VEHICLE

• US 20120313581A1
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitsutani, Noritake
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle is a vehicle in which a high-voltage power supply can be charged with electric power from an external power supply. In a travel mode, a main microcomputer (MMC) of a controller outputs a request signal requesting to forcibly turn a plug-in main relay (PIMR) on to a sub-microcomputer (SMC), in order to activate a charging system that is essentially not required to be activated. Upon receiving the request signal, the SMC outputs a signal for turning the PIMR on to the PIMR. If the MMC does not receive electric power from a low-voltage power supply via the PIMR after outputting the request signal, the MMC determines that there is an abnormality in an activation circuit for the charging system, and alerts a user.

Claims

1. A vehicle capable of being connected to an external power supply, comprising:

a first power storage device storing electric power for obtaining a driving force of said vehicle;

a charger performing a charging process for charging said first power storage device with electric power from said external power supply;

a first power supply switch turned on in response to connection operation of connecting said external power supply to said vehicle by a user, to supply electric power for rendering said charger active to said charger; and

a controller rendered active in response to operation by the user different from said connection operation,

said controller forcibly outputting an ON signal for turning said first power supply switch on to said first power supply switch while being active in response to said different operation, and determining whether or not an abnormality resulting in inability to perform said charging process has occurred based on whether or not said first power supply switch has been turned on in response to said ON signal.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said different operation is start operation for allowing said vehicle to be ready to travel, and

said controller outputs said ON signal to said first power supply switch while being active in response to said start operation and if said external power supply and said vehicle are not connected to each other.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

said controller determines that said abnormality has occurred if said first power supply switch is not turned on in response to said ON signal, and alerts the user to occurrence of said abnormality.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second power storage device storing electric power for rendering said charger and said controller active; and

a second power supply switch provided between said controller and said second power storage device, and turned on in response to said different operation, wherein

said charger is connected to said second power storage device via said first power supply switch, and

said controller outputs said ON signal to said first power supply switch while said second power supply switch is ON.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

said controller includes

a main device connected to said second power storage device via said first power supply switch, and connected to said second power storage device via said second power supply switch, and

a subdevice connected to said second power storage device all the time, and rendering said main device active by outputting said ON signal to said first power supply switch in response to said connection operation,

said main device outputs a request signal requesting to forcibly turn said first power supply switch on to said subdevice while said second power supply switch is ON, and

said subdevice forcibly outputs said ON signal to said first power supply switch if said subdevice receives said request signal from said main device.

6. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

said controller outputs an OFF signal for turning said first power supply switch off while said first power supply switch and said second power supply switch are ON, and if it is not detected that said first power supply switch has been turned off in response to said OFF signal, determines that an abnormality of said first power supply switch being fixed in an ON state has occurred.