Method and apparatus for discharging a high-voltage bus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315531-B2
Application number	US-201615284033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2016
Priority date	Oct 3, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

An electrical system for a vehicle includes a high-voltage DC power source electrically connected to a high-voltage bus, a first controller disposed to control electric power flow between the high-voltage bus and a first actuator, and a second controller disposed to control electric power flow between the high-voltage bus and a second actuator. A communication link is disposed to effect communication between the first controller and the second controller. An inertial sensor communicates with the second controller. The second controller includes an instruction set to monitor and determine a request to discharge the high-voltage bus based upon communication from the sensor. Upon determining that the first controller is incapable of discharging the high-voltage bus, the second actuator is controlled to discharge the high-voltage bus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical system for a vehicle, comprising:
a high-voltage DC power source electrically connected to a high-voltage bus;
a first controller disposed to control electric power flow between the high-voltage bus and a first actuator;
a second controller disposed to control electric power flow between the high-voltage bus and a second actuator, wherein the second controller is operatively connected to a first contactor and a second contactor, wherein the first contactor is disposed between a charger device and a positive rail of the high-voltage bus, and wherein the second contactor is disposed between the first controller and the positive rail of the high-voltage bus;
a communication link disposed to effect communication between the first controller and the second controller;
a sensor configured to monitor vehicle inertia, wherein the sensor is disposed to communicate directly with the second controller; and
an instruction set disposed in the second controller, the instruction set executable to:
monitor communication from the sensor,
determine a request to discharge the high-voltage bus based upon the communication from the sensor,
monitor communication from the first controller to determine whether the first controller is capable of discharging the high-voltage bus,
close the first contactor and then close the second contactor prior to controlling the second actuator to discharge the high-voltage bus, and
control the second actuator to discharge the high-voltage bus upon determining that the first controller is incapable of discharging the high-voltage bus.

2. The electrical system of claim 1 , further comprising the instruction set executable to open the second contactor and then open the first contactor subsequent to controlling the second actuator to discharge the high-voltage bus.

3. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the first controller comprises an inverter module and the first actuator comprises a motor/generator.

4. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the second actuator comprises a high-voltage battery heater.

5. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction set executable to monitor communication from the first controller to determine whether the first controller is capable of discharging the high-voltage bus comprises the instruction set executable to monitor signal communication on the communication link.

6. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction set executable to determine that the first controller is incapable of discharging the high-voltage bus comprises the first instruction set executable to detect a communication fault.

7. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the communication link disposed to effect communication between the first controller and the second controller comprises first and second controller-area network buses that execute message-based protocols to effect communication.

8. The electrical system of claim 1 , further comprising the high-voltage bus including a positive rail and a negative rail, wherein the negative rail includes a controllable contactor switch disposed between the negative rail and the high-voltage DC power source.

9. A method for controlling an electrical system for a vehicle, wherein the electrical system includes a high-voltage DC power source electrically connected to a high-voltage bus, a first controller disposed to control electric power flow between the high-voltage bus and a first actuator, a second controller disposed to control electric power flow between the high-voltage bus and a second actuator, wherein the second controller is operatively connected to a first contactor and a second contactor, wherein the first contactor is disposed between a charger device and a positive rail of the high-voltage bus, and wherein the second contactor is disposed between the first controller and the positive rail of the high-voltage bus, a communication link disposed to effect communication between the first controller and the second controller, and a sensor disposed to monitor vehicle inertia, wherein the sensor is disposed to communicate with the second controller, the method comprising:
monitoring communication from the sensor;
determining a request to discharge the high-voltage bus based upon a communication from the sensor indicating an inertial event;
monitoring communication from the first controller to determine whether the first controller is capable of discharging the high-voltage bus; and
closing, via the second controller, the first contactor and then closing the second contactor prior to controlling the second actuator to discharge the high-voltage bus,
controlling, via the second controller, the second actuator to discharge the high-voltage bus upon determining that the first controller is incapable of discharging the high-voltage bus.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising opening the second contactor and opening the first contactor subsequent to controlling the second actuator to discharge the high-voltage bus.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein monitoring communication from the first controller to determine whether the first controller is capable of discharging the high-voltage bus comprises monitoring signal communication on the communication link.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining that the first controller is incapable of discharging the high-voltage bus comprises detecting a communication fault.

13. An electrical system for supplying high-voltage electric power to an inverter module that is electrically connected to a motor/generator for a vehicle, comprising:
a high-voltage bus electrically connected to the inverter module;
a first controller disposed to control electric power flow between the high-voltage bus and the motor/generator;
a second controller disposed to control electric power flow between the high-voltage bus and a second actuator;
the second controller operatively connected to a first contactor and a second contactor;
the first contactor disposed between a charger device and a positive rail of the high-voltage bus; and
the second contactor disposed between the first controller and the positive rail of the high-voltage bus;
a communication link disposed to effect communication between the first controller and the second controller; and
a sensor disposed to monitor vehicle inertia, wherein the sensor is disposed to communicate with the second controller;
wherein the second controller includes an instruction set executable to:
monitor communication from the sensor,
determine a request to discharge the high-voltage bus based upon the communication from the sensor,
monitor communication from the first controller to determine whether the first controller is capable of discharging the high-voltage bus,
close the first and second contactors prior to controlling the second actuator to discharge the high-voltage bus, and
control the second actuator to discharge the high-voltage bus upon determining that the first controller is incapable of discharging the high-voltage bus.

14. The electrical system of claim 13 , further comprising the instruction set executable to open the second contactor and then open the first contactor subsequent to controlling the second actuator to discharge the high-voltage bus.

15. The electrical system of claim 14 , wherein the second actuator comprises a high-voltage battery heater.

16. The electrical system of claim 13 , wherein the instruction set executable to determine that the first controller is incapable of discharging the high-voltage bus comprises the fi

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Mifsud David J
• Bassham Marjorie A
• Holihan Kyle
• Francu Emil

Classifications

• B60K1/04

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B60L1/00

  Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00) · CPC title

• B60L3/00 Primary

  Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption (methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00) · CPC title

• B60R16/023

  for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems · CPC title

• Y02T90/16

  Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles · CPC title