Voltage monitoring using bitstream signal processing
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsGary Lee Stirk, Brian Allen, Umar Jameer Lyles, John Houldsworth, Brian Lum-Shue-Chan, Bertan Bakkaloglu
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring a voltage. A level shifter is configured to generate a current proportional to the voltage of the battery cell. A delta-sigma modulator is configured to convert the current into a first density modulated bitstream representing the voltage of the battery cell. A first reference source is configured to provide a second density modulated bitstream representing a first threshold voltage. A first comparator is configured to compare the first density modulated bitstream and the second density modulated bitstream.
Claims20
An apparatus for monitoring a voltage, comprising:
- a level shifter configured to generate a current proportional to the voltage of the battery cell;
- a delta-sigma modulator configured to convert the current into a first density modulated bitstream representing the voltage of the battery cell;
- a first reference source configured to provide a second density modulated bitstream representing a first threshold voltage;
- and
- a first comparator configured to compare the first density modulated bitstream and the second density modulated bitstream.
A method for monitoring a voltage comprising:
- producing a current representing the voltage;
- providing the current to a delta-sigma modulator configured to provide a first density modulated bitstream representing the voltage;
- generating a second density modulated bitstream representing a first threshold voltage;
- and
- comparing the first density modulated bitstream to the second density modulated bitstream.
A system for monitoring voltage within a battery comprising a stack of battery cells, comprising:
- a first reference source configured to provide a first density modulated bitstream representing a first threshold voltage;
- and
- a plurality of cell monitoring assemblies, each cell monitoring assembly configured to monitor a voltage of an associated cell of the stack of battery cells and comprising:
- a level shifter configured to generate a current proportional to the voltage of the associated battery cell;
- a delta-sigma modulator configured to convert the current into a second density modulated bitstream representing the voltage of the associated battery cell;
- and
- a first comparator configured to compare the first density modulated bitstream and the second density modulated bitstream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.