Apparatus for location-dependent configuration

• US 9,649,997 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Fink, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gannon, Levi
• Application Number:
  US14/350,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20140246902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 307 91, 307 101, 340657, 340660-663, 714 56
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/00 Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for devices for protecting vehicle occupants in case of accidents B60R21/00; safety belts B60R22/00; central door locking E05B49/00, E05B77/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/155 Indicating the presence of voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/165 Indicating that current or voltage is either above or below a predetermined value or within or outside a predetermined range of values
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16538 in AC or DC supplies G01R19/16519 and G01R19/16528 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus for the location-dependent configuration of a device is coupled to the apparatus. The apparatus has first and second power supply terminals, a locating terminal for locating the apparatus on the basis of a voltage applied to the locating terminal, and a configuration device for configuring the device on the basis of the voltage that is applied to the locating terminal. The first power supply terminal and the locating terminal are formed by the same terminal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for location-dependent configuration of a device coupled to the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a first connection forming a first power supply connection and a locating connection for locating the apparatus on a basis of a voltage present at said locating connection;

a second connection forming a second power supply connection;

a configuration unit connected to said first connection and adapted for configuring the device on a basis of a voltage present at said locating connection; and

a bridge rectifier circuit having a first input coupled to said first power supply connection and a second input coupled to said second power supply connection, a first output and a second output;

wherein a negative voltage is present at said first output when a negative voltage is present at one of said first and second inputs, and a positive voltage is present at said second output when a positive voltage is present at one of said first and second inputs.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is a control device of a vehicle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bridge rectifier circuit comprises a plurality of diodes.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, which comprises an asymmetrical plug comprising said first and second power supply connections.

5. A socket-outlet arrangement, comprising:

two identically shaped, asymmetrical socket outlets for an apparatus according to claim 1;

a first of said two socket outlets being configured such that said first power supply connection of the apparatus is coupled to a positive voltage when the apparatus is arranged in said first socket outlet, and a second of said two socket outlets being configured such that said first power supply connection of the apparatus is coupled to a negative voltage when the apparatus is arranged in said second socket outlet.

6. A vehicle, comprising:

a socket-outlet arrangement according to claim 5 having said first socket outlet disposed at a first installation position in the vehicle and said second socket outlet disposed at a second installation position in the vehicle.

7. In an apparatus for location-dependent configuration of a device coupled to the apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a first power supply connection and a second power supply connection;

a locating connection for locating the apparatus based on a voltage present at said locating connection; and

a configuration device connected to said locating connection and adapted for configuring the device on a basis of the voltage present at said locating connection;

the improvement which comprises;

said first power supply connection and said locating connection are one and the same connection; and

a bridge rectifier circuit having first and second inputs and first and second outputs, wherein said first input is coupled to said first power supply connection and said second input is coupled to said second power supply connection, and wherein a negative voltage is present at said first output when a negative voltage is present at one of said two inputs, and a positive voltage is present at said second output when a positive voltage is present at one of said two input.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the device is a control device of a vehicle.