Circuit arrangement and energy storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9908418-B2
Application number	US-201514883920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2015
Priority date	Jun 20, 2013
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A circuit arrangement for operating an energy store of an electric and/or hybrid vehicle includes an analog monitoring circuit. The analog monitoring circuit is designed and arranged to detect a measurement signal that is representative of a current flowing through the energy store, and to generate a predetermined first control signal in a manner dependent on the measurement signal. The circuit arrangement further has a semiconductor switching element which is designed to electrically couple, in a first switching state, the energy store to an electrical energy network, and, in a second switching state, to electrically decouple the energy store from the electrical energy network, The semiconductor switching element includes a control terminal which is coupled by signaling technology to an output of the monitoring circuit. The switching state of the semiconductor switching element is adjustable in a manner dependent on the first control signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit arrangement for operating an energy store of an electric and/or hybrid vehicle, the circuit arrangement comprising:
an analog monitoring circuit designed and arranged to detect a measurement signal that is representative of a current flowing through the energy store, and to generate a predetermined first control signal in a manner dependent on the measurement signal;
at least one semiconductor switching element, which is configured, in a first switching state, to electrically couple the energy store to an electric energy network of the electric and/or hybrid vehicle, and, in a second switching state, to electrically decouple the energy store from the electric energy network, wherein the semiconductor switching element comprises a control terminal that is coupled to an output of the monitoring circuit; and
a digital control device designed to generate a predetermined second control signal, wherein the digital control device is coupled to the control terminal of the semiconductor switching element, and
wherein the switching state of the semiconductor switching element is adjustable in a manner dependent on the first control signal and the second control signal.

2. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein
the digital control device is designed to generate the predetermined second control signal in a manner dependent on: (i) at least one predetermined energy store-related operational quantity, (ii) at least one predetermined vehicle-related environmental quantity, (iii) at least one predetermined vehicle-related operational quantity, and/or (iv) at least one predetermined energy network-related operational quantity, wherein
the second control signal is output at a predetermined interface coupled to the control terminal of the semiconductor switching element, so that the switching state of the semiconductor switching element is adjustable in a manner dependent on the second control signal.

3. The circuit arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein:
a predetermined course of the first control signal is representative of a request for the semiconductor switching element to occupy the second switching state;
a predetermined course of the second control signal is representative of a request for the semiconductor switching element to occupy the second switching state; and
if the first control signal and/or the second control signal has the respective predetermined course, then the control terminal of the semiconductor switching element is controlled such that the semiconductor switching element occupies the second switching state.

4. The circuit arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein:
a predetermined further course of the second control signal is representative of a request for the semiconductor switching element to occupy the first switching state; and
if the second control signal has the predetermined further course and the first control signal does not have the predetermined course, then the control terminal of the semiconductor switching element is controlled such that the semiconductor switching element occupies the first switching state.

5. The circuit arrangement according to claim 4 , wherein the semiconductor switching element comprises at least one field effect transistor.

6. The circuit arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein:
the semiconductor switching element comprises at least one first field effect transistor and at least one second field effect transistor, and
each at least one second field effect transistor is respectively connected in anti-series to the at least one first field effect transistor.

7. The circuit arrangement according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a decoupling circuit module having a galvanic decoupling element, an output, and at least one input, wherein
the output is electrically coupled to the semiconductor switching element,
the input is electrically coupled to the monitoring circuit and/or to the control device, in order receive the first control signal or the second control signal, and
the galvanic decoupling element galvanically decouples the output and the at least one input and, in a potential-free manner, connects the output and the at least one input.

8. The circuit arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the galvanic decoupling element comprises an optical transmission element and an optical receiver element.

9. The circuit arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein:
the analog monitoring circuit comprises a current sensor and an analog comparator, and
the analog comparator is designed and arranged so as to generate the first control signal in a manner dependent on a comparison of a predetermined threshold value with a measurement value that is detected by the current sensor and is representative of a current that flows through the energy store.

10. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor switching element comprises at least one field effect transistor.

11. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
the semiconductor switching element comprises at least one first field effect transistor and at least one second field effect transistor, and
each at least one second field effect transistor is respectively connected in anti-series to the at least one first field effect transistor.

12. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a decoupling circuit module having a galvanic decoupling element, an output, and at least one input, wherein
the output is electrically coupled to the semiconductor switching element,
the input is electrically coupled to the monitoring circuit and/or to the control device, in order receive the first control signal or the second control signal, and
the galvanic decoupling element galvanically decouples the output and the at least one input and, in a potential-free manner, connects the output and the at least one input.

13. The circuit arrangement according to claim 12 , wherein the galvanic decoupling element comprises an optical transmission element and an optical receiver element.

14. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
the analog monitoring circuit comprises a current sensor and an analog comparator, and
the analog comparator is designed and arranged so as to generate the first control signal in a manner dependent on a comparison of a predetermined threshold value with a measurement value that is detected by the current sensor and is representative of a current that flows through the energy store.

15. An energy storage system for an electric and/or hybrid vehicle, comprising:
an energy store; and
a circuit arrangement for operating the energy store, the circuit arrangement comprising:
an analog monitoring circuit designed and arranged to detect a measurement signal that is representative of a current flowing through the energy store, and to generate a predetermined first control signal in a manner dependent on the measurement signal;
at least one semiconductor switching element, which is configured, in a first switching state, to electrically couple the energy store to an electric energy network of the electric and/or hybrid vehicle, and, in a second switching state, to electrically decouple the energy store from the electric energy network, wherein the semiconductor switching element comprises a control terminal that is coupled to an output of the monitoring circuit; and
a digital control device designed to generate a predetermined second control signal, wherein the digital control device is coupled to the control terminal of the semiconductor switching element, and
where

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Lopez De Arroyabe Jose

Classifications

• H02H3/087

  for DC applications · CPC title

• H02H3/10

  additionally responsive to some other abnormal electrical conditions · CPC title

• B60L11/18 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60L50/50

  using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title