Enhanced parallel protection circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10439409-B2
Application number	US-201615097872-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2016
Priority date	Apr 13, 2016
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

An enhanced parallel protection circuit is provided. A system using separate battery packs in a parallel configuration is arranged with multiple protection circuit modules (PCMs). The PCMs are configured to detect fault conditions, such as over voltage, under voltage, excess current, etc. The PCMs can be configured to control associated switches and/or other components. When a fault condition is detected by an individual PCM, the individual PCM transitions to a fault state, and the PCM triggers an output causing one or more actions, e.g., causing a device to shut down or isolate one or more components. In addition, by the use of the techniques disclosed herein, the individual PCM can generate a control signal that causes other PCMs to transition to a fault state. The individual PCM can also receive a control signal from another PCM to cause the individual PCM to transition to a fault state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first protection circuit module comprising one or more inputs, a control interface, and an output coupled to a first node, wherein the first protection circuit module is configured to activate the output coupled to the first node, activate a control signal at the control interface of the first protection circuit module, and transition to an internal protection state when a value of a signal at the one or more inputs of the first protection circuit module meets or exceeds one or more thresholds; and
a second protection circuit module comprising one or more inputs, a control interface, and an output coupled to a second node, wherein the second protection circuit module is configured to activate the output coupled to the second node, activate the control signal at the control interface of the second protection circuit module, and transition to the internal protection state when a value of a signal at the one or more inputs of the second protection circuit module meets or exceeds one or more thresholds, wherein the control interface of the first protection circuit module is coupled to the control interface of the second protection circuit module, wherein the first protection circuit module is configured to activate the output coupled to the first node and transition to an external protection state when the second protection circuit module activates the control signal at the control interface of the second protection circuit module, and wherein the second protection circuit module is configured to activate the output coupled to the second node and transition to the external protection state when the first protection circuit module activates the control signal at the control interface of the first protection module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first protection circuit module is configured to transition to a clear protection state when the signal at the one or more inputs of the first protection circuit module no longer meets or exceeds one or more thresholds, in the clear protection state, the output of the first protection circuit module remains active and the control signal at the control interface of the first protection circuit module is deactivated.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first protection circuit module is configured to transition to an exit protection state when the signal at the one or more inputs of the first protection circuit module no longer meets or exceeds one or more thresholds and when the first protection circuit module is receiving a deactivated control signal from the second protection circuit module, in the exit protection state the output of the first protection circuit module is deactivated and the control signal at the control interface of the first protection circuit module is deactivated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second protection circuit module is configured to transition to a clear protection state when the signal at the one or more inputs of the second protection circuit module no longer meets or exceeds one or more thresholds, in the clear protection state, the output of the second protection circuit module remains active and the control signal at the control interface of the second protection circuit module is deactivated.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second protection circuit module is configured to transition to an exit protection state when the signal at the one or more inputs of the second protection circuit module no longer meets or exceeds one or more thresholds and when the second protection circuit module is receiving a deactivated control signal from the first protection circuit module, in the exit protection state, the output of the second protection circuit module is deactivated and the control signal at the control interface of the second protection circuit module is deactivated.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first switch comprising an input coupled to the first node, wherein the first switch creates a low impedance path for a first path when the first switch is on, and wherein the first switch creates a high impedance path or an open circuit for the first path when the first switch is off, wherein the first switch is configured to be off when the output of the first protection circuit is activated; and
a second switch comprising an input coupled to the second node, wherein the second switch creates a low impedance path for a second path when the second switch is on, and wherein the second switch creates a high impedance path or an open circuit for the second path when the second switch is off, wherein the second switch is configured to be off when the output of the second protection circuit is activated.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first switch comprises a transistor, wherein the input of the first switch is a gate of the transistor and the first path passes through a source of the transistor and a drain of the transistor.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , where in the transistor is a field-effect transistor or a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second switch comprises a transistor, wherein the input of the second switch is a gate of the transistor and the second path passes through a source of the transistor and a drain of the transistor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , where in the transistor is a field-effect transistor or a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the one or more inputs of the first protection circuit module comprise a first input coupled to a cathode of a first battery and a second input coupled to an anode of the first battery, and wherein the one or more inputs of the second protection circuit module comprise a first input coupled to a cathode of a second battery and a second input coupled to an anode of the second battery, wherein the first path couples the anode of the first battery to a ground node, and wherein the second path couples the anode of the second battery to the ground node.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the one or more inputs of the first protection circuit module comprise a first input coupled to a cathode of a first battery and a second input coupled to an anode of the first battery, and wherein the one or more inputs of the second protection circuit module comprise a first input coupled to a cathode of a second battery and a second input coupled to an anode of the second battery, wherein the first path couples the cathode of the first battery to a power source node, and wherein the second path couples the cathode of the second battery and the power source node.

13. An apparatus, comprising:
a first protection circuit module comprising one or more inputs, a first control interface, a second control interface, an output coupled to a first node, an output coupled to a second node, wherein the first protection circuit module is configured to activate the output coupled to the first node, activate a control signal at the first control interface of the first protection circuit module, and transition to a first protection state when one or more values of at least one signal at the one or more inputs of the first protection circuit module meets a first set of criteria, and wherein the first protection circuit module is configured to activate the output coupled to the second node, activate a control signal at the second control interface of the first protection circuit module, and transition to a second protection state when the one or more values of the at least one signal at the one or more inputs of the first protection circuit module meets a second

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Binder Julian
• Chian Daniel
• Shoykhet Eugene
• Parikh Ruchi

Classifications

• H02H5/04

  responsive to abnormal temperature {(specially adapted for electric machines H02H7/0852)} · CPC title

• H02H7/18

  for batteries; for accumulators · CPC title

• H02H3/10

  additionally responsive to some other abnormal electrical conditions · CPC title

• H02J7/0026

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02H3/05 Primary

  with means for increasing reliability, e.g. redundancy arrangements {(for logic circuits H03K19/003)} · CPC title