage drop across the third transistor 40C in the open state and the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and the fourth transistor 40D in the closed state). The second operational amplifier 50B may transfer the ninth voltage drop to the comparator 60.

[0043] In various implementations, the comparator 60 may compare the seventh voltage drop with the ninth voltage drop to generate a sixth comparator output associated with the operating state of the third transistor 40C. Depending on the third transistor 40C operating correctly, the sixth comparator output (e.g., high) will indicate that the third transistor 40C is in an open state (see, e.g., Figure 3 ). Depending on the third transistor 40C including a fault condition (e.g., stuck in the closed state), the sixth comparator output (e.g., low) will indicate that the third transistor 40C includes a fault condition.

[0044] Subsequently, the controller 30 can activate (e.g., close) the third transistor 40C, the fifth transistor 40E, and the sixth transistor 40F, such that the first operational amplifier 50A can determine and / or record a tenth voltage drop, and the second operational amplifier 50B can determine and / or record an eleventh voltage drop, where the tenth voltage drop and the eleventh voltage drop are associated with the transistors 40A - 40D being in the closed state. The first operational amplifier 50A can transmit the tenth voltage drop to the comparator 60, and the second operational amplifier 50B can transmit the eleventh voltage drop to the comparator 60. The comparator 60 can compare the tenth voltage drop with the eleventh voltage drop to generate a seventh comparator output associated with the operating state of the third transistor 40C. Depending on the third transistor 40C operating correctly, the seventh comparator output (e.g., low) will indicate that the third transistor 40C is in the closed state (see, e.g., Figure 3 ).

[0045] In various implementations, the first operational amplifier 50A can hold (e.g., via the first capacitor 70A and the second capacitor 70B) the tenth voltage drop. In some examples, to facilitate the first operational amplifier 50A in holding the tenth voltage drop, the controller 30 can deactivate (e.g., open) the fifth transistor 40E and the sixth transistor 40F.

[0046] In various implementations, to perform a health check associated with the fourth transistor 40D, the controller 30 can deactivate (e.g., open) the fourth transistor 40D while keeping the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and the third transistor 40C in the closed state (e.g., activated). The second operational amplifier 50B can determine and / or record a twelfth voltage drop associated with the fourth transistor 40D being in the open state and the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and the third transistor 40C being in the closed state (e.g., the twelfth voltage drop across the open fourth transistor 40D and the closed first transistor 40A, second transistor 40B, and third transistor 40C). The second operational amplifier 50B can transmit the twelfth voltage drop to the comparator 60.

[0047] In various implementations, the comparator 60 can compare the tenth voltage drop with the twelfth voltage drop to generate an eighth comparator output associated with the operating state of the fourth transistor 40D. Depending on the fourth transistor 40D operating correctly, the eighth comparator output (e.g., high) will indicate that the fourth transistor 40D is in the open state (see, e.g., Figure 3 ). Depending on the fourth transistor 40D including a fault condition (e.g., stuck in the closed state), the eighth comparator output (e.g., low) will indicate that the fourth transistor 40D includes a fault condition.

[0048] Subsequently, the controller 30 may activate (e.g., close) the fourth transistor 40D, the fifth transistor 40E, and the sixth transistor 40F such that the first operational amplifier 50A can determine and / or record a thirteenth voltage drop and the second operational amplifier 50B can determine and / or record a fourteenth voltage drop, where the thirteenth voltage drop and the fourteenth voltage drop are associated with the transistors 40A - 40D being in a closed state (e.g., across the transistors 40A - 40D in the closed state). The first operational amplifier 50A may transfer the thirteenth voltage drop to the comparator 60, and the second operational amplifier 50B may transfer the fourteenth voltage drop to the comparator 60. The comparator 60 may compare the thirteenth voltage drop with the fourteenth voltage drop to generate a ninth comparator output associated with the operating state of the fourth transistor 40D. Depending on the fourth transistor 40D operating correctly, the ninth comparator output (e.g., low) will indicate that the fourth transistor 40D is in a closed state (see, e.g., Figure 3 ).

[0049] In various implementations, the electrical component 10 performs a health check without interrupting the current flow from the battery 12 to the electrical load 14. In some examples, the electrical component 10 may continuously perform a health check during the operation of the vehicle 20. Alternatively, the electrical component 10 may perform a health check periodically (e.g., at determined time intervals) during the operation of the vehicle 20. Flowchart

[0050] Figure 5A and Figure 5B are flowcharts of an example method 200 for operating an electrical component 10 configured to be connected to a battery 12 and an electrical load 14. The method 200 may begin at 204. At 204, the controller 30 may activate two or more transistors. For example, the controller 30 may activate the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and the third transistor 40C. The method 200 may proceed to 208. At 208, the first operational amplifier 50A may determine and / or record a first voltage drop associated with the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and / or the third transistor 40C being activated (e.g., a first voltage drop across the activated first transistor 40A, second transistor 40B, and / or third transistor 40C). In various implementations, the first operational amplifier 50A may hold the first voltage drop via the first capacitor 70A and / or the second capacitor 70B. The method 200 may proceed to 212.

[0051] At 212, the first operational amplifier 50A may transfer a first voltage drop to the comparator 60. Method 200 may proceed to 216. At 216, the controller 30 may deactivate one or more transistors. For example, the controller 30 may deactivate the first transistor 40A and / or the third transistor 40C. Method 200 may proceed to 220. At 220, the second operational amplifier 50B may determine and / or record a second voltage drop associated with the deactivation of the first transistor 40A and / or the third transistor 40C and the activation of the second transistor 40B. In various implementations, the voltage drop determined and / or recorded via the second operational amplifier 50B may be associated with the real-time voltage drops of the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and the third transistor 40C. Method 200 may proceed to 224. At 224, the second operational amplifier 50B may transfer the second voltage drop to the comparator 60. Method 200 may proceed to 228.

[0052] At 228, the comparator 60 may compare the first voltage drop with the second voltage drop to generate a comparator output. Method 200 may proceed to 232. At 232, the comparator 60 may transfer the comparator output to the controller 30. Method 200 may proceed to 236. At 236, the controller 30 may determine the operating state of the first transistor 40A and / or the third transistor 40C based on the comparator output. In various implementations, the operating state may indicate whether the first transistor 40A and / or the third transistor 40C is operating correctly or includes a fault condition. The fault condition may be associated with the first transistor 40A and / or the third transistor 40C being stuck in a closed state or an open state. The fault condition may be associated with the first transistor 40A and / or the third transistor 40C having an over-temperature condition, an over-current condition, or an insufficient gate voltage condition. Method 200 may proceed to 240.

[0053] At 240, the controller 30 may activate the first transistor 40A and / or the third transistor 40C. The method 200 may proceed to 244. At 244, the first operational amplifier 50A may determine and / or record a third voltage drop, and the second operational amplifier 50B may determine and / or record a fourth voltage drop, the third voltage drop and the fourth voltage drop being associated with the activation of the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and / or the third transistor 40C (e.g., across the activated first transistor 40A, second transistor 40B, and / or third transistor 40C). The method 200 may proceed to 248. At 248, the first operational amplifier 50A may transmit the third voltage drop to the comparator 60, and the second operational amplifier 50B may transmit the fourth voltage drop to the comparator 60. The method 200 may proceed to 252. At 252, the comparator 60 may compare the third voltage drop with the fourth voltage drop to generate a second comparator output. The comparator 60 may transmit the second comparator output to the controller 30. The method 200 may proceed to 256.

[0054] At 256, the controller 30 may verify (i.e., confirm) the operating state of the first transistor 40A and / or the third transistor 40C based on the second comparator output. The method 200 may proceed to 260. At 260, the first operational amplifier 50 may hold (e.g., via the first capacitor 70A and the second capacitor 70B) the third voltage drop, and the controller 30 may deactivate (e.g., turn off) the second transistor 40B. The method 200 may proceed to 264. At 264, the second operational amplifier 50B may determine and / or record a fifth voltage drop associated with the deactivation of the second transistor 40B and the activation of the first transistor 40A and / or the third transistor 40C (e.g., a fifth voltage drop across the deactivated second transistor 40B and the activated first transistor 40A and / or third transistor 40C). The method 200 may proceed to 268.

[0055] At 268, the second operational amplifier 50B may transfer a fifth voltage drop to the comparator 60. Method 200 may proceed to 272. At 272, the comparator 60 may compare the third voltage drop with the fifth voltage drop to generate a third comparator output. Method 200 may proceed to 276. At 276, the comparator 60 may transfer the third comparator output to the controller 30. Method 200 may proceed to 280. At 280, the controller 30 may determine the operating state of the second transistor 40B based on the third comparator output. In various implementations, the controller 30 is configured to perform a health check of the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and / or the third transistor 40C without interrupting the current flow from the battery 12 to the electrical load 14. Although method 200 is generally shown and described herein as performing a health check of three transistors (e.g., the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, and / or the third transistor 40C), it should be understood that within the scope of the present disclosure, method 200 may perform a health check of more than three transistors (e.g., the first transistor 40A, the second transistor 40B, the third transistor 40C, and / or the fourth transistor 40D, etc.).

[0056] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure may be implemented in a variety of forms. Thus, while the disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. In the written description and claims, one or more steps within a method may be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without changing the principles of the disclosure. Similarly, one or more instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium may be executed in a different order (or simultaneously) without changing the principles of the disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, the numbering or other labeling of instructions or method steps is for convenience of reference and does not indicate a fixed order.

[0057] In addition, while each of the embodiments above has been described as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented in and / or combined with the features of any one of the other embodiments, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and arrangements of one or more of the embodiments with each other are still within the scope of the disclosure.

[0058] A variety of terms are used to describe the spatial and functional relationships between components (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.), including terms such as "connected", "joined", "coupled", "adjacent", "next to", "on", "above", "below", and "disposed". Unless explicitly described as "direct", when the relationship between a first element and a second element is described in the above disclosure, the relationship encompasses both a direct relationship where no other intermediate element exists between the first element and the second element and an indirect relationship where one or more intermediate elements exist between the first element and the second element.

[0059] The term "set" does not necessarily exclude the empty set. In other words, in some cases, a "set" can have zero elements. The term "non-empty set" can be used to indicate the exclusion of the empty set - in other words, a non-empty set will always have one or more elements. The term "subset" does not necessarily require a proper subset. In other words, a "subset" of a first set can have the same scope as the first set (i.e., be equal to the first set). Further, the term "subset" does not necessarily exclude the empty set, and in some cases, a "subset" can have zero elements.

[0060] In the drawings, the direction of an arrow as indicated by the arrowhead generally shows the direction of the information flow of interest in the illustration (such as data or instructions). For example, when element A and element B exchange various information, but the information transmitted from element A to element B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow can point from element A to element B. This one-way arrow does not mean that no other information is transmitted from element B to element A. Additionally, for the information sent from element A to element B, element B can send a request for that information or receive an acknowledgment to element A.

[0061] In this application, including the following definitions, the term "module" can be replaced with the term "controller" or the term "circuit". In this application, the term "controller" can be replaced with the term "module". The term "module" can refer to the following, a part of the following, or include the following: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or hybrid analog / digital discrete circuit; digital, analog, or hybrid analog / digital integrated circuit; combinational logic circuit; field programmable gate array (FPGA); processor hardware that executes code (shared, dedicated, or group); memory hardware that is coupled to the processor hardware and stores the code executed by the processor hardware (shared, dedicated, or group); other suitable hardware components that provide the said function; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0062] A module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the (multiple) interface circuits may implement a wired or wireless interface to connect to a local area network (LAN) or a wireless personal area network (WPAN). Examples of a LAN are Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 802.11-2020 (also known as the WIFI wireless network standard) and IEEE Standard 802.3-2018 (also known as the ETHERNET wired network standard). Examples of a WPAN are IEEE Standard 802.15.4 (including the ZIGBEE standard from the ZigBee Alliance) and the BLUETOOTH wireless network standard from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) (including core specification versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 5.0, and 5.1 from the Bluetooth SIG).

[0063] The module may communicate with other modules using the (multiple) interface circuits. Although the module may be depicted in this disclosure as logically communicating directly with other modules, in various implementations the module may actually communicate via a communication system. The communication system includes physical and / or virtual network equipment, such as hubs, switches, routers, and gateways. In some implementations, the communication system is connected to or traverses a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet. For example, the communication system may include multiple LANs connected to each other via the Internet or a point-to-point leased line using technologies including Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Virtual Private Network (VPN).

[0064] In various embodiments, the functions of the module may be distributed among multiple modules connected via the communication system. For example, multiple modules may implement the same function distributed by a load balancing system. In a further example, the functions of the module may be divided between a server (also known as a remote or cloud) module and a client (or user) module. For example, the client module may include a native or network application that executes on a client device and communicates with the server module over a network.

[0065] Some or all of the hardware features of the module may be defined using a hardware description language, such as IEEE Standard 1364-2005 (commonly known as "Verilog") and IEEE Standard 1076-2008 (commonly known as "VHDL"). The hardware description language may be used to fabricate and / or program hardware circuits. In some implementations, some or all of the features of the module may be defined by a language, such as IEEE 1666-2005 (commonly known as "SystemC"), which covers both code (as described below) and hardware descriptions.

[0066] As used above, the term code can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. Shared processor hardware encompasses a single microprocessor that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. Group processor hardware encompasses microprocessors that, in combination with additional microprocessors, execute some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple microprocessors include multiple microprocessors on discrete chips, multiple microprocessors on a single chip, multiple cores of a single microprocessor, multiple threads of a single microprocessor, or combinations of the above.

[0067] Memory hardware can also store data either with or separate from the code. Shared memory hardware encompasses a single memory device that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. An example of shared memory hardware can be a level 1 cache on or near a microprocessor die, which can store code from multiple modules. Another example of shared memory hardware can be a persistent storage device, such as a solid state drive (SSD) or a magnetic hard disk drive (HDD), which can store code from multiple modules. Group memory hardware encompasses memory devices that, in combination with other memory devices, store some or all of the code from one or more modules. An example of group memory hardware is a storage area network (SAN), which can store the code of a particular module across multiple physical devices. Another example of group memory hardware is the random access memory of each server in a collection of servers, which, when combined, stores the code of a particular module. The term "memory hardware" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium".

[0068] The apparatuses and methods described in this application can be implemented in part or in whole by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to execute one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. Such apparatuses and methods can be described as computerized or computer-implemented apparatuses and methods. The above functional blocks and flowchart elements serve as software specifications and can be converted into computer programs by the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.

[0069] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium. A computer program can also include or rely on stored data. A computer program can include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, and the like.

[0070] A computer program can include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language), XML (eXtensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler, (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter, (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, source code can be written in the syntax of languages including C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (the fifth edition of the HyperText Markup Language), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Visual Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and the like.

[0071] The term “non-transitory computer-readable medium” does not cover transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as on a carrier wave). Non-limiting examples of non-transitory computer-readable media are: non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital tapes or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0072] The phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” should be construed to mean the logic (A or B or C) using non-exclusive logic “or”, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C”. The phrase “at least one of A, B, or C” should be construed to mean the logic (A or B or C) using non-exclusive logic “or”.

[0073] The following clauses provide exemplary configurations of the electrical components and related methods as described above.

[0074] Clause 1: An electrical component configured to be connected to a battery and an electrical load, the electrical component comprising: a first transistor; a second transistor electrically connected in parallel with the first transistor; a first operational amplifier electrically connected to the first transistor and the second transistor; a second operational amplifier electrically connected to the first transistor and the second transistor; a comparator electrically connected to the first operational amplifier and the second operational amplifier; and a controller electrically connected to the first transistor, the second transistor, and the comparator, and the controller being configured to: control the first transistor and the second transistor and determine an operating state of the first transistor and the second transistor based on an output of the comparator.

[0075] Clause 2: The electrical component of Clause 1, wherein the controller is configured to: perform a health check of the first transistor and the second transistor when current flows from the battery to the electrical load.

[0076] Clause 3: The electrical component of any one of Clauses 1 to 2, wherein the operating state indicates whether the corresponding transistor is operating correctly or includes a fault condition.

[0077] Clause 4: The electrical component of Clause 3, wherein the fault condition is associated with the corresponding transistor being in an open state or a closed state.

[0078] Clause 5: The electrical component of any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein: the electrical component is configured to be connected to a vehicle; and the controller is configured to: continuously monitor the gate voltage and temperature of the first transistor and the second transistor during operation of the vehicle.

[0079] Clause 6: The electrical component of any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein the electrical component further comprises a third transistor connected in parallel with the first transistor and the second transistor, wherein: the controller is electrically connected to the third transistor, and the controller is configured to: determine an operating state of the third transistor based on an additional output from the comparator.

[0080] Clause 7: The electrical component of any one of Clauses 1 to 6, wherein the electrical component further comprises a third transistor electrically connected to the controller and the first operational amplifier, and the third transistor is connected in series with the first transistor and the second transistor.

[0081] Clause 8: The electrical component of Clause 7, wherein the electrical component further comprises a first capacitor electrically connected to the third transistor and the first operational amplifier, and the first capacitor is disposed between the third transistor and the first operational amplifier.

[0082] Clause 9: The electrical component of any one of Clauses 1 to 8, the electrical component further comprising: a first resistor electrically connected to a second operational amplifier and a comparator, the first resistor being disposed between the second operational amplifier and the comparator; and a second resistor electrically connected to the first resistor and ground, wherein during the health check of the first transistor and the second transistor, the first resistor and the second resistor act as a voltage divider.

[0083] Clause 10: A vehicle, the vehicle comprising: the electrical component of any one of Clauses 1 to 9: a battery; and an electrical load, wherein the controller is configured to continuously determine the operating states of the first transistor and the second transistor during the operation of the vehicle.

[0084] Clause 11: A method of operating an electrical component configured to be connected to a battery and an electrical load, the method comprising: activating the first transistor and the second transistor via a controller; recording a first voltage drop across the activated first transistor and the activated second transistor via a first operational amplifier; deactivating the first transistor via the controller; recording a second voltage drop across the deactivated first transistor and the activated second transistor via a second operational amplifier; comparing the first voltage drop with the second voltage drop via a comparator to generate a comparator output; transmitting the comparator output to the controller via the comparator; and determining the operating state of the first transistor by the controller based on the comparator output.

[0085] Clause 12: The method of Clause 11, wherein the operating state indicates whether the first transistor is operating correctly or includes a fault condition.

[0086] Clause 13: The method of Clause 12, wherein the fault condition is associated with the first transistor being in a closed state or an open state.

[0087] Clause 14: The method of Clause 12, wherein the fault condition is associated with the first transistor having an overheating condition, an overcurrent condition, or an insufficient gate voltage condition.

[0088] Clause 15: The method of any one of Clauses 11 to 14, the method further comprising: holding the first voltage drop via the first operational amplifier.

[0089] Clause 16: The method of any one of Clauses 11 to 15, wherein the second voltage drop is associated with the real-time voltage drop of the first transistor and the second transistor.

[0090] Clause 17: The method of any one of Clauses 11 to 16, the method further comprising: activating a first transistor via a controller; recording, via a first operational amplifier, a third voltage drop associated with the activation of the first transistor and a second transistor; recording, via a second operational amplifier, a fourth voltage drop associated with the activation of the first transistor and a second transistor; comparing the third voltage drop with the fourth voltage drop via a comparator to generate a second comparator output; and verifying, via the controller, an operating state of the first transistor based on the second comparator output.

[0091] Clause 18: The method of Clause 17, the method further comprising: holding the third voltage drop via the first operational amplifier; deactivating the second transistor via the controller; and recording, via the second operational amplifier, a fifth voltage drop associated with the deactivation of the second transistor and the activation of the first transistor.

[0092] Clause 19: The method of Clause 18, the method further comprising: comparing the third voltage drop with the fifth voltage drop via a comparator to generate a third comparator output; and determining, via the controller, an operating state of the second transistor based on the third comparator output.

[0093] Clause 20: The method of any one of Clauses 11 to 19, wherein the controller is configured to: perform a health check of the first transistor and the second transistor without interrupting the current flow from the battery to the electrical load.

[0094] Clause 21: The method of any one of Clauses 11 to 20, wherein: activating the first transistor and the second transistor via the controller includes: activating a third transistor via the controller; recording, via the first operational amplifier, a first voltage drop across the activated first transistor and the activated second transistor includes: recording, via the first operational amplifier, a first voltage drop across the activated first transistor, the activated second transistor, and the activated third transistor; and recording, via the second operational amplifier, a second voltage drop across the deactivated first transistor and the activated second transistor includes: recording, via the second operational amplifier, a second voltage drop across the deactivated first transistor, the activated second transistor, and the activated third transistor.

Claims

1. An electrical component configured to be connected to a battery and an electrical load, the electrical component comprising: A first transistor; A second transistor electrically connected in parallel with the first transistor; A first operational amplifier electrically connected to the first transistor and the second transistor; A second operational amplifier electrically connected to the first transistor and the second transistor; A comparator electrically connected to the first operational amplifier and the second operational amplifier; and A controller electrically connected to the first transistor, the second transistor, and the comparator, and the controller is configured to: Control the first transistor and the second transistor; And Determine the operating states of the first transistor and the second transistor based on the output of the comparator.

2. The electrical component according to claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to: perform a health check on the first transistor and the second transistor when current flows from the battery to the electrical load.

3. The electrical component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The operating state indicates whether the corresponding transistor is operating correctly or includes a fault condition.

4. The electrical component according to claim 3, characterized in that The fault condition is associated with the corresponding transistor being in an open state or a closed state.

5. The electrical component according to claim 1, wherein: The electrical component is configured to be connected to a vehicle; and The controller is configured to: continuously monitor the gate voltage and temperature of the first transistor and the second transistor during operation of the vehicle.

6. The electrical component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrical component further includes a third transistor connected in parallel with the first transistor and the second transistor, wherein: The controller is electrically connected to the third transistor, and The controller is configured to: determine the operating state of the third transistor based on an additional output from the comparator.

7. The electrical component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrical component further includes a third transistor electrically connected to the controller and the first operational amplifier, and the third transistor is connected in series with the first transistor and the second transistor.

8. The electrical component according to claim 7, characterized in that, The electrical component further includes a first capacitor electrically connected to the third transistor and the first operational amplifier, and the first capacitor is disposed between the third transistor and the first operational amplifier.

9. The electrical component according to claim 1, wherein The electrical component further includes: A first resistor electrically connected to the second operational amplifier and the comparator, the first resistor being disposed between the second operational amplifier and the comparator; and A second resistor electrically connected to the first resistor and ground, Wherein, during the health check of the first transistor and the second transistor, the first resistor and the second resistor act as a voltage divider.

10. A vehicle, the vehicle comprising: The electrical component according to claim 1; The battery; And The electrical load, Wherein, the controller is configured to: continuously determine the operating states of the first transistor and the second transistor during operation of the vehicle.

11. A method of operating an electrical component configured to be connected to a battery and an electrical load, the method comprising: Activating a first transistor and a second transistor via a controller; Recording, via a first operational amplifier, a first voltage drop across the activated first transistor and the activated second transistor; Deactivating the first transistor via the controller; Recording, via a second operational amplifier, a second voltage drop across the deactivated first transistor and the activated second transistor; Comparing the first voltage drop with the second voltage drop via a comparator to generate a comparator output; Transmitting the comparator output to the controller via the comparator; And Determining, via the controller, an operating state of the first transistor based on the comparator output.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein The operating state indicates whether the first transistor is operating correctly or includes a fault condition.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein The fault condition is associated with the first transistor being in a closed state or an open state.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein The fault condition is associated with the first transistor having an overheating condition, an overcurrent condition, or an insufficient gate voltage condition.

15. The method according to claim 11, the method further comprising: Maintaining the first voltage drop via the first operational amplifier.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein The second voltage drop is associated with real-time voltage drops of the first transistor and the second transistor.

17. The method according to claim 11, the method further comprising: Activating the first transistor via the controller; Recording, via the first operational amplifier, a third voltage drop associated with activation of the first transistor and the second transistor; Recording, via the second operational amplifier, a fourth voltage drop associated with activation of the first transistor and the second transistor; Comparing the third voltage drop with the fourth voltage drop via the comparator to generate a second comparator output; And Verifying, via the controller, the operating state of the first transistor based on the second comparator output.

18. The method according to claim 17, the method further comprising: Maintaining the third voltage drop via the first operational amplifier; Deactivating the second transistor via the controller; And Recording, via the second operational amplifier, a fifth voltage drop associated with deactivation of the second transistor and activation of the first transistor.

19. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising: Comparing the third voltage drop with the fifth voltage drop via the comparator to generate a third comparator output; And Determining, via the controller, an operating state of the second transistor based on the third comparator output.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein The controller is configured to perform a health check of the first transistor and the second transistor without interrupting current flow from the battery to the electrical load.

21. The method according to claim 11, wherein: Activating the first transistor and the second transistor via a controller includes: activating a third transistor via the controller; Recording the first voltage drop across the activated first transistor and the activated second transistor via the first operational amplifier includes: recording the first voltage drop across the activated first transistor, the activated second transistor, and the activated third transistor via the first operational amplifier; and Recording the second voltage drop across the deactivated first transistor and the activated second transistor via the second operational amplifier includes: recording the second voltage drop across the deactivated first transistor, the activated second transistor, and the activated third transistor via the second operational amplifier.

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