Automotive power distribution apparatus and auxiliary terminal for a user optional load

• US 6,925,369 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kamei, Eiichi, Obayashi, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/345,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20030144779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/22, 701/36, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 18/652
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A load calculator detects a specific electric amount separately from an essential electric amount. The specific electric amount represents an electric power consumption of specific electric loads including at least one economizable electric load which is selectively turned on and off so as to serve as an objective to be economized in power consumption. The essential electric amount represents an electric power consumption of essential electric loads which are not economizable and essentially required for driving an automotive vehicle. A power saving promoting element promotes power saving by reducing power consumption in the economizable electric load with reference to the specific electric amount.

Claims

1. An automotive power distribution apparatus for supplying electric power to a plurality of car-equipped electric loads from an automotive power source including a battery, comprising:

a detecting element for detecting a specific electric amount separately from an essential electric amount, said specific electric amount representing an electric power consumption of specific electric loads including at least one economizable electric load which is selectively turned on and off so as to serve as an objective to be economized in power consumption, and said essential electric amount representing an electric power consumption of essential electric loads which are not economizable and essentially required for driving an automotive vehicle; and

a power saving promoting element for promoting power saving by reducing power consumption in said economizable electric load with reference to said specific electric amount,

wherein said detecting element is operative to detect the specific electric amount representing the electric power consumption of the specific electric loads independently of a total power demand of the specific electric loads and the essential electric loads.

2. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said detecting element does not detect said essential electric amount.

3. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said power saving promoting element includes a display element for realizing a visual or audible display to let a vehicle driver know said specific electric amount or relevant power saving information.

4. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said display element changes at least one of a display brightness, a display color, a display light flickering interval, and a sound effect with reference to a level of said specific electric amount or said relevant power saving information.

5. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said display element outputs a warning signal when said specific electric amount or said relevant power saving information exceeds a predetermined level.

6. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said power saving promoting element includes a control element for activating or deactivating said economizable electric load in a power saving mode for reducing said specific electric amount when said specific electric amount exceeds a predetermined threshold level.

7. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said control element brings said economizable electric load into said power saving mode when said specific electric amount or said relevant power saving information exceeds a predetermined level continuously for a predetermined time.

8. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said control element includes a means for releasing said power saving mode or resuming the power supply to said economizable electric load in response to a reset signal entered by the vehicle driver.

9. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said control element changes said threshold level according to a command signal entered by a vehicle driver.

10. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said control element stops power supply to said economizable electric load when said specific electric amount or said relevant power saving information exceeds a predetermined level continuously for a predetermined time.

11. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said specific electric amount is a command signal supplied to a control means for activating said economizable electric load or a signal relating to said command signal.

12. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the specific electric amount detected by said detecting element includes an electric amount relating to a current flowing across a user optional terminal which is attached to said battery for supplying electric power to a user optional electric load serving as said economizable electric load.

13. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a calculating element for calculating relevant power saving information based on said specific electric amount.

14. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said relevant power saving information calculated by said calculating element is information relating to fuel cost reduction representing a power saving effect brought by said economizable electric load, and said information relating to fuel cost reduction is calculated based on a unit price of fuel consumed by the automotive vehicle and said specific electric amount.

15. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said calculating element is associated with a means for inputting said unit price of fuel from the outside of the automotive vehicle.

16. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said relevant power saving information calculated by said calculating element is information relating to fuel consumption per unit electric power which changes in accordance with a vehicle traveling condition or an operating condition of a power generating device.

17. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 16, wherein said calculating element calculates a fuel consumption equivalent to an electric power consumed in said economizable electric load based on said fuel consumption per unit electric power and said specific electric amount.

18. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a calculating element for converting power consumption data of said economizable electric load obtained based on said specific electric amount into relevant power saving information which is expressible by using a plurality kinds of the units for display and for outputting the converted relevant power saving information to said power saving promoting element, and

a switching element for changing the units to be adopted by said calculating element.

19. The automotive power distribution apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein said units for display include at least two units selected from the group consisting of a fuel consumption deterioration rate, a consumed electric power, a fuel consumption per unit traveling distance, a fuel consumption per unit time, a fuel cost per unit traveling distance, and a fuel cost per unit time.