Pyro igniter circuit and testing method

Abstract

A pyro igniter circuit and a method for testing the same is provided. The pyro igniter circuit includes a supervisory circuit configured to: transmit a test signal having a pulse duration time below an igniter activation pulse time of a pyro igniter disconnect element and/or an ignition control signal, in response to the transmitted test signal, has an amplitude below an igniter activation amplitude of the pyro igniter disconnect element; and receive a diagnostic response signal in response to the transmitted test signal.

Claims

1. A pyro igniter circuit comprising: a shunt resistor connected in series with a power line; an amplifier having first and second inputs respectively electrically connected to first and second terminals of the shunt resistor; a pyro igniter disconnect element electrically connected to an output of the amplifier and configured to cut the power line based on an ignition control signal received from the output of the amplifier; a coupling resistor electrically interconnected between the first input of the amplifier and the first terminal of the shunt resistor; and a supervisory circuit electrically connected to a node, the node being interconnected between the first input of the amplifier and the coupling resistor, wherein the supervisory circuit is configured to: transmit a test signal to the node, the test signal having a pulse duration time below an igniter activation pulse time of the pyro igniter disconnect element and/or the ignition control signal, in response to the transmitted test signal, has an amplitude below an igniter activation amplitude of the pyro igniter disconnect element; and receive a diagnostic response signal in response to the transmitted test signal.

2. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 1, wherein the supervisory circuit is electrically connected to the output of the amplifier to receive the ignition control signal in response to the transmitted test signal.

3. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 1, further comprising a first current sensor configured to: measure an electric current on an output line between the output of the amplifier and the pyro igniter disconnect element; and transmit a first current signal as the diagnostic response signal indicative of the measured electric current to the supervisory circuit.

4. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 1, further comprising a second current sensor configured to: measure an electric current at the node in response to the transmitted test signal; and transmit a second current signal as the diagnostic response signal indicative of the measured electric current to the supervisory circuit.

5. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 1, wherein the pulse duration time is less than 20 μs.

6. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 5, wherein the pulse duration time is less than 10 μs.

7. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 6, wherein the pulse duration time is less than 1 μs.

8. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 1, wherein the pulse duration time of the test signal is below the igniter activation pulse time of the pyro igniter disconnect element, and the ignition control signal, in response to the transmitted test signal, has an amplitude above the igniter activation amplitude of the pyro igniter disconnect element.

9. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 1, wherein the pulse duration time of the test signal is above the igniter activation pulse time of the pyro igniter disconnect element, and the ignition control signal, in response to the transmitted test signal, has an amplitude below an igniter activation amplitude of the pyro igniter disconnect element.

10. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 1, wherein the supervisory circuit is configured to compare the received diagnostic response signal with the transmitted test signal.

11. The pyro igniter circuit of claim 10, wherein the supervisory circuit is configured to generate a state signal based on the comparison of the received diagnostic response signal and the transmitted test signal.

12. A battery system comprising the pyro igniter circuit according to claim 1 and a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to the power line.

13. An electric vehicle comprising the battery system according to claim 12.

14. A testing method for testing a pyro igniter circuit, the pyro igniter circuit comprising a shunt resistor connected in series with a power line, an amplifier comprising first and second inputs respectively electrically connected to first and second terminals of the shunt resistor, a pyro igniter disconnect element electrically connected to an output of the amplifier and configured to cut the power line based on an ignition control signal received from the output of the amplifier, a coupling resistor electrically interconnected between the first input of the amplifier and the first terminal of the shunt resistor, the method comprising: transmitting a test signal to a node, the node being interconnected between the first input of the amplifier and the coupling resistor, the test signal having a pulse duration time below an igniter activation pulse time of the pyro igniter disconnect element and/or the ignition control signal, in response to the transmitted test signal, having an amplitude below an igniter activation amplitude of the pyro igniter disconnect element; and receiving a diagnostic response signal in response to the transmitted test signal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving an ignition control signal as the diagnostic response signal from the output of the amplifier in response to the transmitted test signal.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising: measuring an electric current on an output line between the output of the amplifier and the pyro igniter disconnect element in response to the transmitted test signal; and transmitting a first current signal as the diagnostic response signal indicative of the measured electric current to a supervisory circuit.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising: measuring an electric current at the node in response to the transmitted test signal; and transmitting a second current signal as the diagnostic response signal indicative of the measured electric current to a supervisory circuit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Aspects and features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing, in detail, example embodiments with reference to the attached drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a pyro igniter circuit and a battery system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a test signal pulse according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

(4) FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a testing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Reference will now be made, in detail, to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Aspects and features of the example embodiments, and implementation methods thereof, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals denote like elements, and redundant descriptions thereof may be omitted. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Further, the use of “may” when describing embodiments of the present disclosure refers to “one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.” Expressions, such as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list. As used herein, the terms “use,” “using,” and “used” may be considered synonymous with the terms “utilize,” “utilizing,” and “utilized,” respectively. As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “about,” and similar terms are used as terms of approximation and not as terms of degree, and are intended to account for the inherent variations in measured or calculated values that would be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art.

(6) In the following description of embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms of a singular form may include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(7) It will be further understood that the terms “include,” “comprise,” “including,” or “comprising” specify a property, a region, a fixed number, a step, a process, an element, a component, and a combination thereof but do not exclude other properties, regions, fixed numbers, steps, processes, elements, components, and combinations thereof.

(8) Features of the inventive concept and methods of accomplishing the same may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The present disclosure, however, may be embodied in various different forms, and should not be construed as being limited to only the illustrated embodiments herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the aspects and features of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, processes, elements, and techniques that are not necessary to those having ordinary skill in the art for a complete understanding of the aspects and features of the present disclosure may not be described. Unless otherwise noted, like reference numerals denote like elements throughout the attached drawings and the written description, and thus, descriptions thereof will not be repeated. In the drawings, the relative sizes of elements, layers, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

(9) It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, connected, or coupled to the other element or layer or one or more intervening elements or layers may also be present. When an element or layer is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. For example, when a first element is described as being “coupled” or “connected” to a second element, the first element may be directly coupled or connected to the second element or the first element may be indirectly coupled or connected to the second element via one or more intervening elements.

(10) It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another element, component, region, layer, or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of example embodiments.

(11) Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” or “over” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” may encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

(12) The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments of the present disclosure and is not intended to be limiting of the described example embodiments of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a” and “an” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(13) FIG. 1 shows a battery system 100 including a pyro igniter circuit 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The pyro igniter circuit 1 includes a shunt resistor 10, which is connected in series with a power line 35. The shunt resistor 10 may be a low impedance shunt. For example, the shunt resistor 10 may have a resistance of less than about 100 μΩ or less than about 500 μΩ, but the present disclosure is not restricted thereto.

(14) The power line 35 may be connected to a plurality of battery cells 110 of the battery system 100. In the illustrated example, the battery cells 110 are electrically connected with each other in series and electrically connected in parallel to the power line 35, but the present disclosure is not restricted thereto. The plurality of battery cells 110 may provide power to the power line 35 in terms of an electrical voltage and an electrical current. The battery cells 110 of the battery system 100 may also be charged via the power line 35. The provided voltage may be up to about 400 V or even up to about 800 V in total, for example, and about 4 V per battery cell 110, for example, but the present disclosure is not restricted thereto. The number of battery cells 110 is provided only as example, and the present disclosure is not restricted thereto. A load 120 may be electrically connected to the power line 35 to be supplied with the power from the battery cells 110. The load 120 may be any suitable component of an electrical vehicle requiring electric power.

(15) The pyro igniter circuit 1 includes an amplifier 20. The amplifier 20 has inputs 21, 22 respectively electrically connected to terminals 11, 12 of the shunt resistor 10. The amplifier 20 functions to provide an ignitor control signal 54 based on a signal (e.g., a voltage) that is transmitted to the inputs 21, 22 of the amplifier 20. The amplifier 20 may be supplied with power to provide the amplifying function.

(16) The pyro igniter circuit 1 further includes a pyro igniter disconnect element 30. The pyro igniter disconnect element 30 may include passive and/or active electronic elements. For example, the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 may include an ignition wire or heating wire. In some embodiments, the pyro igniter disconnect element may include internal transistors as active electronic elements. The pyro igniter disconnect element 30 is electrically connected to an output 24 of the amplifier 20. The pyro igniter disconnect element 30 cuts or isolates the power line 35 based on an ignition control signal 54 received from the output 24 of the amplifier 20. The pyro igniter disconnect element 30 may be referred to as pyro-fuse or pyro-fuse element.

(17) When a current above a threshold current flows through the shunt resistor 10, a voltage drops off at the terminals 11, 12 of the shunt resistor 10 and, thus, at the inputs 21, 22 of the amplifier 20. Such situations occur in severe system faults or short circuits. The ignition control signal 54 is then generated by the amplifier 20. Only when the ignition control signal 54 has sufficient amplitude and pulse duration is sufficient energy transferred to release or activate the pyro igniter disconnect element 30, which will eventuate in a cut or an isolation of the power line 35 due to a pyro reaction. Then, the load 120 is isolated from the power line 35.

(18) The pyro igniter circuit 1 further includes a coupling resistor 40 electrically interconnected between the first input 21 of the amplifier 20 and the first terminal 11 of the shunt resistor 10. The coupling resistor 40 may have a resistance in a range from about 1 kΩ to about 10 kΩ or about 1 kΩ to about 100 kO, but the present disclosure is not restricted thereto.

(19) Further, the pyro igniter circuit 1 includes a supervisory circuit 50. The supervisory circuit 50 is electrically connected to a first node n1. The first node n1 is interconnected between the first input 21 of the amplifier 20 and the coupling resistor 40. The supervisory circuit 50 is configured to transmit a test signal 52 to the first node n1. The supervisory circuit 50 is configured to generate the test signal 52 according to the conditions (or alternatives) illustrated in FIG. 2 and described in more detail below. The test signal 52 may be voltage pulse signal or a current pulse signal.

(20) In a first embodiment, the generated test signal 52 has a pulse duration time Td below (e.g., that is less than) an igniter activation pulse time Ta of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30. The pulse duration time Td being below the igniter activation pulse time Ta of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 can be readily controlled by the supervisory circuit 50 by controlling (e.g., by only controlling) the pulse duration when the test signal 52 is generated. As shown in FIG. 2, when the pulse duration time Td is below an igniter activation pulse time Ta, the corresponding ignition control signal 54 cannot release or activate the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 even if the amplitude Vd, Id is above an igniter activation amplitude Va, Ia of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30. The activation area is schematically shown in FIG. 2 by dashed lines. Therefore, the pyro igniter circuit 1 can be completely tested by the test signal 52. The test can be done without dead time because an over current event can always trigger the pyro igniter disconnect element 30. The pulse duration time Td may be less than about 20 μs, below about 10 μs, or below about 1 μs to ensure that the pulse is short enough that is does not activate the pyro igniter disconnect element 30. The pulse duration time Td may be for example 1/10, 1/100, or 1/1000 of the igniter activation pulse time Ta.

(21) In a second embodiment, the test signal 52 is generated by the supervision circuit 50 such that the ignition control signal 54, in response to the transmitted test signal 52, has an amplitude Vd, Id below the igniter activation amplitude Va, Ia of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30. In this embodiment, the test signal 52 may be generated based on a pre-known (or pre-set) amplifying strength of the amplifier 20. In such an embodiment, the pulse duration time Td may be below or above (or less than or greater than) the igniter activation pulse time Ta of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30. Thus, the amplitude Vd, Id may be too small to activate or release the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 (see, e.g., FIG. 2).

(22) In another embodiment, both cases are fulfilled. For example, the generated test signal 52 has a pulse duration time Td below the igniter activation pulse time Ta of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 and the test signal 52 is generated such that the ignition control signal 54, in response to the transmitted test signal 52, has an amplitude Vd, Id below the igniter activation amplitude Va, la of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 (see, e.g., FIG. 2).

(23) The supervisory circuit 50, after transmitting the test signal 52, receives a diagnostic response signal 54, 56, 58 in response to the transmitted test signal 52. The supervisory circuit 50 may receive the diagnostic response signal 54, 56, 58 a short time delay after the transmission of the test signal 52 or in a consecutive time window after the transmission of the test signal 52. Some examples of particular diagnostic response signals 54, 56, 58 are provided below. When the test signal 52 fulfills one or more of the above-described conditions, for example, that the pulse duration time Td is below an igniter activation pulse time Ta as shown in FIG. 2, the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 does not activate or release. Therefore, the functionality of the complete pyro igniter circuit 1 can be tested. Further, the testing does not interfere with the functionality of the pyro igniter circuit 1 because at all times an over current can activate the pyro igniter disconnect element 30. Further, the testing is fast and analogue without a slow software interaction. Further, the test pulse can be readily adjusted such that amplitude or pulse duration can be adjusted to the requirements of the underlying pyro igniter circuit 1.

(24) The supervisory circuit 50 may be electrically connected to the output 24 of the amplifier 20. For example, supervisory circuit 50 may be electrically connected to a second node n2 of an output line 26 connected to the amplifier output 24. The supervisory circuit 50 may thus receive the ignition control signal 54 in response to the transmitted test signal 52 to the first node n1. For example, the amplitude (e.g., the amplified voltage) Vd of the amplified test signal 52 may be transmitted to the supervisory circuit 50. Thereby, the functionality of the amplifier 20, for example, the correct gain, the connections, or the power supply to the amplifier 20 may be checked when the ignition control signal 54 is received by the supervisory circuit 50.

(25) The pyro igniter circuit 1 may include a first current sensor 60. The first current sensor 60 may be configured to measure an electric current on the output line 26 between the output 24 of the amplifier 20 and the pyro igniter disconnect element 30. The first current sensor 60 may transmit a first current signal 56, indicative of the measured electric current, to the supervisory circuit 50. The measured current may be a direct indicator of the functionality and presence of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30, the latter schematically shown in FIG. 1. For example, the measured current is low or minimized when the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 has a fault, is not present, has already been activated, or one of the components therein like transistors are functioning incorrectly.

(26) The pyro igniter circuit 1 may include a second current sensor 62. The second current sensor 62 may be configured to measure an electric current on the first node n1 that is interconnected between the first input 21 and the coupling resistor 40. The current may be measured in response to the transmitted test signal 52. The second current sensor 62 may transmit the second current signal 58 indicative of the measured electric current to the supervisory circuit 50. Thereby, the functionality of the shunt resistor 10 may be checked because a current can only flow when the shunt resistor 10 is correctly connected because the current cannot flow into the amplifier 20. The first current sensor 60 and the second current sensor 62 may be any suitable sensor capable of sensing currents.

(27) Referring to FIG. 2, in embodiments of the present disclosure, the ignition control signal 54, in response to the transmitted test signal 52, may have an amplitude Vd, Id above (or greater than) the igniter activation amplitude Va, Ia of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 while the pulse duration time Td is below (or less than) the igniter activation pulse time Ta. In such a case, the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 may not be activated or released.

(28) In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the ignition control signal 54, in response to the transmitted test signal 52, may have an amplitude Vd, Id below the igniter activation amplitude Va, Ia of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 while the pulse duration time Td is above the igniter activation pulse time Ta. The amplitude Vd may be a voltage or a current Id.

(29) The supervisory circuit 50 may be further configured to compare the received diagnostic response signal 54, 56, 58 with the transmitted test signal 52. Thereby, the supervisory circuit 50 can detect any faults of the entire pyro igniter circuit 1 as disclosed above.

(30) The supervisory circuit 50 may further generate a state signal 59 based on the comparison of the diagnostic response signal 54, 56, 58 and the transmitted test signal 52. The state signal 59 may be used for disconnecting or shutting down of the battery or for warning purposes.

(31) FIG. 3 schematically shows a testing method for testing a pyro igniter circuit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In a step S1, the method includes providing a shunt resistor 10 connected in series with a power line 35, an amplifier 20 comprising inputs 21, 22 respectively electrically connected to terminals 11, 12 of the shunt resistor 10, a pyro igniter disconnect element 30 electrically connected to an output 24 of the amplifier 20 and configured to cut the power line 35 based on an ignition control signal 54 received from the output 24 of the amplifier 20, a coupling resistor 40 electrically interconnected between a first input 21 of the amplifier 20 and a terminal 11 of the shunt resistor 10.

(32) In a step S2, the method includes transmitting a test signal 52 to a node n1 interconnected between the first input 21 of the amplifier 20 and the coupling resistor 40. The test signal 52 has a pulse duration time Td below an igniter activation pulse time Ta of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30 and/or the ignition control signal 54, in response to the transmitted test signal 52, has an amplitude Vd, Id below an igniter activation amplitude Va, la of the pyro igniter disconnect element 30.

(33) In a third step S3, the method includes receiving a diagnostic response signal 54, 56, 58 in response to the transmitted test signal 52.

(34) Further aspects and features of the schematically disclosed method are disclosed in the above description of the corresponding pyro igniter circuit 1 and are hereby incorporated by reference.

(35) The electronic or electric devices and/or any other relevant devices or components according to embodiments of the present disclosure described herein may be implemented utilizing any suitable hardware, firmware (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit), software, or a combination of software, firmware, and hardware. For example, the various components of these devices may be formed on one integrated circuit (IC) chip or on separate IC chips. Further, the various components of these devices may be implemented on a flexible printed circuit film, a tape carrier package (TCP), a printed circuit board (PCB), or formed on one substrate. Further, the various components of these devices may be a process or thread, running on one or more processors, in one or more computing devices, executing computer program instructions and interacting with other system components for performing the various functionalities described herein. The computer program instructions are stored in a memory which may be implemented in a computing device using a standard memory device, such as, for example, a random access memory (RAM). The computer program instructions may also be stored in other non-transitory computer readable media such as, for example, a CD-ROM, flash drive, or the like. Also, a person of skill in the art should recognize that the functionality of various computing devices may be combined or integrated into a single computing device, or the functionality of a particular computing device may be distributed across one or more other computing devices without departing from the scope of the example embodiments of the present disclosure.

SOME REFERENCE SIGNS

(36) 1 pyro igniter circuit 10 shunt resistor 11 first terminal 12 second terminal 20 amplifier 21 first input 22 second input 24 output 26 output line 30 pyro igniter disconnect element 35 power line 40 coupling resistor 50 supervisory circuit 52 test signal 54 ignition control signal 56 first current signal 58 second current signal 60 first current sensor 62 second current sensor Td pulse duration time Ta igniter activation pulse time Vd voltage amplitude Id current amplitude Va igniter activation voltage amplitude Ia igniter activation current amplitude 100 battery system 110 battery cells 120 load n1 first node n2 second node S1 first step S2 second step S3 third step