Overcurrent Protector State Detection via Supply Voltage Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for detecting the state of an overcurrent protector in a battery system suffer from low reliability and misjudgment, particularly when the voltage difference between the battery and supply voltage is small, and require additional hardware circuits, increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
Regulating the supply voltage to adjust the voltage difference across the overcurrent protector and using existing detection data to accurately determine its state, incorporating battery current as a decision basis, without the need for additional circuit expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the state of the overcurrent protector is decided according to the voltage difference between battery voltage and system voltage, then the detection method is simple, but the detection reliability is low when the voltage difference is small
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from voltage difference to battery current. By detecting the current flowing through the overcurrent protector, the system can reliably determine the protector's state (connected or disconnected) without being affected by small voltage differences. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple detection methodology while significantly improving detection reliability.
2Measurement precision
If the auxiliary contact method is used to detect the overcurrent protector state, then the detection is direct, but the hardware cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the detection function from the mechanical auxiliary contact system and implements it through software-based current detection. By removing the auxiliary contact hardware and using the existing current detection capability of the monitoring equipment, the system achieves the same state detection accuracy without additional hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical auxiliary contact system with an electrical current detection system. Instead of using mechanical contacts that physically open/close to indicate protector state, the system uses electrical current measurements to determine the same information, thereby eliminating mechanical components and reducing hardware complexity.
3Reliability
If the voltage interface circuit and voltage comparing circuit are added to detect overcurrent protector state, then the detection capability is improved, but the monitoring hardware cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing current detection circuit serve multiple functions: it detects both battery charging/discharging current and the state of the overcurrent protector. By designing the detection system to handle multiple detection tasks simultaneously, the patent improves state detection reliability without adding dedicated hardware circuits for protector state detection.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure discloses a method and device for detecting a state of an overcurrent protector for a battery, wherein a voltage Uout of a power supply and a voltage Ubat of a battery connected to the power supply via an overcurrent protector is acquired, and U=|Uout-Ubat| is calculated; when UL≤U≤UH and |Ibat|≤Imin, the voltage of the power supply is adjusted to be U'out, wherein UL and UH are the minimum value and maximum value of a difference between the voltage of the power supply and the voltage of the battery, respectively, Ibat is a current of the battery, and Imin is a current detecting precision for detecting a current equipment of the battery; the voltage of the battery U'bat after adjusting the voltage of the power supply is acquired, and U'=|U'out-U'bat| is calculated; and a state of the overcurrent protector for the battery is determined. With the disclosure, in the case that the difference between the voltage of the battery and the supply voltage is small, by regulating the supply voltage and comparing the voltage difference across the overcurrent protector again, accurate detection of the state of the overcurrent protector for the battery as well as reduction of detecting costs is enabled.