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US 9,071,049 B2Granted
System and methods for protection of battery modules
AssigneeO2Micro, Inc.
InventorWilliam Densham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit includes multiple battery modules and protection circuits respectively coupled to the battery modules. Each protection circuit includes a controller and a shunt circuit. The controller is coupled to one of the battery modules and detects a fault associated with the battery module. The shunt circuit is coupled to the battery module and the controller, and shunts a current around the battery module if the fault associated with the battery module is detected by the controller.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a shunt circuit;
- and
- control circuitry, coupled to said shunt circuit, said control circuitry operable for detecting a fault in a plurality of battery modules, operable for controlling said shunt circuit to shunt a first current flowing from a negative terminal of a battery module of said plurality of battery modules to a positive terminal of said battery module if said fault is associated with said battery module and occurs during a discharging process of said battery modules, and operable for controlling said shunt circuit to shunt a second current flowing from said positive terminal to said negative terminal if said fault is associated with said battery module and occurs during a charging process of said battery modules.
A method comprising:
- in response to detecting a fault associated with a battery module of a plurality of battery modules, controlling a shunt circuit to shunt a current around said battery module, said controlling using control circuitry coupled to said shunt circuit, wherein said controlling comprises:
- controlling said shunt circuit to shunt a first current flowing from a negative terminal of said battery module to a positive terminal of said battery module if said fault occurs during a discharging process of said battery modules;
- and
- controlling said shunt circuit to shunt a second current flowing from said positive terminal to said negative terminal if said fault occurs during a charging process of said battery modules.
1 more element
A battery pack comprising:
- a plurality of battery modules;
- and
- a shunt circuit, coupled to a battery module of said battery modules, operable for shunting a first current flowing from a negative terminal of said battery module to a positive terminal of said battery module if said battery module experiences a fault during discharging of said battery modules, and operable for shunting a second current flowing from said positive terminal to said negative terminal if said battery module experiences a fault during charging of said battery modules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.