Patent ID: 8878491
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: H02J

Abstract:
1. A battery voltage monitoring apparatus, comprising: a plurality of battery cells connected in series to each other, the plurality of battery cells being grouped into a plurality of blocks of battery cells, the blocks including at least one block which is different in number of battery cells from remaining blocks of the blocks; a plurality of monitor integrated circuits assigned to the plurality of battery cells respectively, each of the plurality of monitor integrated circuits being connected parallel to the respective battery cells each belonging to a corresponding one of the blocks to monitor voltage of each battery cells; and a plurality of consumption-current adjusting circuits each included in a corresponding one of the monitor integrated circuits, each of the consumption-current adjusting circuits obtaining power supplied from each of the blocks to adjust a consumption current of each of the monitor integrated circuits to a target value for the consumption current, wherein each of the consumption-current adjusting circuits comprises: a target setting circuit, the target setting circuit i) detecting a number of the cells provided in the corresponding block based on the detected voltage of the corresponding block, ii) setting a discharge amount of power in the corresponding block, based on the detected number of cells and the detected temperature of the corresponding block, such that the consumption current in the corresponding block becomes the target value, and iii) ordering the discharge circuit to discharge the set discharge amount of power.