IP Library Granted Patent US 11,201,460
Granted Patent B2
US 11,201,460 · App. 16/823,830 · Granted Dec 14, 2021

Power source switch control device

Inventors: Eiichiro Oishi (Shizuoka, JP); Mitsuaki Morimoto (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
H02H7/20H01H47/002H02H3/08H02J1/00H02J7/0031H03K17/0822
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,201,460
App. No.
16/823,830
Granted
Dec 14, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A power source switch control device includes a detection circuit, a detection circuit, a detection circuit, and a detection circuit. The detection circuit detects forward voltage of a body diode of a FET, and the detection circuit detects forward voltage of a body diode of a FET. The detection circuit detects forward voltage of a body diode of a FET, and the detection circuit detects forward voltage of a body diode of a FET. A controller determines whether a defect of a power circuit has occurred based on results of the detection by the detection circuits to. Accordingly, the power source switch control device can appropriately detect defect of a switching element of a power source.

Claims (63)

1. A power source switch control device comprising:

an upstream-side bidirectional cutoff circuit provided between a positive electrode of a direct-current power source and a load unit in a power circuit in which the direct-current power source and the load unit are connected with each other and configured to allow or cut off conduction of power source current flowing from the direct-current power source to the load unit and regeneration current flowing from the load unit to the direct-current power source;

a downstream-side bidirectional cutoff circuit provided between a negative electrode of the direct-current power source and the load unit and configured to allow or cut off conduction of the power source current and the regeneration current; and

a controller configured to control the upstream-side bidirectional cutoff circuit and the downstream-side bidirectional cutoff circuit, wherein

the upstream-side bidirectional cutoff circuit includes:

a first switching element configured to allow or cut off conduction of the power source current;

a second switching element connected in series with the first switching element and configured to allow or cut off conduction of the regeneration current;

a first diode provided to have a conduction direction opposite to a direction in which the power source current flows and connected in parallel with the first switching element;

a second diode provided to have a conduction direction opposite to a direction in which the regeneration current flows and connected in parallel with the second switching element;

a first detection unit connected in parallel with the first diode and configured to detect forward voltage of the first diode; and

a second detection unit connected in parallel with the second diode and configured to detect forward voltage of the second diode,

the downstream-side bidirectional cutoff circuit includes:

a third switching element configured to allow or cut off conduction of the power source current;

a fourth switching element connected in series with the third switching element and configured to allow or cut off conduction of the regeneration current;

a third diode provided to have a conduction direction opposite to the direction in which the power source current flows and connected in parallel with the third switching element;

a fourth diode provided to have a conduction direction opposite to the direction in which the regeneration current flows and connected in parallel with the fourth switching element;

a third detection unit connected in parallel with the third diode and configured to detect forward voltage of the third diode; and

a fourth detection unit connected in parallel with the fourth diode and configured to detect forward voltage of the fourth diode, and

wherein the power source switch control device operates in four durations, which includes:

an activation preparation duration in which activation of the power circuit is prepared from an off state of the power circuit with the first to the fourth switching elements all off,

a precharge duration in which inrush current flowing from the direct-current power source to the load unit is avoided after the activation preparation duration ends,

a system operation duration in which the power circuit normally operates after the precharge duration ends, and

a system stop duration in which the power circuit normally operating is stopped, and

wherein, based on a determination that the power source switch control device is operating in the precharge duration or the system operation duration, the controller determines whether a defect has occurred in the power circuit based on at least one of results of the detection by the first detection unit, the second detection unit, the third detection unit, and the fourth detection unit and based on a determination that the power source switch control device is operating in the activation preparation duration or the system stop duration, the controller determines whether a defect has occurred in the power circuit based on a fifth detection unit different from the first detection unit, the second detection unit, the third detection unit, and the fourth detection unit.

2. The power source switch control device according to claim 1 , wherein,

when turning on the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element and causing the power source current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the precharge duration and the system operation duration,

the controller determines that off-fixation defect has occurred in which the second switching element is firmly fixed to an off state and not turned on, upon detection of the forward voltage of the second diode by the second detection unit, or determines that off-fixation defect has occurred in which the fourth switching element is firmly fixed to an off state and not turned on, upon detection of the forward voltage of the fourth diode by the fourth detection unit.

3. The power source switch control device according to claim 1 , wherein,

when turning on the first switching element and the third switching element and turning off the second switching element and the fourth switching element and causing the power source current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the precharge duration and the system operation duration,

the controller determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the second switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon no detection of the forward voltage of the second diode by the second detection unit, or determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the fourth switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon no detection of the forward voltage of the fourth diode by the fourth detection unit.

4. The power source switch control device according to claim 2 , wherein,

when turning on the first switching element and the third switching element and turning off the second switching element and the fourth switching element and causing the power source current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the precharge duration and the system operation duration,

the controller determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the second switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon no detection of the forward voltage of the second diode by the second detection unit, or determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the fourth switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon no detection of the forward voltage of the fourth diode by the fourth detection unit.

5. The power source switch control device according to claim 2 , wherein,

when turning on the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element and causing the regeneration current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the system operation duration,

the controller determines that off-fixation defect has occurred in which the first switching element is firmly fixed to an off state and not turned on, upon detection of the forward voltage of the first diode by the first detection unit, or determines that off-fixation defect has occurred in which the third switching element is firmly fixed to an off state and not turned on, upon detection of the forward voltage of the third diode by the third detection unit.

6. The power source switch control device according to claim 3 , wherein,

when turning on the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element and causing the regeneration current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the system operation duration,

the controller determines that off-fixation defect has occurred in which the first switching element is firmly fixed to an off state and not turned on, upon detection of the forward voltage of the first diode by the first detection unit, or determines that off-fixation defect has occurred in which the third switching element is firmly fixed to an off state and not turned on, upon detection of the forward voltage of the third diode by the third detection unit.

7. The power source switch control device according to claim 1 , wherein,

when turning on the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element and causing the regeneration current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the system operation duration,

the controller determines that off-fixation defect has occurred in which the first switching element is firmly fixed to an off state and not turned on, upon detection of the forward voltage of the first diode by the first detection unit, or determines that off-fixation defect has occurred in which the third switching element is firmly fixed to an off state and not turned on, upon detection of the forward voltage of the third diode by the third detection unit.

8. The power source switch control device according to claim 1 , wherein,

when turning on the second switching element and the fourth switching element and turning off the first switching element and the third switching element and causing the regeneration current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the system operation duration,

the controller determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the first switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon no detection of the forward voltage of the first diode by the first detection unit, or determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the third switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon no detection of the forward voltage of the third diode by the third detection unit.

9. The power source switch control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a current sensor configured to detect the power source current flowing through the power circuit, wherein

when turning on the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element and causing the power source current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the precharge duration,

the controller determines that off-fixation defect has occurred in which at least one of the first switching element or the third switching element is firmly fixed to an off state and not turned on, upon no detection of the power source current by the current sensor.

10. The power source switch control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a current sensor configured to detect the power source current flowing through the power circuit, wherein

when turning on the first switching element and turning off the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element and causing the power source current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the activation preparation duration,

the controller determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the third switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon detection of the power source current by the current sensor,

when turning on the third switching element and turning off the first switching element, the second switching element, and the fourth switching element and causing the power source current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the activation preparation duration,

the controller determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the first switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon detection of the power source current by the current sensor.

11. The power source switch control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a voltage monitoring circuit configured to detect load voltage of the power circuit, wherein

when turning off the first switching element and turning on the second switching element, the third switching element, and the fourth switching element and causing the power source current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the system stop duration,

the controller determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the first switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon no detection of a reduction of the load voltage by the voltage monitoring circuit,

when turning off the third switching element and turning on the first switching element, the second switching element, and the fourth switching element and causing the power source current to flow through the power circuit in the case of the system stop duration,

the controller determines that on-fixation defect has occurred in which the third switching element is firmly fixed to an on state and not turned off, upon no detection of a reduction of the load voltage by the voltage monitoring circuit.

12. The power source switch control device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is commonly connected to the first detection unit, the second detection unit, the third detection unit, and the fourth detection unit.

13. The power source switch control device according to claim 12 , wherein the controller is further commonly connected to the fifth detection unit, which comprises a current sensor configured to detect the power source current flowing through the power circuit and a voltage monitoring circuit configured to detect load voltage of the power circuit.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 5, 2023
From: YAZAKI CORPORATION
To: YAZAKI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063845/0802 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2020
From: OISHI, EIICHIRO; MORIMOTO, MITSUAKI
To: YAZAKI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052168/0291 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2017-205005 · Oct 24, 2017 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2018026747 · Jul 17, 2018
Related Publication 20200220348A1 · Jul 9, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 12,362,646 US 12,719,348