Abstract: A battery pack monitoring system comprises first and second wirings connected to each battery cell, an RC filter formed of a resistor and a capacitor, and a discharging switch provided between two second wirings in a voltage monitoring device. The first and second wirings and the discharging switch are also connected to both ends of an inter-group group wire. In the second wiring of each battery cell, a discharging resistor is provided not to cause discharging of the charge in the capacitor. In the second wiring connected to a low voltage side for the inter-group wiring, a current limiting resistor having a higher resistance value than the discharging resistor is provided. A substitute discharging switch and a discharging resistor are provided so that the substitute discharging switch is turned on upon a voltage drop generated when current flows through the current limiting resistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor chip in which a plurality of capacitors are provided by integrating trench capacitors to form a filter that receives, as an input, a physical quantity relating to a plurality of battery cells for forming an assembled battery; a second semiconductor chip in which a circuit is provided, the circuit executing a predetermined process for monitoring the assembled battery based on an output of the filter; and one package that accommodates the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip.

Abstract: An assembled battery monitoring system includes: a voltage monitoring apparatus; discharging resistance elements and RC filters that are correspondingly coupled between battery cells of an assembled battery and the voltage monitoring apparatus; and discharging switches disposed in the voltage monitoring apparatus correspondingly to the battery cells. The voltage monitoring apparatus has at least three connection terminals for each of the battery cells. Two of the connection terminals are used to monitor a voltage of a corresponding battery cell through an output terminal of a corresponding RC filter, and at least one of a remainder of the connection terminals is used to form a discharging path of the corresponding battery cell when a corresponding discharging switch is turned on. Each discharging resistance element is disposed on the discharging path at a position that prohibits discharging of charges stored in a capacitor of the corresponding RC filter.

Abstract: A battery pack monitoring system comprises first and second wirings connected to each battery cell, an RC filter formed of a resistor and a capacitor, and a discharging switch provided between two second wirings in a voltage monitoring device. The first and second wirings and the discharging switch are also connected to both ends of an inter-group group wire. In the second wiring of each battery cell, a discharging resistor is provided not to cause discharging of the charge in the capacitor. In the second wiring connected to a low voltage side for the inter-group wiring, a current limiting resistor having a higher resistance value than the discharging resistor is provided. A substitute discharging switch and a discharging resistor are provided so that the substitute discharging switch is turned on upon a voltage drop generated when current flows through the current limiting resistor.

Abstract: In an assembled battery monitoring system, a voltage monitoring apparatus monitors voltages of battery cells of an assembled battery. Discharging resistance elements and RC filters are correspondingly coupled between the battery cells and the voltage monitoring apparatus. Discharging switches are disposed inside of the voltage monitoring apparatus correspondingly to the battery cells. The discharging resistance elements are each disposed on a discharging path at a position that prohibits discharging of charges stored in a capacitor of the corresponding RC filter. A fault diagnosis device simultaneously turns on two discharging switches, which are apart from each other across at least two discharging switches, and determines that any of the discharging switches between the two discharging switches simultaneously turned on has a fault, when a terminal voltage of any of the battery cells that are located between the two discharging switches simultaneously turned on changes over a predetermined voltage.

Abstract: A voltage-detecting device applied to a battery pack includes a serially connected body of plural battery cells. Serially connected bodies of at least two of the battery cells of the battery pack form detection blocks; each of the respective battery cells of a detection block, or a serially connected body of a number of battery cells in a detection block that is less than the number of the battery cells of the detection block is taken to be a battery for which voltage is to be detected. Monitoring units includes a main voltage-detecting unit for detecting terminal voltage of each of the batteries; a positive-electrode-side input unit electrically connected to the positive-electrode side of a detection block; a negative-electrode-side input unit electrically connected to the negative-electrode side thereof; and sub voltage-detecting units for detecting terminal voltage of the detection blocks as the state of the battery pack.

Abstract: A route switching circuit includes: a pair of normal detection routes that output voltages of a positive side connection point and a negative side connection point, which are different from each other, in multiple batteries for constituting an assembled battery; and a pair of diagnosis detection routes that output the voltages of the positive side connection point and the negative side connection point, and confirm a connection state of the normal detection routes by using the normal detection routes, which output at least one of a voltage of a positive side battery connected to a positive side from the positive side connection point and a voltage of a negative side battery connected to a negative side from the negative side connection point.

Abstract: In an assembled battery monitoring system, a voltage monitoring apparatus monitors voltages of battery cells of an assembled battery. Discharging resistance elements and RC filters are correspondingly coupled between the battery cells and the voltage monitoring apparatus. Discharging switches are disposed inside of the voltage monitoring apparatus correspondingly to the battery cells. The discharging resistance elements are each disposed on a discharging path at a position that prohibits discharging of charges stored in a capacitor of the corresponding RC filter. A fault diagnosis device simultaneously turns on two discharging switches, which are apart from each other across at least two discharging switches, and determines that any of the discharging switches between the two discharging switches simultaneously turned on has a fault, when a terminal voltage of any of the battery cells that are located between the two discharging switches simultaneously turned on changes over a predetermined voltage.

Abstract: An equalization device for equalizing voltages of battery cells connected in series includes equalization switches, resistors, and a control circuit. Each equalization switch has energization terminals interposed between terminals of a corresponding battery cell. A current path between the energization terminals conducts when a control voltage not less than a threshold voltage is applied between control terminals of the equalization switch. Each resistor is connected between the control terminals of the corresponding equalization switch. The control circuit switches an equalization execution state and an equalization stop state in accordance with an equalization signal provided for each battery cell. In the execution state, the control circuit passes an electric current through the corresponding resistor to generate the control voltage not less than the threshold voltage. In the stop state, the control circuit causes the corresponding resistor to generate the control voltage less than the threshold voltage.

Abstract: A voltage detecting device detects a differential voltage between two input nodes having a non-zero common mode voltage. A differential voltage detecting circuit 5 detects the differential voltage by sampling each voltage of the input nodes and outputs a detection voltage indicating a detection result. A leak canceling circuit generates a compensating current, which flows in opposition to a leak current flowing out from the input nodes in correspondence to an operation of the differential voltage detecting circuit. An operation control part controls the leak canceling circuit to perform or stop a canceling operation. A failure diagnosing part performs a failure diagnosis about the leak canceling circuit based on a first detection value and a second detection value of the detection voltages, which are detected during periods when the leak canceling circuit performs and stops the canceling operation.

Abstract: An assembled battery monitoring system includes: a voltage monitoring apparatus; discharging resistance elements and RC filters that are correspondingly coupled between battery cells of an assembled battery and the voltage monitoring apparatus; and discharging switches disposed in the voltage monitoring apparatus correspondingly to the battery cells. The voltage monitoring apparatus has at least three connection terminals for each of the battery cells. Two of the connection terminals are used to monitor a voltage of a corresponding battery cell through an output terminal of a corresponding RC filter, and at least one of a remainder of the connection terminals is used to form a discharging path of the corresponding battery cell when a corresponding discharging switch is turned on. Each discharging resistance element is disposed on the discharging path at a position that prohibits discharging of charges stored in a capacitor of the corresponding RC filter.

Abstract: A battery monitoring apparatus capable of reducing power consumption. At least one monitoring integrated circuit (IC) is electrically connected to a high-voltage battery formed of a plurality of cells and configured to monitor the high-voltage battery in a plurality of modes of operation. A low-voltage power supply circuit can deliver power of a lower voltage than the power of the high-voltage battery to the at least one monitoring IC. A power supply to the at least one monitoring IC is selected from a group of the high-voltage battery and the low-voltage power supply circuit depending on the mode of operation the at least one monitoring IC.

Abstract: A battery monitoring apparatus includes wire sections each connected to a node of corresponding adjacent two of the unit cells of a battery pack at one end thereof, and branched into a first branch section and a second branch section at another end thereof. Each of the first and second branch sections is constituted of a positive part connected to a positive electrode of the corresponding unit cell and a negative part connected to a negative electrode of the corresponding unit cell. The battery monitoring apparatus includes an equalizing switch provided between each of the first wire pairs, and a voltage detector to detect a voltage between each first wire pair, and an equalizing section which performs an equalizing process to equalize a terminal voltage of each unit cell by turning on the corresponding equalizing switch depending on a result of voltage detection by the voltage detector.

Abstract: A voltage-detecting device applied to a battery pack includes a serially connected body of plural battery cells. Serially connected bodies of at least two of the battery cells of the battery pack form detection blocks; each of the respective battery cells of a detection block, or a serially connected body of a number of battery cells in a detection block that is less than the number of the battery cells of the detection block is taken to be a battery for which voltage is to be detected. Monitoring units includes a main voltage-detecting unit for detecting terminal voltage of each of the batteries; a positive-electrode-side input unit electrically connected to the positive-electrode side of a detection block; a negative-electrode-side input unit electrically connected to the negative-electrode side thereof; and sub voltage-detecting units for detecting terminal voltage of the detection blocks as the state of the battery pack.

Abstract: A voltage detecting device detects a differential voltage between two input nodes having a non-zero common mode voltage. A differential voltage detecting circuit 5 detects the differential voltage by sampling each voltage of the input nodes and outputs a detection voltage indicating a detection result. A leak canceling circuit generates a compensating current, which flows in opposition to a leak current flowing out from the input nodes in correspondence to an operation of the differential voltage detecting circuit. An operation control part controls the leak canceling circuit to perform or stop a canceling operation. A failure diagnosing part performs a failure diagnosis about the leak canceling circuit based on a first detection value and a second detection value of the detection voltages, which are detected during periods when the leak canceling circuit performs and stops the canceling operation.

Abstract: An imaging device body includes a case, a mount ring to which a lens unit is mountable, a mount base disposed on a back side of the mount ring and configured to attach the mount ring to the case, a heat sink disposed on a back side of the mount base, an image sensor element that is attached to a front side of the heat sink and images an optical image of a subject to generate image data, a first screw member that has a head disposed on a back side of the case and the mount base and attaches the mount base to the case, and a first buffer member disposed between the head of the first screw member and the mount base.

Abstract: A battery monitoring apparatus includes wire sections each connected to a node of corresponding adjacent two of the unit cells of a battery pack at one end thereof, and branched into a first branch section and a second branch section at another end thereof. Each of the first and second branch sections is constituted of a positive part connected to a positive electrode of the corresponding unit cell and a negative part connected to a negative electrode of the corresponding unit cell. The battery monitoring apparatus includes an equalizing switch provided between each of the first wire pairs, and a voltage detector to detect a voltage between each first wire pair, and an equalizing section which performs an equalizing process to equalize a terminal voltage of each unit cell by turning on the corresponding equalizing switch depending on a result of voltage detection by the voltage detector.

Abstract: In a drive unit for a switching element, a drive circuit changes the switching element between an on-state and an off-state, by controlling a potential difference between a reference terminal, which is one of a pair of ends of a current path of the switching element, and an opening-closing control terminal of the switching element. A determination section determines, if an on-operation command or an off-operation command is inputted as an operation signal for the switching element, whether or not the potential difference has reached a specific value toward which the potential difference shifts, in response to one of the operation commands, with respect to a threshold value by which the switching element is turned on. A forcible processing section removes charge for turning on the switching element from the opening-closing control terminal, if the determination section determines that the potential difference has not reached the specific value.

Abstract: A drive circuit for a switching element includes a constant-current control unit and a restriction unit. The constant-current control unit performs a constant-current control for charging an open/close control terminal of a switching element to be driven which is a voltage-controlled switching element with electric charge for turning on the switching element. The restriction unit restricts, to a reference voltage, a voltage between the open/close control terminal and a first end of a pair of ends of a current flow path of the switching element for a predetermined period following a start of the constant-current control within a charging process period during which the open/close control terminal is charged with the electric charge such that the switching element is turned on.

Abstract: A semiconductor element module includes a driving element and a voltage change detecting element each formed of a voltage driving semiconductor element. The voltage change detecting element detects a change of a voltage between a collector and an emitter or between a drain and a source of the driving element. A collector or a drain of the voltage change detecting element is connected to the collector or the drain of the driving element, and a gate of the voltage change detecting element is connected to an emitter or a source of the voltage change detecting element. The emitter or the source of the voltage change detecting element is provided as a detecting terminal.