Generator control apparatus having alarm issuing unit

• US 7,952,471 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Tsuzuki, Tomomi, Kizawa, Toshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US11/979,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20080106395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 340/455, 322/23, 322/24, 322/22
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle

Abstract

There is provided a generator control apparatus that includes a generating condition detector, an alarm issuing unit, and an alarm controller. The generating condition detector detects an operating condition of the generator for use in a vehicle. The alarm issuing unit is configured to issue alarm to a driver of the vehicle about an abnormal operating condition of the generator when the generating condition detector detects the evidence that the generator is running under an abnormal condition, and to stop to issue alarm to the driver when the generating condition detector detects the evidence that the generator is running in a normal condition.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle having an engine and a generator, comprising:

a generating condition detector that determines whether or not an operating condition of the generator is in an abnormal operating condition;

an alarm issuing unit that issues an alarm to a driver of the automotive vehicle about an abnormal operating condition of the generator when the generating condition detector detects evidence that the generator is running under the abnormal operating condition;

an alarm controller that invalidates an operation of the alarm issuing unit until a predetermined time elapses after the generator starts to generate electric power even if the alarm issuing unit stops issuing the alarm to the driver of the automotive vehicle based on a result of whether or not the operating condition of the generator is in the abnormal operating condition determined by the generating condition detector; and

a temperature sensor that detects environmental temperature of the apparatus, wherein

the alarm controller sets the predetermined time over which the operation of the alarm issuing unit is invalidated such that if the environmental temperature detected by the temperature sensor becomes higher, the predetermined time becomes shorter.

2. An apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle having an engine and a generator, comprising:

a generating condition detector that determines whether or not an operating condition of the generator is in an abnormal operating condition;

an alarm issuing unit that issues an alarm to a driver of the automotive vehicle about an abnormal operating condition of the generator when the generating condition detector detects evidence that the generator is running under the abnormal operating condition;

an alarm controller that invalidates an operation of the alarm issuing unit until a predetermined time elapses after the generator starts to generate electric power; and

an engine condition detecting unit that determines whether or not an operating condition of the engine of the automotive vehicle is in a steady state, wherein

the alarm controller invalidates the operation of the alarm issuing unit in an interval between a time when the generating condition detector detects the evidence that the generator starts to generate electric power and a further time when the engine condition detecting unit determines that the operating condition of the engine of the vehicle is in the steady state.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the generator has an armature winding that generates electric power if the armature winding is driven, and

the engine condition detecting unit determines that the operating condition of the engine is in the steady state if frequency of phase voltage of the armature winding exceeds a predetermined value.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the generator has an armature winding that generates electric power if the armature winding is driven, and

the engine condition detecting unit determines that the operating condition of the engine is in the steady state if the phase voltage of the armature winding exceeds a predetermined value.

5. A method for use in an automotive vehicle having an engine and a generator, comprising steps of:

detecting an operating condition of the generator;

issuing an alarm to a driver of the automotive vehicle about occurrence of an abnormal operating condition of the generator based on a result of detecting the operating condition of the generator;

invalidating alarm issuing until a predetermined time elapses from a time when the generator starts to generate electric power; and

determining whether or not an operating condition of the engine of the automotive vehicle is in a running state of the engine,

wherein alarm issuing is invalidated in an interval between the time when the generator starts to generate electric power and a further time when the operating condition of the engine of the automotive vehicle is in the running state of the engine.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein

the alarm issuing is invalidated until the predetermined time elapses after the generator starts to generate electric power, even if the abnormal operating condition of the generator is detected.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein

the generator has an armature winding that generates electric power if the

detecting the operating condition of the generator is based on detecting the phase voltage of the armature winding.