Apparatus and method for controlling low engine idle RPM without discharging a vehicle battery by monitoring the vehicle alternator field modulation
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling idle RPM of an engine without discharging a vehicle battery, said apparatus comprising:
- an engine control module having a first input and a first output forming a portion of a first feedback loop, said first input and said first output operable to enable said engine control module to sense and control the idle RPM of the engine;
an alternator having an armature and a field coil, rotation of said armature and modulation of said field coil operable to control an amount of current supplied by said alternator;
a plurality of electrical loads operable to receive said current supplied by said alternator; and
a switch module operable to modulate said field coil of said alternator upon receipt of a drive signal from said engine control module, said switch module forming a part of said engine control module, wherein said engine control module is operable to adjust the idle RPM of the engine to a minimum idle RPM necessary to supply said current to said electrical loads without discharging the vehicle battery by determining the idle RPM of the vehicle with said first feedback loop and by automatically knowing the field coil modulation of said field coil by generating said drive signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for controlling low engine idle RPM without discharging a vehicle battery by monitoring the vehicle alternator field modulation. The apparatus includes an engine control module, an alternator, electrical loads and a switch module. The engine control module includes a first input and a first output forming a portion of a first feedback loop. The first input and first output enable the engine control module to sense and control the idle RPM of the engine. The alternator includes an armature and a field coil where rotation of the armature and modulation of the field coil controls the amount of current supplied by the alternator. The switch module modulates the field coil upon receipt of a drive signal from the engine control module. The switch module forms a part of the engine control module such that the engine control module can adjust the idle RPM of the engine to a minimum idle RPM necessary to supply current to the electrical loads by determining the idle RPM of the vehicle with the first feedback loop and by automatically knowing the field coil modulation of the field coil by generating the drive signal.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling idle RPM of an engine without discharging a vehicle battery, said apparatus comprising:
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an engine control module having a first input and a first output forming a portion of a first feedback loop, said first input and said first output operable to enable said engine control module to sense and control the idle RPM of the engine; an alternator having an armature and a field coil, rotation of said armature and modulation of said field coil operable to control an amount of current supplied by said alternator; a plurality of electrical loads operable to receive said current supplied by said alternator; and a switch module operable to modulate said field coil of said alternator upon receipt of a drive signal from said engine control module, said switch module forming a part of said engine control module, wherein said engine control module is operable to adjust the idle RPM of the engine to a minimum idle RPM necessary to supply said current to said electrical loads without discharging the vehicle battery by determining the idle RPM of the vehicle with said first feedback loop and by automatically knowing the field coil modulation of said field coil by generating said drive signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling idle RPM of an engine without discharging a vehicle battery by monitoring field coil modulation of an alternator, said method comprising the steps of:
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reading the idle RPM of the engine; reading the field coil modulation of the field coil; stepping-up the idle RPM by a first predetermined RPM value whenever the idle RPM is less than a high idle RPM limit and the field coil modulation is substantially equal to said field coil modulation limit; and stepping-down the idle RPM by a second predetermined RPM value whenever the idle RPM is greater than or equal to an intermediate idle RPM limit and said field coil modulation is less than said field coil modulation limit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for controlling idle RPM of an engine without discharging a vehicle battery by monitoring field coil modulation of an alternator, said method comprising the steps of:
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setting a minimum idle RPM limit for the engine; setting a maximum idle RPM limit for the engine; setting an intermediate idle RPM limit for the engine; setting a field coil modulation limit for a field coil of the alternator; setting a first predetermined RPM value; setting a second predetermined RPM value; reading the engine RPM of the engine; reading the field coil modulation of the field coil of the alternator; maintaining the idle RPM of the engine whenever the idle RPM is equal to about said minimum idle RPM limit and the field coil modulation is less than said field coil modulation limit; stepping-up the idle RPM by said first predetermined RPM value whenever the idle RPM is less than said maximum idle RPM limit and the field coil modulation is substantially equal to said field coil modulation limit; and stepping-down the idle RPM by said second predetermined RPM value whenever the idle RPM is greater than or equal to said intermediate idle RPM limit and said field coil modulation is less than said field coil modulation limit. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification