System and method for controlling a dark current of a vehicle

• US 10,266,135 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kim, Woo Kuen, Kwon, Jin Gu, Park, Myoung Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US15/814,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20180361962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 701 25
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/105 responsive to excess current and fault current to earth
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A system for controlling a dark current of a vehicle includes: a storage device storing address information of a customer; a navigation device acquiring current location information of a vehicle; a start detection device detecting a start of the vehicle to acquire start information; and a dark current controller determining whether to switch an initially set operation mode based on the address information, the current location information, and the start information. A method for controlling a dark current of the vehicle includes: storing the address information; acquiring the current location information; acquiring the start information; and determining whether to switch an initially set operation mode based on the address information, the current location information, and the start information.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a dark current of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a storage device storing address information of a customer;

a navigation device acquiring current location information of a vehicle;

a start detection device detecting a start of the vehicle to acquire start information of the vehicle; and

a dark current controller determining whether to switch an initially set operation mode on the basis of the address information, the current location information, and the start information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the dark current controller switches the initially set operation mode when the current location information of the vehicle corresponds to the address information of the customer and the vehicle is started and operated for a threshold time or longer.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the dark current controller switches an initially set first mode to a second mode.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the dark current controller counts the number of times of starting the vehicle, and switches an initially set first mode to a second mode when the counted number exceeds a threshold.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the dark current controller stops counting the number after the counted number exceeds the threshold.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a cluster acquiring an amount of fuel of the vehicle,

wherein the dark current controller switches an initially set first mode to a second mode when the amount of fuel exceeds a threshold.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the dark current controller comprises:

an intelligent power switch (IPS) including a first channel and a second channel, the IPS configured to supply or interrupt a dark current to a first load and a second load;

a micro control unit (MCU) including a first port, a second port, and a third port, the MCU configured to switch a manufacturer management mode, in which the MCU outputs a first control signal to the first channel of the IPS through the first port to control the first load and outputs a second control signal to the second channel of the IPS through the second port to control the second load, to a customer management mode, in which the MCU outputs the first control signal to the first channel of the IPS through the first port to control the first load, closes the second port, and outputs an activation signal through the third port; and

a signal generator activated by the activation signal output from the third port of the MCU, the signal generator configured to generate a signal for supplying the dark current to the second load, and input the generated signal to the second channel of the IPS.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the second load uses an uninterruptible power supply.

9. A method for controlling a dark current of a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

storing address information of a customer;

acquiring current location information of a vehicle from a navigation device;

acquiring start information of the vehicle from a start detection device; and

determining whether to switch an initially set operation mode on the basis of the address information, the current location information, and the start information.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the determining step comprises switching the initially set operation mode when the current location information of the vehicle corresponds to the address information of the customer and the vehicle is started and operated for a threshold time or longer.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the operation mode is switched from an initially set first mode to a second mode.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

counting the number of times of starting the vehicle; and

switching an initially set first mode to a second mode when the counted number exceeds a threshold.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the counting step is stopped when the counted number exceeds the threshold.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the determining step comprises:

outputting a first control signal to a first channel of an intelligent power switch (IPS) through a first port of a micro control unit (MCU) to control a first load, closing a second port of the MCU, and outputting an activation signal through a third port of the MCU;

generating, by a signal generator activated by the activation signal, a signal for supplying a dark current to a second load, and inputting the generated signal to a second channel of the IPS; and

uninterruptedly supplying, by the IPS, the dark current to the second load.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second load uses an uninterruptible power supply.

16. A method for controlling a dark current of a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

acquiring an amount of fuel of a vehicle from a cluster; and

switching an initially set first mode to a second mode when the acquired amount of fuel exceeds a threshold,

wherein the switching step includes

outputting a first control signal to a first channel of an intelligent power switch (IPS) through a first port of a micro control unit (MCU) to control a first load, closing a second port of the MCU, and outputting an activation signal through a third port of the MCU,

generating, by a signal generator activated by the activation signal, a signal for supplying a dark current to a second load, and inputting the generated signal to a second channel of the IPS, and

uninterruptedly supplying, by the IPS, the dark current to the second load.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

counting the number of times of starting the vehicle; and

switching the initially set first mode to the second mode when the counted number exceeds a threshold.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the counting step is stopped when the counted number exceeds the threshold.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second load uses an uninterruptible power supply.