Power Converter Short Circuit Detection via Voltage Drop Rate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power supply systems fail to effectively detect weakly short circuits and bad connections, leading to undesirable power loss and potential safety hazards, as existing solutions require additional heat detection signals that are not compatible with standard cables and increase manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A power supply system with a power converter that includes a switch control unit, a short circuit detection unit with a timer circuit and abnormal voltage drop detection circuit, and a bad connection detection unit with voltage and current sensing circuits, analog-to-digital converters, and a calculation circuit to determine abnormal conditions by temporarily stopping the conversion process and comparing voltage and current levels with reference values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heat detection signal lines are added to detect abnormal conditions, then detection capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing cable serve multiple functions: it simultaneously transmits power and carries detection signals for temperature, short circuit, and bad connection detection. By integrating detection capabilities into the power transmission cable itself, the system avoids adding separate detection cables or signal lines, thereby improving reliability without increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The cable system performs self-detection by monitoring its own operational parameters (temperature, voltage drops, connection status) without requiring external detection devices. The detection signals are extracted from the same cable that carries power, allowing the system to monitor its own health status autonomously
2Reliability
If heat detection signal lines are added to detect abnormal conditions, then detection capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The existing cable is designed to perform both power transmission and detection functions simultaneously. By utilizing the cable's existing structure for dual purposes (power delivery and signal transmission), the system eliminates the need for additional detection cables or signal lines, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the power transmission function and detection signal transmission function into a single cable system. By merging these two functions into one component, the system reduces the total number of components required, simplifying assembly and reducing manufacturing costs
3Reliability
If temperature increase detection is used to detect abnormal conditions, then detection capability is improved, but detection timing is delayed causing power loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection by monitoring temperature, voltage, and connection status before abnormal conditions develop into severe failures. By continuously monitoring these parameters in advance, the system can detect potential issues (such as weak connections or emerging short circuits) before they cause significant power loss or damage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic monitoring of cable conditions through regular measurement of temperature, voltage drops, and connection status. This continuous periodic detection allows the system to identify abnormal trends early, enabling timely intervention before conditions deteriorate to the point of causing power loss
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional detection methods are used, then simple implementation is maintained, but weakly short circuits and bad connections cannot be detected leading to power loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system detects abnormal conditions by monitoring changes in electrical parameters (voltage drops, current variations, resistance changes) along the cable. By measuring these parameter changes, the system can identify weakly short circuits and bad connections that conventional methods miss, enabling early detection and prevention of power loss while maintaining implementation simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex physical inspection methods with electrical parameter monitoring. Instead of requiring mechanical access or disassembly to detect connection issues, the system uses electrical measurements (voltage, current, resistance) to indirectly detect problems, simplifying the detection process while improving capability to identify subtle faults
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 detects weakly short circuits and bad connections, preventing power loss and ensuring safety by enabling timely intervention and improving power utilization efficiency without the need for additional heat detection signals, thus addressing the limitations of prior art.
Implementation Method 1
an abnormal voltage drop detection circuit for determining whether or not a short circuit occurs during the disable time period according to a decreasing speed of the output voltage
Implementation Method 2
a first analog-to-digital converter for converting the actual voltage to a first digital signal; a second analog-to-digital converter for converting the actual current to a second digital signal
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a short circuit and/or bad connection detection method for use in a power supply system. The power supply system includes a power converter which converts an input voltage to an output voltage and supplies an output current to an electronic device. In the short circuit detection method, the conversion from the input voltage to the output voltage is disabled in a disable time period, and whether a short circuit occurs is determined according to the decreasing speed of the output voltage. In the bad connection detection method, an actual voltage and an actual current received by the electronic device are compared with the output voltage and the output current, to determine whether a bad connection occurs.