SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUXILIARY POWER OUTLET CONTROL

• US 20150149034A1
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: NORDSTROM, ERIK C., HOORN, JEFFREY J., CICHY, STEPHEN M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,168,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/006 to power outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/02 in which an auxiliary distribution system and its associated lamps are brought into service
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

Methods, systems are provided for controlling an auxiliary power outlet in a vehicle. The method includes connecting the battery powered device to the accessory power outlet, synchronizing communications between the battery powered device to a computing device of the vehicle, and determining when the battery powered device is connected to an electric bus and is charging. When the battery powered device is either not connected to the electric bus or the battery powered device is not charging, then disconnecting power from the accessory power outlet. The system includes a battery, an electrical bus electrically connected to the battery, at least one auxiliary power outlet in electrical communication with the battery and configured to mate with a battery charging port of a battery operated device; and an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU is configured to disconnect power from the accessory power outlet when the battery is charged.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an accessory power outlet by a computing device in a vehicle while charging a battery powered device, the method comprising:

synchronizing communications between the battery powered device to the computing device of the vehicle;

determining when the battery powered device is connected to an electric bus and is charging; and

when the battery powered device is not connected to the electric bus or the battery powered device is not charging, disconnecting power from the accessory power outlet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining when the battery powered device is connected to an electric bus and is charging is done discontinuously.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining when the battery powered device is charging is selected from a group of conditions consisting of receiving data from the battery powered device that charging flag has been set, detecting a trickle current to the battery powered device, and receiving digital data from the battery powered device indicating a positive change in a state of charge of the battery powered device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the battery powered device has a state of charge that is less than a predetermined threshold; and

when the state of charge of the battery powered device is less than the predetermined threshold, energizing the accessory power outlet until the state of charge is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, then deenergizing the accessory power outlet.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the battery powered device has a state of charge that is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold; and

when the state of charge of the battery powered device is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, de-energizing the accessory power outlet.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining an elapsed time since the battery powered device was connected to the accessory power outlet; and

when the elapsed time meets a predetermined threshold, determining when the battery powered device is connected to the electric bus and is charging.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein one or both of the predetermined elapsed time and the threshold is configured by a user.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining an elapsed time since the battery powered device was connected to the accessory power outlet; and

when the elapsed time meets a predetermine threshold then determine when the battery powered device is connected to the electric bus and is charging.

9. A system for controlling an accessory power outlet (APO) in a vehicle while charging a battery powered device comprising:

a battery;

an electric bus electrically connected to the battery;

at least one auxiliary power outlet in electrical communication with the battery and configured to mate with a battery charging port of a battery operated device; and

an electronic control unit (ECU), the ECU being configured to;

synchronize communications between the battery powered device and the ECU;

determining when the battery powered device is connected to the electric bus and is charging; and

when the battery powered device is either not connected to the electric bus or the battery powered device is not charging, disconnecting power from the accessory power outlet.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein determining when the battery powered device is charging includes one or more of receiving data from the battery powered device that a charging flag has been set, detecting a trickle current to the battery powered device, and receiving data from the battery powered device indicating a positive change in a state of charge of the battery powered device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the ECU is further configured to:

determine whether the battery powered device has a state of charge that is less than a predetermined threshold; and

when the state of charge of the battery powered device is less than the predetermined threshold, energize the accessory power outlet until the state of charge is greater or equal to the predetermined threshold and deenergize the accessory power outlet.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the ECU is further configured to:

determine whether the battery powered device has a state of charge that is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold; and

when the state of charge of the battery powered device is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, de-energize the accessory power outlet.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the ECU is further configured to:

determine an elapsed time since the battery powered device was connected to the accessory power outlet; and

when the elapsed time meets a predetermine threshold then determine when the battery powered device is connected to an electric bus and is charging.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the ECU is further configured to:

determine an elapsed time since the battery powered device was connected to the accessory power outlet; and

when the elapsed time meets a predetermine threshold then determine when the battery powered device is connected to an electric bus and is charging.

15. A vehicle comprising:

a battery,

an electrical bus electrically connected to the battery;

at least one auxiliary power outlet in electrical communication with the battery via the electrical bus and configured to mate with a battery charging port of a battery powered device; and

an electronic control unit (ECU), the ECU being configured to;

synchronize communications between the battery powered device and the ECU;

determining when the battery powered device is connected to the electric bus and is charging; and

when the battery powered device is either not connected to the electric bus or the battery powered device is not charging, deenergizing the accessory power outlet.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, further comprising a transceiver operable to communicate wirelessly with the battery powered device.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the battery powered device and the ECU communicate via the electrical bus.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the ECU further determines a status of charge of the battery powered device.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein when the status of charge of the battery powered device is below a predefined value then at least one auxiliary power outlet is energized.

20. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication between the battery powered device and the ECU is done in an IEEE 802.15.1 communication standard.