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Power distribution apparatus for a motor vehicle

  • US 6,700,386 B2
  • Filed: 12/20/2001
  • Issued: 03/02/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A power distribution apparatus for a motor vehicle having a plurality of electric loads, a power supply for supplying a power to said electric loads, and distribution control means for independently controlling distribution of said power to said electric loads, said distribution control means further comprising:

  • storing means for storing priorities of said electric loads for classifying said electric loads into a plurality of groups;

    detection means for detecting an error in a power feeding system including said power supply and said distribution control means and detecting a condition that it is possible to partially distribute said power to said electric loads in the presence of said error; and

    control means for distributing said power to a portion of said groups of said electric loads having said priority which is relatively high and cutting off said power to remainder of said groups of said electric loads having said priority which is relatively low when said detection means detects said condition, wherein said storing means further stores class data for classifying said electric loads into an essential group and a non-essential group, said detection means further detects, in the presence of said error, a second condition that said error will make it impossible to run said motor vehicle and a third condition that said error allows said motor vehicle to run, and said control means cuts off said power to at least said essential group of said electric loads on the basis of said class data when said detection means detects said second condition and distributes said power to said essential group of said electric loads and cuts off said power to at least a portion of said non-essential group of electric loads on the basis of said class data when said detection means detects said third condition.

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