# US 10,371,756 B2 · Detection circuit and management device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,756 B2 - Document ID: US10371756B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/748,833 - Filed: 2016-09-08 - Published: 2018-08-09 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-28 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yuta Kurosaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371756B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/382: Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC - G01R 31/52: Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults - G01R 31/54: Testing for continuity - G01R 31/58: Testing of lines, cables or conductors (testing of electric windings G01R31/72) - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)} - H01M 10/441: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 10/482: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H02J 7/02: for charging batteries from AC mains by converters - H02J 7/06: using discharge tubes or semiconductor devices - H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially - H02J 7/62: against overcurrent - H02J 7/64: against overvoltage - H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC] - H02J 7/96: in response to battery voltage - H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An abnormality notification switch is switched on when a power storage module is abnormal but is switched off when the power storage module is normal. A first detection element outputs a signal indicating an abnormality of the power storage module when detecting that an electric current flows along an electric current line. A second detection element is inserted into an electric current line between a node and a second high-side reference potential that has a higher potential than a potential of a first high-side reference potential. The second detection element outputs a signal indicating an occurrence of a disconnection when detecting that no electric current flows along this electric current line. A retaining circuit retains a potential at the node higher than the first high-side reference potential and lower than the second high-side reference potential. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A detection circuit comprising: an abnormality notification switch that is switched on when a power storage module is abnormal but is switched off when the power storage module is normal, the abnormality notification switch being a switch inserted into an electric current line between a first high-side reference potential and a low-side reference potential; a first detection element that outputs a signal indicating an abnormality of the power storage module when detecting that an electric current flows along the electric current line between the first high-side reference potential and the abnormality notification switch, the first detection element being inserted into the electric current line between the first high-side reference potential and the abnormality notification switch; a second detection element that outputs a signal indicating an occurrence of a disconnection of the electric current line between a second high-side reference potential and the low-side reference potential when detecting that no electric current flows along an electric current line between the second high-side reference potential and a node at which the first detection element is connected to the abnormality notification switch, the second high-side reference potential having a higher potential than a potential of the first high-side reference potential, the second detection element being inserted into the electric current line between the second high-side reference potential and the node; and a retaining circuit that retains a potential at the node higher than the first high-side reference potential but lower than the second high-side reference potential. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The detection circuit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the power storage modules are provided, a plurality of the abnormality notification switches are provided for the respective power storage modules, and the plurality of abnormality notification switches are connected in parallel between the node and the low-side reference potential. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The detection circuit according to claim 1, wherein the retaining circuit is a zener diode inserted between the node and the low-side reference potential in a direction in which a zener electric current flows from the node to the low-side reference potential. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The detection circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first detection element is a first photocoupler, the first photocoupler including a first light emitting diode and a first phototransistor, the first light emitting diode being inserted, in a forward direction, into the electric current line between the first high-side reference potential and the node, the first phototransistor being controlled by light from the first light emitting diode, and the second detection element is a second photocoupler, the second photocoupler including a second light emitting diode and a second phototransistor, the second light emitting diode being inserted, in a forward direction, into the electric current line between the second high-side reference potential and the node, the second phototransistor being controlled by light from the second light emitting diode. ### Claim 5 A management device that manages a power storage module, the power storage module having an abnormality notification switch, the abnormality notification switch being a switch that is inserted into an electric current line between a first high-side reference potential and a low-side reference potential and that is switched on when the power storage module is abnormal but is switched off when the power storage module is normal, the management device comprising: a first detection element that outputs a signal indicating an abnormality of the power storage module when detecting that an electric current flows along the electric current line between the first high-side reference potential and the abnormality notification switch, the first detection element being inserted into the electric current line between the first high-side reference potential and the abnormality notification switch; and a second detection element that outputs a signal indicating an occurrence of a disconnection of the electric current line between a second high-side reference potential and the low-side reference potential when detecting that no electric current flows along an electric current line between the second high-side reference potential and a node at which the first detection element is connected to the abnormality notification switch, the second high-side reference potential having a higher potential than a potential of the first high-side reference potential, the second detection element being inserted into the electric current line between the second high-side reference potential and the node, wherein a potential at the node is retained higher than the first high-side reference potential but lower than the second high-side reference potential.