Method and system for controlling an alternator
First Claim
1. In a power supply system for a vehicle in which a battery and an electric load are electrically connected in parallel with an engine-driven alternator having field windings, the alternator providing an electrical output which is a function of the voltage across the field windings, a method of controlling the alternator in response to a reference control signal and a load demand signal based on the current demand of the electric load, wherein desired responses of the alternator to corresponding current demands are defined by a data matrix of system operating coefficients, the method comprising the steps of:
- generating an output signal based on the electrical output of the alternator;
generating an error signal based on the difference between the reference control signal and said output signal;
correlating the load demand signal with the data matrix to obtain a set of the coefficients as a function of the load demand signal, the coefficients having values based on the desired responses of the alternator;
calculating a desired field voltage based on said set of coefficients and said error signal; and
energizing the field windings of the alternator based on the desired field voltage, thereby controlling the alternator based on system load current variations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for controlling an alternator in a power supply system for a vehicle utilizing a digital current control or compensation algorithm. The alternator has field windings and provides an output current as a function of field voltage across the field windings. The alternator is controlled by a microprocessor-based voltage regulator programmed with the algorithm in response to a reference control signal and a load demand signal based on the current demand of the electric load. Desired responses of the alternator to corresponding current demands are defined by a data matrix of system operating coefficients. A set of the coefficients is selected based on the load demand signal and the set is used with the algorithm to calculate a desired field voltage so that the output current is responsive to variations in system load demand.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. In a power supply system for a vehicle in which a battery and an electric load are electrically connected in parallel with an engine-driven alternator having field windings, the alternator providing an electrical output which is a function of the voltage across the field windings, a method of controlling the alternator in response to a reference control signal and a load demand signal based on the current demand of the electric load, wherein desired responses of the alternator to corresponding current demands are defined by a data matrix of system operating coefficients, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating an output signal based on the electrical output of the alternator; generating an error signal based on the difference between the reference control signal and said output signal; correlating the load demand signal with the data matrix to obtain a set of the coefficients as a function of the load demand signal, the coefficients having values based on the desired responses of the alternator; calculating a desired field voltage based on said set of coefficients and said error signal; and energizing the field windings of the alternator based on the desired field voltage, thereby controlling the alternator based on system load current variations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a power supply system for a vehicle in which a battery and an electric load are electrically connected in parallel with an engine-driven alternator having field windings, the alternator providing an electrical output which is a function of the voltage across the field windings, a control system for controlling the alternator in response to a reference control signal and a load, wherein desired responses of the alternator to corresponding current demands are defined by a data matrix of system operating coefficients, the control system comprising:
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means for generating an output signal based on the electrical output of the alternator; means for generating an error signal based on the difference between the reference control signal and said output signal; means for correlating the load demand signal with the data matrix to obtain a set of the coefficients as a function of the load demand signal, the coefficients having values based on the desired responses of the alternator; and means for calculating a desired field voltage based on said set of coefficients and said error signal for controlling the current flow through the field windings of the alternator based on system load current variations. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification