KR101609258B1 - Apparatus and method for shutting off power - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a power cut-off apparatus comprises: a connector coupled to a battery; a voltage sensing unit measuring an applied voltage in the connector to generate a voltage value; a current sensing unit measuring a current flowing in the connector to generate a current value; a controller generating a cut-off request signal depending on the voltage value and the current value; and a power unit cutting off a main power and a battery power according to the cut-off request signal. The present invention provides a power cut-off apparatus for cutting off power when external shock is applied.

Description

[0001] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SHUTTING OFF POWER [0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a power-off technique, and more particularly, to a technique for shutting off power when an impact occurs in the device.

With the development of electronic devices, many electronic devices have been implemented to operate with the built-in battery as the power source.

As a result, each electronic device can provide a function as a mobile device, thereby providing convenience to users.

However, since the mobile device is a device that is used while moving, there is a high possibility that the mobile device is affected by a drop or the like.

The impacted electronic device may be damaged primarily due to a physical impact or the like. Secondarily, an internal electrical short due to hardware damage may cause damage to parts such as the main board. In the same case, there is a possibility that the internal short circuit itself may ignite or explode.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem [8] The present invention provides a power shutoff apparatus and method for shutting off power when an external shock is applied.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector comprising: a connector connected to a battery; A voltage sensing unit for measuring a voltage applied to the connector to generate a voltage value; A current sensing unit for measuring a current flowing on the connector to generate a current value; A controller for generating a cutoff request signal according to the voltage value and the current value; And a power supply unit for shutting down the main power and the battery power according to the cutoff request signal.

The control unit may generate the blocking request signal when the voltage value is equal to or greater than a first predetermined threshold value and the current value is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold value.

The control unit may amplify the voltage value and the current value by a predetermined magnification.

The voltage sensing unit and the current sensing unit may measure a voltage applied to the pin of the connector corresponding to the anode of the battery or a current flowing to the pin.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of shutting down a power supply, the method comprising: generating a voltage value by measuring a voltage applied to a connector connected to a battery; Measuring a current flowing on the connector to generate a current value; And disconnecting the main power and the battery power according to the voltage value and the current value.

Wherein the step of disconnecting the main power source and the battery power source according to the voltage value and the current value comprises the steps of: when the voltage value is equal to or greater than a first predetermined threshold value and the current value is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold value, And disconnecting the battery power.

The step of shutting down the main power source and the battery power according to the voltage value and the current value may further include amplifying the voltage value and the current value by a predetermined magnification.

Wherein the step of generating a voltage value by measuring a voltage applied to a connector connected to the battery and the step of measuring a current flowing through the connector to generate a current value include: And measuring the applied voltage or the current flowing to the fin.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, even when an external shock occurs, the power of the device can be shut off to prevent hardware damage, battery ignition, or explosion.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a power shutdown device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a power supply device,
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of shutting off power by a power cutoff device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

While the present invention has been described in connection with certain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and similarities. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following description of the present invention, detailed description of known related arts will be omitted when it is determined that the gist of the present invention may be unnecessarily obscured. In addition, numerals (e.g., first, second, etc.) used in the description of the present invention are merely an identifier for distinguishing one component from another.

Also, in this specification, when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" with another element, the element may be directly connected or directly connected to the other element, It should be understood that, unless an opposite description is present, it may be connected or connected via another element in the middle.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate a thorough understanding of the present invention, the same reference numerals are used for the same means regardless of the number of the drawings.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a power cutoff device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a power cutoff device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a connector 110, a voltage sensing unit 120, a current sensing unit 130, a controller 140, and a power supply unit 150.

The connector 110 connects the battery and the power supply unit 150 to charge the battery or supply the battery power to the power supply cutoff unit. At this time, the connector 110 has a detachable terminal including one or more pins, and may be connected to a terminal installed in the battery. That is, the connector 110 can be connected to the battery through the contact between the pins of the terminals.

The voltage sensing unit 120 measures the voltage of the pin corresponding to the positive electrode of the battery among the pins included in the connector 110 and transmits the voltage value indicating the voltage to the controller 140.

The current sensing unit 130 measures the current of the pin corresponding to the anode of the battery among the pins included in the connector 110 and transmits a current value indicating the current to the controller 140.

When the voltage value is equal to or higher than a first threshold value, which is a predetermined value, and the current value is equal to or lower than a second threshold value, which is a predetermined value, the control unit 140 transmits a blocking request signal instructing the main power- 150). At this time, since the voltage value and the current value measured according to the change of the pin area contacted to the connector may be small, the control unit 140 amplifies the amplified voltage value and the current value by a predetermined magnification, 2 threshold value, and transmit a blocking request signal to the power source unit 150 according to the comparison result.

The power supply unit 150 supplies power received from an external power supply apparatus such as an adapter to each function unit of the power shutdown apparatus and charges the battery connected to the connector 110 through the power supply. The power supply unit 150 receives a power (battery power) from the battery and provides the power to each functional unit of the power shutdown apparatus when power is not received from the external power supply apparatus.

2 is a diagram illustrating a change in contact area of a pin according to a connection state of a power cutoff device and a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the connector 110 includes a plurality of pins, which are in contact with pins of terminals provided in the battery, so that the connector 110 and the battery are electrically connected.

At this time, in the case of the contact 210 in which the connector 110 and the battery are normally connected, the total area of each pin is similar to the area where the two fins are in contact with each other (hereinafter referred to as contact area).

In contrast, in the case of contact 220 where the connector 110 is abnormally connected to the battery due to a shock, the difference between the total area and the contact area of each pin is in contact with the total area of each pin in the case of normal contact 210 Which is larger than the difference between the areas.

The relationship between the contact area and the resistance is expressed by the following equation (1).

[Equation 1]

 R? T / S

Where R is the resistance, l is the length of the resistive object, and S is the contact area of the resistive object.

 The resistance value is proportional to the length of the resistance object and inversely proportional to the contact area according to Equation (1), so that the contact area can be estimated according to the resistance value. However, it is difficult to measure the resistance value in a general circuit.

The power cutoff device according to an embodiment of the present invention can estimate the contact area without measuring the resistance value through the current value and the voltage value.

For example, the resistance value can be estimated according to the voltage value and the current value according to Equation (2) below, and accordingly, the contact area can be estimated according to the voltage value and the current value.

&Quot; (2) "

R = V (E) / I

At this time, R is the resistance value, V (E) is the voltage value, and I is the current value.

That is, when the contact area is reduced according to Equations (1) and (2), the resistance becomes large, which means that the current value for the contact surface is reduced and the voltage value is increased.

Therefore, when the voltage value is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and the current value is equal to or less than the second threshold value, the power cutoff device estimates that the contact area has become smaller than a predetermined value, It is considered that the connection state of the power supply is not normal and the power received from the external power supply device is cut off and the battery is cut off.

Therefore, the power cutoff device according to an embodiment of the present invention can shut off the charging and discharging of the battery and cut off the power to the power cutoff device when the connection state of the battery is not normal due to the impact.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of shutting off power by a power cutoff device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Each of the processes described below is referred to as a power cutoff device for each step of the process in order to provide a concise and clear description of the processes or inventions performed through the respective functional units constituting the power cutoff device.

Referring to FIG. 3, in step 310, the power-off device senses current and voltage for the connector to generate a current value and a voltage value.

In step 320, the power cutoff device amplifies the current value and the voltage value according to a predetermined magnification. Therefore, the power cut-off device according to an embodiment of the present invention can confirm the connection state of the battery even through a small change in the current value and the voltage value.

In step 330, the power-off device determines whether the voltage value is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and the current value is equal to or less than the second threshold value.

If the voltage value is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and the current value is equal to or less than the second threshold value in step 330, the power cutoff device cuts off the main power supplied from the external power supply device and cuts off the battery power.

Therefore, the power-off device according to an embodiment of the present invention prevents hardware damage or battery ignition or explosion that may occur due to charging and discharging of the battery or power supply to the power-off device in an abnormal contact state of the battery can do.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. It will be understood that the invention may be varied and varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (8)

A connector connected to the battery;
A voltage sensing unit for measuring a voltage applied to the connector to generate a voltage value;
A current sensing unit for measuring a current flowing on the connector to generate a current value;
A controller for generating a cutoff request signal according to the voltage value and the current value; And
And a power supply unit for shutting off the main power and the battery power according to the cutoff request signal,
Wherein the controller generates the cutoff request signal when the voltage value is equal to or greater than a first predetermined threshold value and the current value is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold value.
delete The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the controller amplifies the voltage value and the current value by a predetermined magnification.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the voltage sensing unit and the current sensing unit measure a voltage applied to the pin of the connector corresponding to the anode of the battery or a current flowing to the pin.
In a method of shutting off a power supply by a power cutoff device,
Generating a voltage value by measuring a voltage applied to a connector connected to the battery;
Measuring a current flowing on the connector to generate a current value; And
And disconnecting the main power and the battery power according to the voltage value and the current value,
Wherein the step of disconnecting the main power source and the battery power source according to the voltage value and the current value comprises the steps of: when the voltage value is equal to or greater than a first predetermined threshold value and the current value is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold value, And shutting off the battery power.
delete 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the step of shutting down the main power source and the battery power source according to the voltage value and the current value further comprises amplifying the voltage value and the current value by a predetermined magnification.
6. The method of claim 5,
Generating a voltage value by measuring a voltage applied to a connector connected to the battery, and generating a current value by measuring a current flowing on the connector,
And measuring a voltage applied to the pin of the connector corresponding to the anode of the battery or a current flowing to the pin.

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