DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE INTENSITY OF CURRENT

• US 20080079415A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Prevot, Guillaume, Mirescu, Dan
• Application Number:
  US11/863,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20080079415A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/76.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/203 Resistors used for electric measuring, e.g. decade resistors standards, resistors for comparators, series resistors, shunts resistors in general H01C; microwave or radiowave terminations H01P1/26; coupling devices H01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence

Abstract

A device allows current flowing in each branch of a multi-channel circuit to be evaluated. The device includes secondary branches in parallel with each other and which each receive a resistive component. The device also includes a main branch with a resistive component, the main branch being connected in series with the secondary branches, and a control unit that analyzes the voltages measured across the terminals of each of the resistive components and deduces the value of the current flowing through each of the resistive components. A method for determining the intensity of electrical currents is performed using the device. The currents can be measured in several branches in a less expensive manner. The temperature of the device can also be determined.

Claims

1. A device for allowing current flowing in each branch of a multi-channel circuit to be evaluated, the device comprising:

secondary branches in parallel with each other and which each receive a resistive component of variable resistance that varies according to a common variation law;

a main branch with a resistive component of predetermined resistance, the main branch being connected in series with the secondary branches; and

a control unit that analyzes voltages measured across terminals of the resistive components of the main branch and the secondary branches and as a function of the predetermined resistance of the resistive component of the main branch and that deduces a value of current flowing through the resistive components of the main branch and the secondary branches.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the resistive component of the main branch is a shunt.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the resistive components of the secondary branches have a characteristic that varies as a function of temperature.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the resistive components of the secondary branches have a resistance that varies as a function of temperature.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein the resistive components of the secondary branches are customized for each of the secondary branches as a function of nominal current that flows through the resistive components of the secondary branches, and all the resistive components of the secondary branches vary according to a common law as a function of temperature.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the control unit determines a global temperature of the device.

7. An architecture of a vehicle electrical system, the architecture comprising:

a device allowing current flowing in each branch of a multi-channel circuit to be evaluated, the device including;

secondary branches in parallel with each other and which each receive a resistive component of variable resistance that varies according to a common variation law;

a main branch with a resistive component of predetermined resistance, the main branch being connected in series with the secondary branches; and

a control unit that analyzes voltages measured across terminals of the resistive components of the main branch and the secondary branches and as a function of the predetermined resistance of the resistive component of the main branch and that deduces a value of current flowing through the resistive components of the main branch and the secondary branches.

8. The architecture as recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the secondary branches is chosen from a group consisting of a power supply circuit of a power window motor, a power supply circuit of a rear-view mirror actuator motor, a power supply circuit of a lock actuating motor, a power supply circuit of a sun-roof actuating motor and a power supply circuit of a seat actuating motor.

9. A method for determining electrical current intensity in each branch of a device, the device including:

secondary branches in parallel with each other and which each receive a resistive component of variable resistance that varies according to a common variation law,

a main branch with a resistive component of predetermined resistance, the main branch being connected in series with the secondary branches, and

a control unit that analyzes voltages measured across terminals of the resistive components of the main branch and the secondary branches and as a function of the predetermined resistance of the resistive component of the main branch and that deduces a value of current flowing through the resistive components of the main branch and the secondary branches, the method comprising the steps of;

measuring the voltage across the terminals of the resistive components of the main branch and the secondary branches; and

determining an intensity of the current in the main branch and the secondary branches as a function of a characteristic of the resistive component of the main branch.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further including the step of determining a temperature of the device.