Protection and sensing systems and methods

Abstract

The invention relates to a protection and sensing system and method, in particular to a circuit protection device. The apparatus includes a solid state disconnect electronic component and a sensor coupled to the solid state disconnect electronic component. The solid state disconnect electronics are configured to disconnect the operating electronics and the power supply when the sensor detects a fault condition.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 562,797, filed by Golubovic et al. on March 8, 2024, entitled “Protection and Sensing Systems and Methods,” and incorporates the entire disclosure of that disclosure herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of circuit protection devices, and more particularly to solid-state battery disconnect and protection circuits. Background Art

[0004] Circuits for protecting rechargeable components, such as, for example, rechargeable electric vehicle (EV) batteries, are well known. These components can be dangerous if they operate at voltages and / or currents exceeding safety limits. To prevent this, overcurrent protection devices are used that withstand the maximum current allowed before the current rise is interrupted.

[0005] Some circuit protection devices include contactor devices, which are electrically controlled switches for switching power circuits (for example, in electric vehicles). In a typical configuration, the contactor includes an electromagnetic coil and a movable conductive core disposed in or near the coil. The core is attached to a conductive bridge. When the coil is energized, it generates an electromagnetic field that moves the core, moving the bridge into engagement with a pair of fixed contacts. The bridge provides a conductive path between the contacts and allows current to flow through the contactor (for example, from the car battery to the various electrical systems in the car). When the coil is de-energized, the bridge moves away from the fixed contacts and the electrical path is disconnected, thereby preventing current from flowing through the contactor.

[0006] Conventional contactor systems are used to disconnect primary equipment (e.g., motors and batteries) if a fault condition (e.g., overcurrent, etc.) is detected. These contactors need to be able to switch full operating voltage / current. High current / power switching often results in arcing and equipment degradation and / or failure. It can also shorten the life of other electrical / electronic systems connected to such contactors and increase maintenance costs. Existing contactor systems use various arc quenching technologies that are often large in size, weight, cost, and do not provide the necessary protection for the electrical / electronic systems to which these contactors are coupled. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The following summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0008] In some embodiments, the present subject matter relates to a device that can be configured to provide circuit protection for one or more operating electronic components, such as, for example, but not limited to, a motor, a rechargeable battery, and / or any other component. The device can include solid-state disconnect electronics and, optionally, a sensor coupled to the solid-state disconnect electronics. The solid-state disconnect electronics can be configured to disconnect the operating electronic component from a power source when the sensor detects a fault condition.

[0009] In some embodiments, the present subject matter can be configured to include one or more of the following optional features. In some embodiments, the solid-state disconnect housing can include solid-state disconnect electronics. The solid-state disconnect electronics can include at least one solid-state switch (e.g., an IGBT, a MOSFET, etc.). In some example non-limiting embodiments, the solid-state disconnect electronics can include a fast current sensor to detect, for example, overcurrent and / or any other condition. In some example non-limiting embodiments, the solid-state disconnect housing can include solid-state battery disconnect electronics and a sensor. A first terminal of the sensor can be coupled to a first terminal of a power source, and the operating electronics can be coupled to a second terminal of the power source. The solid-state disconnect electronics can be coupled to a second terminal of the sensor. In some example non-limiting embodiments, the sensor can be coupled to a battery management system (BMS) and can be configured to provide various data (e.g., current values, voltage values, and / or any other parameters) to the BMS, which can in turn use these values ​​to control various operational aspects of the battery.

[0010] In some embodiments, the operating electronic components may include a motor, a power supply, a power consuming element, a DC / DC power supply, an AC / DC power supply, and / or any combination thereof.

[0011] In some embodiments, the solid-state disconnect electronic component can provide short circuit protection for the operating electronic components and / or the power supply and / or any other electronic components, which may be caused by various operating faults, including faults in the operating electronic components, any interconnecting components, the power supply and / or any other electronic components.

[0012] In some embodiments, solid-state disconnect electronics may perform an operational on / off switch.

[0013] In some embodiments, the solid state disconnect electronics may monitor at least one of: current supplied from the power source to the operating electronics, voltage supplied from the power source to the operating electronics, operating temperature, and any combination thereof.

[0014] In some embodiments, the power source may be a battery.

[0015] In some embodiments, the let-through current of the solid-state disconnect electronics is in a range of about 100 amps to about 1200 amps with a response time of less than 10 microseconds (e.g., in a range of about 400 amps to about 800 amps with a response time of less than 10 microseconds, in a range of 100 amps to about 400 amps with a response time of less than 8 microseconds, etc.). Alternatively or additionally, the let-through current can be about 2-3 times the rated current (and / or any other factor of the rated current).

[0016] In some embodiments, the operating electronics may be coupled to the power supply via a second main relay electronics component.The second main relay component may be coupled to the control system.

[0017] In some embodiments, the apparatus may further include at least one processor configured to control operation of the solid-state disconnect electronics.

[0018] In some embodiments, the fault condition may include at least one of a short circuit, a current surge exceeding a predetermined threshold current, a voltage surge exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage, a temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold temperature, and any combination thereof.

[0019] In some embodiments, the present subject matter relates to a solid-state disconnect device. The device can include solid-state disconnect electronics comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to disconnect the operating electronics from a power source when a sensor detects a fault condition.

[0020] In some embodiments, the present subject matter relates to a system that can be configured to provide circuit protection to one or more operating electronic components and / or a power supply and / or any other electronic components, which can be caused by various operational faults, including faults in the operating electronic components, any interconnecting components, the power supply and / or any other electronic components. The system can include a plurality of solid-state disconnect electronic components. Each of the plurality of solid-state disconnect electronic components can be coupled to a sensor from a plurality of sensors. The plurality of solid-state disconnect electronic components can be coupled to the operating electronic components. At least one of the plurality of solid-state disconnect electronic components can be configured to disconnect the operating electronic components from the power supply when a fault condition is detected by a sensor of the at least one solid-state disconnect electronic component.

[0021] The details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description, help explain some of the principles associated with the disclosed embodiments.

[0023] Figure 1 shows examples of electrical / electronic systems that may include circuit monitoring / sensing and protection components / systems according to some embodiments of the current subject matter;

[0024] Figure 2A-2B An example circuit protection system according to some implementations of the current subject matter is shown;

[0025] Figure 3 It is shown that some embodiments according to the current subject matter may include Figure 2A-2B The architecture of the various electronic components in the system shown in;

[0026] Figure 4 An example system that may include multiple solid-state battery disconnect systems according to some implementations of the current subject matter is shown;

[0027] Figure 5 Shows the display Figure 2A-2B Example graphs of operating characteristics / results of one or more experimental setups for the system shown in ;

[0028] Figure 6 An example showing a horizontal threshold and slope detector is shown and may represent Figure 2A-2B The operation of the system shown in ; and

[0029] Figure 7 Shown are examples of processing components that may be used by a solid-state battery disconnect system, according to some implementations of the current subject matter.

[0030] The accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. The accompanying drawings are merely representations and are not intended to depict specific parameters of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings are intended to depict exemplary embodiments of the present subject matter and therefore should not be considered to limit the scope. In the accompanying drawings, the same numbers represent the same elements.

[0031] Furthermore, for clarity, some elements in some of the figures may be omitted and / or not shown to scale. The cross-sectional views may be in the form of "sliced" and / or "close-up" cross-sectional views, with some background lines visible in "true" cross-sectional views omitted for clarity. Furthermore, for clarity, some reference numerals may be omitted in some of the figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Various methods according to the present disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of systems and methods. Devices, systems, components, and the like may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments described herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the present subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0033] To address these and potential other deficiencies of currently available solutions, one or more embodiments of the present subject matter are directed to methods, systems, articles of manufacture, etc., which, among other possible advantages, can provide circuit monitoring / sensing and protection for one or more operating electronic components (e.g., motors, power-consuming elements, direct current / direct current (DC / DC) power supplies, alternating current / direct current (AC / DC) power supplies, and / or any other electrical / electronic device and / or system).

[0034] Current overcurrent detection methods are based on level detection, i.e., the current must reach a certain value before the overcurrent protection device detects the overcurrent and takes action to interrupt the current rise. The maximum current can grow very high before the overcurrent protection device completes the series of actions required to mitigate the current.

[0035] Some overcurrent protection systems and devices, such as those used in high-voltage DC applications with capacitive loads that can cause high inrush currents during power-up, implement various precharge circuits to prevent damage to system components by blocking high-ampere current spikes. In these circuits, precharging the power line voltage is a preliminary mode of limiting inrush current.

[0036] In electric vehicle (EV) applications, battery circuit breakers are implemented using contactors. Overcurrent protection is implemented using a combination of contactors controlled by specialized circuitry and additional protection elements (such as fuses, pyrofuses, etc.). Pre-charge control is implemented using additional dedicated circuitry. In EV applications, a large capacitive load is the DC link in the electric motor. The DC link capacitor may be the sum of several parallel capacitors in subunits within the EV, for example, one capacitor for the electric motor, another for the air conditioning compressor, another for the window activation, and so on. Pre-charging the DC link capacitor can occur at each vehicle start. Depending on the battery state of charge, the battery voltage may vary at each vehicle start. Therefore, the battery voltage can be anywhere within the battery's operating range, for example, 550V-800V in an 800V battery system. The pre-charge circuit can limit the inrush current to slowly charge the downstream DC link capacitor. Once the DC link capacitor voltage approaches the battery voltage, the main switch is allowed to close. Thus, the pre-charge circuit allows controlled current flow during vehicle startup.

[0037] In some cases, the pre-charge circuit can include an auxiliary switch positioned in series with a large-value resistor and placed in parallel with the main switch. When the main switch is open and the auxiliary switch is closed, the DC link capacitor is slowly charged (determined by the resistor value). Once the DC link capacitor is sufficiently charged (e.g., its voltage approaches the battery voltage), the main switch remains closed, and the battery can safely power the vehicle.

[0038] In some embodiments, the present subject matter provides a circuit monitoring / sensing and protection system that can be configured to disconnect a power source (e.g., a battery, etc.) upon detecting certain faults (e.g., a short circuit, overcurrent, etc.). The system can include solid-state disconnect electronics (e.g., solid-state battery disconnect electronics) and a sensor coupled to relay electronics, wherein the solid-state disconnect electronics can be configured to disconnect one or more operating electronic components and / or the power source upon detecting a fault condition. The fault condition can include, for example, at least one of the following: a short circuit, a current surge exceeding a predetermined threshold current, a voltage surge exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage, a temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold temperature, and any combination thereof. One or more components of the system can be disposed in one or more housings. For example, the solid-state disconnect electronics can be disposed in a solid-state disconnect housing and can include at least one solid-state switch connection component also disposed therein. Another housing can include the solid-state disconnect housing and the sensor. It will be appreciated that a single or multiple housings can be used to house the solid-state disconnect electronics and the sensor, with both being disposed in the same or different housings.

[0039] The solid-state disconnect electronics can be configured to provide short-circuit protection to at least one of the operating electronics and / or the power supply. For example, the solid-state disconnect electronics can perform an operational on / off switch to connect / disconnect the operating electronics and / or the power supply. In some embodiments, the solid-state disconnect electronics can be configured to monitor at least one of: current supplied from the power supply to the operating electronics, voltage supplied from the power supply to the operating electronics, operating temperature, or any combination thereof. The power supply can include one or more batteries (e.g., a car battery). In some example, non-limiting embodiments, the subject system can be characterized by a let-through current of the solid-state disconnect electronics that can be in the range of approximately 100 amperes to approximately 1200 amperes with a response time of less than 10 microseconds (e.g., in the range of approximately 400 amperes to approximately 800 amperes with a response time of less than 10 microseconds, in the range of 100 amperes to approximately 400 amperes with a response time of less than 8 microseconds, etc.). Alternatively, or additionally, the let-through current can be approximately 2-3 times the rated current (and / or any other factor of the rated current). It is understood that the current subject matter is not limited to these values ​​and that other implementations are within the scope of the current disclosure.

[0040] In some embodiments, the sensor and the power supply may include one or more of their respective terminals. One terminal of the sensor may be coupled to one of the terminals of the power supply, and another terminal of the sensor may be coupled to the solid-state disconnect electronics. Another terminal of the power supply may be coupled to the operating electronics. The operating electronics may include at least one of: a motor, a power supply, and / or any combination thereof.

[0041] In some embodiments, the system may include a pre-charge relay electronic component and a first main relay electronic component. The operating electronic component may be coupled to a power supply via a second main relay electronic component. The second main relay component may be coupled to a control component (e.g., one or more processing components), and the second main relay component may include a reduced contactor component.

[0042] Figure 1An example of an electrical / electronic system 100 that can include circuit monitoring / sensing and protection components / systems according to some embodiments of the present subject matter is shown. System 100 can be a power source (e.g., battery, etc.) system architecture that can be provided, for example, in an electric vehicle (EV). System 100 can include a battery system 102, which can include one or more main power disconnect and / or switch components 104, one or more temperature management electronic components 106, one or more battery cells 108, and one or more control, sensing, and / or monitoring electronic components (e.g., processors) 110. Battery system 102 can be subjected to various external loads 114, motors / loads and / or power generation and / or regeneration devices 116, and / or any other loads (e.g., direct current (DC) loads) 118. Battery cells 108 can be charged using one or more external charging components 112.

[0043] One or more components of system 102 (e.g., component 110) can be communicatively coupled using one or more communication networks. The communication network can include one or more of the following: a wired network, a wireless network, a metropolitan area network (“MAN”), a local area network (“LAN”), a wide area network (“WAN”), a virtual local area network (“VLAN”), the Internet, an extranet, an intranet, and / or any other type of network and / or any combination thereof.

[0044] In addition, one or more components of system 102 (e.g., component 110) can include any combination of hardware and / or software. In some embodiments, one or more components of system 102 can be provided on one or more computing devices, such as a server, a database, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a cellular phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a virtual reality device, and / or any other computing device and / or any combination thereof. In some example embodiments, one or more components of system 102 can be provided on a single computing device and / or can be part of a single communication network. Alternatively or additionally, these services can be located separately from each other. A service can be a computing processor, a memory, a software function, a routine, a program, a call, and / or any combination thereof.

[0045] One or more components of the system 102 may include a processor and memory, and it should be understood that the processing circuitry may include additional components necessary to perform the functions described herein, including a processor, memory, error and parity / CRC checkers, data encoders, anti-collision algorithms, controllers, command decoders, security primitives, and anti-tampering hardware. One or more components of the environment 102 may also include one or more displays and / or one or more input devices. A display may be any type of device for presenting visual information, such as a computer monitor, a flat panel display, and a mobile device screen, including liquid crystal displays, light emitting diode displays, plasma panels, and cathode ray tube displays. An input device may include any device for inputting information into a user's device that is available and supported by the user's device, such as a touch screen, keyboard, mouse, cursor control device, touch screen, microphone, digital camera, video recorder, or camcorder. These devices may be used to input information and interact with the software and other devices described herein.

[0046] In some example embodiments, one or more components of system 102 may execute one or more applications, such as software applications, that enable, for example, network communications with one or more components of system 102 and transmit and / or receive data.

[0047] The main power disconnect and / or switch component 104 may be configured to include one or more circuit protection electronic devices and / or systems, such as, for example, a solid-state battery circuit breaker, one or more electrical contactors, etc. The component 104 may be configured to protect various operating electronic components (such as, for example, component 116 ) from fault conditions (e.g., short circuits, current surges, etc.) by disconnecting the component 116 (and / or load 114 and / or load 118 ) from the system 102 .

[0048] Figure 2A-2B Example circuit protection systems 200 and 230 are shown, respectively, according to some embodiments of the present subject matter. Systems 200 and / or 230 may include a solid-state disconnect system (e.g., a solid-state battery disconnect system, such as, for example, an SSBD or SSD), which may be implemented in an energy storage system (ESS), such as, for example, a battery (e.g., automotive and / or any other type), etc. One of the benefits of such SSDs is that they do not require any mechanical parts, thereby providing enhanced reliability and reduced maintenance costs. In addition, these systems provide very fast and resettable short-circuit protection, which allows for rapid recovery from false triggering (e.g., false detection of a short circuit). The SSDs may also implement control of pre-charge (inrush) current, thereby reducing component count. The SSDs of the present subject matter provide fault diagnostics, thereby providing voltage and / or current sensing capabilities.

[0049] In some embodiments, as Figure 2A-2B As shown, the system 200 and / or 230 can provide various functions, such as, for example, operating on / off switching, short circuit protection, pre-charge functions, monitoring and / or control of operating electronic components that can be coupled to such a system, and other functions. In addition, the system 200 and / or 230 can sense various operating parameters, such as, for example, current sensing, voltage sensing, temperature sensing, etc.

[0050] Reference Figure 2A , the system 200 may include a solid-state disconnect component 202 and a sensor 204 coupled to the solid-state disconnect component 202. The solid-state disconnect component 202 may include various components, including but not limited to a solid-state disconnect switch, such as Figure 3 As shown. Solid-state disconnect component 202 can be configured to disconnect the operating electronic component (e.g., motor 212) from the power source (e.g., battery 206) when sensor 204 detects a fault condition. The fault condition may include, for example, but not limited to, at least one of the following: a short circuit, a current surge exceeding a predetermined threshold current, a voltage surge exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage, a temperature detected as above a predetermined threshold temperature, and any combination thereof. Sensor 204 may, for example, be a current sensor, a voltage sensor, a temperature sensor, and / or any other sensor. Sensor 204 may be associated with and / or be part of a power source (e.g., battery, etc.) management system and may supply various information / data to the power source management system to enable it to perform various functions associated with managing power source (e.g., battery, etc.) resources, operating characteristics, and / or any other parameters. The fault condition may include at least one of the following: a short circuit, a current surge exceeding a predetermined threshold current, a voltage surge exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage, a temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold temperature, and any combination thereof.

[0051] The solid-state disconnect component 202 may be coupled to terminal 209 of the sensor 204. The sensor 204 may be coupled to a terminal 211 (e.g., a battery, etc.) via its terminal 207. The terminal 211 may be a positive terminal. The solid-state disconnect component 202 may include various other components, including Figure 3 The circuits and processing components shown, such as Figure 7 A processing component 710 is shown that can control the operation of the solid-state disconnect component 202 and, in particular, control the opening and / or closing of the relays 201 and / or 203 .

[0052] The operating electronic component 212 can be coupled to the solid-state disconnect component 202 via the interrupter component 210 and to the terminal 213 of the power source 206 (e.g., a battery, etc.) via the main relay component 208. Terminal 213 can be a negative terminal. It will be appreciated that terminals 211 and 213 can be positive or negative. The main relay component 208 can also be coupled to a control component 214. The control component 214 can, for example, be configured to perform various associated functions, such as management of the electronic devices of the power source (e.g., battery cells, battery packs, etc.). It can ensure that the power source operates within its safe operating parameters. The control component 214 can monitor the state of health (SOH) of the power source, collect data, control environmental factors that affect the power source, balance them to ensure that the voltage between battery cells is the same, and / or perform any other function. The control component 214 can include a processing component, which can be similar to Figure 7 The processing component 710 shown in .

[0053] In some embodiments, for example, as in Figure 2A As shown in FIG, the solid state disconnect system 202 can be incorporated into a housing component 220 that can house a solid state switch and / or any other electronic components, processing components, etc., such as in FIG. Figure 3 and / or Figure 7 . The housing component 220 may be a printed circuit board and / or any other mechanical, electrical, and / or electromechanical component that may be configured for use with the solid-state disconnect system 202 and / or any associated components thereof. The housing component 220 may also include the sensor 204. Additionally, in some example non-limiting embodiments, such as in Figure 2B In the system 230 shown in FIG. 2 , the housing component 222 may contain the sensor 204 .

[0054] In some embodiments, as described herein, the solid-state disconnect component 202 can provide short circuit protection and / or inrush current protection for the operating electronic component 212. The component 202 can perform an operating on / off switch. It can also monitor at least one of the following: the current supplied from the power supply 206 to the operating electronic component 212, the voltage supplied from the power supply 206 to the operating electronic component 212, the operating temperature of the component 212 and / or the power supply 206 and / or the relay component 202 and / or any other device and / or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, if the solid-state circuit breaker 220 is used in one of the terminals associated with the power supply (e.g., terminal 211) and its opening and closing are synchronized with an electromechanical relay (e.g., main relay 208) on the opposite terminal associated with the power supply (e.g., terminal 213), the main relay 208 will not switch the current on. Therefore, the solid-state disconnect system 200 (or Figure 2B 230) allows for the use of a smaller and less expensive contactor type device at the opposite terminals of the power supply since it does not need to deal with arc quenching.

[0055] In some example, non-limiting embodiments, the let-through current of the solid-state disconnect system 200 can be in the range of about 100 amps to about 1200 amps with a response time of less than 10 microseconds (e.g., in the range of about 400 amps to about 800 amps with a response time of less than 10 microseconds, in the range of 100 amps to about 400 amps with a response time of less than 8 microseconds, etc.). Alternatively or additionally, the let-through current of the system 200 can be approximately 2-3 times the rated current (and / or any other factor of the rated current). It will be appreciated that the present subject matter is not limited to these values, and other embodiments are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0056] In some embodiments, the main relay 208 may include a reduced contactor component. The reduced contactor component may be a simplified and reduced-size contactor to operate after the main solid-state contactor is disconnected. In such cases, the component can only switch at low current levels (e.g., leakage levels) because there is no large arc that needs to be suppressed. The purpose of this component may include providing air gap isolation and complying with safety standards. The contactor with reduced / simplified performance can provide high current carrying capacity with low resistance. In some example non-limiting embodiments, the reduced contactor can be configured so that there is no need to disconnect the arc like the standard contactor used in traditional systems. It can provide high contact force and low contact resistance during the conducting state. When disconnected, it can include an air gap that meets insulation resistance test conditions and / or standards. It can also have lower cost, volume / space, optimized coil / switching current, and provide various other benefits.

[0057] Figure 3 An architecture 300 is shown, which may include various components that may be incorporated into Figure 2A-2B 200 and / or 230. For example, architecture 300 may include one or more power module electrical and / or control elements, including but not limited to one or more switching devices (e.g., 4x IGBTs, 4x diodes, 4x protection, etc.), a control and communication board, one or more current sensing elements, one or more internal and / or external power supplies, a cold plate thermal / mechanical interface, and / or any other components. For example, architecture 300 may include a solid-state disconnect system 302 (similar to Figure 2A-2B), which may include an overvoltage protection block 304, a measurement and control block 306 (which may include components 305 designed to monitor, detect, and / or measure voltage (V), current (I), etc., a gate driver 307, a logic and master controller unit (MCU) 309, and / or any other electronic components 311), and an optional sensor (e.g., a current sensor) 310 that may detect and provide current, voltage, etc. values ​​to the voltage, current, etc. components of block 306. In some embodiments, the solid-state disconnect system 302 may be coupled to a control interface 308 that may provide various operational control functions to the architecture 300. The various components, blocks, etc. of architecture 300 may include one or more of the following: insulated gate bipolar junction transistors (IGBTs), semiconductors, power metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), thyristors, silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs), triodes for alternating current (TRIACs), and / or any other suitable high-power controlled solid-state devices, and / or any combination thereof.

[0058] In some embodiments, Figure 2A-2B The systems 200 and / or 230 and Figure 3 The illustrated architecture 300 may be characterized by one or more of the following exemplary, experimental, non-limiting parameters:

[0059]

[0060]

[0061] It will be appreciated that the above parameters are provided herein for illustrative, exemplary purposes only. The current subject matter is not limited to any one of these parameters and can be configured to operate using any desired values, characteristics, etc.

[0062] Figure 4 An example system 400 is shown, which may include multiple solid-state disconnect systems (similar to Figure 2A-2B those shown in ). Figure 4As shown, system 400 may include solid-state disconnect systems 402 (a, ... n), all of which may be coupled to a power management system (e.g., a battery management system (BMS)) 404, an inverter 406, and a motor 408 (via inverter 406). In some embodiments, BMS 404 may be configured to perform various control and / or management functions of architecture 400. BMS 404 may include one or more processing components, such as, for example Figure 7 As shown in , it can be configured to perform one or more of the above control / management functions.

[0063] Each system 402 can be coupled to a respective power source (e.g., a battery, etc.) 410 (a, ..., n) and can include respective pre-charge relays 412 (a, ..., n) and main relays 414 (a, ..., n) similar to relays 201 and 203, respectively. In addition, each system 402 can include a respective pyrotechnic (pyro) safety module (e.g., a one-time, on-demand disconnect device) 416 (a, ..., n). The pyrotechnic safety module 416 can provide additional protection and can, for example, include one or more fuses and / or pyrotechnic fuses.

[0064] Figure 5 Shown are the Figure 2A-2B Example graphs of operating characteristics / results of one or more experimental setups of the systems 200 and / or 230 shown in FIG. Figure 5 As shown, graph 500 shows an example performance of a system where the maximum operating voltage is set to 800V for a single module at 400A (e.g., multiple modules (e.g., Figure 4 can be connected in parallel to obtain higher current ratings)

[0065] Figure 6 An example graph 600 showing a horizontal threshold and a slope detector is shown and may represent Figure 2A-2B The operation of the systems 200, 230 shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, the solid-state disconnect system is operable to monitor the rate of change of current and the current value. The current is monitored to determine whether the rate of change of the current exceeds a first predetermined threshold and to determine whether the value of the current exceeds a second predetermined threshold. The second predetermined threshold may be a specific current value. Figure 6 As shown, an overcurrent fault may occur if either the first or second predetermined threshold is exceeded. That is, if dI / dt exceeds a specific value, the system may initiate a series of actions until the current increase is interrupted. The first predetermined threshold may be triggered before the second predetermined threshold. However, in other situations where the current increases gradually, the first predetermined threshold may not be reached.

[0066] In some embodiments, the overcurrent protection circuit can be resettable. That is, when the circuit protection is triggered, the system 200, 230 can try again after a certain period of time to verify whether the overcurrent condition still exists and / or whether it is caused by noise of some other transient effect. After reconnection, a similar method (e.g., dI / dt) can be used as a criterion to determine whether the overcurrent event still exists. In some embodiments, the current subject system can be configured to perform ultra-fast switching (e.g., with a response time of less than 10 microseconds) for let-through currents between about 400 amperes (A) and about 800 A.

[0067] Figure 7 shows that some embodiments of the current subject matter may be Figure 2A-Figure 3 An example of a processing unit 710 used in a solid-state disconnect system is shown in FIG. Processing unit 710 may include input / output (I / O) devices 707, a processor 709, memory 711, and storage 713. Each of components 707-713 may be interconnected using a system bus 715. Processor 709 may be configured to process instructions for execution within processing unit 710. In some embodiments, processor 709 may be a single-threaded processor. Alternatively or additionally, processor 709 may be a multi-threaded processor. Processor 709 may also be configured to process instructions stored in memory 711 and / or storage 713, including, but not limited to, receiving and / or sending information via I / O devices 707. Memory 711 may store information within processing unit 710. In some embodiments, memory 711 may be a computer-readable medium. Alternatively or additionally, memory 711 may be a volatile memory unit. In still other embodiments, memory 711 may be a non-volatile memory unit. Storage device 713 may be capable of providing mass storage for processing component 710. In some embodiments, storage device 713 may be a computer-readable medium. Alternatively or additionally, storage device 713 may be a floppy disk device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, a magnetic tape device, a non-volatile solid-state memory, or any other type of storage device. I / O device 707 may provide input / output operations for processing component 710. In some embodiments, I / O device 707 may include a keyboard and / or a pointing device. Alternatively or additionally, I / O device 707 may include a display unit for displaying a graphical user interface.

[0068] As previously referenced Figure 1-Figure 7The various elements of the components may include various hardware elements, software elements, or a combination thereof. Examples of hardware elements may include devices, logic devices, components, processors, microprocessors, circuits, processors, circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, etc.), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), storage units, logic gates, registers, semiconductor devices, chips, microchips, chipsets, etc. Examples of software elements may include software components, programs, applications, computer programs, applications, system programs, software development programs, machine programs, operating system software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines, subroutines, functions, methods, processes, software interfaces, application program interfaces (APIs), instruction sets, computing codes, computer codes, code segments, computer code segments, words, values, symbols, or any combination thereof. However, determining whether an embodiment is implemented using hardware elements and / or software elements can vary depending on any number of factors, such as desired computational rate, power levels, thermal tolerances, dielectric materials used, processing cycle budget, input data rate, output data rate, memory resources, data bus speed, and other design or performance constraints, as desired for a given embodiment.

[0069] One or more aspects of at least one embodiment may be implemented by representative instructions stored on a machine-readable medium, which represents various logic within a processor, which, when read by a machine, causes the machine to manufacture logic that performs the technology described herein. This representation, known as an "IP core", may be stored on a tangible machine-readable medium and supplied to various customers or manufacturing facilities to be loaded into a manufacturing machine that makes the logic or processor. Some embodiments may be implemented, for example, using a machine-readable medium or article, which may store instructions or instruction sets that, if executed by a machine, may cause the machine to perform methods and / or operations according to the embodiments. Such a machine may include, for example, any suitable processing platform, computing platform, computing device, processing device, computing system, processing system, computer, processor, etc., and may be implemented using any suitable combination of hardware and / or software. The machine-readable medium or article may include, for example, any suitable type of memory unit, memory device, memory article, memory medium, storage device, storage article, storage medium and / or storage unit, such as memory, removable or non-removable media, erasable or non-erasable media, writable or rewritable media, digital or analog media, hard disk, floppy disk, Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewritable (CD-RW), optical disk, magnetic media, magneto-optical media, removable memory cards or diskettes, various types of Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs), magnetic tape, tape cassettes, etc. The instructions may include any suitable type of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, encrypted code, etc., implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and / or interpreted programming language.

[0070] The components and features of the above-described devices may be implemented using any combination of discrete circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), logic gates, and / or single-chip architectures. Furthermore, where appropriate, features of the devices may be implemented using a microcontroller, a programmable logic array, and / or a microprocessor, or any combination of the foregoing. It should be noted that hardware, firmware, and / or software elements may be collectively or individually referred to herein as "logic" or "circuitry."

[0071] It should be understood that the exemplary devices shown in the above block diagrams may represent a functional descriptive example of many potential implementations. Therefore, the division, omission, or inclusion of block functions depicted in the drawings does not mean that the hardware components, circuits, software, and / or elements used to implement these functions must be divided, omitted, or included in the implementation.

[0072] At least one computer-readable storage medium may include instructions that, when executed, cause a system to perform any of the computer-implemented methods described herein.

[0073] Some embodiments may be described using the expression "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" and their derivatives. These terms mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, unless otherwise stated, the above-mentioned features are considered to be able to be used together in any combination. Therefore, any features discussed separately can be used in combination with each other unless it is noted that these features are incompatible with each other.

[0074] It is emphasized that the Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Furthermore, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Accordingly, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. In the appended claims, the terms "including" and "in which" are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms "comprising" and "wherein," respectively. Moreover, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. are used merely as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.

[0075] The foregoing includes examples of the disclosed architecture. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components and / or methodologies, but one skilled in the art will recognize that many other combinations and permutations are possible. Accordingly, the novel architecture is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0076] The foregoing description of example embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is not limited by this detailed description, but rather by the appended claims. Future applications claiming priority from the present application may claim the disclosed subject matter in various ways and may generally include any combination of one or more limitations variously disclosed or otherwise presented herein.

[0077] It should be understood that the exemplary devices shown in the above block diagrams may represent a functional descriptive example of many potential implementations. Therefore, the division, omission, or inclusion of block functions depicted in the drawings does not mean that the hardware components, circuits, software, and / or elements used to implement these functions must be divided, omitted, or included in the embodiments.

[0078] It is emphasized that the Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Furthermore, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. In the appended claims, the terms "including" and "in which" are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms "comprising" and "wherein," respectively. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. are used merely as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Moreover, as used herein, "including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof are intended to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, as well as additional items. Thus, the terms "including," "comprising," or "having," and variations thereof, are open-ended expressions and are used interchangeably herein.

[0079] For convenience and clarity, terms such as "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," "transverse," "radial," "inner," "outer," "left," and "right" may be used herein to describe the relative position and orientation of features and components, each in relation to the geometry and orientation of other features and components appearing in the perspective, exploded perspective, and cross-sectional views provided herein. The terminology is not intended to be limiting and includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar meaning.

[0080] The foregoing includes examples of the disclosed architecture. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components and / or methodologies, but one skilled in the art will recognize that many other combinations and permutations are possible. Accordingly, the novel architecture is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0081] The foregoing description of example embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the present disclosure. The scope of the disclosure is not limited by this detailed description, but rather by the appended claims. Future applications claiming priority from the present application may claim the disclosed subject matter in various ways and may generally include any combination of one or more limitations variously disclosed or otherwise illustrated herein.

[0082] All directional references (e.g., proximal, distal, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, longitudinal, front, rear, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, radial, axial, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are used for identification purposes only to assist the reader in understanding the present disclosure and are not intended to be limiting, particularly with respect to the position, orientation, or use of the present disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated, connection references (e.g., attach, couple, connect, and join) are to be interpreted broadly and may include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative movement between elements. Thus, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other.

[0083] Furthermore, reference designations (e.g., primary, secondary, first, second, third, fourth, etc.) are not intended to imply importance or priority, but rather to distinguish one feature from another. The drawings are for illustration purposes only, and the size, position, order, and relative sizes reflected in the accompanying drawings may vary.

[0084] The scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the specific embodiments described herein. In fact, various other embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings. Therefore, these other embodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the present disclosure has been described herein in the context of specific embodiments in specific environments for specific purposes. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that usefulness is not limited thereto, and the present disclosure can be advantageously implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Therefore, the claims set forth below should be interpreted in light of the full breadth and spirit of the present disclosure as described herein.

Claims

1. A device comprising: Solid-state disconnect electronics; as well as a sensor coupled to the solid-state disconnect electronics; The solid-state disconnect electronics are configured to disconnect at least one of: operating electronics coupled to the solid-state disconnect electronics, or a power source coupled to at least one of the solid-state disconnect electronics and the operating electronics when the sensor detects a fault condition.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein A solid state disconnect housing includes the solid state disconnect electronics.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein The solid-state disconnect electronics include at least one solid-state switch component.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein A second housing includes the solid state disconnect housing and the sensor.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein A first terminal of the sensor is coupled to a first terminal of the power supply, and the operating electronics are coupled to a second terminal of the power supply.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein The solid-state disconnect electronics are coupled to the second terminal of the sensor.

7. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising pre-charge relay electronics and first main relay electronics.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The operating electronic components include at least one of the following: a motor, a power consuming element, a power supply, a DC / DC power supply, an AC / DC power supply, or any combination thereof.

9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The solid-state disconnect electronics provide short circuit protection for at least one of the operating electronics or the power supply.

10. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The solid state disconnect electronics perform an on / off switch operation.

11. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The solid-state disconnect electronics monitor at least one of: current supplied from the power source to the operating electronics, voltage supplied from the power source to the operating electronics, operating temperature, or any combination thereof.

12. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The power source is a battery.

13. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The solid state disconnect electronics have a let-through current in a range of about 100 amps to about 1200 amps with a response time of less than 10 microseconds.

14. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The operating electronics are coupled to the power supply via second main relay electronics.

15. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The second main relay component is coupled to the control component, and the second main relay component includes a reduced contactor component.

16. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one processor configured to control operation of the solid state disconnect electronics.

17. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The fault condition includes at least one of a short circuit, a current surge exceeding a predetermined threshold current, a voltage surge exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage, a temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold temperature, or any combination thereof.

18. A solid-state disconnect device comprising: Solid-state disconnect electronics comprising at least one processor; as well as at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to disconnect operating electronics coupled to the solid-state disconnect electronics and a power source coupled to at least one of the solid-state disconnect electronics and the operating electronics when a sensor detects a fault condition.

19. A system comprising: a plurality of solid-state disconnect electronics, each of the plurality of solid-state disconnect electronics coupled to a sensor of the plurality of sensors, the plurality of solid-state disconnect electronics coupled to the operating electronics; At least one of the plurality of solid state disconnect electronic components is configured to disconnect at least one of the operating electronic components or a power source when a sensor of the at least one solid state disconnect electronic component detects a fault condition.

20. An apparatus comprising: Solid-state disconnect electronics; Reduced contactor components; as well as a sensor coupled to the relay electronics; The solid-state disconnect electronics are configured to disconnect at least one of: operating electronics coupled to the solid-state disconnect electronics, or a power source coupled to at least one of the solid-state disconnect electronics and the operating electronics when the sensor detects a fault condition.

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