Overcharge Protection Circuit Using Dedicated Hardware Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overcharge protection circuits for battery management systems in electric vehicles are prone to malfunctions due to complex operations and require a CPU, leading to increased costs and insufficient noise filtering, making them unreliable, especially during abnormal operations.
Innovation Solution
An overcharge protection circuit with a robust design that includes an overcharge sensing unit, an overcharge signal processing unit with noise reduction capabilities, and a switch control unit, which can operate independently of a CPU, using a battery management system to detect cell voltage, process signals, and control power supply through a switch, thereby preventing overcharging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a CPU is used for the overcharge protection circuit, then the control functionality is improved, but the manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential control functionality from a CPU-based system and implements it using dedicated hardware circuits (comparators, timers, logic gates). This removes the need for a CPU while retaining the core overcharge protection function, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit is designed to autonomously monitor battery voltage, detect overcharge conditions, and trigger protection mechanisms without requiring CPU intervention. The self-contained hardware implementation performs all necessary control operations independently, eliminating the need for complex processing units.
2Ease of operation
If complex operations are implemented in the overcharge protection circuit, then the control capability is improved, but the reliability decreases due to malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex software-based control operations with simple, deterministic hardware circuit operations. The use of comparators, timers, and logic gates provides straightforward electrical signal processing that is inherently more reliable than complex software routines, reducing the risk of malfunctions while maintaining control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit uses simple, fail-safe hardware components that can be easily replaced if needed, rather than relying on complex, hard-to-debug software systems. This approach prioritizes reliability through simplicity, using basic electronic components that are less prone to failures.
3Device complexity
If noise filtering is reduced in the circuit, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability during abnormal operations becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dedicated noise filtering circuits as intermediary components between the voltage sensing elements and the control logic. These filters (including RC circuits and Schmitt triggers) clean up noisy signals without adding significant complexity to the overall system, ensuring reliable operation during abnormal conditions while maintaining circuit simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An overcharge protection circuit may include a battery, a battery management system (BMS) having an overcharge sensing unit for detecting cell voltage of the battery, comparing the cell voltage with a preset overcharge voltage, and then generating either a signal indicative of normal connection of the battery or an overcharge signal depending on a result of the comparison and a switch control unit for generating a control signal depending on a result of comparing a hold-up time of the overcharge signal with a preset hold-up time of the overcharge signal, and a switch for connecting or blocking a power source for supplying charging power to the battery in response to the control signal.