IP Library Granted Patent US 9,217,778
Granted Patent B2
US 9,217,778 · App. 14/142,632 · Granted Dec 22, 2015

Voltage measuring device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,217,778
App. No.
14/142,632
Granted
Dec 22, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A signal processor includes: a plurality of first capacitors provided for respective output terminals of a plurality of multiplexers, the first capacitors having their one ends connected to the respective output terminals of the multiplexers, the first capacitors being charged in accordance with voltages outputted from the respective output terminals; a differential amplifier including an input terminal connected to the other ends of the first capacitors; a second capacitor connected between the input terminal and an output terminal of the differential amplifier; and a second switch connected parallel to the second capacitor. First switches included in at least one of the plurality of multiplexers are configured as high-voltage switches that allow operation at a voltage higher than an operating voltage of first switches included in the other multiplexer or multiplexers.

Claims (32)

1. A voltage measuring device comprising:

a switching unit configured such that, in order to measure a voltage of each battery cell in a battery cell array in which a plurality of battery cells are connected in series,

voltages at connecting ends of the plurality of battery cells are inputted to the switching unit,

a voltage of at least one management-voltage-measuring power supply provided separately from the plurality of battery cells is inputted to the switching unit, and

the switching unit outputs one of the inputted voltages; and

a signal processor configured to perform operational processing on the voltage of each battery cell based on an inter-cell voltage between the plurality of battery cells, the inter-cell voltage being outputted from the switching unit, wherein

the switching unit includes a plurality of multiplexers each including:

a plurality of input terminals;

an output terminal configured to output one of voltages inputted from the plurality of input terminals; and

a plurality of first switches provided for the respective input terminals and provided between the plurality of input terminals and the output terminal, the plurality of first switches selectively connecting one of the input terminals to the output terminal,

the signal processor includes:

a plurality of first capacitors provided for the respective output terminals of the plurality of multiplexers, the first capacitors having their one ends connected to the respective output terminals of the multiplexers, the first capacitors being charged in accordance with voltages outputted from the respective output terminals;

a differential amplifier including an inverting input terminal and a non-inverting input terminal, one input terminal of which is connected to the other ends of the first capacitors;

a second capacitor connected between the one input terminal and an output terminal of the differential amplifier; and

a second switch connected parallel to the second capacitor, and

the first switches included in at least one of the plurality of multiplexers are configured as high-voltage switches that allow operation at a voltage higher than an operating voltage of the first switches included in the other multiplexer or multiplexers.

2. The voltage measuring device according to claim 1 , comprising a voltage disconnector provided between the first switches and the first capacitors, the voltage disconnector being configured such that, when an output from one of the multiplexers is inputted to the differential amplifier, the voltage disconnector disconnects an output from the other multiplexer or multiplexers.

3. The voltage measuring device according to claim 2 , wherein the voltage disconnector includes third switches configured to cause voltages between the first switches and the first capacitors to become a predetermined reference voltage.

4. The voltage measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of multiplexers include:

a first multiplexer including a plurality of first input terminals, to which the voltages at all of the connecting ends of the plurality of battery cells in the battery cell array are inputted; and

a second multiplexer including at least one second input terminal, to which the voltage of the at least one management-voltage-measuring power supply is inputted, wherein

the first switches included in the first multiplexer are configured as high-voltage switches that allow operation at a voltage higher than an operating voltage of the first switches included in the second multiplexer.

5. The voltage measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein

the output terminal of each multiplexer is configured as a pair of output terminals;

each first switch of the multiplexer includes:

a positive-phase-side switch configured to connect or disconnect between one of the plurality of input terminals and one of the pair of output terminals; and

a negative-phase-side switch configured to connect or disconnect between the one of the plurality of input terminals and the other one of the pair of output terminals.

6. The voltage measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein

the high-voltage switches each include at least one high-voltage MOS transistor,

the other first switches each include at least one low-voltage MOS transistor, and

an area of each high-voltage MOS transistor is five times or more as large as an area of each low-voltage MOS transistor.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2020
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 052755/0870 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2014
From: SHIMOMURA, KAZUHIRO
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032340/0831 →