Electronic device with overcurrent protection and method for overcurrent protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023155366-A1
Application number	US-202017046133-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 1, 2020
Priority date	Sep 2, 2019
Publication date	May 18, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device having an overcurrent protection function is provided. The electronic device includes at least one power converter, the at least one power converter including a power conversion unit to convert input voltage or input current to supply output current, a control unit to adjust the output current, and an overcurrent protection unit to detect the output current and transmit a detection result to the control unit, and wherein the overcurrent protection unit includes an overcurrent extraction module to output a difference between the output current exceeding designated first reference current and the first reference current; a calculation module to calculate an accumulative value obtained by integrating the difference with respect to time, and a first comparison module to compare the accumulative value with a designated critical value and to transmit a first detection result in which the accumulative value exceeds the critical value to the control unit.

First claim

1 . An electronic device comprising:
at least one power converter, wherein the at least one power converter comprises:
a power conversion unit configured to convert an input voltage or an input current to supply an output current,
a control unit configured to adjust the output current, and
an overcurrent protection unit configured to detect the output current and transmit a detection result to the control unit, and
wherein the overcurrent protection unit comprises:
an overcurrent extraction module configured to output a difference between the output current exceeding a designated first reference current and the designated first reference current,
a calculation module configured to calculate an accumulative value obtained by integrating the difference with respect to time, and
a first comparison module configured to:
compare the accumulative value with a designated critical value, and
transmit a first detection result in which the accumulative value exceeds the designated critical value to the control unit.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the overcurrent protection unit further comprises a second comparison module, the second module configured to: compare the output current with second reference current larger than the first reference current, and transmit a second detection result in which the output current exceeds the second reference current to the control unit.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to stop the supply of the output current based on the first detection result or the second detection result.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to pause the supply of the output current so that the output current is re-supplied after a predetermined time elapses based on the first detection result or the second detection result.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 ,
wherein the at least one power converter further comprises a counter configured to count a number of times the supply of the output current is paused, and wherein the control unit is further configured to:
pause the supply of the output current so that the output current is re-supplied after a predetermined time elapses based on the first detection result or the second detection result, and
stop the supply of the output current to prevent the output current from being re-supplied when the counted number of times exceeds a predetermined number of times.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the overcurrent extraction module comprises a differential amplifier.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the overcurrent extraction module further comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC).

8 . An electronic device comprising:
at least one power converter, wherein the at least one power converter comprises:
a power conversion unit configured to convert an input voltage or an input current to supply an output current, and
an overcurrent protection unit configured to:
detect the output current, and
transmit a detection result to the power conversion unit to adjust the output current, and

wherein the overcurrent protection unit comprises:
an overcurrent extraction module configured to output a difference between the output current exceeding a designated first reference current and the designated first reference current,
a calculation module configured to calculate an accumulative value obtained by integrating the difference with respect to time, and
a first comparison module configured to:
compare the accumulative value with a designated critical value, and
transmit a first detection result in which the accumulative value exceeds the designated critical value to the power conversion unit.

9 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the overcurrent protection unit further comprises a second comparison module, the second comparison module configured to:
compare the output current with second reference current larger than the first reference current, and transmit a second detection result in which the output current exceeds the second reference current to the power conversion unit.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the power conversion unit is configured to stop the supply of the output current based on the first detection result or the second detection result.

11 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the power conversion unit is configured to pause the supply of the output current so that the output current is re-supplied after a predetermined time elapses based on the first detection result or the second detection result.

12 . The electronic device of claim 11 ,
wherein the at least one power converter comprises a counter configured to count a number of times the supply of the output current is paused, and wherein the power conversion unit is configured to:
pause the supply of the output current so that the output current is re-supplied after a predetermined time elapses based on the first detection result or the second detection result, and
stop the supply of the output current to prevent the output current from being re-supplied when the counted number of times exceeds a predetermined number of times.

13 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the overcurrent extraction module comprises a differential amplifier.

14 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the overcurrent extraction module further comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC).

15 . An overcurrent protection method of an electronic device, the method comprising:
converting an input voltage or an input current to supply an output current; outputting a difference between the output current exceeding a designated first reference current and the designated first reference current; calculating an accumulative value obtained by integrating the difference with respect to time; and comparing the accumulative value with a designated critical value and transmitting a first detection result in which the accumulative value exceeds the designated critical value.

16 . The overcurrent protection method of claim 15 , further comprising:
comparing the output current with second reference current larger than the first reference current and transmitting a second detection result in which the output current exceeds the second reference current.

17 . The overcurrent protection method of claim 16 , further comprising:
stopping the output current based on the first detection result or the second detection result.

18 . The overcurrent protection method of claim 15 , further comprising:
pausing the output current so that the output current is re-supplied after a predetermined time elapses based on the first detection result or the second detection result.

19 . The overcurrent protection method of claim 15 , further comprising:
pausing the output current so that the output current is re-supplied after a predetermined time elapses based on the first detection result or the second detection result; counting the number of times the supply of the output current is paused; and stopping the supply of the output current to prevent the output current from being re-supplied when the counted number of times exceeds the predetermined number of times.

20 . The overcurrent protection method of claim 15 , further comprising:
notifying that the output current is overcurrent requiring overcurrent protection based on the first detection result or the second detection result.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jehwan

Classifications

• G01R19/257

  using analogue/digital converters of the type with comparison of different reference values with the value of voltage or current, e.g. using step-by-step method · CPC title

• H02H3/07

  and with permanent disconnection after a predetermined number of reconnection cycles · CPC title

• G01R19/16571

  comparing AC or DC current with one threshold, e.g. load current, over-current, surge current or fault current (G01R19/16514, G01R19/16519, G01R19/16528, G01R19/16533, G01R19/1659 take precedence; measuring currents by using elements sensitive to the magnetic field generated G01R15/14; measuring earth resistance G01R27/18; testing for leakage or short circuits in electrical apparatus G01R31/52) · CPC title

• H02H3/087 Primary

  for DC applications · CPC title

• H02H1/003

  Fault detection by injection of an auxiliary voltage (same for detection of earth fault currents H02H3/17; for monitoring earth connection H02H5/105) · CPC title