REDUNDANT ELECTRICAL POWER FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

• US 20150274027A1
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Crombez, Dale Scott, Ivan, Jerome Charles, Trombley, Roger Arnold, Worrel, Peter, Yu, Hai, McBride, James Robert, Williams, Wayne, Szuszman, Paul Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,457,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A system includes a first battery configured to power at least one vehicle subsystem and a second battery configured to power an electric motor to propel a vehicle. A processing device is configured to detect an inadequate power level provided from the first battery to the at least one vehicle subsystem and selectively partition the second battery to power the at least one vehicle subsystem.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first battery configured to power at least one vehicle subsystem;

a second battery configured to power an electric motor to propel a vehicle; and

a processing device configured to detect an inadequate power level provided from the first battery to the at least one vehicle subsystem and selectively partition the second battery to power the at least one vehicle subsystem.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to command the second battery to provide a substitute voltage to the at least one vehicle subsystem.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the substitute voltage is output at a power level approximately equal to a power level of the first battery.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second battery includes a plurality of cells.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processing device is configured to selectively partition the second battery by selectively connecting the at least one vehicle subsystem to taps associated with at least two of the plurality of cells.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the processing device is configured to selectively partition the second battery by selectively connecting at least two of the plurality of cells in series.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the processing device is configured to selectively partition the second battery by selectively connecting at least two of the plurality of cells in parallel.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein at least two of the plurality of cells are directly connected to the at least one subsystem.

9. The system of claim 4, further comprising a relay switch configured to connect at least one of the plurality of cells to the subsystem, wherein the relay switch is configured to operate in response to a command from the processing device.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein at least two of the plurality of cells are associated with a voltage tap, each voltage tap configured to output power approximately equal to a power requirement of the at least one subsystem.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one subsystem includes a computerized monitor configured to monitor a power level provided to the subsystem from the first battery.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the computerized monitor and the processing device is configured to determine whether the power level provided to the subsystem from the first battery is inadequate.

13. A vehicle comprising:

a first battery configured to power at least one vehicle subsystem;

a second battery having a plurality of reconfigurable cells, wherein the second battery is configured to power an electric motor to propel a vehicle; and

a processing device configured to detect an inadequate power level provided from the first battery to the at least one vehicle subsystem and selectively partition the second battery to power the at least one vehicle subsystem, wherein the processing device is configured to command the second battery to provide a substitute voltage to the at least one vehicle subsystem.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the substitute voltage is output at a power level approximately equal to a power level of the first battery.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing device is configured to selectively partition the second battery by selectively connecting the at least one vehicle subsystem to taps associated with at least two of the plurality of cells.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing device is configured to selectively partition the second battery by selectively connecting at least two of the plurality of cells in at least one of a series configuration and a parallel configuration.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein at least two of the plurality of cells are associated with a voltage tap, each voltage tap configured to output power approximately equal to a power requirement of the at least one subsystem.

18. A method, comprising:

monitoring power supplied to at least one vehicle subsystem from a first battery;

detecting loss of the power to the subsystem below a predetermined threshold;

determining if a second battery can supply adequate power to the at least one vehicle subsystem, the second battery having a plurality of reconfigurable cells; and

selectively partitioning the second battery to supply adequate power to the at least one vehicle subsystem systems.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein selectively partitioning the second battery includes selectively connecting at least two of the plurality of cells in at least one of a series configuration and a parallel configuration.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein at least two of the plurality of cells are associated with a voltage tap, each voltage tap configured to output power approximately equal to a power requirement of the at least one subsystem, and wherein selectively partitioning the second battery includes selectively connecting at least two of the plurality of cells to the at least one vehicle subsystem.