Battery Protection System Shared Thermistor Sampling

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery protection systems are costly and large due to the use of two thermistors, which also increase power consumption.

Innovation Solution

A battery protection system where a primary protection circuit and a secondary protection circuit share a thermistor, with a synchronizing signal controlling when each circuit samples the temperature sense signal to reduce costs and PCB size, and lower power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If two thermistors are used in the battery protection system, then temperature monitoring reliability is improved, but system cost and PCB size increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidPCB size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the temperature monitoring function of two separate thermistors into a single shared thermistor. The primary and secondary protection circuits both connect to the same thermistor RTS2, allowing one component to serve dual purposes for temperature sensing in both circuits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single thermistor RTS2 performs multiple functions by serving both the primary protection circuit and the secondary protection circuit. This multi-functional component provides temperature monitoring for both circuits simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate thermistors for each circuit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If two thermistors are used in the battery protection system, then temperature monitoring reliability is improved, but system cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidsystem cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the temperature monitoring function of two separate thermistors into a single shared thermistor. The primary and secondary protection circuits both connect to the same thermistor RTS2, allowing one component to serve dual purposes for temperature sensing in both circuits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single thermistor RTS2 performs multiple functions by serving both the primary protection circuit and the secondary protection circuit. This multi-functional component provides temperature monitoring for both circuits simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate thermistors for each circuit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If thermistors are activated in parallel, then temperature monitoring coverage is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature monitoring coverageVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic action through the synchronizing signal that alternates between first and second states. This causes the thermistor to be activated periodically for sampling by either the primary or secondary circuit, rather than being continuously activated by both circuits simultaneously, thereby reducing overall power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic control through the synchronizing signal that dynamically switches between activating the primary circuit or the secondary circuit for thermistor sampling. This dynamic allocation ensures that only one circuit actively samples the thermistor at any given time, optimizing power consumption while maintaining monitoring coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The shared thermistor setup reduces system costs and size while minimizing power consumption by optimizing sampling frequencies between the primary and secondary protection circuits.

Implementation Method 1

The sensor is configured to generate a sense signal indicative of a temperature in a battery pack when the sensor is activated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermistor effect: Thermistor

Data Source

PatentUS11309704B2Battery protection systems

Publication Date: 2022.04.19 O2 MICRO INC

AI summary

A battery protection system includes a sensor, a primary protection circuit, coupled to the sensor, and a secondary protection circuit, coupled to the primary protection circuit and the sensor. The sensor is configured to generate a sense signal indicative of temperature in a battery pack when the sensor is activated. The primary protection circuit is configured to generate a synchronizing signal in a first state or a second state, sample the sense signal when the synchronizing signal is in the first state, and provide primary protection to the battery pack based on the sense signal. A secondary protection circuit is configured to be controlled by the synchronizing signal, sample the sense signal when the synchronizing signal is in the second state, and provide secondary protection to the battery pack based on the sense signal.