Device and method for measuring a maximum cell voltage

摘要

A device for measuring a maximum cell voltage among cell voltages of a plurality of battery cells connected in series includes a plurality of ohmic resistors connected in series. The device is configured to be connected to a plurality of battery cells connected in series in such a way that a respective battery cell is associated with each ohmic resistor according to the series connections. Each ohmic resistor, with the exception of a first ohmic resistor, is configured to conduct the larger of (i) a current that corresponds to the cell voltage of the associated battery cell, and (ii) the current that is conducted by the preceding ohmic resistor in the series connection.

主权项

1. A circuit for generating a maximum voltage level from one battery cell in a plurality of battery cells comprising:
a reference voltage source configured to generate a predetermined reference voltage; a first stage connected to a first battery cell in a battery, the first stage comprising: a first diode; a first resistor; a voltage output connected to a first terminal of the first resistor; and a first transistor, wherein an anode of the first diode is connected to a first terminal of the first battery cell; a cathode of the first diode is connected to the first terminal of the first resistor; a second terminal of the first resistor is connected to an emitter of the first transistor; the voltage reference source is connected to a base of the first transistor; and a second terminal of the first battery cell and a collector of the first transistor are connected to ground; a second stage connected to a second battery cell in the battery and the first stage, a second terminal of the second battery cell being connected in series to the first terminal of the first battery cell, the second stage comprising: a second diode; a second resistor; and a second transistor, wherein an anode of the second diode is connected to a first terminal of the second battery cell; a cathode of the second diode is connected to a first terminal of the second resistor; a second terminal of the second resistor is connected to an emitter of the second transistor; the voltage reference source is connected to a base of the second transistor and the anode of the first diode from the first stage; the second terminal of the second battery cell is connected to the anode of the first diode in the first stage; and a collector of the second transistor is connected to the cathode of the first diode and the first terminal of the first resistor in the first stage; and the voltage output being configured to generate a first voltage level of the first battery cell in response to the first voltage level of the first battery cell exceeding a second voltage level of the second battery cell or a second voltage level of the second battery cell in response to the second voltage level of the second battery cell exceeding the first voltage level of the first battery cell.