Vehicular electric power source controller

• US 8,097,974 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Esaka, Toshinori, Fukasawa, Minoru, Tsutsumi, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US12/308,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.6, 307/10.7, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0032 disconnection of loads if battery is not under charge, e.g. in vehicle if engine is not running

Abstract

A vehicular electric power source controller that controls the electrification of an electrical load mounted in a vehicle includes: a first electrical load that are a portion of the electrical load mounted in the vehicle; a second electrical load that are electrified preferentially over first electrical loads when a vehicle is parked; an electric power source-switching ECU, an ACC relay and an IG relay that switch not only the electrification of the first electrical load to but also the electrification of the second electrical load; and an electric power source management ECU, a parked state ACC relay and a parked state IG relay that switch the electrification of only the second electrical load. The vehicular electric power source controller curbs wasteful electricity consumption while operating an electrical load that is used while the vehicle is parked.

Claims

1. A vehicular electric power source controller that controls electrification of an electrical load mounted in a vehicle, the vehicular electric power source controller comprising:

an operation input device that is located in a vehicle cabin, and that accepts an operation input from a user;

a first electrical load mounted in the vehicle;

a second electrical load that is electrified preferentially over the first electrical load when the vehicle is parked;

a first switching device;

a second switching device;

a first electrical switching element that switches the electrification of the first electrical load; and

a second electrical switching element that switches the electrification of the second electrical load,

wherein switching by the first switching device is performed based on a first control signal from the operation input device, and when the first control signal from the operation input device is detected, the first switching device commands to electrify the first electrical switching element and the second electrical switching element to switch the electrification of the first electrical load and the electrification of the second electrical load; and

switching by the second switching device is performed based on a second control signal from a terminal device that wirelessly communicates with the vehicle, and when the second control signal from the terminal device is received, the second switching device commands to electrify only the second electrical switching element to switch the electrification of only the second electrical load, and

the second switching device includes a prohibition device that prohibits electrification of the first electrical load by the first electrical switching element.

2. The vehicular electric power source controller according to claim 1, wherein the second switching device outputs an off-command to de-electrify the second electrical load after the first switching device outputs an on-command to electrify the second electrical load.

3. The vehicular electric power source controller according to claim 1, wherein if an on-command output by the first switching device to electrify the second electrical load overlaps with an off-command output by the second switching device to de-electrify the second electrical load, the on-command is preferentially carried out.

4. The vehicular electric power source controller according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical load includes an electrical load that starts an engine.

5. The vehicular electric power source controller according to claim 1, wherein the second electrical load includes an electrical load that controls air-conditioning in a vehicle cabin.

6. The vehicular electric power source controller according to claim 1, wherein the prohibition device is a diode.