Emergency Lighting Driver With Time-Multiplexed Battery Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency drivers for outdoor emergency lights and industrial applications face challenges in charging lithium batteries under sub-zero temperatures due to lithium plating, and adding heating elements increases circuit complexity and size.
Innovation Solution
An emergency driver that performs temperature sensing and heating in a time-multiplexed manner using a resistive temperature sensor and heating element, sharing a common terminal for both functions, reducing the number of required connections and simplifying the circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heating element is added to charge the battery under sub-zero temperatures, then the battery can be heated to acceptable temperature, but the circuit complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the temperature sensing function and heating function into a single integrated circuit. The same circuit terminals and control logic are used to both sense the battery temperature and control the heating element, eliminating the need for separate dedicated terminals and reducing overall circuit complexity despite adding heating capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit is designed to perform multiple functions using the same components. The heating element is controlled through the existing circuit terminals that would otherwise be used for charging, allowing the same circuit infrastructure to serve both temperature control and power delivery functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional terminals are added to supply the heating element, then the heating function can be implemented, but the packaging and production complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing circuit terminals universal by using them for both charging operations and heating element control. This multi-functional approach allows the heating capability to be added without increasing the number of physical terminals, thereby simplifying packaging and manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The control logic for heating and charging is merged into a single control system. The same microcontroller or control circuit that manages charging also manages heating operations, eliminating the need for separate control hardware and reducing assembly complexity.
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 solution effectively heats and senses battery temperature with a single common terminal, minimizing circuit complexity and size while ensuring safe charging by avoiding lithium plating.
Implementation Method 1
a preferably resistive temperature sensor configured to generate a temperature signal corresponding to a temperature of the battery
Implementation Method 2
at least a resistive heating element configured to increase the temperature of the battery by a heating operation
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency driver (100) of this disclosure for driving emergency lighting means comprises a battery (101) operably coupled to the emergency lighting means, a preferably resistive temperature sensor (104) configured to generate a temperature signal (Ts) corresponding to a temperature of the battery (101), at least a resistive heating element (102) configured to increase the temperature of the battery (101) by a heating operation, and a controller (106) configured to perform in a time multiplex manner, the reading of the temperature sensor (104) and the operation of the resistive heating element (102).