Tractor/trailor cranking management system and method
First Claim
1. A vehicle comprising:
- a tractor adapted for mechanically connecting to a trailer;
an engine operatively connected to the tractor and having one of an active state or an inactive state, said engine producing mechanical energy to propel said tractor in said active state;
engine cranking means operatively connected to said engine for cranking said engine;
a battery mounted on said tractor to supply electrical energy to said engine cranking means, said battery operatively providing a battery output voltage signal;
means, responsive to said battery output voltage, for allowing transfer of electrical energy from said battery to an electrical accessory load while said engine is in said inactive state and sufficient energy remains in said battery to crank said engine to produce said active state, wherein said means comprises accessory energy transfer control means electrically connected to said battery and to said electrical accessory load for enabling transfer of electrical energy from said battery to said electrical accessory load when said battery output voltage signal is above a first predetermined voltage threshold and for inhibiting transfer of electrical energy from said battery to said electrical accessory load when said battery output voltage signal is below a second predetermined voltage threshold selected such that sufficient energy is conserved within said battery to crank said engine to produce said active state in said engine; and
temperature sensing means operatively connected to said engine for sensing a temperature of said engine and wherein said accessory energy transfer control means comprises voltage threshold determining means responsive to said temperature sensing means for determining said first and second predetermined voltage thresholds responsive to the sensed engine temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Vehicle cranking management systems and methods are provided for a vehicle preferably including a tractor mechanically connected to a trailer. Electrical energy is enabled to transfer from a battery of the vehicle to an electrical accessory load, when a battery output voltage signal is above a first predetermined threshold voltage, but is inhibited from transferring from the battery to the electrical accessory load if the battery output voltage signal is below a second predetermined threshold voltage. The first and second predetermined threshold voltages may be determined responsive to a sensed temperature of the vehicle engine, preferably a sensed temperature of oil present in the engine. In addition, electrical energy is enabled to transfer from the battery to a starter which cranks the vehicle'"'"'s engine if a cranking command signal to crank the engine is asserted for less than a first predetermined time interval. If a cranking command signal is continuously asserted for a period longer than the first predetermined time interval, however, electrical energy is inhibited from transferring from the battery to the starter for a second predetermined time interval, to thereby inhibit the engine from being cranked during the second predetermined time interval. The vehicle may also include a speed sensor which senses a rotational speed of the engine, and electrical energy may be inhibited from transferring from the battery to the starter responsive to the sensed engine speed being greater than a predetermined threshold speed.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A vehicle comprising:
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a tractor adapted for mechanically connecting to a trailer; an engine operatively connected to the tractor and having one of an active state or an inactive state, said engine producing mechanical energy to propel said tractor in said active state; engine cranking means operatively connected to said engine for cranking said engine; a battery mounted on said tractor to supply electrical energy to said engine cranking means, said battery operatively providing a battery output voltage signal; means, responsive to said battery output voltage, for allowing transfer of electrical energy from said battery to an electrical accessory load while said engine is in said inactive state and sufficient energy remains in said battery to crank said engine to produce said active state, wherein said means comprises accessory energy transfer control means electrically connected to said battery and to said electrical accessory load for enabling transfer of electrical energy from said battery to said electrical accessory load when said battery output voltage signal is above a first predetermined voltage threshold and for inhibiting transfer of electrical energy from said battery to said electrical accessory load when said battery output voltage signal is below a second predetermined voltage threshold selected such that sufficient energy is conserved within said battery to crank said engine to produce said active state in said engine; and temperature sensing means operatively connected to said engine for sensing a temperature of said engine and wherein said accessory energy transfer control means comprises voltage threshold determining means responsive to said temperature sensing means for determining said first and second predetermined voltage thresholds responsive to the sensed engine temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vehicle comprising:
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a tractor adapted for mechanically connecting to a trailer; an engine operatively connected to the tractor and having one of an active state or an inactive state, said engine producing mechanical energy to propel the tractor in said active state; engine cranking means operatively connected to said engine for cranking said engine; a battery mounted on said tractor to supply electrical energy to said engine cranking means, said battery providing a battery output voltage signal; cranking energy transfer control means responsive to a user command continuously asserted by a user for a period greater than a first predetermined time interval for inhibiting transfer of electrical energy from said battery to said engine cranking means during a second predetermined time interval following said first predetermined time interval to thereby inhibit cranking of said engine during said second predetermined time interval notwithstanding continued assertion of the user command to crank the engine. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A cranking system management system for a vehicle, the vehicle including a tractor adapted for mechanically connecting to a trailer, an engine operatively connected to the tractor and having one of an active state or an inactive state, the engine producing mechanical energy to propel the tractor in said active state, and a battery which supplies electrical energy to the starter, the battery providing a battery output voltage signal, the management system comprising:
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an accessory energy transfer controller which allows transfer of electrical energy from the battery to an electrical accessory load while the engine is in the inactive state and sufficient energy remains in the battery to crank the engine to produce the active state, wherein said accessory energy transfer controller is electrically connected to the battery and an electrical accessory load, enables transfer of electrical energy from the battery to the electrical accessory load when the battery output voltage signal is above a first predetermined threshold voltage, and inhibits transfer of electrical energy from the battery to the electrical accessory load when the battery output voltage signal is below a second predetermined voltage threshold selected such that sufficient energy is conserved within said battery to rank said engine to produce said active state in said engine; and a temperature sensor operatively connected to the engine which senses a temperature of the engine, and wherein said accessory energy transfer controller comprises voltage threshold determining means responsive to the temperature sensor for determining said first and second predetermined voltage thresholds responsive to the sensed engine temperature. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A cranking system management system for a vehicle, the vehicle including a tractor adapted for mechanically connecting to a trailer, an engine positioned on the tractor which provides mechanical energy to propel the tractor, a starter operatively connected to the engine which is responsive to a user command asserted by a user to thereby crank the engine, and a battery which supplies electrical energy to the starter, the management system comprising:
a cranking energy transfer controller responsive to a user command which is continuously asserted by a user for a period greater than a first predetermined time interval to inhibit transfer of electrical energy from the battery to the starter during a second predetermined time interval following said first predetermined time interval to thereby inhibit cranking of the engine during said second predetermined time interval notwithstanding continued assertion of the user command to crank the engine. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method for managing a cranking system of a vehicle, the vehicle including a tractor adapted for mechanically connecting to a trailer, an engine operatively connected to the tractor and having one of an active state or an inactive state, the engine producing mechanical energy to propel the tractor in the active state, a starter operatively connected to the engine which is responsive to a user command asserted by a user to thereby responsively crank the engine, a battery which supplies electrical energy to the starter, the battery producing a battery output voltage signal, and a temperature sensor operatively connected to the engine which senses a temperature of the engine, the method comprising the steps of:
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sensing the temperature of the engine; determining first and second predetermined voltage thresholds in response to the sensed engine temperature; responsive to the battery output voltage signal, allowing transfer of electrical energy from the battery to an electrical accessory load while said engine is in said inactive state and sufficient energy remains in said battery to crank said engine to produce said active state; and inhibiting the transfer of electrical energy from the battery to the electrical accessory load when the battery output voltage signal is below the second predetermined threshold voltage selected such that sufficient energy remains in the battery crank said engine to produce the active state in the engine. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for managing a cranking system of a vehicle, the vehicle including a tractor adapted for mechanically connecting to a trailer, an engine operatively connected to the tractor and having one of an active state or an inactive state, the engine producing mechanical energy to propel the tractor in the active state, a starter operatively connected to the engine and responsive to a user command asserted by a user to thereby responsively crank the engine, and a battery which supplies electrical energy to the starter, the method comprising the step of:
in response to a user command continuously asserted by a user for a period greater than a first predetermined time interval, inhibiting the transfer of electrical energy from the battery to the starter during a second predetermined time interval following the first predetermined time interval to thereby inhibit cranking of the engine during the second predetermined time interval notwithstanding continued assertion of the user command to crank the engine. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method for managing a cranking system of a vehicle, the vehicle including a tractor adapted for mechanically connecting to a trailer, an engine operatively connected to the tractor and having one of an active state or an inactive state, the engine producing mechanical energy to propel the tractor in the active state, a starter operatively connected to the engine and responsive to a user command asserted by a user to thereby responsively crank the engine, and a battery which supplies electrical energy to the starter, the method comprising the step of:
in response to a user command continuously asserted by a user for a period greater than a first predetermined time interval, inhibiting the transfer of electrical energy from the battery to the starter during a second predetermined time interval following the first predetermined time interval to thereby inhibit the engine from being cranked during the second predetermined time interval notwithstanding continued assertion of the user command to crank the engine.
Specification