Electricity: measuring and testing – Electrolyte properties – Using a battery testing device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-03
2001-02-27
Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Electrolyte properties
Using a battery testing device
C324S426000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06194901
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a measuring circuit for a modular system of electrical modules connected in series and in particular for a system of modules each consisting of one or more elements for producing, storing or converting electrical energy. It is more particularly concerned with systems comprising multiple modules operating at a high voltage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The operation of systems of electrical modules connected in series can be largely optimized, in particular when the number of modules is relatively large, if it is possible to monitor the operation of each module accurately and consequently to carry out measurements module by module.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,002 describes a measuring circuit for such systems of modules. It provides accurate measurements and reduces the number of electrical connections needed to transmit measurement signals. A first serial link connects measurement interfaces individually assigned to the modules and enables a common transducer to handle successively measurement signals obtained by means of current generators at the interfaces. A second serial link transmits individual selection pulses to the interfaces from a common logic unit.
In some cases it is beneficial to have a high voltage at the terminals of a system of modules, for example to drive the motor in an electric vehicle. This has repercussions in terms of the interfaces of the measurement circuit for a system of modules of this kind, in that the interface components may be required to withstand a high voltage, possibly as high as the voltage at the terminals of the system, and malfunctions that can occur during operation of the system of modules can lead to the occurrence of abnormal voltages and in particular reverse voltages at the input/output terminals of the interfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention therefore proposes a measurement circuit for a modular system of modules electrically connected in series, each consisting of one or more elements for producing, storing or converting electrical energy, and with which are associated individual measurement interfaces for each module and a measurement signal transducer to which the interfaces successively supply their measurement signals via a first serial link in response to individual interface selection pulses transmitted from a common logic unit via a second serial link, wherein the successive interfaces are interconnected by elements of the first and second links, at least two interfaces corresponding to two successive modules being connected by two link elements, one of which is a first link element and the other of which is a second link element, each incorporating a protective diode connected in series to protect against a reverse voltage, in particular in the event of a break in the electrical continuity between the modules to which the interfaces between which the diodes are connected correspond.
The invention also proposes a measurement circuit for a modular system of modules electrically connected in series, each comprising one or more elements for producing, storing or converting electrical energy, and with which are associated individual measurement interfaces for each module and a measurement signal transducer to which the interfaces successively transmit, via a serial first link, current measurement signals that they respectively produce in response to individual interface selection pulses transmitted from a common logic unit, each interface including a selection pulse processing circuit by means of which it is selected, in which circuit, in which the successive interfaces are interconnected by elements of the first link, each interface includes a device which associates a routing unit controlled by the selection pulse processing circuit with an analog measurement signal generator and a bypass, the routing unit alternately putting the analog measurement signal generator and the common measurement signal transducer into communication via the first link when the interface is selected and the bypass and the measurement signal transducer into communication via the first link when the interface is not selected, the bypass then assuring integral transmission of an analog measurement signal via the interface to the transducer when the signal is received from another interface upstream of the bypass on the first link relative to the transducer.
According to one feature of the invention a second serial link transmits individual interface selection pulses transmitted by the common logic unit, the first and second links are respectively made up of elements inserted between two interfaces corresponding to two successive modules, and at least two interfaces corresponding to two successive modules are connected by two link elements, one of which is a first link element and the other of which is a second link element, each incorporating a protective diode connected in series to protect against reverse voltage, in particular in the event of a break in the electrical continuity between the modules to which the interfaces between which the diodes are connected correspond.
The invention, its features and its advantages are explained in the following description, which is given with reference to the accompanying drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5479085 (1995-12-01), Honda et al.
patent: 5545969 (1996-08-01), Hasegawa
patent: 5578927 (1996-11-01), Perelle
patent: 5602481 (1997-02-01), Fukuyama
patent: 6091246 (2000-07-01), Saigo et al.
patent: 8-136630 (1996-05-01), None
Carton Jean-Luc
Equoy Régis
Morin Christophe
Perelle Michel
Alcatel
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Tibbits Pia
Wong Peter S.
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