Method and apparatus for driving and controlling on-vehicle loads

• US 20040124703A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Obayashi, Kazuyoshi, Tani, Keisuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,173,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J

Abstract

In an apparatus for driving and controlling plural on-vehicle electrical loads, an on-vehicle power supply generates power to be supplied the loads each having a priority. A power calculating device calculates a current available amount of the power to be supplied from the power supply, and a priority changing device changes one or more of the priorities on the basis of inputted information about a vehicle condition, the information including conditions of the loads. A command producing device produces a command value indicative of an amount of the power to be supplied to each of the loads by using the priorities. In this case, a sum of the power to be supplied to each load is kept within the available amount of the power to be supplied. A controller controls the power to be distributed to each of the loads on the basis of the command value.

Claims

1. An apparatus for driving and controlling a plurality of on-vehicle electrical loads, comprising:

an on-vehicle power supply configured to generate power to be supplied the loads to each of which a priority is given, the plurality of priorities being used for distributing the power to the loads;

a power calculating device configured to calculate a current available amount of the power to be supplied from the power supply;

a priority changing device configured to change one or more of the priorities on the basis of inputted information in relation to a vehicle condition, the information including conditions of the loads;

a command producing device configured to produce a command value indicative of an amount of the power to be supplied to each of the loads by using the priorities, a sum of the power to be supplied to each load being kept within the available amount of the power to be supplied; and

a controller configured to control the power to be distributed to each of the loads on the basis of the command value.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the command producing device comprises

a power-consumption calculating device calculating at least one of an amount of necessary power of each load and an amount of minimum necessary power of each load on the basis of the information inputted in relation to the vehicle condition, the necessary power being defined as power consumption of each load on condition that the apparatus is in a normal operation in supplying the power to the load and the minimum necessary power being defined as power necessary for at the minimum a function of each load, and

a command calculating device calculating the command value by using the priorities and the amount of at least one of the necessary power and the minimum necessary power.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the priority changing device is configured to, load by load, raise the priority in level than a normal priority given to a load during a period of time from a time instant at which a request for supply the power to the load is issued to a time instant at which a predetermined period of time passes after supplying the power to the load is started, the normal priority being provided in a normal state of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the priority changing device is configured to, load by load, change a level of the priority given to a load on the basis of the inputted information originated from a crew on the vehicle, in cases where the power to be supplied to the load is lower than the necessary power of the load.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the priority changing device is provided with a memorizing device memorizing information about record of operations directed to each load and done by a crew and a changing device changing a level of the priority given to the load on the basis of the memorized information about the record of operations, in cases where the power to be supplied to the load is lower than the necessary power of the load, the operation record information composing the inputted information.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the priority changing device is provided with a determination device determining whether or not an operation for increasing and decreasing an output of the load has been performed predetermined times or more during a period of time from at a time instant when the power supplied to the load comes below the necessary power of the load to a time instant when a predetermined period of time passes after the power supplied to the load comes below the necessary power.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the priority changing device is configured to have the priorities which is sectioned into a plurality of priority ranges depending on the levels thereof, in which rankings of the priorities being fixed within each of the priority ranges.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the priority changing device includes a device deciding the priority on the basis of a difference between a current level of an operating condition of each load and a target level of the operating condition of the load.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the priority changing device is configured to, load by load, lower the priority in level than a normal priority given to a load during a period of time from a time instant at which a request for supply the power to the load is issued to either a first time instant at which a predetermined period of time passes after being requested the power to the load is started or a second time instant at which supplying the power to the load is started, the normal priority being provided in a normal state of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the command calculating device is configured to calculate the command value for each load so that the power is distributed to the loads in the descending order of the priorities, the power being greater in an amount than the minimum necessary power and being lower in an amount than the necessary power and a sum of the power to be supplied to each load being kept within the available amount of the power to be supplied.

11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the consumption-power calculating device includes a device raising, load by load, amounts of both the necessary power and the minimum necessary power than normal levels given to a load during a period of time from a time instant at which a request for supply the power to the load is issued to a time instant at which a predetermined period of time passes after supplying the power to the load is started, the normal levels being provided in a normal state of the apparatus

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the power supply is provided with a generator generating the electric power and an energy storage device into which the generated electric power is accumulated,

the apparatus further comprising:

a device calculating an amount of the power generated by the generator;

a device calculating a requested amount of power to be charged to the energy storage device; and

a device control the generator so that the amount of the generated power increases, when a total amount of both a sum of the necessary power of each load and the requested amount of power to be charged exceeds the amount of the generated power.

13. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the command calculating device is configured to calculate the command value indicative of the amount of the power that is consistent with one of power consumption amounts provided at each step of a step-like changing power consumption characteristic of the load, the power consumption amounts at each step being memorized.

14. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the command calculating device includes

a calculation/supply element calculating the command value indicative of the amount of the power so that an amount of power equal to the necessary power of a given load is supplied to the given load and an amount of power equal to the minimum necessary power is supplied to remaining loads other than the given load in a descending order of the priorities given to the remaining loads within a region up to the available power.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the command calculating device includes a determination element determining if or not a condition that the available power is higher than a sum of power distributed to the loads last time;

and

a supply element supplying, to the remaining loads, an amount of power corresponding to a difference between the available power and the sum of power distributed to the loads last time in the descending order of the priorities given to the remaining loads, when the condition is met.

16. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the power-consumption calculating device comprises a plurality of demand calculating devices each calculating, load by load, the priority, the amount of the necessary power, and the amount of the minimum necessary power,

the command calculating device includes a calculating device for calculating the power command value indicating the power to be supplied to each load on the basis of the priority, the amount of the necessary power, and the amount of the minimum necessary power provided by the plurality of demand calculating devices, and

the controller includes a plurality of load controlling devices to individually control the power to be supplied to the plurality of loads on the basis of the power command value provided by the calculating device,

wherein each demand calculating device is incorporated in each load controlling device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of loads are classified into a plurality of different load groups of which priority ranges are different from each other,

the controller includes a power distributing device distribute the power to the loads in different ways, load group by load group.

18. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of loads are classified into two load groups consisting of an upper-priority load group of which priorities are higher and a lower-priority load group of which priorities are lower, and

the power distributing device is configured such that, for the upper-priority load group, a power higher than the minimum necessary power but lower than the necessary power is distributed to the loads of the upper-priority load group in a descending order of the priorities, on condition that a sum of the power to be distributed to the loads of the upper-priority load group is maintained within the available power;

and for the lower-priority load group, a power equal to the minimum necessary power is distributed to the loads of the lower-priority load group in a descending order of the priorities, on condition that a sum of the power to be distributed to the loads of the lower-priority load group is maintained within a difference power obtained by subtracting from the available power the sum of the power distributed to the loads of the upper-priority load group, wherein in the case that the difference power is higher than the sum of the power to be distributed to the loads of the lower-priority load group, an amount of power corresponding to a difference between the difference power and the sum is distributed to the loads of the lower-priority load group in the descending order of the priorities.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the loads is a blower of an on-vehicle air conditioner, the blower also working as a defroster by blowing air toward a window glass of a vehicle,

wherein the priority changing device is configured to raise the priority given to the blower when the blower is used as the defroster.

20. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a device for treating, of the plurality of electrical loads, N-pieces (N:

equal to or larger than

     2) of electrical loads, to which the power supply is out of control, as imaginary electrical load of “

N−

1”

pieces or less each consuming the necessary power.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the power-consumption calculating device includes an element for correcting the necessary power of either one of the electrical loads of which power supply is out of control or the imaginary electrical loads on the basis of an actually measured amount of power consumption.

22. An apparatus for driving and controlling a plurality of on-vehicle electrical loads, comprising:

an on-vehicle power supply configured to generate power to be supplied to the loads to each of which a priority is given the plurality of priorities being used for distributing the power to the loads;

a power calculating device configured to calculate a current available amount of the power to be supplied from the power supply,

a power-consumption calculating device calculating at least one of an amount of necessary power of each load and an amount of minimum necessary power of each load on the basis of information inputted in relation to a vehicle condition, the necessary power being defined as power consumption of each load on condition that the apparatus is in normal operation in supplying the power to the load and the minimum necessary power being defined as power necessary for at the minimum a function of each load;

a command calculating device calculating a command value indicative of an amount of the power to be supplied to each of the loads by using the priorities and the amount of at least one of the necessary power and the minimum necessary power, a sum of the power to be supplied to each load being kept within the available amount of the power to be supplied; and

a controller configured to control the power to be distributed to each of the loads on the basis of the command value.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the consumption-power calculating device includes a device raising, load by load, amounts of both the necessary power and the minimum necessary power than normal levels given to a load during a period of time from a time instant at which a request for supply the power to the load is issued to a time instant at which a predetermined period of time passes after supplying the power to the load is started, the normal levels being provided in a normal state of the apparatus.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the power supply is provided with a generator generating the electric power and an energy storage device into which the generated electric power is accumulated,

the apparatus further comprising:

a device calculating an amount of the power generated by the generator;

a device calculating a requested amount of power to be charged to the energy storage device; and

a device control the generator so that the amount of the generated power increases, when a total amount of both a sum of the necessary power of each load and the requested amount of power to be, charged exceeds the amount of the generated power.

25. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the command calculating device is configured to calculate the command value indicative of the amount of the power that is consistent with one of power consumption amounts provided at each step of a step-like changing power consumption characteristic of the load, the power consumption amounts at each step being memorized.

26. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the command calculating device includes

a calculation/supply element calculating the command value indicative of the amount of the power so that an amount of power equal to the necessary power of a given load is supplied to the given load and an amount of power equal to the minimum necessary power is supplied to remaining loads other than the given load in a descending order of the priorities given to the remaining loads within a region up to the available power.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the command calculating device includes a determination element determining if or not a condition that the available power is higher than a sum of power distributed to the loads last time;

and

a supply element supplying, to the remaining loads, an amount of power corresponding to a difference between the available power and the sum of power distributed to the loads last time in the descending order of the priorities given to the remaining loads, when the condition is met.

28. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the power-consumption calculating device comprises a plurality of demand calculating devices each calculating, load by load, the priority, the amount of the necessary power, and the amount of the minimum necessary power,

the command calculating device includes a calculating device for calculating the power command value indicating the power to be supplied to each load on the basis of the priority, the amount of the necessary power, and the amount of the minimum necessary power provided by the plurality of demand calculating devices, and

the controller includes a plurality of load controlling devices to individually control the power to be supplied to the plurality of loads on the basis of the power command value provided by the calculating device,

wherein each demand calculating device is incorporated in each load controlling device.

29. A method for driving and controlling a plurality of on-vehicle electrical loads, comprising the steps of:

generating power to be supplied the loads to each of which a priority is given, the plurality of priorities being used for distributing the power to the loads;

calculating a current available amount of the power to be supplied from the power supply;

changing one or more of the priorities on the basis of inputted information in relation to a vehicle condition, the information including conditions of the loads;

producing a command value indicative of an amount of the power to be supplied to each of the loads by using the priorities, a sum of the power to be supplied to each load being kept within the available amount of the power to be supplied; and

controlling the power to be distributed to each of the loads on the basis of the command value.

30. An apparatus for driving and controlling a plurality of on-vehicle electrical loads, in which an on-vehicle power supply is provided to generate power to be supplied the loads to each of which a load priority is given, the load priority indicative of a priority order for supplying the power among the loads, the apparatus comprising:

a power calculating device configured to calculate a current available amount of the power to be supplied from the power supply;

a first calculating device configured to calculate an amount of first power to be supplied to each load group on the basis of a group priority indicative of a priority order for supplying the power among the load groups, each load group being any one of a plurality of groups obtained by dividing the plurality of loads, a sum of the first power to each load group being kept within the available amount of the power;

a second calculating device configured to calculate an amount of second power to be supplied to each load belonging to any load group on the basis of the load priority, a sum of the second power to each load belonging to the load group being kept within the amount of the first power supplied to the load group; and

a controller configured to control the power to be distributed to each of the loads on the basis of a power command value indicative of the amount of the first power to each load.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising a third calculating device configured to calculate at least one of the group priority and the load priority on the basis of inputted information about a vehicle.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of load groups is composed of one or more loads whose functions concerning the vehicle are classified into the same category.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the third calculating device is configured to calculate the group priority based on a current value indicative of necessity for the vehicle functions for any group decided by the inputted information.

34. The apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a detector to detect a warm-up state of the vehicle,

wherein the third calculating device is configured to calculate the group priority based on the detected warm-up state.

35. The apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a detector to detect a brightness level around the vehicle,

wherein the third calculating device is configured to calculate the group priority based on the detected brightness level.

36. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the third calculating device is configured to calculate the group priority to be given to a specific load group, which is higher in a level than the group priority to be given to one or more remaining load groups.