Balanced Cell Current Conversion Circuit for Simultaneous Voltage Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage conversion systems for battery protection controllers face challenges in balancing cell currents during voltage sampling, leading to increased costs due to the need for extensive trimming processes and sequential sampling, which does not meet simultaneous sampling requirements.
Innovation Solution
A conversion system with a compensation circuit that balances currents across multiple cells by generating sampling signals indicative of cell voltages with respect to a common reference level, allowing for simultaneous sampling and reducing the need for multiple trimmed references.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If voltage conversion circuits are used to shift cell voltages with respect to ground for comparison with ground-based reference voltages, then the trimming process is reduced, but the cell currents become unbalanced during sampling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a compensation circuit as an intermediary component that generates compensation currents to offset the unbalanced currents caused by the voltage conversion circuit. This mediator restores current balance without requiring trimming of the conversion circuit itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts current parameters by generating compensation currents that vary based on the sampling state of different cells. The compensation circuit changes current magnitudes and directions to maintain balance across all cells during sequential sampling operations.
2Device complexity
If sequential sampling of cell voltages is performed using voltage conversion circuits, then the circuit complexity is reduced, but simultaneous sampling capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic switching of the voltage conversion circuit to sequentially connect different cells to the reference voltage for sampling. This periodic action enables multiple cells to be sampled in succession, achieving simultaneous sampling capability while maintaining relatively simple circuit architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the voltage conversion circuit dynamic by allowing it to be switched between different connection states corresponding to different cells. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the single conversion circuit to serve multiple sampling functions that would otherwise require multiple static conversion circuits.
3Measurement precision
If multiple trimmed reference voltages are used for comparing cell voltages, then the measurement precision is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single ground-based reference voltage serve multiple functions by using it as the common reference for comparing all cell voltages. The voltage conversion circuit enables this single reference to be used universally across multiple cells without requiring separate trimmed references for each cell.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple reference voltage requirements into a single ground-based reference voltage. By combining the reference functions and using the voltage conversion circuit to adapt cell voltages to this common reference, the system eliminates the need for multiple separate trimmed reference voltages.
Data Source
AI summary
A conversion system includes a conversion circuit coupled to multiple cells for generating multiple sampling signals indicative of the cell voltages of the cells respectively. Each sampling signal is with respect to the same reference level. In addition, the conversion system includes a compensation circuit coupled to the conversion circuit for generating a compensation current that flows through at least one cell of the multiple cells via the conversion circuit for balancing the currents respectively flowing through the cells.