System, Method, And Apparatus For Preserving Vehicle Battery

• US 20180086290A1
• Filed: 09/27/2016
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Makke, Omar, Kadry, Haysam M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,343,629 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• 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: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00

Abstract

Embodiments include a vehicle power distribution unit comprising a plurality of connection paths respectively connecting a plurality of electric loads to a vehicle battery, and a power saving module configured to receive a key fob input indicating user selection of one of a plurality of vehicle power modes, and disconnect a subset of the plurality of electric loads from the vehicle battery based on specifications associated with the selected vehicle power mode. Other embodiments include a vehicle system comprising a power distribution unit including a plurality of connection paths respectively connecting a plurality of electric loads to a vehicle battery; a key fob configured to enable user selection of one of a plurality of vehicle power modes; and a power saving module configured to disconnect a subset of the plurality of electric loads from the vehicle battery based on specifications associated with the selected power mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle power distribution unit, comprising:

a plurality of connection paths respectively connecting a plurality of electric loads to a vehicle battery; and

a power saving module configured to;

receive a key fob input indicating user selection of one of a plurality of vehicle power modes; and

disconnect a subset of the plurality of electric loads from the vehicle battery based on specifications associated with the selected vehicle power mode.

2. The vehicle power distribution unit of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electronic switches respectively coupled to the plurality of connection paths, each electronic switch being operatively coupled to the power saving module to enable selective disconnection of the corresponding connection path from the vehicle battery.

3. The vehicle power distribution unit of claim 2, wherein the power saving module disconnects the subset of electric loads by causing each corresponding electronic switch to turn off.

4. The vehicle power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vehicle power modes includes a first vehicle power mode associated with a first set of specifications identifying a first subset of the electric loads for disconnection from the vehicle battery, and a second vehicle power mode associated with a second set of specifications identifying a second subset of the electric loads for disconnection from the vehicle battery, the second set of specifications being different from the first set of specifications.

5. The vehicle power distribution unit of claim 4, wherein the power saving module includes a memory for storing the specifications associated with each vehicle power mode.

6. The vehicle power distribution unit of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of vehicle power modes is assigned a unique key fob input sequence, each key fob input sequence being stored in the memory in association with the assigned vehicle power mode.

7. The vehicle power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vehicle power modes includes a vacation mode, a storage mode, and a shipping mode.

8. A vehicle system, comprising:

a power distribution unit including a plurality of connection paths respectively connecting a plurality of electric loads to a vehicle battery;

a key fob configured to enable user selection of one of a plurality of vehicle power modes; and

a power saving module configured to disconnect a subset of the plurality of electric loads from the vehicle battery based on specifications associated with the selected power mode.

9. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the user selection includes entry of a unique input sequence assigned to the selected power mode.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9, wherein the unique input sequence is stored in a memory of the power saving module in association with the selected power mode.

11. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of vehicle power modes includes a first vehicle power mode associated with a first set of specifications identifying a first subset of the electric loads for disconnection from the vehicle battery, and a second vehicle power mode associated with a second set of specifications identifying a second subset of the electric loads for disconnection from the vehicle battery, the second set of specifications being different from the first set of specifications.

12. The vehicle system of claim 11, wherein the power saving module includes a memory for storing the specifications associated with each vehicle power mode.

13. The vehicle system of claim 8, further comprising the vehicle battery and the plurality of electric loads.

14. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the power saving module is included in the power distribution unit.

15. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the power distribution unit further includes a plurality of electronic switches respectively coupled to the plurality of connection paths, each electronic switch being operatively coupled to the power saving module to enable selective disconnection of the corresponding connection path from the vehicle battery.

16. A method for preserving battery power in a vehicle, comprising:

receiving, from a key fob, an input sequence indicating user selection of one of a plurality of vehicle power modes; and

disconnecting, using a processor, a subset of a plurality of electric loads included in the vehicle from a vehicle battery based on specifications associated with the selected vehicle power mode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein disconnecting the subset of electric loads includes, for each electric load included in the subset, causing a corresponding electronic switch to turn off, the corresponding electronic switch being coupled to a connection path connecting the electric load to the vehicle battery.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising, upon receiving the input sequence, retrieving, from a memory, the specifications associated with the selected vehicle power mode.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of vehicle power modes is assigned a unique input sequence, and further comprising, in response to receiving the input sequence, identifying the vehicle power mode assigned to the received input sequence.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of vehicle power modes includes a first vehicle power mode associated with a first set of specifications identifying a first subset of the electric loads for disconnection from the vehicle battery, and a second vehicle power mode associated with a second set of specifications identifying a second subset of the electric loads for disconnection from the vehicle battery, the second set of specifications being different from the first set of specifications.