Circuit and method of monitoring battery cells
US5610495A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 20, 1994 |
| Grant date | Mar 11, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 20, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S320/13
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A battery monitoring circuit (10) sequentially samples individual voltages across a string of serially coupled battery cells (12-18). A control circuit (32) controls first and second multiplexers (34,42) to sample each battery voltage for an over-voltage condition. A comparator (52) detects an over-voltage condition by comparing a divided down battery voltage against a reference. The conduction path through the battery cells is disabled upon detecting a fault condition by a transistor (26) in the battery cell conduction path. The battery cells are further sequentially sampled for an under-voltage fault. The comparator detects an under-voltage condition by comparing a second divided down battery voltage against the reference. The conduction path through the battery cells is disabled upon detecting a fault condition by a transistor (24) in the battery cell conduction path.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.