Vehicle including remote terminals connected to battery so as to prevent electronic tampering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11186180-B2
Application number	US-201916682053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2019
Priority date	Nov 13, 2019
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a motor vehicle including remote terminals connected to battery so as to prevent electronic tampering, and a corresponding method. An example vehicle includes a battery with battery terminals. The vehicle further includes remote terminals electronically connected to the battery terminals so as to prevent electronic tampering with the battery via the remote terminals.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a battery including battery terminals;
remote terminals electronically connected to the battery terminals so as to prevent electronic tampering with the battery via the remote terminals;
a sensor configured to generate an output indicative of a direction of current flowing between the battery terminals and the remote terminals;
a controller electronically connected to the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to perform at least one step when the output from the sensor indicates current is flowing out of the battery via the remote terminals,
wherein the at least one step includes issuing a prompt informing a user that current is flowing out of the battery, and receiving an input from the user regarding whether discharging of the battery is authorized, and
wherein, when the controller receives an input indicating that discharging of the battery is not authorized, the at least one step includes one or more of (1) activating an alarm of the motor vehicle, (2) recording images of an area around the vehicle, (3) sending an alert to a user, and (4) sending an alert to authorities.

2. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a Hall effect sensor.

3. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein, when the controller receives an input indicating that discharging of the battery is authorized, the controller monitors a state of charge of the battery relative to a low state of charge threshold.

4. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 3 , wherein, when the state of charge of the battery meets or falls below the threshold, the controller is configured to perform at least one of (1) issuing a prompt to a user indicating a low battery state of charge and (2) electronically disconnecting the remote terminals from the battery terminals.

5. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an electronic circuit between the remote terminals and the battery terminals, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to prevent backfeeding of current from the battery to the remote terminals and protect the battery from a voltage spike.

6. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 5 , wherein:
the electronic circuit includes a diode configured to prevent backfeeding of current from the battery to the remote terminals, and
the electronic circuit includes at least one electronic component configured to protect the battery from a voltage spike.

7. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 6 , wherein the at least one electronic component configured to protect the battery from a voltage spike includes at least one of a circuit breaker and a Zener diode.

8. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 7 , wherein:
the battery terminals includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal,
the remote terminals includes a remote positive terminal and a remote negative terminal,
the remote positive terminal is electronically connected to a first node of the electronic circuit via a first branch,
a first circuit breaker is arranged in the first branch,
the diode configured to prevent backfeeding of current from the battery is arranged in a second branch between the first node and the positive terminal of the battery,
the negative terminal of the battery is electronically connected to a second node via a third branch,
a second circuit breaker is arranged in the third branch,
the first and second nodes are connected by a fourth branch including a Zener diode configured to direct current to ground without flowing to the battery when a Zener voltage is exceeded,
the Zener voltage exceeds the battery voltage.

9. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is configured to be jump started via the remote terminals.

10. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a cover configured to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein the remote terminals are arranged in a recess beneath the cover.

11. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein the cover is arranged adjacent a rear edge of a hood of the motor vehicle.

12. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a battery including battery terminals;
remote terminals electronically connected to the battery terminals so as to prevent electronic tampering with the battery via the remote terminals;
a sensor configured to generate an output indicative of a direction of current flowing between the battery terminals and the remote terminals;
a controller electronically connected to the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to perform at least one step when the output from the sensor indicates current is flowing out of the battery via the remote terminals; and
a switch between the remote terminals and the battery terminals, wherein the at least one step includes opening the switch to electronically disconnect the remote terminals and the battery terminals.

13. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 12 , wherein the at least one step includes determining whether a user of the vehicle is within a predetermined range of the vehicle.

14. The motor vehicle as recited in claim 13 , wherein the controller determines whether the user is within the predetermined range of the vehicle by locating a mobile device of the user or a keyfob.

15. A method, comprising:
preventing electronic tampering with a battery via remote terminals electronically connected to terminals of the battery, wherein the preventing step includes one or both of: (1) preventing backfeeding of current from the battery to the remote terminals and (2) protecting the battery from a voltage spike.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Glickman David Brian
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Phung Peter
• Deljevic Zeljko

Classifications

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/663

  using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/80

  including monitoring or indicating arrangements · CPC title

• H01M10/48

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• H01M50/572

  Means for preventing undesired use or discharge · CPC title