Generation controller for a vehicle

• US 5,561,363 A
• Filed: 04/18/1995
• Issued: 10/01/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Maeda, Yuji, Mashino, Keiichi, Takamoto, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US08/423,375
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 322/22, 322/23, 322/24, 322/25, 322/27, 322/28
• US Class Current: 322/25
• 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 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1438 in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/02 Details

Abstract

A state of a plurality of switches for performing application and cutoff of a plurality of electrical loads is stored in a memory circuit. A pattern of supply power after application of the load for each of the plurality of electrical loads and a load response priority order assigned previously to each of the electrical loads are stored in a memory table. A control circuit identifies a newly applied load on the basis of the turned-on state of the plurality of switches stored in the memory circuit and instructs an electric power supply circuit to supply electric power in accordance with the supply power pattern corresponding to the identified load, while the control circuit prohibits application of the newly applied electrical load when an electrical load having the load response priority order higher than that of the newly applied electrical load has been already applied. The memory table may store consumption power and an application priority order assigned previously to each of the electrical loads. In this case, a total amount of consumption power of the applied electrical loads is calculated. When an electrical load having the application priority order lower than that of the newly applied electrical load has been already applied and the control circuit judges that the total amount of consumption power of the applied electrical loads exceeds a predetermined value, the control circuit instructs to cut off the electrical load having the lower application priority order.

Claims

1. A generation controller for a vehicle for use in a concentrated wiring system including a generator, a battery charged by said generator, a plurality of local processing units for supplying electric power from said battery to at least one electrical device, a central control unit for performing data transmission between said central control unit and said local processing units, switches connected to said local processing units, and a voltage regulator for adjusting a voltage generated by said generator,

wherein said voltage controller comprising:

memory means for storing an amount of electric power generated by turning on of said switches;

a receiving circuit for receiving data of a turned-on state of said switches transmitted from said central control unit; and

a control unit for detecting the turning on of said switches by means of said receiving circuit and increasing an amount of electric power corresponding to the turned-on switches with a predetermined waveform.

2. A generation controller for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a pattern for increasing the amount of electric power is varied in accordance with a kind of an electrical load defined for each of said switches.

3. A generation controller for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said central processing unit, said local processing units and an external control signal terminal (C terminal) of said receiving circuit included in said generator are connected to each other through an optical fiber cable.

4. A generation controller for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said load switch is disposed in a position nearest to said central processing unit or said local processing units.

5. A generation controller for a vehicle for use in a concentrated wiring system including a generator, a battery charged by said generator, a plurality of local processing units for supplying electric power from said battery to at least one electrical load device, a central control unit for performing data transmission between said central control unit and said local processing units, switches connected to said local processing units, and a voltage regulator for adjusting a voltage generated by said generator, said generation controller comprising:

a receiving circuit for receiving data of a turned-on state of said switches transmitted from said central control unit in combination of turned-on switches; and

a control circuit for detecting kinds of applied loads in said switches by means of said receiving circuit and increasing an amount of electric power with a predetermined waveform in accordance with a combination of the applied loads.

6. A generation controller for a vehicle for use in a concentrated wiring system including a generator, a battery charged by said generator, a plurality of local processing units for supplying electric power from said battery to at least one electrical load device, a central control unit for performing data transmission between said central control unit and said local processing units, switches connected to said local processing units, and a voltage regulator for adjusting a voltage generated by said generator, said generation controller comprising:

memory means for storing an amount of electric power generated by turning on of said switches;

a receiving circuit for receiving data of a turned-on state of said switches transmitted from said central control unit; and

a transmission circuit for detecting turning on of said switches by means of said receiving circuit and calculating a total amount of electric power corresponding to the turned-on switches to compare said total amount with a predetermined allowable value and produce a signal for preventing energization to said electrical load in the applied loads in accordance with a predetermined priority order when said total amount exceeds said allowable value.

7. A generation controller for use in a generation system for a vehicle including a generator, a battery charged by said generator, a plurality of electrical loads, a plurality of operation switches for performing application and cutoff of said plurality of electrical loads, respectively, an electric power supply circuit responsive to a state of said plurality of operation switches to supply electric power to said electrical load having the operation switch turned on, of said plurality of operation switches, and a voltage regulator for adjusting a generated voltage of said generator, said generation controller comprising:

a receiving circuit for receiving data representative of a turned-on state of said plurality of switches;

a memory circuit for storing the turned-on state of said plurality of switches obtained from said received data;

a memory table for storing a pattern of electric power to be supplied after application of said electrical load for each of said plurality of electrical load and a load response priority order assigned previously to each of said plurality of electrical loads; and

a control circuit for identifying a newly applied electrical load on the basis of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches stored in said memory circuit and instructing said electric power supply circuit to supply electric power in accordance with the supply power pattern corresponding to said identified load;

said control circuit prohibiting application of said newly applied electrical load when said control circuit judges from contents of said memory circuit that said electrical load having the load response priority order higher than that of said newly applied electrical load has been already applied.

10. A generation controller according to claim 7, wherein said generation controller is disposed within said voltage regulator.

13. A generation controller according to claim 7, wherein said generation controller is disposed outside of said voltage regulator.

16. A generation controller according to claim 7, wherein said data representative of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches is transmitted to said receiving circuit by a serial data transmission technique.

19. A generation controller according to claim 16, wherein said data representative of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches is transmitted to said receiving circuit through an optical fiber.

8. A generation controller for use in a generation system for a vehicle including a generator, a battery charged by said generator, a plurality of electrical loads, a plurality of operation switches for performing application and cutoff of said plurality of electrical loads, respectively, an electric power supply circuit responsive to a state of said plurality of operation switches to supply electric power to said electrical load having the operation switch turned on, of said plurality of operation switches, and a voltage regulator for adjusting a generated voltage of said generator, said generation controller comprising:

a receiving circuit for receiving data representative of a turned-on state of said plurality of switches;

a memory circuit for storing the turned-on state of said plurality of switches obtained from said received data;

a memory table for storing consumption power and an application priority order assigned previously to each of said plurality of electrical loads;

means for calculating a total amount of consumption power of the applied electrical loads on the basis of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches stored in said memory circuit; and

a control circuit for identifying a newly applied electrical load on the basis of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches stored in said memory circuit and instructing said electric power supply circuit to supply electric power to said identified load;

said control circuit instructing to cut off said electrical load having a lower application priority order when the total amount of consumption power exceeds a predetermined value and said control circuit judges from contents of said memory circuit that said electrical load having said application priority order lower than that of said newly applied electrical load has been already applied.

11. A generation controller according to claim 8, wherein said generation controller is disposed within said voltage regulator.

14. A generation controller according to claim 8, wherein said generation controller is disposed outside of said voltage regulator.

17. A generation controller according to claim 8, wherein said data representative of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches is transmitted to said receiving circuit by a serial data transmission technique.

20. A generation controller according to claim 17, wherein said data representative of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches is transmitted to said receiving circuit through an optical fiber.

9. A generation controller for use in a generation system for a vehicle including a generator, a battery charged by said generator, a plurality of electrical loads, a plurality of operation switches for performing application and cutoff of said plurality of electrical loads, respectively, an electric power supply circuit responsive to a state of said plurality of operation switches to supply electric power to said electrical load having the operation switch turned on, of said plurality of operation switches, and a voltage regulator for adjusting a generated voltage of said generator, said generation controller comprising:

a receiving circuit for receiving data representative of a turned-on state of said plurality of switches;

a memory circuit for storing the turned-on state of said plurality of switches obtained from said received data;

a memory table for storing a pattern of electric power to be supplied after application of said electrical load for each of said plurality of electrical load, a load response priority order assigned previously to each of said plurality of electrical loads, consumption power and an application priority order assigned previously to each of said electrical load;

means for calculating a total amount of consumption power of applied electrical loads on the basis of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches stored in said memory circuit; and

a control circuit for identifying a newly applied electrical load on the basis of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches stored in said memory circuit and instructing said electric power supply circuit to supply electric power in accordance with the supply power pattern corresponding to said identified load;

said control circuit prohibiting application of said newly applied electrical load when said control circuit judges from contents of said memory circuit that said electrical load having the load response priority order higher than that of said newly applied electrical load has been already applied and instructing cutoff of said electrical load having a lower application priority order when said control circuit judges that the total amount of consumption power exceeds a predetermined value and judges from contents of said memory circuit that said electrical load having the application priority order lower than that of said newly applied electrical load has been already applied.

12. A generation controller according to claim 9, wherein said generation controller is disposed within said voltage regulator.

15. A generation controller according to claim 9, wherein said generation controller is disposed outside of said voltage regulator.

18. A generation controller according to claim 9, wherein said data representative of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches is transmitted to said receiving circuit by a serial data transmission technique.

21. A generation controller according to claim 18, wherein said data representative of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches is transmitted to said receiving circuit through an optical fiber.

22. A generation system for a vehicle comprising:

a generator;

a battery charged by said generator;

a plurality of electrical loads;

a plurality of operation switches for performing application and cutoff of said plurality of electrical loads, respectively;

an electric power supply circuit responsive to a state of said plurality of operation switches to supply electric power to said electrical load having the operation switch turned-on, of said plurality of operation switches;

a voltage regulator for adjusting a generated electric power of said generator; and

a generation controller including;

a receiving circuit for receiving data representative of a turned-on state of said plurality of switches;

a memory circuit for storing the turned-on state of said plurality of switches obtained from said received data;

a memory table for storing a pattern of electric power to be supplied after application of said electrical load for each of said plurality of electrical load and a load response priority order assigned previously to each of said plurality of electrical loads; and

a control circuit for identifying a newly applied electrical load on the basis of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches stored in said memory circuit and instructing said electric power supply circuit to supply electric power in accordance with the supply power pattern corresponding to said identified load;

said control circuit prohibiting application of said newly applied electrical load when said control circuit judges from contents of said memory circuit that said electrical load having the load response priority order higher than that of said newly applied electrical load has been already applied.

23. A generation system for a vehicle comprising:

a generator;

a battery charged by said generator;

a plurality of electrical loads;

a plurality of operation switches for performing application and cutoff of said plurality of electrical loads, respectively;

an electric power supply circuit responsive to a state of said plurality of operation switches to supply electric power to said electrical load having the operation switch turned-on, of said plurality of operation switches;

a voltage regulator for adjusting a generated electric power of said generator; and

a generation controller including;

a receiving circuit for receiving data representative of a turned-on state of said plurality of switches;

a memory circuit for storing the turned-on state of said plurality of switches obtained from said received data;

a memory table for storing consumption power and an application priority order assigned previously to each of said plurality of electrical loads;

means for calculating a total amount of consumption power of the applied electrical loads on the basis of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches stored in said memory circuit; and

a control circuit for identifying a newly applied electrical load on the basis of the turned-on state of said plurality of switches stored in said memory circuit and instructing said electric power supply circuit to supply electric power to said identified load;

said control circuit instructing to cut off said electrical load having a lower application priority order when the total amount of consumption power exceeds a predetermined value and said control circuit judges from contents of said memory circuit that said electrical load having said application priority order lower than that of said newly applied electrical load has been already applied.