Vehicle electronic system

• US 10,730,459 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2018
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Flotkoetter, Robert, Magee, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhillon, Jagdeep S
• Application Number:
  US15/992,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20190366954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 307 106, 307 101, 307 102, 307 91, 307 43, 307 66, 307 64, 307 80, 307 82, 307 38
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/22 characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/10 using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• 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: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1886 Controlling power supply to auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/91 Battery charging
• 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: Y10S 903/904 Component specially adapted for hev

Abstract

A vehicle electronic system having an electronic controller and a power switching device configured to switch between a first power setting and a second power setting. The first power setting includes powering at least one of a plurality of electrically powered accessories with power from an on-board electric power supply. The second power setting includes powering the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories with power from an external power supply thereby preventing the use of electric power from the on-board electric power supply. The electronic controller is configured to electronically operate the switching device to switch between the first power setting and the second power setting such that in response to detection of power from the external power supply, the switching device is switched to the second power mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle and vehicle electronic system, comprising:

an on-board electric power supply installed within the vehicle configured to supply electric power to the vehicle;

an external power supply configured to be manually connected and manually disconnected from the vehicle;

a plurality of electrically powered accessories;

an input panel/display configured to display a list of the plurality of electrically powered accessories and the input panel/display being further configured to receive input from a vehicle operator including selecting at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories displayed by the input panel/display;

a power switching device connected to the on-board electric power supply and the external power supply, the power switching device being configured to switch between a first power setting and a second power setting;

the first power setting includes powering the at least one electrically powered accessory of the plurality of electrically powered accessories with power from the on-board electric power supply, and

the second power setting includes powering the at least one electrically powered accessory of the plurality of electrically powered accessories with power from an external power supply thereby preventing the use of electric power from the on-board electric power supply to the at least one electrically powered accessory while power is being drawn from the external power supply; and

an electronic controller connected to the input panel/display, the on-board electric power supply, the plurality of electrically powered accessories and the power switching device, the electronic controller being configured to operate the input panel/display to display the list of the plurality of electrically powered accessories and receive input from the input panel/display of selections made by the vehicle operator including the selection of the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories, the electronic controller being further configured to electronically operate the switching device to switch between the first power setting and the second power setting such that in response to detection of power from the external power supply the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories is provided with power after the switching device is switched to the second power mode.

2. The vehicle and vehicle electronic system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic input/output port connected to the electronic controller and the power switching device, the external power supply including a connector that is removably connected to the electronic input/output port.

3. The vehicle and vehicle electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

the on-board electric power supply is a rechargeable battery.

4. The vehicle and vehicle electronic system according to claim 3, wherein

the vehicle includes a power plant with a charging device that is connected to the rechargeable battery.

5. The vehicle and vehicle electronic system according to claim 4, further comprising:

an ignition switch connected to the power plant and the battery, the ignition switch being configured to be manually operated to switch the power plant between an operating state and an off-state, and

the electronic controller is further configured to switch to the second power setting in response to the power plant being in the off-state, in response to detection of power from the external power supply and in response selection of the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories.

6. The vehicle and vehicle electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of electrically powered accessories includes an audio device, a video device, at least one vehicle camera, a security device connected to the at least one vehicle camera, a GPS (global positioning system) and at least one wireless communication device.

7. The vehicle and vehicle electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic controller being further configured detect a power output level of the external power supply while in the second power setting, and

in response the determining that the power output level of the external power supply has dropped below a predetermined level, the electronic controller shuts off the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories and electronically operates the switching device to switch from the second power setting to the first power setting.

8. The vehicle and vehicle electronic system according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic controller is further configured to compare the power available from the external power supply and corresponding power requirements of each of the plurality of electrically powered accessories and operate the input panel/display to display only those ones of the plurality of electrically powered accessories with power requirements that can be met by power available from the external power supply and receive further selection by the vehicle operator selecting only those ones of the plurality of electrically powered accessories with power requirements that can be met by power available.

9. A vehicle electronic system, comprising:

a power plant with a charging device;

an on-board electric power supply connected to the charging device such that with the power plant operating, the charging device supplies electrical current to the on-board electric power supply in order to charge the on-board electric power supply;

an ignition switch connected to the power plant and the battery, the ignition switch being configured to be manually operated to switch the power plant between an operating state and an off-state;

an electronic input/output port;

an external power supply configured to be manually connected to and manually disconnected from the electronic input/output port;

a plurality of electrically powered accessories;

an input panel/display configured to display a list of the plurality of electrically powered accessories and the input panel/display being further configured to receive input from a vehicle operator including selecting at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories displayed by the input panel/display;

a power switching device connected to the on-board electric power supply and the input/output electronic port, the power switching device being configured to switch between a first power setting and a second power setting;

the first power setting includes powering the at least one plurality of electrically powered accessories with power from the on-board electric power supply, and

the second power setting includes powering at least one selected electrically powered accessory of the plurality of electrically powered accessories with power from the external power supply and preventing the use of electric power from the on-board electric power supply to the at least one selected electrically power accessory while power is being drawn from the external power supply; and

an electronic controller connected to the input panel/display, the on-board electric power supply, the input/output electronic port, the plurality of electrically powered accessories and the power switching device, the electronic controller being configured to operate the input panel/display to display the list of the plurality of electrically powered accessories and receive input from the input panel/display of selections made by the vehicle operator including the selection of the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories, the electronic controller being further configured to electronically operate the switching device to switch from the first power setting to the second power setting in response to detection of power from the external power supply and selection of the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories.

10. The vehicle electronic system according to claim 9, wherein:

the on-board electric power supply is a rechargeable battery.

11. The vehicle electronic system according to claim 10, further comprising:

an ignition switch connected to the power plant and the battery, the ignition switch being configured to be manually operated to switch the power plant between an operating state and an off-state, and

the electronic controller is further configured to switch to the second power setting in response to detecting that the power plant in the off-state, in response to detection of power from the external power supply and in response the selection of the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories.

12. The vehicle electronic system according to claim 9, wherein

the plurality of electrically powered accessories includes an audio device, a video device, at least one vehicle camera, a security device connected to the at least one vehicle camera, a GPS (global positioning system) and at least one wireless communication device.

13. The vehicle electronic system according to claim 9, wherein

the electronic controller being further configured detect a power output level of the external power supply while in the second power setting, and

in response the determining that the power output level of the external power supply has dropped below a predetermined level, the electronic controller shuts off the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories and electronically operates the switching device to switch from the second power setting to the first power setting.

14. The vehicle electronic system according to claim 9, wherein

the electronic controller is further configured to compare the power available from the external power supply and corresponding power requirements of each of the plurality of electrically powered accessories and operate the input panel/display to display only those ones of the plurality of electrically powered accessories with power requirements that can be met by power available from the external power supply and receive further selection by the vehicle operator selecting only those ones of the plurality of electrically powered accessories with power requirements that can be met by power available.