Power supply control systems and methods
A cell management module for a power supply module including a plurality of power cells includes at least one cell-sensing circuit and a current measurement circuit connected to the at least one cell-sensing circuit. The at least one cell-sensing circuit includes a transformer having a first winding and a second winding inductively coupled to the first winding. A first sub-circuit of the cell-sensing circuit includes the first winding of the transformer and is operable to selectively pulse a first signal through the first winding. A second sub-circuit of the cell-sensing circuit includes the second winding of the transformer and one of the power cells of the power supply module. The current measurement circuit is connected to the first sub-circuit of the at least one cell-sensing circuit and infers a voltage of the power cell based on a measured current of the first signal.
1 . A cell management module for a power supply module including a plurality of power cells, the cell management module comprising:
at least one cell-sensing circuit including:
a first sub-circuit including a first transformer winding, the first sub-circuit operable to selectively pulse a first signal having a first voltage through the first transformer winding; and
a second sub-circuit separate and distinct from the first sub-circuit and including a second transformer winding inductively coupled to the first transformer winding and one of the plurality of power cells having a second voltage, the second sub-circuit including a second signal having a second voltage in the second transformer winding and a Schottky diode disposed between the second transformer winding and the one of the plurality of power cells; and a current measurement circuit connected to the first sub-circuit and configured to infer the second voltage of the one of the power cells based on a measured current of the first signal received from the first transformer winding;
wherein when a voltage of the second signal is greater than the sum of a voltage drop associated with the Schottky diode and a voltage of the one of the plurality of power cells, the difference in the voltage results in a modified second signal flowing from the one of the plurality of power cells to the second transformer winding, the modified second signal having at least one of a change in voltage or current compared to the second signal.
2 . The cell management module of claim 1 , wherein the first sub-circuit includes a first switch operable to pulse the first signal through the first transformer winding.
3 . The cell management module of claim 2 , wherein the first sub-circuit includes a control circuit operable to selectively open and close the first switch.
4 . The cell management module of claim 3 , wherein the second sub-circuit includes a second switch operable to pulse a second signal having the second voltage through the second transformer winding.
5 . The cell management module of claim 1 , wherein the second sub-circuit includes a rectifier disposed between the second transformer winding and the one of the power cells.
6 . The cell management module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cell-sensing circuit includes a plurality of cell-sensing circuits, each of the plurality of cell-sensing circuits connected to the current measurement circuit in parallel.
7 . The cell management module of claim 6 , further comprising a power source providing the first signal, each of the plurality of the cell-sensing circuits connected to the power source in parallel.
8 . The cell management module of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cell-sensing circuits includes more than eighteen (18) cell-sensing circuits.
9 . The cell management module of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of circuit controllers connected to each of the plurality of the cell-sensing circuits and configured to selectively permit the first signal through a single one of the cell-sensing circuits while preventing the first signal from flowing through another of the cell-sensing circuits.