Integrated Voltage Divider Circuit for Battery Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage divider circuits for battery voltage in portable electronic devices either increase costs and power consumption due to external components or are not robust enough for various microcontroller working modes.
Innovation Solution
An integrated voltage divider circuit with a first level shifter circuit operating on the device's power voltage and a second level shifter circuit operating on the battery voltage, coupled with a controlled voltage divider, which selectively performs level shifting and voltage dividing operations to generate an output voltage without requiring external MOSFETs or resistors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If external MOSFETs and external resistors are used in the voltage divider circuit, then the circuit can be implemented, but the cost increases and power consumption increases due to current leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the MOSFETs and resistors required for the voltage divider circuit into the chip substrate, merging previously external components with the integrated circuit. This integration eliminates the need for separate external components, reducing current leakage paths and associated power consumption while maintaining the voltage division functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a level shifter circuit as an intermediary component between the microcontroller and the voltage divider circuit. This level shifter enables proper voltage level compatibility and control signal transmission, allowing the integrated voltage divider to function correctly while minimizing leakage current through optimized signal paths.
2Ease of manufacture
If components are integrated into a chip, then cost is reduced, but the circuit is not robust to complicated working modes of a microcontroller
Solution Approach 1:
The level shifter circuit serves as an intermediary that adapts control signals from the microcontroller to the appropriate voltage levels for the integrated voltage divider circuit. This intermediary component ensures reliable operation across various microcontroller working modes by properly translating and conditioning control signals, thereby enhancing robustness while maintaining integration benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control capabilities within the integrated circuit, allowing the voltage divider to adapt to different operating conditions and microcontroller working modes. The circuit can dynamically adjust its operation based on incoming control signals, ensuring reliable performance across diverse operational scenarios while remaining fully integrated.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional current paths are added to the voltage divider circuit, then the circuit functionality is enhanced, but current leakage increases leading to higher power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the MOSFETs and resistors into the chip substrate, the patent creates a unified integrated structure where current paths are optimized and controlled. This integration allows for precise control of current flow through the voltage divider, enabling enhanced functionality while minimizing unwanted leakage currents that would occur with separate external components.
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage divider circuit regarding a battery voltage and an associated electronic device equipped with the voltage divider circuit are provided. The voltage divider circuit may include a first level shifter circuit, a second level shifter circuit and a controlled voltage divider. The first level shifter circuit selectively performs a first level shifting operation on an original enable signal according to respective voltage levels of multiple control signals to generate a first enable signal. The second level shifter circuit selectively performs a second level shifting operation on the first enable signal according to a voltage level of the first enable signal to generate a second enable signal. The controlled voltage divider selectively performs a voltage dividing operation on the battery voltage according to a voltage level of the second enable signal to generate a divided voltage of the battery voltage to be an output of the voltage divider circuit.