Systems and methods for providing a heating cycle to an after-treatment system of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11739671-B2
Application number	US-202117242564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2021
Priority date	Apr 28, 2021
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

A method of providing a heating cycle for an after-treatment system is described. The method comprises initiating a pre-charge cycle of a DCDC converter and determining a temperature of the after-treatment system. In response to determining the temperature of the after-treatment system is below a threshold temperature and the pre-charge is complete, the method further comprises operating a solid-state switch to electrically connect a high voltage power source to a heating element to of the after-treatment system, and heating the after-treatment system with the heating element until the after-treatment system reaches the threshold temperature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of providing a heating cycle for an after-treatment system of a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving a start trigger;
initiating a pre-charge cycle of a DC-DC converter;
determining a temperature of the after-treatment system;
in response to determining that the temperature of the after-treatment system is below a threshold temperature and determining that the pre-charge cycle is complete, operating a solid-state switch to electrically connect a high voltage power source to a heating element of the after-treatment system; and
heating the after-treatment system using the heating element until the after-treatment system reaches the threshold temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
starting an engine;
wherein the engine is started after the after-treatment system reaches the threshold temperature.

3. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
closing an e-switch of the power source to electrically connect the power source to the after-treatment system, wherein the after-treatment system further comprises a pulse-width modulation, PWM, switch and/or an additional DC-DC converter.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing power to an auxiliary system before an engine start.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the start trigger comprises:
a signal received from a key fob;
a door of a vehicle opening;
a signal received from a smart device application;
a signal received from an auxiliary device connected to the power source;
an engine start request; or
detecting a proximity of a user.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a plurality of contextual factors.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein an amount of thermal energy provided to the after-treatment system by the heating element is based on the contextual factors.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the contextual factors comprise at least one of:
an ambient temperature;
a time since a last engine start-up;
a delta temperature between the temperature of the after-treatment system and the ambient temperature;
an engine temperature;
a maximum power output from the auxiliary heat source;
a maximum thermal energy output from the heat source;
a target temperature for the after-treatment system; or
a state of charge of the power source.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a state of charge of the high voltage power source.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
modifying a minimum state of charge of the high voltage power source to enable a next heating cycle.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the modifying comprises elevating a minimum amount of charge to be held within the high voltage power source.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to receiving the start trigger, initializing at least one of:
a battery energy control module;
an auxiliary device connected to a high voltage power source;
an e-machine; or
an engine control module.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising initializing two or more systems in parallel.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the after-treatment system reaching a target temperature, starting an engine.

15. An exhaust system suitable for use with an engine, the engine exhaust system comprising:
an engine after-treatment system disposed within the exhaust system;
an exhaust control module configured to:
receive a start trigger;
initiate a pre-charge cycle of a DCDC converter;
determine a temperature of the after-treatment system;
in response to determining that the temperature of the after-treatment system is below a threshold temperature and determining the pre-charge is complete, operate a solid-state switch to electrically connect a high voltage power source to a heating element of the after-treatment system; and
heat the after-treatment system using the heating element until the after-treatment system reaches the threshold temperature.

16. A vehicle comprising:
an engine; and
the engine exhaust system for use with the engine, the engine exhaust system comprising:
an engine after-treatment system disposed within the exhaust system;
an exhaust control module configured to:
receive a start trigger;
initiate a pre-charge cycle of a DCDC converter;
determine a temperature of the after-treatment system;
in response to determining that the temperature of the after-treatment system is below a threshold temperature and determining the pre-charge is complete, operate a solid-state switch to electrically connect a high voltage power source to a heating element of the after-treatment system; and

heat the after-treatment system using the heating element until the after-treatment system reaches the threshold temperature.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon for carrying out a method, the method comprising:
receiving a start trigger;
initiating a pre-charge cycle of a DCDC converter;
determining a temperature of the after-treatment system;
in response to determining that the temperature of the after-treatment system is below a threshold temperature and determining that the pre-charge cycle is complete, operating a solid-state switch to electrically connect a high voltage power source to a heating element of the after-treatment system; and
heating the after-treatment system using the heating element until the after-treatment system reaches the threshold temperature.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Cox David
• Hesketh David
• Petridis Themi

Classifications

• F01N2240/16

  an electric heater, i.e. a resistance heater · CPC title

• F01N2900/104

  Battery status · CPC title

• F01N2900/1602

  Temperature of exhaust gas apparatus · CPC title

• F01N2900/08

  said parameters being related to the engine · CPC title

• F01N2900/12

  said parameters being related to the vehicle exterior · CPC title