Controller protection circuit, battery management equipment, battery device and electric equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a controller protection circuit. The controller protection circuit comprises a controller, a voltage conversion circuit, an electronic fuse and a first resistor, the output end of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected with the input end of the electronic fuse; the output end of the electronic fuse is electrically connected with the power supply end of the controller; the output end of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected with the first end of the first resistor; the second end of the first resistor is electrically connected with the enabling end of the electronic fuse; the enabling end of the electronic fuse is electrically connected with the fault indication end of the electronic fuse; the electronic fuse is configured to control the level output by the fault indication end based on the current on the first electric connection path, so that the electronic fuse is turned on or turned off; wherein the first electric connection path comprises an electric connection path from the output end of the electronic fuse to the power supply end of the controller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of power electronics technology, and in particular to a controller protection circuit, a battery management device, a battery device, and an electrical appliance. Background Technology

[0002] In a Battery Management System (BMS), the Microcontroller Unit (MCU) may trigger latch-up under interference (such as voltage spikes or electrostatic discharge), creating a low-impedance path between the power supply and ground. This generates a large current and locks the MCU, requiring a forced power-off and restart to recover. Once latch-up occurs in the MCU, abnormal power consumption in the battery pack accelerates battery depletion, potentially leading to premature battery failure. Therefore, a protection circuit is needed to effectively address latch-up in the MCU controller, thereby improving the overall system stability and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A first aspect of this application provides a controller protection circuit. The controller protection circuit includes: a controller, a voltage conversion circuit, an electronic fuse, and a first resistor; the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to the input terminal of the electronic fuse, and the output terminal of the electronic fuse is electrically connected to the power supply terminal of the controller; the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to a first terminal of the first resistor, and a second terminal of the first resistor is electrically connected to an enable terminal of the electronic fuse; the enable terminal of the electronic fuse is electrically connected to a fault indication terminal of the electronic fuse; the electronic fuse is configured to control the output level of the fault indication terminal based on the current in the first electrical connection path, so as to turn the electronic fuse on or off; wherein the first electrical connection path includes an electrical connection path from the output terminal of the electronic fuse to the power supply terminal of the controller.

[0004] This application provides a highly reliable and reusable circuit topology for controller latch-up protection. In this controller protection circuit, by directly feeding back the fault indication terminal of the electronic fuse to its own enable terminal, and placing a first resistor (pull-up resistor) between the enable terminal of the electronic fuse and the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit, a hardware-feedback-based self-recovering power control closed loop is constructed, requiring no external processor or timer. This solution eliminates the need for additional controllers or complex logic circuits, achieving a "detection-power-off-reset-restart" closed-loop control based on the electronic fuse, ensuring high reliability and reusability of controller latch-up protection.

[0005] In one or more embodiments of this application, controlling the level of the fault indicator terminal output based on the current in the first electrical connection path to turn the electronic fuse on or off includes: in response to a latch-up of the controller, a change in the current in the first electrical connection path, controlling the fault indicator terminal to output an electrical signal for turning off the electronic fuse, thereby turning off the electronic fuse.

[0006] In the event of a latch-up effect in the controller, a low-impedance path is formed between the controller's power supply terminal and ground terminal, leading to abnormal power consumption and an increase in current along the first electrical connection path. Responding to this current increase, the electronic fuse controls the fault indicator terminal to output an electrical signal to turn off the fuse when the controller power consumption is abnormal; that is, the fault indicator terminal outputs an invalid level. The fault indicator terminal of the electronic fuse is electrically connected to its enable terminal. The enable terminal responds to the invalid level output by the fault indicator terminal, causing the electronic fuse to turn off. This cuts off the power supply path from the output of the voltage conversion circuit to the controller's power supply terminal, achieving controller power-down protection. This ensures reliable power-off of the controller in the event of a latch-up effect, improving the overall stability and reliability of the controller and the battery management system.

[0007] In one or more embodiments of this application, the controller protection circuit further includes: a second resistor, a first end of which is electrically connected to the current limiting terminal of the electronic fuse, and a second end of which is electrically connected to the ground terminal; controlling the level output of the fault indication terminal based on the current in the first electrical connection path to turn the electronic fuse on or off, including: in response to the current in the first electrical connection path being greater than an overcurrent protection threshold, controlling the fault indication terminal to output an electrical signal for turning off the electronic fuse, thereby turning off the electronic fuse; wherein the overcurrent protection threshold is associated with the resistance value of the second resistor.

[0008] By setting a second resistor between the current limiting terminal and the ground terminal of the electronic fuse, the electronic fuse can be properly turned off when the current in the first electrical connection path is detected to be greater than the overcurrent protection threshold, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the circuit.

[0009] In one or more embodiments of this application, the level of the fault indicator terminal output is controlled based on the current on the first electrical connection path to turn the electronic fuse on or off. The method further includes: controlling the level of the fault indicator terminal output for turning on the electronic fuse in response to the current on the first electrical connection path being less than or equal to an overcurrent protection threshold, or controlling the electrical signal on the fault indicator terminal to be in a high-impedance state to turn on the electronic fuse.

[0010] By setting a second resistor between the current limiting terminal and the ground terminal of the electronic fuse, the electronic fuse can be opened reasonably when the current detected on the first electrical connection path is less than or equal to the overcurrent protection threshold, thereby improving the safety and reliability of circuit operation.

[0011] In one or more embodiments of this application, the resistance value of the second resistor satisfies the following: the overcurrent protection threshold is less than or equal to the first overcurrent protection threshold and greater than or equal to the second overcurrent protection threshold, wherein the first overcurrent protection threshold represents the current value on the first electrical connection path when the controller latches up, and the second overcurrent protection threshold represents the current value on the first electrical connection path when the controller is working normally.

[0012] By setting the overcurrent protection threshold to be less than or equal to the first overcurrent protection threshold and greater than or equal to the second overcurrent protection threshold, timely protection can be ensured when the latch-up effect occurs at the control end, while ensuring the normal operation of the controller and preventing the electronic fuse from being accidentally triggered and shut down during normal operation.

[0013] In one or more embodiments of this application, the controller protection circuit further includes: a first capacitor, a first terminal of the first capacitor being electrically connected to a ground terminal, and a second terminal of the first capacitor being electrically connected to the enable terminal of an electronic fuse.

[0014] The discharge of the first capacitor improves the anti-interference capability of the electronic fuse. Charging the first capacitor enables the electronic fuse to open slowly, thereby extending the controller's latch-up recovery time and ensuring that the controller's latch-up state is released.

[0015] In one or more embodiments of this application, the controller protection circuit further includes: a third resistor, the first end of which is electrically connected to the enable terminal of the electronic fuse, and the second end of which is electrically connected to the fault indication terminal of the electronic fuse.

[0016] By setting a third resistor for safety current limiting, the current limiting protection of the electronic fuse pin is achieved, avoiding the impact of excessive current on the fault indicator and enable terminals of the electronic fuse due to excessive capacitor discharge speed, thus improving the stability and reliability of the circuit.

[0017] In one or more embodiments of this application, the controller protection circuit further includes: a second capacitor, the first end of which is electrically connected to the input terminal of the electronic fuse, and the second end of which is electrically connected to the ground terminal; and / or a third capacitor, the first end of which is electrically connected to the output terminal of the electronic fuse, and the second end of which is electrically connected to the ground terminal.

[0018] The second and third capacitors are filter capacitors at the input and output terminals of the electronic fuse, and can be used for filtering and voltage regulation. By setting the second and / or third capacitors, the input and / or output voltage ripple of the electronic fuse is filtered, effectively preventing voltage jitter and contributing to a reliable and stable power supply to the controller.

[0019] In a second aspect, this application provides a battery management device, including a controller protection circuit as provided in any embodiment of the first aspect of this application.

[0020] Thirdly, this application provides a battery device, which includes a battery management device as provided in any embodiment of the second aspect of this application, wherein the battery module is electrically connected to the battery management device.

[0021] Fourthly, this application provides an electrical device, which includes a battery device as provided in any embodiment of the third aspect of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in this application will be briefly described below.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the controller protection circuit provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the controller protection circuit provided in another embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the controller protection circuit provided in another embodiment of this application; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the controller protection circuit provided in another embodiment of this application; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the controller protection circuit provided in another embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery management device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] In the attached diagram: 100, controller protection circuit; 10, controller; 20, voltage conversion circuit; 30, electronic fuse; R1, first resistor; R2, second resistor; R3, third resistor; C1, first capacitor; C2, second capacitor; C3, third capacitor; VIN, input terminal of electronic fuse; VOUT, output terminal of electronic fuse; EN, enable terminal; nFAULT, fault indication terminal; ILIM, current limiting terminal; VCC, power supply terminal; GND, ground terminal; i1, first electrical connection path; 1000, battery management device.

[0025] The accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the present application will be described clearly and in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this application.

[0027] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that there are three possible relationships. For example, A and / or B means: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0028] In the description of this application, a connection can be a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or a connection within two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0029] In the embodiments of this application, the first node, the second node, and the third node are defined only for the convenience of describing the circuit structure, and the first node, the second node, and the third node are not actual circuit units.

[0030] In a battery management system, voltage spikes and static electricity can cause latch-up in the controller. This latch-up creates a low-impedance path between the controller's power supply (VCC) and ground (GND), generating a large current and locking the controller. The controller needs to be powered down and restarted to resume operation. Once latch-up occurs, the controller continuously consumes power, leading to abnormal battery pack power consumption, accelerating battery depletion, and ultimately causing the battery pack to fail prematurely. In one example, the controller is a microcontroller unit (MCU), and the controller's power supply (VCC) and ground are the MCU's power supply pin (VCC) and ground pin (GND), respectively.

[0031] In researching how to protect against latch-up effects in controllers, the applicant discovered that related technologies use an independent power supply to power the watchdog. When a latch-up effect occurs in the controller, if the watchdog does not receive a feed signal within a specified time, the watchdog sends a reset signal to the controller to release the latch.

[0032] However, the watchdog solutions described above typically require a separate power supply, increasing the complexity of power management. A separate power supply necessitates additional power management circuitry, resulting in a complex circuit structure and increasing the complexity and cost of the battery management system. Furthermore, in some application scenarios, the watchdog is also in sleep mode when the controller is in sleep mode. If a latch-up effect occurs in sleep mode, the aforementioned watchdog solution cannot be used.

[0033] In view of this, the applicant has designed a controller protection circuit, a battery management device, a battery assembly, and an electrical device, aiming to achieve controller latch-up protection with a highly reliable and reusable circuit topology, thereby improving the overall stability and reliability of the controller and the battery management system. The design scheme of this application is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a controller protection circuit 100 is shown.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, the controller protection circuit 100 includes a controller 10, a voltage conversion circuit 20, an electronic fuse 30, and a first resistor R1.

[0036] Controller 10 is located in the battery management system. For example, controller 10 is a microcontroller unit (MCU). In the battery management system, controller 10 monitors, controls and manages the charging and discharging of the battery to ensure normal battery operation, and disconnects the battery charging and discharging when a fault is detected (such as overcurrent, overvoltage, or overtemperature) to ensure electrical safety.

[0037] The output of voltage conversion circuit 20 is electrically connected to the power supply terminal VCC of controller 10, supplying power to controller 10. In some optional examples, voltage conversion circuit 20 may include a low-dropout linear regulator (LDO) to convert the received power supply voltage to the power supply voltage required by controller 10. For example, if the power supply voltage is 5V and controller 10 requires a 3.3V power supply voltage, voltage conversion circuit 20 is used to step down the 5V to 3.3V. The output of voltage conversion circuit 20 is electrically connected to the power supply pin of controller 10 through electronic fuse 30, providing the 3.3V power supply voltage to controller 10. In some more specific examples, the input of voltage conversion circuit 20 may be electrically connected to a power supply circuit. The power supply circuit may include, for example, a DC-DC converter circuit or a linear regulator. The power supply circuit is electrically connected to the battery module, converting the voltage of the battery module to the voltage required by the battery management system.

[0038] An electronic fuse 30 (eFuse) is an electronic component used for circuit protection to prevent damage to the circuit caused by abnormal conditions such as overcurrent and overvoltage. The electronic fuse 30 includes an input terminal VIN, an output terminal VOUT, a fault indicator terminal nFAULT, and an enable terminal EN. The fault indicator terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30 provides a voltage level indicating the fault status. For example, when the electronic fuse 30 detects a fault (such as overcurrent, overvoltage, or short circuit), the fault indicator terminal nFAULT outputs an invalid voltage level, indicating that a fault has occurred. When the electronic fuse 30 does not detect a fault, the fault indicator terminal nFAULT outputs an active voltage level or exhibits a high impedance state.

[0039] The enable terminal EN of electronic fuse 30 is used to control the opening and closing of electronic fuse 30 in response to the received voltage level. Specifically, when the enable terminal EN of electronic fuse 30 receives a valid voltage level, electronic fuse 30 is enabled and open, allowing current to flow from the input terminal VIN of electronic fuse 30 to the output terminal VOUT of electronic fuse 30. When the enable terminal EN of electronic fuse 30 receives an invalid voltage level, electronic fuse 30 is closed, blocking the current from the input terminal VIN of electronic fuse 30 to the output terminal VOUT of electronic fuse 30. Electronic fuse 30 disconnects the power supply voltage output from its output terminal VOUT to controller 10 to provide power-down protection for controller 10.

[0040] In some examples, the valid level is high and the invalid level is low. In other examples, the valid level is low and the invalid level is high. In one specific example, the valid level is high and the invalid level is low. A low output from the fault indicator terminal nFAULT of electronic fuse 30 indicates an overcurrent fault, while a high impedance indicates no overcurrent fault. When the enable terminal EN of electronic fuse 30 receives a low level, electronic fuse 30 is turned off. When the enable terminal EN of electronic fuse 30 receives a high level, electronic fuse 30 is normally turned on.

[0041] exist Figure 1 In this circuit, the input terminal VIN of the electronic fuse 30 is electrically connected to the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 to receive the power supply voltage from the controller 10. The output terminal VOUT of the electronic fuse 30 is electrically connected to the power supply terminal VCC of the controller 10 to provide power to the controller 10.

[0042] The output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first resistor R1, and the second terminal of the first resistor R1 is electrically connected to the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30. The voltage conversion circuit 20 serves as both the power supply for the controller 10 and the power supply for the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30, connected to the first resistor R1.

[0043] The enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 is electrically connected to the fault indication terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30. This constitutes a self-feedback mechanism based on the electronic fuse 30 itself, and whether the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 is activated or not is related to the output state of the fault indication terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30.

[0044] The electronic fuse 30 is configured to control the level of the fault indicator terminal nFAULT based on the current on the first electrical connection path i1, thereby causing the electronic fuse 30 to open or close. The first electrical connection path i1 includes an electrical connection path from the output terminal VOUT of the electronic fuse 30 to the power supply terminal VCC of the controller 10.

[0045] Under normal operating conditions or abnormal power consumption conditions of the controller 10, the current in the first electrical connection path i1 changes. The electronic fuse 30 detects the current change in the first electrical connection path i1 and responds differently under normal operating conditions and abnormal power consumption conditions of the controller 10, causing the electronic fuse 30 to open or close.

[0046] To facilitate understanding of the controller protection circuit 100 proposed in this application, the following describes the specific working principle of the latch-up effect protection of the controller 10 based on the electronic fuse 30, from three stages: the normal operation stage, the latch-up triggering stage, and the automatic reset and recovery stage. (1) Normal operation phase: Under normal operating conditions, the power consumption of the controller 10 is stable and within the rated range. The current in the first electrical connection path i1 is small. When the electronic fuse 30 detects that the current in the first electrical connection path i1 is small, it controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an effective level or present a high impedance state to indicate that the electronic fuse 30 has not detected an overcurrent fault.

[0047] In this scenario, the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 is electrically connected to the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 through the first resistor R1. The enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 is pulled up by the first resistor R1 (pull-up resistor) to maintain an effective level, and the electronic fuse 30 is normally enabled and open, allowing current to flow from the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 to the power supply terminal VCC of the controller 10. The voltage conversion circuit 20 supplies power to the controller 10 normally through the open electronic fuse 30, and the circuit operates stably.

[0048] (2) Latch-up triggering stage: When the latch-up effect is induced by factors such as static electricity, voltage change, or inductive load power surge, a parasitic path appears inside the controller 10, causing the current on the first electrical connection path i1 to rise rapidly (up to hundreds of milliamps), resulting in abnormal power consumption of the controller 10. The electronic fuse 30 detects the abnormal current on the first electrical connection path i1 and controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an invalid level to indicate that the electronic fuse 30 has detected an overcurrent fault.

[0049] In this scenario, the invalid level output from the fault indicator terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30 is transmitted to the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30. Thus, upon detecting an overcurrent, the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 quickly responds to the invalid level output from the fault indicator terminal nFAULT, blocking the current from the output of the voltage conversion circuit 20 to the power supply terminal VCC of the controller 10. The power supply to the controller 10 from the voltage conversion circuit 20 is cut off, achieving power-down protection for the controller 10 under abnormal power consumption conditions.

[0050] (3) Automatic reset and recovery stage: After the power supply to the controller 10 from the voltage conversion circuit 20 is cut off and the controller 10 is powered down, the current on the first electrical connection path i1 decreases. The electronic fuse 30 detects the drop in current on the first electrical connection path i1 and controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an effective level or controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to present a high impedance state.

[0051] In this situation, the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 is electrically connected to the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 through the first resistor R1. The enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 is pulled up by the first resistor R1 to restore it to an effective level, causing the electronic fuse 30 to reopen and allowing current to flow from the input terminal VIN to the output terminal VOUT of the electronic fuse 30. The voltage conversion circuit 20 then re-supplyes the controller 10 through the opened electronic fuse 30, and the controller 10 resumes normal operation, restoring stable circuit operation.

[0052] As described above, in the controller protection circuit 100, by directly feeding back the fault indication terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30 to the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 itself, and by setting a first resistor R1 (pull-up resistor) between the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 and the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20, a self-recovering power control closed loop based on hardware feedback is constructed without the need for an external processor or timer. This scheme eliminates the need for an additional controller 10 or complex logic circuits, and achieves "detection-power-off-reset-restart" closed-loop control based on the electronic fuse 30, ensuring the high reliability and reusability of the latch-up protection of the controller 10.

[0053] When an overcurrent is detected, electronic fuse 30 will implement current limiting measures to restrict the output current and prevent excessive current from damaging the circuit. If the current limiting mode lasts for a long time, heat will gradually accumulate, causing the temperature of electronic fuse 30 to rise until it overheats, at which point thermal shutdown protection will be triggered to disconnect the output of electronic fuse 30. If the abnormal current that triggers the latch-up effect in controller 10 is small, the heat of electronic fuse 30 may not be sufficient to trigger thermal shutdown protection, resulting in the controller 10's power supply failing to shut down and the latch-up effect of controller 10 remaining unresolved.

[0054] In this application, to address this situation, by feeding back the fault indicator terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30 to the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30, when the electronic fuse 30 detects an abnormality such as overcurrent on the first electrical connection path i1, the electronic fuse 30 controls the level change of the fault indicator terminal nFAULT, causing the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 to quickly shut off the output of the electronic fuse 30. By shutting off, the electronic fuse 30 cuts off the voltage output at its output terminal, ensuring that the controller 10 is not damaged under abnormal conditions.

[0055] Therefore, when a latch-up effect occurs in the controller 10, the electronic fuse 30 automatically detects its abnormal power consumption characteristics (such as overcurrent) and disables the controller 10 by controlling the electronic fuse 30 to cut off the power supply to the controller 10 in a timely manner. After the controller 10 is powered down, the feedback loop based on the electronic fuse 30 automatically resets the EN level of the electronic fuse 30 and restores the power supply to the controller 10, thereby restarting the controller 10. This avoids prolonged failure of the battery management system or over-discharge of the battery due to the controller 10 locking up, improving the overall stability and reliability of the controller 10 and the battery management system.

[0056] Optionally or additionally, continue as follows Figure 1 As shown, based on the current on the first electrical connection path i1, the level of the fault indicator terminal nFAULT is controlled to turn the electronic fuse 30 on or off, including: in response to a latch-up by the controller 10, the current on the first electrical connection path i1 changes, and the fault indicator terminal nFAULT is controlled to output an electrical signal for turning off the electronic fuse 30, so that the electronic fuse 30 is turned off.

[0057] In the event of a latch-up effect in controller 10, a low-impedance path is formed between the power supply terminal VCC and the ground terminal GND of controller 10, resulting in abnormal power consumption of controller 10 and an increase in current on the first electrical connection path i1. In response to the increase in current on the first electrical connection path i1, electronic fuse 30 controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an electrical signal to turn off electronic fuse 30 when controller 10 power consumption is abnormal; that is, it controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an invalid level.

[0058] The fault indication terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30 is electrically connected to the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30. The enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 responds to the invalid level output by the fault indication terminal nFAULT, causing the electronic fuse 30 to turn off, cutting off the power supply path from the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 to the power supply terminal VCC of the controller 10, realizing the power-down protection of the controller 10, ensuring that the controller 10 can reliably disconnect power when a latch-up effect occurs, and improving the overall stability and reliability of the controller 10 and the battery management system.

[0059] It is understood that in this embodiment, a short circuit between the power supply terminal VCC and the ground terminal GND of the controller 10 means that a low-resistance path is formed between the power supply terminal VCC and the ground terminal GND of the controller 10, resulting in a power supply short circuit.

[0060] Optionally or additionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the controller protection circuit 100 also includes a second resistor R2. Figure 2 In the middle, the first end of the second resistor R2 is electrically connected to the current limiting terminal ILIM of the electronic fuse 30, and the second end of the second resistor R2 is electrically connected to the ground terminal GND.

[0061] Based on the current on the first electrical connection path i1, the level of the fault indicator terminal nFAULT is controlled to turn the electronic fuse 30 on or off, including: in response to the current on the first electrical connection path i1 being greater than the overcurrent protection threshold, the fault indicator terminal nFAULT is controlled to output an electrical signal for turning off the electronic fuse 30, so that the electronic fuse 30 is turned off; wherein the overcurrent protection threshold is associated with the resistance value of the second resistor R2.

[0062] In the event of a latch-up effect in controller 10, a low-impedance path is formed between the power supply terminal VCC and the ground terminal GND of controller 10, resulting in abnormal power consumption of controller 10 and an increase in current on the first electrical connection path i1. When the current on the first electrical connection path i1 exceeds the overcurrent protection threshold, the electronic fuse 30 controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an electrical signal to turn off the electronic fuse 30, i.e., the fault indicator terminal nFAULT outputs an invalid level. This invalid level is transmitted to the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30, causing the electronic fuse 30 to turn off.

[0063] After the electronic fuse 30 is turned off, the power supply channel from the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 to the power supply terminal VCC of the controller 10 is cut off, and the power supply to the controller 10 is cut off, realizing the power-down protection of the controller 10, ensuring that the controller 10 can reliably cut off power when latch-up occurs, and improving the overall stability and reliability of the controller 10 and the battery management system.

[0064] Therefore, by setting a second resistor R2 between the current limiting terminal ILIM and the ground terminal GND of the electronic fuse 30, the electronic fuse 30 can be reasonably turned off when the current on the first electrical connection path i1 is detected to be greater than the overcurrent protection threshold, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the circuit.

[0065] Understandably, in some examples, the resistance value of the second resistor R2 is related to the selection of the electronic fuse 30. In other examples, the resistance value of the second resistor R2 may also be related to the magnitude of the abnormal current on the first electrical connection path i1 when the controller 10 experiences abnormal power consumption. By flexibly designing the resistance value of the second resistor R2, reliable adjustment of the overcurrent protection threshold can be achieved, ensuring the safe operation of the circuit.

[0066] Optionally or additionally, continue to combine Figure 2 As shown, based on the current on the first electrical connection path i1, the level of the fault indicator terminal nFAULT is controlled to cause the electronic fuse 30 to open or close, and the method further includes: In response to the current on the first electrical connection path i1 being less than or equal to the overcurrent protection threshold, the fault indicator terminal nFAULT outputs a level for turning on the electronic fuse 30, or the electrical signal on the fault indicator terminal nFAULT is in a high-impedance state, causing the electronic fuse 30 to turn on.

[0067] Under normal operating conditions, the power consumption of controller 10 is stable and within the rated range. The current in the first electrical connection path i1 is small. When electronic fuse 30 detects that the current in the first electrical connection path i1 is less than or equal to the overcurrent protection threshold, it controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an effective level or present a high impedance state, indicating that electronic fuse 30 has not detected a fault.

[0068] In this scenario, the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 is electrically connected to the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 through the first resistor R1. The enable terminal EN is pulled up by the first resistor R1 (pull-up resistor) to maintain an effective level, and the electronic fuse 30 is normally enabled and opened, allowing current to flow from the input terminal VIN of the electronic fuse 30 to the output terminal VOUT of the electronic fuse 30. The voltage conversion circuit 20 supplies power to the controller 10 normally through the activated electronic fuse 30, and the circuit operates stably.

[0069] After the controller 10 is powered down following a latch-up effect, the current in the first electrical connection path i1 decreases. The electronic fuse 30 detects that the current in the first electrical connection path i1 has fallen back to less than or equal to the overcurrent protection threshold, and then controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an effective level or present a high impedance state.

[0070] In this situation, the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 is electrically connected to the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 through the first resistor R1. The enable terminal EN is pulled up to the effective level by the first resistor R1, causing the electronic fuse 30 to turn on again, allowing current to flow from the input terminal VIN of the electronic fuse 30 to the output terminal VOUT of the electronic fuse 30. The voltage conversion circuit 20 then resumes normal power supply to the controller 10 via the enabled electronic fuse 30, and the circuit returns to stable operation.

[0071] By setting a second resistor R2 between the current limiting terminal ILIM and the ground terminal GND of the electronic fuse 30, the electronic fuse 30 can be opened reasonably when the current detected on the first electrical connection path i1 is less than or equal to the overcurrent protection threshold, thereby improving the safety and reliability of circuit operation.

[0072] Optionally or additionally, please continue to combine Figure 2 As shown, the resistance value of the second resistor R2 satisfies the following: the overcurrent protection threshold is less than or equal to the first overcurrent protection threshold and greater than or equal to the second overcurrent protection threshold. The first overcurrent protection threshold represents the current value on the first electrical connection path i1 when the controller 10 latches up, and the second overcurrent protection threshold represents the current value on the first electrical connection path i1 when the controller 10 is working normally.

[0073] The overcurrent protection threshold is adjusted by controlling the resistance value of the second resistor R2, so that the overcurrent protection threshold is less than or equal to the abnormal overcurrent current on the first electrical connection path i1 (the first overcurrent protection threshold) when the controller 10 latches up. This ensures that when the controller 10 latches up, the electronic fuse 30 can trigger the protection mechanism in time to cut off the power supply to the controller 10 and prevent damage to the controller 10.

[0074] Furthermore, by controlling the resistance value of the second resistor R2, the overcurrent protection threshold is adjusted so that the overcurrent protection threshold is greater than or equal to the normal operating current (second overcurrent protection threshold) on the first electrical connection path i1 under normal operating conditions of the controller 10. This ensures that the electronic fuse 30 will not falsely trigger the protection mechanism when the controller 10 is operating normally, thus guaranteeing the normal operation of the controller 10 and the stable operation of the circuit.

[0075] By reasonably setting the overcurrent protection threshold to be less than or equal to the first overcurrent protection threshold and greater than or equal to the second overcurrent protection threshold, it is possible to ensure timely protection when the latch-up effect occurs at the control end, while ensuring the normal operation of the controller 10 and ensuring that the electronic fuse 30 will not be falsely triggered and shut down during normal operation.

[0076] Alternatively or additionally, please see below. Figure 3 The controller protection circuit 100 may also include a first capacitor C1. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the first terminal of the first capacitor C1 is electrically connected to the ground terminal GND, and the second terminal of the first capacitor C1 is electrically connected to the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30.

[0077] The first capacitor C1 is used to extend the enable and disable time of the EN pin of the electronic fuse 30, respectively.

[0078] On the one hand, when the voltage of the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 fluctuates and drops due to interference, or when the controller 10 is only briefly affected by external interference without latch-up, it is necessary to discharge the charge stored in the first capacitor C1. The voltage across the first capacitor C1 will not change abruptly. By discharging the stored charge, the voltage difference across the first capacitor C1 is kept constant for a short period of time, thereby stabilizing the effective level of the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 for a short period of time, preventing the electronic fuse 30 from being accidentally turned off under interference, and improving the anti-interference capability of the electronic fuse 30.

[0079] Furthermore, if a latch-up effect occurs in the controller 10, the first capacitor C1 continuously discharges, causing the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 to gradually decrease until the electronic fuse 30 is turned off, cutting off the power supply path from the voltage conversion circuit 20 to the controller 10.

[0080] On the other hand, considering that the controller 10 requires time to release the latch, after the controller 10 is powered off, the electronic fuse 30 detects a decrease in current on the first electrical connection path i1 and controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an effective level or present a high-impedance state. In this case, the output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit 20 needs to start charging the first capacitor C1 through the first resistor R1. The voltage at the second terminal of the first capacitor C1 gradually rises, causing the voltage at the enable terminal EN to gradually rise back to the effective level, and the electronic fuse 30 reopens, allowing current to flow from the input terminal VIN of the electronic fuse 30 to the output terminal VOUT of the electronic fuse 30. In this way, the electronic fuse 30 is slowly opened by charging the first capacitor C1, thereby extending the latch-up recovery time of the controller 10, ensuring sufficient power-down time for the controller 10, and guaranteeing that the latch-up state of the controller 10 is released.

[0081] In this way, the anti-interference capability of the electronic fuse 30 is improved by discharging the first capacitor C1. The electronic fuse 30 is slowly opened by charging the first capacitor C1, thereby extending the latch-up recovery time of the controller 10 and ensuring that the latch-up state of the controller 10 is released.

[0082] Optionally or additionally, please see Figure 4 The controller protection circuit 100 may also include a third resistor R3.

[0083] exist Figure 4 In the circuit, the first end of the third resistor R3 is electrically connected to the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30, and the second end of the third resistor R3 is electrically connected to the fault indication terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30.

[0084] In some examples, after a latch-up effect occurs in controller 10, an overcurrent occurs on the first electrical connection path i1. Upon detecting the overcurrent, electronic fuse 30 controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output an invalid level. The enable terminal EN of electronic fuse 30 has an internal parasitic capacitance, which stores charge during normal operation of controller 10. After the fault indicator terminal nFAULT outputs an invalid level, the parasitic capacitance needs to discharge to ensure that the enable terminal EN becomes invalid. In this case, the parasitic capacitance will safely discharge through the third resistor R3, avoiding current spikes caused by excessively rapid discharge.

[0085] Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, when the controller protection circuit 100 also includes a first capacitor C1, after the latch-up effect occurs in the controller 10, the first capacitor C1 will also safely discharge through the third resistor R3, causing the enable terminal EN level to become invalid. In this way, the third resistor R3 prevents the capacitor from discharging too quickly, resulting in excessive current and potentially damaging the fault indication terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30.

[0086] In this embodiment, by setting a third resistor R3 for safety current limiting, the current limiting protection of the electronic fuse 30 pin is achieved, avoiding the impact of excessively fast capacitor discharge speed on the fault indication terminal nFAULT and the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the circuit.

[0087] It should be added that, in practical applications, the third resistor R3 and the first capacitor C1 form an RC delay network, which improves the anti-interference performance of the electronic fuse 30, and also provides a delayed restart for the latch release of the controller 10 to ensure that the controller 10 has sufficient power-down time until the latch state ends.

[0088] Understandably, by adjusting the value of the third resistor R3, the charging and discharging speed of the first capacitor C1 can be adjusted, thereby achieving reliable adjustment of the delay time for enabling and disabling the EN pin of the electronic fuse 30.

[0089] Optionally or additionally, please see Figure 5 The controller protection circuit 100 may further include: a second capacitor C2, and / or a third capacitor C3.

[0090] exist Figure 5 In the circuit, the first terminal of the second capacitor C2 is electrically connected to the input terminal VIN of the electronic fuse 30, and the second terminal of the second capacitor C2 is electrically connected to the ground terminal GND. The first terminal of the third capacitor C3 is electrically connected to the output terminal VOUT of the electronic fuse 30, and the second terminal of the third capacitor C3 is electrically connected to the ground terminal GND.

[0091] The second capacitor C2 and the third capacitor C3 are filter capacitors for the input terminal VIN and the output terminal VOUT of the electronic fuse 30, and can be used for filtering and voltage regulation. By setting the second capacitor C2 and / or the third capacitor C3, the input voltage and / or output voltage ripple of the electronic fuse 30 is filtered, effectively preventing voltage jitter and contributing to a reliable and stable power supply to the controller 10.

[0092] Optionally or additionally, the electronic fuse 30 can be configured to: turn on the electronic fuse 30 in response to the voltage of the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 being greater than a first threshold; and turn off the electronic fuse 30 in response to the voltage of the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 being less than a second threshold; wherein the first threshold is greater than the second threshold.

[0093] As an example, the first threshold corresponds to the "start-up threshold" of the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30, such as 1.5V. The second threshold corresponds to the "disable-up threshold" of the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30, such as 0.9V. By setting different action thresholds, a hysteresis effect is introduced, avoiding false triggering caused by noise or interference, reducing the false triggering rate, and also avoiding frequent switching caused by voltage fluctuations.

[0094] By setting the voltage thresholds for enabling and disabling the electronic fuse 30 at the enable terminal EN, the anti-interference capability is improved, the false trigger rate is reduced, and the reliability of the electronic fuse 30 is ensured, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the overall system.

[0095] Overall, the controller protection circuit 100 provided in this application realizes automatic recovery from the latch-up effect of the controller 10. As a specific embodiment, the following describes... Figure 5 The working principle of the controller protection circuit 100 is explained in stages.

[0096] In this embodiment, the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 responds to a high level, causing the electronic fuse 30 to open. The enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 responds to a low level, causing the electronic fuse 30 to close. When the electronic fuse 30 detects an overcurrent in the first electrical connection path i1, the fault indication terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30 outputs a low level; when the electronic fuse 30 does not detect an overcurrent in the first electrical connection path i1, the fault indication terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30 outputs a high level or exhibits a high impedance state.

[0097] Combination Figure 5 As shown, the following describes the specific working process of the controller protection circuit 100 in this application, which implements latch-up effect protection of the controller 10 based on the electronic fuse 30, from three stages: the normal operation stage, the latch-up triggering stage, and the automatic reset and recovery stage. (1) Normal operating state: The controller 10 is in normal operating state, and the power consumption is stable and within the rated range. The electronic fuse 30 detects that the current on the first electrical connection path i1 does not exceed the preset overcurrent threshold (e.g., 150mA), and the control fault indicator terminal nFAULT outputs a high level or presents a high impedance state, indicating that the electronic fuse 30 has not detected an overcurrent fault. In this case, the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 is pulled up by the first resistor R1 (pull-up resistor) to maintain a high level, the electronic fuse 30 remains on, the voltage conversion circuit 20 continuously supplies power to the controller 10, and the circuit operates stably.

[0098] (2) Latch-up triggering stage: When the controller 10 is induced by latch-up due to factors such as static electricity, voltage surge, or inductive load power-on impact, a parasitic path appears inside, causing the static current to rise rapidly (up to several hundred milliamps). This abnormal current is detected by the electronic fuse 30. Considering that the electronic fuse 30 will take current-limiting measures when it detects overcurrent, limiting the output current until heat accumulation triggers thermal shutdown protection before disconnecting the output. If the abnormal current that triggers the latch-up effect of the controller 10 is low, the heat of the electronic fuse 30 may not be sufficient to trigger thermal shutdown protection, causing the power supply to the controller 10 to fail to shut down.

[0099] To address this issue, this embodiment connects the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to the enable terminal EN. When the electronic fuse 30 detects that the current in the first electrical connection path i1 exceeds a preset overcurrent threshold, it controls the fault indicator terminal nFAULT to output a low level. This low level quickly pulls down the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 through the third resistor R3, causing the electronic fuse 30 to turn off. The electronic fuse 30 then shuts down its internal switch, cutting off the power supply from the voltage conversion circuit 20 to the controller 10, ensuring that the controller 10 is completely powered down and reducing the risk of damage to the controller 10.

[0100] (3) Automatic Reset and Recovery Phase: After the fault indicator terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30 outputs a low level, the first capacitor C1 discharges through the third resistor R3, causing the voltage of the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 to gradually decrease. When the voltage of the enable terminal EN is lower than the "disable threshold" (e.g., 0.9V), the electronic fuse 30 enters the disabled state. Since the fault indicator terminal nFAULT itself is driven by the electronic fuse 30, after the electronic fuse 30 is completely turned off, its internal circuit stops working, and the fault indicator terminal nFAULT is released to a high impedance state.

[0101] At this time, the voltage conversion circuit 20 begins charging the first capacitor C1 through the first resistor R1, and the voltage at the enable terminal EN gradually rises back to a high level. When the level at the enable terminal EN of the electronic fuse 30 reaches the "start-up threshold" (1.5V), the electronic fuse 30 reopens. The voltage conversion circuit 20 then supplies power to the controller 10 again through the reopened electronic fuse 30. At this point, the controller 10 has been unlocked and starts up according to the normal power-on procedure, and the system resumes normal operation.

[0102] In this controller protection circuit 100, a hardware-feedback-based self-recovering power control closed loop is constructed by directly feeding back the fault indication terminal nFAULT of the electronic fuse 30 to its own enable terminal EN, without the need for an external processor or timer. A timed release and restart mechanism is implemented using a simple and easy-to-implement RC network, eliminating the need for an additional controller 10 or complex logic circuits. This solves or improves the failure problem of the traditional electronic fuse 30 when handling controller 10 latch-up, caused by current limiting rather than power cut-off.

[0103] The controller protection circuit 100 can achieve fault response and recovery without manual intervention or the control and participation of other circuits (such as radar detectors), realizing closed-loop control of "detection-power-off-reset-restart". Furthermore, this solution uses a standard electronic fuse 30 device to improve anti-interference performance and avoid false triggering caused by environmental interference or temperature drift, exhibiting high reliability and reusability. In addition, the circuit topology provided in this embodiment is low in cost, small in size, and long in life. The controller protection circuit 100 has a simple circuit structure, is easy to integrate, has strong adaptability, fast response speed, and low false triggering rate, making it suitable for mass production.

[0104] Based on the same inventive concept, such as Figure 6 As shown, this application also provides a battery management device 1000, including a controller protection circuit 100 as provided in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0105] In some examples, the battery management device 1000 may be a single circuit board on which the controller protection circuit 100 is mounted. In other examples, the battery management device 1000 may include multiple circuit boards, and the functional modules (e.g., controller 10, voltage conversion circuit 20, electronic fuse 30, etc.) and electronic components (e.g., resistors, capacitors, etc.) in the controller protection circuit 100 may be mounted on different circuit boards of the battery management device 1000, depending on the product.

[0106] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a battery device, which includes the battery management device provided in the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0107] The battery module is electrically connected to the battery management device. For example, the specific battery device described above can be tailored to its application scenario and requirements, and may have different product structures and forms when used in different scenarios. For instance, the battery module is connected to the battery management device via conductive components (such as busbars). The battery module acts as an energy storage unit, used to store and provide electrical energy. Specifically, the battery module includes multiple cells, and the electrical connections between the cells include series, parallel, or mixed connections, with mixed connections including both series and parallel connections. The battery management device is used to monitor and manage the charging and discharging process of the cell module to improve the utilization efficiency of the battery module and reduce malfunctions.

[0108] It should be understood that the battery device provided in the embodiments of this application includes the beneficial effects of the battery management device provided in the embodiments of this application. For details, please refer to the specific description of the battery management device in the above embodiments. This embodiment will not repeat the description here.

[0109] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides an electrical device that includes a battery device as provided in the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0110] In practical applications, the above-mentioned battery device can be used in electrical equipment, including the battery device provided in the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0111] For example, the aforementioned electrical equipment includes electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, electric motorcycles, electric bicycles, aircraft, energy storage systems, portable electronic devices, or power tools, etc., and this application does not limit them.

[0112] It should be clarified that although this application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A controller protection circuit, characterized in that, The controller protection circuit includes a controller, a voltage conversion circuit, an electronic fuse, and a first resistor; The output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to the input terminal of the electronic fuse, and the output terminal of the electronic fuse is electrically connected to the power supply terminal of the controller. The output terminal of the voltage conversion circuit is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first resistor, and the second terminal of the first resistor is electrically connected to the enable terminal of the electronic fuse. The enable terminal of the electronic fuse is electrically connected to the fault indication terminal of the electronic fuse; The electronic fuse is configured to control the level output of the fault indication terminal based on the current in the first electrical connection path, so as to turn the electronic fuse on or off. The first electrical connection path includes an electrical connection path from the output terminal of the electronic fuse to the power supply terminal of the controller.

2. The controller protection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method of controlling the level output of the fault indication terminal based on the current in the first electrical connection path to cause the electronic fuse to open or close includes: In response to a latch-up event in the controller, a change in current occurs in the first electrical connection path, causing the fault indicator terminal to output an electrical signal to turn off the electronic fuse, thereby turning off the electronic fuse.

3. The controller protection circuit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The controller protection circuit also includes: The second resistor has its first end electrically connected to the current limiting terminal of the electronic fuse, and its second end electrically connected to the ground terminal. The method of controlling the level output of the fault indication terminal based on the current in the first electrical connection path to cause the electronic fuse to open or close includes: In response to the current on the first electrical connection path being greater than the overcurrent protection threshold, the fault indication terminal is controlled to output an electrical signal to turn off the electronic fuse, thereby turning off the electronic fuse; The overcurrent protection threshold is related to the resistance value of the second resistor.

4. The controller protection circuit according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method of controlling the level output of the fault indication terminal based on the current in the first electrical connection path to cause the electronic fuse to open or close further includes: In response to the current on the first electrical connection path being less than or equal to the overcurrent protection threshold, the fault indicator terminal is controlled to output a level for turning on the electronic fuse, or the electrical signal on the fault indicator terminal is controlled to be in a high-impedance state, so that the electronic fuse turns on.

5. The controller protection circuit according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The resistance value of the second resistor satisfies: The overcurrent protection threshold is less than or equal to the first overcurrent protection threshold and greater than or equal to the second overcurrent protection threshold, wherein, The first overcurrent protection threshold characterizes the current value on the first electrical connection path when the controller latches up. The second overcurrent protection threshold characterizes the current value on the first electrical connection path when the controller is operating normally.

6. The controller protection circuit according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The controller protection circuit also includes: A first capacitor, the first end of which is electrically connected to a ground terminal, and the second end of which is electrically connected to the enable terminal of the electronic fuse.

7. The controller protection circuit according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The controller protection circuit also includes: A third resistor, the first end of which is electrically connected to the enable terminal of the electronic fuse, and the second end of which is electrically connected to the fault indication terminal of the electronic fuse.

8. The controller protection circuit according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The controller protection circuit also includes: A second capacitor, wherein the first terminal of the second capacitor is electrically connected to the input terminal of the electronic fuse, and the second terminal of the second capacitor is electrically connected to the ground terminal; and / or, The third capacitor has its first terminal electrically connected to the output terminal of the electronic fuse and its second terminal electrically connected to the ground terminal.

9. A battery management device, characterized in that, Includes the controller protection circuit as described in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A battery device, characterized in that, It includes a battery module and a battery management device as described in claim 9, wherein the battery module is electrically connected to the battery management device.

11. An electrical appliance, characterized in that, Includes the battery device as described in claim 10.

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