Boost Converter Upper Arm Failure Detection Using Current Direction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power supply devices with boost converters face challenges in reliably detecting failures of upper arms without increasing parts count and cost, as conventional methods require additional sensors for detection.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating current sensors to detect battery and reactor currents, allowing an electronic control unit to determine upper arm failures by analyzing current directions, thereby eliminating the need for dedicated sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If new components such as dedicated sensors are provided for detection of upper arm failures, then detection reliability is improved, but parts count and cost are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing current sensors perform multiple functions: they continue to detect battery current for power management while simultaneously detecting upper arm failures by analyzing current direction and magnitude patterns. This eliminates the need for dedicated failure detection sensors and reduces parts count while maintaining detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing sensing infrastructure (current sensors already present for battery management) to serve the additional function of failure detection. The control unit analyzes data from these sensors to self-diagnose upper arm failures without requiring external or additional detection components.
2Reliability
If new components such as dedicated sensors are provided for detection of upper arm failures, then detection reliability is improved, but cost is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing current sensors perform multiple functions: they continue to detect battery current for power management while simultaneously detecting upper arm failures by analyzing current direction and magnitude patterns. This eliminates the need for dedicated failure detection sensors and reduces parts count while maintaining detection reliability.
3Device complexity
If existing current sensors are used for failure detection by analyzing current patterns, then parts count and cost are reduced, but detection reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors current sensor outputs and uses feedback analysis of current direction and magnitude patterns to detect upper arm failures. The system compares actual current patterns against expected patterns during switching operations, and when deviations are detected, it identifies failures with high reliability using the existing sensor infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply device includes: a first electric power line; a second electric power line; a first boost converter; a second boost converter; a first current sensor; a second current sensor; a third current sensor; and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine that a third switching element of the second boost converter has an on-failure when a battery current is a value at a time of being discharged from a battery, a first reactor current is a value at a time of passing from a side of a second positive electrode line to a side of a first center point, and a second reactor current is a value at a time of passing from a side of a second center point to a side of a second positive electrode line.