Multipower voltage regulator

• US 7,782,023 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prestolite Electric Incorporated (Prestolite Electric LLC)
• Original Assignee: Prestolite Electric Incorporated (Prestolite Electric LLC)
• Inventors: Holguin, German
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/607,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20080129255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 322/7, 322/22, 322/27, 322/28, 322/37, 322/59, 322/89, 322/99, 307/84, 307/57
• US Class Current: 322/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/143 with multiple generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2101/45 for motor vehicles, e.g. car alternators
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/105 for increasing the stability
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present technology provide voltage regulator-alternator configurations that can distribute loads among a plurality of alternators, and fail-safe mechanisms used in connection with such voltage regulator-alternator configurations. For example, certain embodiments of the present technology provide electrical systems that include voltage regulators with connections over which control signals, which indicate whether a detected voltage is higher or lower than a target voltage, can be transmitted to other voltage regulators and received from other voltage regulators. For example, certain embodiments of the present technology provide voltage regulators that include connections over which control signals can be transmitted to other voltage regulators and received from other voltage regulators. For example, certain embodiments of the present technology provide methods of modifying a basic voltage regulator such that the modified voltage regulator can transmit a control signal to another voltage regulator and receive a control signal from another voltage regulator.

Claims

1. An electrical system comprising:

a plurality of alternator-voltage regulator pairs connected in parallel for providing electric power, the plurality of alternator-voltage regulator pairs including a first voltage regulator paired with a first alternator and a second voltage regulator paired with a second alternator,

the first voltage regulator configured to transmit a first control signal to the second voltage regulator, the first control signal indicating whether the voltage output of the electrical system is above or below a target voltage,

the second voltage regulator configured to transmit a second control signal to the first voltage regulator, the second control signal indicating whether the voltage output of the electrical system is above or below the target voltage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage regulator is configured to increase voltage output of the first alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage or if the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage, and

wherein the second voltage regulator is configured to increase voltage output of the second alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage or if the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage regulator is configured to decrease voltage output of the first alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage and the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage, and

wherein the second voltage regulator is configured to decrease voltage output of the second alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage and the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a connection over which control signals can be communicated between the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the connection is a bi-directional bus.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery, wherein the plurality of alternator-voltage regulator pairs provide electric power to the battery.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electric load consumer, wherein the plurality of alternator-voltage regulator pairs provide electric power to the electric load consumer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical system is the electrical system of a vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage regulator comprises:

a voltage detector and error amplifier configured to (i) detect the voltage output of the electrical system, (ii) compare the detected voltage to the target voltage, and (iii) transmit the first control signal; and

an electronic switch configured to (i) receive the first control signal and the second control signal, (ii) excite the field of the first alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage or if the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage, and (iii) de-excite the field of the first alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage and the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the electronic switch is a high-side switch.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the electronic switch is a low-side switch.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first voltage regulator is a frequency on demand voltage regulator.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first voltage regulator is a pulse width modulation voltage regulator.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the first voltage regulator further includes a fail-safe mechanism configured to detect a high voltage condition and disable the electronic switch for a certain period of time when the high voltage condition is detected, the fail-safe mechanism comprising:

an over voltage detector configured to detect a voltage and transmit a first signal if the detected voltage is above a certain point;

a timer configured to receive the first signal from the over voltage detector and transmit a second signal for a certain period of time when the first signal is received; and

a cut-off drive configured to receive the second signal from the timer and disable the electronic switch while the second signal is received.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first voltage regulator further includes a fail-safe mechanism configured to detect a high current condition, and disable the electronic switch for a certain period of time when the high current condition is detected, the fail-safe mechanism comprising:

an over current detector configured to detect a current across the electronic switch, and transmit a first signal if the current is above a certain point; and

a timer configured to receive the first signal from the over current detector and transmit a second signal for a certain period of time when the first signal is received; and

a cut-off drive configured to receive the second signal from the timer and disable the electronic switch while the second signal is received.

16. A method of configuring an electrical system comprising a plurality of alternator-voltage regulator pairs connected in parallel for providing electric power, the plurality of alternator-voltage regulator pairs including a first voltage regulator paired with a first alternator and a second voltage regulator paired with a second alternator, the method comprising:

providing a connection over which control signals can be communicated between the first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator;

configuring the first voltage regulator to transmit a first control signal to the second voltage regulator, the first control signal indicating whether the voltage output of the electrical system is above or below a target voltage; and

configuring the second voltage regulator to transmit a second control signal to the first voltage regulator, the second control signal indicating whether the voltage output of the electrical system is above or below the target voltage.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first voltage regulator is configured to increase voltage output of the first alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage or if the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage, and

wherein the second voltage regulator is configured to increase voltage output of the second alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage or if the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first voltage regulator is configured to decrease voltage output of the first alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage and the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage, and

wherein the second voltage regulator is configured to decrease voltage output of the second alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage and the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage.

19. A method of controlling an electrical system comprising a plurality of alternator-voltage regulator pairs connected in parallel for providing electric power, the plurality of alternator-voltage regulator pairs including a first voltage regulator paired with a first alternator and a second voltage regulator paired with a second alternator, the method comprising:

using the first voltage regulator to transmit a first control signal to the second voltage regulator, the first control signal indicating whether the voltage output of the electrical system is above or below a target voltage; and

using the second voltage regulator to transmit a second control signal to the first voltage regulator, the second control signal indicating whether the voltage output of the electrical system is above or below the target voltage.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first voltage regulator is configured to increase voltage output of the first alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage or if the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage, and

wherein the second voltage regulator is configured to increase voltage output of the second alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage or if the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is below the target voltage.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the first voltage regulator is configured to decrease voltage output of the first alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage and the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage, and

wherein the second voltage regulator is configured to decrease voltage output of the second alternator if the first control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage and the second control signal indicates that the voltage output of the electrical system is above the target voltage.