Methods and Systems for Supplying Power to a Load
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A starting system for an internal combustion engine comprising:
- a battery;
a secondary electric charge storage device;
an electric starter motor;
a first switch operable to make and break an electrical connection between the battery and the electric starter motor;
a second switch operable to make and break an electrical connection between the electric starter motor and the secondary electric charge storage device after a predetermined time delay; and
a charging circuit configured to charge the secondary electric charge storage device in response to a voltage of the secondary electric charge storage device.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for controlling a supply of power to a load are provided.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A starting system for an internal combustion engine comprising:
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a battery; a secondary electric charge storage device; an electric starter motor; a first switch operable to make and break an electrical connection between the battery and the electric starter motor; a second switch operable to make and break an electrical connection between the electric starter motor and the secondary electric charge storage device after a predetermined time delay; and a charging circuit configured to charge the secondary electric charge storage device in response to a voltage of the secondary electric charge storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of starting an engine, comprising the steps of:
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supplying electrical energy to an engine starter motor from a battery; supplying electrical energy to the engine starter motor from an electric charge storage device; starting the engine; monitoring the terminal voltage of the electric charge storage device after the engine starts; and charging the electric charge storage device while the terminal voltage of the electric charge storage device is less than a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of supplying electrical power, comprising the steps of:
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supplying a first portion of electrical current from a first power supply; supplying a second portion of electrical current from a second power supply after a time delay; and charging the second power supply while a terminal voltage of the second power supply is less than approximately a terminal voltage of the first power supply. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A power supply control circuit configured to control a connection of a secondary power source to a power supply output bus wherein the power supply output bus supplies power to a load and includes a first switch configured to initiate a flow of electrical power from the power supply output bus to the load;
- said circuit comprising;
a second switch configured to electrically couple the secondary power source to the power supply output bus; and a control module configured to control the second switch such that the secondary power source is coupled to the power supply bus a predetermined time after the flow of electrical power from the power supply output bus to the load is initiated, said control module further configured to maintain the secondary power source in a charged state based on a terminal voltage of the secondary power source. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
- said circuit comprising;
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34. An engine system comprising:
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an internal combustion engine; an electric starter motor to start the internal combustion engine; a battery; a secondary electric charge storage device; a first switch operable to make and break an electrical connection between the battery and the electric starter motor; a second switch operable to make and break an electrical connection between the electric starter motor and the secondary electric charge storage device; a first control circuit configured to charge the secondary electric charge storage device in response to a voltage of the secondary electric charge storage device; and a second control circuit configured to close the second switch after the first switch is closed with a predetermined time delay between a closing time of the first switch and a closing time of the second switch. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. A starting system for an engine comprising:
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means for primary electric storage; means for secondary electric storage; means for electrically starting an engine; means for charging the means for secondary electric storage in response to a voltage associated with the means for secondary electric storage; means for sensing when the means for primary electric storage is electrically connected to the means for electrically starting an engine; means for providing a predetermined delay in response to sensing when the means for primary electric storage is electrically connected to the means for electrically starting an engine; and means for electrically connecting the means for secondary electric storage to the means for electrically starting an engine in response to the end of the predetermined delay. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A method of starting an engine, comprising:
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a step for supplying electrical energy to an engine starter motor from a battery; a step for delaying a predetermined period after supplying electrical energy to an engine starter motor from a battery and before supplying electrical energy to the engine starter motor from an electric charge storage device; a step for supplying electrical energy to the engine starter motor from an electric charge storage device; a step for starting the engine; a step for monitoring the terminal voltage of the electric charge storage device after the engine starts; and a step for charging the electric charge storage device while the terminal voltage of the electric charge storage device is less than a predetermined threshold.
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42. An engine-based system comprising:
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an internal combustion engine; an electric starter motor coupled to the internal combustion engine and operable to start the internal combustion engine; a battery; a secondary electric charge storage device; a first switch operable to make and break an electrical connection between the battery and the electric starter motor; a second switch operable to make and break an electrical connection between the electric starter motor and the secondary electric charge storage device; a first control circuit configured to charge the secondary electric charge storage device in response to a voltage associated with the secondary electric charge storage device; and a second control circuit configured to sense when the first switch closes and then provide a predetermined delay before closing the second switch.
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Specification