Power source arrangement and method of diagnosing a power source arrangement
AssigneeInfineon Technologies Austria AG
InventorGerald Deboy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An embodiment method of diagnosing a power source arrangement includes a plurality of n power sources connected in series between output terminals, wherein n≧2. At least two different groups of power sources are selected from the power source arrangement. A voltage of each of the at least two different groups is measured between the output terminals. During the measurement of the voltage of one group, the power sources of the power source arrangement that do not belong to the one group are bypassed. The at least two measured voltages obtained through measuring the voltage of each of the at least two different groups or at least two voltages that are dependent on these at least two measured voltages are compared.
Claims19
A circuit arrangement comprising:
- a power source arrangement comprising output terminals and a plurality of n power sources connected in series between the output terminals, wherein n≧2;
- and
- a diagnostic circuit coupled to the power source arrangement,
- the diagnostic circuit configured to select at least two different groups of power sources from the power source arrangement,
- the diagnostic circuit configured to measure a voltage of each of the at least two different groups between the output terminals, wherein during the measurement of the voltage of one group of the power sources of the power source arrangement that do not belong to the one group are bypassed, and
- the diagnostic circuit configured to compare the at least two measured voltages obtained through measuring the voltage of each of the at least two groups or to compare at least two voltages dependent on these at least two measured voltages, wherein, when a difference between two of the measured voltages or between two of the voltages dependent on the measured voltages is higher than a threshold value, the diagnostic circuit is
- a) configured to select at least two different groups of power sources from a group that has a lowest voltage;
- b) configured to measure the voltage of each group between the output terminals, wherein during the measurement of the voltage of one group the power sources of the power source arrangement that do not belong to the one group are bypassed;
- and
- c) configured to compare the at least two measured voltages obtained through measuring the voltage of each group, or to compare two voltages dependent on the at least two measured voltages.
A diagnostic circuit configured to be coupled to a power source arrangement having output terminals and a plurality of n power sources connected in series between the output terminals, wherein n≧2, the diagnostic circuit comprising:
- a plurality of switching elements configured to select at least two different groups of power sources from the power source arrangement,
- a measurement and control circuit coupled to the plurality of switching elements, the measurement and control circuit configured to
- measure a voltage of each of the at least two different groups between the output terminals and control the plurality of switching elements to bypass power sources that do not belong to a group being measured, and
- compare the at least two measured voltages obtained through measuring the voltage of each of the at least two groups or to compare at least two voltages dependent on these at least two measured voltages, wherein when a difference between two of the measured voltages or between two of the voltages dependent on the measured voltages is higher than a threshold value, the measurement and control circuit is configured to
- a) select at least two different groups of power sources from a group that has a lowest voltage,
- b) measure the voltage of each of the at least two different groups between the output terminals and control the plurality of switching elements to bypass power sources that do not belong to a group being measured, and
- c) compare the at least two measured voltages obtained through measuring the voltage of each of the at least two groups or to compare at least two voltages dependent on these at least two measured voltages.
A circuit comprising:
- a measurement and control circuit configured to be coupled to power cells, measurement and control circuit configured to:
- select a first group of power cells,
- select a second group of power cells different from the first group of power cells,
- measure a first voltage across the first group of power cells while bypassing the second group of power cells, wherein bypassing comprises activating a first conductive path coupled in parallel with the second group of power cells,
- measure a second voltage across the second group of power cells while bypassing the first group of power cells, wherein bypassing comprises activating a second conductive path coupled in parallel with the first group of power cells,
- determine a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage,
- when the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is greater than a threshold, select the first group when the first voltage is lower than the second voltage and selecting the second group when the second voltage is lower than the first voltage,
- divide the selected group into at least two further groups, and
- measure voltages across power cells of the at least two further groups.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.