Power distribution unit with a configurable offset voltage for fuse current determination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11664649-B2
Application number	US-201916710413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2019
Priority date	Nov 8, 2017
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus to determine offset voltage to adjust a fuse current determination including a fuse load circuit structured to determine that no current is demanded for a fuse load, and to further determine that contactors associated with the fuse are open, an offset voltage determination circuit structured to determine an offset voltage corresponding to at least one component in a fuse circuit associated with the fuse, in response to the determining that no current is demanded for the fuse load, and an offset data management circuit structured to store the offset voltage, and to communicate a current calculation offset voltage for use by a controller to determine current flow through the fuse.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus to determine offset voltage to adjust a fuse current determination, comprising:
a fuse load circuit structured to determine that no current is demanded for a fuse load of a fuse, and to further determine that contactors associated with the fuse are open;
an offset voltage determination circuit structured to determine an offset voltage corresponding to at least one component in a fuse circuit associated with the fuse, in response to the determining that no current is demanded for the fuse load; and
an offset data management circuit structured to store the offset voltage, and to communicate a current calculation offset voltage for use by a controller to determine current flow through the fuse.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a diagnostic circuit structured to diagnose a component in response to the offset voltage.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a diagnostic circuit structured to determine which one of a plurality of components is contributing to the offset voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the component is at least one of degraded, failed, or in a fault or off-nominal condition.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a diagnostic circuit structured to compare a null offset nominal voltage to a null offset voltage threshold value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines that a key-off event has occurred for a vehicle including the fuse, an electrical power source, and the electrical load.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines that a key-on event has occurred for a vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines that a vehicle is powering down.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines a vehicle is in an accessory condition, where the vehicle in the accessory condition does not provide power through the fuse.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the offset data management circuit is further structured to replace the stored offset voltage with a new offset voltage.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the new offset voltage is determined through one of averaging or filtering updated values.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the new offset voltage is held for a confirmation before being applied.

13. A system, comprising:
a vehicle having a motive electrical power path;
a power distribution unit comprising a current protection circuit disposed in the motive electrical power path, the current protection circuit comprising a fuse;
a current determination circuit structured to determine that no current is demanded for a fuse load, and to further determine that contactors associated with the fuse are open;
an offset voltage determination circuit structured to determine an offset voltage corresponding to at least one component in a fuse circuit associated with the fuse, in response to the determining that no current is demanded for the fuse load; and
an offset data management circuit structured to store the offset voltage, and to communicate a current calculation offset voltage for use by a controller to determine current flow through the fuse.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a diagnostic circuit structured to diagnose a component in response to the offset voltage.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a diagnostic circuit structured to determine which one of a plurality of components is contributing to the offset voltage.

16. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a diagnostic circuit structured to compare a null offset nominal voltage to a null offset voltage threshold value.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines that a key-off event has occurred for a vehicle including the fuse, an electrical power source, and the electrical load.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines that a key-on event has occurred for a vehicle.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines that a vehicle is powering down.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines a vehicle is in an accessory condition, where the vehicle in the accessory condition does not provide power through the fuse.

21. The system of claim 13 , wherein the offset data management circuit is further structured to replace the stored offset voltage with a new offset voltage.

22. A method for determining offset voltage for a fuse current measurement system, comprising:
determining that no current is demanded for a fuse load for a fuse electrically disposed between an electrical power source and an electrical load;
determining that contactors associated with the fuse are open;
determining a null offset voltage in response to no current demanded for the fuse load; and storing the null offset voltage; and
updating a stored null offset voltage in response to the determined null offset voltage; and
communicating a current calculation offset voltage for use by a controller to determine current flow through the fuse.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising diagnosing a component in response to the null offset voltage.

24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising determining which one of a plurality of components is contributing to the null offset voltage.

25. The method of claim 22 , further comprising comparing a null offset nominal voltage to a null offset voltage threshold value.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines that a key-off event has occurred for a vehicle including the fuse, an electrical power source, and the electrical load.

27. The method of claim 22 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines that a key-on event has occurred for a vehicle.

28. The method of claim 22 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines that a vehicle is powering down.

29. The method of claim 22 , wherein the determination that no current is demanded for a fuse load determines a vehicle is in an accessory condition, where the vehicle in the accessory condition does not provide power through the fuse.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Fisher Brandon William
• David James
• Soni Asheesh

Classifications

• H01M50/204

  Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells · CPC title

• H01H85/0241

  Structural association of a fuse and another component or apparatus (switches with built-in fuses H01H9/10, spark-gap arresters H01H85/44, transformers and inductances H01F27/402, capacitors H01G2/14, lamps H01K1/66, semiconductors H10W20/493 or H10W42/80) · CPC title

• H02H3/08 Primary

  responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) · CPC title

• B60L3/0023

  Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train · CPC title

• H02H3/085

  making use of a thermal sensor, e.g. thermistor, heated by the excess current (also responsive to the temperature of the protected device H02H5/041, thermal images H02H6/00) · CPC title