High-Voltage Protection Circuit for Vehicle Short-Circuit Isolation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In electric and hybrid vehicles, routing high voltage and low voltage cord sets together increases susceptibility to interference, damage, and short circuits, leading to potential fire hazards and costly replacements of the electronic control unit (ECU) due to unprotected signal conditioning circuits.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a high voltage protection circuit with a Zener diode, fault collection circuit, and fault detection circuit to detect and prevent short circuits, using a Zener diode to protect against voltage spikes and a fault detection circuit to disable the vehicle if high voltage is detected, thereby safeguarding the signal conditioning circuit and ECU.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a high voltage battery pack is used to increase output power, then the power output is improved, but the risk of internal short circuit and thermal runaway increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower outputVSAvoidsafety risk
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protection system performs preliminary detection of voltage, current, and temperature parameters before abnormal conditions develop. The control unit continuously monitors battery pack parameters and preemptively activates protection mechanisms when thresholds are approached, preventing internal short circuits and thermal runaway before they occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The protection system acts as an intermediary between the high voltage battery pack and the motor controller. It includes intermediate protection circuits that detect abnormal conditions and isolate the battery pack from the motor controller through contactors, preventing harmful effects from propagating while allowing normal power transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If protection circuits are added to detect abnormal conditions, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidcircuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls motor operation, monitors battery parameters (voltage, current, temperature), processes protection signals, and manages contactor activation. This multi-functionality consolidates what could be separate circuits into a single integrated control unit, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The protection system merges detection circuits for voltage, current, and temperature into a unified protection architecture. Multiple protection functions (over-voltage, under-voltage, over-current, thermal protection) are combined within the single control unit, which coordinates all protection actions through centralized logic rather than requiring separate independent circuits for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 system effectively prevents short circuits and voltage spikes, ensuring safety by disabling the vehicle when high voltage is detected, reducing the risk of fire and minimizing costly ECU replacements.

Implementation Method 1

a first protection circuit coupled to the battery pack and configured to detect an over-voltage or an under-voltage of the battery pack

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVoltage detection and comparison:

Implementation Method 2

a second protection circuit coupled to the battery pack and configured to detect an over-current or an under-current of the battery pack

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCurrent detection and comparison:

Implementation Method 3

a third protection circuit coupled to the battery pack and configured to detect an overheating of the battery pack

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTemperature detection and comparison:

Implementation Method 4

The control unit is configured to interrupt a power supply between the battery pack and the motor controller when at least one of the abnormal operating conditions is detected

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical circuit interruption:

Data Source

PatentEP3949056B1High voltage protection system
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 TVS MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3949056B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3949056B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3949056B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present subject matter discloses a high voltage protection system for saddle type vehicle in order to detect the short circuiting of any wire. The present subject matter specifically provides three different modules that is high voltage protection circuit (301), a fault collection circuit (302) and a fault detection circuit (303) working together to detect the short circuiting or voltage spike and disconnecting the vehicle loads from the power supply to prevent an accident.