Voltage regulating circuitry to vary the alternator field coil drive at a rate dependent upon a rotor velocity signal
First Claim
1. Regulator circuitry for connection to field coils of an alternator in an electrical system having a system voltage maintained by the alternator, comprising:
- means for sensing the system voltage;
circuitry for generating a velocity signal related to a rotational velocity of a rotor of the alternator;
circuitry for producing a deviation signal when the system voltage deviates more than a predetermined amount from a predetermined value of said system voltage;
circuitry responsive to said deviation signal to vary the field coil drive to the alternator at a rate dependent upon the velocity signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Regulator circuitry for connection to field coils of an alternator in an electrical system of a vehicle having a system voltage maintained by the alternator includes circuitry for providing a variable drive to the field coils of the alternator, and circuitry for generating a velocity signal related to a rotational velocity of a driven shaft of the alternator. The regulator circuitry also includes circuitry for producing a deviation signal when the system voltage deviates more than a predetermined amount from a predetermined value, and circuitry responsive to the deviation signal to vary the field coil drive to the alternator at a rate dependent upon the velocity signal. In addition a method is presented for regulating the voltage delivered by an alternator in an electrical system having a system voltage maintained by the alternator. The method includes the steps of determining when the system voltage deviates from a nominal value more than a predefined amount; and when the system voltage deviation occurs, varying a pulse width modulation signal to drive the field coils of the alternator at a rate that is related to a rotational velocity of a stator of the alternator.
48 Citations
20 Claims
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1. Regulator circuitry for connection to field coils of an alternator in an electrical system having a system voltage maintained by the alternator, comprising:
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means for sensing the system voltage; circuitry for generating a velocity signal related to a rotational velocity of a rotor of the alternator; circuitry for producing a deviation signal when the system voltage deviates more than a predetermined amount from a predetermined value of said system voltage; circuitry responsive to said deviation signal to vary the field coil drive to the alternator at a rate dependent upon the velocity signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Regulator circuitry for connection to field coils of an alternator in an electrical system of a vehicle including an alternator and a system voltage maintained by the alternator, comprising:
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an analog to digital converter for connection to receive the system voltage and to deliver a digital output signal representing the system voltage; a duty cycle generator for connection to the field coils to produce an output signal proportional to a digital input signal; register circuitry for registering a value related to the digital output signal of the analog to digital converter and having an output connected to provide the registered value for the digital input signal to said duty cycle generator; system voltage sense circuitry for providing an output signal when the system voltage falls below a predetermined value; circuitry for generating clock pulses at a frequency related to a rotational velocity of the alternator; and control circuitry responsive to the output signal of said system voltage sense circuitry for controlling said duty cycle generator to produce an output related to the digital output signal of said analog to digital converter when the system voltage is above the predetermined level, and to step the contents of the register circuitry when the system voltage falls below said predetermined value to increase field coil drive to the alternator at a rate related to the rotational velocity of the alternator. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. Regulator circuitry for connection to field coils of an alternator in an electrical system of a vehicle including an alternator and a system voltage maintained by the alternator, comprising:
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a clock circuit for generating a clock signal; a comparator circuit for producing a deviation signal when the system voltage deviates from a nominal voltage by more than a predetermined amount; a register that contains a digital output value that can be incremented or decremented; a free running counter to output a count of the clock signal, and to output a signal when the count is a predetermined value; circuitry for outputting pulses at a frequency related to a rotational velocity of the alternator; a comparator circuit for comparing the count of the clock signal from said free running counter with the digital output value of said register for producing a comparison signal; a latch circuit connected to be set by the signal of said free running counter when the count is the predetermined value and to be reset by said comparison signal; and control circuitry responsive to the deviation signal of said comparator circuit for incrementing or decrementing said register at a rate determined by said clock signal when the system voltage deviates from the nominal voltage by less than the predetermined amount, and for incrementing or decrementing said register at a rate determined by said digital output signal of said analog to digital converter when the system voltage deviates from the nominal voltage by more than the predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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14. The regulator circuitry of 13 wherein said comparator circuit produces a comparison signal when said comparison finds equality, and wherein said latch circuit is reset by said comparison signal when said comparison signal indicates that said comparator has found equality.
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16. A method for regulating the voltage delivered by an alternator having field coils in an electrical system having a system voltage maintained by the alternator, comprising:
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determining when the system voltage deviates from a nominal value more than a predefined amount; and when said system voltage deviation occurs, varying a pulse width modulation signal to drive the field coils of the alternator at a rate that is related to a rotational velocity of a rotor of the alternator. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification