Back to results
US 10,473,724 B2Granted
Method for determining a load current and battery sensor
AssigneeContinental Automotive GmbH
InventorsAndreas Aumer, Hans-Michael Graf, Martin Schramme
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for determining a load current, which is based on conducting a calibration current in a particular manner and on particular calculation methods.
Claims18
A method for determining a load current flowing through a group of measuring resistors, the group of measuring resistors has a number of branches and each branch has at least one respective first measuring resistor connected to at least one respective second measuring resistor at a connection point that is connected to a reference resistor, wherein the method comprises for each of the branches:
- measuring a first measurement voltage, which is dropped across the first measuring resistor in response to the load current, and a second measurement voltage, which is dropped across the second measuring resistor in response to the load current,
- calculating a first operating parameter on the basis of the first measurement voltage and the second measurement voltage,
- calibrating each branch of the group of measuring resistors during respective calibration periods, wherein the method comprises solely during the respective calibration periods:
- conducting a calibration current into the branch of the group of measuring resistors, wherein the calibration current is divided into a first calibration partial current flowing through the first measuring resistor and a second calibration partial current flowing through the second measuring resistor, and the calibration current flows through the reference resistor to the connection point, and
- measuring a first calibration voltage, which is dropped across the first measuring resistor in response to the case of a flowing first calibration partial current and the load current, and a second calibration voltage, which is dropped across the second measuring resistor in response to the flowing second calibration partial current and the load current,
- wherein a second operating parameter is calculated on the basis of at least the first calibration voltage, the second calibration voltage, the first operating parameter and a current intensity of the calibration current.
3 more elements
A battery sensor, comprising:
- a group of measuring resistors, wherein the group of measuring resistors has a number of branches and each branch has at least one respective first measuring resistor connected to at least one respective second measuring resistor at a connection point that is connected to a reference resistor,
- at least one first voltmeter and one second voltmeter, wherein the first voltmeter is configured to measure a voltage dropped across the first measuring resistor in response to a load current, and the second voltmeter is configured to measure a voltage dropped across the second measuring resistor in response to the load current,
- at least one calibration current source which is configured to conduct a calibration current through the group of measuring resistors, and
- an electronic control apparatus which is configured to calibrate each branch of the group of measuring resistors during respective calibration periods, wherein the calibration comprises solely during the respective calibration periods:
- conducting a calibration current into the branch of the group of measuring resistors, wherein the calibration current is divided into a first calibration partial current flowing through the first measuring resistor and a second calibration partial current flowing through the second measuring resistor, and the calibration current flows through the reference resistor to the connection point and
- measuring a first calibration voltage, which is dropped across the first measuring resistor in response to the first calibration partial current and the load current, and a second calibration voltage, which is dropped across the second measuring resistor in response to the second calibration partial current and the load current,
- wherein a second operating parameter is calculated on the basis of at least the first calibration voltage, the second calibration voltage, the first operating parameter and a current intensity of the calibration current.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.