Patent ID: 8483987
Filing Date: 2013-07-09
Classification: G05D

Abstract:
1. A circuit with control function comprising: a circuit to be controlled, the circuit being operated by a commercial power supply; a sensor for detecting a predetermined environment; and control means that is operated by the commercial power supply to control the circuit to be controlled, the control means being arranged to operate the circuit to be controlled if the predetermined environment detected by the sensor meets a specific condition, wherein the circuit to be controlled is a heater which can be fixed to a battery structure to heat the battery structure, the sensor is a temperature sensor for detecting ambient temperature corresponding to the predetermined environment, the control means is arranged to energize the heater if the ambient temperature detected by the temperature sensor is within a specific temperature range corresponding to the specific condition, wherein the control means includes: self-diagnosis means for diagnosing whether the circuit with control function is operating normally; interruption detecting means for detecting whether energization from the commercial power supply to the control means is interrupted in a predetermined pattern, the predetermined pattern comprising a specified number of interruptions of the energization from the commercial power supply to the control means in a specified period of time, the specified number being more than one, and the interruption detecting means being arranged to activate the self-diagnosis means when the interruption in the predetermined pattern is detected, irrespective of whether the ambient temperature is within the specific temperature range; and current control means for changing a state of a current flowing from the commercial power supply at a predetermined timing according to a result of self diagnosis by the self-diagnosis means, and the self-diagnosis means activates the circuit to be controlled by the commercial power supply, irrespective of whether the predetermined environment meets the specific condition, when the interruption detecting means detects the interruptions in the predetermined pattern, and the current control means is configured to change the level of current flowing from the commercial power supply for each type of abnormality occurring in the circuit with control function so that the type of abnormality occurring in the circuit with control function is informed to outside, wherein the circuit with control function further includes: a main circuit to which the heater and a triac for switching ON-OFF of energization to the heater are connected in series; a microcomputer serving as the control means; a power supply voltage detector for detecting voltage of the commercial power supply; a triac driver for controlling ON-OFF of the triac; a zero crossing detector for detecting a zero crossing of the commercial power supply; a first temperature sensor serving as the temperature sensor to detect the environment temperature; and a second temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the heater, the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are connected to the microcomputer, the interruption detecting means is arranged to activate the self-diagnosis means when a zero crossing input to be detected by the zero crossing detector is stopped in a predetermined pattern, the self-diagnosis means is arranged to diagnose, as a type of abnormality occurring in the circuit with control function, whether at least an abnormality of the first temperature sensor, an abnormality of the second temperature sensor, an abnormality of the zero crossing detector, an abnormality of the voltage of the commercial power supply detected by the power supply voltage detector, and an abnormality of the heater are occurring, the current control means is arranged to change the level of current flowing from the commercial power supply by phase control utilizing the triac according to the type of abnormality, and the circuit with control function is arranged to specify the type of abnormality occurring in the circuit by detecting the level of current corresponding to the type of abnormality by an ammeter.