# US 2013/0278273 A1 · Method and device for detecting short circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0278273 A1 - Document ID: US20130278273A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/880,650 - Filed: 2011-10-20 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-21 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Heike Barlag; Johannes Reinschke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130278273A1 ## CPC - G01R 31/52: Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults - B60L 53/18: Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - G01R 31/58: Testing of lines, cables or conductors (testing of electric windings G01R31/72) - B60L 3/12: Recording operating variables {; Monitoring of operating variables} - G01R 31/006: {on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks (testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00)} - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract In a charge cable which can be connected to an electric charging device to charge a battery of an electric vehicle, a method for detecting a short-circuit selects a first voltage value for a test voltage. By applying this test voltage to the charge cable, testing is carried out to determine whether there is a short-circuit , a fault signal is output; if there is a no short-circuit, the test voltage is increased incrementally up to a maximum voltage value. The increased test voltage is used to test whether there is a short-circuit in the charge cable or in the contact connected to the charge cable. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-9. (canceled) ### Claim 10 A method for detecting a short circuit in a charging cable which can be connected to an electrical charging device to charge a battery of an electric vehicle, comprising: choosing a first voltage value as a test voltage; applying the test voltage to the charging cable in testing whether the charging cable or a contact connected to the charging cable is short circuited; outputting a fault signal upon detection of a short circuit; increasing the test voltage in steps up to a maximum voltage value when no short circuit is detected during said applying and using respective step increases of the test voltage in testing whether the charging cable or the contact connected to the charging cable is short circuited; and determining whether the charging cable or the contact connected to the charging cable is short circuited by charging a capacitor with the test voltage; applying the test voltage which is present on the capacitor to the charging cable; monitoring the voltage which is present on the charging cable for a predetermined period of time; detecting the short circuit when a voltage change which occurs during the period of time exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and detecting that there is no short circuit when the voltage change which occurs during the period of time does not exceed the predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method is terminated with an indication of no short circuit when the test voltage has reached the maximum voltage value and each test voltage has detected no short circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first voltage value is between 1 volt and 42 volts. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the maximum voltage value is between 100% and 400% of a maximum charge voltage of the battery of the electric vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising initiating the method by connecting the charging cable to the contact of the electric vehicle while preventing a flow of current between the contact of the electric vehicle and the battery of the electric vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising not sending a current flow enable signal from the charging device to the electric vehicle until after the method has been terminated with the indication of no short circuit. ### Claim 16 An apparatus for detecting a short circuit in a charging cable which can be connected to an electrical charging device to charge a battery of an electric vehicle, comprising: a capacitor; and at least one processor programmed to control a method of choosing a first voltage value as a test voltage; applying the test voltage to the charging cable in testing whether the charging cable or a contact connected to the charging cable is short circuited; outputting a fault signal upon detection of a short circuit; increasing the test voltage in steps up to a maximum voltage value when no short circuit is detected while applying the test voltage, in testing whether the charging cable or the contact connected to the charging cable is short circuited; and determining whether the charging cable or the contact connected to the charging cable is short circuited by charging the capacitor with the test voltage; applying the test voltage which is present on the capacitor to the charging cable; monitoring the voltage which is present on the charging cable for a predetermined period of time; detecting the short circuit when a voltage change which occurs during the period of time exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and detecting that there is no short circuit when the voltage change which occurs during the period of time does not exceed the predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the apparatus is part of the charging device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a low-pass filter including said capacitor and via which a current flowing through the charging cable flows.